Page 18 of Hard Lessons

Serena frowned.

“And can you tell me about your relationship with Luca Morretti.”

“If you’re referring to the Italian thug, he hired me to do a job.”

He raised his eyebrows.

“To give his friend, David, some adult company, at least that was what I was told.”

“Are you aware that Luca Morretti has been arrested and charged with extortion and formally identified by David Watson?”

“No.” Fuck. Arrested and charged. That wasn’t good. Neither was the fact David Watson had identified him.

What the heck has he said about me? Surely he’s ratted me out by now.

“We found money in the raided apartment, in a bag that had been identified as belonging to Mr. Watson,” the officer continued.

So not the money in the food containers then. They haven’t found that... yet.

She held eye contact with the policeman.

“What do you know about that?”

“Nothing. I’m not in the habit of raking through other people’s bags.”

“How very upstanding of you.”

“That’s me.”

He linked his fingers on the table, the pen balanced within them. “We didn’t find as much money as we’d have expected to. The bank reported two hundred thousand had been withdrawn under suspicious circumstances. They’re required by law to report such withdrawals if they believe a client is being blackmailed. Did you know that?”

“I really don’t know what you’re talking about at all. The money has nothing to do with me. When we got to Mr. Morretti’s apartment I used the bathroom, then when I came out, hoping he’d give me some kind of monetary compensation for the way the afternoon had played out, your... friends stormed the place.” She stood. “Can I go?”

“Sit down, Miss Ricci.”

The police officer by the door stepped forward.

Serena frowned at him.

“Don’t make us force you.”

“You can’t touch me.” She rammed her hands onto her hips and tilted her chin. Surely now they’d tell her she’d been identified by David as an accomplice.

“We can use reasonable force to hold a person for questioning.”

“I had nothing to do with this.” She paused, her heart tripping along. How the hell could she get out of this? “Ask David Watson, he’ll tell you. I was as scared and confused as he was when the guy who’d hired me, Luca Morretti appeared.”

Jesus Christ. That was one hell of a risky strategy, talk about a wing and a prayer, Serena.

He tipped his head and studied her. “Do I look stupid?”

“Is that a trick question? Or shall I answer honestly?”

He chuckled.

She opened her mouth.

He held up his finger, his smile dropped. “I’ll warn you, Miss Ricci, we’ll be questioning David Watson further, about every detail of this case. So lie now and you will be aiding and abetting a crime that at the moment is blackmail and extortion, but will likely increase to illegal weapon possession. I’m sure Mr. Morretti’s accomplice wasn’t the only one carrying a gun.” He leaned forward and clasped his hands on the table. “I have a daughter your age, and if you were her I’d be advising to say nothing but the truth, it’s the only way you’ll stay out of prison.”

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