Spazz stopped the video and stared at the three of us expectantly. “What?” Copper finally asked.
Spazz sighed. “He said, ‘Let’s see why your boyfriend keeps you around.’ He also mentioned her boyfriend using her as a ‘get-out-of-jail free card.’ So, I started looking through the traffic stops Mark Pruitt made around the time of the first video, and Todd Russo was one of them.”
“Todd ‘we-took-your-gym’ Russo?” Bronze asked.
“That’d be the one,” Spazz confirmed.
“Was he ticketed?” Copper asked.
“He was arrested for DUI and possession of cocaine,” Spazz told us.
“What’re you getting at?” I asked.
“I’m not sure yet, but I don’t think it’s a coincidence that Todd’s name is tied to Kelly and Mark. Oh, one other thing, the stolen tags on the truck belong to Todd’s uncle.”
“How did you figure that out?” I asked.
Spazz grinned. “One of the first things I did was check Mark’s browser history. I found an obituary for Todd’s grandfather that listed the surviving relatives.”
“I know this is fun for you, but put the pieces together for us before I beat it out of you,” Copper grumbled.
“I haven’t found any proof, but I’m guessing Mark knew who Todd was and tried to blackmail him. I don’t know how Kelly plays into it, other than the obvious, but my guess is they had something to do with Claire’s accident.”
“That fucking cunt,” I fumed. Kelly had always been the very essence of a spoiled brat—throwing an all-out tantrum when she didn’t get her way—but if she had anything to do with hurting Claire, I was going to make damn sure she paid for it.
“Hold on.Whois Todd?” Copper snapped.
“It’s more of who his uncle is. Luca Peccati,” Spazz announced proudly.
“As in those Peccatis?” Copper asked in surprise.
Spazz nodded. “As in those Peccatis.”
“Fuck,” Copper cursed. “What do we know about Luca Peccati?”
“Not much,” Spazz admitted. “He’s the oldest son of the late Luca Peccati, Sr. He has a home in Cedar Valley, as well as several others around the country. He’s a wealthy businessman with his hand in several pots. He tries to keep a low profile, but ends up in the news every now and then with organized crime accusations. Thus far, they’ve never been able to make anything stick.”
“Get me his contact info,” Copper ordered.
I looked back and forth between Copper and Bronze as Spazz’s fingers moved across the keyboard.
Copper shrugged and answered my unasked question. “The only way we’ll find out anything is by talking to him. If he doesn’t know that his nephew has been working with a dirty cop and pissing off motorcycle clubs, bringing it to his attention will be seen as a courtesy.”
“And, if he did know?” I asked.
“If he did know, then we’re about to have trouble with the mafia, and I’d rather know sooner than later.”
42
Avery
After Kellan left to go to the clubhouse, I excused myself and went upstairs to take another shower. Even though I knew I was clean, I still felt like I was covered in Mark’s blood.
I turned the shower on as hot as I could stand it and stepped under the spray. As soon as the hot water hit my shoulders, the tears poured from my eyes. How could I have been so blind to what was going on with Mark? And Ian. How could he just leave without talking to me? How could he believe Mark without any proof?
I wanted to scream at the injustice of it all. But I couldn’t do that without scaring my children and alarming my parents. So, I did what all mothers do at some point or another and held it all in for the sake of my family.
While I washed my hair and scrubbed my skin, I thought back to the night Ian left. Over and over, I replayed our conversation from that night trying to remember if he said anything I may have missed. I couldn’t bear the thought of him leaving this world thinking I was unfaithful to him.
