A/N: A short chapter (only two scenes worth) and it's kind of just moving things along to the next chapter. Just think of it as the calm before the storm. :) But I wanted to get this up tonight, as I won't be able to sit down and start chapter 30 until Sunday. And I wanted to prove that I was actually back to posting at near-normal crazy pace. Wow...chapter 30 already...time flies when you're playing with the lives of the Saints. :)
Katie relaxed against the couch as she watched Sara pace the length of the living room. The room was silent save the sound of Sara's boots clicking steadily across the hardwood floor. After a few more minutes, Katie sat up fully and sighed.
"You okay, Sar?"
"Fine. Fucking peachy."
"Want to talk about it?"
"What's the point?"
Katie got to her feet and moved to block Sara's path, crossing her arms over her chest. She looked at her friend closely but couldn't read her shifting eyes. "What's going on, Sara?"
"Nothing."
"Sara."
"Fuck, Katie. You all keep me in the fucking dark here. And I doubt I'll fucking even find out what's going on at the precinct unless I force it out of Connor later tonight."
"Whoa, hold on here. Keep you in the dark?"
"Yeah, Katie." Sara's eyes moved to her face and Katie was surprised to see the pain there. "You most of all keep me in the dark. You are the one keeping things from me."
"Like what?"
"Like Peter being fucking undercover. And like you playing the hooker role the other night. I had to find that shit out from Connor. From Connor! You left from my apartment to risk your ass and sneak back in without a fucking word to me about it."
Raising her hands in front of her, Katie sighed. "I'm sorry. I should have told you-"
"Damn fucking right you should have. I'm your fucking best friend, Katie. Believe it or not, I actually give a rat's ass what happens to you. And you're supposed to tell me everything important. Like you used to."
"And have you look at me like I'm a freak? Like I'm looking for fucking trouble?"
"When have I done that?" Sara's jaw dropped slightly. "When have I ever fucking reacted like that?"
Katie swallowed hard, fighting the wave of emotions that came from nowhere. "Every fucking time I mentioned Brett's name in college. And after he died it got worse. You gave me that look when I left for New York. Like you didn't understand why I'd waste my time on something as stupid as that. Like you didn't understand me anymore." Her voice trailed off into a whisper and she kept her eyes on the wall behind Sara. She heard Sara shift in the silent moment before answering.
"You didn't give me a chance to understand you. You took off. Left me behind. And you're still fucking leaving me behind, Katie. Don't you understand that? Don't you understand that I'm still looking for you? Still trying to find you?" Sara's words grew shakier and she stopped speaking.
"I'm right here, Sara. You did find me. And I knew you tried to find me before. That friend of yours." Katie sniffed and raised her eyes to Sara, who was watching her closely. "David? He nearly found me about six months after I left."
"Davis. He's dead." Sara choked on the words and Katie watched as the tears welled up in her friend's eyes. She hadn't seen Sara cry for years. Not since Greg left. Stepping forward, she pulled Sara into her arms and found tears forming in her own eyes as her friend sobbed into her shoulder.
"I know he is, Rosie, I know." She ran a hand down Sara's long blonde hair and fought the lump in her throat. Sara clung to her even as her sobs ended. And Katie found herself not wanting to let go. "I'm so sorry I left."
"I knew you had to." Sara pulled away from her, staring down at her through fresh tears in her eyes. "But you never even tried to explain. You shut everyone else out. And you are still doing it, Katie."
Lowering her eyes, Katie crossed her arms over her chest and shrugged. She didn't know how to respond. She knew she had closed herself off after Brett's death. To survive, she had to. Facing her own pain was too much, much less anyone else's. Anger had become her chosen output. Anger and revenge.
But she'd opened back up again, hadn't she? She hadn't really shut everyone out again, had she? Even Murphy? Breathing in slowly, she closed her eyes. How am I still doing it if I don't even know I'm doing it?
"But I'm doing it, too." The whisper of Sara's voice made her look up and she saw a few tears slide into wet trails down her cheeks.
"What are you talking about, Sara?"
"Davis gave…he gave me a file. A project to work on." She let out a shaky breath and swiped the tears away from her face. "It's on the fucking Saints, Katie. He wanted me to get information about them to the mafia."
