Page 59 of Stolen Kisses
“Are there any friends of hers too that we could speak to?”
Friends …
There sure was. Maria was here at the right time, but I didn’t want to involve her.
Asking her anything would involve her more than I’d want, because I’d have to tell her the other stuff too.
“There’s a friend, but I’ll only involve her if it’s necessary.”
Gio narrowed his eyes. “Why? Why wouldn’t you ask her straight up? Maria would want to help.”
“I just think I’d like to see what we come up with on our own first. She’ll want to know what I’m up to and worry about it. She’s the kind of woman who’ll want to get too involved.”
“We can’t have that.” Claudius gave me a pointed stare. “Don’t ask her anything unless if you have to. We have enough works in motion to go on. The last thing we need is anyone involved could be seen as a weakness.”
I nodded in complete agreement. “I’ll swing by the charity though and see what I find.”
“That will help,” Gibbs agreed. “Perhaps get a list of officials who’ve worked with them. Help the Homeless is going to be a big one to work with in Chicago. Running a campaign and supporting such a charity is bound to make you look good of course, assuming our guy could be as important as that.”
“I’m on it. I’ll do that today.” Christina’s old manager had been very supportive. He might not still be there, but it would be good if he was.
“Good, we all have something to do.” Claudius chimed in.
There was a knock at the door and we all looked around to it.
No one would just come by like that and knock. Not even Claudius’ secretary.
This office was off limits to everyone.
Claudius readied his gun, as did the others. We were trained to shoot if that door swung open and there was any sign of a gun.
No questions asked, no one would be crazy enough to come knocking on the boss’ door.
All that from an incident years back when the Fontanes thought they could assassinate Raphael. A hitman came for him. Old Raphael hit him with the first bullet that went straight between the man’s eyes. But before he went down his body was riddled with bullets.
He was dead, dead, dead.
The knock sounded again and then I heard whimpering, like a woman crying.
Hearing it too Claudius lowered his gun and rushed to the door.
“Ava,” he gasped.
I’d forgotten her. She was actually the last person to come here to the office and knock.
Claudius opened the door, but it wasn’t Ava standing there. No, it was Maria.
I jumped to my feet when I saw her and rushed over to them. Tears ran down her cheeks.
“I’m so sorry to come here, I didn’t know where else to turn,” she cried.
“What happened?” I asked taking hold of her shoulders.
“Flynn. The police took Flynn to child services.” She could barely talk. With all that I was concerned about with her staying at Vira’s I’d never factored in that possibility. Fucking hell.
Her shoulders shook as she sobbed, but she continued. “I left him with Sophia and her boyfriend while I went to sort out the apartment and the police picked them up. They won’t give him back to me. They think I’m a bad mother.” She broke down and practically collapsed against me.
I pulled back just so I could look at her.
