Hunt me a dark mafia rom.., p.14
Hunt Me: A Dark Mafia Romance, page 14
No. She wasn’t the person responsible. The nervous tic turned into a warm buzz flowing throughout my body.
Seconds later, Sergio grabbed her arm, pulling her down. I leaned further forward, able to tell he’d whispered something to her. If she was the killer, there was no sign he was attempting to protect himself.
She was shocked, her response too muffled to understand.
“Maybe it was a female killer,” Jack said. “I heard what you said about the angle of the knife, but she tripped.”
“That doesn’t make her the goddamn murderer.” I had no doubts given the angle of the blade and how much force was used I was right. From my initial glance, it would appear the killer was as tall if not slightly taller than Sergio. And my lieutenant hadn’t been a short man.
“Keep watching. Maybe you can identify her.”
I was already antsy, my patience at its limit. From what I could tell she had long, dark hair pulled into a ponytail and was wearing dark clothes.
My entire body was tense, a knowing settling in that I didn’t want to believe.
Something drew her attention and she jerked her head to the left toward the entrance to Sergio’s living room. I crowded closer to the screen, never blinking.
Suddenly, she lifted her head and looked directly into the camera.
Fuck me.
Images flashed in my mind, one rolling after the other in a torrent of liquid passion.
Her face.
Her smile.
The way she held her head when she laughed.
Her long, luxurious hair.
And her incredible body.
Exhaling, I rubbed my jaw, unblinking as I studied the video. There was no doubt who I was looking at.
I stood back, uncertain I was even breathing.
There was my perfect angel, the woman I’d spent an incredible evening with. Was it possible she’d killed my lieutenant? Was it plausible she’d been playing me two nights before? If so, why?
No. I fucking refused to believe she was capable of such a heinous deed, but she was party to the murder either way. I needed to know what Sergio had said to her.
Jack tipped his head, narrowing his eyes.
“Do you recognize her?”
As I slowly turned my head toward Jack, his eyebrows shot up.
“You do.”
“Maybe,” I admitted. “What else did you find? What about the outside cameras?”
“They’d been disabled. There’s also no sign of forced entry. It was like someone knew where to look.”
Except for the camera in the foyer, which was carefully located behind a picture. A recent add. It was a nugget of information I’d keep in the back of my mind.
“Was anything taken?” I returned my full attention to the screen, memorizing her face.
Jack sighed. “Not that I can tell from a basic sweep of the house, but maybe you’ll know better than I would. And don’t go charging in there. This is still an active crime scene. You’re going to need to come back so you can make a report. One thing I did notice were two glasses in the kitchen, both with whiskey.”
“Sergio had a guest,” I hissed.
“That’s what I was thinking.”
I shifted my gaze toward the frozen screen. “Not the woman in question.”
“Likely not. That is the face of someone who is terrified. The voice of the person who called it in was petrified. She was also driving. I think she heard a noise and was spooked after she discovered his body. If you look at the rest of the video, she shifts into the shadows for a full two minutes before rushing from the house. That girl is fucking terrified.”
I didn’t give a shit if she was, the woman would be found. The fact she’d been at the wedding and in my bed only two days prior to Sergio being found murdered was too much of a coincidence for me to tolerate.
“Don’t believe everything you see, my friend. I want the video sent to my email address and you need to sit on it. Not a single person will see the video.” The last thing I wanted at this point was for him to know anything about where I’d met her and the circumstances under how.
“That’s going to be tough. This is an active murder scene.” Jack eyed me carefully.
I moved closer to him, allowing him to understand I wasn’t making a request. “So you keep telling me. You will do as I ask, Jack. I’d hate for our relationship to develop a rocky patch.”
“Fine. Okay. I’ll do that. But you’re going to need to share with me what you know. I can’t just shove this under a rug.”
“When necessary. There’s something else you need to be aware of. Drugs are coming into Vegas. There’ve been a couple overdoses. You should concentrate some efforts on discovering the main source.”
“I’m not in narcotics, Mikhail. You know that.”
“You can get the word out. If I had to guess, I’d say they were lethal. Bodies could be dropping.”
He narrowed his eyes, a slow grin crossing his face. “You think someone is out to frame you.”
“Just heed what I said. Now, I need to make a phone call.”
He knew what I was telling him was to get out of Sergio’s office. I waited until he followed my orders before dialing Kazimir.
“I heard about Sergio. Any idea who did this? Irish?”
“No confirmation yet, but we have another potential problem. I need you to go through the list of Lilia’s bridesmaids. I want them all identified, including where they live. Their phone numbers. Whatever you can find. I need it now.”
“What’s going on?”
“Let’s just say we either have a female killer or a witness to the murder. Either way, I will hunt her down.”
“Whoa. Is this about the girl from the night of the wedding?”
My thoughts drifted. To the night from years before. To everything Sergio had taught me. The pride I’d seen on his face while watching my fingers being tatted. I held my hand up, staring at the figures. Maybe I’d taken them for granted over the years. Maybe I needed to become what I’d tried so hard to put behind us.
