I turn the envelope over. It’s not addressed.
“Thank you, Peter,” I say. I wait to open it, so I only do it when I’m in the back of the sedan and the driver is on his way to the restaurant where I’ll meet Benedetti.
Lifting the flap, I peer inside, reaching in to take hold of the pages.
Three photos. Taken last night in that nasty hotel room.
I look at the first one, detaching myself. I move to the second. The third. There’s a note scribbled on the back of the last one.
Drop the Benedetti contract or these go public.
“Mother fucker.”
I don’t take too kindly to being threatened and Scava clearly doesn’t know I won’t bend when blackmailed.
I tuck the photos back into the envelope as we pull up to the entrance of the restaurant. Carrying the envelope, I ascend the stairs and enter, heading straight to the far corner where Dominic Benedetti is sitting at a table with his back to the wall. He’s talking to a dark-haired man whose face I can’t see from here, but I do see that Dominic notes my entrance the moment I arrive.
Men in his business better notice, though. They won’t survive long if they don’t.
A soldier eyes me, holding out his hand for me to wait.
A moment later, Dominic gives the signal and I’m walking through the dimly lit but noisy restaurant. I notice the tables around his are empty.
Dominic stands when I get to the table as does his companion. The latter looks me over, his face remaining unreadable.
“Hayden,” Dominic says. “Good to see you. “This is my brother, Salvatore.”
“Dominic.” I extend my hand to first shake Dominic’s then Salvatore’s. “Good to meet you. I didn’t realize you still worked with your brother.”
“I don’t,” Salvatore says, not adding more before turning to his brother. “Remember what I said.”
“I’m sure you won’t let me forget,” Dominic says.
Salvatore nods and excuses himself, leaving the restaurant.
Dominic sits down and I toss the envelope onto the table between us as I take the seat Salvatore just vacated.
“What do you know about this?” I ask.
He picks up the envelope, opens it and eyes the photos. He looks displeased, to say the least, and after reading the message, his eyes are narrowed when he returns them to mine.
“Elizabeth Abbot?”
“How did you know?”
“I do my research. Just photos or…” he trails off.
“Photos. Although I’m not sure I’d say ‘just’.”
“No, I wouldn’t either.” He reads the back of the last photo again but doesn’t seem at all disturbed. “Although, it’s not Scava’s style. Didn’t used to be at least.”
“Well, maybe he’s desperate. Didn’t you say this building would seal your position in the city?”
He nods. “How old is the girl?”
“Fifteen.”
“Like I said, not his style.”
“Maybe he’s changed styles.” I lean toward him. “I’m not getting in the middle of a fucking mafia war.”
His casual stance gone he leans toward me. “You’ll get in the middle of whatever I tell you to get in the middle of.”
“I don’t work for you.”
“No, we work together.” He leans back. “We’re business associates. Friendly ones, I hope.”
“I don’t like being threatened and I don’t like being blackmailed.”
“Well, I assume the former is directed at me and the latter at those responsible for these.”
“There are more, I’m sure.”
“I’m sure. You’re certain Scava’s behind it? Not your father?”
“The kid he paid to get Lizzie Abbot to New York City is a low-level drug dealer. I had a conversation with him this morning and he confirmed that he works for Angus Scava.”
“Conversation?” Dominic raises his eyebrows, a smile playing along his lips as he sits back in his seat and picks up a piece of bacon from his plate. “He’s not lying?” he asks, sticking it into his mouth.
“I don’t think so.”
He signals to one of his men who comes over and he whispers some instructions. The soldier is gone in a moment. “Do you want to put a stop to the project?”
“Like I said, I don’t take kindly to blackmail but this needs to be taken care of. These photos can’t turn up anywhere. You take care of it and I’ll think about our project.”
“You’ll think about it?” I see how one eye narrows. “You care about Quincy’s daughter? Why? I thought you hated the man.”
I shift in my seat. “I care about any child being violated.”
The way he looks at me, I wonder if he knows about Nora and my mind wanders to the letter burning a hole in my pocket.
I can’t lie to you anymore.
There was someone else. My sweet, innocent sister had two lovers.
Lovers. Plural. Even the singular doesn’t fit. Doesn’t make sense.
I love him.
Do I want to know who she loved? It’s where Persephone’s going. Something in that letter gave her all the pieces of the puzzle. Pieces I’m still missing.
“She’s not the one I meant,” Dominic says but I’m so wrapped up in my thoughts that I’m not sure I heard right.
“What did you just say?” I ask.
“I said I’ll take care of it.”
My phone buzzes in my pocket but I ignore it. “I believe the person responsible for these was also on my property last night.”
“I can send soldiers.”
“I’ll take care of what’s mine, but you take care of the mess you bring into my life and the lives of those I care about.”
“Care about. Big words.”
We study each other for a long minute. A waitress arrives with an espresso for Dominic.
“Would you like something?” he asks.
“No, thank you.” I stand and my phone alerts me to a voicemail. I take it out of my pocket and see it’s the guard watching Persephone and her sister.
I give Dominic a nod and walk toward the exit as I open the text. But the pinned location on the map doesn’t make any sense. I dial him. “You’re sure this is the address?”
“Yes, sir. She’s been inside for a few minutes. Knew the doorman from what I could see.”
“Any chance she knew she was being followed?”
“No.”
“All right. I’m on my way. If she leaves, let me know right away.”
“I will.”
I disconnect the call and a sick feeling takes hold of me as I walk back out of the restaurant and climb into the back of my car.
“Take me to my stepbrother’s house.”
33
Persephone
I don’t realize I’m almost running until I get out of the building and half-way down the street. I stop in the cold, sunny day to catch my breath, wanting to scrub my skin.
“Are you all right?” someone asks me.
I look up, meet the eyes of an old woman. I suck in a gulp of icy morning air and nod. “I’m fine. Just…it was too warm inside.”