The World in Reverse by Latrivia Nelson Page B

the force. She nodded at Johnson and then stuck her hand out to shake Agosto’s hand. “So, do you think that this guy had something to do with the Baby Boy murders? Cuz I was told you guys weren’t working shit else until you solved it.”
    “He may have had some useful information that could have helped us,” Agosto said, careful not to give too much away. “Why’d you call Johnson on this?”
    Johnson looked over at Nicola and scratched the back of his neck. Where was the trust?
    Detective Graham smiled at Johnson. “He asked me to give him a call on any murders until he cracked the case.” She turned looking at Twist. “So you think he had something to do with it?” She asked again, just in case Nicola didn’t hear her the first time.
    “No,” Nicola answered finally. “I just think that he could have helped.”
    “Any possible idea of who might have killed him?” she asked, yawning. “I scratch your back. You scratch mine.”
    Nicola rested his hands on the back of his head and yawned also. “Cane. His partner. He’s got a rap sheet a mile long. You might want to start by dusting the truck for his prints. I’m sure you’ll find them, and I’m sure that he’ll say that they lived together and shared the damned thing.”
    “When you say partner?” she looked over at Nicola suggestively.
    “I mean business partner,” Nicola said, shaking his head.
    “Hey, it’s a new world. You have to be very specific these days,” she said with a chuckle.
    Nicola stepped closer to the scene. “Did you find anything in his truck? Any data devices or anything?” He looked back at her.
    “Not yet, but I’ll let you know once we haul it in to check it out,” Graham said, seeing that one of her detectives needed her elsewhere. “I’ll get back with you boys later.”
    Nicola moved closer to the truck and looked inside without contaminating the scene.
    Twist’s eyes were still open. His dead gaze was set on the wall across from him. Evidently, someone had stepped in front of the car and gotten his attention. But the shot that had ended his life, came from the driver side window. Blood splatter indicated it and the large hole on the side of his head and body. His right hand was still clenching the gun but the poor bastard never got a shot off.
    While Nicola was looking inside, Johnson gave Graham the skinny on The Fly Boys and their operations before they gracefully bowed out.
    “You want to go down to the coroner’s o ffice with the body?” Johnson asked.
    “Nah,” Nicola said, looking at his watch. Damn it was getting late. “Just tell Amy to call me if she finds anything that might be useful.”
    “Will do,” Johnson said, fishing his keys out of his pocket. “So…you wanna tell me how you got to be rich?”
    “I’m not rich,” Nicola said in a matter-of-fact tone.
    “Well, how’d you get the house?” Johnson probed.
    Nicola spun around aggravated at Johnson and the hour.
    Johnson put up his hands defensively. “Hey, I’m a detective. You can’t expect me not to be naturally curious. If you’re on the take, then just…”
    Nicola wouldn’t even let him finish that statement. “My family has money. I have money. My wife makes a good life for herself, over six digits. We’re blessed. Now end of discussion about my finances. I haven’t been on the take, and I’m not ever going to be on the fucking take. I’d rather die first.” He raised his brow. “Anything else, detective. You wanna know if I’m a boxers or brief kind of guy?”
    “Yeah as a matter of fact, I do have one more question. Does your wife have a si ster…with money?” Johnson asked with a smile.
    “Get the fuck out of here,” Nicola said, shaking his head. “No, she doesn’t, but she does have a very beautiful brother if you’re in to that sort of thing.”
    Johnson laughed. “Yeah, well, I’m sure that you’ve heard this a thousand times before, but you have a beautiful house, a beautiful wife and a