"What?" Katie's eyes widened and her heart skipped a beat. Was she serious? A file on the Saints? "What do you mean a project?"
"I did investigative reporting for awhile. We did projects for buying clients."
"And you were going to sell information about the Saints?" Katie's voice grew louder and she stared at Sara. How could she do this? "Is this why…Connor?" The not quite formed accusation hung in the air and Sara shook her head quickly, taking another shaky breath.
"No, Katie. It's nothing like that. Davis just approached me about this yesterday."
"And yet you still took it?" Katie brought her hand to her mouth and chewed on the side of her thumb for a second before she realized what she was doing. Christ, now I'm picking up Murphy's fucking bad habits.
"I took it because I had to. Davis gave me the file. Which means it's not the only copy."
"So…if you don't do it, someone else will?"
Sara sighed. "Yes. Maybe. I don't know really. If Davis was still alive, yes." Her voice broke slightly. "But he's not and I don't know who will take over. But it's not worth the chance, Kat."
"Have you told anyone else about this?" Katie watched Sara pause only slightly before shaking her head. Taking her hand, she led Sara to the table and got her to sit down before moving to the fridge. Grabbing two Pepsis, she set one in front of Sara and sat across from her. They were both silent.
Playing with the tab on her now open can, Katie allowed the information to sink in. The mafia wanted information on the Saints. Were willing to hire out for the information. She gripped the can tighter. They know they are alive. Raising a hand to her mouth, she glanced up at Sara, who nodded slowly.
"It took me a little longer to get there." She offered a half smile. "You've always been a faster thinker."
"They know they are alive." Even saying the words out loud seemed to give them power. Enough power to send fear crawling up her spine. Getting up from the table, Katie grabbed her phone from her coat pocket and sat back down across from Sara. "We need to warn them."
"Wait." Sara reached out and put her hand over the phone. Katie looked up at her in surprise. What the fuck was she doing? They needed to make sure the boys and Da were prepared.
"Why?"
"Think about it, Katie. They are already vigilant enough. And I have a feeling Smecker is going to tell them the same thing we already know."
"So why not just tell them?" She knew her voice had gotten louder, but Katie didn't care.
"Calm down."
"Don't tell me to fucking calm down, Sara. You've just given me information that is vital to their survival."
"Information they probably already suspect. Neither Connor nor Murphy is stupid. And Da's been on his own long enough to know better. They survived this long without our intervention." Sara's voice was soothing. Katie just shook her head and pulled the phone out from under Sara's hand.
"I'm calling them." She lifted the phone up, but Sara grabbed her hand again.
"No. Katie, don't you see? This is something we can do to help them."
Lifting her eyes back to Sara's face, Katie frowned. "What do you mean?"
"Just because I have the file doesn't mean I have to give the truth. We can feed them misinformation. We can stall for time. We have the control here."
"The guys will never let us do that. Especially Connor. It's putting your ass at risk."
Sara pressed her lips together for a moment and brought her hands back to cross over her chest. "Who says we have to tell them? Katie, now I understand your need to do something. To not just sit here. And this is something that we can do. Something that will buy them time to make their own move." She leaned forward and put her elbows on the table. Katie could feel her intense gaze, despite the fact that she was staring down at her hands.
She'd promised Murphy she wouldn't do anything. Fuck, she promised Smecker she wouldn't do anything. But this will help keep them safe. Could she lie to Murphy to protect him? Would he forgive her if he found out?
"Katie, I'll leave it up to you. But I know we can do this. Together. We can keep them safe, instead of them just keeping us safe." Sara sighed lightly and Katie closed her eyes against the humming of her blood as her heart began to race.
She could do something. Something besides worrying and nagging. Something that didn't involve hooker stunts and angering Murphy. And she wouldn't have to do it alone. Christ, she was tired of going it alone and hiding it from everybody. Hiding that part of herself from everybody else in her life.
Raising her eyes back to Sara, Katie swallowed another drink of her Pepsi and met her friend's gaze evenly. Christ, they could do this. And if they did, the Saints might just survive.
Katie lowered her cell phone to the table and slid it out to the middle. Pressing her palms against the roughly grained wood, she took a deep breath. "So, what exactly are you planning?"
Sara just smiled slightly and leaned forward even more. "How does a wild goose chase sound?"
