Page 97 of Bronx

“And?”

“And she knew immediately that she couldn’t afford them. She wouldn’t even step through the front door. Told me I was wasting her time.”

“Strong willed, eh? Sounds like a woman I married.”

“Too much pride for her own good,” I say. “I wish she would let me help her.”

Knox looks at me pensively. “Will you be able to use Karma as bait? Don’t you like this girl?”

“She’s a nice girl who happens to be related to a piece of shit. It’s not her fault, but it’s not mine either, and I have to go where the leads take me. Her brother took my voice and I’m going to take his life.”

Knox gives me an affirmative nod of understanding.

“There’s one more piece of information I have to give you.”

“What is it?”

“The address in the file is in the Northeast section of the city.”

“Little Russia?”

“Yeah.”

“Do you think that it’s possible?”

“That for some reason, Lev is either hiding out or dead in Little Russia? I think it’s a strong chance. If it’s an old safe house, a place that’s familiar to him, he may be there. It’s a long shot, but it might work.”

“You want to roll?”

“This is a fact finding mission, not a seek and destroy one. You should take the girl instead. They’ll notice you both right away when you step foot in that hellhole, and if Lev is getting some sort of help over there, they’ll let him know that she’s snooping around. If he’s the brother that she thinks he is, he won’t let anything happen to her. He’ll come out of whatever hole he’s in.”

“And if he’s not there or is already dead?”

“Then you come out of there knowing no less than you already did.”

I cut a piece of steak off and watch as the bloody juices spread across the white plate as a fog of uneasiness spreads inside of my chest.

Will I actually have the heart to use Karma as bait?

33

Bronx

The good monster inside of me stays hidden in my bedroom like a little bitch watching an episode of Sports Center when Karma returns home from work. A small job I arranged for her to get through her agency, which she’ll never know I had anything to do with. If she knew, she never would have taken it.

It’s safe to say that the two of us have been avoiding each other since apartment hunting day, but mainly because I’m making a conscious effort to pull away. The closer I get to finding Lev, the guiltier I feel about what I’m about to do to her.

It’s best this way.

I decided against using Karma as bait during my fishing expedition in Little Russia. It didn’t matter, anyway. Every lead I followed to dead end after dead end. It was always a long shot that I’d find anything useful from a tight-knit community that I have no ties to.

Once I hear the door to the guest room click shut, I make my exit, pretending that the timing is all coincidental.

“Going to run to the store, Karma. You need anything?” I call out.

She surprises me by opening the door and my heart beats a mile a minute. We haven’t exchanged meaningful words with each other in days and damn, she’s looking like a snack.

Cute little t-shirt.