Organized Crime: Unorganized

Chapter 48

"We buried you" was all James managed to get out. 
"I'm sorry. I...I wish I could've told you all. You all deserved better. I'm sorry" Grace frowned deeply as Lilly took her hand and squeezed it gently "I'm sorry I let you down" Grace crossed the room towards him, standing before him, her scent filling his nose. Lavender and honey. 
"You didn't let me down. It's just... your alive" he smiled. 
"Yeah, I'm alive. I have a pulse and everything" she smiled widely as she joked.
"How did you know that we were looking for the boys?" 
"I had Simon watch over you guys, he called me"
"Always did like to crash a party" Simon smirked.
Grace turned back to the rest of the group "I promise I'll explain everything later, but right now I want to know what's going on with Liam and Connor" 
"Was there a man living in the house?" Aneesa asked. 
"Yeah, my friend Sammy Wells. He was raising the boys as his own" 
"Where is he now? I never saw him going in or out of that house" Sadie told her.  
"He's on assignment overseas" 
"Because of his work you listed Georgette as their grandmother" James nodded. 
"I made sure that Georgette, Sammy and I were the only ones that could take them out of school" Grace explained. 
"They were taken out of school yesterday because they got sick, food poisoning. A few kids had it" Lilly remembered "Whoever did it got to them at school"
"Our current suspect is Seamus O'Donnell" Marco told her. 
"That doesn't make any sense. Seamus gave up on Reilly years ago"
"He said that you were the only one that knew about Seamus" James told her. 
"Which is why I'm pretty sure that he didn't have the balls to pull this off. There was no forced entry at the house?" 
"We think Seamus and his partner posed as the next shift. It's most likely that his partner was a woman" Lilly suggested. 
"Our suspect is a woman that has a grudge against Reilly?" Lorenzo laughed slightly. 
"That's a long suspect list" 

"These women are all past associates of Reilly's who may have also crossed paths with Seamus" Grace told them. 
"Anyone have a deeper personal connection to Reilly?" Lorenzo asked. 
"Besides me?" Grace joked. 
"Whoever took the boys showed a lot of rage at Georgette" James reminded them. 
"She'd been with Reilly before the boys were born" Grace told them. 
"Who was the boys mother or mothers?" James asked her. 
"He told me she was dead" 
"I have a bad plan"
"I trust you" she assured him "What's the plan?"
"Its more of a game. Wake the dead" 

Grace held the handle of the door in her hand, preparing herself to see him again. 
"You don't have to do this" James assured her. 
"I have to. He won't talk unless I do. This is the only way" 
"There's always a second option" 
"And I'm choosing this one" she assured him before she turned the handle and headed inside. 

Cormac and Grace both froze for a moment, both of their eyes not leaving each others.
"Of course" he smirked. Grace moved over to the table, spreading the photos out in front of him. 
"Which one is their mom?" Grace asked. She watched as his eyes scanned the rows of images, not stopping over a single one. 
"I have a condition" he sat back in his chair, looking her over. 
"I'm not here to make a deal"
"I don't want a deal, I just have something I want before I tell you" he smirked as he saw her temper rising. 
"What do you want?" 
"You. A date. Like old times" he smiled. 
"Like old time? We never went on a single date" she laughed. 
"The beach? I'm pretty sure that counts"  
"Springing it on me that you want me to raise you sons to be like you and having me refuse isn't my idea of a date" 
"Then let me take you on a real one. We'll eat, drink expensive wine, maybe fuck at the end of the night. Please?" 
"I'll try. For the boys" 

"No" James said again for what felt like the millionth time in a row. 
"We'll do it here, in the office. A controlled environment where we can watch his every move-"
"He tried to kill you Grace" James reminded her. 
"That was an accident! We were fighting over my gun when the power went out. He wasn't trying to kill me because he knew the boys were already alive" Grace told him, making James freeze in his tracks. 
"I told them to cut the power that night. It was all my fault" James admitted. 
"No, its not. It was mine for running off alone and it was the governments for sending me after Reilly. Its not your fault and I don't blame you James, not ever" Grace assured him. 
"So what's our next move?" Simon asked. 
"I don't think that this is a good plan" James told her. 
"I know, but I'm willing to do it. If Reilly wants to play house in order to find out where the boys are, I'll do it. I would die for them. I already have died for them" Grace laughed slightly. 
"He tries anything, we end it right there" he ordered earning a nod from Grace "I'm not going to let you die again"
"I'm like a cat, I've got lives to spare" she joked with a smile, hoping to put him at ease, which she knew worked when he smiled back. 
"I make the rules. Both of you have to stay within my eyeline and if he tries anything I will personally lock him up and throw away the key, got it?"
"Yes boss" Grace saluted him, earning a soft glare from him. 
"Now let's go play dress up" Sadie and Lilly smiled widely as they each grab hold of one of Grace's arms before they pulled her off to the locker room to get ready. 

"Your going to look incredible" Sadie smiled widely. 
"I've missed you both so much" Grace smiled, squeezing Lilly's hand as Sadie applied more make up "So, what have I missed?" 
"Lorenzo and Sadie are dating" Lilly smiled widely. 
"Good, since they day I started here he's only had eyes for you" Grace told her. 
"Diane has been going on dates but Marco has been celibate" Sadie told her. 
"Good for Diane. But, we all know Marco likes her" Grace reminded them before an air of silence fell over them "What? What is it?"
"James missed you. We think he felt guilty because of what had happened to Molly" Lilly told her. 
"I'm sorry. I'm sorry I had to leave" Grace frowned deeply before the other young women moved to hold her close. 
"We missed you" Sadie admitted. 
"So much" Lilly empathised.