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“Raphi,” Liam said. “How’s business?” He didn’t wait for an answer, just motioned to the cop beside him. “This is Gutierrez. He has questions.”
“Training the next generation in the art of annoying honest citizens.”
“Yes.” Liam nodded, stone-faced. “It’s an art form we work years to perfect.”
Gutierrez snorted under his breath. “Sir, we’re investigating a missing woman, and we are aware the two of you are connected.” He pulled out his phone and, for a second, looked like he wanted to ask His Honor if he had permission to approach the bench. Gutierrez stepped forward and showed Raphi the screen. “Karina went missing yesterday. We’re looking for her, asking everyone who knows her if they’ve seen her.”
Raphi couldn’t argue that he didn’t know her since they’d explained they knew of a connection. They had proof of it on the burner phone they’d found under Karina’s bed.
A phone that wasn’t hers.
It had pictures of them together, but not selfies. Maybe they weren’t aware they were being photographed, which begged the question of where Karina got the phone. Or had someone dropped it when they took her from her house?
Also on the phone were texts depicting drug deals—emojis that the police knew were used by dealers and customers. They’d been able to decipher most of it.
Then there were calls to Karina’s phone, and Raphi’s, and a list of others they were looking up. A treasure trove of information they would be unpacking for at least a few days. But enough to get them here to ask Raphi if he’d seen her—and get a look at the inside of his house.
“This is about your brother, Liam? You think I retaliated by kidnapping your friend?”
Liam wasn’t going to take the bait. “You’ve left Conrad alone. I’ve got no beef with you.” Not since he’d stopped leaning on Liam’s brother for protection money. Just so Backdraft Pizza and Grill could continue to operate.
The second that Liam had heard about what was happening—how two guys from Obolensky’s crew had roughed up Conrad and given him a black eye—he’d stepped in and put a stop to it.
Put himself on Raphi’s radar.
That old-world mafia strong-arming people didn’t work now. Especially not in Benson. Liam had made sure the message was clearly communicated through Raphi’s men, straight to him. So what if the guy was trying to carve out his own territory and build a reputation in town for himself. He wasn’t going to use Liam’s family to do it.
“Just tell us where she is.” Liam shrugged one shoulder. “Then we’ll be on our way.”
Raphi glanced to the side where Liam spotted a door cracked open. He couldn’t see through it even an inch. Just the angled door. Raphi turned back to them and took another drag on his cigar.
“Those will kill you, you know?” Liam couldn’t resist saying it.
Raphi grinned. “Nice of you to care about me.”
He stared at the guy, all slick shirt and shined shoes. Like a used car salesman, except he sold death and dealt in fear as currency. More than likely he’d set the bomb that killed his uncle, Matvei Obolensky, over the summer. Or it had been his brother Nico. Whichever brother had ordered the underling to set the bomb didn’t matter. Raphi’s kingdom wasn’t going to last long.
The side door swung open.
“Karina.” He started to walk toward her but held himself back.
She headed right for Raphi, wearing a pair of white pants and a blouse that draped off one shoulder. Full makeup—thick enough to cover nearly anything—and her hair perfectly styled. But when she smiled, he knew it wasn’t real.
“Liam.” She stood beside Raphi and put her hand on his shoulder.
“I haven’t heard from you since you called me,” Liam said. “Everything all right?”
“Why wouldn’t it be?”
Gutierrez took over. “Ma’am, you reported intruders in your house. I’d like to take your statement, per that matter. Preferably in private.”
Raphi said nothing.
Karina shook her head. “That won’t be necessary. I wanna withdraw my report—or however that works. Liam probably misunderstood what I said.”
“Kar—”
She cut him off, something Raphi seemed to think extremely funny. “Liam, I’ve told you more than once that I’m not interested in you like that. Maybe you had an…arrangement with my sister, but that’s not going to happen with me. You need to leave me alone, or I’ll be forced to report you for harassment.”
