Page 45 of Mafia Scars

“I’d taken all manner of steps to make sure Tag never found out that I was guilty of ruining his life.” Raphael sighed and bit the inside of his lip, taking a moment to think before continuing. “When Amelia left home, I was terrified for her safety but then I realized it was a good thing. It kept her out of harm’s way. Better for her to be away from here and me. I don’t know how he found out what I did, but he did, and I knew that the only thing left in my life that I held dear was my child. He confirmed my fears with a phone call. He told me he figured it all out and he’d be going after her. That was when he tracked her to LA. At that point, though, he didn’t know her identity.”

I should have followed my initial suspicions. At the time when I was sent to LA, I’d foolishly thought Raphael hid her away from us because she became a cop.

It was all beginning to make sense now.

“I’m certain that my father would have understood what was going on.”

He shook his head. “No, he would not. Because friendship means everything to him, and trust. He would never forgive me for my betrayal, especially because what I did was really bad. Blood for blood. That’s what Tag wants. So, he hired the best people to make it happen.”

Jesus Christ, I wanted to know what Raphael had done. I wanted to come to grips with all of it, but he was just going to dance around his confession.

“Victor, who I thought was dead.” I offered up. I didn’t know where the man had been all these years and how he managed to stay off grid. “And Demarco one of the biggest drug lords on this side of the planet.”

“And others. There were people trying to find out who Amelia was, and there’s someone at the station who is close to her.”

“Who is it?” That made me sick. The only people who were that close to Amelia were Sinclaire, Jefferson, and Holloway. I ruled Sinclaire out because he wouldn’t have arranged for himself to get shot and he cared too much for her.

So, Jefferson and Holloway…

I’d never figured either of them to be that way, but I had to keep reminding myself that everyone had their price.

I went over all that I’d seen about those two in my mind.

They were guys I could easily get on with. Nothing stood out about either of them that told me anything.

“I don’t know who it is.”

“What about Roose?”

“Roose is clean. He’s been trying to figure out things from his end. I gave him a substantial pay raise. I knew once Tag found out who Amelia was that she’d be in danger. So, I got my people too.”

He focused on me.

“Me included.”

“Mainly, Luc. You are my best man here. You are ruthless, but you do what you need to in the best way possible without greed. I couldn’t have gone myself because I’m sick. I doubt I have long left because the tumors are growing as we speak. I don’t even know if I’ll see us through this, but I’ll try my best.”

“What did Tag do to you to cause all this?”

That was the question of the hour. The cause.

He thought I was ruthless. Nah, he was ruthless and one mean son of a bitch when it came to it.

Look at him the wrong way, and he’d kill you.

Tag must have truly pissed him off to bring down his wrath.

“Tag betrayed me in the worst way a friend could betray another. He took something that belonged to me. Something precious and priceless. Something irreplaceable.”

I narrowed my eyes and tried to decipher what he was saying. This was all about a thing?

No way.

It couldn’t be just about a thing.

“Raphael, you have some much. What the hell could he have taken that was worth so much to you?”

“My wife.”