by Stone, Piper
Diego plastered on a smile and carefully stepped over the ugly cracks leading to the door. There were no paparazzi, no welcoming committee meeting him in a rat-infested back alley, but appearances were certainly everything. He offered no instructions and I said nothing else.
Both the driver and I were expected to wait.
And we did.
That is, until I heard the distinct sounds of a gun being fired, two shots only, muffled but distinct enough. I reacted, yanking out my gun and tossing open the door, racing inside. The weapon was locked and loaded, two additional ammo clips in my breast pocket. I knew every inch of the casino, every bathroom and every clandestine ‘special’ suite. I shoved my way past both employees and customers, taking long strides. I’d calculated the time it would take me to get to the suite prepared for El Hefe. Twelve seconds had passed. One second too long.
No one stood in my way or tried to stop me. Screams could be heard seconds before a single additional shot. Now, I was pissed. As people started running from every direction, heading for the exit, I powered through, seeing the coward aiming for another shot. Tuning out everything but the job at hand, I pulled the trigger. The man went down with a hard thud.
As I moved further inside the suite, I was able to see the blonde actress cowering in the corner, Diego comforting her, blood seeping through his crisp white linen jacket. There was also another girl still in the room, frozen, her eyes glued to the assassin. She was no doubt a dealer given her black and white attire. I had no time to deal with her. At least the shot had been clean, catching the asshole between the eyes.
“Oh!” the blonde screamed, clawing at Diego.
“I need to get you out of here.” I reacted, grabbing Diego and covering his body with mine.
“Don’t leave me!” the blonde demanded.
“Sorry, sweetheart,” Diego said absently, hissing under his breath.
The blonde shouted various obscenities as we left. We were in the limo and leaving the scene before we heard the first siren. No one would remember that Diego Sanchez had even been at the casino, including his lover. They knew better than to open their mouths.
* * *
I was aware that the hit had been placed on Diego and as expected, this wasn’t some random attack. The traitor had to know he was going to be at the casino, which narrowed the suspects down to three people. The actress. The owner of the casino. And myself. Even the limo driver had no advance knowledge. I stood outside Diego’s office, trying to keep my cool. Yet my thoughts shifted back to his statement regarding betrayal. El Hefe certainly enjoyed retaliation, especially for snakes in his operation. The only thing I knew for certain was that I had nothing to do with the hit.
Although the thought had crossed my mind on several occasions. I hated the man with a passion, loathed everything he stood for. One day, I’d see the light leaving his treacherous eyes. Fucking bastard. I resisted snarling from the thought, clenching my fist until my fingers ached from lack of oxygen.
There was no mistaking what was going on behind the double doors. One of the other three parties was being beaten to shit, no doubt by Breaker and one of the others. Whatever Diego did to the blonde, I would bet she’d have a difficult time getting work on the screen again. That is, unless the casino owner confessed.
When the doors were opened, I wasn’t surprised that the beaten and bloodied man was being carried out, his feet dragging and moans coming from his mangled mouth. The poor asshole had lasted longer than I’d thought he would. Guess I was next.
“Erik.” Diego’s voice was smooth, as if he didn’t have a care in the world.
I walked inside, giving Breaker a nod. My buddy had a smile on his face, as if he’d just won the lottery.
“Sir,” I said with respect as I moved into the center of the room. At this point, I had no idea what to expect, but clearly Diego remained shaken from the earlier incident. Maybe I was the only one who knew him so well. I even kept a file of sorts regarding the man’s weaknesses. Just in case...
“You both can leave,” Diego said to the others.
Breaker winked as he headed for the door, wiping blood from his face. The other soldier I didn’t know, and the man didn’t bother giving me a look. This was just another day at the office. When the doors were closed, I did everything I could to keep my cool.
Diego turned around slowly. There was no outward sign he’d been shot, the bullet coming dangerously close to his heart, but there was a nervous tic that seemed to take over his entire face. He narrowed his eyes as he closed the distance, gripping my shoulder. “You saved my life. I’m eternally grateful.”
“Doing my job, sir.”
He kept his grip firm, his eyes searching mine. Exhaling, he finally smiled. “I trust you implicitly, Erik, which is why I had the others leave. As you might imagine, the traitor has reared his ugly head. I have too much at stake to allow such behavior to continue.”
I knew better than to ask any questions. El Hefe would supply exactly what I needed to know. “Yes, sir.”
“To that end, I want to take care of something personally and I’m going to manage all the details privately. However, there is a piece of this I do need you to take care of. We can’t have any loose ends, not with certain other parties breathing down my neck.”
“What can I do for you?” My gut was churning, my instincts telling me this was a setup of some kind. Certain other parties. Whoever was challenging Diego must be extremely powerful, or at least well connected.
“I want to handle this eradication differently. I believe I have someone in this family who’s working with a particular colleague of mine. That doesn’t bode well for certain trades.” Diego chuckled. “I must flush out this wound before it festers. I’m certain you can understand.”
“Absolutely.” His trades were drugs. Heroin. Opioids. Some cocaine. He had the market from Virginia to the Keys, Cuba to South America, and even some of the Caribbean islands. At least for now.
