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“Outlaw bikers,” Mateo whispers to me.
I squeeze his thigh to thank him.
Tamarius leans back and crosses his arms as he thinks.
“It probably wasn’t the Bratva. We haven’t seen or heard a thing from any of them since that big bust. They’ve either disappeared or gone completely underground.”
Tamarius leans forward, putting his elbows on the table between us.
“If I had to guess, I’d say someone from out-of-town, someone with no connections in Philly. Or someone totally new to the game.”
I glance at Mateo next to me. He’s nodding in agreement.
“That is what it’s been looking like,” I say. “We just wanted to see what you knew.”
“Sure thing,” Tamarius grins. “Always happy to be taken off the suspect list.”
Just then I hear the doors behind us slam open. At least a dozen more men in similar biker attire come barging into the pool hall. They break off in different directions around the room, greeting people at the bar and the tables. Tamarius nods to a couple of them. It feels like the night might be getting started here.
“Well,” Mateo interjects. “We better leave you to it.” He starts to get out of the booth so we can leave.
“We’ll let you know if we find anything out,” I tell Tamarius. “Thank you for your help.”
“Any time,” Tamarius nods. “Hey,” he says turning to Mateo. “Have you heard anything from Luca?”
Mateo hesitates for a moment.
“Not yet.”
“Huh,” Tamarius says. Mateo is staring at him. Again, I can’t tell what he’s thinking.
Tamarius must feel the same way. He keeps talking, maybe trying to make sure Mateo’s not mad at him for asking.
“Damien asked me and a couple of the guys to go check around his house. He wasn’t there. I posted up to watch his place. Some girl showed up and was staying there.”
“What’d she look like?” I ask. I can almost hear the concern in my own voice.
“She was really pretty,” Tamarius says. “About my age. She had dark hair, but not as dark as yours.” He nods toward my hair. Tamarius hesitates before he continues. “I’ve seen her again, though. She’s been working over at Saints.”
“What’s Saints?” I ask. I wonder if this girl could be Gina. Maybe she dyed her hair. If this Luca guy was the one that was chasing after Gina, maybe it was her at his house.
“It’s a club,” Mateo answers dryly. “Thanks again, Tam.”
Mateo turns to leave. I give Tamarius another hug goodbye.
When we get outside, the sky is much darker than when we went in, but the sun hasn’t fully set. Mateo’s driver pulls up in front of the club and we both get in.
“Do you think we could go to Saints?” I ask Mateo. “I’d like to talk to this girl.”
“Me too,” he sighs. “But not tonight.”
He suddenly seems tired. He leans back and closes his eyes. I take his hand and hold it.
“Tamarius said he thought the attack on the courthouse could have been someone totally new,” I say.
“M-hm,” Mateo says, acknowledging that he’s listening.
“I wonder if itcouldbe political?” I say, continuing to think out loud. “Who in politics would have the motive? Charles Castille is running against Nicoletti in the upcoming election. He could try to make him look bad. The DA himself? He just doubled his budget as a result, and it was a weird move to take those defendants out of the courthouse in such a visible way. I’ve been thinking it was just a publicity stunt. Maybe even Blaine,”
