Page 88 of Near Miss

Carly frowned. “That still doesn’t explain why they’d bury him so soon.”

“I can think of a reason,” Viv said. “A good one, too.”

“I’m all ears.”

“So they can get it over with.”

“That isn’t very respectful.”

“Maybe not,” Dino said, “but Viv’s right.”

“I never get tired of hearing you say that,” Viv said.

“I’ve noticed.”

“I still don’t get it,” Carly said. “Gromyko was the head of the family. Shouldn’t his funeral be a big deal?”

“From what I heard, it will be,” Dino said. “We’re calling in an extra one hundred fifty officers to handle security.”

“The police doing security for the mob.” Carly shook her head. “That has to be a first.”

“Far from it,” Stone said. “Do you think there’s never been a funeral for the head of a crime family here before? The last thing anyone wants is a shootout taking place at a cemetery.”

“It would be convenient,” Carly said, seriously.

“There are times when I worry about what’s going on in that head of yours,” Stone said.

“Did I say something wrong?”

“I guess that depends on your point of view.”

She thought for a moment, then said, “No one has told me yet why it’s happening so fast.”

“Simple,” Viv said. “Everyone’s focus will be on the funeral. Until it’s over, everything else they had going on will be put on hold.”

“Like day-to-day graft,” Stone offered.

“Or dealing with the person who had the head of their organization killed,” Dino said.

Stone blanched. “I could have gone without hearing that.”

Helene stepped into the doorway. “Dinner is ready.”

“Great, I’m starved,” Dino said.

“Me, too,” Carly said.

Stone, however, had lost his appetite.

After a meal of grilled salmon, baby potatoes, and asparagus—most of which Stone just pushed around his plate—they retired to the study for a glass of port.

“You look like you have something on your mind,” Carly said to Stone.

“What gave you that idea?” Dino asked. “The fact that he barely ate anything? Or that he has yet to take a sip of his drink?”

“Both.”

“It was the drink for me,” Viv said.

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