Cut Too Deep (40 page)

“Treat her right, Mr. Genetti.”

The slight threat in his tone was intentional. Miller appreciated the warning and smiled.

“I intend to, Detective.”

“So, what’s up, little one. Why did you need to see me?”

Hadley sat next to Don on her couch. Miller rested on the arm next to her with his hand on her shoulder. Hadley detailed the nonconsensual relationship she was forced into with her former guardian.

There were points when Miller didn’t think he possessed the strength to sit still. His urge to seek out and destroy her former guardian were nearly stronger than his will. He was proud of her for reporting him, but Miller still wanted the kind of justice only his family could deliver. He respected her too much to go against her wishes, though. She was doing the noble thing.

Judging by Don McAllister’s reaction, he felt as enraged as Miller. Don listened to her speak. In his mind, she spoke as the fragile eight-year-old he discovered all those years ago. He felt strangled by the dander wrapping around his throat as she fought to keep composed. Her strength was amazing and her reporting it was commendable. Most women didn’t. The statistics were astonishing. Approximately sixty percent of sexual-assault victims maintained their silence out of fear. Even worse, around ninety-seven percent of rapists never spend a day in jail.

Don had dealt with his share of these revolting excuses for men, psychopaths that harbored little, if any, remorse. They couldn’t be rehabilitated. He fought with countless District Attorneys, who’d negotiated slaps on the wrists with Public Defenders for these men, only to see them reoffend a few years later, repeating the judicial misstep with another light sentence.

As Don listened to Hadley, he vowed that wouldn’t be the case for her. Her guardian was the lowest form of pedophile. Duwatski knew her history and was in a position to make a positive impact of her young life. Instead, he used his authority to manipulate her into a relationship of sexual imprisonment. It made Don literally sick to his stomach. He excused himself to her restroom and emptied the contents of his breakfast into her toilet. His brow was covered in sweat. He wiped it and then rinsed out his mouth before returning to the living room.

Don apologized and sat back on the couch.

“There’s more,” Miller began, “I had an investigator look into things. This animal has ties to Abram Vasilievich.”

Don knew the Russian Mob leader well. The department had numerous ongoing investigations into his criminal organization. They had several undercover officers over the years who attempted to infiltrate the group, and they either failed or turned up dead. If it was dirty or perverse in New York City, Vasilievich had his hands in it.

“Truthfully, that doesn’t surprise me.”

“This might,” Miller added. “At some point before Vitale Rosanov died, he was into Vasilievich for a large gambling debt. As retribution and to settle the debt, Harold Duwatski covered the amount in exchange for Hadley. My investigator is still looking into it, but the assumption for now is that Vasilievich had plans to kidnap Hadley before Vitale died. Once she was on the state's radar, Vasilievich must have gotten spooked. Duwatski felt entitled to her still and made arrangements to be her guardian.”

“Can you prove any of it?”

“Not yet, but my guy is working on it,” Miller answered.

“That’s huge if we can prove it. Vasilievich has been pimping young girls locally for years. We can’t touch him.”

Hadley assumed her case was isolated, that sex trafficking meant girls were shipped overseas and sold.

“This happens often?” she asked.

Don closed his eyes, his brow creased when he opened them.

“I’m afraid so. The neighborhood pimp no longer wears a floppy hat, flashing gold teeth. The business of sex trafficking is modern day slavery. Prostitution is more profitable than ever. It’s the fastest growing business of organized crime.”

“Oh, my God.” Hadley swung her head to Miller. Before she could say it, Miller responded.

“No! Jesus, Hadley. The Lorinos maintain a level of respectably.”

“It’s never been the way for old Mafia. Women and children have always been off limits in that regard,” Don elaborated. “But the modern day Mob, particularity the Russians, play by a different set of rules. They seek out runaways, or throw-away youths, that sadly no one will miss, mainly young girls. They prey on these girls, offering them a better life, and often force them into drug use to control them. I suspect your home life made both Duwatski and Vasilievich see you as an easy target.”

“God!” Hadley felt sick, not only for herself, but so many young girls suffering worse than she had. Turning Duwatski in became all the more meaningful for her. “Will you be able to stop Vasilievich?”

The detective’s grim expression answered before he did.

“I doubt anything we find on Duwatski will be solid enough to charge Vasilievich. He’s careful. If we did, it wouldn’t put a dent in the trafficking business. There are thousands willing to take his place.”

Processing and understanding how a dark and sleazy world existed in every US neighborhood, in backyards everywhere, was daunting.

“What’s next? What do I have to do? Duwatski may be a crumb in the industry, but he needs to answer for his crimes.”

“I’ll file the charges for the sexual assault, but you should know, this is going to get ugly. If we can prove a human trafficking connection and we find the photos Duwatski has of you, then we’re talking child pornography and sex trafficking, too. Those are big charges with stiff penalties. I’ll warn you, as far as sex crimes go, the courts tend to go easy on first offenders. Without the other charges, I’m afraid he won’t serve much time, but his career will be over, and he’ll be registered as a sex offender for life.”

“It’s not the term of the sentence I care about, or ruining him. It’s about taking a stand and setting an example.”

“Still staying tough, little one. He’s going to make this painful. I’ve dealt with these men before. His attorney is going to attempt to paint a very vivid picture of a troubled girl that seduced her guardian and made up lies when he refused her.”

