Page 21 of No Merciful Corruption

My jaw tightens but the smile never wavers. This time, Detective Carson smiles back with a smugness I’d like to wipe off his face. “Black father, Cuban mother.”

“Miss Rosario,” Detective Wilson rises from his seat in an attempt to mediate between us. “We’d appreciate it if at a time of your earliest convenience, you and⁠—”

The front door opens and closes and a gust of wind sweeps through the first floor of the house. A moment later, Alejandro steps into the foyer as he removes his scarf, lips pursed as if to speak. Upon realizing we have company, his jaw tightens and he rises to his full height, something he rarely ever does.

“Detectives,” he says by way of greeting and dumps a handful of grocery bags on the floor. “I thought I made it clear that the next time I caught you speaking to her alone, I’d have your badges.”

Detective Wilson remains calm and unshaken. “We just had a few⁠—”

“Ask her another question and I’ll make you eat your gun. Get out.”

Detective Carson is young in his field and out for blood. The chip on his shoulder prevents him from making level-headed decisions which is why he has the audacity to cross the parlor and stand toe-to-toe with a man nearly half a foot taller than him.

“If house visits are such an inconvenience, then we’d be happy to make an accommodation down at the station.”

I can’t help but admire him for it. Alejandro is, well…intimidating to put it lightly. Carson isn’t backing down.

“Come back with a warrant, Detectives,” I stand and motion for the exit. “Either way, the next time we speak it’ll be with a lawyer present. Enjoy the rest of your morning.”

Detective Wilson is the first to leave and the way he grabs onto the back of Carson’s collar like a dog on a leash doesn’t evade my notice. The movement is subtle and he attempts to conceal it by giving his partner a pat on the shoulder. As Wilson ushers Carson out of my house, I head toward the windows and push the curtains aside. Heated words are thrown back and forth but too muffled for me to hear. Wilson attempts to calm Carson down but he spins on the balls of his feet and storms down 92nd Street.

I let out a deep breath. “Get Sasha on the phone.”

Alejandro lifts the device to his ear. “Already on it.”

He disappears into the hall and I help Doña Ana clean up. “If they come by again, don’t open the door.”

Her brown eyes glisten with concern. “My English is good. I can answer questions.”

I touch her shoulder. “It’s not that. I know you can I just don’t trust them not to misconstrue anything you say. Besides, they have no reason to interrogate you. Okay?”

She rubs her hands down the length of her skirt and lowers her head slightly before nodding.

I kiss her cheek. “I’ll bring this to the kitchen. Do you mind finishing the laundry for me? I put a few bedsheets to dry about an hour ago and they should be done by now.”

She squeezes my hand before leaving and I pick up the last grocery bag Alejandro left abandoned in the hall while balancing the coffee tray on my other hip. I head to the kitchen where Alejandro paces restlessly.

“—spoke to the Police Commissioner?”

I catch the tail end of his sentence and he stops to drag a hand down the length of his face. A beat passes and he listens intently before turning to begin unpacking the bags on the counter. He looks around as if expecting to find another when our gazes meet. I lift the bag in question and he bolts across the kitchen to take it from me.

“How many times do I have to tell you to stop lifting things?” he whispers. A voice comes from the phone and he rolls his eyes. “Not you.”

He grabs the grocery bag first and then the tray, both of which he deposits on the kitchen island. I sit on one of the stools and start unpacking. Apples, grapes, pineapple.

“That’s exactly what I don’t want.” He awaits Sasha’s response. “Antonov, I don’t give a shit. Either handle it or I will.”

He hangs up and tosses his phone onto the counter.

“You seem upset.”

“I’m not upset!” he snaps. “I’m⁠—”

I quirk a brow at him and he stops to take a deep breath.

“I told you not to let them in the house if they came around.”

“Don’t you think it would’ve been suspicious if I hadn’t?” I unpack the bananas and a bag of oranges. “Wilson doesn’t seem like much of a threat.”