Reckless Angel

by Maggie Shayne

  Nick reached down, twisted the gun from his limp grasp and straightened again. Toni stood near the doorway, her sickened gaze on the bleeding skinny one with the screwdriver handle protruding from his belly. He was unconscious but still alive. Nick stepped over Brown Teeth, putting himself between them and Toni. He pressed the gun into her hand, gripped her chin, forced her to look at him. “We have to get out of here.” He pushed her through the small doorway even as he spoke. Those shots must’ve been heard upstairs.

  They entered the main part of an ancient, crumbling cellar. He felt her body tremble as he urged her through. Already he heard footsteps above. She resisted his hand pressing at the small of her back. “We can’t leave him like that.”

  Nick glanced to the left and saw the rickety stairs that led upward, presumably to the house. To the right was another, less steep, set, with an angular hatchlike door that laid almost flat at the top. That set would lead outside. There were more footsteps from above, and raised voices. He put his arm around her shoulders, tightened it so she couldn’t pull away. He mounted the first step and heard the door at the top of the other set of stairs creak open. If this exit were locked—

  He shoved at the hatch, and it swung open, hitting the ground hard. He pulled her out into the warm, fresh night air and pitch dark. His stride lengthened. “Run, Toni!” She did, clutching his hand tightly, and in seconds bullets flew after them.

  The first thing that hit him was that they were not in New York City anymore. They crossed a dewy, overgrown lawn with weeds that reached above his knees. At its edge, a dirt road twisted away into blackness. Nick glanced back. He saw only a tall, sagging house silhouetted by the half moon—and muzzle flashes like murderous eyes. He pulled her with him again, crossing the dirt track and heading for the thick woods opposite. They were at the edge of the tree line when he heard her suck in her breath and felt her hand clutch his tighter.

  Fear hit him between the eyes with a fist of ice. He paused just beyond the trees. “Toni?”

  She didn’t stop when he did. “Nothing—I twisted my foot. Come on!” She tugged at his hand. He could hear the men coming closer. They were going to chase them right into the woods. He ran with her, heading more and more deeply into the forest. The pain of the broken rib screamed angrily.

  They approached a sharp rise and took it at a brutal pace. Nick began to worry. Just where the hell were they? How far could this forest go on? Towering spruce trees surrounded them, angling skyward even on this steep hillside. The ground underfoot gave softly with their steps, making little sound. They topped the rise and started down the opposite side. A fallen tree caught his eye, and Nick noticed the cavelike space formed by the awkwardly bent boughs and the steep incline. He pulled Toni to it, and they ducked inside. She sat down, and Nick glanced through the opening, seeing no one at the moment.

  “How big can these damn woods be?”

  She was breathing hard. Too hard, for a woman who was in as good condition as she was. “Thousands of acres,” she said. “It’s state forest.”

  He turned, frowning, and crouched beside her. Even in the darkness he could see the deep stain on her shirt. Her sleeve was soaked, dripping. “Dammit, why didn’t you say something?” He forgot his own pain, that of his unhealed thigh and even of the broken rib, as he knelt near her. He unbuttoned the blouse quickly, shoved it down over her shoulders and yanked it from her hands. She winced when the material pulled away from the wound in her shoulder. Blood pulsed from a small hole. Nick swore. The exertion of running had only increased the bleeding. He tore the clean sleeve off her blouse, using his teeth to start the tear. He twisted it around her, under her arm and over her shoulder, and he tied it tight. He watched for a moment, unsure whether he’d stopped the blood flow or just slowed it. Damn the darkness. How much blood had she lost already? Angrily he tore the bloodied sleeve off and helped her slip her arms back into the now-sleeveless blouse. He buttoned it with badly shaking hands.

  When he finished, he glanced up at her face. She leaned back against the sticky trunk, her eyes closed. “Toni? Talk to me. Does it hurt much?”

  “It’s okay. I’m just resting.” She opened her eyes, but it seemed to be an effort. Her voice was weak. “I remember now—it’s some rural county. I forget the name. Upstate.”

  He slipped his hand to the back of her head and pulled her forward until she rested on his shoulder. “You’ll be okay.” Was he comforting her or himself? “You’ll be okay, Gypsy. I’ll get you out of this, I swear I will.” He couldn’t lose her. He couldn’t. He held her tighter.

  She lifted her head. “We should go…farther. They’ll come after us.”

  Nick studied her eyes, silently begging her not to leave him this way. “Just rest. It’s dark. They’d have to trip over us to find us here.” He pulled her head back down gently. “Just rest, Gypsy.”

  “I don’t want to rest.” She remained relaxed against him despite her words. “I have to tell you…not to feel guilty. None…” She drew a deep breath and seemed to steady herself. “None of this was your fault.”

  “Shh.” He stroked her hair. God, how he loved her hair. “You can ease my conscience when you get stronger.”

