Page 78 of The Capo

I took a deep breath. “The perpetrator is deflecting their reason for torching my house.”

“Does that mean you have an idea of who is behind the fire?” Detective Parker asked.

“I have an idea, but I’m not ready to disclose it yet.”

“You need to allow us to handle the case,” Detective Silas chastised.

I walked closer. “Carmine, you are well aware of our various connections. I highly doubt you’re going to determine anything more than we’ll be able to.”

“Maybe not, but all four families are considered cornerstones in this community, including the police commissioner and Senator Abbott.” Silas tilted his head, acting as if the news would surprise me. The only thing it did was allow me to realize that if Alturo was coming into the United States, he wasattempting to crush anyone who could stand in his way. The police commissioner had been a friend of my father’s, and the senator was someone that Arman had nurtured, which in turn had allowed us to increase our real estate holdings. It hadn’t hurt that we’d contributed to his most recent campaign fund either.

“Interesting. I’ll keep that in mind as I continue attempting to determine who decided to make the Thibodeaux family their number one enemy. And gentlemen, if I were you, I’d look at some possible South American influences drifting into New Orleans before it’s too late.” I could tell Arman was amused at my effort to bait them. My brother had his tactics. I had mine.

If Alturo and his merry men had decided to make New Orleans even a temporary home, the police would be all over them, refusing to get on our bad side. That could possibly put enough pressure on Raphael to make a mistake.

Or so I hoped.

At this point, with no real evidence and the threats continuing, our credibility would start to be questioned, which wouldn’t bode well for any business activity. I refused to allow that to happen.

However, I was finished playing the victim in a twisted game of revenge. Let the police make it as miserable on Alturo as possible.

“Any names?” Detective Parker asked, pulling out his notebook.

“Raphael Alturo,” Rocco answered for me. Almost immediately I could see a flicker of recognition in both the detectives’ eyes.

“We’ll see what we can find. Is there anything else you can tell us about the fire at your estate?” Detective Silas asked.

“I wasn’t at the estate when the fire broke out.”

“I understand you were with model Delaney Baxter at that time?”

I glanced at Detective Parker, trying not to clench my jaw. It was obvious we’d been followed, likely photographed. Why not discredit me since I went to a swinger’s club with the daughter of one of my business partners? Leave no stone unturned, my ass. “Yes, I was out for a night with an old friend.”

“That’s right. I read somewhere Ms. Baxter used to call you Uncle.”

Why the fuck was I being goaded? Instead of wrapping my hand around the detective’s throat and squeezing until his eyes bulged, I managed a smile. “Yes. Funny how they all grow up.”

The two detectives glanced at each other again, Detective Silas clearing his throat. “I think we have everything we need. However, we’ll be in contact.”

They moved toward the door and I lost the grin. “You do that.”

“One last question,” Carmine said, acting as if it had just come to him. Why did I have the distinct feeling the questioning had been completely staged? What the fuck was I missing? “How is business with Mr. Baxter?”

Was he asking the question because of Delaney or for another reason entirely? I didn’t bother turning around, which would have indicated I was concerned about our future business relationship and Delaney specifically. Instead, I glanced at Rocco, who remained expressionless. But I knew the man too well. He’d registered the comment, storing it in the back of hismind. In my lieutenant’s list of priorities, securing information about my old buddy would jump to the front of the line.

“Excellent. I assume one or both of you will be attending the upcoming race?”

The slight tension had been inevitable. “Wouldn’t miss it for the world, Francois,” Carmine said, breaking protocol by using my first name.

It would appear the man was bucking for a promotion. “Excellent.” I counted five full seconds after the men had left prior to exhaling. “What the fuck was that?”

“You tell me,” Arman said. “Is there something about Brandon you’re not telling me?”

“Nothing that can’t wait. What have you heard via the grapevine, Thomas?”

“I don’t want to be the bearer of bad news, but I don’t think your friend is the man you think he is,” Thomas answered.

“What the fuck does that mean?”

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