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Luca moves toward Toby, but I am faster. I grab my knife from the sheath at my side and throw it. The knife whizzes past them, embeds in the grass beyond the sofa.
Toby screams, the glass drops from his fingers, and he slaps a hand to his bleeding ear. "Don’t kill me, don’t kill me," he warbles as he sinks from the sofa to his knees. He places his forehead on the glass table. "I swear I don’t know anything about this. I am just a man trying to make an honest living—"
"Except when it’s about fulfilling the expensive tastes of your wife-to-be."
"Please," he raises his head, tears flowing down his cheeks, "she has nothing to do with this."
"I know," I lean forward with my hands between my knees, "but this situation has everything to do with you so," I raise my shoulder, "confess to what you did, give up the people you are spying for, and I swear you will live."
"I don’t know anything." He snivels and snot leaks from his nostrils. "I swear, I don’t." He hunches his shoulders, glancing around the space, wildly, "Please don’t hurt me. Please don’t."
"Get up," I growl. "On your feet, Toby."
He stumbles upright, his knees knocking together so badly he can barely stay upright. "Run."
"What?"
"Run," I repeat, then draw my gun.
He pales and I point it at him. "If you manage to evade my mark," I drawl, "you can escape with your life."
The blood drains from his face. "Capo," he pleads, "you must believe me. I would never be unfaithful to you."
"And yet you came into money suddenly?" I drum my fingers on my thigh. "How do you explain that?"
"I…" He folds his fingers together. "I did move some money out of the company account and into my account," he swallows, "but I did not leak any information to your rivals."
"You expect me to believe that?"
"Why should I lie to you, when it’s my life at risk?"
I stare into his pale features; his gaze holds mine. Strange, I could have sworn that he was lying to me, and yet all of the signs are that he is not.
"Enough talking." I jerk my chin, "Run, or lose the only chance you have at escaping."
"I…I…"
I pull out my gun and he turns away. He races around the settee, down the lawn. I hold the gun, take aim, let him run onto the sand, up the curve of the sea on the beach. I let him run until he visibly slows down, his figure getting smaller and smaller, until I am sure he’s beginning to think he has escaped. Then I fire.
He drops to the ground, and I fire again. No sense in leaving things half-way done.
I nod at Antonio, who springs into a steady jog, as he runs toward the fallen guy. I pocket my gun in its holster, then rise to my feet. Luca steps toward me. "He was lying,fratellone."
"I know." I tilt my head toward him, "If I had any doubt, you wouldn’t be standing here,fratellino."
Luca holds my gaze for a second, then nods, "I’d never lie to you, Mika."
The hair at the back of my neck prickles. I stare at him, then nod, "You’re lying to me now."
His forehead wrinkles. "What do you mean?"
"You’ve one chance to come clean."
He tenses, "I have no idea what you are talking about."
"You don’t?"
He shakes his head, and I prowl over to him. I fix his collar, smooth it down. "Earlier, you said you have a business meeting."
