Pearce Hudson: #1 My Italian Devil

17.Let the game begin

"Pearce we're talking about your brother," Jones said over the phone.
"You don't think I know that?" I rubbed my eyes. "Sorry. That was rude."
"We've been watching the house for a while," Jessica shouted for Jones to hear. "Paul is inside."
Jones sighed loudly on the phone, "Ross and Green are on their way. Don't let your parents see. We have a holding warehouse near the office follow the guys. I'll see you there."
Just as I put the phone down, Green's s black SUV pulled up to the house. Ross knocked the door and Paul himself opened the door.
"Here we go," Jessica commented.
Ross and Green walked on either side of Paul like bodyguards. Mackenzie was also at the door yelling. Paul yelled back, "Call Pearce!"
The SUV raced by and I followed. Call Pearce? Yeah when you need me.
I dialed Peter's number as I drove.
"Hey," he answered after two rings.
"My team just picked up Paul for questioning."
"What?! Why?"
"We discovered some intel that Alessandra's mom was a prostitute smuggled in from Russia by Dante's father."
"You think Paul knew about Dante's father ' business?"
"It's a possibility. Or Paul knew about that Alessandra's moms situation. Either way he's not a suspect. We're bringing him in for questioning. Look I can't be biased about it. If he's a suspect I can't look over it."
"What do you want me to do?"
"I'm texting you an address. Just come there."
"I'll see you there."
The warehouse looked any ordinary warehouse by the docks. Except this one housed our extra cars, our firepower, the spy equipment, the holding cells and our mission money. Ross and Green sat Paul down at one of the tables. He's not a suspect so no holding cell for him, I told myself.
"So who's interrogating him?" Ross asked. We stood outside the warehouse.
"I'd love to have a go," Jessica said cracking her knuckles.
"Let me talk to him. He's brother he won't lie to me," I told them.
"He's still your brother," Ross pointed out. "Let me and Brad try first."
"We'll keep the coms on," Green shook his phone.
The doors closed as the men walked in. Their footsteps sounded on the phone as they walked, I assumed to the table.
"Sorry to keep you waiting Mr. DeNiro," Green said.
"I'm not saying anything until my attorney gets here," Paul snapped.
"Mr. DeNiro you're not a suspect here. We believe you may be able to help us with a case."
"Like I said I'm not saying anything until my attorney gets here."
"Mr. DeNiro-"
"Not a word until my sister gets here!"
"Your sister?" Ross asked in a confused voice.
"Yes Pearce DeNiro. Everyone's entitled to one phone call. I need to call my sister."
Jones's car pulled up as Ross and Green came out of the warehouse.
"What took you so long?" Jessica asked.
"Traffic," Jones replied. "Anyway did he say anything."
"He wants his 'attorney'," Ross said making quotation marks.
"Well you've played good cops now time for bad cop," Jessica crackled her knuckles once more.
"Lady you have serious issues," Ross commented.
"Let Pearce and I question him," Jones said folding up his shirt sleeves.
"Come on Scully," I said opening the warehouse doors.
"No you're Scully," Jones replied.
"I'm Mulder. You're definitely Scully."
"Am I a 5 ft woman with red hair?"
"Just on the inside."

Paul stood up as he saw me, "How did you know where to find me?"

"Take a seat Mr. DeNiro," Jones said. Paul sat down.

"What's going on?" Paul asked.

"Paul I'm not here as an attorney," I took a seat. "I'm here as a FBI Agent."

"What?!"

"Mr. DeNiro we will be asking the questions," Jones said.

"What do you know of a Maria Andropova?" I asked.

Paul's face went completely blank. "I don't know of any Maria Andropova."

"Mr. DeNiro I'd like to remind you that you're not a suspect here. And you could held in contempt of withholding evidence," Jones told him.

"Pearce if this is about Mackenzie-"

"Paul this isn't a personal agenda. This could be pivotal to the case," I explained.

"What case?" Paul questioned.

"To catch Dante Capaldi," Jones answered.

"I thought he escaped to Italy," Paul arched his eyebrows.

"Paul answer the question," I insisted.

"He's back isn't he," Paul leaned back in his chair and sighed, then closed his eyes. "Maria was Alessandra's mother. We met when we were 17 at Dante's father's house. Dante said she was a cousin from Russia. She was a beautiful girl and we went out a few times."

"How did you learn that she was a prostitute?" Jones asked.

"After she was pregnant she came to me and told me. We decided to keep the baby. I told her I'd look after her. I told her I'd make sure she wouldn't have to go...back. She promised to tell no one that she was a prostitute."

"Why did you tell mom or dad or the police?" I inquired.

"I was 17 I thought I was going to go to jail if the cops found out."

"At that time where was Maria Andropova living?" Jones asked as I jotted down notes.

"At Dante's dad's house before and after she was pregnant."

"Is it true that she died of child birth?" I asked.

"I don't know...if it's true. We came back the morning after Alessandra was born. The doctor said Maria died because of a bleeding placenta after the delivery. Her body was taken by 'family'."

"One more question," I said. "Why not tell Mackenzie?"

"Because she would want to know everything! I couldn't tell her I hooked up with a prostitute and got her pregnant! I loved Alessandra. But she's gone, Pearce. Please don't drag my family through the mud. I just want to move on."

We gathered back outside. "His story does hold up about Maria's death," Green said. "I had Viv pull up her death certificate."

"I can't believe he never told the cops this," I shook my head. "There would've been some more evidence on Alessandra's kidnapping."

"Still wouldn't have made a difference," Ross said "Smith would've gotten rid of the evidence or something."

My phone rang and I excused myself from the group and answered the phone.

"Pearce it's me," Jack said.

"Yeah what's up?"

"Dante's going to a conference at the Ritz-Carlton tonight. AJ Peterson, the CEO of Peterson industries has a new weapon, which Dante is hoping acquire. Dante has a suite booked. During the conference he probably won't be carrying around the red ledger."
"That gives us the best opportunity!" I exclaimed.
"I'll be on the job so don't expect a call. The conference starts at 6."
"Thanks for the heads up. Bye."
The group had began discussions about how to continue and what to do next. Peter's car pulled. He got out and waved to me.
"I think I just received the best news ever. My informant just told Dante is going to a weapons conference at the Ritz-Carlton. He booked a suite. My informant thinks he's going to keep the red ledger in the room while he's at the conference."
"That's music to my ears," Jones grinned.
"The conference starts at 6, so that gives us plenty of time to come up with a story, find a way to get in and secure the parameters," I added.
"Ross and Green go set up parameters. Take Newman with to hack into the hotel security. I'll get Vivian to find a way in. Jessica and Pearce do background searches on the guests. We need info on all attendees," Jones ordered.
"This may be our only chance to get that ledger," Jessica said. "Let's not mess this up."
I crossed my arms over my chest and looked up at the sky, "Let the game begin."