His Mafia Queen

Chapter 3

"I value my life, detective and I want to live it." I told him flatly for the tenth time. We have been doing this for an hour now and it was getting beyond boring.

"You are the only witness to this crime. Any crime in fact that involves Angelo Ricci." The detective pointed out. I could tell he too was bored but also frustrated and the small vein on his forehead was starting to bulge. I could tell Detective Moreau was holding back his rage as he squeezed his hands in to balls of fists.

"And if I testify, he will be sent to jail. He will still have control over his thugs and they will still come after me and kill me." I gritted my teeth. I was borderline between wanting to bang my head against the desk from boredom and wanting to release the fire within me to prove I want to live and for once in my life, I want something good for me.

"But you will be saving many lives." Moreau and I were really butting heads. We could not see eye to eye.

"Didn't you just hear me? He will still be operating his Mafia or whatever little gang he has!" I cried out. The coffee long gone as I sighed and sat back, wanting to win this argument but wanting defeat as well. "I don't suppose Italy has the death penalty?" I asked in a low tone, hoping for a yes.

Detective Moreau shook his head. "No."

I licked my lips and squeezed my eyes shut for a couple seconds before looking into his dark eyes. I could see the hunger in his eyes, him wanting something so badly, not caring who is in the way. Is this fight with Angelo Ricci? Am I the obstacle in the way?

Of course you are, the inner voice of mine laughed at me.

"I don't want to testify. I don't care how he gets the message, but tell him, I won't testify if it lets me keep my life." It was a bold demand but I need to know if I can make this meeting negotiable.

The detective sighed in defeat. "I wish you will reconsider." He said in a calmer tone as I stared at him blankly.

"What can I do to make you reconsider?" What is this? I asked in my head. Is he trying to play the good cop bad cop routine on me? I frowned deeply. What game is he playing?

"I'm sorry. But no. I want my freedom. I want to walk down the street without someone following me. Leave my place without being reported about. What are his crimes? Is it really worth me flying to Rome?"

"I can't release that, but if you testify, we are looking at fifteen years behind bars." Was his confident voice.

I nodded slowly. "And I will be thirty-three." I told him. "What if I have someone in my life? A family to care for? What then? Pray for the day I come home to find my family murdered before me? Tell him I won't testify." I growled out, leaning forward. "Tell that son of a bitch that if he lets me be, let's me have my life, I won't testify." Now I was standing my ground.

"Miss Galloway, your statement is on record already. If you won't testify, we can still use your statement as proof. It might only get him a couple years in jail, but it's there." Detective Moreau snapped making me jump.

"Then I withdraw it!" I replied with as much vigour.

I watched the man's jaw clench as he stared at me. We were at a staring competition for a few minutes before he looked away and took out his phone, pushing down on the screen until he found what he was after. While he did that, Detective Moreau knocked on the door and it opened, someone handing him a folder before leaving again as the detective placed the folder on the table and locking his phone and shoved that back into his pockets.

"Open it." He told me.

I hesitantly did, letting my fingers hover over the folder before opening it and gasped at the first thing I saw.