Page 58 of Mob Princess

I gave him a professional smile. “I’m here to speak with Chief Anderson.”

A voice sounded behind me. “Follow me, Mr. Rossi.”

I turned around and found a worn, aged man standing behind me. He looked me right in my eyes before he turned around, motioning with his hand to follow me. I nodded at the officer behind the desk before I followed the trench-coated man, who still hadn’t slid his sunglasses off even though we were inside.

However, once we got into his office, he took them off. And the black eyes told me everything I needed to know about him.

“Rough night?” I asked.

He eased himself into his office chair. “Always, when you’re on duty. What can I help you with, Mr. Rossi? You seemed pretty urgent to take up my time.”

I slid the folder out of my coat and set it on his desk. “I’d like you to reopen this case.”

He flipped the folder open with a frown. “Ah, I remember that night.”

“Seems everyone does.”

He peered up at me. “You want me to reopen the Moretti case. Why?”

“Because I can promise you I can find evidence that will make it worth your while.”

“Evidence you don’t have now.”

“Evidence I don’t have proof of yet.”

He nodded slowly. “So, you’re telling me this wasn’t a drunken car crash.”

I shook my head. “Nope.”

“What does your information say it is?”

“If you’re the right person for the job, you already know. I’m hoping you are, though, Chief Anderson.”

He sighed. “I had my best men on this case. They would’ve known if it was murder.”

“And you know Pava Moretti’s got more hands in this police department than I do. I’m asking you to work with me. I’m not asking you to flip and become some bad guy.”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa. When did Moretti get into this game?”

So, maybe he wasn’t the right guy. “When I figured out he was the one who killed Bonnie’s parents.”

“Ah, that was her name. Bonnie.”

I nodded. “This wasn’t a car crash. This was planned. Pre-meditated. And I’ll pay whatever it is you need to put your best men on this that aren’t dirty.”

He stood. “None of my men are dirty. I want you to hear that right now. This department went to great lengths—”

I waved my hand in the air. “Cops in this city will always be dirty so long as there are men like Pava Moretti out on the street. Again, I’m not asking anyone to turn. I’m asking that your overtime be paid by me in exchange for your best clean men to reopen this case and give it another look.”

He glared at me. “Overtime?”

“Yep.”

“For all of my men that touch this.”

“All of them.”

“And we don’t owe you anything?”

---