“I have an envelope that I don’t want you to open until you leave not only my office but the entire property. Only then will you find out the details of a job I want you to perform.”
Diego was afraid there were eyes and ears. Interesting. In order for the traitor to breach the compound, he would have to be closely linked with Diego. My skin began to crawl. There was still a solid possibility that this was nothing more than a test of my loyalty. If he needed a fall guy, I was an obvious choice, no matter all I’d proved to him during the last seven and a half years. “When do you want this carried out?”
He smiled, releasing his hold and walking toward his desk. Taking his time, he pulled a cigar from his humidor, holding the clippers in his other hand. He allowed the cutting mechanism to slice the air twice before inserting the Cuban, slowly pressing down. The tip fell into the awaiting ashtray. He sucked on the end of the cigar before lighting, pulling in several puffs and holding the smoke. As he released, the billows creating perfect circle formations, he studied me. “Immediately, Erik. I can’t have my enemies learning that I’ve been compromised in any manner.”
“Yes, sir.” There was no pretense with the envelope, simply a handoff and a wave of his hand.
I noticed his eyes never left me as I walked toward the door. Another one of his soldiers stood just outside, his face pensive. I gave him a respectful nod and took several steps, waiting to see if I could hear what would be said.
“Mr. Sanchez. There’s a detective here to see you.”
The treachery continued: either someone from the casino was talking or this was simply another method of killing off loose ends. He certain had enough cops on the payroll. The damn situation had turned into one huge mess. Fuck. Before I left the office, I took another hard look at Diego’s expression. The man was one cold mother fucker.
I was off the property as requested before opening the envelope. I read the notes first then yanked the single photograph from the interior. I didn’t recognize the girl’s face immediately. In fact, I had
no idea what she could have possibly done to elicit El Hefe’s wrath.
Then I knew.
She’d been the casino employee working the suite. I would never forget her terrified face, eyes that penetrated mine when I walked past. I studied the picture again, anger boiling from deep within. In the photograph, she was holding a small boy, no doubt her son.
The monster expected me to murder the mother of a child, a woman. I recoiled, tossing the entire contents across my car before slamming my hands against the steering wheel. I was a beast, a murderer, and a man without a conscience, but to kill a woman and destroy her family? This I couldn’t do.
How in the fuck was I going to avoid his order?
I drove to the far end of Miami Beach, to a little-known area far removed from the majority of tourists. I wasn’t ready to go home or even to drown myself in booze. I needed to think about this and either harden my shell or be prepared to die. Either way? I was fucked.
The wind was blowing, a storm brewing and I moved to the set of stairs leading down to the beach, leaning over the railing as my mind wandered. I’d been through dozens, hundreds of operations with Diego, locating and helping to eliminate informants and other scum who tried to infiltrate El Hefe’s organization. This was by far the worst ice job I’d ever been asked to accomplish. I kept asking myself the same questions. Why would the mother of a little boy endanger not only her life but the life of her child? Money? Yeah, sure. That could be the only reason. I doubted there was some love triangle involved. I knew all of Diego’s women and the girl simply wasn’t pretty enough.
Jesus Christ. What would happen to her child?
Act like a professional. Think. Pictures were easily doctored. The child might simply belong to someone else and she could be a black widow. Looks were always deceiving. But I had to know the truth before I agreed to murder what could be an innocent woman. Wait a minute. This was getting out of hand. Family. The word hung with me, strapped around my neck by heavy chains.
I’d gotten into this situation to save my family. Maybe some bullshit kismet was telling me it was time to get the fuck out. I still had some manner of soul left. Hell, maybe not.
I remained standing on the stairs until the first clap of thunder in the distance. Then I made it my mission to find out everything I could about Sandy Markus. If this was a sign, then everything I did from here on out would need to be calculated. Leaving meant forever. Disappearing. Staying meant killing her.
I knew my choice. A switch had flipped. Thank fucking God.
I made it home before the first raindrops hit, flipping on a single light as I moved inside my condo. I was on the sixteenth floor, three sides overlooking the ocean. Lightning flashed in through the floor-to-ceiling windows, creating an eerie vibe. Darkness had settled in and from where I stood, I could see several other condominiums wrapping around the cove. The storm was electric, vibrant hues of neon blues and purples flashing across the sky. Tonight, I needed scotch and stood staring at the turbulent sky for a few minutes.
The liquor wasn’t soothing in any manner tonight, merely a slight burn washing down the back of my throat. I didn’t have long to make my final decision, so information was the key. I moved toward my laptop, opening the lid and pulling up the internet. Within minutes, I was able to find valuable information on Sandy. She was a single mother of a little boy, who’d just turned three. She’d been working as the Casablanca Casino for five months, her previous job teaching in an elementary school.
She had been married and from what I could tell, the boy’s father wasn’t in the picture. I maneuvered to certain banking sites that I’d been given access to, locating her account after only a few minutes. There’d been no large deposits of any kind, only her paycheck and from what I could tell, she made a decent income, although her living arrangements were modest at best. There were no scathing stories or pictures of her with anyone leading to a scandal. She was simply a woman trying to make ends meet.
