Since Tony was already dead, I didn’t have to worry about that. But I didn’t have anything else to pin on Milo either. This was not working out. I picked up the chief’s disappointment in me. So far, I hadn’t been right on a single thing. The fact that I was already acquainted with Milo put him on guard. How well could he trust me now?
“I think you’ve taken enough of my time.” Milo stood, looking down his nose at the three of us and thinking that my foray with the police to bring him down was never going to work. At least he didn’t have to worry about that part of Manetto’s plan.
Now it was just a matter of time. Let Manetto think he’d won. He’d find out soon enough that he couldn’t win against the Bilottis. They’d always bested the Manettos, and they wouldn’t stop now.
Chief Wallace stood as well, disappointed that Milo Bilotti had slipped from his grasp once again. He’d hoped that, with me on his team, he’d have a chance, but I’d let him down. Nothing about this had gone right, and my premonitions hadn’t given them a damn thing.
“We’ll show ourselves off the boat,” he said. “But I’ll be watching you. One false move and I’ll put you away for good.” He motioned for me and Hawk to follow him off the boat.
I listened real close to Milo, one last time, and caught that he was just about to ask me to tell my uncle hello for him. I whipped around and held up my hand. “No.”
Milo jerked back, surprised at my outburst. “No what?”
I glanced over my shoulder. Hawk and the chief had continued toward the exit, so I spoke quickly. “I know you killed Uncle Joey’s grandparents. I’ve kept it from him because I don’t want him to kill you. So I suggest you don’t do anything that will make me change my mind.”
His eyes narrowed into tiny slits. How did I know? “Keep the police out of my business, and we’ll call it even.”
Since I couldn’t agree to that, I grimaced and turned around, hurrying after Hawk to exit the boat. On the dock, a shaft of worry struck me in the heart. I was in way over my head. How did I ever think I could take on Milo Bilotti? Had I just made things worse? Hawk might forgive me for not telling him I’d met Bilotti before, but what about the chief? Would he believe anything I said now?
Looking over his shoulder, Hawk spared me a glance before his gaze settled on Milo. He hadn’t missed my conversation with the mob boss, and he wondered what we’d been talking about so secretly. One look at Bilotti’s sneer was enough to confirm that things hadn’t gone so well.
I glanced back to the boat and caught Milo staring at me while he spoke into his phone. Behind the glass, I couldn’t pick up anything he said. After ending the call, a devilish grin spread over his face. He was pleased about something, and the hairs on the back of my neck stood on end.
This whole night was a bust. I caught up with Hawk, and his brows rose. “What was that all about?”
I gritted my teeth. “It’s so frustrating. None of this is working out, and I don’t know what to do.”
“Yeah, he’s a slimy bastard.”
“Hawk,” the chief called. “Can I talk to you alone for a minute?”
“Sure.” Hawk glanced at me, thinking I looked beat. “Why don’t you wait in the car? I shouldn’t be long.”
“Okay.” The car sat across the street, close enough that he could unlock it with his key fob. After pointing the fob at the car and hearing the resulting beep, he gave me an encouraging smile. Then he turned to join the chief. I took my time getting to the car, mostly because I wanted to know what the chief wanted with Hawk, especially since he didn’t want me involved.
While he spoke with the chief, one of the undercover cops who’d been on the boat joined them. My heart skipped a beat to hear the tail end of their conversation. The woman had overheard a discussion between Milo and Tony. She’d kept close, hearing them argue about going through with a sale of some kind. She thought it was enough for a search warrant or, at the least, to continue the investigation.
Wow. Something positive. Maybe this night wasn’t a complete bust. Still listening, I crossed the street and stood by the passenger side of the car. I’d just about reached the limit of what I could pick up, but there was something about the informant Hawk was telling them. He said the informant had promised more information, so they just needed to wait for his call.
Surprised I hadn’t picked that up before, I pulled on the handle to get in the car. Before I got the door opened, I picked up a stray thought that sent fear into my heart.
Got her.
