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“May I have a word, detective? In private.”
The detective narrows his eyes as he watches my own expression change when I read the text on Declan’s phone.
Without saying a word, the detective scrapes back his chair and waits for Declan to exit the room before him, not even glancing back in my direction as they leave me with a silent detective who appears to wish he was anywhere else.
As I lean back in my chair, I would give anything to see the detective’s expression now because that text was from the governor himself, demanding my immediate release. I don’t know how Declan does it, but it appears every official is indebted to him and all it would take is one word from him and I’d be serving life with no hope of parole. He is that powerful.
It makes me wonder why the detective has even bothered and I’m guessing it’s to buy him some time and remove me from life, even for a few hours. I think hard about the reasons why and can only think of one. Diana. She must have something on the detective and is using him to remove me from the situation so she can go in and take back what she believes is hers. Not just the money either, it’s Flora too and my heart thumps so hard when I consider I could be too late.
* * *
When Declan strikes,its fast and within the hour I step inside my car after assuring the bent attorney of my eternal loyalty. All charges were dropped, and the detective was forced to issue a groveling apology, which I would relish if I wasn’t so keen to leave.
Pasquale looks at me as if his cat just died and my chest tightens as I prepare myself for something I’m not going to like.
“Flora.” I growl as soon as the door slams behind me and he visibly turns a whiter shade of pale.
“Gone.”
“How?”
I don’t bother with emotion, that is not required now, and he says in a worried voice, “Before I made it back after your arrest. Gretchen told me the detective had taken her to a safe house.”
“And my fucking soldiers allowed it?”
I’m incensed and Pasquale shakes his head. “Sam demanded that she stay, and Gretchen told me the detective agreed he could accompany her.”
“Well, that’s something I suppose.”
“Not really. Sam’s body was discovered at the same place as the others, just outside the mansion with his heart cut out.”
“You are fucking kidding me.” I roar and Pasquale nods miserably. “We dragged him in before he was discovered. Tony was heading back from a visit home and found him.”
“What the fuck is going on?” I lean back and he says with a deep sigh. “I’m guessing the answer lies wherever they took Flora.”
“You mean you don’t know?” Now I’m a desperate man and Pasquale shakes his head. “The only lead we’ve got is that the good detective wasn’t so good after all. We shook a few informants, and it turns out he’s involved in serious shit that nobody wanted any part of.”
“Do we have eyes on him now?”
“Of course. Our best shadow is following him. If he takes a piss, we’ll know about it before he even shakes.”
I don’t have time to sit and wait for information and reach for my phone. There is only one man who can help me now and I fucking hope he’s up to the job because I have a strong feeling the next heart that will be cut out will be mine when Flora’s body arrives outside my mansion, if I don’t find her and fast.
“Dom. Declan worked his magic, I see.”
“Now I need you to work yours.”
I don’t mess around and Matteo’s tone changes in a flash as he says darkly,“How can I help?”
“Detective Woznowski. He’s keeping dark secrets and has Flora. I’m guessing she doesn’t have long.”
“I’m on it.”
As he hangs up, I’m confident my brother will discover everything known about the detective after a few well-placed calls and words in the right ears by the time I return home.
Matteo isn’t our consigliere for nothing. He has always loved planning, plotting, and discovering a person’s weakness, which is why he is so good at his job. My father never appreciated him and when Diana seduced Matteo along with the rest of us, he was sent to run the Ortega business in New York and if I know my brother, he hasn’t been idle. He hates Diana and Mario just as much as I do and probably has a file on them as thick as War and Peace, waiting for the opportune moment to use the information.
In fact, the car has barely made it through my security gates when he returns my call.
