Page 51 (1/2)
PART I
‘I shall know you, secrets
by the litter you have left
and by your bloody footprints’
Lola Ridge, ‘Secrets’
CHAPTER ONE
THE POLICE
The detectives hitched themselves shoulder to shoulder at the end ofthe bruises that were pooling under my eyes
‘Miss Gracewell, can you tell us how you sustained your injuries?’
I side-glanced atmy most subtle oh-crap face What was I supposed to say? Point into the hallway in the direction of the Falcones and shout, ‘The murderers are thatta way!’?
Gently she laid a hand on aet killed for snitching The word flashed in n: omertà, omertà, omertà The vow of silence, and ere all bound up in it Don’t die, don’t die, don’t die
‘A fall,’ I lied ‘Unfortunate, really’
‘A fall,’ repeated the first cop, Detective Corey caterpillar His partner, Medina, had dark beady eyes They were bulging, hoping I could almost taste it – their need to prove themselves, to catch a Mafia assassin – or two, or ten They were close, in a way Between the endless fleet offreely in the hospital corridors, Jack’s dead henchside the bullet-wounded Falcone underboss, things were already pretty suspect
‘Are you certain about that?’ Comisky pressed
I clanore the distant well of panic inside ht thing to do, but we knew that having Nic watching over h to keep the others at bay if we tried to compromise their freedom Sure, I had saved Luca, but Valentino could hardly let it pass if I broke the sacred rule of omertà
‘Very well, Miss Gracewell,’ said Comisky, his tone decidedly icier ‘Can you, instead, tell us how you caht into this hospital with Gianluca Falcone?’
I feigned a frown ‘Was I?’
His froas‘Miss Gracewell, do you have any inforhts ago?’
‘I don’t knohat you’re talking about’
‘Miss Gracewell, can you explain your relationship with the Falcone family?’
‘The who?’
‘Miss Gracewell, can you tell us what you know about your father’s relationship with the Falcone family?’
‘Excuse ht in the throat My words went all wobbly and I struggled for the right level of nonchalance Besidethat up? They were trying to rattle
‘Detectives, if you could leave Sophie’s father out of this, I’d appreciate it,’ she interjected, buying hts For a et she has dealt with the police before She had watched them take her husband away
Unpleasantness twanged in my chest I wished my father ith us I wished eren’t soalone, and it had almost killed us Still, I was determined not to let the detectives see how much it bothered me I was determined not to let them knoeakness
The cops flicked their attention briefly to hed on, undaunted by her request ‘Miss Gracewell, did your father have so to do with this?’
I didn’t miss a beat that time ‘My father’s in jail, detectives’
A patronizing smile lifted the caterpillar moustache from Comisky’s face ‘That’s not what I asked’
I felt very cold all of a sudden, and one deathly quiet If I looked at her too long, I could see the ashen skin beneath her sparing ernails were chewed so close to her skin they were bleeding Secrets Lies They had nearly destroyed us I lifted aze ‘Well, that’s your answer’
Detective Co sound Medina stifled a yawn He was obviously the so ho to beat a dead horse Already I was finding their visit exhausting Talking is difficult enough when injured, but lying is infinitely harder Maybe it was the tail end of ato think Detective Coly like Maurice from Beauty and the Beast
He withdrew a small black notepad from his shirt pocket and flicked it open He pulled a pencil froainst the paper ‘Why don’t we try the truth this tiain ‘Perhaps I should explain exactly why your cooperation with the laill be in your best interests …’
I keptThey will discover nothing As it turns out, I needn’t have worried about how they were planning to persuade me because they were interrupted, ceremoniously, before they could try
The door to ure breezed in with suchhirey suit that shihts, and patent shoes that click-clacked as he walked He had slicked his silver hair behind his ears I aling to my skin, my hair, my brain I