Hearing that sent a bolt of adrenalin through me, and I turned to run. Something sharp slammed into my back, sending a jolting shock through my body and stopping my breath. I slumped to the ground, still jerking in terrible pain.
The spasms finally stopped, and my vision swam. With my cheek lying against the pavement by the car, I caught sight of dark combat boots stepping next to me before everything went dark.
CHAPTER 15
Every muscle in my body ached. I groaned and managed to open my eyes. A small light hanging from the ceiling cut through the darkness, barely reaching the corner where I lay on the cold cement floor. Bare cement walls surrounded me, along with a chilling dampness that could only exist in the depths of a basement.
My eyes focused closer, sharpening on the triangles of wire that surrounded me and fenced me in. Sudden recognition stole my breath. I’d been here before, only on the other side looking in. The basement of Milo Bilotti’s club. And this time, I was the prisoner.
At least I wasn’t dead. I moved my legs, then my arms. I still wore the sling, and everything else seemed intact. With great care, I pushed into a sitting position and waited until my head stopped spinning. Letting out a breath, I straightened my back. I’d been hit there and it felt sore, like a bruise, but nothing worse. So what had hit me? It must have been a Taser that carried a wallop to take me out like that.
With the pain still fresh in my mind, I scooted backward and leaned my back against a pole. I realized my purse with my phone was gone. Frantic, I checked my arm for my watch. Finding it intact, my heart burst with relief. Ramos would find me because of the tracker inside. He’d figure out where I was and get me out of here. Just knowing that brought tears to my eyes.
So why wasn’t I dead? The assassin had taken me instead of killing me, so what had changed? He must have been close to the boat. But that didn’t answer why I was alive. Had Milo called him? Was that the phone call he’d made after I’d left?
Maybe Milo still planned to kill me, but he needed me alive. Why? My throat tightened. Was he using me to get to Uncle Joey? That must be it. This was a trap. I laid my head back against the fencing and tried to keep it together. I was alive. I had my watch. Ramos would find me.
I kept track of the time, watching the minutes slip by like hours. It was close to eleven-fifteen when I first checked my watch. Now it was almost midnight. What was taking Ramos so long? I’d told Chris I wouldn’t be back until midnight, so he wouldn’t sound an alarm until after that. Maybe Ramos didn’t realize I’d been taken.
The knob on the door handle twisted, and the door swung open. Enzo Bilotti came inside, glancing anxiously into my cage. Finding me sitting up relieved him. Zio had worried that the Taser may have done some real damage. Luckily the assassin was wrong, and I wasn’t dead yet.
Zio was the assassin’s name? Hadn’t I heard his name before? I remembered Milo thinking about him the night Uncle Joey took over Milo’s club. He hadn’t been there, so we’d never questioned him. That was a lucky break for Milo, but horrible for me.
Enzo shook his head, thinking I was hard to kill. If his father hadn’t decided I’d be more use to him alive, I’d be dead by now. He came toward the cage, pulling a folding chair forward to sit down. My purse sat on top of the chair, and he held it up to taunt me. “Bet you wish you had this.” He sat on the folding chair and smirked. “No one even knows you’re missing.”
“Why am I here?”
Enzo shrugged. “My father wa
s tired of playing your little game. Since Manetto needed an incentive to cooperate, he decided to bring you here. After your visit to the boat, you played right into our hands.”
He was thinking that I was going to die anyway, but doing it this way was worth it in the long run. Manetto’d gone too far by using me and the police to take down their organization. He should have stuck to the deal. But now they had the upper hand because they had me, and Manetto was bound to take the bait. Then they’d end him and his stupid arrangement.
He couldn’t wait to get it over with. He’d never seen his father so upset. Bowing to Manetto’s superior skills brought out the worst in him. Tony’s betrayal had sent him over the edge. Now that Tony was dead, Enzo would have to deal with the consequences, and it wouldn’t be easy to manage the whole drug operation without him. Too bad his dad didn’t think about that before he shot him.
