Nicola sat in the bar across the street from where Casey was sitting with a blonde in her lap. That was the last face her parents had seen before they were killed like dogs in the street. There was no doubt in her mind—that piece of shit was responsible for their deaths, and she was going to pay, along with her bitch of a wife, Abigail. She’d seen Abigail in the hospital, but somehow she’d gotten in and out without her figuring out how she was arriving, and where she was going.

“If you hit her, you might want it to be quick and unexpected,” Nina said as she sat next to her. “She might not look like much, but Casey has an impressive organization that had nothing to do with your business. Are you sure this is who you’re looking for?”

“Do you think Abigail armed herself and shot my parents?” She tapped on Nina’s forehead hard enough to make her flinch. “Think.”

“I am thinking,” Nina said, backing away from her. “What would Casey gain from their deaths? She has nothing to do with anything that would encroach on our business.”

“The most logical answer is Abigail somehow got to her.” She stopped talking when that theory sounded crazy even to her, but she knew she was right. “Papa was here to talk to her about helping him find Abigail,” she said. “Less than two hours later, he and Mama are dead. Explain that to me.”

“I can’t, but I also know we don’t have the muscle to get into a war we can’t win. Hate me if you want, but you have to concentrate on solidifying your hold on the family. The person we should be looking for is Linda. She holds the answers to what happened to Yury and your mother. Their deaths are on Linda’s head as much as whoever pulled the trigger.”

“She’ll be easy enough to find once I’m done with this bitch. I’m sure her parents died at home in their own beds.”

Nina shook her head and appeared to be losing patience. “Her father was killed by her cousin, and her mother was killed by an enemy. They died much like your parents, so I think she understands the lack of honor it takes to kill someone like that.” Nina tilted her head toward Cain. “Her sister was gang-raped, then killed by her cousin and two other men. This is a woman who understands pain and loss.”

“Perhaps, but I don’t give a shit about any sad stories.” She clenched her fist and hit the table to emphasize her point for the last time. “Stick to the subject before I beat it into you. Do you know where Abigail is?”