19. Evgeny #2
Niki speeds the tape up, and it doesn’t escape my notice that enough time passes for Sasha to have easily stabbed a woman to death.
Finally, the door opens and Niki hits play so we can watch our cousin emerge and walk away.
The good news is the white T-shirt he’s wearing doesn’t show any stains.
Sasha is good with a knife, but that many stab wounds plus a white shirt is only going to end one way.
Unless he put a raincoat on, there’d be something to show for it.
Even though I know he didn’t kill Rosalie, too many years of thinking like a lawyer has also taught me to think like a jury.
Where there’s smoke, there’s fire, and all that.
While I’m poking holes in the video that could very well help Sasha, I let out a relieved breath when I watch the door open again.
Rosalie steps out to quickly look around before going back inside.
I imagine she was making sure everything looked safe before going to bed.
I don’t know her reasoning, and I don’t care.
She’s just unknowingly given us proof of life after Sasha left.
Niki speeds the tape up again, stopping when thirty minutes later another man emerges from the dark and takes the same stairs Sasha had used.
He’s wearing a dark sweatshirt with the hood pulled up, and we both watch as he walks to Rosalie’s door.
Instead of knocking, he pulls on a pair of gloves, which is never a good sign, and takes out what I’m guessing is a lock pick.
It’s only a matter of seconds before he’s found a way around the shitty lock.
Opening the door, he steps in, shutting it behind him.
“That’s our guy,” I say. “Holy fuck, Niki. We’ve got it.”
“Yeah,” he agrees. “I’ve already zoomed in on his face and I’m running it through a database to see if I can find a match. Watch this, though. The best part is coming up.”
After only twenty minutes, the door opens and the man emerges.
With the dark shirt it’s impossible to tell if it’s bloodstained, but his gloved hands are covered in red.
I let out a disbelieving laugh because this is exactly the miracle we’ve been looking for.
This is undeniable proof that our cousin didn’t kill Rosalie.
A soft ding has Niki quickly typing again before pulling up a photo. The man who appears on screen isn’t one I recognize. He’s around our age, with dark hair, a shaved head, and a black star tattoo on his neck.
“Ronny Vasquez,” Niki says, reading the file he’s pulled up on another screen. “Twenty-nine, born and raised in Jersey, and a member of DeMarco’s operation for ten years. He’s been arrested before on minor drug charges, served a couple of years, and was let out on good behavior.”
“Our justice system at its finest,” I mutter.
“He’s our guy, Ev. This is enough, right?”
“This is more than enough.” I clap Niki on his back, giving him a genuine smile at the relief I feel.
“Thanks, man. I have a conference today with the judge and Lang. I’ll present it to them, and they’ll have no choice but to let Sasha go.
This completely dismantles the case against him.
They’ll have to let him walk. Not even Lang can save this one. ”
“Jackson said he’s going to dig into who hid it. He didn’t come right out and say it, but it sounds like someone on the inside is responsible for burying it. I have a feeling the police department is about to get its ass handed to it.”
“And what about the promise you made him?” I ask.
Niki shrugs. “I promised I’d find answers, and I will. I also told him it won’t be quick. I have no idea how long it’ll take, but I won’t stop until I’ve delivered what I promised. We might have an unusual alliance, but he knows I’ll keep my word.”
“You will,” I agree, knowing Niki would never go back on a promise. Plus, I see the look in his eyes. He’s invested in this now. It’ll gnaw away at him until he finds the truth of what happened. “Try not to obsess too much about it,” I say. “At least give yourself time to enjoy today’s victory.”
“I wish I could see Sasha’s face when you tell him.
” He laughs and says, “What am I saying? I’ll just hack into the jail’s security cameras and watch it for myself.
” The laughter dies away when he says, “I hate that I couldn’t watch over him the whole time he’s been in there.
I can’t believe they allowed him to get attacked like that. ”
The next laugh he gives is harsh, not a trace of the earlier mirth in it.
“I take that back. Of course I can believe it.”
“Sasha can protect himself. You know that, and none of them understand how lucky they are that he’s behaving himself. I’m afraid to ask how many names he’s added to his kill list. I’m going to try my best to convince him to let this go, but I’m not holding out hope on that one.”
“You might get him to whittle it down some,” Niki offers. “Especially if you mention that it’ll just put eyes back on him when what we really need right now is for him to be invisible.”
