“Fucking finally. I was starting to think that we would have to stay here forever.”
At least I wouldn’t have trouble sleeping anymore.I almost laughed at the thought when someone spoiled my mood.
“Detectives. Fancy meeting you here.”
I clenched my fists while Jordan looked around to make sure no one heard those words.
“Mendoza,” I said through my teeth. “Finally, you’re exactly where you belong. Among the worst of the worst.”
Mendoza smirked. “You two should know. Your division is famous for its upstanding members. No wonder crime is thriving in Smitsville.”
“Yeah, but none of us are facing thirty to life,” Jordan said, making me laugh.
“You should be more careful with what you say to me,” Mendoza said, looking at his cuticles. “I have your lives in my hands, and you both know it.”
“Just spit it out!” I snapped. “I don’t have time for your mind games. What do you want?”
“I want to see Marc.”
Jordan frowned in confusion. “Who?”
“Detective Biancchi,” I explained. “Marcello.”
Jordan wasn’t as familiar as I was with the beef those two had, and it was a mindfuck I didn’t want any part of. Long story short, Biancchi infiltrated Mendoza’s criminal nest while working undercover. When Mendoza found out his identity, he took it to heart—to put it mildly. As narcissistic as he was, hedidn’t appreciate being duped like that. Ever since then, he had been breathing down Detective Biancchi’s neck.
“And you’re telling me this, why?” I asked Mendoza. “Biancchi is GPD. I barely know him.”
Mendoza shrugged. “Not my problem, but since your esteemed colleague refuses contact with me—”
“You tried to kill his wife,” I said, blinking in disbelief. “What did you expect?”
“He betrayed me.”
“You’re a gun smuggler. He’s a cop. That’s how things work. It wasn’t personal.”
Ah, but judging by Mendoza’s face, it was personal. As I said, it was a mindfuck I didn’t want any part of.
“Look,” I said, rubbing my forehead. “I’ll talk to Biancchi, but I can’t make him do shit if he doesn’t want to do it. You get that, right?”
“Talk to him,” Mendoza said coolly. “Or I’ll spill the beans. You have twenty-four hours.”
Fuck him and his ultimatum, but he was right. Our lives were in his hands, so I didn’t have any other choice but to do what he said. The fact that the phone calls were monitored only added to the fun before I called the secure line.
“Alaska,” Marcello said after the third ring.
“Greenland,” I responded. “There’s some heat around the corner.”
“Are you in danger?”
“Not at this moment, but there has been an unfortunate development. Your criminal friend of the obsessed variety showed up here, so we’re in a bit of a jam.”
“Shit,” Marcello murmured. “How the hell did that happen? He was supposed to go to the Smitsville pen.”
“Yeah, I don’t know about that, but he’s threatening to rat us out.”
“Honestly, I’m surprised he didn’t do it already. What does he want?”
“He wants to talk to you. Can you visit him?”
