Page 86 of More Than Nothing
“Fuck off, Cinderella.” Her mother didn’t even glance in her direction. Beside him, Ava caught her breath. Roman felt cold fury surge in his throat. Her cheeks flushed, Elenie whipped the lit cigarette from Athena’s fingers and threw it into the sink beneath the counter. She stepped back out of her mother’s reach. “You little bitch!” Athena’s rage went from zero to one hundred in seconds. Frank didn’t move.
“You can’t—they’re not my rules. It’s the law. If Delia doesn’t enforce it, the police chief will.” Elenie jerked her head in his direction. Roman locked eyes with Frank Dax for a long minute. Then the older man raised his coffee cup in a mocking salute, sending a tight smile their way with a dip of his chin.
“Sergeant Starchy!” Cigarette immediately forgotten, Athena crossed over to their table. She leaned toward him, treating his mother and father to an inappropriate view of her unfettered breasts. “Well, if this isn’t the greatest of pleasures.”
Roman resisted the urge to place his hand on the box next to him. “Mrs. Dax.”
Frank watched them, amusement twitching his lips. Athena sent a bright and birdlike glance around the table. “Won’t you introduce me? I thought we were friends.”
Elenie appeared at her shoulder, embarrassment darkening her smoky eyes. “Mom, your breakfast will be ready in a moment.”
Athena acted as if she hadn’t spoken. She held out a hand toward his father. “And you are?”
Genetically unable to be rude, Elias shook her hand and smiled. “Elias Martinez. And this is my wife, Ava.”
Athena straightened. “Martinez? So you must be—” She flicked a finger from his dad to Roman and back again.
Elenie tried again. “Mom—”
“Shut up.” Athena held a hand up to her without even turning.
“My mother and father.” Roman supplied the information in a flat tone.
Elenie’s mother turned icy blue eyes to his parents. “How wonderful for you. You must be so proud. A law enforcement officer in the family, and such a handsome one, too.” His mother held back from answering. Athena leaned toward her. “I can only imagine that the benefits of birthing someone who can make a parking fine disappear must make the hideous experience of having children worthwhile. Am I right?” She laughed at her own joke. “Elenie won’t even give me my breakfast on the house.”
Roman heard Frank’s low chuckle as Delia pushed their order out through the serving hatch. Athena flicked them all an on/off smile, instantly bored, and drifted away from their table.
As Elenie passed next to him, Frank caught hold of her elbow, fingers closing tightly enough to make her wince. Roman ground his teeth. Frank pulled her closer, his mouth moving against her ear. Elenie nodded stiffly once and then again. More words were spoken. She flinched just a little and Roman ached to drag Dax to the floor and sink his fist into the older man’s face. Elenie answered him in a low voice, pale lips barely moving. Then she tried to step away from him. Frank’s grip tightened and twisted. She drew in a pained breath. An unpleasant smile hovered at the corners of his mouth.
“I say when we’re done, baby. Not you. It’s never you.” He released his fingers and gave her a push.
When Roman’s mother laid a gentle hand on his leg, he realized it was vibrating under the table. Delia snarked something crabby through the hatch. Elenie squared her shoulders, blew out a tense breath, and got on with her work. She looked unruffled but her hands were shaking.
Roman wouldn’t have put money on his own being completely steady.
By the time Dax pushed his empty plate away, Athena had only picked at her breakfast. She played with the cigarette lighter between fidgety fingers, a nicotine addict jonesing for a smoke. They left soon afterward without another word to anyone.
Roman headed out too. He didn’t say goodbye to Elenie but at least he’d managed to slip her a new cell phone inside the used takeout bag. There were tears in his mother’s eyes when he kissed her on the cheek. His dad was frowning.
“I’m handling it, Ma,” he promised her. “She’ll be OK.”
And handle it he would, even if it killed him.
Back at the station, after safely removing the incriminating evidence, Roman delivered the donuts to an enthusiastic reception and beckoned Dougie to his office.
Taking a huge bite out of a glazed donut, Dougie studied the evidence bag containing the gun. “What now?” he asked.
“I have to pass this up the chain of command for examination and tracing.” Roman pinched the bridge of his nose. “It looks like Dax is up to his ears in some serious shit.” He’d shown Dougie the photos of the drugs and the gun, even though it was strictly DEA business now.
“So Dax and sons are running drugs—probably dealing, too—and one of their goon-for-hire services involves disposing of firearms.” Dougie licked his fingers and spoke his thoughts aloud. “I wonder if finding out what Elenie knows will give the DEA enough information to apply for a search warrant for the Dax place?”
Roman grunted, his movements contained and focused. He could feel the familiar buzz of the chase rippling through him. They were close on Frank’s heels. It only needed one trip-up from him, one twist on the path that worked in their favor, and they would have enough to pin down the fucker.
His phone buzzed on the pile of paperwork where he’d dumped it earlier. He swore at the name on the screen.
“I’ll leave you to it, Chief,” Dougie told him cheerfully, around a last mouthful of donut, and pulled the door closed behind him.
Roman swiped to answer the call. “Yes?” he grated.
