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It’s typically cryptic. I can’t tell from his text what happened. Which is a good thing, now that I think about it.
Heading over now.
I reply.
When I get up to Mateo’s penthouse, I know immediately it didn’t go well. He’s there alone. He’s sitting at his dining room table. He already looks a quarter of the way down a bottle of whiskey.
I go to his kitchen and grab myself a tumbler. I sit down next to him and pour myself a small amount of whiskey. I might need it as well.
“Elio was dead,” Mateo says, sounding more clear and sober than I expected. “We found the place easily. Whoever it was had already left. Killed Elio and the three Russians. They left the phone there. Fucking taunting me. They must have known he called.”
Mateo swallows the last of his whiskey and pours himself some more.
I take a sip from my glass.
“It was all a setup,” Mateo continues. “The whole fucking thing. It wasn’t the Russians. It wasn’t us. It wasn’t any other mob or gang. It was a setup.”
“It was political,” I say.
Mateo looks at me, his eyes tired. I know he can deal with the usual challenges of his job, but something bigger seems to be weighing on him. Or maybe it’s a lot of bigger things. Luca left him. Three of his men were arrested, then one was killed, another one kidnapped, and now he’s dead, too. He looks like he might collapse under the weight of it all. It’s terrifying to see someone you care about, someone who you know is a powerhouse under most circumstances, look so broken.
I have to tell him what I found out.
“After I gave you the location,” I say, “I went back and looked at all the phone calls made to or from that phone number. There were only six in total, including the call Elio made to you.”
Mateo furrows his brow, waiting. Maybe dreading what I’m about to say next.
“That was the last call on that number,” I continue. “But there was one call the day before the attack on the courthouse. It’s the only one that was received that whole week. And it was a call from Charles Castille’s office. Nicoletti’s opponent calledthatphone number the day before those men attacked the courthouse.”
“Fuck,” Mateo sighs.
“If Castille didn’t order the attack, he’s at least involved. Maybe the whole thing was aimed at Nicoletti, taking a shot at him while he was doing that stupid publicity stunt. Maybe he thought he might not be able to win the election unless Nicoletti was out of the way.”
Mateo drags his hand across his jaw. He gives a short laugh. Then grins at me, the fire in his eyes blazing up faster than I thought possible.
“We’re going to catch that fucker,” he says.
* * *
I spent the night with Mateo again. After I told him about Castille, he put the whiskey bottle away. I made him some food while he took a nap. He was in a better frame of mind after eating and getting some rest. We laid on the couch together for a long time, just talking. I fell asleep at some point, and woke up in the middle of the night in bed next to him. Mateo must have carried me to bed.
When I woke up this morning, he was already up and cooking breakfast.
I go into the dining room where he brings me an omelet, toast, and a cup of coffee. He sits down to eat with me.
“I’m sorry about how I was yesterday evening,” Mateo says.
I look at him, wondering why he feels like he needs to apologize.
“I’ve been struggling,” he continues, “a lot.”
“Your work is… a challenge,” I say.
“It’s not entirely my work. It does get to me sometimes. But I’ve been in much worse situations.” He looks out the window, toward the church across the street. He turns back to look at me and puts his hand on top of mine. “I struggle more with the thought of losing you. The fear that you might disappear from my life. And I know I’m helpless to prevent it. It’s one of the worst feelings I’ve ever felt in my life.”
I almost don’t know what to say. Mateo and I have been trying so hard to not admit how we feel about each other. To keep acting like this is still just a one-night stand. Then just two people trying to solve a mystery. That we can keep spending time together, but that eventually it will end and we’ll go back to our lives as before.
Now Mateo has said it out loud, and somehow that changes the way I see it. Makes it clear. I don’t want to lose him, either. I don’t want this to ever stop. Neither does he.
