The Mobster's Girl

Chapter Thirty-Four

Chapter Thirty-Four

It hadn't been more than six hours since Stella and Jack had gotten the news that Kate had been arrested, and already, she was out of jail.

Kate had called the hotel as soon as she was able, and Stella sat on the phone, listening to her friend talk about the experience.

"Really, Stel', it wasn't so terrible. Sure, it was a little scary when everyone rushed in, but Jack's lawyers are incredible. Without them, I'm sure I would have stayed the night in the place, and they may have pressed charges against me. I just got a fine is all, but Peter took care of that."

"And the baby's okay? You're not too stressed?"

Kate sighed on the other end.

"You sound like Peter. I promise you, the baby is fine, but if it makes you feel any better, we're going to have a doctor stop by tomorrow morning and examine me just to make sure. He's a fighter, just like his mama," Kate gushed.

"I'm glad nothing worse happened," Stella said truthfully. "Jack said that it was Detective Rosenthal who led the raid. Did he say anything to you? About Jack?"

Kate hesitated for a moment before answering. "Just the basics about how he owns the place. Say, speaking of Jack, can you put him on the phone?"

Stella frowned, although her friend couldn't see her expression back in Chicago.

"Anything you have to say to Jack, you can say to me. What's going on?"

"You're being too suspicious," Kate said with a laugh. "Peter's birthday's coming up, and I want to get him his favorite cigars, but I can't remember the name."

Stella knew that something was up. The situation had seemed much more serious when she had heard Jack on the phone, and Kate seemed to be hiding something.

"Kate," Stella said quietly. "If there's something happening, I'd rather know so I'm not blindsided. I can handle it."

Kate was silent on the other end.

"Kate," Stella said again, her voice firm.

"I really do need to talk to Jack about Peter, Stel'. Can you please put him on?"

Stella sighed with annoyance. "Thanks for nothing, Kate. I truly appreciate it," she said sarcastically. She then turned towards Jack, who had been pacing behind her for the entirety of the phone call. "She wants to talk to you."

He quickly approached and grabbed the phone from Stella, then sat on the edge of the desk that Stella sat at.

"Hello, Kate. How are you?"

Stella could hear her friend's muffled voice but couldn't make out any words. Jack focused hard on keeping his expression blank, so he didn't reveal anything to Stella. She'd been stressed out about the situation and worried about her friend, but now, she was only annoyed that two of the closest people to her were hiding something from her.

"I see..." Jack trailed off, a worried look on his face. It was gone in an instant when he realized that Stella was watching him, and he looked up and smiled at her.

"Love, why don't you go downstairs and see if the front desk has any word from Daniel about the audition?"

Stella opened her mouth to argue, but Jack gave her a pleading look.

"Please," he replied.

Stella glared at him, but set aside the blanket that she had been wrapped in, and slipped on some shoes.

As soon as she left the room, she was greeted by Cesare's back, as he stood in front of the door, his towering frame still menacing to Stella, despite the fact that he'd been following every step that Stella and Jack had made in New York thus far.