Cranberry Lane

by Laurèn Lee

  60

  Serenity

  Fear struck my heart again. I didn’t know how much more of this shit I could handle. “Ma, go in your room, lock the door behind you and hide in the closet.”

  “What do you mean? Who’s here? What’s happening?”

  “Just go!” I urged.

  Wayne had already dead bolted the door and stood in front of me with his hands outstretched.

  “What are we going to do?” I quivered.

  The door knob shook furiously as the person or people on the other side tried to open it.

  “Let us in, Wayne!” a voice called from the other side.

  “We need backup.”

  “I don’t know anyone who could help us,” he replied.

  “C’mon, there’s gotta be someone you trust who could help us! We’re going to die in here,” I cried.

  Two shots blasted through the door and lodged themselves in the wall behind us. We’d ducked in time and stayed down.

  “Wait! There might be someone I could call,” he said as his eyes lit up. He pulled out his phone as he pulled me behind the couch. “Hey, Ronnie? It’s Wayne. I need your help. I’m on Cranberry Lane. Bring some men and guns.”

  Another round of shots peppered the front door.

  “Who’s Ronnie?”

  “My boss,” Wayne said quickly.

  “Boss? Surely, not the guy who’s trying to kill us right now?”

  He shook his head. “No, my boss from the car garage.”

  “Great! What’s he going to bring a monkey wrench?”

  “He grew up on the Lane, too. He’s clean, but he knows some people.”

  Then, the door burst open revealing two large men who’d kicked the door down all by themselves.

  “Hello, Wayne. You sure are hard to track down,” Gino said grinning.

  61

  Wayne

  The time had come. There’d be no way we’d get out of this one. We had fewer bullets than men before us. In a few short minutes, or even less, I’d be with Sammy again. Even though I’d called Ronnie for help, there was no way he’d make it in time.

  Gino walked toward me, his gun pointed at my forehead.

  “I appreciate your intel about my nephew, but unfortunately, for you, it’s still not enough to pay your debt.”

  “Make it quick,” I pleaded. “I’ve been your best hitman for years now, at least show me some mercy.”

  Gino’s evil cackle echoed within the apartment. “I suppose I could do you that one favor. But, I can’t promise the same for your little girlfriend here.”

  Serenity stood behind me. Her body shook against mine and I’d have given anything to be able to protect her one last time.

  “Well, do you want to stand or kneel before me,” Gino asked maliciously.

  I didn’t move from my upright position.

  “Standing it is, then. Men, please take dear Serenity so I may handle my business once and for all.”

  The lackeys behind him closed in on us and Serenity screamed bloody murder. I’d failed Sammy and now I’d fail Serenity, too.

  “Wait!” I put my hand in front of the men and turned around to Serenity, taking her face into my hands. “I’m so sorry. I wish things had turned out differently.”

  Tears poured out of her melancholy eyes and coursed down my hands.

  “No, no, no—” she cried.

  “We’ll be together again. I promise.” I pressed my lips softly to hers and kept my eyes open. I wanted my last memory on Earth to be of this beautiful, courageous, woman before me.

  “Hurry it up,” Gino said as he tapped his foot against the floor.

  “Please, no—” Serenity whispered.

  I turned around ready to accept my fate. However, as I faced Gino, I heard another set of footsteps pounding the stairs to the apartment.

  “Stop! Put your hands up! FBI!”

  62

  Serenity

  Gino and his goons turned around ready to open fire when a crew of men in black with shields and high-power weapons faced them on the landing.

  “Freeze!” the men instructed again.

  From outside came a voice using a loudspeaker, “Gino Dean, we have you surrounded. Surrender your weapons, now!”

  “Well, isn’t this a pleasant surprise,” Gino said with his lips curved upward. He dropped his weapon and all his men followed suit.

  I crumpled to my knees and started to sob uncontrollably. Wayne bent down and rubbed my back, relief plastered across his face.

  Several of the officers cuffed Gino and his men and steered them out of my apartment and down the stairs.

