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That there were a few sick fucks in Vegas who actually objected to the Syndicate’s rules didn’t surprise him. Some people just wanted permission to act on their basest instincts. They didn’t like being told no, didn’t like having to play by therules.
Nico nodded. “Keep an eye on them. Sometimes they come back to hauntyou.”
The words were loaded with meaning, with history, and Max suddenly wished for an opportunity to shoot the shit with Nico. To hear all the gory details of his rise from reluctant heir to the New York territory to the steely global leader he’d come toknow.
The Syndicate had been bringing territories under control ever since the assassination of its former leader. Max had a feeling Nico had more than a few crazy stories — Farrelltoo.
“I’ll do that,” Maxsaid.
He waited while Nico looked out over the pool area, his eyes hidden behind his sunglasses. Max knew him well enough to know he’d talk when he was ready, and he knew Farrell well enough to know he wasn’t about to rush theconversation.
“We’ve found out a few things from our friends at the FBI,” Nico finallysaid.
“Anythinginteresting?”
“Depends on how you look at it. Apparently Jason’s been in for an introductory interview. He claimed no knowledge of the shooting, no knowledge of DeLuca’s businessdealings.”
“How did he explain running?” Maxasked.
Farrell snorted. “Said when he heard he was a person of interest, he panicked. Never been part of anything violent before, etcetera,etcetera.”
“And it took him three months to come to his senses?” Maxasked.
“He claimed the imminent loss of his company cleared his head, provided him with an incentive for going back and telling the truth,” Nicosaid.
Farrell downed the rest of his drink. “That wanker wouldn’t know the truth if it bit him in thearse.”
“The Feds can’t possibly buy that bullshit,” Maxsaid.
“There’s what they think and there’s what they can prove,” Nico said. “The two are rarely the samething.”
He already knew there was no proof. There was only one security camera near the entrance of the conference room at the Tangier where the shooting had taken place, and it hadn’t been operational at the time of theshooting.
Intentional, nodoubt.
The gun used to wound Nico and kill DeLuca and his guard had never been found. Jason must have taken it with him and disposed of it somewhere along theway.
As far as the Feds knew, the conference room had erupted in a firefight after a business dispute. Max and Nico had defended themselves against DeLuca and his guard, and Nico had been shot by Jason, who’d fled the scene. Both Max and Nico had claimed ignorance about DeLuca’s illegal business dealings — on the record, anyway — and they’d both been released pending furtherinvestigation.
The interviewing agents hadn’t looked convinced by their story, but without proof to the contrary, what could theydo?
“So where did they leave it with Jason?” Max asked. “He’s free to go on like nothing happened? He gets his business back and keeps his money and continues acting like the king of thistown?”
Of mytown.
Max left the words unsaid. His beef with Jason was about as personal as it could get, but letting that cloud his judgement would only put him at adisadvantage.
Jason himself had taught Maxthat.
“For now,” Nicosaid.
“They’ll keep working the case for awhile,” Farrell said. “Try to get some of DeLuca’s men to tie his operation to Jason, keep digging into the forensics, but we can’t hold our breath on any kind of charge. They won’t bring a case unless they think it’s more or lessairtight.”
Max sighed. “Fuck.”
“There is another way,” Nicosaid.
Max turned to face him. “I’mlistening."
