Trained To Kill (20 page)

"That's their stupidity."

"You are correct, we are not normal.
But you try to be, do you not? With your poliziotto or your
handyman."

"Don't do that."

"Do what, bella?"

"Don't bring Alex into this with
contempt."

He regarded her for a moment, "You are
right bella that was childish of me. Tell me how you found my
name."

"Tell me how you kept tabs on me for
years."

He laughed again, "You are something,
mistero."

"A mystery? I don't think so. I think
I'm pretty straight forward with you."

"Not with others?"

"Not everyone, no."

"What about your
poliziotto?"

"What about him?"

"Does he know you?"

"He does."

Rafael waited but that was all she
would say. "You are, what is the phrase, a hard nut to
crack."

"Why should I open up to
you?"

"Why should you not? I have not done
anything to you, and I know you better than most."

"What about The Inferno? Was it not
you that placed Tyler Malone in my club?"

"No it was not."

"How am I supposed to believe that? He
works for you.”

"Let us say I know him. I did not
place him anywhere near you, bella." Rafael was adamant and he
looked at Isa with an open face. His eyes told a true
story.

"Lester Pruitt." Isa said the name
hoping for a sign of acknowledgement. There was not even a
flicker.

"Che?"

"Never mind." Of course there was no
reason Rafael would need to know the name of an underling to have
him killed.

The doorbell rang, startling both of
them. Isa went to answer it, finding Alex at her door.
Motherfucker. She was going to kill Renée and then fire
her.

"Alex," Isa whispered, her eyes were
big. This wasn't good. The two of them in the same room was not a
good idea, but for the life of her she couldn't do anything about
it. He was already pushing past her. She could kick him out, but
that would cause a scene in front of Rafael and hurt Alex. Alex
went to the living room where Rafael was now standing next to the
sofa with a half smile on his face. He was going to enjoy this, the
sadistic son of a bitch.

"Poliziotto. We were just talking
about you." Rafael held out his hand and Alex looked at it. He
shook it briefly choosing his battles.

"Were you?" he looked over at Isa who
was walking slowly from the foyer.

"A bit."

"What else were you
discussing?"

"Well Sergeant, Mr. DeCarlo claims to
not know why Malone was working out of The Inferno."

"Really?"

"That is true," Rafael said as he sat
back down after Isa did. Alex sat on the other side of the table on
an ottoman.

"Why should we believe you? Malone
worked for you. Why would he be working on his own?"

"Worked for me? I am afraid I do not
know what you mean."

"Yea, right."

Alex looked over at Isa who sat
quietly, waiting to pounce in case they came to blows.

"Well then what do you want with
Isa?"

"Isa is it?" Rafael turned a small
smile toward her that she knew set Alex's teeth on edge. "I am
afraid that is none of your concern, poliziotto. If she wishes to
tell you that is up to her."

They were at an impasse and neither
seemed to want to end it. Isa was about to start punching to end
the tension. Alex and Rafael continued their staring
contest.

A throat cleared itself behind her and
she nearly came out of her skin. Holy shit! Where had he come from?
She had been so intent on Rafael she hadn't known a man was in the
kitchen. It was the man in the booth at the café. She was really
getting rusty. Maybe she wasn't as good as she thought she
was.

Malone was trying to contain his
laughter. "Don't worry bella. That's Coltello. He is like a ghost.
You are not getting sloppy."

Isa sent him a look of contempt. He
just laughed some more. Alex had been silent during the exchange,
watchful. It worried her.

“
Why are you here
poliziotto? Riding to the rescue? You must know she doesn’t need
help from the likes of you.”

“
The likes of…”

“
Please stop baiting
him.”

Rafael grinned and looked over at
her.

“
I am genuinely curious,
bella. There you were enjoying a quiet dinner at that handyman’s
house. Why would he come here,” he asked indicating Alex with his
chin.

Alex answered, “Because I’m a cop and
you’re a criminal in her house.”

“
Allegedly.”

“
My ass.”

Rafael’s laugh was full and genuine.
“Oh, you are amusing for a piedipiatti.” Rafael’s eyes glittered
while he laughed, but when the humor drained away, all that was
left was a cold calculation. “I’ll remember that. But no, I don’t
think that’s it. I think you have feelings for her.”

“
Rafael…” Isa warned. He
stood up and walked over to the fireplace, warming his
hands.

“
You come to her rescue
when she doesn’t need it or want it. You do know that she is dating
someone else?”

“
I know that.” Alex sat up
straighter and stared him down.

“
Meraviglioso.”

“
I don’t speak
Italian.”

“
He said marvelous,” Isa
provided absently. “Rafael, I don’t need you to speak for me. Alex
is welcome here whenever he wants.”

Rafael shrugged and continued to stare
into the fire.

“
What would he say, I
wonder, if he knew?”

“
Shut up,” Isa said
harshly, her heart speeding up. Dread settled in her
stomach.

“
Would he turn you
in?”

“
I said shut
up.”

Rafael and Isa stared at each other
while the fire popped. Alex looked back and forth between
them.

“
If you’re referring to
Isa’s past, I do know,” Alex said standing up slowly. “If you’re
referring to her more recent past, I don’t want to know. Or so she
told me.”

Rafael cocked his head, “You know?
What exactly do you know?”

“
I doubt Isa wants to sit
here all night discussing it.”

“
No, I don’t.”

