Chapter 26
Chapter twenty-six
“Rachel Evans lives here?” I stare at the serpentine residential tower.
“Yes. Very polished and high-class living arrangements for someone with a secretary’s paycheck.” Dominic pulls into one of the parking spaces at South Loop Penthouses.
The tower looks like it belongs in a magazine spread. The floor-to-ceiling windows gleam under the overcast sky. Shining like a mirror, the building reflects the surrounding scenery and the Chicago River.
Dominic puts the car in park, then gets out to open my door. “She lives in a three-bedroom two-bath.”
I gasp. “That must cost a fortune.”
“Yes, it does, baby, and we know she’s not the one paying the bills.” Dominic takes my arm as we walk up the steps and into the lobby.
The place is all marble with polished black floors and gold accents.
A concierge desk is to the left where a stiff-jawed attendant in a tailored suit is too busy on his phone to pay attention to us.
Behind him are mailboxes and a wall of greenery that climbs to the ceiling where crystal chandeliers hang. Security cameras hang in every corner.
“Don’t you need a key card or some kind of electronic device to get upstairs?” I hiss as Dominic steers me to the elevator.
“Of course. You think I didn’t come prepared? One of my clients lives in this building and he lent me his card.”
Pulling the plastic out of his pocket, he swipes the box next to the elevator.
Time stands still as I hear the soft swish of the elevator coming down. Within seconds, the steel doors open before us.
Dominic gestures to me. “After you.”
I step into the elevator and lean against the handrail. Dominic stands next to me as the doors close. He presses the button. “She lives on the very top floor.”
“Of course, she does,” I mutter.
I glance around the empty elevator and at my reflection in the sleek glass mirrors that surround us. The wood trim, custom lighting, and designs on the ceiling give it an old-money feel.
“This is fancy.” I glance in the mirror and rub my finger under my eye, removing some mascara that smudged. “I like the mirrors.”
Dominic grips the handrail. “Yeah. I like them too.” Then his voice drops to a husky whisper. “Next time I fuck you I’ll do it in front of the mirror so you can watch yourself fall apart over and over.”
I almost choke on my spit. That came out of nowhere. But after last night's antics something has changed between us. We are more comfortable around each other and it feels like how we used to be before obligations pulled us in different directions.
Before I can open my mouth for a smart comeback, the bell dings and the doors open to a private hallway.
The carpeted floor has geometric patterns engraved on it, and the walls are matte gray separated by mirrors and intricate paneling.
White orchids in slender black vases sit on mahogany tables.
There are only two doors on this level, one on each end of the hallway.
Dominic walks to the right and knocks on it.
Nothing.
“Maybe she isn’t home,” I whisper.
“Yes, she is. One of my investigators was parked in front of the apartments and saw her go in.” Dominic knocks again.
A click sounds in the lock and the door opens slowly.
A woman stands before us.
She’s wearing sweatpants and an oversized hoodie. Her blonde hair is twisted into a lopsided bun. “Hi. Can I help you?” she asks.
“Rachel Evans?” Dominic nods.
“Who’s asking?” She looks past us. “How did you get up here? You need a key.”
I place my palm against the door and open it further. “We need to talk.” Then I push past her into the penthouse.
Dominic follows.
“Hey. You can’t just barge in here…”
“Or what?” I turn around and face her. “You’ll call security? I can call them for you but that’s not going to do you any good.”
Her eyes widen. “You’re one of them, aren’t you?” she sneers.
I place a hand to my chest. “You’re telling me you don’t know who I am, and yet you tried to crash my birthday party a few weeks ago?”
Confusion spreads across her face as Dominic closes the door. “What are you talking about?”
“My party was invitation only.” I cross my arms. “And looking at you, I don’t know who the fuck you are or why you would want to get into my party unless you were trying to kill me.”
Fear spreads across her face. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Cut the shit,” Dominic intervenes. “We have footage of you trying to get into a private party that was held at Cipriani Capuano’s estate.
You argued with the security guard at the door insisting you had an invitation when you weren’t on the list. Then you were escorted to your car by the head guard.
” Dominic taps a few times on his phone, then turns it around to show her.
Camera footage appears on the screen of Rachel in a tight crimson dress in the foyer of my house then being escorted to her car by Bruno.
Anger flashes across Rachel’s face. “He told me to go there.”
“Who?” I demand.
She doesn’t respond.
“Start talking Rachel.”
Her brown eyes flare. “Why should I?”
I’m losing patience. I grab her and shove her into the chair then force the barrel of my gun into her neck. “Because if you don’t, you’re going to end up on a missing person poster and no one is ever going to know what happened to you.”
“My lover will find out and then he’ll kill you both,” she snaps.
“I would love to see him try,” I hiss.
“Who the fuck do you think you are anyway?”
I shove the barrel harder into her neck.
“Start talking Rachel. We’re here because we feel your little antics at the door were used as a distraction for an attempted murder.
If you don’t start talking, you can be charged with conspiracy to commit murder.
But I’ve never been a cop caller and with the way you’re resisting you might find yourself in the river.
” I glare at her. “And stop acting like you don’t know who I am because you know exactly who I am. ”
A slight glimpse of fear appears in her pupils and I know I got her.
“Alright, stop shoving that thing in my throat.” She gasps. “I can’t breathe. I didn’t kill anyone and I wasn’t part of any attempted murder.”
I remove some of the pressure on the gun.
“A friend told me to go to your party,” Rachel replies. “I don’t know why. He just said he would give me a thousand dollars if I went there and tried to get in.”
