Page 18 of The Italian Reckoning
“Sorry, Bobby!” I snatch up my coffee and flash him a smile. “I’ve got to go!”
7
ROCKY
It’s not every day I find myself seated outside the police station watching the array of people that come in and out those doors. There’s a healthy mix of cops I know from our payroll records, cops too old to care, and criminals I’ve either dealt with firsthand or know of by reputation.
Leaning back on the bench, I cross my ankle over my knee and bounce my leg as the door swings open for a fourth time and several men walk out. None of them are who I’m looking for, though.
There’s one man in particular I want to get my hands on, a man who was out of state until this afternoon. A few hours ago, I got a call that the cops had picked up Belle’s ex, and while it pains me that they get to question him first, I know they won’t get anything out of him. Regardless of the money lining the pockets of every crooked cop in that precinct, they won’t do anything but question him as casually as they’d question a pickpocket. There’ll be no real fire behind it and he’ll walk away a free man right into my waiting arms.
And hammer, if the situation calls for it.
He’s the only one who knew Belle intimately, and I’m going to learneverythinghe knows.
The hours tick by painfully slowly.
I watch one woman wrestling with her arrogant son who refuses to put on his coat, not that I can blame him since the sun is warming the city to an unnatural temperature for this time of year. A dog runs past and briefly licks my fingers after I pet it, and its owner flashes me a flirty smile before she continues on her way. And a good portion of my time is taken up by watching a homeless guy root around in the trash like he’s certain there’s gold at the bottom. I give him fifty bucks and send him on his way.
Through all the distractions and the achingly slow passing of time, my mind replays everything I know about Belle and her murder so far. My father wants this case wrapped up ASAP because he’s already pissed I’m spending time on it. He doesn’t care that we have a grieving family under our wing to take care of. All he’s concerned about is making sure the cops close the case and we all move on. Even with the cops in his back pocket, he doesn’t trust the law. He doesn’t trust anyone.
Not even me.
I’m too reckless for his tastes, apparently. While he sits in his office closed off from the world, I’m out here making friends. Connections. This time last year, no one would have dreamed of an Italian and an Irish calling each other friends, but I have Cormac on speed dial. You’d think my father would have rewarded me for making such a connection, but instead he spent his time beating me for a betrayal that never occurred.
I won’t lie, I was tempted. Cormac’s a great guy.
The door opens again, briefly blinding me with the late-afternoon sun reflecting off the glass and a man matching the description of Belle’s ex starts jogging down the steps. Jetlag clings to his eyelids and he yawns widely as he reaches thebottom of the steps then takes a right. I rise from the bench, smooth out the wrinkles in my jacket, and set after him.
I make it four steps before a hand snatches my elbow and jerks me backward. “The hell are you doing here?”
“Sarah!” The lovely, dreamy face from last night is long gone, replaced with the hard, annoyed look I’m much more used to seeing her wear. “What a lovely surprise.”
“I said what the hell are you doing here?” She releases my elbow and crosses her arms over her chest, glaring at me through narrow eyes. “Are you going to finally hand yourself in for all the shit you’ve pulled?”
“Me?” Her lip doesn’t look as swollen as it did last night, but the bruise is darker, and a strange annoyance trickles through my chest. I let that kid off too easily. “I’m just here enjoying the scenery.”
“Bullshit. I know why you’re here.”
My pulse jumps. Did she recognize me last night, after all?
“You’re here checking up on the case, aren’t you? Even after I told you to stay away.”
Turns out Sarah is still in the dark. A small smirk creeps over my lips and I glance pointedly at her mouth. “Did you getthatfrom making baseless assumptions?”
Her eyes widen and a flash of pink warms her cheeks, then she juts out her chin as her jaw tenses. “I make educated predictions,” she replies tightly. “And I know you. Skulking about out here waiting for Belle’s ex to be released.”
She’s shrewd, I’ll give her that.
“You know I can get more out of him than you ever can.”
“Bullshit. You lot won’t leave him alive long enough to tell you the truth.”
“Is that really what you think?” I place one hand on my chest in pretend shock. “You hurt my feelings.”
“Like you even have any.” Her words are as sharp as blades, and for a moment, a genuine rush of discontent floods through me.
“Whatever.” I take a step back. “I’ve got shit to do.”
