Flynn laughed. “He somehow had the amazing ability to keep his loathing to himself. But he is quite happy with the deal he and Sasha worked out.”
“He should be.” I shook my head in disgust. “I hate that we couldn’t shut down the human trafficking completely.”
“Stages,” Flynn said. “We’ve got our guys recording everything and where the women are going. Just a few more days and then that part of the operation will shut down for good.” He went for the hotel room phone. “What do you say we have dinner and then look at some apartment listings?”
“The king and queen of crime lords look at apartments. That seems way too normal.”
I sat at a corner table in the Upper East Side dive bar, an untouched bottle of beer in front of me. Sasha was at the bar, looking inconspicuous even as he monitored everything in the room. When Fred Winters, FBI agent and colossal pain in my ass, walked in, I stood and greeted him. He took the seat next to me, his body coiled and tense, waiting for any lurking danger.
“I have to say, I’m shocked that you called,” he said.
I raised my eyebrows in surprise. “Seriously?”
“Well, when you disappear without a trace…” he shrugged. “Thought you went underground, so you didn’t have to work with us.”
“Ah, and here I thought you might actually be concerned about me.”
“Where were you?”
“Igor Dolinsky kidnapped me.”
Winters’s eyes widened in surprise.
“So you’ve heard of him,” I asked.
“Head of the Russian mob? Yeah, I’ve heard of him. Impossible bastard to nail. How did you get away from him? Did Campbell ransom you back?”
“Something like that.” I finally reached for my beer and took a sip, letting the cool liquid slide down my suddenly parched throat. “Someone killed Dolinsky.”
“Someone took out Dolinsky? Who?”
I shrugged. “No idea.”
“Really?” he drawled, clearly not believing me.
“I didn’t call you to discuss Dolinsky’s death. I called you to discuss the repercussions.”
“I’m not following.”
“Dolinsky’s empire is in chaos without a leader and while the Russians are scrambling to find someone to take Dolinsky’s place, Giovanni Marino has swooped in and taken over the docks. Marino. Italian Mob boss. You’ve heard of him, too, right?”
Winters’s jaw clenched and he nodded. “Why are you giving me this information?”
“Call it a show a good faith,” I said.
“What do you want?”
“I know the date of the next shipment of illegal contraband coming into the city. You can make a bust, and it will make your career. In exchange, you’ll leave Flynn alone. You’ll forget you know anything about the SINS.”
“Marino would be a big feather in my cap,” he said slowly.
I nodded. “Especially when you find out that the illegal contraband is women. Human trafficking.” Winters cursed, but I wasn’t done speaking. “I can also guarantee that Dolinsky’s empire never regains its footing.”
“How can you guarantee that?” he wondered.
“That’s for me to deal with. Do we have an agreement? You quit trying to nail Flynn to the wall, and I’ll give you Marino.”
He held out his hand for me to shake. “Done.”
