My victorious smile was genuine.
Not falling for that.
“ Thanks. I hear that all the time,” I offered, instead of the furious defense of my income that she clearly expected.
“Please, sit,” I told her, gesturing to one of the chairs facing my desk.
“Thank you,” she uttered as she took a seat, and I did the same. Bringing a hardback journal to the table, she said, “You already know why I’m here for this interview. So, let’s dive right in.”
“I’m ready,” I affirmed, nodding. “However, I’m obliged to offer you a drink. Or water. Or both, whichever you prefer.”
“Oh, there’ll be no need for that. But, thank you.”
“Alright, then. I’m ready, fire away.”
“This interview will be recorded, just for documentation purposes.”
“Of course.”
“Okay,” she breathed, bringing out a pen and a small recorder from her jeans pocket. “We’ll start now.”
I nodded.
“Have you heard about the murder of one Mr. Owen Hamilton?” she inquired, looking straight at me.
“I have heard about the murder. I didn’t take note of the name,” I answered, which wasn’t exactly a lie. Owen was known as Mikey, and I couldn’t care less about the motherfucker’s last name. “Unfortunate news.”
“Did you also hear that his body was found just down the street where your charity events are usually held?”
“Yes, but may I point out,” I started, taking a more casual tone, “there is an alley at the very end of the street, and that’s where the body was found. We all know alleys are popular for treacherous acts like this. If you’ve been on the street, you’ll agree with me that part of the street is practically segregated. Also, we use the event center for many of our charity events, not most. It doesn’t belong to the Lobanov family; we rent it just as any other organization does.”
“Okay,” she replied calmly in a way that told me she wasn’t done. “But the fact that Mr. Owen was confirmed to have died on the day you had a charity event seems to put you, I mean, the Lobanov name, in a suspicious position. I’m sure you see that.”
“Honestly? I don’t,” I said, shrugging. Her look of surprise was exactly what I expected. “Imagine me as a gangster who, for any reason, killed the victim you speak of during or after the last charity event. Why would I go through the trouble of evacuating his body from the hall, only to dispose of it at the end of the same street? Wouldn’t I know to take the body far away so as to dissociate myself from the crime? It doesn’t make any sense, does it?”
She tilted her head, clearly considering what I said, as she asked, “Gangster, huh? Why would you know so much about that?”
“Come on, who didn’t watch one or two action movies growing up? I know women who enjoyed them more than fantasy movies. Now, imagine living in a house full of boys,” I said, and she chuckled.
“I was one of those girls,” she revealed, smiling.
Of course, I had it under control. By turning her suspicions into a humorous anecdote, I had dissolved them. Itwas expected for a dangerous man with a philanthropist cover to get touchy at the slightest mention of their hidden life. I did the opposite.
Besides, I’m not a gangster; I’m a mafia boss.
“Wow,” I uttered, chuckling. “I still remember my favorite actors and movies, even though I barely have time for cinema anymore. Speaking of things that take all my time, I don’t suppose news of our new Lobanov charity initiative for people living with scoliosis has gotten out yet.”
“You’re starting a new charity?” she asked, an inquisitive frown forming on her face.
“Oh, yes,” I answered as my phone buzzed, signaling an incoming text.
I unlocked my phone as her pen landed on her journal again.
It was a text from Stepan, my right-hand man.
“Another ‘foundation’ payment from Russia is missing. Numbers don’t add up.”
“It’s still in the works, but yes, we’re starting soon,” I informed, slipping my phone onto the desk as she lifted her head from her journal. “Lots of people live with scoliosis. The number might surprise you. And it falls under the category of lifelong health issues that aren’t considered debilitating, hence, are not paid attention to. We’ll bring that attention. It’s time to start seeing these people.”
