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“Nigga, please. I’ve never known a more meticulous motherfucka than you. You got a five-year plan for your five plans.” He shook his head. “And Siani ain’t say shit neither. Which is wild ‘cause that’s her best friend.”

“It’s not that deep.”

“Look, I’m not trying to be in your business. I know I’m just your little cousin⁠—”

“You’re thirty.”

“—still younger than you, and I know you try to keep me out the life. But you’re like my big brother.”

It hit me how much Riq had grown up in the past few years. But he still had the same look he used to get as a kid when he was trying to figure out whether the adults in the room were lying to him..

“It’s complicated,” I said.

He smiled. “That’s not an answer, Dez. I’m not gonna push. I just—” He stopped. “You’ve carried a lot on your back. I want you to be happy. Whatever this is, I hope it’s actually that.”

Something in my chest pulled tight. I didn’t have an honest answer for him, so I did what I always did when a conversation started heading somewhere I wasn’t ready to go—I changed the topic.

“How are things with Siani?”

His whole face lit up. “Real good. We’ve been talking about going to Catalina Cove after I take the bar exam.”

“That’s what’s up.”

“I’ve been thinking about asking her something when I pass the bar,” he said, shifting in his seat.

“You wanna marry her?”

“I mean—” He rubbed his hands on his pants. “Not right away. But eventually. Yeah.”

“You sure?”

“Your ass is engaged, but you’re asking me if I’m sure,” he scoffed. “I know it hasn’t been long, but it’s real. I know what I want, and it’s her.”

It sounded so simple coming out of his mouth. I know what I want.

“I’m happy for you, Riq,” I said.

“Thanks.” He stood. “We should all get together. Do a double date or something.”

“I don’t double date.”

“Grouchy ass nigga. Maybe you should.”

I left the office a little after Tariq’s pop-up and was sitting in traffic on the FDR when Priest called.

“Gideon and your girl were together a few years ago. On and off for about two years,” he said.

“Uh huh.”

“Looks like she was dipping into his account the whole time.”

“How?”

“Withdrawals, multiple times over a couple of the years. From one of his real estate accounts that he uses to do business with some of the families.”

I concentrated on the road ahead as traffic crept forward a few feet and stopped again.

“Problem is whatever company that was handling those transactions doesn’t exist anymore. It was completely dissolved at the beginning of the year. No trace. Just a random name and a few hundred thousand dollars that went into and then poof.”