For Mortal Stakes: A Malfoy Files Story
A/N: Many thanks to all my loyal readers and to the lovely and gracious Chelseyb1010 who helps make all this readable.
Chapter Four
I couldn't sleep. I sat up in my bed, and even though I knew the cooling charms were working on the house, the sheets were stuck to me with sweat. I kept seeing the hollow and haunted looks on the faces of those girls. I got up quietly and padded down the stairs into the kitchen. I made myself a cup of tea and sat at the island in the middle of the kitchen, thinking.
I started when I felt a hand on my shoulder.
"I know that look," Astoria said. "What's wrong?"
I sighed and set down my cup. "It's this case I am working. You know, the one with the kids?" She nodded. "I don't know if I can do it," I admitted. "It's all so horrible and these girls ... they look so broken."
"Well, that's to be expected. They have been put through hell. Many times they have been betrayed by those in whom they trust the most," she explained, fixing herself a cup.
"I almost lost it today," I said, hanging my head. "I was just seconds away from using the curse in anger." She knew which one I meant without having to say it. "I was just so bloody angry and the kids were so ..." I felt tears on my cheeks. I had started to cry and didn't realize it.
Astoria put her cup down and took me in her arms. "Look at me," she said, taking my face in her hands. "You are a good man. You've faced the monster in all of us and fought back." I started to shake my head. "You turned your back on everything to be better man, and you can be. You are." She looked in my eyes and smiled "You may not see it, Draco, but I do. I believe in you."
She pulled me into a hug and rubbed my back. "Now how about I make us some breakfast?"
-ooo-
I walked into the DMLE substation in Diagon Alley. Alec Phillips had gotten himself stationed here in part so he could be closer to his girlfriend, my secretary Gertie. I smirked as I entered into the station. He was a good guy, if not a little straight-laced. And Gertie was, well, Gertie was Gertie, and that made for a very interesting dynamic.
I walked into Phillips' office, and he looked up from a stack of papers.
"Fuck me," he said, dropping his quill. "It's never a good thing when you come into my office."
"I need your help on a case," I said, plopping down in the chair across from his desk.
"I am sure you do. If I recall, and I do, the last time you needed my help I ended up being reviewed."
"That wasn't my fault. I didn't know the wizard had a bomb of all things."
"Thirty-five hundred Galleons damage and five injuries. You did notice I am not an Auror First Class anymore, right?"
Phillips had been moved to this substation and put in charge of investigations. Despite his whinging it had been a promotion and a job he was suited for.
"I need to know what you can tell me about Yuri Nievsky," I asked.
Phillips looked at me, his face showing concern. "He is a bad guy. Like, kill your entire family if you look at him wrong, bad.'
"That I have heard. What else is there?"
"He is second generation Russian Muggle. Has his finger in every criminal pie in London. Prostitution, pornography, drugs, human trafficking, murder for hire, you name it, he's into it. He knows about us as well."
"How the hell did that happen?"
"They're not as stringent in Russia with the secrets," Phillips shrugged. "If you're mixed up with Nievsky, there are two things you need to do."
"What's that?"
"Update your will and give Gertie a vacation."
I nodded. "Anything else you can help me with?"
"I could get you in touch with Section Seven."
"What's that?"
"It's a Muggle police section made up relatives of wizards. They handle bleed over situations. Cases where a Muggle or wizard is operating and committing crimes in both worlds. They handle the prosecution of Muggles. Being that Nievsky is a Muggle, and many of his victims are not, Section Seven is handling the investigation."
"Can you make the introductions?" I asked.
"I can let them know you might have some information and be willing to share. I might even put in a good word."
"You would do that for little old me?" I asked, trying to sound innocent.
Phillips smirked, "Be nice to see you fuck up someone else's day for a change."
"Great. Let them know the office, would ya?"
"I'm sure with your propensity for taking cases in both worlds, they already know you."
"Ah but can you ever really know another human being?" I asked, putting on a false tone.
"Just do me a favor and keep Gertie out of it."
"Yeah, like I can control anything she does." I smirked, opening his office door.
"Get the fuck outta my office, Malfoy. Before I change my mind."
