Bloodlines by Jan Burke Read Free Book Online Page A

sure?" Jack asked.
    O'Connor nodded. "It's American. So am I."
    "Not Irish?"
    "Oh, sure, but I'm Irish American. Maureen and me--" He could hear her correct him. "I mean, Maureen and I--were born here. The others are Irish. My parents, too."
    "You have other brothers and sisters?"
    "Yes, sir. There are seven of us, but only the three at home. The other four are all old and married. I think they're even as old as you."
    Corrigan laughed.
    O'Connor went back to perusing the menu. He couldn't help but notice that the chicken dinner special cost forty cents, and hoped that Mr. Corrigan had plenty of money on him. Then he remembered that he had the silver dollar with him and relaxed. It was lucky, but if Jack Corrigan needed it to pay for the meal, O'Connor would spend it.
    "Changing your mind?"
    "No, sir," he said, setting the menu back in its holder. "I just like to read."
    "An admirable trait, Mr. O'Connor."
    It was only after the pie had been eaten that Jack said, "Now, I haven't forgotten that you called this meeting on account of some very important business." He looked around the empty diner with the air of a conspirator. "Is it safe to discuss it here?"
    "Yes, sir. I believe so. It's about the Mitch Yeager trial. The one you've been covering down at the courthouse."
    "Hmm," said Jack, lighting another cigarette. "Mitch Yeager just might beat that rap. His older brother, Adam, is serving hard time, but Mitch did his bootlegging with some big names in town--not old enough to drink the stuff, and he was running rum. Now that bootlegging is out of style, young Mitch has found other pursuits--just as illegal, though. Even if he does tell everyone that he's simply a businessman being harassed by the Express."
    "I know. I've been reading your stories."
    "You have? At ten years old?"
    "No, sir. I'm eight."
    "Eight." He digested this fact for a moment, then said, "I thought we didn't hire paperboys younger than ten."
    O'Connor shifted in his seat, then said, "I'm tall for my age, so I fibbed to get the job. I'll be nine soon. Are you going to peach on me?"
    Jack rubbed his chin. "No. Go on."
    "Well, I wanted to see Yeager for myself, so I asked Duffy if I could just take a peek from the balcony."
    "Duffy?"
    "He's one of the guards at the courthouse. He buys his papers from me."
    "I should have known. We'll skip the matter of truancy for the moment. This Duffy agreed to let you 'peek' at a real, live mobster on trial?"
    "Yes, sir. Only I couldn't see Yeager so good--so well. I saw you--at least, I saw the back of your head."
    "How could you possibly know it was the back of my head?"
    O'Connor blushed again. "I saw the lady with the fur coat sitting next to you."
    "Ah, yes, your benefactress." When O'Connor looked puzzled, Corrigan said, "The lady who gave you the big tip."
    "Yes, sir. What was that other word, please?"
    "Benefactress." Corrigan waited while the boy repeated it to himself several times, then prompted, "You were saying?"
    "Oh. Well, mostly I could see the jury. I could see all of them. This one lady kept glancing up at the balcony, and it seemed to me that something was making her nervous."
    "What makes you say that?"
    "She would twist her handkerchief. Not all the time, just after she glanced at the balcony."
    Corrigan looked away, blew out a mouthful of smoke. O'Connor watched him stub out his cigarette and grind the butt into the glass ashtray. He smiled ruefully at O'Connor. "I suppose I'm going to have to ask Lillian to stay home. Apparently she's too much of a distraction."
    "Lillian is my benefactress?"
    He pronounced it perfectly, Corrigan noticed. "Yes. Miss Lillian Vanderveer. Of the Vanderveers, you understand."
    "Oh."
    "So go on, Mr. O'Connor."
    "I figured out that the nervous lady was looking at the men sitting next to me. A big fellow and a little fellow."
    Big Sarah came by and refilled Jack's coffee. O'Connor covered a big yawn beneath a small hand. Jack took out his pocket watch. "Holy--it's ten