“These two cops came in and they asked for her.”
“Where’s Nino?”
“Sitting out front, reading a magazine. What could he have done?” Tessa was snarky.
“Fuck. What’s going on now?”
“I’m in the back room, hang on while I go see. They’re leaving with her.”
“Hang up and then give her the phone. Nino’s calling on my other line. I’ll call you back.”
I linked over, “Nino!”
“T, the cops have her. They told her they wanted to ask her questions at the station. She said they should ask her here but they insisted. She programmed my number in her phone this morning and will call me to come get her when she’s done. Tessa gave her the phone. They asked who I was to her and she told them I’m her cousin’s husband. I’m following the squad car to the station and I’ll wait here for her.”
“I’m meeting you there. Which one?” I hung up after he told me and got into my jeep.
Tia
Was this another test? It couldn’t be after our talk last night. Couldn’t be. Could it? Let me out of his sight and then have me sit down with the cops to see what I’d say? I knew that the Ferranos had some cops in their pocket because of what Rose had said to me at the grocery store that day about what’d happened when she called the cops.
When I got into the station, the male and female officer led me to an interview room, just a small room with a circular table with chairs around it.
“Is Tommy Ferrano holding you against your will?” the male cop, who’d introduced himself as Officer Francis, asked. He was a tall older black man. His partner was a 30ish pretty blonde named Officer Spence.
“Tommy Ferrano is my fiancé.” I said, looking at them like they were crazy.
“He’s not holding you against your will?”
“What? No!” I exclaimed.
“Is Tommy Ferrano involved in illegal activities, organized crime?”
“Huh?”
“Mobster-like activities. You know, guns, prostitution, drugs, loan sharking? That sorta thing?”
“Tommy’s family owns a construction company, some restaurants,” I answered.
“Your father was arrested the day before yesterday.” The female cop said.
I blanched, “He was?”
“Trafficking crack cocaine, methamphetamines, DMT, MDMA. He tells us he’s selling drugs for the Ferrano family, that he has no choice because they are holding you for ransom. He wants to go into witness protection and wants you safe and he’s willing to testify to facts related to illegal activities by...” she reached into her pocket and pulled out a small spiral notebook, “Thomas Ferrano Sr., Thomas Ferrano Jr., Dario Ferrano, James Michaelson, Edward Nichols, Nino Russo, and several others.” She flipped the book closed and looked at me expectantly.
I shook my head, “My father has been acting strangely. We suspected he was using drugs. I really don’t think this has anything to do with my fiancé.” I felt like I was going to hurl the contents of my stomach all over her shiny black shoes. Luckily I had nothing in my stomach other than 2 cups of coffee.
The male officer leaned over and put his hand on mine. I frowned, “It’s okay, you’re safe. You can tell us the truth.”
I pulled my hand back and shook my head. If this was a test, I wasn’t failing it. Maybe this wasn’t a Tommy test. Maybe this was his father testing me. Sounded like just the sorta thing he’d do. If this wasn’t a test, I was not giving them anything. There was no way in the world my father was selling drugs for the Ferrano family. No fricking way.
“I’d like to make a phone call please.”
“Why do you need to make a phone call?” The female cop asked.
“To call a lawyer.” I said.
“You aren’t under arrest.” The male cop said.