“We’ll see.”
He continues as if I haven’t spoken. “Two, I’m getting statements together that say you killed Oswald Lewis.”
“Change the record. You’ve tried that once already.”
“I heard you’ve been a busy beaver intimidating my witnesses. That’s a crime just so you know.”
“So’s framing innocent men.”
“Doesn’t matter. You’re going down, and I’m making sure of it this time.”
“So confident, but I guarantee I’ll be out of here today, and you’ll be out of a job by the end of the week.”
“Going from intimidating witnesses to threatening an officer of the law. You’re not helping yourself, Hunter. You know, you could just bring me evidence of your father being in control and end all this messing about.”
I look at him, and I see his smile. That’s when it all clicks into place. “Goddammit, I’ve been stupid,” I say, stretching my back before getting to my feet.
“Sit yourself down, Hunter.”
I remain standing as he pulls out his gun and points it at me. “You know he won’t keep his promises, right?”
“I said, sit down.”
“Don’t make me take that gun off you again. Whatever he’s promised you to put me away, you’ll never see it. What was it? Money? Women? Drugs?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“My brother is not to be trusted. Once he gets what he wants out of you, you’re dead.”
There’s a flicker of a smile on his lips, and I finally know the truth. “He’ll probably shoot you anyway to tidy up the loose ends.”
“Sit down, or you’ll be the one getting shot.”
“Relax,” I tell him. “You’ll live longer.”
“Shut the fuck up and take the deal. Otherwise, you’re going down for life, and you won’t weasel your way out of it this time.”
“I thought you were obsessed with bringing me down because of Sofia. I didn’t realize you could be so easily bought. How much did he offer you?”
He’s got his finger on the trigger, and if he’s going to shoot me, there’s not much I can do about it. “She was innocent,” he says. “You stabbed her.”
I shake my head. “You know I didn’t, but you want to believe I did because it makes it easier to hate me. She wouldn’t have been good for you, Brody. A mafia princess and a cop? It would never have worked.”
“I loved her,” he snaps, the gun waving in the air. “Don’t you understand that I loved her?”
“She never loved you, did she? Used to laugh about the cop she had wrapped around her finger, getting her out of all those drug charges. She didn’t even have to pay a speeding ticket with you around, did she?”
“Shut the fuck up.”
I’ve got him on the back foot. It’s time to keep pushing. “I remember you and Ernesto in high school. He used to pick on you every single day. Haven’t you got any self-respect? You let him buy you? Don’t you remember the way he treated you?”
“I told you to shut up.” He’s yelling now, spit flying out of his mouth. “You think you’re God’s fucking gift to women, but you’re a fucking psycho.”
The door to the cell opens, and a captain appears. She’s in her mid-fifties and got the most patient look I’ve ever seen. Like a saint compared to Brody.
“Out,” the Captain says in a perfectly calm voice.
Brody spins around, the gun still in his hand. “I’m handling this,” he snaps before realizing who he’s talking to. “Sally, please. I’ve got this.”