Free With a Twist by Deirdre Martin

the one-night stands.
    Liam shrugged. “Just had some stuff to do.”
    “Mmm.” Quinn wanted to ask but didn’t, not wanting to put Liam on the defensive immediately. “How’s Natalie working out?”
    “Great.” Liam took a long gulp of coffee. “Too bad she’s not Irish. I think it confuses people to hear her accent in an Irish place.” He stared at Quinn sleepily. “So you dragged me out of bed at seven to talk about Natalie?”
    “No.”
    Liam frowned. “What, then?”
    “I’ve been doing some digging.”
    “Yeah?”
    “Yeah. I found out that Shields Brothers Construction is the one buying the buildings they’re fixing up around the neighborhood, not just fixing them up. I think they might be fronting for Whitey.”
    Liam looked unfazed. “Yeah?”
    “You know anything about that?”
    “Why would I?”
    “Well, you’re still tight with Tommy, right? He’s one of Whitey’s crew. You involved with Whitey at all, Li?”
    Liam just stared at him.
    “Because if you are, I’ve got to warn you: I’m going to pursue this story hard, and I’d hate to think of you being mixed up with these assholes. If you’re tied up with Whitey in any way, I suggest you disentangle yourself now.”
    “I’m not tangled up with Whitey.”
    “Were you ever?”
    “I ran a few errands when I was a teenager, filling in for Tommy. It wasn’t a big deal. I needed the money.”
    “But you’re not involved now, right?”
    Liam looked annoyed. “I just told you that.”
    “I’m serious here, Liam.”
    “Yeah, so am I, Quinn,” Liam shot back. “I don’t know anything about Whitey and the Shields Brothers.”
    “Does Tommy?”
    “I have no idea, Quinn. Ask him yourself.” Liam drained his coffee cup and stood up. “I gotta go.”
    “Yeah, fine, go,” said Quinn. “Just promise me one thing.”
    Liam looked bored. “What?”
    “If you’re bullshitting me, and you’re still mixed up in any crap that could send you to jail, cut it out now, okay? Because it would kill Mom and Dad if that happened. Kill them. Also, if a blue moon should occur and you change your mind about talking to me—”
    “Nothing to talk about.” Liam slid out of the booth, and walked away.
    Later that night, Quinn got to the pub earlier than his friends so he could spend a little time at the bar, trying to ease some of the tension generated between him and Liam earlier that morning. His chance was lost, however, when Liam’s friend Tommy strolled through the door, taking the seat right beside him.
    “Hey, Quinn,” Tommy said affably, patting him on the back as if they were old friends. “Long time, no see.”
    “Yeah, no kidding,” said Quinn dryly. “Guess you’ve been pretty busy with your limo driving job.”
    Tommy smirked. “Oh yeah. The money is way too good to pass up.”
    “I’ll bet.”
    Tommy pulled out a hundred-dollar bill and slapped it down on the bar in front of Liam. “One Newcastle Brown, Bro.”
    Liam frowned at his friend. “You got anything smaller than that?”
    “Sorry, Li. Can’t help you out there.”
    “Asshole,” Liam muttered under his breath, but there was affection in his voice. He returned a few seconds later with Tommy’s drink as well as a stack of bills. “Thanks for cleaning out the till, pal.”
    “Anytime.”
    Tommy turned to look at Quinn. “How’s the newspaper biz treating you?”
    “Pretty well.”
    Tommy quickly gulped down some beer. “Still doing investigative shit?”
    Quinn threw back a whiskey shot. “Yup.”
    “You must be making a mint by now,” said Tommy, stifling a burp.
    Quinn was intrigued. “What’s it to you?”
    “Just curious.” He raised his beer, regarding Liam affectionately. “I keep telling this guy he’s never gonna make any serious cash working here with your mom and pop, but he won’t listen.”
    Liam looked disgusted. “It’s all money with this guy,” he said to Quinn.
    Tommy pounded back some more beer. “Makes the world go