Page 79 of Worth of Waste

She didn’t bother to sit beside the guy.

“Detective Rubins, right?” Karen asked.

The detective nodded, smiling as he set his cup down. “Sorry to bother you at work, Miss Martin.”

“Are you? Because with no context, my boss seems to think she had to worry about employing me. If your goal is to pressure me into something, this is not the best way to go about that, I assure you.”

“No, of course not. Sit, I want to chat for a moment. I have some developments I’ve been asked to share with those who might be able to help our investigation, even if it is by proxy.”

Karen still didn’t sit. “I thought I made my position clear the last time?”

“You—”

“Didn’t know Dino DeLuca well, I worked for him at a restaurant to keep his books managed, and quit when I found something better.”

The detective nodded, letting her finish completely before he spoke again. “That’s all true, and from what we know, it’s also accurate. But we have reason to believe you, like a few other of Dino DeLuca’s previous and current employees, possibly have more information to share or help explain certain things, but you likely need a safe way to do so. Seems a great deal of people around Mr. DeLuca know of his involvement with a criminal organization here in Chicago, and that sometimes leads people to think speaking up wouldn’t be a safe option.”

“Is there a point here that I’m missing?” Karen asked quietly.

“We arrested Dino yesterday.”

Karen’s heart broke all over again.

She had already known because when Dino hadn’t shown up for supper, she’d gone looking for any sort of explanation as to why. Calling his phone hadn’t worked. But a quick check of the local news told her an arrest had happened involving an Outfit figure, and more information was to come.

It didn’t take a genius to figure it out.

Karen wasn’t fucking stupid.

“Again, the point?” Karen asked.

How she managed to keep her tone calm, Karen didn’t know.

“Our case is solid, for the most part,” the detective explained, “but we have areas we would like a better footing on. We’ve been going back over our list of people we questioned previously, and you happened to be on there. We’re hoping that some people might feel more comfortable coming forward now that one of the major issues has been taken off the table, or rather, off the streets.”

Taken off the streets.

Karen swore she could taste bile on the back of her tongue.

This man—this detective—was just doing his job. She understood that all too well. But what he didn’t know, and what she could never properly explain to him, was that the same issue he had removed was the very person Karen loved. Someone her son adored with his entire little being. She might have made up the heart in her small world of people she cared for, but Dino was the soul to it.

She could live without a soul, but she didn’t want to.

“My statement hasn’t changed, and neither has my position,” Karen said firmly. “I don’t have anything to offer.”

The detective nodded, but he didn’t look entirely convinced. “I expected you would say that. I do want to make you aware, however, that should information on your involvement with any of Mr. DeLucas illegal activities regarding his restaurant become more apparent, you will be seeing me again.”

“So be it, but there’s nothing to find.”

She sounded strong.

She sounded honest.

She felt anything but those things.

Karen had waffled on her warring thoughts for two days since getting confirmation of Dino’s arrest. A huge part of her knew what he would want her to do—stay quiet, hidden, and don’t draw any sort of attention to the fact she was involved with him in any way.

A smaller part of herself—one that was much louder than the bigger part—didn’t care for sensible, smart things.