That was shading the truth a little, but Erin knew she had to look like she was looking out for the O’Malley family’s interests. She was supposed to be Carlyle’s contact in the NYPD. This was the delicate part.
“Rojas managed to get the word out to some of his guys,” she went on. “We’re pretty sure there were four of them. They made their move earlier tonight. We weren’t quick enough to save Newton or Maginty, though we did get the guy who shot Maginty, but we got to Burke in time and put him in protective custody. He’s fine. I didn’t ask where he put the product; my job was to clear the homicide case. I talked to Carlyle about Siobhan, and he explained he had her safe for the moment.”
“But a couple of Colombian lads were in my establishment,” Carlyle said. “It was a delicate situation. I’d no desire to engage in gunplay in my pub, with so many innocent lads, and so many of our own people, hanging about. Erin and I agreed on a plan to remove the Colombians, and to safeguard Miss Finneran in the process.”
Here was the lie everything else hinged on. If Erin told the truth, that she’d been intending to arrest Siobhan and charge her with multiple murders, that was it. She’d be lucky to survive. She had to tell it Carlyle’s way, and make it convincing.
She looked at Carlyle and tried to seem pleased with herself. “We arranged for Siobhan to run out the back, knowing the Colombians would follow her. When they got into the alley, the back door locked behind them and they were trapped. There’s an old hidden entrance to the Corner out back, from Prohibition days. Siobhan ducked through it as soon as my guys showed up. The Colombians tried to fight it out, and they got gunned down. The last Colombian was across the street, but Carlyle’s guy took care of him.”
“What’s happened to my driver?” Carlyle asked.
“I processed his release a couple hours ago,” she said. This was something else that would make her look useful to the O’Malleys. “He’s probably either back at the Corner, or at home. He’s fine. No charges.”
Carlyle smiled a small but genuine smile. “That’s grand news.”
“Siobhan had plenty of time to slip back into the Corner through the basement,” Erin concluded. “She walked right out the front door, hopped in a taxi, and got clean away. I don’t know where she is now, but I assume she’s getting out of town while the heat’s on.”
Evan considered Erin for a long, uncomfortable moment. She made herself meet his eyes, never an easy thing to do.
“So,” he said at last. “What’s to happen to Mr. Burke?”
“It’s a tough situation,” she said. “He said some stupid things in front of other cops. He basically admitted to being in on the hit. But he didn’t say anything about any product, so there’ll be no drug charges. I don’t know what happened to Rojas’s stuff; I suppose it just got lost in the shuffle. I don’t know if he can get off at trial. He’ll need one hell of a good lawyer.”
Evan nodded. “Still, he’s alive, and that’s more than can be said for the other lads. You and yours took good care of those cartel lads. And I thank you for looking after Miss Finneran. You’ve answered my questions, Miss O’Reilly. I understand you’ve had a long and trying night. I’ll leave you to your well-earned rest. Michael, Donald, Doyle, if you’ll come with me.”
Evan turned and walked back to his car. Mickey and the other two goons followed. Mickey gave Erin a last look. It held a number of complicated emotions. Erin saw disappointment, anger, suspicion, and a certain dark respect. Then the Suburban’s engine rumbled to life and the O’Malley men were gone, except for Carlyle.
“Erin,” he began.
She didn’t even look at him. She opened the back of the Charger and got Rolf out. “Come on inside,” she said over her shoulder. “I’m not done with you yet.”
Carlyle was talking almost before they were inside her apartment.
“Evan picked me up on his way to see you. I’d no chance of warning you. He’s angry, and looking for someone to blame. You did a grand job, turning him aside.”
Erin turned on him. “Did you plan this whole thing?”
He stopped short. “What are you talking about?”
“Did you set me up? It’s a simple question.”
“Then it’s deserving of a simple answer. No.”
“You didn’t tip off Siobhan?”
“I texted her a warning about the Colombians and told her to go out the back. That’s all. Would you like to see my phone? The text history’s in it.”
“Then how did she know about the back way into the Corner?”
“This isn’t the first time she’s been here, Erin. She’d expressed an interest in the history of the place. I showed her around on her previous visit. To be honest, I’d forgotten she’d seen it. I’m a mite curious how you knew about it, though.”
“Rolf.”
Carlyle smiled thinly and gave a respectful nod to the K-9. “Of course. I should have guessed. Hidden doors don’t fool a born tracker.”
Rolf stared back at the Irishman and looked stern and proud of himself.
“But you let her walk right out the door,” Erin said.
“Aye. What exactly was I supposed to do? You saw the lads in the place. Any number of them would have been proud to tell Evan precisely what happened. If I’d interfered with Siobhan, even if I’d wanted to, word would have gotten back to him. Then how do you think this morning’s meeting would have gone?”
“You wanted her to get away.”
“Of course I did! I’ve made no secret of it, Erin. But I betrayed her. For you, and for us. Are you asking me to go on doing it, over and over?”
To Erin’s shock, she saw tears shining in his eyes. His self-control was entirely gone. Instinctively, her anger draining
