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55

NATALYA LEANED forward and stopped the tape.

"It is embarrassing," she said.

"I'll need to hear it all," Jesse said.

She nodded.

"When I am gone," she said. "It is embarrassing to listen to it."

"Yes," Jesse said.

"Is he caught?" Natalya said.

"You have caught him," Jesse said.

"Good, then I will not have to see him again."

"You will probably have to testify," Jesse said.

She nodded.

"He killed Petrov Ognowski," she said. "My husband. Nicolas Ognowski's son."

Jesse nodded.

"He will not go to trial," she said.

"One of you will kill him?" Jesse said.

"Yes."

"Why did you bring this to me?" Jesse said.

"To be sure," Natalya said. "If somehow he is not killed, you will know. My father-in-law says you are good cop. You would find a way to get him."

"If he is killed," Jesse said, "I'm going to have to come looking for you."

"Of course," Natalya said. "But you will not find us."

"The thing is," Jesse said, "Normie is a nobody. He would have no reason to kill either of those people unless he were told to by Reggie Galen. In fact, he wouldn't dare unless he were told to."

"You think Normie is lying?"

"He might be," Jesse said.

"To impress me?"

"Maybe," Jesse said.

"So maybe I find out who did it and I am wrong?" she said.

"Usually that kind of work for Reggie Galen would be done by a man named Bob Davis."

"So I have failed?"

"No," Jesse said. "You've done a great job. That tape gives me enough leverage on Normie to flip him."

" 'Flip'?"

"Get him to testify for our side, make him a deal."

"So he get away with it?" Natalya said.

"No, he'll do time," Jesse said.

"Not enough," Natalya said.

"We flip him and we can probably roll up everybody involved. He's a blow. Once I've got him, he'll talk to me about everything."

"My father-in-law can do that," Natalya said.

"I'm sure he can," Jesse said. "But with somebody's foot on his neck, how do you know he's telling the truth?"

"How will you?"

"We'll gather evidence."

Natalya leaned back in her chair and crossed her legs and tapped her fingertips together in front of her face.

"Who is this man, Bob Davis."

"Reggie Galen's bodyguard, last I knew," Jesse said. "He's not Normie."

"No?"

"No," Jesse said. "I'm pretty sure he's the real deal."

"You think he kill my husband?"

"I don't know, but let me find out. Otherwise, you could end up killing the wrong man."

"My father-in-law does not care if he kills somebody wrong," she said.

"But you both care," Jesse said, "about killing the right guy."

"Yes."

"If you kill Normie, you may eliminate our only chance to be sure who the right guy is," Jesse said.

"You don't think Normie is the right guy?"

"He might be. He might not be. The point is, even if he is the right guy, he isn't the only right guy. Somebody told him to do it."

Natalya nodded.

"Who?" Jesse said. "Why?"

She nodded again.

"I will discuss with my father-in-law," she said, and stood.

Jesse unplugged the little recorder and took the tape and handed the recorder to Natalya.

"I'll need the tape," he said.

Natalya nodded.

"It is a copy," she said.

"One other thing," Jesse said. "Before you go."

Natalya paused in the doorway.

"It is very brave," Jesse said, "and very smart, what you did."

"I loved my husband," she said.

Jesse nodded.

"And somebody killed him," she said.

Jesse nodded again.

"There has to be payment."

"Yes," Jesse said. "And there will be. Just give me enough time to make sure it's payment in full."

"I will discuss it with my father-in-law," she said.