Whispers in New York - Book Two

~Chapter 43~

Chapter Song

Death Valley – My Jerusalem

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"I want to speak to a lawyer." With arms crossed over her chest Adriana was adamant, there was no way she was budging after being separated from Salvatore.

"That certainly doesn't make you look innocent." Ben O'Conner responded very nonchalantly flashing her a side smirk.

"Oh cut the shìt Officer O'Conner!" She spat his name with an overly sarcastic tone. "Whatever that package was didn't belong to me and you know it!"

"I don't know anything Miss Di Dio. Only that the officers found the package hiding in your desk."

"Am I under arrest or are we making small talk here?"

"We still have a lot of paperwork to process darling, so get comfortable. I'd even suggest you start talking to pass the time."

"I bet that line works with the ladies..." Rolling her eyes she slumped back into her chair. "Where's my lawyer? And where's Salvo?"

Mimicking her steps, Ben slumped back into his seat keeping his eyes well fixated on her. He had to rationalize with her if he wanted to succeed.
"Look Adriana-"

"Miss Di Dio." She corrected him arrogantly, they weren't friends, far from it even, and she had no intention in allowing him to think so.

"Miss Di Dio..." Following her lead by correcting himself. "You seem like a good person, you don't strike me as someone who would willingly break the law, you just don't. Now I know how it is, I know how easy it is to be swayed in this city." His voice now almost a whisper bringing the hostile situation back down a few notches. Kicking and screaming wasn't going to get him what he wanted, not with this one...

"I haven't been swayed."

Raising a hand to strategically stop her from continuing or screaming the place down he smiled when she didn't continue. "There are different ways you can be swayed Miss Di Dio. Turning a blind eye to crime makes you just as involved as the rest of them."

"I don't know who or what you're talking about and I want my lawyer!"

"I get it." Ben continued as if reasoning with her. "He's intriguing, rich; you're drawn to his mysterious personality." He watched as she occasionally fidgeted in her chair. "But once that's all over, once the money has been seized, his mystery becomes an open court battle will all the details laid out on the table. Where will you be then? Going down with them all? Throwing away your entire life for a few New York City gangsters? Or will you be on the side of justice Miss Di Dio? Fighting for the city and all those who lost their lives in all this?"

Silence blanketed the room. He continued to stare her down while Adriana's gaze had shifted downwards. She was staring at her hands, her fingertips fidgeting against each other. Seconds of silence turned to minutes, neither uttering another word waiting for the other to break the deafening silence.

"Officer O'Conner." Adriana finally acknowledged him, her eyes travelling back up to connect with his own. "I'd like my lawyer now."

Ben let out a long frustrated breath of air as he sank further back into his seat before responding. "You were in possession of a lot of narcotics you know?"

"Besides the desk that I sit at officer... You have no link between that package and me. I'm certain. Good luck proving otherwise beyond reasonable doubt."

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"That was one expensive bail out little lady." Luca stated placing his car into gear and gradually moving his car from the parallel street parking space.