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"Mario messed up. He was killed."

Cora knew, for sure, that this was an insider killing. Authorized by the Mob. Removing someone they no longer needed, that they considered a threat to the organization. It happened all the time. Nothing unusual. But Mario had a woman, and now, Cora knew, they would have likely taken action against her.

But what had it been?

She forced the aggression out of her body language. It was her default when stressed, but it wouldn't help her now. She needed to show respect, even though she didn't feel it. Rose was too important for her to mess this up.

"And what happened to her?" she asked in more reasonable tones, but her heart was pounding urgently.

The mobster hesitated, looking around as if expecting to be overheard.

"She wasn't removed. But I don't think she's here anymore."

"Here? As in?"

"As in, the States. I think they took her overseas. They have ships where - where that kind of thing can be done."

His voice was cold as he said the words that she knew meant Rose had been trafficked. It felt like ice was filling her veins.

Cora's fists remained balled up, but she forced herself to relax her body. She needed to play it cool if she wanted to get the information she was seeking.

"Where? When?" she asked.

He shook his head. "A while ago. I might be able to find out where. I know someone who is involved with those routes. But -" He paused, looking at her. "It is risky to get this kind of information, you know. It won't be easy. And it won't be cheap."

"I'll pay," Cora said. She'd assumed this would be part of the deal. She'd come prepared.

He named the price. She recoiled.

This was beyond the upper limit of what she guessed might be demanded.

Her heart accelerated. How was she going to find this money?

“Look, is there any room for compromise here?” she tried, knowing that she was operating from a flimsy standpoint, with no bargaining power. His face was hard. His headshake confirmed it.

“I don’t have that much cash with me,” she tried.

“What do you have?”

She took out her wallet and counted out the hundred dollar bills and handed them over to him, feeling sick.

He frowned at them.

“I need more,” he said. He named the amount.

Cora took a shaky breath. She hadn’t wanted to do this. Not at all. But in preparation for the possibility, she’d pawned the ring that her mother had given her for her twenty-first birthday. She’d gone in earlier today, nerves churning. She’d gotten a little money as a back-up fund, never thinking she’d need it.

Now, she did. Now, the ring would be gone.

But maybe in its place, she’d have answers about her sister.

“You got more?” He knew she did. He’d read her like a pro.

She clenched her teeth as she reached into her back pocket and pulled out the rest of the money. It left her with a fifty. Great. That was all she had in the world now. Just that.

She hoped he'd keep his side.

"When will you find out?"

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