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“He did.”
I’m guessing Alessandro confessed to save his life or to spare himself a beating.
“Why would he want my brother dead?” I ask.
“His intention was to cut you both out of your share of the payment. He told your brother he was delayed and had to take care of something out of town. He knew you were with your mom, and your brother was headed to Costa Rica. Alessandro planned to steal the Morelli from the apartment you two share when you were both gone. But his timing was off. The hitman tried to kill your brother and Gigi before Alessandro realized the Morelli wasn’t at your place. He was eventually going to off you, too, but first he needed you to tell him where the painting is.”
I sit in silence while I process all this, then say, “But I don’t know where the Morelli is. Peter didn’t tell me anything.”
“If you and your brother are close, then you know where the Morelli is.”
“I don’t! Honest, I don’t! Are you sure Alessandro doesn’t have it?”
“He doesn’t.”
“How can you be sure? Did he pass a lie detector test?”
He looks at me as if he finds me quaint. “I guess you could call it a lie detector test.”
I decide I don’t need more details.
“I had my guys comb your apartment in case Alessandro missed something,” Rafe continues. “It’s not there, so where can it be?”
I think as hard as I can. I know Peter was eager for his trip to Costa Rica. It was his first ever vacation, and he was so excited to be able to show off to Gigi. But he wouldn’t have been careless about the painting. If he couldn’t hand it off to Alessandro before he left for his trip, he would’ve put the painting in a safe place. Even though I don’t think Peter would’ve stashed it at Gigi’s place, I ask Rafe if he tried looking there.
“We did. It’s not there.”
I think some more.
“Where have you hidden loot before?” Rafe asks.
“We usually try to get rid of it as soon as possible. I don’t like holding onto hot stuff.”
“What kinds of places does your brother frequent? Does he go to a gym? Take the train?”
I shake my head. “When Peter and I aren’t casing locations to hit up, he’s usually at our place or at his girlfriend’s.”
“Who does your brother hang out with besides you and his girlfriend?” Rafe asks.
“No one, really,” I answer. “He and I are both kind of loners, maybe because we’ve always had each other. Before Gigi, he spent a lot of time with his ex, Maria. They dated for about half a year, but Peter and I don’t involve anyone else in what we do.”
“Where is Maria now?”
I reply that she lives and works in Concord, a suburb about twenty miles east of San Francisco. A thought occurs to me. “She’s the office manager of a self-storage facility. I wonder if Peter could have stashed the Morelli there?”
“Are they still on good terms?”
I nod.
Rafe hands me his cell. “Call her.”
