Forgotten in Death(72)

“If your wife were to learn of these accounts, the funds in them, and how some of those funds are used?”

“There is no reason for her to know.”

“And your uncle. Yuri Bardov.”

“There is no reason. This is my business only.” He turned to the lawyer, eyes hot. “This is attorney-client privilege.”

“Maybe Carmine Delgato found out.”

Tovinski made a pfft sound. “The man is a plumber. He’s a plumber. I barely know him. How would he know my private business?”

“Maybe you had a drink with him after work. I’m told some of the crews do that sort of thing.”

“I am not crew. I am an engineer.”

“Right. So you and Delgato never sat down over drinks.”

“No. I barely know him. Knew him.”

“You never had personal conversations or conversations that didn’t apply to the work itself?”

“No.”

“You never went to his apartment, visited him there?”

“Why would I? I don’t know where he lives. He matters nothing. I don’t know him.”

“So you never went to his apartment on West Twenty-sixth? Apartment 2B?”

“I said no. No, I have not been there.”

“Okay, let’s move on.” Eve pushed through the files. “Detective, there should be water in here. Go out and bring in some water.”

“Yes, sir. Um. Peabody, exiting Interview.”

At the door, she turned, shot Tovinski a quick smile. When he smiled back, she only half muffled a giggle.

“Lieutenant.”

Even in the single word, Eve heard the change in Ilyin’s tone. He was angry. Oh yeah, he was pissed. But he’d continue to do his job.

“We’ve answered your questions regarding the mistakes made in my client’s financial accounts. We will agree to rectify those mistakes and pay appropriate fines. My client’s personal … behavior regarding his marriage and extramarital activities are private matters.”

“Look at that. We disagree again. It goes to motive.”

“My client has stated, repeatedly, that he had no relationship with Mr. Delgato. He would certainly have no reason to share this personal and private information with a plumber with the Singer organization.”

“Maybe, maybe not. But he shared other business with him. I’m going to believe you’re crap at financials, Tovinski. Just like you’re crap once someone with working brains goes beneath the surface of invoices and orders and material inventory.”

She pulled copies out of the file, shot them across the table. “And I’m betting your uncle doesn’t know you’ve been dipping your hand in his pockets. I wonder if he knows you’ve been dipping it into the pockets of companies he’s partnered with on various projects. Like Singer.”

“This is bullshit! This is made-up!”

“I’m betting your lawyer has a working brain, and it won’t take him long to see the bullshit’s on your side of the table. Or to see that a good many of these invoices, order and inventory sheets are signed off by you and Carmine Delgato.”

“Then he was a cheat as well as a gambling whore.”

“Oh, agreed. But you’re a cheat as well as—in my personal opinion—a man whore.”

He lunged up, his face infused with rage as he reached over and dragged Eve out of her chair. She punched him in the throat—pulled it, as she wanted him to be able to talk. He flung her across the room.

Her shoulder hit the wall, but she sprang up as Ilyin struggled to pull Tovinski back.

Ilyin shouted in Russian, wrapping his arms around Tovinski as Eve rolled her shoulders back. “We’ll add assaulting an officer to the rest. Sit your ass down, and now.”

“I take that from no woman.”

“You’ll take it from me or sit in a cage until I’m ready to bring you back.”

“Alexei, Alexei, you must sit. You must be calm. Lieutenant, my client is overwrought. You clearly goaded him. I need a few moments with my client.”

“You want a few minutes?” She started gathering papers that had scattered when he attacked her. “That’ll give me time to put all this back together. Including the records from your client’s comp in his home office. Search warrant, counselor, a copy of which is in this file. The records that list just how much he stole from his own uncle. Bardov projects accounted for more than seven hundred thousand in the last twelve-month period. It’s not a cash bonus, Alexei, when you steal it.”

“Lies. She lies.”

“Fact. Documented. Your own records. Uncle Yuri’s going to be very disappointed.” Eve gathered up the files, headed for the door. “Interview paused by counsel’s request. Dallas exiting Interview. Record off.”

She pulled open the door, glanced back. “I wonder how Yuri Bardov handles someone who disappoints him.”

She shut the door, then gripped a hand on her screaming shoulder and said, “Fuck!”

“You hit hard.” Peabody hurried down to her. “I was going for the door when Reo said to stop, you had it under control. I got you a cold pack.”

“I figured him for a puncher and I could block most of one, just let him catch a piece of me.” She pushed the files at Peabody, then slapped the cold pack on her shoulder. “Well, we got violent temper on the goddamn record.”