“
He doesn’t know does he,
bella?”

Isa was silent slowly killing him in
her mind. “He just told you he doesn’t know. Please drop
it.”

“
As you wish.”

"I think it's time to call it a
night."

Rafael looked like he wanted to resist
but he said, "Very well. This was very enlightening and
entertaining. I hope we can do it again soon.”

Rafael and Coltello left without
another word, Rafael still chuckling.

Alex stood silently then said, "Renée
called me, she was scared for you."

"I figured she had."

"What did he want?"

"Just to talk it seems."

"Talk?" Alex look baffled. "About
what?"

Isa looked around uncomfortably,
"Me."

Alex was thinking. She could see the
thoughts flying past his eyes.

"He wants you, doesn't he?"

"He didn't say that."

"What do you think?"

Isa shrugged, "It's possible, but I
think it’s more of a protective feeling."

“
More than
possible.”

“
I know he wants to
recruit me.”

“
Recruit you? Into the
mafia?”

Isa nodded. Alex whistled, “That’s
pretty reckless of him considering you’re…friends with
me.”

“
You’re right. Maybe he’s
just testing me for some twisted reason.”

“
At any rate, maybe you
should tell Renée not to let him in again.”

“
I will.”

Alex left soon after Rafael. Isa
wanted to be alone. She wandered around her house pacing and
thinking. Her bare feet cold against the black marble floors. Was
Alex right? Did Rafael want her? She didn’t know how to feel about
that. She didn’t want to encourage him, but she was curious. He had
offered to kill for her. That wasn’t something she took
lightly.

Making her way upstairs, she wandered
into the bedroom and opened the closet. Reaching up she took out a
keepsake box, the only thing she had kept from the past. It
contained a lock of Anna’s baby hair, a picture of Anna on her
favorite horse, one of Isa and Anna together, Anna’s first baby
outfit, and their mother’s favorite necklace.

The men that had hurt her weren’t
responsible for Anna’s death, but it was hard for Isa to separate
the feelings. She couldn’t go back and kill Thorn again and she
needed someone to blame. She still felt raw. She had grieved for
Anna but never quite healed.

She kept the picture of her and Anna
out and put the box away. It was time to try.

Chapter 25

Three weeks later

Alex hung up the phone. Malone was
dead. Johnny had called him at midnight to tell him the news. He
and Isa had been to a late dinner trying out this friendship thing,
and when his cell rang and he saw the caller I.D. he knew it
couldn’t be good. Isa came with him, but he told her she would need
to stay in the car.

They made it to the crime scene in
record time. It was in an alleyway not that far from The Inferno,
behind an old used clothes store. Malone’s body was buried under
some boxes. Isa stood with a few other onlookers, watching Alex
talk to another cop. She hadn’t stayed in the car. When he spotted
her, he nodded his head in her direction and the cop walked over
with him.

Alex lifted the yellow crime scene
tape and they ducked under. “Isadora La Beau, this is Detective
Johnny Merrick. He and I were partners in uniform.”

“
Nice to meet you,” Isa
said, shaking his hand.

“
Likewise.”

“
So what happened,” she
asked.

“
Well, it looks like the
same execution type killing as Pruitt,” Alex explained. “Double tap
back of the head.” He hesitated for a moment looking at Johnny.
“Isa, Detective Merrick wants to interview you and Ben and
Maggie.”

“
Oh?”

“
It’s just a formality Ms.
La Beau, because of the trouble he caused at your place of
business.”

“
Right. Of course. We can
go there now, if you like.”

“
Perfect.”

They drove the short distance to the
Inferno and went up the back stairs to the office. After everyone
was settled, Isa made some coffee.

“
So, Ms. La Beau,” Johnny
started.

“
Call me Isa.”

“
Isa, when was the last
time you saw Tyler Malone?”

“
I’ve never met
him.”

“
I see.”

The questions were familiar and over
quickly. Johnny closed his notebook and sat back with his coffee
cup. The formal interview must be over.

“
So,” Johnny began. “You
and Alex?”

Isa smiled, “Yes?”

“
How’s that
going?”

“
Johnny, cut it out.” Alex
murmured half-heartedly, he was deep in thought.

“
Hey! I’m just curious
about my best friend’s new friend.”

Isa was quiet.

“
Alex needs to settle
down.”

“
Why are you deciding this
for me?” Alex asked incredulously.

“
Hey look at me. I’ve been
happily married for 10 years. I want to see you happy
too.”

“
Johnny, knock it
off.”

He held up his hands in
surrender.

“
I have an idea, why don’t
we all go on a double date soon. Shelly will love you
Isa.”

“
That sounds…nice. I can’t
say I’ve ever been on a double date. What do you do?”

“
Anything. Movie, bowling,
dinner. Whatever.”

“
Oh. Well, Alex and I
aren’t dating.”

“
We’ll talk about it
later,” Alex said. “It’s getting late.”

“
Ok, ok. Jeez. Good luck
putting up with his grouchy ass, Isa.”

Isa smiled and shook her
head.

She let him out the back and went back
upstairs. Alex was deep in thought again.

She curled herself onto the couch and
said, “Hey, what’s going on in there?” She tapped his
temple.

“
Mmm?” Alex mumbled
closing his eyes and sighing. “I’m just thinking about who killed
Malone.”

“
You’re thinking
DeCarlo?”

“
Yea, aren’t you? I can
guarantee Johnny is.”