Page 66 of Golden Touch
I can’t stop myself from reacting. “Hedragged you?”
Benito gives me a look that sayscool it.
But I’m not sure I can. Anger surges in my blood, and if that guy were here right now? I don’t know what I’d do. But it wouldn’t be pretty.
“Did you happen to take any pictures of the wound?” he asks Livia.
“Yes. He wouldn’t take me to the ER for stitches, and he wouldn’t, um, let me out of the house for a few days.” She drops her eyes to her shoes. “I took photos as soon as I could, but it was a couple days after it happened. I texted them to my cousin. But there aren’t any witnesses, and I don’t have a doctor’s report.”
“Pictures are good. How’d you get away, eventually?”
Livia is silent for a moment. “I just waited until he got bored of babysitting me. He went to play some poker a few blocks away, and I didn’t waste any time. I spent five minutes packing, then walked out with my remaining car key and drove away. It wasn’t that brave.”
I can’t stay silent anymore. “WellIthink it sounds really fucking brave.”
Livia gives me a flicker of a smile.
“We can build an assault case against him,” Benito says. “At least for starters. But I think, with your help, we can get him on something even better. How much proof can you give me that Razor is running a dirty operation?”
Livia shifts in her chair. “I don’t know. And I don’t want an entire network of bikers to know I’d betrayed their asshole in chief.”
Oh, pussycat.
Benito doesn’t react for a moment. Then he nods slowly. “I hear you that they’re dangerous people. But if you helped me nail Razor and his friends, then you wouldn’t have to look over your shoulder all the time. Wouldn’t it feel great to be free of this?”
She puts her elbows on the table and drops her head in her hands. “I just don’t know if Icanbe free. If I thought it would work, I would have tried it already. His network is vast. He knows bikers all over New England.”
“I understand,” Benito says kindly. “But would you think it over? I’m not in the business of causing problems for witnesses. Haven’t lost one yet.”
“Sure. I can think about it,” she says. “As if I can think about anything else.”
He reaches over and pats her hand just once. “I bet. One last question before I go. Do you know where Razor is staying right now?”
“Um… No?” She looks confused. “Probably at his house?”
“He hasn’t been seen there for a couple days. And we can’t find Rotty, either. I’m trying to figure out if something big went down, or if they’re just off on a joyride somewhere.”
She rubs her eyes. “Hold on. Let’s try Instagram.”
Benito grins. “Bikers like Instagram?”
“Their women do.” She pulls up the app and heads to the search screen. “Hey, look. They’re on their way to a jamboree. Saranac Lake is in New York State, right?”
He takes the phone, notes the account Livia is following, andscribbles it down. “This is very helpful. Who else should I be looking at?”
She gives him a couple other accounts, and then he pushes back his chair. “I’ve got to run. But I’m going to follow up on the things you told me. Don’t worry too much. If anyone tries to make trouble on the premises, we’ll get video evidence of him. Meanwhile, I’m going to go see a forensic accountant who can help me corroborate those bad VIN numbers you told me about.”
Livia looks freaked out about this. Still, she pushes back her chair and walks him to the door. Pleasantries are exchanged. Hands shaken. But after he leaves, she slides back into a chair and puts her head in her hands again.
I pour her a cup of coffee—milky, the way she likes it—and set it down on the table. Then I sit in the chair beside hers. And I wait.
Without making eye contact, she takes the mug and gulps from it. “Thanks for the coffee,” she says shakily.
“Anytime, pussycat,” I whisper. Someone has got to take proper care of this girl, and now that person is me.
And hehurt her. It’s personal now.
Her dark eyelashes flick momentarily in my direction. “Don’t,” she says. “Don’t make this into a thing. I know you were eavesdropping.”
