“Getting intel on the Russian Mafia so that you can go in and arrest the big cheeses?”
“Isn’t murder big enough to arrest them?”
He shook his head. “If there were no links or proof that anyone in the upper echelons ordered the hit, they couldn’t arrest anyone but the lower-level types. If they want the big cheese, they have to wait for the right evidence.”
“Has that happened?”
“No.” Brian shook his head. “Like I say, this is all just a hunch on my part, but when I learned the FBI was involved, and the accident happened in Jersey, I right away thought Mafia. That would be where I focused my inquiries if you want me to continue.”
I sighed heavily. “That is definitely what I want you to do,” I said. “All this time, I’ve thought my parents were victim of a bad accident on the freeway. It happens all the time. Now, I have to start thinking that they were killed to further a deal, and the FBI looked the other way so they could wait and get the big bosses? You have to understand I’m both skeptical and horrified.”
“I understand,” Brian said, nodding. “Believe me. I understand. I’ll do some more digging and get back to you with anything I uncover. But you should know that I have to be really careful. I don’t want anyone to know we’re digging. Even this far out from the crime, there would be people who want to keep it covered up. Both among the Feds and those directly involved in ordering the hit and who benefitted from it.”
“You mean my stepparents.”
“Them, too. If they were involved, you can imagine they would want it to stay quiet. There is no statute of limitations on murder.”
“Good. Whoever ordered my parent’s murders, I want them prosecuted.”
Brian stood up and adjusted his hat. “I’ll keep digging.”
“Thank you.”
With that, Brian walked off north along the boardwalk. On my part, I sat on the bench, staring off over the Hudson, and wondered what the hell we had uncovered and what the consequences would be if we discovered the truth.
My cell rang. I checked the call display and saw that it was Alexa.
“Hey, babe,” I said, smiling to myself at the thought of her with Leif. “What’s up?”
“Just calling to see how things are going. Candace is here and will probably stay the night. Can you bring extra ribs and everything so we can feed her as well?”
“I’d be happy to.”
“Great. See you when you get here. Love you.”
“Love you back.”
I ended the call, smiling. At least I had Alexa and Leif. I might not be able to look my stepparents in the eye ever again if we learned they had been involved in the hit that killed my parents, but I had my own family now and I still had my sister Dana and her son little James.
That was all I really needed.