By Tex’s tone, Caleb figured charming was the last thing Janek Nawrocki was. “Hit me with it.”
“He’s got a rap sheet as long as the Taliban’s reach. If you can think of it, it’s on it. Domestic abuse, assault, attempted murder, tax evasion, insider trading, drug running, weapons…”
“Everything but the kitchen sink, then?”
“Oh, there’s one of those mentioned in there, too,” Tex said. “It’s lumped in with the illegal disposal of a household item.”
“Why is he chasing Rose?”
“Rose North.” Tex flipped through a notebook in front of him. “AKA June Pezzullo…”
June, her name is June.
Rose fits her better.
“Hey, dumbass, snap out of it.” Trav snapped his fingers in front of his face. “What did we miss?”
“Uh—umm—” Some operator he was; he’d zoned out completely. No wonder Tex and Trev were looking at him like he had two heads. “Rose just suits her better, is all.”
“You seriously have it bad,” Trev muttered. “Focus or leave.”
“Focusing. So, June Pezzullo…”
“She walked into a Manhattan police station two years ago.” Trev eyed him curiously but said nothing. “And made a domestic violence complaint against Nawrocki.”
She’s been running for two fucking years.
Damn.
She’d told him that. But he kept his mouth shut and listened to the report. Keeping his rage at bay was a whole different thing. The more he heard, the worse it bubbled inside him.
“They’d be looking for a reason to haul him into the station. Even a traffic ticket would have done it. But Nawrocki’s a careful bastard, and he has a driver…”
“Negating the option of blaming him for speed or tags.”
“Exactly.”
“Locals in New York jumped all over the opportunity Rose’s visit gave them and called in the FBI as requested. The FBI offered her immunity?—”
“Immunity from what? It wasn’t her fault her ex was a fucker who beat the shit out of her.”
“Agreed. But she knew nothing of the legal system. I managed to sneak a peek at the interview recordings.” Tex blew out an annoyed breath. “I’m sending them over. But I’m telling you right now,” he warned, “they’re rough, man.”
Caleb nodded. “Noted.” He’d watch them regardless because they involved Rose.
Sorry, I just can’t think of her as June.
To me, she’ll always be Rose.
My Rose. Even if she disagrees with me about owning people.
“June,” Tex made inverted commas with his fingers, “or Rose, as we know her, went into witness protection…”
“That’s a little heavy for tax evasion and domestic violence charges, isn’t it?”
Tex’s expression was perplexed. “Yep. I’m still looking for the why.” If it didn’t make sense to Tex Keegan, then there was a problem somewhere. “They stashed her in upstate New York, but just before he was meant to go to trial, she disappeared. The agents guarding her were killed. She’s suspected of their murders.”
“The fuck? Not a fucking chance in hell did she kill anyone, especially not trained agents, no matter how green they are.”
