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Even after all these years, he hasn’t let his grudge go. He never will.
“Criminals belong behind bars,” I say vaguely. “If charges are brought up against him—or anyone else—then I’ll do my due diligence.”
“You’ll have to be careful. He and his father have a tendency to play dirty. Violent, gutter-level trash.”
“He wouldn’t ever hurt me,” I blurt out.
Dad’s eyes narrow. “What do you call what he did to you when you broke up? He broke your heart, didn’t he? Do you think I forgot how you called your mother and I crying? Delphi honey, the guyusedyou. He knew you were young and gullible and ran circles around you. He tried to turn you against me. Do you know what atrocities he and his family have committed?”
I do. And I’m sleeping under his roof…
* * *
It takes time to feel even remotely like myself again at work, but as weeks in October go by, I’m able to find a rhythm. I start by focusing on prepping the most vital witness in the charges against Michael Frausto—his former mistress. Her relationship with him is the centerpiece in our evidence against him.
“Thank you for cooperating, Ms. Doukas,” I say, standing up and shaking Octavia’s hand.
Detectives Santana and Galecki have escorted her into my office. She clutches her purse and glances around as though she expects a big bang to go off at any moment. Detective Santana guides her to one of my chairs so she can take a seat. She declines his offer to grab her some water.
“I’m f-fine... thank you. I’d just like...” she trails off and her brow pinches with worry. “I want this to be over with. I want to be safe.”
My gaze flicks to the detectives. “I trust you’ve been ensuring Ms. Doukas receives around-the-clock surveillance and security, detectives?”
“She’s been getting the all-star treatment, ADA,” Galecki snaps, folding his arms. “She has a protective detail with her at all times. Frausto—or anyone else in the Belini organization—can’t touch her with a ten-foot pole.”
I offer Ms. Doukas a soft smile. “Does this address your concern? Is there another matter that’s bringing you unease in regard to the situation with Frausto and the Belini family? Please let me know so I can ensure you’re comfortable with proceeding.”
“Well, what about...” Octavia trembles just inhaling and exhaling a breath. She clutches her purse tighter in her lap. “Somebody sent me an email.”
“An email? What sort of email?”
Galecki checks his watch. “She showed us earlier. I had a guy in Cyber Crimes look at it. It was spam.”
“I know Mike, and that was from him,” she says testily.
“What did the message say?” I ask.
Octavia digs around in her purse and withdraws her phone to show me. It’s a quick, one line sentence with a proverb quoted:
Never forget you reap what you sow.
“When we checked the address, it was from a local church,” Galecki explains. “She’s signed up to their daily newsletter.”
“They’ve never sent anything like this before!” Octavia’s eyes brim with tears as she looks down at the message on her phone screen. “He’s going to get me. He’s going to kill me for what I’m doing. I shouldn’t do it—I can’t testify.”
“Ms. Doukas, you’re more than safe,” Detective Santana pipes up. “We’ve offered you relocation if you don’t feel safe in your apartment.”
I grab the box of tissues off my desk and deliver them to her. She’s a shattered mess, trembling and weeping at the prospect of what could happen if Frausto comes for her. It tugs at my heart seeing another victim so terrified of a criminal.
Octavia Doukas might have made a fatal mistake being wined and dined by Michael Frausto, but she’s really just a defenseless woman who found herself mixed up with the Belini family. In a twisted sort of way, we’re similar.
On the night of my assault I was defenseless. Shaken and terrified.
I’mstilldefenseless.
If not for Salvatore’s protection—my own ex-lover in the mafia—I’d still be a panicked, anxiety-riddled mess.
I reach out and pat Octavia’s hand. “You listen to me, Ms. Doukas. Northam PD will protect you and ensure no one harms you. You have nothing to be afraid of. But in order to have a solid case against Michael Frausto, I’m going to need your help. It’s your testimony that is going to be the nail in his coffin. It’s going to be emotionally draining and stressful as we work through the trial, but I’m going to put up a solid case against him. Once he’s convicted, you can start your life over, and move on from what you’ve been through. Are you up for the task?”