“I need to find her, Kazimir. That’s all you need to know. Also have some of our men start putting their ear to the ground. This was a hit. I can feel it in my bones.”
My brother whistled. “Already mentioned it to my men. We’ll cover the city. I’ll track down the information now and let you know. However, with Lilia out of the country, that might be tough.”
“I trust you’ll find a way. The more time that goes by, the less likely it will be that she’s found. Don’t let this get out just yet. I need some time for damage control.”
“Just so you know, Alessandro asked what the hell was going on after the meeting. He’s fucking tenacious as hell.”
If the Costa family thought they could pick at how I handled my operations so soon after signing the agreement, they could go fuck themselves.
Huffing, I scrubbed my jaw, trying to pick through why Sergio was targeted and I had no doubt his death was a warning. “I couldn’t give a shit. Just because we’re in bed with the Costa assholes doesn’t mean we’re going to be friends.” Although if we had any issues with finding the information Sergio had kept, his skills could come in handy.
“I thought that’s what you’d say. What about what Sergio was keeping?”
“Remains to be seen, but we’ll need to double check. Make sure I’m the first to hear any information you learn from our men.”
“Yes, Pakhan. You know this could mean the start of a war.”
“Don’t get me started, brother, because I’m itching to spill some blood.”
CHAPTER 14
Bristol
I’d accepted that it was quite possible life as I knew it had suddenly been shattered. Forever.
A murder.
Blood on my hands and clothes.
Fear running through my veins.
Was there a chance I was overreacting? Absolutely, yet I’d been a huge proponent of following my instincts and right now they were screaming I’d just escaped a lion’s den.
And that I should keep running.
Russians.
The dead man had spoken Russian. I was clueless about the language of the two men I’d heard coming from another room.
My lack of knowledge and the fact I’d slept with a powerful Russian, who just happened to be the leader of a powerful crime syndicate, scared the shit out of me. When I calmed down, I needed to discover what I was dealing with.
Think. Think this through.
Things weren’t always as they seemed. Right?
There was a huge Russian population in Las Vegas. Las Vegas was a melting pot of people from several countries who came here to retire or to seek additional wealth. Yet what were the odds I’d gone to a Russian wedding and then this happened in the space of two days? Since I lived my life in black and white, the term coincidence wasn’t a part of my vocabulary.
With my father’s warning added as a cherry on the poisonous cake, one thing was clear. I’d stepped into quicksand.
Sadly, running wasn’t possible. Where could I run to where I’d be safe?
I raced up the stairs toward my apartment, constantly throwing my head over my shoulder. There were no boogeymen in the shadows, no one following me. At least I prayed to God I’d managed to slip away. Maybe I’d been imagining whoever had been in the kitchen had bolted out the front door searching for whoever had destroyed their crime scene.
However, I’d taken no chance.
Oh, my God. Oh, my God.
Oh. My. God.
I flew into the apartment, slamming and locking the doors. Close to hyperventilating, I backed away, tossing my purse to the floor and holding my arms as I stared at the doorway, half expecting to see some burly goons bursting in.
While I didn’t think I’d been followed, I wasn’t taking any chances. I’d taken a different route home, driving through downtown Las Vegas for thirty minutes before finally making my way back to my apartment. Exhaling, I briefly closed my eyes as I tried to determine what to do.
As an upstanding citizen, I’d called the police and let them know a crime… a murder had been committed. As soon as the operator had pressed me for my name and had attempted to get me to stay on the line, I’d hung up. Maybe that had been the wrong thing to do, but I knew how things worked within the law. I’d spent my entire college career studying various cases and case law.
My name would eventually get out to the public. Then I’d be screwed.
Especially since I was the mayor’s daughter. Talk about putting my father’s aspirations at risk. This would be the perfect way to begin his commission. Nervous laughter almost bubbled to the surface.
I turned around, fighting the panic and noticing the blinds were open. I rushed forward, shutting the ones in the living room before heading into both bedrooms and the kitchen, closing one after another. That didn’t mean I’d be safe.
I’d thought about going to my parents, but my father would make a big deal out of the situation, taking me to the police. No. That couldn’t happen. At least not until I’d thought this through. I had no idea who the guy who’d been murdered was, but my instincts told me he was someone of notoriety.
Maybe I was wrong.
Maybe I was crazy.
Could Mikhail help?
What was I thinking? I wasn’t. That was for certain. With what my father had told me about the family, even if only half was true, seeking his help could mean I’d be indebted to him for life.
I walked into the kitchen, my stomach in knots. Was it possible a drink would calm me down? Was there anything in this world other than a time machine capable of creating a warm, safe cocoon? I blew out hot air as I opened a cabinet door. Every inch of me was shaking like a leaf.
The glass slipped from my fingers, smashing into a dozen or more pieces in the sink. I slammed my hands on the edge, gasping for air until I choked. This couldn’t be real. I hadn’t just thrown my entire life down the toilet after doing something so utterly, insanely reckless.
Even with my eyes cinched closed, stars swarmed my peripheral vision.
Breathe and count. Breathe and count.
