“Thanks for waiting up, Father,” Rocco said as the door clicked shut behind them.
At the opposite end of the lounge-like office, a man who could only be Rocco Cavallo Sr. rose to his feet. He was leaner, his brown hair was mostly silver, and age and stress had established itself on his face. Despite all of that, the familial resemblance was undeniable. He smiled at his son, but his eyes—strikingly the same as Rocco II’s—almost immediately shifted to her. “You must be Ms. Adimari.”
Alessa took a single step closer and bent forward respectfully. He was, effectively, her acting superior while she remained in Las Vegas. “Thank you for welcoming me into your city, Don Cavallo.” She had heard he preferred the old-fashioned term, and that suited her fine. It would feel weird to call another manBoss.
“It’s no trouble at all,” Don Cavallo said, a sound like a low chuckle in his tone. “I gave Mr. De Salvo my word I would do what I could.” He indicated the set of sofas that faced each other in the center of the room. “Let’s sit and discuss the situation.”
Only when he’d reclaimed his seat on one sofa did the rest of the room move.
Alessa obligingly settled in the center of the other, so she could face her hosts. She was unsurprised when Rocco sat beside his father, the middle cushion between them. And she was decidedly not disappointed.
Emanuele and Ignazio took up standing posts at the edge of the sofas, like sentinels. It was clear they had been given permission to be privy to the conversation, and Alessa supposed that made sense. If Emanuele was Rocco’s head of security, he probably knew everything Rocco knew. And Rocco hadmentioned Ignazio would basically be her shadow, so surely, he’d be looped in whether she said a word or not.
Cavallo Senior made a motion with his wrist that might have been a subconscious conversational gesture and said, “How was your flight?”
Alessa smiled. “Long. I’ve never much enjoyed flying.” Travel days had always been her least favorite part of their trips abroad. She let out a soft sigh.Time to get to work.“Before I left Newark, Ralph George and his employer were still a mystery on both sides. Has there been any development I should know about?”
She had been assigned what amounted to a blind manhunt in Vegas, searching for an unidentified person or organization associated with an abuser of a man named Ralph George. George had recently made a problem of himself in Newark, targeting Brandi Richardson—the daughter of a man they themselves were one wrong word away from popping. But Brandi was a valuable employee at Mikey De Salvo’s new and flourishing security company, so Mikey had chosen to take her under his protection. In an incredibly dramatic fashion, of course.
It wasn’t her place to judge.
“We’ve circulated George’s picture around,” Rocco said. “None of our guys have reported recognizing him yet. It’s still possible someone on the street level just hasn’t checked their messages, but I wouldn’t bet on those odds.”
“I was thinking about reaching out to some of my daytime associates, as well,” Senior said. “A few of them have less thansavory characters in their pockets for collection tasks, or know the type. It might give us a direction.”
Alessa inclined her head. “I’ll heed your discretion on that,” she said carefully. She weighed her next words for a moment, but probably the information was important enough to make clear, so she took the risk. Even if saying the words felt almost as surreal as it had to hear them just a few hours earlier. “Are you aware that the woman being targeted is Michele De Salvo’s fiancée?” She herself had only learned the news when she had been informed of her eminent trip to Las Vegas.
It might have shocked her more if she weren’t half-numb inside.
Both Cavallos nodded, and Senior replied, “Yes, Mr. De Salvo made that clear when he called me initially. Not that we wouldn’t have been happy to help, regardless.”
Alessa rested her elbows on her knees. “So you understand why it’s important we find the source and put it down before they can send any other threats.”
“Absolutely,” Senior said, voice firm. He motioned to the side, toward his son and the men at the end of the sitting area. “I may be busy, but Ignazio will be available to you whenever you need. And I’m clearing Rocco’s schedule so he can also be available. I realize you are unfamiliar with the city, but please be assured we will get you anywhere you need to go. As you are here on behalf of the man who kept my family afloat when I was at my weakest, I will spare no resource to repay that debt now.”
Alessa held her tongue for a moment, studying his body language as much as his words. She watched Rocco’s reactionin her peripheral vision and noted the absolute stillness in Emanuele and Ignazio. The latter pair gave every indication of being well-trained soldiers, that didn’t bother her. And as far as she could tell, Don Cavallo was entirely sincere. Or a fabulous liar.
She decided to hope it was the former, straightened, and smiled. “I appreciate that greatly. I’ll try not to be too rough on your men.”
She thought she saw amusement flicker in the older man’s eyes.
“Well, if that’s still all we know, then I would like for you to put out those feelers as soon as you’re able. In the meantime, I’m exhausted, so I think I’ll rest up before I hit the streets— unless something happens. You should have my number?”
“We do,” Senior confirmed. “It was provided with your information.” He looked to his side. “I suspect she doesn’t have yours, son.”
Alessa thought she saw Rocco’s eyebrow twitch, but he swiftly reached into his suit pocket and extracted his phone. “Let me remedy that.” His eyes suddenly met hers and she felt her phone buzz in her jeans pocket. “Done.”
Heat threatened to crawl up her neck and Alessa fought it down. There was no sense getting flustered over being texted by a man she was going to be working with, a man she already knew had her number.I’m just tired.Alessa obligingly pulled out her phone and tapped open the message attached to the unfamiliar number. It was literally just a greeting and the words ‘here’s Ignazio’ beside a second number.
Which was actually thoughtful.
Alessa lowered the device rather than derailing their conversation to add the two numbers just yet. “Thank you.” She had to swallow back his name before it could fall from her lips. He may have given her permission to use it, but this wasn’t the kind of setting where that was okay.
Senior stood. “Well, you go on and rest up. I imagine you’ll be busy starting tomorrow. The restaurant opens at five, and serves breakfast until two. Don’t be shy.”
Alessa stood, as did Rocco, and she bent briefly forward again. “Thank you,” she repeated. “I’ll definitely partake of that in the morning.” She waved her phone before tucking it away. “Please don’t hesitate to contact me if anything develops in the meantime. Goodnight.”
Senior smiled, but it was Rocco who spoke, hands tucked into his pockets, “Goodnight, Ms. Adimari. We’ll speak tomorrow.”
