TWO WEEKS AGO
Javid Madatov was a sadly misunderstood man, Roberto di Matteo concluded.
OK, so there were two sides to his character. Roberto could see how people might take issue with one of those. He himself was more inclined to turn a blind eye to it. Partly because Madatov’s dubious side had kept him lucratively employed for almost his entire career. And partly because he was inclined to chalk it up to the forces of nature. It was like with a spider. If a juicy fly was stupid enough to land in the center of its web, no one complained when it got eaten. And if another spider built its web too close? Well, that was tough. And anyway, Roberto preferred to focus on Madatov’s other side. The good side. The neglected side. The side that led him to stand up for his friends, regardless of circumstances. To look after them. To see they were OK, as long as they were loyal. And to come up with the occasional surprise. Like with the video game store.
Madatov could easily have sold it after its previous owner was no longer in a position to continue breathing. He could have made a tidy profit. But he didn’t. He knew that playing video games was Roberto’s hobby. So he gave the store to him instead. It offered Roberto early access to all the new releases. Plus a convenient way to get his hands on the classics, which he frankly preferred. And there were practical aspects to the arrangement, too. The store was a perfect cover for channeling payments to bent cops. It saved Roberto from having to attend tedious meetings in parks. Churches. Bars. And all the other bullshit places the less fortunate bagmen have to go. Not to mention that he actually enjoyed putting in a couple of hours, every other Friday. So that day he raised an imaginary toast to the guy he could have at least called half a friend. He hung his jacket on the back of the chair. Clipped his OWNER/MANAGER badge onto his shirt pocket. And happily stepped from the office onto the shop floor.
During the first ten minutes of his shift, Roberto relieved an eager teenager of two hundred dollars. Lieutenant Ospina arrived halfway through the transaction. He pretended to browse the shoot-’em-up section until the kid was safely outside, then he approached the register.
“I bought this last week.” Ospina produced a copy of Grand Theft Auto V from a shopping bag and placed it on the counter. “It didn’t work. I think the DVD-ROM’s scratched or something.”
“I’m sorry to hear that. Thanks for giving us the opportunity to put it right.” Roberto opened the game’s case and looked inside. It was empty. “Yep. I can see the problem. I don’t know how this happened, but the easiest thing is just to replace it.” He turned to a shelf on the back wall and took down another box, which he’d previously packed with fifty-dollar bills.
“Thanks, man.” Ospina reached across to pick the game up, but Roberto kept it pressed to the counter with his fingers.
“Any news?” Roberto had been scanning the store while they talked and was confident that they were alone, but he kept his voice low, just in case.
“Everything’s the same.” Ospina glanced over his shoulder. “There’s a pair of detectives all over your guy Madatov. They’ve tied him to four murders in the last six months.”
“What makes them so sure Madatov’s behind these killings?”
“All four of the victims were known enemies of his. And there was no sign of forced entry at the crime scenes. Each of the dead guys had been around the block. They were no mugs. They knew the killer. That’s the only way it plays. The only common factor is Madatov. And it’s only a matter of time until the detectives get something on him. It just makes it a little harder, is all, with him not coming out on the streets anymore. Except to do the murders, obviously.”
“Have they made any move for a warrant on Madatov’s brownstone?”
“No. They can’t be sure the murder weapons are there, and if something else comes up nobody wants to settle for a misdemeanor. And they won’t move without proper paper, regardless. They don’t want to risk Madatov getting a walk.”
“OK. So what’s next?”
“More of the same. They’ll keep watching him. Working their snitches. Hoping for a break via electronics or cyber surveillance. I’ll shield him the best I can, but he has an awful high profile with the brass. They’re throwing a lot of resources at catching him. I can’t promise to keep him free forever.”
“Understood. Just do your best. And remember, as long as the circumstances remain the same, the ATM stays open. You know what I mean?”
“Absolutely. And I appreciate that. Maintaining the status quo. That’s what I’m all about.”
Roberto let go of the game box. “There’s one more thing to talk about. You’re getting a little extra this week. Because you have an extra task. It’s nothing major. A piece of evidence that needs to get tainted. It’s connected to a perp named Davies. The case number and all the other details are inside. Make sure to let me know when it’s taken care of.”