  “You lucked out this time, Wayne,” Gino said as he’d been pulled out of the doorway. “We’ll meet again someday.”

  “Not in this lifetime, fucker,” Wayne retorted.

  Ma limped out of her bedroom. “Is it over yet?”

  “Yes, Ma. It’s over.”

  A man walked into the apartment wearing a suit and tie. I assumed he’d overseen the sting and by the looks of Wayne’s jaw on the floor, he knew this man somehow.

  “Ronnie?” Wayne said in awe.

  Ronnie smiled and shrugged.

  “Wait a minute,” I began. “Ronnie? As in the guy from the garage who you just called for help?” I asked Wayne incredulously.

  “The very same,” Ronnie answered.

  “Ronnie, man. What the fuck?” Wayne asked astounded. “You’re FBI?”

  He chuckled. “Yup. ASAC Glass, at your service. You called and asked for me to bring men and guns and that is exactly what I’ve done.” He bowed.

  “Holy fucking shit,” Wayne said. “I had no idea!”

  “Well, yeah. That’s the whole point. You two okay?”

  “I’m really confused is what I am.”

  “Why don’t you two come down to the station. We’ll get you cleaned up and talk a little bit.”

  My stomach dropped. We’d survived a mob boss only to be thrown in jail. Ronnie saw my apparent look of fright and smiled warmly.

  “You’re not in any trouble,” he promised.

  I looked to Wayne.

  “He’s not either,” Ronnie assured me.

  A couple officers came inside, did a sweep of the apartment, while a few others escorted me and Wayne into a fancy FBI van.

  63

  Wayne

  Ronnie fed us, gave us each a Diet Coke and waited until we’d calmed down a little before asking us to talk. He’d chosen a bright, conference room, fully equipped with comfy, plush chairs and decorative art on the walls.

  “Ronnie, man. Were you ever going to tell me you were FBI?”

  He snickered. “Not until I caught your boss once and for all.”

  “You mean, you knew I was a hitman all this time and didn’t arrest me?”

  “You were a small fish in a big pond, brother. We weren’t after you, we wanted Gino.”

  “But, I’ve, I’ve killed people. You could have gotten me in hopes I’d squeal!”

  “Nah, I know you better than that. I knew you’d go to your grave with your mouth shut. Remember that time in Mrs. Hill’s study hall sophomore year? I’d stolen all the confiscated shit from her desk. She knew it was me, but didn’t have any proof. You kept my secret even though she ended up giving you detention for it.”

  “Wow,” Serenity said.

  “I’ve been working this case for about five years now,” Ronnie confessed. “Gino is one hell of a hard man to catch in the act. I’ve spent most of my time waiting for him to carry out some of his own dirty work. But, of all the shit he’s gotten away with, he made sure never to be at the scene or have any evidence linked back to him.”

  “You mean it? We’re really not in trouble?” I asked.

  “Definitely not,” he confirmed. “But, I will need your cooperation in the coming months. The bureau is willing to give you full immunity in exchange for your testimony against Gino and everyone else with authority.”

  “Sure! Anything,” I
said. “But, full immunity? How’s that even possible?”

  “Well, to be honest, we don’t have anything concrete on you.” He shrugged. “I knew you were involved, but we never could catch you in the act either. You’re one hell of a criminal, my friend. Also, we had a woman come to the bureau who told us you’d saved her life and her baby’s.”

  I shook my head in disbelief. That woman had broken her promise, but I guess it all worked out in the end.

  Serenity nodded. “I’ll help as much as I can, too.”

  “Since, you’re both witnesses, we’ll need you to testify if this goes to trial,” Ronnie said.

  “If it goes to trial?” I asked.

  “Yeah, depends on if he takes a plea deal, or not. Either way, he’ll be in jail for the rest of his miserable life.”

  “What about all his goons?” Serenity asked nervously.