Dominic’s fingers trail along the back of the leather chair behind her head. He whistles. “Someone’s doing well for a secretary.”
She glares. “How do you know what I do for work?”
“We know everything about you. You work at Ambrose Lane’s firm.
He’s a client of mine so naturally I need to look at everyone he works with.
Now was it a friend or boyfriend that told you to go to the Capuano party,” Dominic continues.
“Don’t try to lie Rachel. We’ll find out the truth eventually so it’s better if you come clean.
Or we may have to get a higher power involved. ”
“Might have to get the river involved too,” I mutter.
“No, he’ll kill me if there’s police. And he wouldn’t be happy if he knew I was talking to you,” Rachel’s voice trembles. “Can you stop shoving that thing in my neck, I can’t breathe.”
I remove the gun and stand in front of her.
I take a moment and look around at the wide open space and floor-to-ceiling windows that reveal the river and the skyline.
The living room is neutral with rich accents.
White leather sofas and chairs are positioned next to a marble fireplace.
The whole place smells of expensive candles.
Dominic sits on the coffee table. “Well, we aren’t going to tell anyone. Now let’s hear the whole truth.” He pulls out his gun and places it in his lap. “Before things get ugly.”
My gun almost falls through my fingers but I catch it. Holy shit, did Dominic Cartieri just pull out a gun and threaten someone?
The Glock in his lap confirms I didn’t hallucinate.
This is way off the straight and narrow for him.
And why does that turn me on?
Fuck. I’m so screwed.
Rachel eyes the gun. “Fine. He is kind of my boyfriend but it’s complicated.”
“Well uncomplicate it, then,” I snap.
She folds like paper. “Fine. His name is Valerio Neri.”
Her response hits me like a punch in the gut. “Valerio Neri?”
She nods. “He’s…”
“We know who he is,” Dominic interrupts. “How did you wind up with a guy like that?”
“I don’t know. He was standing outside of the office one day when I was leaving. He started talking to me and we exchanged numbers. He said he could help me. He had connections.” She looks down at her hands. “He knew I was struggling to pay my rent and he said I could stay here.”
“So he pays all the bills in the penthouse in return for you being his mistress,” Dominic states.
“It wasn’t like that. At first I didn’t know who he was. He was charming. He made me feel seen,” Rachel protests.
I nod. “That’s Valerio. He makes you feel like a queen while he’s being dishonest behind your back. How long have you been seeing him?”
“A few months. Then I found out he was dating other women but there was nothing I could do. I need him to pay my bills. He gave me a thousand dollars to try to get into the party and cause a distraction. He said he needed to talk to some important people at the party and if I made a scene that would give him time.”
Dominic looks at me. We’re both thinking the same thing. Rachel was the distraction that Valerio needed to climb through my bathroom window and shoot me from the balcony.
“Who were the people he needed to talk to?” I ask.
“He didn’t say. I know better than to ask questions. He never mentioned your name though.”
“Did you see Valerio that night?”
Rachel pauses. “Yes. I dropped him off a couple of houses away and then when I was escorted to my car, I picked him up outside of the compound. He was waiting for me. Then we went back to my place.”
I grip the back of the chair. “Did he have a gun on him?”
“I don’t know. He keeps a lot of secrets from me like all the women he has been sleeping with behind my back.”
“Is one of them Elaine Lane?” Dominic interjects.
She looks at him. “Of course. Valerio visits Elaine a lot when Ambrose is at work. I had to stop by one day to deliver something to her and I saw them through the windows.”
“He’s using you like a pawn.” My gaze sweeps to the windows and I freeze.
There on the sill is a chess board.
It’s not my father’s.
This one is made of ebony and carved from wood.
All the pieces are on the board except for the king, a rook, and a bishop that sit on the side.
“You play chess?”
Rachel shakes her head. “No, Valerio does. He’s obsessed. He’s always talking about strategy. Many nights when I’m watching TV, he will play against himself. He tried to teach me but I can’t play to save my life.”
My stomach is churning, and I give Dominic a look that says we need to get out of here.
Dominic gives Rachel a smile. “Thank you for your time, Miss Evans. We won’t bother you anymore.”
She follows us to the door.
I turn to her as we head out. “If you know what’s good for you, you won’t tell a soul we were here. Things will get really bad for you if you do.”
She doesn’t reply and instead slams the door in our faces.
The elevator ride to the lobby is silent.
As we exit the building, I turn to Dominic. “I can’t believe you pulled out your gun and threatened Rachel like that.”
His mouth curls slightly. “I don’t know what you’re talking about Cipriani Capuano.” He changes the subject. “Well, it looks like we know who the killer is.”
I slip on my sunglasses. “I don’t know. Valerio is a capo. But he’s not the kind of person who's going to carry out a shooting himself. He hires people to do it for him.”
“Maybe it was personal. After all, you said he hates women in power. You’re not just a threat to his ego. You’re a wall he can’t get past. I’m sure he would love to take over your territories and expand his own empire.” Dominic opens the car door for me.
“But why hide behind the Marconi name?”
“So no one will suspect him, obviously.” Dominic enters the driver’s side.
“I need to talk to him.”
Dominic brushes my hand as he starts the car. “We’ll face him together and bring him down piece by piece.”
I don’t reply and look out the window as he drives off.
It would take a lot for Valerio to carry out his own hit.
He likes to linger in the shadows and give orders.
But if he is the person behind all of this, then I’m going to make sure he regrets ever underestimating this queen.