Chapter Twenty-Four
Twenty-Four
Nikki shuffled her cards and was laying them out before her, matching the information she’d captured against what she knew, when Emilio strode in.
“There she is!” he announced. A smile crinkled his eyes. “Our resident troublemaker.”
“Sorry to disrupt your evening,” Nikki said.
His grin broadened, and he scratched the stubble on his neck. “I was losing my multiplayer game. This gave me an excuse to bail early.”
—
It was the first time Nikki had seen Monica and Kami interviewed together.
She thought of their Instagram photos, posing in front of the Eiffel Tower, flirtatious in heels and satin.
The contrast was jarring. Here, in the dreary room with its ugly furniture, chipped paint, and stale stink, both women wore sweatpants and sweaters.
Monica was sallow, acne spreading across her cheeks, greasy hair pulled into a stringy bun. Kami’s face was puffy, eyelids heavy.
“I have to say,” began Sonia, “I’ve had trouble understanding how two bright young women with such promising futures landed here…with murder and drug trafficking charges. You haven’t made things easy for yourselves. You’ve repeatedly lied. And you’ve obstructed our investigation.”
Kami returned Sonia’s gaze, but Monica stared at her hands, picking at her nails.
“I’ve received new information this evening,” continued Sonia. “It changes how I view this case.”
She pulled out a file, and opened it flat on the table.
“Monica,” she said. “Last year you interned at Stonehaven Wealth Management in London. There, you met a broker named Kevin Walker, whom you started dating. We know this from press articles. And your parents confirmed the relationship.”
Monica pressed her lips together.
“Walker cofounded a company called Innovare MindCapsule with Theodore Sexton, brother of Claire Sexton,” Sonia said.
She flipped a page. “Their business was failing. They had loans they couldn’t repay.
No investors. They were desperate. Theodore recruited his sister, Claire, to nanny for Jayston and Fiona Lake.
Lake owns an investment firm. We think Theodore wanted Claire to persuade Lake to invest in their company. ”
She stared pointedly at Monica. “It’s clear you coordinated your arrival in Naples.
Claire disembarked from The Prophet on Saturday, the nineteenth.
Then, you and Kami arrived and rented an apartment on Via Montecalvario.
We know Claire was with you that evening.
Possibly, she stayed with you. We know cocaine was involved. ”
Monica began chewing her thumbnail.
Sonia continued. “We’ve checked the flights into Naples. Kevin Walker arrived from London on Tuesday. That night, Claire was murdered in Chiesa del Gesù Nuovo. The following day, Walker flew back to London. Here is what I need you to tell me: What agreement did you have with Signor Walker?”
Monica and Kami exchanged glances.
“Walker’s partner, Theodore Sexton, is in custody in London,” Sonia said. “He’s being questioned right now.”
Kami’s head snapped up. “What about Kevin?”
“A search is underway.”
“So, they haven’t caught him?”
Sonia’s tone remained level. “As I said, a search is underway.”
Kami leaned forward, placing both hands on the table.
Monica whispered, “Don’t. Kami! Please!”
“We need protection.” Kami’s voice was fierce. Her gaze bored into Sonia. “I don’t need to get knifed in the shower—and neither does Monica.”
“That depends on what you have to say,” said Sonia.
“Promise you’ll protect us, or we’re not talking.”
Monica began to sob.
Sonia studied them. “Why do you think you need protection?”
“Because the night you brought us in,” Kami said, “some guy put a gun to my head. He told me to keep my mouth shut about Claire. The same thing happened to Monica.”
Sonia’s expression didn’t change, but Nikki saw her fingers stiffen on the file.
“Is this true?”
Monica nodded, still crying.
“Who was he?” Sonia asked. “Can you describe him?”
“He was a policeman,” Monica whispered. “Behind me. I couldn’t see his face…just the gun.”
“You’re sure he was with the police?”
“They were the only ones there that night,” Kami said, suddenly angry. “And the ambulance workers.”
“And here in jail,” Monica added. “We’ve gotten threats here, too.”
“They say they’ll hurt my mom and sisters if I cooperate with the police,” Kami said. “They knew their names and where they go to school.”
Sonia’s voice was measured: “Your family in Texas?”
Kami nodded. “Yeah. And my boyfriend, Amir. They threatened him, too.”
Sonia turned to Advocate Ferragni, switching to Italian. “Did you know about this?”
“My client didn’t tell me,” he said, spreading his hands.
Sonia looked at Emilio. As if reading her intention, he stood and strode to the door.
“I’ll start making calls,” he said.
Ferragni turned back to Sonia. “I want my client removed from general population.”
“What about me?” Kami demanded.
