Mr. Big Deal (Mr. Big 4)

I reached over and took Luke’s hand. This had to be really upsetting for him — to learn so long after the fact that his parents were murdered?

That the mafia was involved?

And worst of all, how were the Marshalls involved?

“So, who ordered the hit?” Candace asked. “Who paid to have the brake line damaged?”

“That is the question,” Luke replied. “I don’t like some of the options. The police usually look at who has the most to gain from a murder when they look for suspects. The two people who had the most to gain were my stepparents. And the Mob if they could use them to get leverage with the business.”

Candace shook her head. “I’m so sorry, Luke. I don’t know what to say. Maybe it was someone else in the executive who wanted to work with the Mob and who cooperated. But why did the FBI get out of the case?”

“That’s question number two. Why did they get out?”

“Any theories?” I asked.

Luke shook his head. “My PI says that there’s no excuse, unless they never really did get out.”

“What do you mean?” Candace leaned forward.

“Maybe they were working with the Marshalls to get at bigger fish in the Mafia that runs the ports in New Jersey and New York. I don’t know, but I’m paying him to do his best to find out.”

I sighed. “You may not like the answer.”

“I’m preparing myself for any eventuality,” Luke said and kissed my knuckles.

I smiled and nodded in response.

What else could I say? I’d read before about people getting away with murder so that the FBI could go after bigger fish.

It was a cruel reality that sometimes, that was the way the world worked.

For Luke’s sake, I hope that wasn’t the case but only time would tell.