Like himself.
They weren’t long, although it felt like an eternity. Hudson was exhausted after the long night and had trouble keeping his eyes open. But only fifteen minutes later, he heard them mounting the steps again.
Finch was first, and didn’t even look at Hudson. Hudson didn’t dare ask the outcome, just unlocked the office door for him. Gio gave him a wink as he went by, and Hudson wondered if it was supposed to be reassuring.
It wasn’t.
Even Art the cleaner had come back up to the office. “What happened?” Hudson asked Dino in an undertone when he finally made it back up the stairs.
“Too late.”
Hudson’s heart dropped. Shit. This was bad. A drug overdose in Kismet would be the perfect excuse for a raid.
“How the fuck,” Finch said, enunciating every word, “did that motherfucker get drugs in here?” He looked around the room, his eyes resting on Dino.
“He just came in for two seconds to grab his coat!” Dino protested. “I didn’t know he was gonna sneak off to the bathroom and snort a speedball!”
“My husband is going to be very unhappy about this,” Finch said softly.
Hudson bit his lip. Maybe Lucawasactually the scarier D’Amato after all. He’d never been so relieved to be Finch’s personal assistant rather than floor staff. It wasn’t his responsibility to watch out for drug deals or people using in the bathrooms. Even weed and E were banned in the club, and anyone who looked high while they were waiting outside was kept out.
Because everyone knew the Boss, Don Morelli, insisted the club be kept clean. If it wasn’t, he would shut the whole thing down. And Hudson really didn’t want to be around Finch if the club got shut down. It was Finch’s baby.
“We could handle this ourselves, Mr. D,” Gio suggested delicately. “No need to get any…outsidersinvolved.” Hudson wrinkled his nose.
Finch sighed. “I need time to think. But we have no time. Luca’s on his way back right now to pick me up.” He ran a hand over his face. “But first things first, let’s finish up with the takings and get them squared away. Dino, I’m going to need you to stay behind after to answer some questions.”
Dino said nothing, but he looked upset, and stared at Hudson as though it was somehow Hudson’s fault.
Maybe it was.
Gio caught Hudson’s eye again and Hudson felt his cheeks heat. What the hell was his problem?
“Hudson,” Finch snapped. “Key?”
Hudson jerked back to attention and went to hand the cashbox key over to Finch. The rest of the men were muttering among themselves, and although Hudson couldn’t make out the words, he could tell by the tones that there were questions and denials and dark wonderings.
Hudson studiously tried to avoid looking in Gio’s direction—and Dino’s, too.
“Well,” said Finch after a moment. “Now we havetwoproblems.” The room fell silent as he held up the cashbox to show them. When he spoke again, his voice was cold and high. “Where the fuck is the money?”
CHAPTER
THREE
There had only beena few times in his life when Hudson had genuinely thought he might pass out.
The day he’d heard the news about Connie.
One afternoon when he’d followed Angelo Messina, the Morelli legend, around the back of a church into a waiting gang of Clemenza Family soldiers.
And right then, when Finch raised his eyes from the empty cashbox and stared straight at him.
“Hudson,” Finch said. “Did anyone enter this office while we were away?”
No, Hudson tried to say, only no sound came out. He shook his head.
Finch’s gaze moved on. “Ziggy. Brady. You put the money in the box in the first place?”