“Sì,” agreed Sonia. “Both of you. Tonight.” She held up a hand. “But you need to tell me: What was the plan? What were you doing with Kevin Walker and Theodore Sexton? What did you know about Claire Sexton?”
Monica looked at her lawyer. He nodded, and she took a shaky breath, wiping her eyes with her sleeve.
“We didn’t know about Claire,” she said. “I swear. Kevin was supposed to meet us up in Naples. We were just gonna have fun. Then, on Saturday, he calls…says his friend’s sister is stuck in Naples, and can she stay with us until he gets there?”
“So, Claire stayed with you?”
Monica nodded. “She slept on the couch. She was sweet. Super quiet. Shy. We asked her questions, but she didn’t want to talk. We thought she was backpacking across Europe—”
“But she wasn’t the type,” Kami interrupted. “No way was she out on her own. She was an indoor cat. Nervous all the time. Scared.”
“We talked her into going with us to a club,” said Monica. “Sunday night. She hated it. Couldn’t wait to get back. It was like she was hiding.”
“Did she say from what?”
“No. She hardly said anything.”
“Tell me about the cocaine,” Sonia said.
“We freaked out when we found out she had it,” Monica said.
“She needed cash, okay?” Kami interrupted. “So yeah, we bought some. We were just trying to help out.”
Sonia flipped to a new page. “Her backpack. Did she leave it with you?”
“No. She took it with her wherever she went.”
“What happened at Chiesa del Gesù Nuovo last Tuesday?”
Monica started crying again.
Kami answered. “We were supposed to meet Kevin at the church.”
“Was that his idea or yours?”
“His idea.”
“Was Claire with you?”
“No. She stayed at home.”
“Did you meet Kevin Walker at the church?”
“We were late getting there. He didn’t answer his phone, so we went inside to look for him.”
Monica’s sobs deepened.
“Claire was on the ground…covered in blood. A knife sticking out of her chest,” Kami said. “Kevin was standing over her. He saw us and…just ran. It was like a nightmare. We tried to help her. We really did.”
“Why would Kevin do that?” Monica sobbed. “Why would he kill her?”
Sonia’s voice was cold. “Have you heard from him since?”
Both women shook their heads.
“You have to protect us from him,” Kami said. She was trembling. “He’s gotta be super mobbed up or something. He knows everything about us.”
—
At 01:48, Nikki returned late to the offices at Phoenix Seven. Iacopo had already gone, and Pasquale and Romano were seated at their desks. She gave them the duty phone, briefed them on the evening’s events, and left.
—
Nikki’s phone jolted her awake.
It was Angelo: “I hope you’re pleased with yourself, signorina!”
She blinked at the screen: 07:32. Fuck. She needed more sleep.
“Is there a problem?” she said.
“Oh, that’s magnificent.” He spat the words. “Don’t play innocent with me. I know exactly what you are!”
Nikki sat up, mind racing. What the hell happened?
“What’s going on?”
“I refuse to tolerate insubordination like this!” he barked. “There is such a thing as respect, Signorina Serafino. There is such a thing as chain of command. But you—you think the rules don’t apply to you. You go behind my back. You…”
Words seemed to fail him. The guttural noise he made was feral, his breathing ragged.
Nikki had dealt with Angelo’s anger before, his contempt. But he prided himself on maintaining a professional demeanor. She’d relied on his dignity to protect her from his disdain.
She’d never seen him so enraged.
“I’m sure there’s a misunderstanding,” she said, trying to steady herself. “If you could just explain…”
“You go to the police.” His voice dropped, furious. “Without informing me. You know this is my case. My case! I’m the official liaison with the ambassador. I can’t tolerate such insubordination!”
Understanding hit like a cold slap. Monica Lissom.
It hadn’t even occurred to her to call him last night. It had been after hours, and a standard work task. But she should have known better.
Angelo’s fledgling rapport with the US ambassador was the jewel in his crown, and she’d stolen his moment to shine. Harm to his status—his self-regard—was an injury he could never forgive.
“I should have called you,” she admitted.
The words only stoked his fury.
“I know your games,” he exploded. “I tolerated them because I thought I could make you a better investigator—but some people cannot be taught. Clearly you lack the decency and respect this job requires.”
She started to respond, but he shouted, “You will listen when I’m speaking!”
She clenched her teeth. “I’m listening.”
“I can’t afford to be short an investigator,” he said. “I’ll give you three weeks—time to post your job and find your replacement. I suggest you start looking for another position. You’re finished at Phoenix Seven.”
—
Nikki was out of bed and pacing. She unlatched the window, shoving the metal shutters wide. They clattered against the side of the building. The day was chilly, morning traffic loud, weak sunlight filtering through the buildings.