SWNOVELS Lorenzo: Chapter 8
I stalk down the hallway to the study, aggravated for reasons I can’t fully explain. It’s not my usual simmering anger, but a bone-deep irritation that I’m unable to fathom or fix. What the hell is wrong with me lately? Maybe I need to beat someone to death.
Maybe I need to do something else … A shiver runs down my spine and my cock twitches at the memory of her hands on me. Her soft voice in my ear. Her breath on my skin …
“Lorenzo?” I turn in the direction of Max’s voice and find him frowning at me. “You okay, compagno?”
“Yeah, why?”
“You blew right by me, and I had to call your name twice before you answered.”
Sighing, I pinch the bridge of my nose. “I got a lot on my mind.”
“Well, I hate to add to your load, but Joey just called …”
“What is it now?”
“Cops at the casino. Checking out reports of prostitution and underage drinking and gambling. They’re going through the place right now. Joey’s handling it, but I wanted to let you know that I’m headed down there. Dante’s gone to that meeting for the new shipping contracts.”
“With the Benettis, yeah?” I shake my head. “I’ll come with you.”
“You know we can’t kill no cops today, right?” Smirking at me, he winks.
“Damn fucking shame,” I say, only half joking. “You know they were in the warehouse last night dealing with another anonymous tip?”
“Yeah, I heard.”
“It’s no fucking coincidence the casino gets hit the next day.”
“Nope. But your sister runs the tightest, cleanest operation I’ve ever seen. They won’t find anything.”
“Someone is fucking with us though.” And I have a feeling I know exactly who it is.
I spot my sister as soon as we walk into the lobby of our hotel and casino. She runs this side of the business and does a great job. She’s currently arguing with a cop and, from the look on the guy’s face, I’d say she’s winning. Joey’s one of the toughest and smartest people I know. Max sure has his work cut out for him.
Turning to me, he rolls his eyes. “I’ll go talk my wife down before she gets arrested for punching a cop in the face.”
“Good luck with that, compagno.” Giving his shoulder a squeeze, I scan the lobby for a familiar face.
I spot the man I’m looking for. While Max makes his way over to defuse the bomb that is my sister, I head toward the guy scribbling in his notebook near the main desk.
Leo Romano is a good cop. We have plenty of Chicago’s finest on our payroll, but this man isn’t one of them, which is why I value his opinion more than most. He and I went to high school together, and I once saved his ass after he kissed the star quarterback’s girl at a party. We keep our distance because we live very different lives, but I admire his integrity and he has a grudging respect for my family and the good we’ve done in this city over the years.
“Lorenzo.” Sighing, he shakes his head. “You know I can’t tell you nothin’.”
“I’m not asking for details, Leo.” I lean on the reception desk beside him. “But this is the second raid on my family’s businesses in two days. Now, we both know that’s no coincidence.”
He tilts his head and eyes me with curiosity. “Can’t tell you nothin’.”
“I think I already know.”
“You do, huh?”
“If you’re taking these tips seriously, they must be coming from a source high up the chain. Either that or someone who’s able to whisper in the right ears.”
Leo doesn’t answer. His jaw ticks as he stares at me.
“What I can’t figure is how a Boston cop has so much sway here in Chicago?”
Leo shakes his head, a grin tugging at the corner of his mouth. “You’re fuckin’ unbelievable.”
Looks like my instincts were spot on; Mia’s husband somehow has a hand in this mess. “You know I’ll find out anyway.”
“Well, not from me. I ain’t sayin’ a damn thing.”
I edge closer, crowding his personal space. “He have links to your department or something?”
He shakes his head, every bit as pissed about being here, going through these motions, as I am about having the Chicago fucking PD in my family’s casino.
I look around the lobby, counting the number of cops I can see. “You know this is a waste of your goddamn time, Leo. You know our warehouses and our casino are clean, yet you and three of your—”
“Four,” he interrupts me, tone full of annoyance. “Four of my guys they got on this.”
I arch an eyebrow. Looks like I’ll need to push his buttons a little more. “You and four of your guys are wasting time in here when you could be doing some actual police work. So tell me what the hell this cop has on your captain to make shit like this happen?”
Leo scowls. “Not the captain.” As far as Leo is concerned, Captain Ortega is a fucking modern-day hero.
“The chief?”
He hikes his thumb up, indicating this goes higher.
