I hated giving Myna a hard time, but I had to know. The smallest secret hidden from me could mean the end of this family. It was too important. I watched her retreating figure go up the stairs and went to follow her but when I stopped so did she.

"You're not coming?" she asked...and that smile was almost enough to make me reconsider my plans.

"You go on ahead... I just want to look in on Loren before retiring for the night."

She shrugged and went into the bedroom. I sighed and knocked on the door to my sister's room. She didn't answer and I knocked again loud enough I knew she could hear it even if she fell asleep and if she didn't I knew Gyn would.

I hear voices, a scuffling noise and a crash. I tried to open the door but it was locked.

It only took seconds. My penknife was in my hand. I used it to pry the lock and opened the door.

The image I saw would have been comical had I not known why they were sneaking out this late at night. There was my sister lying flat on her back looking up at me, up side down. One leg still caught in the window, with Gyn half in, half out of the window, staring up at me.

"Busted," Gyn says to Loren who nods back in agreement.

I sigh, and strode over to help the first poor little bunny out of the window. The second just needed a hand up once Gyn was free.

I shook my head and reached out my hand. "Speakeasy or AJ?" I asked.

Loren frowned at me like the answer should be obvious.

"AJ it is," I say shutting the window, wishing there were bars I could add and lock at night.

"Has every woman in my life gone mad while I was away?" I turn and ask, rubbing a hand across my brows wishing I could relieve the pain that was there.

"He needs us, G-man sir."

"Gyn, how many times must I say, Lorne or even Mr. Order is fine."

Gyn shrugged.

"It was Madame Yu's men at that bridge, Lorne. He went to warn Madame Yu but what if it's a lie? What if Madame ordered the strike? He's already hurt from the accident."

"Madame Yu would NEVER hurt AJ!" Gyn said, and I could see this was a bone of contention between the two of them.

"Okay! Even if Madame Yu is on the level," Gyn frowned at her. "Still someone there ordered the strike. Those men had gats, they meant for whomever came across that bridge not to come out alive. He's walking into an ambush."

"And you two thought what? You'd go and walk into it with him. Distract him from being able to handle things because he now has to worry about both of you."

They both looked crestfallen. It was times like these I hated being me. I see the world as very black and white. The law is the law. It's there to protect but can be very unforgiving even if you're innocent. Best way to avoid Lady Justice's gaze is to stay out of trouble. Something none of the woman in this household seemed to understand.

"Have either of you considered the reason AJ went through so much trouble was to protect you two ditzy dames in the first place?"

"He is hurt. And if there are men there who are not loyal to Madame Yu, I do not know how many. I worry G-m...Mr. Loren, sir that he will not make it out of there alive. AJ is the strongest fighter there is, but it would be a miracle for him to take on that many and live."

I sighed and sat on the bed. I looked at my watch. It has been some time since AJ left. What they said made sense and if it were true I could understand their concern but the truth of it was, if he were walking into an ambush, he was already in trouble and there would be little any of them could do about it.

"I know you're angry with AJ because I snuck out to the Speakeasy and got arrested."

Gyn's head swiveled and her eyes widened. I could tell at least she wasn't part of that conspiracy.

"But he didn't know and they," Loren looked over at Gyn, "didn't betray, Myna!"

Gyn eyes shot back to me and she opened her mouth either to add to or protest but I held up my hand and she shut her lips tight.

I looked them both in the eye so they knew I was speaking the truth. "I know."

Both looked flabbergasted by this declaration.

"My beef with AJ isn't that he betrayed Myna. It's his life. His choices are dangerous. And his association with the NoLuks puts you, Myna, and perhaps even Gyn in danger."

"We can fend for ourselves," Gyn said defiantly and by the look on her face I knew she believed it.

"Really, and what did you plan to do once you got out of that window?"

Loren looked away and Gyn took a stance like she was ready to battle right now.

"No Loren, I really want to know. What was your plan?"

"To take a dimbox jaunt to NoLuk Territory," she said.

"And then what?"

She looked away and I knew she was hiding something. "You said, you believed him about to be walking into an ambush what did you have in mind to stop that?"

She didn't answer. She either didn't have an answer or was refusing to. Suddenly she reached behind her back and pulled out a pocket pistol.

"Murder, Loren! You even know how to use that thing!"

Her face turned scarlet "I have a permit to carry! Despite your opinion of me Lorne I'm not some Dumb Dora, I know the places I go are dangerous and I have to walk the streets at night so I thought it best to be prepared."

"Don't get yourself in a lather, Loren. I just want to know you if you knew how to use it or it can be just as easily used against you."

"I know."

I nodded. My world was becoming more surreal by the second.

"It's killing me not knowing," Loren said. I stood back up and hugged her. "I know baby but its AJ were talking about here. He's tougher than the toughest bimbos I know."

She tried to smile at me. "He'd love to know that's your opinion of him."

"Either of you tell him that and I'll deny everything," I said with a grin, which brought a true smile to her lips.

"What of AJ?!" Gyn said, not wanting to be swayed by this sudden turn of events. AJ was priority one.

