King of the Underworld by RJ Kane

Chapter Two Hundred Fifty-Four

Sephie

“So, you really confirmed she’s buying drugs when she goes to the lobby?” Keith asked. It was almost like he was expecting us to tell him his suspicions were false.

“She’s apparently got a nasty little coke habit,” Misha said. He held up the vial he picked off Giana earlier that day.

Keith’s eyes went wide. “That’s what fell out of her purse that day!” he said, pointing to the vial in Misha’s hand.

“If she’s buying that much coke twice a week, she’s got to be staying high almost constantly right now. It’s likely why we haven’t seen much of her. That kind of habit eventually gets difficult to hide.” Ivan said.

“I wonder if that explains her nervousness around you guys from the beginning. I’m positive she caught on to how observant we all are right away. She’s never liked being in the same room as all of us. He ll, she’s never really liked being around us much at all, unless there’s shopping involved,” I said.

“It’s easier to hide when shopping. She can be more animated without arousing suspicion,” Andrei said.

“Have you noticed her having nosebleeds?” Ivan asked Keith.

“She’s had a couple lately. She blames the weather. She says she ha tes it when it gets cold,” Keith said.

“Have you seen Armando questioning her about anything? Not that he would do it in front of you, but I just wonder if he’s noticing any of this,” I asked Keith.

“I haven’t seen anything. Ever since they got into a fight about her basically accusing you of being an addict, which is really ironic now, they’ve had a strained relationship. I think they even slept in separate rooms this past weekend at least one night.. I’ve heard them arguing, but they’re always arguing in Italian so I can’t understand what they’re saying,” he said.

confessing their love for each other and it would probably still sound like a heated argument,” Adrik

of it,” Keith pulled his phone out of his pocket. We all looked at him, somewhat surprised. “I don’t like not being able to understand what’s going on.

well enough from across the office. He tossed his phone to me so I could put it closer to my ear. It was just Armando’s voice, so he wasn’t on speaker. Not that I could’ve understood the other person on this recording. I listened to it a couple of times to make sure I was hearing it correctly. “He’s talking in very vague terms. Saying things like ‘I’ll take care of it’ and “you have to give me time. At the end he says, ‘I

quietly, “if I haven’t told you how grateful I am to have you lately, just know I’m incredibly

could be talking about a business deal that isn’t working out the way it’s supposed to. I would like to stick with that option rather than

want to know the otlier

in reference to either. the ball or the explosion in Italy. Or the failed kidnapping attempt,” Ivan said.

you’d prefer to stick with the first option,” Andrei

three events. His hands found mine and he laced his fingers through mine, keeping my arms on top of his that were wrapped around my waist. “What else did you find out about Giana this afternoon? You guys have been down here all afternoon,

arms as

slipped a note to her dealer. We’re thinking it’s all in reference to Armando’s house, but none of us have been there recently,” Viktor said. He produced the note that I had translated earlier and handed it to Keith. “Can you

“Well, I’m sure you all know his safe is impossible. You have to have Armando to get into that thing, so that checks out.” He read the other three sentences and then read them again. “Top of the stairs, third door

there or is

has a second safe in there, but it’s just like the bigger one in his office. You have to have Armando to get into it,” Keith said. He thought for a few minutes more, studying the note.

walls in his house in Italy.

light bulb turn on in Keith’s head. “That’s what that means. Look, I don’t know art. I couldn’t tell you how much these paintings are worth or even what the paintings are of, in a couple of cases, but he has the majority of paintings in these rooms on the first floor. He has a few upstairs as well, all in his room. Maybe that’s why his room is specifically pointed out. It’s really

can’t access the safe. But stolen art is very hard to sell. Given

family is no longer wealthy,

money she could want with Armando. Why would she be trying to rob him, if not for a larger reason?