Page 44 of The Mafia's Property

“No. But I can guess. I’m taking Freya to the island this time around. I would love to spend some time alone with her.”

“About that.”

“Please don’t say you don’t want her there. It’s not like it’s your sanctuary or something.”

“I’m not talking about the island, I mean Freya. I’ve been looking into her.”

That sensation rose behind my neck again. “And?”

“She’s got some skeletons, man. Like actual skeletons.”

“Really? Guess she should join the club, since I’ve got a few of my own.”

Rico’s gaze darted to the corridor, then he said, “Let’s go to the study.”

I rolled my eyes. The study was sound proof bullet proof and probably bomb proof. While we used it as an office, it also doubled as a panic room, though we’ve never needed it. “She’s sound asleep from all the pounding I gave her last night.”

“Can you join me in the office, please?” Rico rarely pleaded with anyone unless he was serious. I relented and followed him. I closed the door behind me and watched as Rico went over to the desk to grab the tablet that was on top. He tapped it open.

“After Dante told me to look into her, to be sure she wasn’t Volkov’s spy,” he added when I was about to voice my protest, “I did and this is what I found.” He handed me the tablet. On it was a news article about the body of a girl found in the desert. I remember the article. A Zoe Sanders who worked as bartender at one of our clubs. The Venom, I think. She had gone missing and was later found dead. Her death was obviously suspicious and I think her boyfriend was part of it, even though I couldn’t prove it.

“What of it?” I said.

“She’s Freya’s friend. Best friend, some might say. You didn’t find that during your initial background search.”

I stifled a groan. The search I had done was a little shoddy, I have to admit, but that’s because I didn’t get a professional to look into her and instead had done it myself. Most of my search had involved going to her place of work and watch her hours on end as she worked that pole. I should have done more to learn about her past and if I did, I might have found out about this Zoe Sanders link. But what did that have to do with Freya? “So what they were friends?”

“You don’t think it’s necessary information to learn? What if she was involved in her disappearance? What if she’s the--”

“Killer?” I threw my head back. “Come on.”

“She was the closest person to Zoe. She didn’t have an alibi for the night Zoe went missing and even though Freya was the one who reported Zoe missing, she could be very much the person who caused her death.”

“What are you saying? She killed a person? Big whoop. I have a body count bigger than hers.”

“I’m saying she has the capability. She’s dangerous.”

“I can take care of myself,” I said and then remembered that curious brown vial and half the contents of it that were now in my pocket. It was nothing. It was probably saline. A soft and serene face of a sleeping Freya floated in my mind. She did not look like a killer. Killers do not look like they yearn to be with you all night. “Besides, I’m pretty sure Zoe’s ex did it. You know, the most likely suspect in these things.”

“And why is he still alive, if you’re so sure? Last I checked, he worked under us.”

“Not anymore. He’s a made man and so was his father. He’s legacy. His father was part of the alliance we formed to take down Saccone, so I couldn’t get rid of him, but I sent him to one of the other families. If you want a killer, that’s your guy.”

“Still, they could have worked together.”

“Oh, come on! You just want to lay everything on her.”

“They could still be working together. Think about it for a second.”

“There’s nothing to think about. You,” I pointed a finger at him, “are crazy because for the first time I’m with someone who likes me and doesn’t want you in turn. You can’t handle that there’s a woman out there who like me and just me. Not you.”

“You know that’s not true.”

“Do I? You’ve been acting really weird ever since she came. You’ve just never liked her and now you’re trying to put a whole murder on her head simply because what? She refused your advances?”

Rico glared at me, his jaw clenched. Time ticked as we stared down each other. If he was trying to intimidate me, I didn’t take the bait. However, I could tell his anger wasn’t only from what I had said, but came from some deeper reason. It might be anger against Freya. Misplaced hatred, but hatred nonetheless. “You’re blinded by pussy.” He said and marched out of the office.

I don’t remember him being this angry before. I’m pretty sure this is the first time we’ve fought like this. His attitude towards her made no sense to me, but at the same time, he’s never been this against any woman I’ve been with, not even Maeve. I thought back to the vial. Rico’s actions gave me enough suspicion to call Sunny. Before Sunny ran away to South America, he was caught smuggling drugs at a prestigious pharmaceutical research lab and selling them to celebrities. If there was someone who knew a thing or two about strange chemical elements, it was him. Not that I had any sympathy for Sunny. He could be awfully smug at times. Like now. He would not answer his phone and just when I was giving up, he picked up.

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