I have to go in for the truth. "Did you sleep with him?"
She doesn't look away but only nods her head. "Yes," she whispers. “I wish I hadn't, but I did.”
It was a fatal error. It would’ve been at least understandable if she loved the guy.
"Is there a chance you're pregnant?” She looks outraged.
"I… no,” she says. "The last time I slept with him was two weeks ago. It's impossible."
"I suspected as much."
She doesn't ask me why I wanted to know. I’d have to take that into consideration when I question her. A part of me doesn’t want to go hardcore on her, doesn’t want to really hurt her. After what I’ve seen and what we’ve been through in such a short time, I’m not sure she has much more information than she’s letting on.
"All right," I say to her. "I'll have other questions for you as well."
She thinks that over. She doesn't seem to like the idea of answering my questions. I don't care if she likes it or not, the sooner I eliminate her as a suspect the better. And I'm not going to let her soft voice and her pretty face sway me from my loyalty to The Family.
I push out of the bed and stand beside her, when I hear a beep on my phone. I reach for the cuffs on the bedside table and snap them on her wrists before I pick up my phone and read the messages.
Message from Orlando.
Romeo knows you're there. He's the only one. Everyone, including Sergio and the rest of the Montavio family, believes that you were killed en route home. We believe that will help them go into hiding, and prevent them from looking for you. Sergio has shown no reaction, but Romeo believes it is for the best because Sergio would probably kill Vivia unless you can prove that she's innocent. I'm not sure that's possible, brother. And I think you’ll share the same opinion when you see what I'm going to send you from Gloria.
A chilling detachment suffuses me.
Dead. We’re dead. We faked Gloria’s death after she went dark and began to work for us, and that was the strangest, most emotional funeral I’ve ever gone to. Not many people get to watch their own funeral.
I wonder if my grandma has figured anything out, or if anything has been announced. She's an elderly senior citizen comfortably residing in an assisted living facility, thanks to Romeo. I don't know if she has any access to news or would even process this information if she did because she’s got dementia. For once in my life, I am thankful that she's most likely blissfully ignorant. Romeo will know not to tell her I’m dead, to somehow shield her from the pain of that.
Files begin to show on my phone. Audio messages, PDF files, pictures. I glance at the bed where Vivia lays on her back. I don't know if there’s guilt or fear in her expression, or both. She knows I'm going to delve into this. She knows I'm going to have a lot of questions for her. And I'm sure she suspects that the real interrogation will not be pretty.
I walk out of the bedroom because I don't want her to see my expression when I go over the files from Gloria. It's a good move. I feel my brows snap together, my pulse racing as my blood pressure rises. Vivia might say that she is innocent, but I can absolutely see why Gloria says otherwise.
Her phone sent texts to Gray. Identifying locations of Marialena, the weak spot at The Castle. Explanations as to when and how they travel, how many bodyguards she'll have on her at any time. And for some reason the pictures I see of her and Gray intimately connected, in bed, making out at a club, make my blood boil more than anything.
Twenty-five thousand dollars hit her bank account an hour after she sent those text messages.
How much did she trust that asshole? How much did she tell him?
How much is she lying to me?
Another update text from Orlando.
Now that you have this information, do with it what you will. Find out everything, brother. We have a lot riding on it.
I respond with a text of my own.
Me:You can trust me. I've already begun to question her, but I'll need to ask more. Do you have any way to identify who she sent the texts to? Have you been able to trace the payments into her account?
Orlando:Gloria says they're from an unnamed source, but they originated in Canada. It looks like there's a strong connection between Canada and here. You said you heard one of them call the other one Ace?
Me:Yes
Orlando:We can't find anyone with any local moniker. Doesn't mean there isn't one, but Gloria is starting to believe that this is not an established group. It's more likely one that wants to become an established group.
I nodas I start to put the pieces together. Why would they go after Marialena? If Vivia is innocent, why would they use her in particular? But one thing I need an answer to before I can answer anything else: is Vivia guilty?
I take a deep breath and text Orlando. I'll get information this afternoon and evening. I'll update you as soon as I have anything new.