Connections in Death (In Death #48)(56)

“We’re not here for coffee.”

At Eve’s flat statement his balance teetered a bit, but he kept up the jovial tone. “Well then! Let’s take this back to my office.”

“Here’s good. We’re here, Mr. Cohen, to discuss your business relationship with Marcus Jones.”

“Business is business. Excuse us, El.”

“She stays,” Eve said. “As Ms. Vinn’s name is on the paperwork in the real estate holdings with you and Mr. Jones, we have questions for her, too.”

“Yeah, how’d that happen, Sam?” Eldena’s voice, no longer cheerful, dripped with venom. “How is it we have real estate, we own buildings, but I’m taking my clothes off five nights a week at the Bump and Bang so we can pay the freaking rent?”

“It’s complicated, baby, complicated. We’ve got some investments. I’m looking out for our future. I’m—”

She jabbed a finger in the air that cut off his words as if she’d sliced his throat.

“You said the only way we could get by, could live in a decent place, was for me to stick with the club while you worked to establish your consulting business. And now there’s real estate, partners with some guy I never heard of. My signature’s on the papers, but you never told me any of this.”

“We’ll talk about all that, don’t you worry, sweetie.” He moved to give her hand a pat, but she jerked away. “What’s the problem?” he demanded of Eve. “It’s not against the law to own property.”

“Your business partner, Marcus Jones, is the current leader of the urban gang known as the Bangers who are known to traffic in illegals, identify theft, the protection racket and the unlicensed sex trade.”

“Oh my God, Sam.” Horror replaced venom. “Oh my God!”

“Jones is currently a suspect in two murders.”

“None of that has anything to do with me.” He actually flicked his hands in the air as if brushing it all away. “I’m not legally culpable in any way for the alleged criminal actions of an individual who has a minor interest in my real estate holdings.”

“Including the holding where Jones and his gang have their headquarters?”

“I think I’m going to be sick.” Pale as death, Eldena pressed a hand to her stomach.

“Just be quiet, Eldena!” Cohen snapped, and her color flooded back.

“Excuse me?” She fisted her hands on her hips. “Excuse the hell right out of me.”

“This is a legal matter, El.” Though he calmed it, Cohen put authority into his tone. “It’s best for you to say nothing. Someone’s at the door,” he added when the buzzer sounded.

Eldena merely folded her arms across her chest and stayed planted.

“Fine then, fine! I’ll get it.”

“I’ll go with you.” Roarke rose, his smile ice sharp. “Just in case you find a need to take the air.”

“Don’t be ridiculous.”

When Cohen stomped out, Roarke strolled after him.

“I didn’t know anything about this.” Turning, Eldena held out her hands to Eve, a pleading gesture. “Any of this, I swear.”

“I believe you,” Eve said.

“But, but, but . . .” Squeezing her eyes shut for a moment, she fisted those hands, tapped her own chest. “I’ve signed papers without actually reading them, which makes me an idiot. Sam takes care of things like taxes and insurance, and I don’t know. He says, Sign this, sweetie. Oh my God.”

Cohen stomped back in, dumped the take-out bags on a table. “Eldena, these people don’t have your best interest at heart. Let me handle this, then you and I will talk privately.”

“Why don’t you tell me how you became acquainted with Marcus Jones?” Eve asked.

“Through a client.”

“That would be former client seeing as you’ve been disbarred.”

In his eyes came a quick, keen rage. “That’s neither here nor there, and is something I intend to rectify. My relationship with Jones is strictly business. I learned he had an interest in purchasing the property downtown, and as I was looking for an investment, we formed the partnership. There’s nothing more to it.”

“You were aware of his criminal history and gang affiliation?”

“Neither here nor there,” he repeated with another flick of his hand. “Strictly business.”

“It’s both here and there that Jones gets his money to invest with you through criminal activities.”

“Then prove same and arrest him.”

“When did you last see or speak with Mr. Jones?”

“We have no need to communicate unless it concerns one of the properties.”

“That’s not an answer.”

He aimed a stony stare at the wall. “I can’t recall.”

“You can’t recall the last time you saw or spoke to a business partner with whom you own several millions dollars of real estate?”

“Millions,” Eldena breathed out.

“That’s on paper, sweetie. You don’t understand how business works. I know nothing about Mr. Jones’s personal life, and since I can’t help you with your investigation, I have nothing more to say.”