  “They’re going away, too. Don’t you worry about that. We’ve got his whole clan on a slew of charges, we just need some additional info from you to fully nail ‘em down. No one will be left to hurt you two. But, I will need you to get a new job now, Wayne.” He winked.

  Serenity sighed with relief.

  “You, too, Serenity,” Ronnie warned with a fatherly tone.

  “One more thing, Ronnie,” I said slowly. “Gino got Sammy. I didn’t know what to do with his body and I didn’t want to leave him behind. He’s in my trunk back on the lane.” My head sank, and I felt the sting of tears return.

  “Aw fuck, Wayne,” Ronnie said and came over to me. He clapped me on the back.

  I wiped a single tear off my cheek, hoping no one would notice.

  “We’ll take care of the bastard. I promise you,” Ronnie said. “And, I’ll have an agent and other professionals take care of his, uh, body, right away.”

  “Thanks, man.”

  “Hey, Ronnie?” Serenity interrupted.

  “Year, dear?”

  “You think we can go home now? Ya know, maybe shower and change our clothes?” she asked, unable to hide her desperation.

  “Yes, yes. Of, course. We’ll call you when we need you to come back in.”

  “Thank you.” I stood from the chair.

  “We’ll have someone take you both home. Take care, you two.”

  I hugged Ronnie and took Serenity’s hand as we left the FBI office holding onto each other for support.

  It was finally over; we survived.

  “Hey, Wayne?” Serenity asked.

  “Yeah?”

  “Can we stop saving each other now?”

  “I think that’s a damn good idea, girl.”

  Epilogue

  Wayne and Serenity held each other’s hands tightly as they watched the men lower Sammy’s casket into the ground. Neither had the energy to shed more tears, but both felt the supreme loss ache in their hearts and souls.

  Wayne wore a black suit with a Spongebob SquarePants tie. He knew guests had looked at him inquisitively at his wardrobe choice, but he didn’t care. It had been Sammy’s favorite tie. He couldn’t not wear it.

  Serenity donned a long, black-lacy dress with blood red lipstick. She’d dyed her hair, only this time, she’d had the pink removed. Well, not entirely. She kept one fuchsia strand in the back, under the top layers. Now, her natural hair glowed in the sunlight: a honey brown with golden highlights.

  Wayne and Sammy’s parents sobbed quietly next to them as they said goodbye to their youngest son. Wayne hadn’t told them much of what had happened and even though they’d demanded answers, today, they just wanted to lay Sammy to rest.

  The entire high school had shown up to the funeral, too. The football team brought Sammy’s helmet to place onto the casket. Teenage girls held each other and cried on their friends’ shoulders.

  Hundreds of people, some strangers, other neighbors, came to say goodbye, too. Any loss of life is a hard pill to swallow, but the loss of a child? Unbearable.

  Once Sammy had been lowered into the ground and the last white rose had fallen onto his Cherrywood casket, guests dispersed and departed the cemetery in droves.

  “Wayne?”

  “Yeah, Ma?”

  “Please stay in touch, okay?”

  Wayne nodded.

  “Don’t be a stranger, son,” his father said as he patted Wayne’s shoulder.

  His parents walked away somberly, and Wayne knew he’d never see them again. He didn’t want to see them again. He only allowed them to attend the funeral to prevent any guilt on his conscience. They hadn’t paid a time toward the services, though and Wayne would never forget it. Even in death they’d let him down.

  “I got a new tattoo,” Serenity said as she nudged Wayne in the ribs.

  “Another one?” He sighed.

  They took one last look at the burial site and turned to walk away.

  “Yeah. Wanna see it?”

  “Why not?” Wayne answered tiredly.

  Serenity pulled up the sleeve of her dress and displayed her forearm before Wayne.

  “Sammy”

  Wayne smirked and brushed away a tear which had fallen onto his cheek. “I’m sure he’d be happy to know you inked his name onto your body.”

  She shrugged. “This way he’ll always be with me.”

  Wayne put his arm around Serenity’s waist as they continued to walk across the cemetery which appeared empty now.