I left his office and went straight to my own. Gertie was sitting at her desk looking at a Muggle magazine.
"Hey Gertie, why don't you take a couple of weeks off? With pay of course."
She put down her magazine and looked at me. "Okay, what's up?"
"Nothing. You just haven't had a vacation in, what?"
"Ever," she said, still suspicious.
"Exactly. It's about time you took one," I tried to say nonchalantly.
"Nuh-uh, boy-o, that ain't cutting it. What's up?"
"I have taken a case involving some really scary people, and I think it would be best if you weren't around me for the next few weeks."
"Screw that. If these people have anything to do with the case with the girls ..."
I looked at her, startled that she knew the details.
"I spoke with Astoria. She's concerned. Like I was saying, if this is that case then I am gonna help."
I shook my head. "I kinda promised that I would keep you out of it."
Gertie's eyes narrowed, and her mouth became a thin line. "Promised who?" she asked, her voice becoming cold.
"He was just concerned is all. He cares about you."
Gertie's eyes flashed, and she stood up. "If you'll excuse me for a few minutes, I need to go castrate my boyfriend." She walked to the door.
I started to say something.
"And unless you want the same thing you will not say another word," she growled, looking back at me.
"But I,"
"Not another word," she said slowly, pausing after every word.
"Yes, mum." I saluted, retreating into my office.
The glass in my windows shook as Gertie slammed the outer door.
-ooo-
Gertie had been gone close to two hours and I was sitting at my desk felling really sorry for Alec Phillips when my office door opened and a rather large man walked in accompanied but a slender woman. The man was well over six feet tall and looked like he was no stranger to fighting. The woman was shorter than the man with dark brown skin and something slightly familiar in the set of her facial features.
"Are you Draco Malfoy?" the large man asked, standing in front of my desk while the woman took in the surroundings.
"Gosh, I hope so being that I am wearing his pants." I smirked.
"Yeah, Phillips said you were overly fond of your own wit," the man commented, taking a seat while the woman stood behind him.
"I'm Detective Chief Inspector Dursley and this is Detective Sergeant Thomas of Section Seven. I understand that you were wanting some information on Yuri Nievsky?"
"I am," I answered plainly.
He looked at me for a few seconds then his eyes darted to his partner. She shrugged. "I did some checking on you, and you seem to have a few fans in the DMLE," he said.
"Stop it, you're making me blush."
"Despite that smart mouth, others think you might be able to help, and to tell you the truth we are at a standstill in the investigation."
"I'll do what I can to help, but my first priority is to help my client who is paying me."
The woman spoke up. "What did I tell you, 'D'? Dean said this scumbag would have an angle."
The man looked at the woman and spoke slowly. "Detective Sergeant, your objections have been made and noted. You don't have to like this; you just have do it. Am I clear?"
"Yes, Guv," the woman said, still glowering.
The man turned back to me. "Nievsky runs his operation out of a small deli on Cornwall Road called Russian Food."
"Ah, a name rife with single entendre."
"Don't let the place fool you. If there is something criminal happening in London, Magical or otherwise, they know about it and many times plan it in that building."
"So what do you get for all this information?' I asked.
"All I ask is that if you find something we can use to put Nievsky away, you share it. What is your case involving, who's your client."
"You know I won't tell you that. But the case involves underage girls and some photos my client needs back."
"Blackmail?" the woman asked. I nodded. "Shit, those girls have been through enough. They don't need someone fucking with their lives now."
I nodded again. "How long has Nievsky been in charge?" I asked.
"Ever since we put his dad away three years ago." Dursley answered. "Anton, his dad, was old school. No kids, no human trafficking, and no killing unless necessary. His son is a new kind of animal. Kills cause he likes it. Sees everyone, no matter how young, as a revenue stream. Uses torture to unwind. He's a special monster. So what's your plan?"
"I don't usually have one. I just poke around till I piss someone off enough for them to make a run at me and go from there."
"That's a good way to get yourself and all those around you killed. I told you he's a bad man," Dursley said, standing up and nodding to the door.
"Didn't anyone tell you people?" I smirked. "So am I."