Enzo’s phone buzzed with a text. Listening closely, I picked up that Milo wanted him. There was no explanation, so I didn’t know why he’d been summoned, and neither did Enzo. But he thought Uncle Joey must have responded to his call. He sent a smirk my way and left, thinking that getting revenge on an enemy was a beautiful thing.
Damn. This was bad. Uncle Joey had to know they had me now. Milo wasn’t messing around. I guess threatening him hadn’t helped. I never should have spoken with him. Now it looked like Uncle Joey was walking into a trap because of me. But he was smarter than that, right? He’d figure something out. He had to.
Why had I been so against Uncle Joey killing Milo? Oh yeah… his grandfather. It was all about revenge, but now I realized that playing it nice was never going to work, at least not where a mob was concerned. The mob played by different rules, and I’d been a fool to think that could ever change.
Maybe I’d gotten it wrong after all. Maybe Grandfather Manetto had really wanted Milo dead, and he wouldn’t be at peace until that happened. That’s why he kept singing to me. At this point, I was ready for Milo to die too. He deserved it.
The knob turned again, startling me, and Enzo entered holding a phone in one hand and a gun in the other. “Here,” he said, sliding the phone inside my cage. “Tell your uncle you’re alive.”
I picked up the phone and held it to my ear. “Uncle Joey?”
“Shelby. Ramos is on his way. We’ll get you out of there. Are you okay?”
“Yes… but… it’s a trap.”
“Don’t worry about it. I’ve got this.”
“That’s enough,” Enzo said, pointing the gun my way. “Slide it back out. Now.”
“Enzo wants his phone back.”
“It’s okay. I’ll see you soon.” The line went dead, so I slid the phone back to Enzo. He pocketed it and studied me. His father had wanted him to kill me after I spoke with Manetto, but he didn’t have the stomach for cold-blooded murder. He’d have to send Zio down for that.
He couldn’t understand his dad. Wouldn’t it be better to kill me in front of Manetto? He sighed and turned to leave, thinking that, since they had to wait for Manetto, maybe he could still talk his dad into doing it his way. Besides, it didn’t hurt to let me live a little longer.
The door shut on his last thought, and I slumped with relief. That was too close. These guys were ruthless. Nervous tension filled my stomach, so I rose to my feet and began pacing the small confines of my cage. It helped to know Ramos was on his way. I just hoped he made it before Enzo or Milo sent Zio back down to kill me.
Checking my watch didn’t help the time go any faster, so I kept walking around the inside of my cage to help ease my nerves. I’d made it around the perimeter one hundred and twenty-five times before I heard a noise at the door. The knob began to turn, and I held my breath. Was it Ramos? Or would I find Uncle Joey there with Milo holding a gun to his back?
Instead, Zio stepped inside, holding a gun. Fear slammed into me. Was this it? Purple bruises stood out on his face and jaw from his fight with Ramos, along with a white strip of tape on the cut above his left eyebrow.
My vision swam, and my heart hammered in my chest. As he came closer, I stepped back until hitting the far side of my cage. With nowhere to go, I braced for the impact of a bullet and held my breath.
Zio’s lips quirked up in a sick smile. Knowing I was scared out of my mind brought him a sense of satisfaction, especially after the beating he’d taken. But it wasn’t my time… yet. He slid the gun back into the holster at his waist and pulled a key from his pocket.
My breath whooshed out, and I could hardly believe my luck. He wasn’t here to kill me. But what was he up to? He unlocked the chain and swung open the gate. He regarded me with a tinge of respect, since I’d fought back and he hadn’t expected it.
But, without my bodyguard, he didn’t think I’d have as much luck if I tried anything this time. He’d cut me pretty good on my upper arm. The sling indicated another weak spot, and he could hurt me there again.
Approaching me, he pulled out a zip tie. “I don’t want to hurt you, but you know I will. Now put your hands in front of you.”
I did as he asked, but it was awkward with my arm in the sling.
“Take the sling off.” He was thinking that inflicting pain was the best way to insure that I didn’t get out of line, and easier done without the sling.
Knowing I didn’t have a choice, I pulled the sling over my head and dropped it on the ground. Nodding in satisfaction, he came toward me. “Hands out.”
