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“Was it as fun as your trip here last week? It wasn’t quite the same, was it?”
No answer. Instead, Drew pulled three folded pages from his pocket and placed them on the table. “That’s everything I could find. I printed it off my boss’s computer and will probably lose my job because of it.”
“Careful, mate,” Leo said as he wiped his hands on a napkin. “You’re going to get me emotional with a sob story like that.”
Leo took the pages and placed them in the breast pocket of his sport coat. He didn’t bother reading them since he was unsure what the documents were supposed to tell him. Leo didn’t need to know the specifics; he was certain that Drew Estes had delivered what Alex was after. The witless man-child fluttered like a leaf as he held his girlfriend’s hand. True love was always easy to exploit.
“Can we leave?” Drew asked.
“Almost,” Leo said. He shoved the remainder of the pizza slice into his mouth and spoke as he chewed. He looked at Laverne and pointed to the pizza. “Sure you don’t want any, love?”
Laverne shook her head, but Drew reached for a slice. Leo slapped his hand away.
“Pizza’s for me and Bonnie.”
“I’ve told him a thousand times my name’s not Bonnie,” Laverne said.
“No,” Leo said, wiping his mouth with the napkin before balling it up and placing it on the pizza tray. “Your name is Laverne Parker. You live at Kirchstrasse twenty-seven in Zürich. You’ve got a sister at university and parents who live thirty minutes from you.”
Leo reached back into the breast pocket of his sport coat. He produced two photos and laid them on the table. He pointed a thick finger at each person in the first photo.
“Paige, Robert, and Demi.”
Leo looked up from the photos and stared at Laverne.
“Your parents and sister, yeah? So here’s how this is going to work. If you say a word to anyone about Alexandra Quinlan—about her being in Cambridge, attending university, visiting the bank in Zürich, or anything about your visit to her flat the other night—I’m going to pay these folks a visit.”
Leo paused to allow the moment to sink in.
“After I visit with your parents, I’m going to go see your little sister. She’s in her third year at University of Fribourg, right? Lives in an apartment off campus with two other suitemates?”
Laverne stayed silent. Leo shifted his gaze to Drew and held up the second photo.
“Then I’ll go see your brother. He lives in a two-flat in Wal-lisellen. Höhenstrasse five, isn’t it? And your parents after that.”
Leo returned the photos to his pocket and placed both elbows on the table so his face was inches from Drew and Laverne.
“These visits will not be pleasant. They’ll be brutal and rough, and when I’m finished none of them will be the same. Do you understand?”
Both Drew and Laverne continued their silence, unable to speak.
“I’m not threatening to hurt your family if either of you say a word about Alexandra Quinlan. I’m promising. I’ll hurt them badly.”
Leo stood up.
“Go back to Zürich and forget all about your time in Cambridge. Do we understand each other?”
Silence.
“Gonna need an answer from each of you so I can tell my boss you understood my parting directions.”
He leaned down and looked at Drew. “You understand, mate?”
“Yeah, I understand,” Drew said.
Leo moved his gaze to Laverne.
“Yes,” she whispered.