Hadley did feel tough, finally. After years of being weak and afraid, she’d had enough.

“I’m ready for whatever he’s got. I’m not afraid of him. I’ve spent too many years hiding. I’m ready to live.”

“I couldn’t be prouder of you.” Hadley felt how much the detective cared about her when he hugged her. “Okay, I’ll file a report today and see what I can do about securing a warrant before he gets wind of this. I’ll keep you both posted, and Mr. Genetti, I’d appreciate you keeping me up to date with whatever you’re investigator finds out.”

“Absolutely.”

They showed Don to the door. Miller offered to walk him down.

Once they were outside, Miller put on a serious face and addressed the detective.

“I have nothing but respect for you, but excuse me if I have little faith in your department. I distance myself as much as possible from Lorino business. I’ve made a promise to Hadley to keep them out of it, but if the ball is dropped here by incompetent police work, I won’t hesitate to break that promise. I know you’re well aware of the tension between the Lorinos and Vasilyevich’s organization. I suggest you stay on top of this if you don’t want a war on your hands.”

Mr. Genetti’s feelings for Hadley were more serious than he realized. Don assumed with Miller’s reputation, he wasn’t in the relationship for the long haul. Clearly, he was wrong.

“I’m glad she has you. Depending on where this investigation goes, she may need your family to intervene. I’m going to leave now and pretend I didn’t hear you. Stay in touch.”

Miller rubbed his chin as he watched the detective walk away. Apparently Don McAllister cared enough about the woman he loved to ignore his family’s involvement. Miller had always respected the detective, but now, he actually liked him too.

Hadley was in the kitchen when Miller returned to the apartment. Her expression regarded him suspiciously.

“What was that about?”

“I offered Don a friendly reminder about the consequences for sloppy police work.”

“I meant what I said. I don’t want your family involved.”

“As long as the detective does his job, they won’t have to be.”

Hadley didn’t argue. If the police couldn’t put her former guardian away, she welcomed another form of punishment. Either way, Harold Duwatski would pay for what he put her through.

The rest of the week revolved around anxiously waiting to hear from Don. Miller had spoken with him Thursday afternoon and learned an arrest was imminent.

Hadley went about her life as normally as possible, working and having lunch with Mac. Her friend still knew nothing of her past with her guardian as she decided it was best not to share until Duwatski was locked away. She declined to go dancing with him, making up excuses about being busy. Her former guardian had followed her before, and Hadley didn’t want to be out for him to find.

Mac suspected more. He could feel it, but didn’t inquire. Hadley invited him to the polo match as her guest. She was relieved when he accepted, although he would be meeting her there because he didn’t want to feel like a third wheel. Miller would be occupied during the match and didn’t want her to be alone, but she didn’t want to hang out with Antonio or Armonno for the event.

Her evenings belonged to a man who worshipped her body in a way she never knew possible or that she would willingly accept. With Miller, there was no hurry to finish, and, evidently, he needed little sleep. Her body experienced stages of orgasm she thought only existed in the pages of romance novels. Had she been aware of what she was missing out on, she would have approached him sooner. Of course, that wasn’t true. The series of events that led up to their passion was necessary for her to trust him enough to bring her the pleasure he so often did.

Friday they had dinner at Miller’s parents’ house again. Per the norm in his family, everyone was in attendance, including a few new faces. Their welcoming nature still amazed Hadley. She wondered how they would feel when everything came out. She knew Vito was aware of what was coming, but wasn’t positive about the rest of them.

Hadley adored Adele. She missed the twins as they were with their father for the weekend. The two women spent several hours chatting. Hadley learned Adele’s husband abandoned her when the twins were three to move upstate with some home-wrecker. Hadley was appalled, but Adele made her laugh when she spoke of what her ex-husband conceded to for fear Vito would pay him a visit. She also shared how much effort it took to keep her father from doing exactly that. Adele wouldn’t allow anything to happen to the father of her children, regardless of how their relationship crumbled. She admitted they’d been too young, pregnant at sixteen, married the minute they turned eighteen. As it turned out, her ex was a terrific father and tried to do right by the mother of his children.

H
adley got ready for the polo match while Miller worked for a couple of hours in his study. She wore a dress Miller picked out when he insisted on taking her shopping. It was lovely. The sheer apricot fabric flowed to her ankles. Sleeveless, it buttoned up the front and gathered at the waist with a thin brown leather belt. She felt him at the doorway while fastening the buckle on her sandals that matched the belt perfectly.

“Are you just going to stare at me?” Hadley teased, standing and smoothing the fabric at her thighs.

Miller approached slowly. With one hand, he draped her long dark hair over her shoulder on one side and kissed her neck.

“I don’t often see things beautiful enough to stare at.”

She blushed.

“You’re sweet.” Miller tasted the words on his lips. It wasn’t one he often heard to describe him, but he loved she thought so. “And, beautiful too.”

Miller cocked a dark eyebrow and made a face. “I don’t think so.”

Hadley laughed, her gaze drinking him in. Casual in dark jeans and a pale gray button-up rolled at the sleeves, he was stunning. She figured that would go over as well as beautiful. “Oh, ruggedly handsome then. How’s that?”