“Agreed. He’s been promising Cindy a vacation. I think now might be a great time for him to take his family to some island for a few weeks.”
“That sounds nice,” Niki says. “Maybe I’ll convince Van to run away with me.” He grins at the thought. “It’ll give me an excuse to buy her several very tiny bikinis.”
“I think we all could use a vacation. I’m just hoping mine doesn’t turn out to be more of the permanent variety.”
Niki’s full attention leaves his screen and lands on me. Unless his wife and kids are around, his focus is usually always divided with whatever electronic device he’s closest to, so it’s a little jarring to have all of it on me now.
“You’re really going to just let her go?” he asks.
“Yeah, I am. I can’t bring myself to do anything else.”
“There are other things we can do,” he says, and when he sees the look I give him, he holds up his hands and says, “I’m not talking about anything like that. I just mean I can keep tabs on her, check to see if she’s talking, things like that.”
“Of course she’s going to talk,” I tell him. “This is a journalist’s wet dream, Niki. She’d be crazy to not act on it.”
He’s quiet for a second before suggesting, “Then we could threaten her into silence. I’m not saying we’d do anything,” he quickly adds when I glare at him. “I’m just suggesting we let her know that we expect her to keep quiet. The threat is all that’s needed. You know that.”
I shake my head at the idea, not liking it and refusing to give it another thought.
I could never do that to her. I’ve been trying to prove to her that my family is more than just a bunch of violent thugs, and if I have one of our enforcers scare her into silence, I’ll be the exact kind of man she accused me of being.
It also pisses me the fuck off to think about someone terrorizing her like that.
“Not going to happen,” I tell him. “I can’t do it, Niki, so please don’t ask again.”
He nods and squeezes my shoulder. “I’m sorry, man. I know you love her. I hate that things have been like this for you.”
“It’s fine,” I say, not meaning it.
“There’s still a chance she won’t talk,” he starts to say, but I shake my head at his words.
“Let’s not pretend this is some fairy tale and I’m about to get my happy ending. I always expected to be alone. I consider myself lucky that I got to meet her at all. It’s more than I deserve or ever thought I’d have.”
Niki nods. He doesn’t force the conversation, but he does say, “Fine. I won’t interfere.
I’m still right here with you, though, rooting for the fairy-tale ending, but I’m also going to prepare for the worst-case scenario because that’s what I do.
Your background is airtight if you want to fight any accusations she makes.
The tattoo can be removed, but it’ll take time. ”
“I’m not removing the tattoo,” I say, ignoring the look he gives me. “Not for anything.”
Niki sighs. “Then I’ll make sure you have a fake ID and background papers that are just as airtight, and I’ll buy you a home in Montreal. It’s a quick plane ride up there, and once things settle down, we’ll figure out a way to visit you. No matter what, we have options, okay?”
“Yeah,” I say, barely getting the word out, because I don’t want to think about a future that doesn’t include Harper waking up naked in my bed every morning.
Niki clasps my shoulder and waits for me to meet his eyes. “She might surprise you,” he says, but I can’t afford to cling to that belief. This is going to be hard enough with my eyes wide open. I don’t want to hold onto wishful thinking only for it to destroy me when the inevitable ending comes.
“I should get going,” I tell him. “Send me this file so I can show the judge. I’ll let you know as soon as it’s done.”
He hesitates, and I know it’s because he’s worried about me, so I add, “Go tell the others that Sasha will be coming home soon. Cindy and the girls need to know that this is almost over. I’ll be fine, Niki.”
“I don’t believe you,” he says, but he turns back to his laptop. I watch him send me the video footage before starting to walk away.
When I’m almost to the door, he says, “I’m not going to let you just walk off into the sunset, Ev.
You’re family. We’re in this together. Whether that means helping you and Harper figure out how you’re going to work this out or if it means safely hiding you away—you’re not alone, and I won’t let you act like you are. ”
I look back and give him a nod. Unable to do anything else, I turn and walk out the door and head back to my car.
I briefly think about going home, but I don’t want to face Harper right now.
No doubt she’s still sleeping, but I can’t take the chance of her waking up.
I can’t face her right now. I can’t look her in the eyes and tell her that it’s all over, that my cousin will be free today and with his freedom comes hers.