Page 51 of Hunt Me
The press already knew Sergio had been murdered. I’d find out how. If Jack had anything to do with the leaked information, the man would soon understand the effects of crossing a carefully planned alliance that had been in place since he made detective years before.
“I’m uncertain at this point, but I will say,” I turned directly into the cameras, “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.” I remained unblinking as I stared into the camera.“Now, if you’ll excuse me. I need to talk with the detective in charge.”
After allowing a long menacing glare into the cameras, I walked away, doing what I could to bottle my fury. Who other than the Irish would dare cross the Dmitriyev regime?
I took a deep breath as I surveyed the scene outside. There was no obvious indication Sergio’s home had been broken into. In this day and age, that didn’t mean much. Thieves were highly skilled, although I doubted that was why Sergio had been murdered. And I doubted Sergio would open his door to just anyone.
As soon as I walked to the door, I was stopped by two uniformed officers, neither one recognizing me immediately.
“Who are you?” one of the officers asked. “This is a closed crime scene.”
“You are correct, Officers. It’s supposed to be. But I’m not just anyone.”
Crouching down, I surveyed the sidewalk. It appeared as if someone had walked through the crime scene. When I rose to my feet, I crowded the man’s space without saying a word. His eyes immediately widened, the smell of fear lingering on his breath.
“Oh, Mr. Dmitriyev. I’m sorry I didn’t recognize you. You’re allowed inside.” With a sheepish look on his face, the officer stepped away and as soon as I walked inside, my rage breached the surface. At some point, I’d need to release some pressure.
I glanced from side to side, surveying the scene. There were several people in Sergio’s living room, all picking through hispersonal items. An angry tic appeared in the corner of my mouth. When I looked at the floor, every muscle tensed.
Sergio was still on the foyer floor, his body outlined with fluorescent tape. A knife protruded from his chest. I walked closer, avoiding the blood coagulating on the floor.
“Who called this in?” I asked no one in particular. Sergio had no family, no girlfriend, which meant someone had found him this way.
“I have no clue, sir.”
The young officer was telling the truth. It was possible a neighbor had noticed the killer fleeing the scene, but if Sergio’s murder was handled by professionals, no one would have seen the person coming or going.
I studied the brightly lit foyer, searching for any clues to identify the killer. Sergio was dressed in casual clothes given it was his night off. He was also in bare feet, which meant he hadn’t just arrived home. From the position he was slumped, it appeared he’d tried to drag his body to the door to escape. Why not use the phone?
What caught my eye was a surprise. There were pieces of pepperoni and mushrooms on the floor, and sauce dripped down one wall. I also noticed footsteps in my lieutenant’s blood. They were smaller than I would expect. Whoever had stepped in his blood had left a trail to the door.
I bent down near Sergio, taking several deep breaths. “YA otomshchu za tvoyu smert’, moy drug.” My whispered words were full of anguish. Yes, I would avenge my friend’s death if it was the last thing I did.
He’d obviously put up a struggle. For someone to use a knife instead of a gun meant the kill had been personal. His eyes were still open, the look of shock as well as horror indicating he knew his killer.
What the fuck was going on? I touched his face, using my fingers to close his eyes. No one should die this way.
“Mikhail.” Jack’s deep voice sounded from beside me.
“What the hell are the reporters already doing outside?” My question was a demand.
He chuckled. “I don’t know. They arrived at the same time we did.”
“You have a fucking leak.”
“We don’t know that. This is high profile.”
I lifted my head, studying his face. He’d aged since the last time we’d chatted. “I do know, and you need to plug it or I will. How were you told about the murder?”
“Okay, I get it. You’re angry. Just try and calm down. An anonymous tip called in.”
After a few seconds of quiet reverence, I rose to my full height. “Anonymous?”
He scratched his head, his expression one of exhaustion. “Yes. From a woman. I listened to the tape. She was terrified but refused to provide her name. Smart too, ending the call before we could locate where she was calling from. Was he dating anyone?”
A woman. Sergio didn’t have a girlfriend that I knew about. Narrowing my eyes, I glanced down at Sergio’s body for a few seconds. “No, but a woman didn’t do this.”
“Maybe. Maybe not.”
