Anatoly frowned, offended by the lack of respect Benny was showing the detective. “Perhaps it would be in your best interest to cooperate,” he chided.
“Fuck you!” Benny swore, spitting in the priest’s direction.
Maggie made him regret it a second later, anger darkening her features as she dug her knee further into the poor man’s spine. “This is between you and me, Benny. Now spill. Who’s going after clergymen in Anchorage?”
“Wouldn’t you like to fucking know, bitch!”
“Wrong answer…” Maggie pulled her handcuffs out and started to cuff the poor bastard, but he instantly changed his tune as she did.
“Wait, wait, wait!” He struggled against her, but Maggie had superior positioning on her side. “You can’t just haul me in!”
She didn’t stop. “Can’t I? You shouldn’t be within a hundred feet of this place while you’re on parole, Benny. Or did you forget this is where your old crime buddies hang out? You’re not back in the life, are you?”
“Fuck…” he groaned and Anatoly couldn’t help feeling a bit of sympathy for the poor guy. He saw what he might have become had he not found the priesthood.
“Why you gotta be such a bitch, Boone? You know I can’t go back to prison! Come on…”
She finished cuffing him and he whined like a trapped animal.
“Okay! Fine, fine, I’ll tell you what I know, just… don’t haul my ass in!” he finally caved.
That must have been what Maggie wanted to hear, for she took her knee out of his back and rolled him over, allowing him to sit up. “Talk or I’ll not only drag you in, I’ll make sure your gang hears about it.”
Benny looked like he wanted to swear at her again, but he didn’t. He shook his head and sighed. “Nobody knows shit about this guy and that’s the truth. He’s someone new in town and rumor has it he’s got ties to the police, but that’s all I know, I swear.”
Anatoly was going to stay silent and let the exchange play out, but a slight twinge as Benny spoke alerted him that the man wasn’t being honest. “There is something else, something you are not telling the detective,” he pressed, letting a stern note sharpen his tone.
The thug shook his head, eyes flashing with fear. “No, I’m telling the truth?—”
“How can you tell he’s lying?” Maggie asked, ignoring Benny entirely.
“I am priest, I have heard many confessions and know when someone is not telling truth.” He shrugged. It was the best explanation he could give her.
Maggie mulled it over for a second and then abruptly hauled the punk to his feet. “Okay, Benny, if you’re gonna hold out on me, I have to take you down to the station. We can continue our chat there.”
“No, no, no! Shit!” Benny immediately went off, struggling to get free of the policewoman though the attempts were in vain. “Fuck, fine! Okay, there’s a new guy who just showed up in Anchorage last year. My boss thinks he’s the one bringing the heat down. Trust me, nobody is happy with this fucking guy.”
“A name or I’m taking you in.” Maggie’s tone left no room for argument.
Benny hesitated, but only for a second longer. Then he spilled his guts like a stuck pig. “Luka Markov. He operates out of the Volk Bar.”
The name took Anatoly by surprise. “He is Russian?”
“I guess, I don’t fucking know,” Benny snapped back. “That’s the name I heard. Take it or leave it, Detective, but I ain’t holding out on you, I swear!”
When Maggie turned her gaze to Anatoly, this time he nodded; there was no lie. They had gotten their next lead: Luka Markov.
Chapter Twelve
A quick internet search told Maggie that the Volk Bar wasn’t far, so she decided now was as good a time as any to go check it out. Finally having a lead made her eager to follow it up.
Not long later, as Maggie strolled in, loud classic rock music blared overhead, assaulting her ears with the sheer volume. Behind her she caught a glimpse of Anatoly flinching from over her shoulder and couldn’t blame him. This sort of dive was not for the faint of heart.
It was dim, smokey, and bright lights flared from the stage as the only illumination. Dozens of men and women were packed on the dance floor, all dancing in a sea of gyrating bodies. If she’d had her choice, Maggie wouldn’t have set foot in a bar like this. It simply wasn’t her scene even if they did have stellar music.
With one glance, she could tell it wasn’t Anatoly’s kind of place either and almost felt sorry for him. Almost. He’d made the choice to accompany her and sadly her job took her to all sorts of interesting places.
Maggie wasn’t surprised that they didn’t get very far inside. A pair of men, likely armed, came to greet them from out of the shadows. No doubt she’d been picked out as a cop or maybe the priest wasn’t welcome. Either way, somebody didn’t want them here and that meant Maggie was going to have to throw her weight around.
