Total pages in book: 77
Estimated words: 73365 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 367(@200wpm)___ 293(@250wpm)___ 245(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 73365 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 367(@200wpm)___ 293(@250wpm)___ 245(@300wpm)
He glances at Agent Hawk. “Her men hit like little bitches, but she’s got some chops.”
I turn and look at her hands. Sure enough, they’re bandaged. At least she does her own dirty work. I can respect that.
“We’ll take him off your hands, and we appreciate your discretion. The 50,000 he was detained with will, of course, remain as property of the government. If we could—”
“I’ll need an additional 50,000 to release your friend.” She pulls a chair across the metal floor, the legs scraping like nails on chalkboard. When she sits, she crosses her legs at the knee and settles her gaze on me. “I’d also like to have a conversation.”
“My client didn’t agree to an interrogation,” Sonny says.
“Your client can speak for himself.”
“Not when he pays me good money to do it for him.”
“Mr. Milani, I’d like to know more about your wedding.”
“Mateo, don’t answer …” Sonny’s voice fades as I put a hand on his arm, then pull it back.
“What would you like to know, Agent Hawk?”
She folds her hands in her lap. “Now that you’ve taken out the power players of the Manchello family, what’s your next move?”
I consider her, the sharpness in her eyes and the careful way she chooses her words. There are certainly microphones all over this rusted room, with federal agents listening in with bated breath.
“I can’t say I know what you’re speaking of; however, if there were any unfortunate incidents on my blissful wedding day, those are in the past.”
“Are your parents’ murders in the past?” she fires back.
On the outside, I give nothing away. On the inside, I tense at the cavalier way she mentions their slaughter, but there’s something else, too. How did she connect all those distant dots?
“I’m not sure I’m following your question, Agent Hawk. What does my wedding have to do with my parents?”
She gives me a sober half-smile. “Oh, I think you know exactly what they have to do with each other. And I need you to pump the brakes on whatever plan you’re working up. The families are in a state of relative equilibrium. It’s in everyone’s best interest to keep it that way.”
“So you can keep getting your cuts in peace?”
Her jaw clenches, but that’s her only tell … so far.
“To keep bloodshed to a minimum. To save lives. The less violence, the better.”
I shoot a pointed look at Red, at the goddamn state of him. “Less violence, Agent? Would you care to explain how you treated my man with less violence?”
She reaches out to a particularly rusty spot on the wall, presses part of it, opens a panel, then flips a switch. “No one’s listening for now. Your man tried to bribe one of my agents, and it almost worked. He’s lucky I got wind of it before he made the final deal. Agent Brown is under my thumb, but he’s still young and dumb and filled with the ideals that all of us in this room know are empty and ineffectual. What’s even worse, Brown is ambitious. He would’ve taken your man and that bribe straight over my head, and then my hands would’ve been tied.”
Of course Red picked the wrong fucking agent to bribe. I would grab him and shake him like a little bitch, but that will come in time. He’s still young, and while he usually has good instincts, this time was a catastrophic misjudgment. Then again, I’m the one who gave him 50 large and free rein.
“Then, how lucky we are that you were here to take care of the issue.”
“Lucky, sure. But it’s not free. I don’t do favors to crime lords, Milani.”
“You have your money, and I’ll have Red deliver the other 50k to whatever abandoned hovel you’d like.” I make a show of looking around the dilapidated trailer. “I don’t see what else you want from me.”
“I want your word that it is over. No more bullshit with the Fontanas, the Manchellos—no more grudges.”
“Just as you don’t do favors to crime lords, I don’t make empty promises to federal agents.” I lean forward in my chair and am gratified when she’s wise enough to lean back. “I have paid for your assistance in this matter, and as I see it, we’re done here.”
I stand, and Sonny gets up with me. “Release Red, and we’ll be on our way.”
“You don’t want to play it like this, Milani.”
“That’s the difference between you and me, Agent Hawk. This isn’t a game to me.” I stare down my nose at her.
“If you hit Sarita Manchello—”
“Is that who’s paying you? Is she the one who told you to shake me down?” I step to her. “Or was it Leonard Fontana? Is that why you’re so desperate for peace? You want to keep sucking on their teats?”
She tenses.
I nod. “As I thought. Now, the deal is done. Release Red.”