A Descent into Darkness

Salerno

I barge into Adam Roskovitz's office, just after ten am, with the intention of tearing him a new one and to make sure he's earning the shit ton of money I paid him. He's sitting behind the desk, and doesn't look in the least bit surprised to see me.

"Ah, Ms. Kowalski, how are you?"

My aggressive feelings evaporate at the mention of my real name, which I am neither dressed to resemble, nor did I ever mention to this man. My thoughts immediately move to the knife in my waistband. It would be dangerous using it on this guy due to the heat it would bring thanks to his status as a former investigator for the prosecution, as well as his past as a political operative. But those very facts mean there would be plenty of plausible suspects, from people he got convicted to some batshit crazy liberal the people I killed last night were trying to expose.

Adam apparently notes the shift in power dynamic, because he says, "Huh, I see the name your crush's men gave me was correct."

I'm not completely frozen on the spot. "What do you mean, her men?"

"You really have no idea who she is, do you?"

"Umm, no. Otherwise, why would I have hired you? A decision, I am starting to seriously question, I might add."

Adam, I'm only thinking of him by his first name because that last name is so hard to pronounce, motions toward the seat across from him. "I assume you have some questions for me, so why don't you have a seat and I will answer them for you. Believe it or not, I actually think you'll come away satisfied."

"That's awfully confident, coming from someone who said he didn't need personal information from his clients."

"I didn't look into you," he counters, before motioning to the chair again. "Just sit, and I will provide the clarity you're looking for."

"Fine," I take a seat with a furious look, masking how terrified I am. If this guy's learned my real name, what else does he know? I just got MonkeyLover off my back, and that's most likely just temporary, I don't need anyone other than Eve causing problems for me now.

"So," Adam leans back in his chair, "about twenty minutes after you left, I was preparing to get to out and start on your case, when I get another knock on my door. The personal bodyguard and associate of Enzo Salerno."

"Enzo Salerno? Why does that name sound familiar?"

"Because he's the long time attorney, and right hand man, of Antonio Salvini," he replies.

"Of the Salvini crime family?" I ask, stunned. "What did he want?"

"He wanted to know why you had hired me."

I feel my heart pounding in my throat. Like rapists, my father also refuses to defend members of the Salvini crime family. But unlike rapists, whom he refuses to defend because he's disgusted with the act, he avoids defending member of the family in order to stay alive. A guilty verdict in a Salvini trial is guaranteed to get the lawyer killed. If I've run afoul of the Salvini's, my best chance at staying alive is to head straight to the nearest police station, confess to all my crimes, get a life sentence, kill someone in prison, and get moved to a super max facility. But no need to jump to worst case scenarios yet. Perhaps it's all a misunderstanding? Yeah, I don't buy that either.

"And why does the right hand of Mr. Salvini care if I'm asking for personal details of a police officer?" I ask, unable to avoid trembling all together.

"Because that police officer," Adam says, clearly enjoying the suspense, "is his daughter."

My eyes widen. "Excuse me? His daughter?"