“Oh, whatever,” I grumbled, unwilling to admit that I hadn’t known that. “Degree or not, he was in the mafia, for goodness’ sake. I don’t understand why no one else seems alarmed by this. You study cultures and societies, Chloe. You should know better than anyone that no one ever leaves the mafia unless they’re dead. So why should I believe that he did, and with no repercussions?”
“You have a point,” Chloe sighed. “But that’s why his case is so interesting. You’re right that it’s nearly unheard of for someone to leave the mafia, especially someone who was in as important a position as he was, but that should just make us want to work with him more.”
I was about to offer another rebuttal, but before I could, someone else chimed in.
“I don’t know about that,” Theo interjected skeptically. Theo was my partner and one of the only people who agreed with me that allowing Nick to work with the SDCT was a bad idea. “I mean, I’m not about to get hostile with him like Bette does, but that doesn’t mean I think we should welcome him in with open arms. I’ve had enough run-ins with the mafia to know that they always prioritize family in the end. The kid might be having a little rebellious phase, but I’d bet anything he goes back.”
The three of us fell silent at Theo’s words. He was one of the older agents working here, and also a former cop. He’d mentioned that he had history with the mafia in Miami, and he’d warned the director that it was a bad idea when we first found out who Nick really was. Among the SDCT agents, he was easily the most familiar with the mafia and their inner workings.
“Don’t you two think you’re being a little cruel?” Chloe admonished us sadly. “You’re judging him for something he had no control over. He was literally born into the mafia. It’s not like he chose to join them. It’s not fair to condemn him for it.”
“Wrong,” I countered. “Regardless of how he came to be involved with them, he was the one who chose to work with them in the end, right? You’ve heard the rumors about some of the things he’s done. If he was really just a helpless party, why didn’t he leave sooner?”
“Hey,” Theo prompted gently, “maybe we should all just calm down and talk about something else.”
“No,” I snapped. “I’m tired of hearing everyone praise him and act like it’s perfectly okay to be divulging sensitive federal information to the son of a mafia boss--”
“Get back to work,” the director’s thundering voice cut me off mid-sentence. “You don’t get paid to sit around gossiping.”
He stalked back toward his office. I flushed with embarrassment as I realized how loudly I’d been speaking. It was just so cathartic to get all of this pent-up frustration off my chest. I’d become a federal agent so that I could stop arrogant, despicable men from skirting the law. Nick DiFiore was exactly the type of sleazy jerk that I detested, and it was infuriating that no one else seemed to realize that.
“I tried to warn you,” Theo sighed. “I saw him open his office door and glance this way. I could tell by the look on his face that he wasn’t happy with what he was hearing.”
“Big surprise,” I scoffed quietly. “The only reason Nick is even allowed to consult with SDCT is that he’s friends with the director. It’s pure nepotism.”
“That’s not true,” Chloe retorted. “He’s a good investigator. He’s helped us with several cases already. How can you say it’s nepotism when he’s actually gotten us results?”
“It’s nepotism,” I explained, “because out of all the investigators in Miami, Flint chose one with basically no experience and close connections to an organized crime family. There are plenty of people who could help SDCT, but the director gave the job to someone he happens to know.”
“Well, to be fair,” Theo countered, “his connections to the mafia might actually be useful in certain circumstances.”
“Whose side are you on?” I snapped, shocked that he was defending Nick now.
“Now, I’m not saying I condone it,” he explained. “But realistically, having intimate knowledge of the criminal underworld is a pretty valuable asset when it comes to catching criminals.”
“So the ends justify the means?” I scoffed.
“Oh, get off your high horse, Bette,” Chloe groaned. “Not everything in the world is black and white.”
She walked away before I could say anything in response. I bristled in frustration. I understood that the world wasn’t that simple, but there were some things I just wasn’t willing to compromise on. Working with a career criminal who had never faced justice for any of his wrongdoings was one of them.
9
Nick
The hotel that Ryan Rothschild was staying in wasn’t as opulent as the ones that could be found downtown or all along the beachfront, but it was still very obviously luxurious and expensive. Lush green palm trees lined the road leading up to the hotel, and the main courtyard had a large, illuminated fountain place in the center.
“Looks like a nice place,” I remarked as we got out of the car and headed up the stone steps toward the entrance. “What does the husband do?”
“Software engineer,” Jase replied. “According to Flint, he’s been living here since he and his wife split a few weeks ago. That’s what he told the cops, at least.”
The lobby was spacious and warmly lit. The polished marble floor clicked beneath my shoes, and everything was bathed in hues of gold, yellow, and beige. There was a long, arched wooden counter that spanned the entire length of the lobby, with several receptionists standing behind it. I bypassed them completely and walked confidently toward the elevators as if I belonged there. We already had the room number, and as long as we acted like we owned the place, the chances of anyone bothering us were low.
We made