By the time I finished my investigation, my conclusion was that she’d been in the wrong place at the wrong time. Now, she’d been made to be a problem, a loose end. Diego was also no doubt making a clear statement. Fuck with me and everybody dies. I sat back in the seat, rubbing my eyes. Who the hell was threatening Diego’s manhood?
I could carry out my duties and Diego would show his gratitude with gifts, money, or even promoting me further up the ranks. Or I could do something else entirely. I glared at the half empty glass before shoving back the chair with enough force that it toppled over. I didn’t give a shit.
I wasn’t a trusting man, had never been even before working with Diego. While I was like every other American with a bank account and credit cards, I preferred cash arrangements for the majority of my transactions. I had two safe locations, hiding places that no one would be able to find, including any members of law enforcement. One held my collection of weapons as well as ammunition. The other held cash, passports, and other sources of identification. I grabbed several stacks of bills, flipping through them and mentally counting numbers in my head. This should be enough.
I’d been a careful man during the years, planning my own retaliation of sorts, but never finding a way. Finding a new life was going to have to do and I knew exactly where I wanted to be.
As long as she would have me.
After snagging a small satchel from the closet and folding the money inside, I grabbed my keys. This decision would alter a course I’d already been questioning for years. Maybe the kick in the proverbial pants I’d been needing. I’d been brought up in an entirely different manner, not that I even knew that kid any longer. I was hollow inside, damaged goods. Perhaps I’d never be able to live a normal life, but I refused to try to convict innocence.
This was necessary for what was left of my soul.
The drive in the rain took me longer than expected and I had to count off every minute. Time was of the essence for several reasons. The street was dark, few cars traveling in either direction, and I was able to find a parking place two blocks away. The cash safely secured in my jacket, I headed down the street, moving into the back alley. I had one shot at this. There were too many soldiers keeping watch, my bet at least for tonight including on me.
There were several lights on in the house and I peered inside, checking to see if there was any activity. The television was on and the kitchen table strewn with unopened mail, boxes of cereal, and children’s toys. I snarled before moving to the back door, finding it unlocked. Everything about this assignment was disgusting, reinforcing my decision. I kept my hand on my gun as I moved through the house, hearing a noise coming from the bathroom. The door was open a crack and I counted to five before opening very slowly.
Seeing Sandy crouched down, the little boy in a tub full of water, giggling as he slapped at the water was too much for my black heart to deal with. I slunk back, catching my breath before allowing my presence to be known.
“Don’t scream. If you scream, you will die.” I tried to keep the edge out of my voice, but she yelped, immediately flinging her body in front of her child.
Terror racked her lovely face, her lower lip already quivering. I knew within seconds the pleading would begin, but to her credit, she kept her composure. “What do you want from me? I don’t have any money. Just please don’t hurt my baby.” Her gaze settled on the jagged scar on my face, a moment of recollection settling in.
“Relax, Sandy. I’m not here to hurt you or your boy, but I do need for you to dry him off and follow me. We need to have a frank discussion. I’ll wait in the hallway so don’t try anything stupid.”
“How do you know my name?”
“I know everything about you.”
Sandy swallowed several times and nodded, struggling to get to her feet. Veins stood prominent in the side of her neck, her eyes as large as saucers.
God damn it, I fucking hated this.
I gave her privacy, standing just outside the door. Talking wasn’t my strong suit and given the way I lo
oked, I knew I’d have a difficult time getting her to believe me. Somehow, I had to find a way. This single choice I made would change the rest of my life as well as hers.
She walked stiffly out of the bathroom, trying to hold her head high. “What do you want?” Her voice was little more than a scattered whisper.
“To keep you alive. Come with me.” I made certain the blinds were closed before ushering her into the living room, pointing to the couch. “Sit down.”
Hesitating, her grip on her little boy tightened.
“I said. Sit. Down.”
She did so reluctantly, rocking back and forth. The little boy was fussy, trying to get out of her arms.
I sat on the chair opposite hers, remaining on the edge. Every move made with deliberate motions, I pulled the cash from my pocket, sliding the package across the table. “This is for you.” I couldn’t look at the kid. I was far too sick at my stomach.
Darting a single glance, she didn’t bother to find out the contents. “Please tell me. What do you want from me?”
Sighing, I tried to offer her a smile. “Do you recognize me?”
“No,” she huffed.
“Mommy. Hungry!” the little boy whined.
She kept her grip tight. “Not now, Davey. Mommy has a guest.”
“There is no need to lie. You were at the casino last night. You were the dealer inside the suite.”
She sucked in her breath, nodding only once. “I didn’t do anything. I swear to God. Just a job that pays the bills.” Davey began to cry, flustering the hell out of her.
“I realize that you had a job to do. Do you know who was in that suite, Sandy?”
Another hard swallow was followed by tears forming in her eyes. “I knew of him, by his reputation. That bastard.” She bit her lower lip, her eyes avoiding mine.
Chuckling, I moved the gun from hand to hand. “Then you know what he’s capable of.”
