Page 29 of Deadly Target
Alfie reared back. “You really believe that?”
“He should’ve protected Dezi. That’s what fathers are supposed to do! Not put their kids in the line of fire.”
“Your brother knew what he was getting into when he followed in your father’s footsteps. You can’t go blaming the whole thing on your dad.”
The ice cubes melted and turned to a blazing fire. “Are you defending him? Seriously? You don’t even know him. You have no idea what he put me through—us through.”
He went back to eating, avoiding her anger. “All I’m saying is there are two sides to every story, doll, sometimes more than two. You’re right, I don’t know Felix, but I understand him better than you think. He loved you and your brother. Don’t you ever doubt that. For sure, there were things he could’ve done differently and maybe they would’ve made a difference, but you can’t blame him for every single thing that went wrong in your life.”
There was no way she could eat now, and she needed to detach from this whole situation.Do not get emotionally involved.It was the only thing that kept her focused on her job dealing with a killer minute by minute. “You’re lucky I don’t rip the gun hidden under the table out of its duct tape and shoot you right here.”
His brows rose, and he swallowed his pasta. “You been snoopin’ around again?”
Alfie was always prepared. He had weapons hidden all over the house in case anyone ever surprised him. Olivia was also prepared and had noticed a couple when she had been checking things out, but she imagined he had many more. “I’m doing my job, keeping an eye on you. Enough about my family. You got a name for me?”
“Just like that? You’re back to being Deputy US Marshal Olivia Fiorelli? You can’t sit and enjoy a good meal and pleasant company?”
His tone was teasing now, as if he could shift gears with ease, while she sat seething and only pretending to have her emotions under control. “Who is it that Gino and Frankie are going after? You said it was a high-ranking Fed putting the screws to the cartel.”
Making a disgusted sound, he wiped his hands on a napkin and dropped it on the tabletop. “It’s not a Fed. My guy ponied up a little more. The target is a DEA agent.”
Cooper. “Did yourguysay anything else? Like who actually did the shooting?”
“You think that agent in San Diego was the target? I don’t know, he doesn’t seem right for it.”
“Why not?”
Alfie turned his hands up. “I’ve never even heard of the guy, how big and important can he be? Plus, if the hit had already taken place, I would know. It’s gotta be someone else.”
“And you’re sure Frankie’s going after a DEA agent?”
“Look, I don’t have a direct line to Frankie’s every thought, but he likes to talk, and my informant is close to him. He hears a lot. I’m only passing on what he said.”
She reached for her last ounce of patience. “Any other details? Such as, when is the hit going down? Who’s executing it? Where’s it going to take place?”
He shook his head. “There was nothing else.”
Of course not. Was he simply dicking her around? “Doesn’t sound like this guy has a clue to me. I think he’s yanking your chain, Alfie.”
Irritation crossed to his face before he forced it away. “I’ll keep working on him. Give me some time.”
He started to say something else, but his phone rang and he fished it out of his pocket. Another wave of irritation crossed his face. “Sorry, doll, I need to take this. Back in a second.”
It rang two more times as he headed down the hallway. She heard a door slam.
Dinner was a bust, but maybe she could get something worthwhile before she left. Tossing her napkin on the table, she rose and quietly tiptoed down the hallway. Outside the closed door, she turned her ear toward the office and listened.
“No, it’s not a good time. I’ll call you back as soon as I can.” A pause. “Yeah, yeah, did you do what I told you to do? … Good. You earned your reward, but you got to stay with him, get close again.”
Was he talking to one of his cronies? Sounded like a subordinate. What was this “reward”?
“Look, give me an hour and I’ll deliver the stuff personally.” A longer pause. “You haven’t been out a day and already you’re desperate? Tough, you’ll survive. I’ll text you when and where, and no bodyguards, you hear me? Just you and me, but listen up. You got to bring me more next time or the supply is going to be cut off. You have to pay for the product, one way or the other. I don’t want your money, I want information, and you’re the one person who can get it for me.”
Bodyguards? Product? She mentally sighed. Had to be drugs.
“Someone new, huh?” Alfie’s voice sounded pensive. “Interesting. Don’t you worry about that. No guy in his right mind is immune to your looks or charms. You can do this, just keep your head on straight and do what I tell ya.”
He was wrapping up the call. Olivia stole back down the hallway and resumed her seat. She even took a sip of the wine, swirling it in the glass in time with her equally swirling thoughts. He was talking to a woman. Not exactly what she’d expected, and doubtful that this caller was the “guy” close to Frankie B, but maybe Alfie was only making her think his informant was a man. Frankie liked the women, so maybe this one was actually female.
