Nineteen #2
“Yeah, but one in particular was important. Brian’s protégé, Roman Ivanovich Michaelev.”
“Protégé?”
“Yeah. Roman was supposed to be learning Brian’s business.”
“Why?”
“Roman’s father is actually Brian’s boss.”
“And so?”
“So Brian was never supposed to kill anybody and put Roman at risk.”
“But he did.”
“Yes, he did.”
“Why?”
“’Cause Brian’s an animal, as you know.”
“Okay.” I shrugged. “I have no idea who—”
“But he knows you, Jory, and now you’re the only one that can tie him to that crime scene.”
“There’s Brian.”
“There’s not.”
“What are you talking about?”
“The thing is, everybody else who was in the house that night, including Brian, is now dead.”
“Oh shit,” I breathed out. “Brian’s dead?”
“Yep. He was stabbed to death two weeks ago.”
“I thought he was in the witness protection program or whatever?”
“He was.”
“He was? So then, what? How does he get killed with people supposedly taking care of him?”
“It looks like we—as in Chicago PD, not the marshals service—have a leak.”
“You mean somebody told where Brian was.”
“Correct.”
“Who?”
“If we knew that, we wouldn’t have a leak. I’d just be able to tell you who it was.”
“That was stupid, sorry.”
“It’s fine.”
I nodded. “Okay, so what now?”
“Well, now you’re the only one who was in the house when Brian Minor shot Saul Grant that’s still breathing. Besides Roman.”
“And he wants to kill me.”
“Yes, he does.”
“Why?”
“Because you saw him there, you can put him there, and—”
“But the only person who shot Saul was Brian. Everybody else just watched.”
“Watching makes you an accessory, Jory, it doesn’t make you innocent.”
“I see. So you’re thinking Roman’s still gonna try and kill me even though Brian is dead.”
“Yes, because Roman will still be charged with a crime as long as you’re around.”
“Will I have to testify against him?”
“Since you already gave your statement, probably not. They expect him to take a plea. But if he doesn’t, then yes.”
“And in the meantime, if I happen to turn up dead, Roman walks.”
“Again, there are other factors to consider, but maybe don’t get killed.”
“Excellent advice, Detective.”
He inhaled sharply.
“So tell me what now.”
“Well, last night there was some activity about you. No one knows where you are, seems you dropped out of sight.”
“And?”
“And they’re looking for you.”
“To kill me.”
“Yes.”
I concentrated on breathing so I wouldn’t hyperventilate.
He was studying me, his arms crossed over his chest. “It was a nice touch, changing Keyes to Harcourt. Did you think of that or your boss?”
“Well, he’s not my boss anymore. I changed jobs.”
“Oh. You still live in the same place?”
“Yeah.”
He nodded. “I don’t suppose you’d let me place you in protective custody this time around?”
“Doesn’t seem like it did Brian any good.”
“No, it didn’t,” he conceded.
“And you guys still have your leak.”
“We do.”
“So then…no.”
“Okay.”
We stood in silence for long minutes.
“If Brian and Roman were friends, why did he kill Brian?”
“First, like I said, Brian put Roman in jeopardy by killing Saul with Roman right there, and second—” He sighed, pulling his hair back from his face hard. “—when it got right down to it, Brian was turning state’s evidence. He would have buried Roman and his father.”
I nodded.
“You get it, right?”
“Yeah,” I told him, staring down at my shoes.
“I think you should—”
“Not get shot,” I said to the ground.
“Yes. Try hard.”
“Okay.”
There was a long silence.
“So you knew all this that night when you took me to Dom’s and hung out with Maggie.”
“Yes,” he answered flatly.
“You were upset when you came home that night when I fixed you dinner because of what you’d seen earlier in the day.”
Quick nod.
“But you took me to Dom’s house for a party anyway?”
“There were two of us there, I figured it would be safe.”
“But you left me while you flirted with Maggie?”
