****
“I want to see my attorney. I have nothing to say.” Kei slumped back into his chair and glared directly at Special Agent Muntz. He had been kept for over a day in a holding cell with no access to a phone or his lawyers. The FBI would have to let him go eventually. He knew his fucking rights.
“Tell us about Angelique Roberts and Eduardo Glenn.” The agent asked again.
“I told you. They worked for Mira Ellison. That’s all I know. This conversation is redundant.”
“No Mr. Hyogo, your answers are redundant.” The agent said. “We’ve already interviewed the parents of Angelique Roberts. They claim their daughter who has been missing since 1989 has been on an assignment outside of the country?”
Kei shrugged.
“So we pulled their bank statements. Looks like you’ve made some generous deposits in their accounts quarterly. How much did it cost you to convince them to ignore the death of their daughter? I’m curious what parents sell their children for these days.”
Kei smirked. He didn’t answer.
The agent openly fumed. He continued with his anger barely contained. “We’ve received Mira Ellison’s statement. She said you staged the deaths of both Angelique and Eduardo. And she gave us information on your property in Switzerland where she was kept. Why don’t you tell us how this all connects with the Triad and a man being detained in Italy by the name of Cheung Bojing? A relative right?”
Kei closed his eyes and sighed. “I won’t say another word until I have an attorney present.”
The agent chuckled. “Then that’s quite unfortunate. Trust me this is your one and only time to negotiate with me.”
Kei smirked. “Get my fucking lawyer.”
****
Poggioreale, Napoli Italy.
Dominic and Lorenzo walked through the narrow hall. A single light above and what naturally poured in from the sparse windows was all they had to lead the way. The guard nodded and led them the rest of the way. They went though several locked doors past the dorms to the private holding cells. Dominic hadn’t said much on the drive over. His thoughts kept returning to Catalina. After Christmas he would lose her forever. How the hell could he accept it enough to be sure to follow his Don’s orders?
The calm resolution between him and Giovanni felt so final. Once he left for America he would never see any of them again. Already he’d been cut out of all family meetings. Lorenzo was now at Giovanni’s side in closed door discussions, and Dominic was regulated to this shit on Christmas Eve, no less.
“I can do this job alone.” Dominic grumbled. They waited for the guard to unlock the cell door. The man fumbled with his keys trying to find the right one. The holding cell was separate from the rest of the prison, and the isolation would be perfect for the mission.
Lorenzo cast Dominic an amused grin over his shoulder. “Giovanni doesn’t think you can do much on your own lately. He wants to know who leaked the truth about Mira to the press.”
“Who the fuck knows? She and Catalina left Melanzana for a shopping trip. Any number of people could have seen her. That wasn’t my fault.”
“Maybe. But sticking your cock in our little princess is your fault, and trust me Gio won’t easily forget or forgive your faults again.”
The steel door opened noisily. Dominic held his breath against the wave of stench from feces, sweat, and vomit smeared on the floors and walls. Lorenzo strolled ahead of him. Dominic felt a bit light-headed and then his senses stabilized enough for him to follow. He entered behind him. The man they came to see sat on a soiled cot. He wore only a pair of pants. His body was peppered with bruises.
“Do you know who we are?” Lorenzo asked.
The man didn’t lift his head.