Page 118 of Lies He Told Me (Bratva Crime Syndicate 1)

“Now, I know that you’re thinking,” he’s saying now, which I doubt. “Of course Gavril doesn’t do anything for no reason. This was an attack against his enemies after a threat close to home. Gavril doesn’t do half-measures.”

I blanch.

“Sorry.” He doesn’t sound sorry. “Thought you should see it. You need to know what your husband is capable of.”

I manage to nod without looking at him. I feel sick. I watch families come and go outside.

Dryden continues, “I could keep going all day, Mrs. Vaknin. We’ve got dirt on him providing guns to violent gang factions, dealing out coke laced with deadly fentanyl, and, of course, countless more murder victims that got in his way or just pissed him off.”

A shiver goes through me. What was it Gavril said?“Anyone who crosses me pays.”

Still, no. Lacing drugs with fentanyl, guns for gangs? That’s not Gavril. He has a code, right?

My hands clench.You don’t have any idea who Gavril even is.And the kids … those kids …

So much for only hurting those in the game.

“For years, we’ve been on Mr. Vaknin’s tail. We’ve gotten close, but not close enough, unfortunately. We’ve never had anyone to solidify his links to the crime.”

His next look at me says it all.Until now. Until you.

This isn’t just about him showing me evidence of Gavril’s wrongdoings. How could I have been so stupid? Mr. Big Wig Cop is really here because he wants something from me. Something that could sign my death warrant.

I shake my head, managing to shove words out of my mouth: “I don’t know how much help I can be. As you may know, my marriage to my husband has been … recent.”

His chocolate eyes don’t react. “And yet, we think you know things that could materially benefit our investigation.”

I sigh. “What do you want?”

“Come into the station. Make a statement about what you saw tonight. With evidence like that … well, we could at least prosecute Mr. Vaknin for what he did.”

“I …”Don’t say anything until you’ve decided, I scream internally. “I didn’t see anything concrete.”

“At this point, anything would help. We need more links to build a case. You can help us with that.”

“And what about me?” This is all fine and dandy for Officer James Dryden, who probably goes home to a darling wife and a white picket fence and 2.3 kids, who didn’t marry a freaking insane murderer. “What happens to me after, when Gavril invariably finds out I betrayed him?”

James doesn’t miss a beat. “Witness Protection Program.”

A relieved exhale slips out of my lips. “We’d qualify?”

Mom and me is the “we” I’m talking about. This would be a solution. A new start. Safety.

I need to protect her from this somehow, and this is the only chance I’ve got. We have nowhere to go now.

I heard Gavril myself. Our deal is off, null.

This could save us. This could be our last chance.

Dryden nods. “Yes, you would.”

“Alright,” I hear myself saying. “I’ll go.”

28

Gavril

Idiots.

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