The movement brought a slight twist of pain through my shoulder, but not as much as I’d expected. He pulled the tie around my wrists and grabbed my wounded arm around the stitches. I cringed, gasping from the pain.
He took delight in pulling me out of the cage and marching me into the hallway. I did my best to keep up with him, but it didn’t stop the pressure he applied to my wound.
“Where… are we… going?” I took quick breaths to manage the pain, hardly able to speak.
“On a ride.” He thought it was wise that Bilotti wanted my death to take place somewhere else. But since it all hinged on Manetto, he wasn’t sure when that would happen. He didn’t care too much, as long as he got paid.
He kept a tight grip on my arm, nearly crippling me with pain, and pulled me up the stairs. I swallowed a cry and gritted my teeth. At the top of the stairs, we turned toward the back of the building and continued to the loading docks.
A car waited outside the building. Opening the back door, he pushed me inside, letting go of my arm. I gasped with relief and blinked back tears. As Zio slid in beside me, I scooted as far away from him as I could get. Enzo sat behind the wheel. After the door shut, he pulled away from the curb.
During my transfer to the car, I’d half expected Ramos to make his move. I’d listened for his thoughts, but hadn’t picked up a thing. I could only hope that he was somewhere nearby and that he’d follow us. “Where are we going?”
“Shut up,” the assassin said. “I don’t want to hear another word from you.” He was thinking that he’d be happy to rough me up a little. All he needed was a stupid comment from me. Knowing Enzo wouldn’t stop him, he could easily get away with it. When I kept my mouth shut, his lips twisted with disappointment.
I concentrated on Enzo’s thoughts and picked up that something bad had happened and their plans had drastically changed. Now it looked like they had to make a bargain with Manetto. He thanked his lucky stars they had me to bargain with, and that he hadn’t killed me like he was supposed to. Things could still work out. They just had to play their cards right.
Zio’s thoughts didn’t help me know what was going on, mostly because he kept thinking about the job ahead and wondering how many people Milo wanted him to kill. It sounded like three, but it could be four. He began adding up how much money Milo would owe him for that, and wondering if he could negotiate a bonus for helping them with the operation. At the least, he should get something for kidnapping me.
Disgusted, I shook my head and quit listening to him. The drive took us close to the river,
and we soon pulled into a pier. I didn’t recognize the location, and most of the boats looked like personal yachts instead of the party boats I’d seen.
Enzo found a parking spot and got out of the car. Zio followed him out and reached inside for my arm. This time I turned my body so he couldn’t grab it and scooted out.
After standing, I surged ahead of him, hoping to dodge his heavy-handed grip. He slammed the door and caught up easily, taking pleasure in grabbing my arm again.
“Ow.” I cringed in pain, but he didn’t slow, practically dragging me along beside him. I managed to get my feet moving at a faster pace, but it did little to stop the pain from his rough hold.
He pulled me from the pier and onto the gangway that led into a beautiful yacht. Enzo had already boarded, and he reached for me as I stepped onto the boat. Reluctantly, Zio let go, and Enzo took my elbow, allowing me to breathe again.
Enzo guided me to a staircase that led into the lower level of the yacht. Dim lights showed the interior, and my eyes widened at the luxurious scene before me. Polished wood lined the floor, and the upper walls had a row of windows along them. One side held white, leather couches, surrounding a low table. The other side was furnished with a wet bar and kitchen cabinets.
Enzo pulled me through the room toward a door at the back of the boat. It opened into a beautiful bedroom with a king-sized bed and an adjoining bathroom. Wooden paneling lined the walls. The warm glow from the light fixtures was accented by the soft, beige carpet underfoot. A white, down quilt and fluffy pillows covered the bed.
After depositing me inside, he left me alone, closing the door and locking it. Sighing with relief, I swallowed the pain from my arm and took stock of my surroundings. There was no way out of this room, but at least it was better than the cold, cement cell I’d been in. I sank onto the bed and sat there in a daze, hardly believing that I was still alive.
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