Page 154 of A Breath of Life
“Yes. We believe we captured every important person who was there that night. Jeffery Lynford, the man you know as the Bishop, is in aprivate room down the hall, recovering from an unfortunate gunshot wound to the shoulder. He has a twenty-four-hour guard and is cuffed to the bed, so you don’t have to worry about him.”
“Fucking Jeffery. Goddammit. He’s who riled up Nana. She mentioned him.”
Costa nodded. “We also got Corrado Belcastro, otherwise known as il Capo, your doorman. Dexter Sartell, your sleazy Jackal, and Michael Ortolano,” he glanced at Diem, “who you know as the Consigliere.”
Diem’s gaze clashed with mine. “St. Michael,” we both said together.
“Fucker,” Diem added.
“We also picked up a man at the nursing home,” Costa continued. “Maurice DeSilva. He’s warming a cell with the rest of them.”
“No Ace?” I asked, my heart pattering too fast again. I pressed the heel of my palm to my sternum, hoping it didn’t set off my monitor.
Diem noticed and frowned, but it was he who answered my question. “The Consigliere said Ace wasn’t in the building that night.”
“He was not,” Costa confirmed. “Arturo Ortolano, or Ace, is the head of the syndicate. He and Michael are brothers. Arturo and six other men that we know of are still at large, but intelligence is working hard on the ones we arrested to see if they can extract a location from them. Someone might talk if it means not spending the rest of their life in prison.”
Costa pinched the bridge of his nose and shook his head. “That about sums up all I know.”
“And you?” I asked. “Did they fire you?”
He huffed a humorless laugh. “No, but I’m suspended with pay pending a further investigation.”
“Shit.”
A knock sounded at the door. The three of us glanced over to find Quaid, who only had eyes for my cousin. “They would be stupid to fire you. You’re far too valuable.”
“I’m glad you think so.” My cousin smiled weakly at the detective.
Quaid surveyed the room. “Sorry to interrupt. I’m just checking in. It’s been a while, and…” He glanced at Diem. “I wanted to be sure you were still in one piece.”
I smirked.
Diem frowned.
My cousin pulled his phone from a pocket and sighed exhaustedly. “Crap. I have to go home. Tia knows nothing, and she’s rightfully worried. I seem to have lost a couple of days, and I’m starting to see double.”
Costa hugged me again and didn’t release me for a long time. “Get better,” he said against my hair.
“I will. Get some sleep.”
He chuckled. “I’ll try.”
Costa offered a hand to Diem, who stood, towering over my cousin so dauntingly that an ordinary man might have cowered. My cousin did not.
Eventually, Diem shook. “Can I walk you out?”
Costa nodded, glancing once at Quaid. “Sure.”
Diem moved to the bed and brushed my unnaturally blond hair from my eyes. “I won’t be long. Do you need anything?”
“No. Just you.”
Before he moved away, I took his hand and lowered my voice. “Please don’t murder my cousin. It’s not his fault.”
He gave my hand a squeeze, but I was not reassured.
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