  “Can I tell you a secret?”

  “Serenity has a secret to tell? Who would’ve guessed?”

  “Ha-ha, very funny. Well, I told Sammy I’d never tell you, but I guess it doesn’t matter now.” She smiled faintly. “I took him to get a tattoo, before, ya know,” she trailed off.

  Wayne raised his eyebrows. “Really?”

  “Yup. Want to know what he chose?”

  “Do I want to know?”

  “Yes,” she said confidently.

  “Okay, what did he get?”

  “He got ‘brothers’ tattooed on his bicep,” Serenity said.

  Wayne’s breathing stopped for a moment and he paused. “He did?”

  “It was his idea. Ya know, after I nearly dragged him to the tattoo shop.”

  Wayne pulled Serenity in closer and kissed her forehead.

  “You’re not mad, are you?”

  “Not at all,” he said. “Do you think you could take me to get one, too?”

  “You want a tattoo?” she asked, shocked.

  “Yeah. I want to get one to match Sammy’s.”

  Serenity’s mouth widened into a gleeful smile. “Sure, let’s go.”

  Wayne and Serenity left the cemetery and headed to the tattoo parlor for one last stop. It didn’t take long before Wayne had a matching tattoo on the same arm as Sammy’s.

  “Ready?” Serenity asked as they got into Wayne’s car, trying not to disturb the packed boxes in the backseat.

  “I think I am,” Wayne hesitated.

  “Well, you better be. I start school on Monday,” Serenity reminded him.

  “Did you get all your books yet?”

  “Oh yeah, all ten of them, which cost me an arm and a leg.” She pouted.

  “I’m proud of you, girl,” he said. “You’re going to make the best damn lawyer the world has ever seen. But, you know, you should probably stop dealing drugs now.”

  She smiled and squeezed his hand. “You don’t have to worry about me. I’m done slinging dope to desperate teens and middle-aged scum bags. What about you? Ready to start your new security gig?”

  “Yeah, although, I’ll have to get used to clocking in and out of work and having a real, legit paycheck.” He smirked.

  Wayne started the ignition, and turned the car onto Evergreen Street. With the windows down, the soft breeze wove in and out of the Wayne’s new car. Serenity brushed her golden hair out of her face and looked into the rearview mirror beside her. In the reflection, she saw the battered and tattered sign she’d walked past every single day of her life. She saw the sign which had defined her life. She saw the sign which had control
led her life. She saw the sign that’d made it possible to meet Sammy and Wayne. She saw the sign that had led her to fall madly in love for the very first time. Serenity had finally found that “go down with the ship” kind of love and she smiled, knowing she’d never see the “Cranberry Lane” street sign again.

  THE END.

  Acknowledgments

  I have so many people to thank for helping bring Cranberry Lane to life. First, and foremost, I need to thank my close friends I’ve met through Indie Author Support on Facebook.

  In no particular order, Mary, Sylvie, Krista, Lisa, Lisette, Chelsea, Amy, Jennifer, and Megan, thank you SO much for all of your advice, encouragement, guidance , and feedback. I honestly don’t know what I’d do without you!

  Next, I gotta give props to my beta readers. Sal, Anne, and Chelsea, you all rock and I can’t put into words how much I appreciate your help and feedback.

  Julie, once again, you rocked the cover design. Thank you so much for being accommodating and creating another masterpiece. You’re a freakin’ genius!

  Thank you, Mike, for being my #1 and always supporting me even when I’m hangry. I love you so much.

  And, as always, thank YOU for purchasing my book and supporting my dreams!

  About the Author

  Laurèn Lee was born and raised in Buffalo, New York. She loves hockey, chicken wings and craft beer. She enjoys spending time with family, friends and her boyfriend.

  Reading and writing are her life’s passions. As a child, Laurèn became enamored with the Harry Potter series. As an adult, she loves psychological thrillers and mysteries with a twist.

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  Also by Laurèn Lee