He shook his head. “It was stupid. I have no excuse other than you were still safe in the house with both me and Dom there.”
“You didn’t tell me then about the murder.”
“Again, I was with you. Even talking to other people, I had an eye on you.”
Talking to other people being Maggie. “You should have told me about the murder.”
“There was no reason to scare you when I was there.”
I nodded. “So since you’re not with me, that’s why you came clean?”
“Yes.”
I let that all sink in. It made sense. When he was with me, I was physically safe, nothing could get me. He hadn’t worried about my safety because he was standing between me and the world.
“From now on, anything that comes up, you should let me know, yeah?”
“Yes,” he agreed.
We were both quiet again.
“I saw you last week, out with Dominic and your girl, Maggie,” I commented to change the subject, raising my eyes to his.
“You did?”
“Yeah.” I smiled at him.
“Why didn’t you stop?”
“What would have been the point?”
He shrugged. “You’re probably right.”
I cleared my throat. “Listen, I’m freezing, so I’m gonna go back in. It was good to see you, and I really appreciate you finding me to tell me all this. I’ll be careful.”
“Good.”
I pressed my lips together tight and stepped around him, nervous for whatever reason.
“Who was that guy I saw talking to you in the booth?”
I turned around to look at him.
“Jory?”
“What guy?”
“Earlier. There was a guy… Who was he?”
“Oh…nobody.”
“Nobody? He was sittin’ awful close.”
I made a face. “Some guy lookin’ to get laid. I sent him on his way.” I wondered how long he had been watching me before he came over to talk.
“You’re not interested in gettin’ laid?”
“I’m not interested in a one-night stand,” I told him. “It ain’t me.”
“No?”
I grinned lazily. “It used to be me, I’ll give you that, but not anymore.”
He nodded. “Okay.”
“Were your holidays good?” I asked, walking backward, still facing him.
“They were. My folks are crazy about Maggie, and her family’s great.”
“Great,” I said lamely, pivoting around.
“Jory.”
I didn’t stop walking but looked at him over my shoulder.
“Take care.”
“Yessir, Detective Kage,” I murmured, opening the door, feeling the warm air envelop me as I went back inside the restaurant. I was so proud of myself for not breaking down, but I was exhausted from all the effort it took. Who knew pretending to be nonchalant could be so draining?
I insisted that Dylan and Chris stay and eat and drink. They could turn the evening into a date night. For me it was a bust, between Ray being a jerk and Sam having become a stranger. And even though it was freezing out, I decided to walk home to clear my head. I was surprised when my phone rang.
“What?” I asked irritably, reading the number on my display before I answered.
“I just got off the phone with Ray,” Nick began. “He accused me of making you turn him down to get back at him. I told him I didn’t have that kind of power over you.”
“And you don’t.”
“I know I don’t,” he volleyed quickly. “Like I said, that’s what I told him.”
I was silent.
“So, for the record, why did you turn him down?”
“’Cause the guy’s a dick, Nicky,” I told him. “Why would you, with all you’ve got going for you, even let a guy like that close to you? He’s a conceited asshole.”
“I know.”
“So? Why?”
“He comes on really strong, J. He acted like he was really into me, and I—”
I made a noise. “He’s a total tool. I’d have to be lobotomized before I’d let him close to me.”
He chuckled. “You know, I like you, I really do. You wanna come and have pie with me?”
“Pie?” I smiled into the phone. “I haven’t decided if I even like you anymore.”
“You like me. I’m likable. I’m an idiot, but I’m likable.”
“And so, what? We’re gonna be friends now?”
“Could we, please?”
He’d screwed up, I’d screwed up—we really were very compatible. “Fine. Should I come now?”
“That’d be good.”
So at ten at night, I went to the county hospital, picked up my friend, and went and had peach pie, milk, and coffee. He told me all about Ray Alvarez, and we laughed like idiots. He ended up snorting milk out of his nose. You could never have too many friends.