The mantra was repeated a dozen times before I was finally able to slow my thudding heart. I licked my dry lips, lifting my head. Steadying my hand, I grabbed another glass. Every move was perfunctory as I turned to the other bank of cabinets, finding the bottle of whiskey Callie had purchased for her boyfriend. She’d been humiliated when he’d told her it wasn’t his brand.
At least the expensive liquor wouldn’t go to waste.
After pouring a glass, I left the bottle on the counter and returned to the living room. No longer able to feel my legs, I sat down. My hold on the glass was a death grip. I still had no clue what I should do or if I could open the can of worms.
Breathing out, I reached for the television remote, flicking onto a local channel. Maybe there was something in the news about the crime that could guide me somehow.
If that was even possible.
“In breaking news, the body of Sergio Pavel, a security consultant for Dmitriyev Enterprises was found murdered in his home in Southern Highlands earlier this evening.”
My head jerked up as soon as I heard the reporter’s voice. Leaning forward, I held my breath as the man on the screen continued with his report. No. No, this wasn’t possible. Dmitriyev Enterprises?
I pressed my fingers across my lips. What in God’s name had I stumbled onto?
“While details are sketchy about the brutal slaying, the police yet to provide any information, what we do know is that Mr. Pavel’s position within the billion-dollar firm is likely a cover-up for his involvement in syndicate activities.”
What? Oh, my fucking God. I leaned forward even more. Even the reporter was insinuating what my father had warned me about.
“There has been speculation for years the Dmitriyev family is considered one of the most powerful and dangerous Russian Bratva within the United States. While never charged with a crime, they’ve been linked to several high-profile killings over the years including the massacre at a public amusement park almost twenty-two years ago.”
Bratva.
I closed my eyes briefly, envisioning Mikhail’s face. Okay. They’d legitimized over the years. Even my father had suggested they were above board. To a point. Besides, reporters loved to sensationalize for profit and ratings.
What else?
Grabbing the remote, I turned up the volume.
“The family also owns a significant share of resorts, casinos, and entertainment facilities within Vegas. There are also unsubstantiated reports of at least partial ownership of our newly crowned sports stadium as well as significant shares in a Los Angeles-based movie production company. It’s unclear whether Mr. Pavel’s murder was related to any syndicate activities, but reports of a possible witness are circulating.”
A cold chill trickled down my spine.
Someone had seen me.
Or…
The tip was supposed to be anonymous. I looked away briefly. So much for my possible anonymity. Thank God, I’d hung up before they’d traced the call.
Witness.
Mikhail would soon learn the scrap of information as well. So would his brothers and father. And everyone else in… the Bratva. Oh, this was so bad. So very bad.
I managed to slide the glass onto the table without dropping the heavy crystal. I dumped my head into my hands, rocking as the nightmare continued playing out in the darkest reaches of my mind.
This wasn’t just a horrific situation. This was devastating. Had Callie known the man who’d been her regular was some mob gangster?
Correction. He had been.
Now he was dead.
What had he said to me? Why a brat?
No, I doubted Callie knew anything about the man other than that he was a decent tipper. My sister was like a sweet butterfly, refusing to believe the worst in people, where I’d seen the most horrible crimes anyone could ever imagine.
A dull ringing echoed in my ears as the reporter droned on.
I wasn’t a fool. I’d studied organized crime in college. I’d written two white papers on two different mafia families, both receiving modest acclaim. That’s one reason my father had tasked me to be on his commission. Sadly, he hadn’t understood that I’d simply been interested in the dark and depraved acts in relation to how the media continued to glorify the men involved as if they were sexy heroes.
Not because I’d wanted to spend my life hunting, trapping, exposing, and prosecuting syndicate leaders. And Russian Bratva? They were the most dangerous and vicious savages of all. They were ruthless in every aspect of their business, refusing apologies and excuses.
Forget about betrayal. Fingers and legs were removed for the slightest infraction.
The lump in my throat had shifted to a basketball in my stomach. If I told my father, this entire situation could be turned into a circus.
Or a bloodbath.
No, I would quietly let it go. There was no possibility I’d been seen and recognized. I’d worn dark clothing, not on purpose but by sheer luck. My hair had been pulled into a ponytail. I’d wiped the knife clean.
“Ugh.” I’d touched the murder weapon, also not by choice at first, but forensics were much more sophisticated than they were even ten years before. If even a partial print remained on the knife, how could I explain that without the circus forming?
Even though a portion of the pizza had been left on the scene, the scrap of information wouldn’t be released to anyone. Not if they were good at their jobs. That left the tip.
Or a nosy neighbor.
Thank God, I’d taken the box with me. It would take time to go through his phone records to find out who he called. However, the connection would eventually be made. I’d need to warn Callie. What was I supposed to say to my sister?
Hey, sis, I just fell across a man who was murdered.
She’d need protection.
I’d need protection.
“No,” I groaned. The ugly situation couldn’t get any worse.
“I’m uncertain at this point, but I will say that I will work tirelessly with the police and their upstanding officers to hunt the person or persons responsible. And they will pay a penance for what they’ve done. One way or another.”