"I'll go."

Once again both women looked shocked. It made me wonder what their opinion of me was, and would they be climbing over one another to get to me if I were in trouble? Sadly, I knew the answer would be no.

"You?" Both Loren and Gyn said in unison, now I was just downright insulted.

"Yes, me!"

"By yourself?" Loren looked at me like I was daft.

"No Loren, I thought I'd call the Pentagon and ask for back up. Yes, by myself."

"You two were about go, how is that you don't believe I'd fair at least as good as you?!"

"Because I wasn't going alone. I had, Gyn." Loren said, complacently like she was talking to child, now I knew how she felt.

Gyn nodded at this. "Mr. G- ... Mr. Lorne, sir. I've lived in NoLuk territory. I know my way around that place blindfolded. We weren't planning to go crashing through the front gates. I would have snuck Loren in. We would have stayed low until we knew where AJ was and figured out a plan on how to help him. Maybe even getting to Madame Yu first, if AJ were stopped, to enlist her help in bringing him home."

I hated to admit their plan had merit, but still wasn't willing to risk anyone's life but my own.

"What you propose makes sense but I'm a federal agent not a spy. I don't do covert missions and I don't want either of you near that place." I walked over to the window and shut it.

"I'll go. I'll bring him home. I promise." I say, locking the window, not that it would keep them from going out but to give myself peace of mind that no one could easily get in.

Just as I twisted the lock into place I'd seen it. The Duesenberg came up the alley in back of the Ritzy and seemed out of control. Crashing into the dumpsters outside.

Both women jumped at the sound and I took off like a shot, taking the stairs a few at a time.

Myna was in the hall by the time I was at the bottom of the stairs. "What is it?! What's wrong?!"

I didn't have time to answer I flew out the back door, Loren and Gyn hot on my heels.

The horn was now blaring. I opened the driver's side door and AJ was slumped over the steering wheel. I pulled him back and seen the crimson stains on his shirt.

"Jesus! AJ! AJ!"

His eyes looked like glass as he gazed into mine, he whispered something but I couldn't understand it.

"Madame!" Gyn cried. It wasn't until then I noticed a second passenger in the back seat.

"Girls? Can you get her inside?"

Gyn looked at Loren who only had eyes for AJ and elbowed her hard to get her attention. "Yes," she said, but the word came out breathy, I was grateful Myna was close by.

"Loren? Loren!" I said a little forcefully to get her attention. She couldn't take her eyes off of AJ's chest. "Inside! Now! Call an ambulance."

She nodded and ran off.

Myna, Gyn, can you move her inside?

Both woman nodded they could. I grabbed AJ and slid him from the seat. He was heavier then he looked but I got him inside.

Loren was hanging up the phone when the women were bringing in Madame Yu and lent them a hand. They laid her on the sofa in the employee's break room that adjoined the kitchen. Myna checked her over while Gyn fussed over making sure she was covered, as she seemed to be shivering.

Loren didn't stay with them; she came into the kitchen where I had AJ lying on the floor. I had his shirt open he had two gunshot wounds to the chest. This was bad. I grabbed some clean towels from the kitchen and apron and pair of scissors. I had to clean him up and redressed the wound to make a better tourniquet.

Loren knelt down and placed a cushion under his head. She followed all my instructions to the letter. I had her help me, to keep her busy so she wouldn't fall apart. "Help is on the way, Loren. You have to believe he's going to make it."

She looked down at his face and he looked paler than death. She stroked the hair out of his face and the look on her face nearly broke me in two. Thankfully, Myna came in.

"Madame Yu hasn't been shot but she's burning up with a fever, she sweating but shivering like she's fully exposed to the cold, other than the shakes she's completely unresponsive to Gyn talking to her."

It was then I put two and two together, what AJ had said to me. "Poison!"

"Poison!?" Myna said shocked.

"It's what AJ said to me right before he passed out, he wanted me to know how to help her."

We heard the sirens and they came rushing in the front door. By the time they left, AJ was stable but they had to make certain the bullets were not lodged in his chest. So they were taking him to the hospital.

When it came to Madame Yu the condition was trickier. Not knowing what they poisoned her with would make finding a cure much harder to come by. Gyn and Loren accompanied them to the hospital.

Myna grabbed her coat and her keys, "Aren't you coming?" she said when she'd seen I wasn't ready to leave.

"I have to make a few calls and I'll be right behind you."

"Now?"

I flashed her my buzzer. "Federal Agent, remember? I need that car impounded for evidence and I have to fill out a report. I've got two cases at the very least of attempted murder brought to my door step."

Myna looked disappointed, but said, "I understand."

When she left, my first call was to the station, to give a detailed report and get someone to pick up the car.

Though it will kill me to make it... the next call will be to Tres. Myna said she talked with him. If he was nosing around here someone hired him to look into the case. And if took a court order, I was determined to know what he's dug up so far.

The last call would have to wait until morning. I had to track down, Lulu McGinty and warn her, her life was in danger.