Connor shut the door to Smecker's office and took a seat on the other side of Da. The room was silent for a moment as Smecker leaned back in his chair and sighed heavily.
"As I mentioned to you, Peter Shafer was here earlier. I tried to get him to stick around, but it's probably best you aren't seen with him anymore than you have to be." His voice was quiet and edgy, and Connor wondered just how much more information could be coming
"What's goin' on, Smecker?" Da asked, his question echoing through the office.
"They're trying to find more information on you. They know you are alive."
"And ye think they've got a fuckin' mole?" Connor tapped his fist against his mouth. Smecker nodded.
"Yeah. They know you are alive and back here in Boston. They were supposed to think you had moved on. So yeah, I'd say there's someone giving them information."
"Maybe we weren't fuckin' believable enough. I mean, we did leave Katie and Sara behind." Murphy lit a cigarette from his pack before passing it to Da who immediately handed it over to Connor.
"Do they know about Sara?" Connor frowned, staring at Smecker who simply shrugged.
"I don't really know, Connor. And Peter didn't have anything specific. They haven't trusted him enough yet."
"He gonna be yer new informant?"
"Yeah, Murph. Thanks for giving out my name to strangers." Smecker offered him a small smile and got a half laugh in return.
"If Katie's fuckin' brother counts as a stranger."
"How can we find out what they fuckin' know?" Connor cut Murphy's further comment off, leaning forward. He took a drag as Smecker glanced back at him.
"We have no reason to believe that there is any threat against Sara. She's in no way connected with the mob-"
"Yes she is. Her old boss ran information for the mafia. His body was found floating by the docks this morning." Connor spoke calmly despite the growing nerves in his gut. The silence of the room made it clear he wasn't the only one who saw the connections.
Both Murphy and Da were looking over at him and Connor met their gazes one by one. He held Murphy's the longest and his brother finally nodded slightly before turning back to Smecker. The message from Murphy was clear to Connor. We'll do what we have ta do ta keep her safe.
Connor turned back to an intrigued Smecker, his heart feeling slightly lighter. Of course he knew Murphy would be behind him, but to have his obvious support made things easier.
"Well Pat, it's your turn to get a girlfriend who had issues with the mob to round out this bunch." Smecker finally spoke quietly before grinning. "Christ, and I thought Murphy was the frickin' problem brother."
"What one has, the other has ta get." Da smiled slightly as both twins exchanged half grins.
"Aye, it was a fuckin' plan ta make yer life difficult. Not ta mention make our own fuckin' lives more interestin'."
"And since when is Murph the problem brother?"
"Don't tell me you're gonna frickin' compete for that now?" Leaning back in his chair, Smecker laced his hands behind his head. His gaze fell on Connor and his expression grew more serious. "So what is Sara's involvement with the mafia herself?"
Rolling the cigarette between his fingertips, Connor pursed his lips. It was a question he wasn't sure how to answer himself. It seemed that just when he thought he knew her, she stepped up to the next funhouse mirror and appeared to be completely different. When was he going to know the real her?
"Ta be honest, I don't know. Davis tried ta contact her several times since she quit. His involvement with the mafia began about the time that she quit."
"Did she know about it or have anything to do with it?"
Connor nodded at Smecker's question. "Aye, she fuckin' knew about it. That's why she quit. So she didn't have ta be involved."
"What did he try ta contact her about this time?" Da's voice was quiet. His intense gaze surprised Connor more than his words did. He knew Da would make the connections fast. Faster than even he did.
"I don't fuckin' know fer sure yet. I know he wanted her ta take a project."
"One that was connected with the mob?" Smecker leaned forward slightly but Connor just shrugged in response. He really didn't know. But he knew it was something he needed to figure out. "Did she take the project, Connor?"
"No. But I think somethin' was still fuckin' botherin' her about it last night."
"Think ye could figure out what it was about?" Murphy peered at him through the smoke he'd just exhaled. Connor nodded slowly.
"I fuckin' intend ta do just that."
He took another drag of his cigarette and breathed out slowly, his mind working a bit faster than it had earlier. The project that was bothering Sara had gotten Davis killed. It was fucking mob connected and there was a reason he came all the way to Boston to get her to take it. Something didn't seem right and Connor couldn't help but to wonder if there was just some simple answer he wasn't quite seeing here.