“The niece you thought you could sell.”
“Tell me this woman is telling lies, Leonardo,” Bobby ordered. “Tell me you did not try to kill a government agent.”
In a swift move, Alfaro side-stepped and dipped into the office. Cursing under her breath, Harley cut her eyes behind her and realized Bobby held his hands up; did he think his son would shoot him? The rubber seal of the door dug into her elbows. She kept her forearms straight, not letting Leonardo get a slip on her.
“I don’t know what she’s talking about.”
“Open your cargo,” Harley ordered.
“What cargo? We’re not doing anything but just catching up on old times.”
The cat and mouse game could go on forever. “Didn’t you catch up on old times a few days ago when you two had dinner together? Christopher,” Harley’s voice rose, “want to help me out here? You did mention having some buyer’s remorse after getting into bed with him.”
“You’re gay?” asked Bobby.
“I’m not gay,” Leonardo said.
“He’s not gay,” said Harley, “but he is a murderer. Tell him, Leonardo. Tell your father what you did to your nanny.”
“You need to stay out of my business, Mrs. Rossi.”
“Rossi?” an astonished Bobby asked. “Allegra Rossi?”
“Oh come on pops, Rossi? You’re well aware Rossi is the equivalent of Smith.”
Harley rolled her neck to either side to crack her bones, “Or you could just call me Special Agent Harley Tomasello, Special Tasks Bureau for Domestic Homeland Security.” The only thing missing of her badass name was her badass badge, which she did not have thanks to Dante. Being called Mrs. Rossi only added fuel to her burning anger.
Leonardo’s eyebrows shot up in amusement. “Our mutual friend annoys you too.”
“Not as much as you,” Harley gripped her weapon tighter, “now where is she?”
The door Alfaro slipped into kicked open with a bang. Leonardo’s wrist shook and let off a shot into the office wall. Bobby hunched, ducking his shoulders for cover from shrapnel.
“You being an agent means one thing,” Alfaro yelled from behind his cover, which was Agent Tito, “someone has been lying to me.”
Tito’s body awkwardly bent backwards to accommodate Alfaro’s height. The sharp blade at Tito’s throat pierced the skin. A trickle of blood leaked and drizzled down his neck. Harley wasn’t so sure she could be as calm with a knife at her throat, but Tito managed to handle himself. “Let’s all sit down and talk about things,” Tito gritted calmly between his teeth, “like rational people.”
“You’ve been lying to me!” The hand holding Tito down shook his frame. “Melo was right. You’re a cop.”
“I’m not a cop.”
Far be it for her to out Tito’s position, so Harley spoke the truth. “I’ve never seen this man before the day in your café. Can we get back to business? I’m here for the girl.”
“Hold on,” said Leonardo. “This is Dante’s wife. Your friend is working with Dante. And the two of them here … yo I’m out.”
The revelation didn’t help matters. Harley pleaded her eyes with Bobby Marchette.
Bobby gave a sigh of irritation. “Where is the girl, Leonardo?”
“Pops, I’m serious, I don’t know what this freak is talking about.”
“The van,” Harley inclined her head, “brought passengers from the sheriff’s office. One call and the whole police department will be here. All I want is one girl.” Of course, it was all total bullshit. She already had it in her head to drive the van back to the jail with all the girls the guidance counselor took.
“Lady, if I had the girls, which I don’t, it would be wrong because trafficking humans is illegal. But let’s say I did have them, why would I tell you a damn thing?”
It took all her self-control not to go ahead and shoot him. “Alfaro, do you want to go down with this piece of dirt?”
“Like he said,” Alfaro pushed his knife further on Tito’s neck, “what girls?”