Page 117 of A New Days Don

What I don’t say is that the evidence is pointing towards him.

“Unfortunately, you will not be allowed in on any other investigations. Your taser.” He extends his hand, and I place my taser in it.

The light weight of the small knife Massimo had strapped to my ankle when I had insisted on going to work and ending this once and for all, starts to burn against my skin.

“You are excused.” Something in the way he looks at me tells me he knows a little too much. As if he can read how far I have gone to solve this murder, including falling in love with a mafia man.

“May I have the day to collect everything and organize the evidence I have compiled?” I ask. Gerardo seems to mull it over for a moment, but nods.

Chapter 48

Mila

I have been taking my sweet time putting everything together. I don’t plan to leave the evidence here, even though that is what I told Gerardo. If he is, in fact, the killer, that is exactly what he wants, and it is probably why he allowed me to organize everything. That way, when I do leave, he can destroy all the connections I have made and continue to terrorize the city and workers within it.

Gerardo left about an hour ago, and ever since then, I can’t get this nervous pit in my stomach. He has a chance to run right now. Though I don’t think he will, considering he thinks he is winning and based on what I know about the killer, he doesn’t think he will get caught, no matter what information I put together. He has run the perfect murder scheme for the last six years, but what he doesn’t know is that it’s all coming to an end.

Whether I get to be a cop again or not, I will not stop until that murdering rapist is locked behind bars, rotting away until he is sent to hell.

“Mila!” Vicek shouts, making me jump right out of my skin.

“What the hell?!” I’m panting, and my heart feels like it’s about to gallop out of my chest. Vicek walks around the corner into the meeting room. His sharp jawline and hazel eyes shine wickedly in this lighting.

“I have been trying to get your attention for the last five minutes.” He shrugs, walking through the door, while adjusting his tie.

“What’s going on?” I ask.

“You and me, let’s go.” He nods for the door, some of his perfectly styled mocha hair falling out of its gelled state.

“I can’t,” I slump back into the seat, thumbing some papers.

Vicek turns on his heel and narrows his eyes, “Why the hell not?”

“Because Gerardo fired me.”

“A what?” His voice goes lethally calm.

“He’s looking into me.” I shrug.

“I’ve had my suspicions.” Vicek begins, and I raise my brow, “Gerardo has been pretty adamant about watching this investigation unfold. I have also seen him downtown, chatting with sex workers while off duty. I figured he was being a good man and helping them out, but then I saw him in a particularly compromising position with one of them the other day. That’s why I am here. Gerardo left the department an hour ago, and he’s been quiet ever since. Get up, we are going after him.”

Vicek doesn’t leave any room for arguing as he walks out of the meeting room. I rush behind him, “Wait!”

But he doesn’t. Not that he ever waited for me before. Vicek is more of a get your ass over here yesterday kind of guy.

“Are you sure it’s him?” I rush out the doors, the sun has already started to lower in the sky, giving the city a golden glow.

“Are you sure it’s not? I would rather have him in custody while we build a case than let him continue to murder innocents.” Vicek stands by his vehicle, and I make my way to my Jaguar since I am no longer licensed to drive a cruiser. “The Mercedes is faster. Hop in.”

I give Vicek a wary look. He has never allowed me in his car. Every time we head for an investigation, he always insists I take my own.

“Before I change my mind, Lewis.” He snarls. I push all the thoughts I have to the back of my mind, then hop into Vicek’s sleek Mercedes.

The engine purrs to life the way only luxury vehicles do. The interior of the car smells like cologne and smoke. It’s reminiscent of something, I can’t quite put my finger on it, though it is enough to make the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end as we slowly pull onto the busy Vegas street.

Vicek fists his steering wheel so tight his knuckles are white. He seems to be deeply focused on the road, or whatever thoughts are running through his mind right now. As we round the corner onto an expressway, the sun glints off a silver ring.

Ring.