I frown. “Superintendent Keane?”
“His deputy.” He gives me a wry smile. “But you ain’t never heard that from me.”
I choke down a laugh. “You’re a closed book, Leo.”
“Yeah? Well I got work to do, Mr. Moretti,” he says as one of his officers wanders over.
Taking the hint, I step back. “Of course, Detective. Please make sure you and your men clean up after yourselves when you leave my family’s establishment.”
My jaw clenches at the sight of Max and Joey huddled together near the elevators. Whatever he whispers in her ear makes her laugh, and the sound of her joy has me grinding my teeth. What the fuck is wrong with me? She’s my baby sister, I want her to be happy. Fuck, I threatened to feed Max his balls if he ever did anything to make her unhappy. But why the hell must I be constantly surrounded by couples so sickeningly in love?
Seeing me approach, Joey gives me a triumphant smile. “They’re clearing out of here in a few minutes. They found nothing. Assholes.”
“Yeah.” I glance around to make sure none of the officers are within earshot. “It seems a certain Boston cop has the ear of the deputy superintendent, and that’s why we’ve had two raids in two days. We need to double-check that everything connected to Moretti Holdings is one hundred percent clean. Once they realize we have nothing to hide, they’ll back off. There’s only a finite amount of manpower they can waste on leads that go nowhere.”
Max nods. “Everything’s clean, but I’ll make some extra checks.”
“A Boston cop?” Joey says with a frown. “You think Mia’s husband’s behind this?”
“Absolutely. He somehow has the ear of the deputy super, and I want to know why.”
“I’ll look into it,” Max assures me.
Deep in thought, Joey chews on her lip. “Do you think Mia knows anything about their connection?”
“No, I think she’d have mentioned it. Either way, she doesn’t need to know about this yet. She’ll only worry herself sick.”
Joey and Max share a fleeting look that makes me feel like they know something I don’t.
“What?” I bark.
“It’s just you, uh …” Joey presses her lips together.
“I what?”
“You don’t usually give a fuck about anyone who’s not one of us, Loz,” Max finishes for her.
Rage bubbles beneath my skin, and I snarl. What the fuck does that mean? “She’s Kat’s cousin, that makes her one of us.”
Max holds his hands up in surrender. “Calm down, compagno. Just nice to know you’re not completely dead inside, that’s all.”
Is he suggesting that Mia and I …? That I’m— “And just what the fuck does that mean?”
My kid sister reads the murderous expression on my face and, shooting a warning look at her husband, wraps an arm around my shoulder. “He only means that it’s nice to see you care about someone, Loz. Nothing more than that. We all care about Mia. You’re right. She’s one of us.”
Glaring at my best friend, I crack my neck. “Hmm.”
Max arches his eyebrows at me, the corner of his mouth tilted up in amusement. I swear, I’d punch the fucker in the face if the cops weren’t still hanging around. “I guess I’ll get to work on finding the link between Mia’s ex-husband and the deputy.”
“Yeah, you do that,” I snap and walk away.
Taking my cell out of my pocket, I dial the number of an old friend.
Lionel Hart answers with his distinctive smooth Southern drawl. “Mr. Moretti. It’s been a long time.” He sucks in a breath, taking a heavy drag on the cigarette I can picture dangling from his lips.
“I need a favor.” I glance at Max and Joey, making sure they didn’t follow me.
“Off the books?”
“I wouldn’t be calling you if it wasn’t.”
He takes another drag of his smoke. “I’m retired, Lorenzo.”
“Yeah, right.” I roll my eyes. “It’s nothing big. Nothing that’ll get your hands dirty.”
“Shame,” he says with a soft chuckle. “So what is it?”
“I need some information on a guy. A cop.”
“Ah.” He laughs again. “I see.”
“No point in knowing a former FBI agent if he’s no use to me occasionally.” Jaded by the whole system, Lionel left the bureau twenty years ago and has worked freelance ever since. He’s sixty-six and swears every year that he’s going to retire, but the hunt is in his blood. “So, can you help me out?”
“Sure. I’m working a case for some oil tycoon right now, but I can do a little digging in my downtime. Send me his details. I’ll see what I can find.”
“Great. Check in when you have something for me.”
I end the call and slip my cell back into my pocket. Catching Max’s eye, I jerk my head at him, letting him know I’m ready to get the fuck out of here.