I know what he's saying. If it gets out that Gino's girl was behind all this murder and mayhem, a mob war will be back on the cards. And I don't want that. As much as Sandro and everyone else is trying to avoid it, so am I.
"I just need to know," I tell Darian at last. "That's all I want. I want toknowwhat happened, see if I'm right, so I can stop thinking about it. You get me?"
Darian thinks for a moment and then says, "Then we need to confront her."
"Confront her?"
"Yes, and it won't be easy. Ms. Rochford won't be approachable, not by you. ButIcould draw her away from the dinner tomorrow night without suspicion."
"Ohhell, no," I say sharply. "If I'm right, and she's a killer, she's not going to care one way or the other if she needs to take care of you, too."
"I'd take her toyou. We'd confront her together." He reaches out to put his hand over mine on my thigh. "I want to help. The truth is important."
Yeah. The truth is important to me, even if it won't change anything. But if we're going to force a confession out of her, we need to be smart.
"Fine," I sigh. "But you have to promise me that you'll be careful, D."
"I promise," he replies. "I'll do everything you tell me to do."
"Then let's make a plan." And even despite the possible danger, I feel a twisted sense of excitement.
Roxanne Rochford must think she got away with everything. I'm looking forward to showing her she's wrong.
CHAPTER 50
DARIAN
The grand salonat Redwood Manor looks even more elegant under the soft glow of crystal chandeliers as I make my rounds with the aperitifs. Don Castellani and the new—undisputed—Don Bernardi, are speaking privately in Sandro's study, while the rest of the group are entertaining themselves here, including all senior members of the Family and some of their guests. Miller Beaumont is here with Jack, and Teddy MacCallum is speaking with both of them since Sandro is absent.
Ms. Rochford catches my eye across the room, signaling for another sparkling water. She's dressed in scarlet tonight, a fiery orange-red the exact same shade as her hair. I wish my mother could see her; the few times I've mentioned Roxanne Rochford, Mom always mentioned her style.
Roxanne Rochford has style, that's for sure. Does she also have the stomach for murder?
I approach her with a fresh glass and a friendly smile. "Ms. Rochford, I meant to tell you, I came across a few of your belongings left in the room you stayed in during the parley. I thought it best you claim them, lest they…fall into the wrong hands."
Roxy pales, fingers clenching around her glass. She recovers quickly, but not before I see a flicker of panic in her eyes. "How careless of me. I'll collect them after dinner."
"Of course. Although, now might be a better time," I suggest, keeping my voice low and insinuating. "We wouldn't want someone else stumbling upon them. Would we?"
Her gaze sweeps the room. "Yes, perhaps I'll go now," she says. "I can't think what I might have left…"
"Come with me, ma'am. I can take you up there myself. We'll just be a moment."
It's that simple. She orders her Bernardi bodyguard to stay, as though speaking to a dog, and hurries upstairs after me, practically pushing past and stalking quickly into the room.
"Oh, I stored them in the adjoining room, ma'am," I tell her, and she barges right into what was once Chops Lollo's room while I pause at the door to turn on the lights.
She jumps, physically jumps when she sees Raffi leaning against the wardrobe.
"Hi, there," he says. "You seem a little jumpy, Ms. Rochford."
Roxy stops dead in the middle of the room. "What's going on here?" she demands, the pitch of her voice betraying her. "If you touch a hair on my head?—"
"You're quite safe, Ms. Rochford." Raffi pushes off from the wall to stand straight, arms still crossed over his broad chest. "I would never harm an ally of the Castellanis. I just wanted to speak with you privately. Because I know what happened," he goes on mildly as she turns to leave. "The night of Tony Clemenza's murder. And the night of Chops Lollo's too."
She stops. Turns back. "So do I. AJ Bernardi ordered Russo to kill them both."
"Why?"