  “But…what if I don’t—”

  “Don’t even say it, lady. You aren’t getting away from me that easy.”

  He felt her sigh. “You’re right.” Her voice was barely a whisper now. “I told you I wouldn’t leave you, Nick. I meant it. You have to know that. I meant it.” She lifted her head again, and it seemed to take an incredible effort. She gazed into his eyes. “I know it’ll be hard for you to believe me…they all walked out. You don’t trust anyone. But I won’t…unless you ask me to.” Her eyes closed slowly and popped wide again as if she’d forced them. “I love you, Nick.”

  He felt as if he’d been struck by lightning. “You—you’re delirious.”

  She shook her head. “I love you. I thought I could make you love me…but it’s okay. Maybe you need time.”

  Her head fell to his shoulder as if she could no longer hold it up. Nick caught her face in his hands and gently lifted her, but her eyes remained closed, thick lashes caressing her silken cheeks, tears glistening in the single shaft of moonlight that made its way between the boughs. He kissed her, but her satin lips were slack and unresponsive. He closed his arms around her and rocked her slowly as a burning dampness gathered in his eyes. “Hold on, little Gypsy. Don’t you leave me now. I do love you, dammit. More than life!”

  She loved him. My God, it was not credible. No one had ever uttered those three words to Nick before—not even his own mother. Yet Toni had. She said she loved him, and he believed her.

  She shivered in his arms. She needed help; he knew that. She’d lost a lot of blood, running full tilt the way she had while her magnificent heart pumped more and more blood out of her body. He lowered her gently, then moved out of the sheltering boughs and paused, listening. He heard them moving, but in the wrong direction. Apparently they’d passed them and were still heading deeper into the woods. Nick ducked back inside, lifting her carefully into his arms. He’d take her back the way they’d come. There must be a vehicle, a phone, something.

  He had no way of knowing that Taranto had guessed he would come back, or that he’d only sent his men into the woods to flush them out. He and Viper waited near the dirt road for Nick to emerge from the trees. When he did, they would blow him to pieces.

  He’d carried her nearly all the way back. The dirt road should be just beyond his range of vision now. She hadn’t stirred in all that time. Nick felt a sense of dread settle over him. To lose her now would kill him. He drew closer to the road, able to see it’s writhing shape. He was about to step through the last line of trees when he heard the choppers. They approached fast, and in seconds hovered over him. Spotlights danced through the trees over the road and seemed to settle on a subject. An artificially amplified voice filled the air, all but drowned out by the pounding of the chopper blades, but audib
le and mad as hell. “We are federal officers. Stand where you are and throw your weapons to the ground.”

  There was sudden movement from the road, and a burst of gunfire. Nick lowered Toni to the ground and lifted his weapon just as Lou Taranto lunged through the trees directly in front of him. Nick heard one of the choppers touch down. Lou lifted his gun muzzle.

  “Forget it, Lou,” Nick said, his voice level. “You’re going down this time. It’s over.”

  The hand holding the gun wavered. “Like my own son, Nicky.” His body shook now, as well as his hand. “I treated you like my own son. You’re right, it’s over. But not just for me.” The change in his grip on the revolver was minuscule but enough. Nick pulled up fast and shot him. He pulled the trigger three times in quick succession, and each time Lou’s fat body jerked as if electrocuted. He went down then and lay still on the ground.

  Nick looked at him for a long moment. He’d awaited this second from the time he was sixteen years old, and now that it was here it was nothing. It meant nothing. All that mattered was Toni. He turned and bent low to lift her into his arms again.

  “Not yet, Manelli.”

  Viper’s voice came from just behind him, and Nick’s blood went cold. He’d lowered his weapon too soon. To turn and fire before Viper could put a bullet into his back would be impossible. The chance Viper would miss his first shot was slim at best. Viper rarely missed.

  Nick stiffened, not even breathing. He lifted his gun, ready to spin and fire.

  The sudden crack that split the air behind him jolted him, but he felt no bullet. He whirled, ready to fire, not believing Viper had missed. He froze. Viper lay dead on the ground. Nick’s gaze lifted and moved beyond the hit man to see Joey’s garishly bruised face. He stood with one hand braced against a tree trunk and gave Nick a lopsided grin.

  “How many times are you gonna make me save that overdeveloped butt of yours, pal? I’m getting kinda sick of it.”

  “By my count, that makes us about even, Salducci.” Nick turned, holstering his gun, and bent over Toni again. He lifted her and walked toward the road.

  “She okay?” Joey’s voice revealed his concern.

  “She has to be,” Nick said. “I’m on a roll.”

  He stepped out of the trees onto the road and saw cops everywhere and several of Taranto’s men being handcuffed. Kate del Rio ran toward him, shaking Harry’s restraining hand from her as if it was nothing. She stopped in front of Nick, her hand smoothing Toni’s hair.

  “Antonia! Oh, God…”

  “She’s only unconscious,” Nick said gently. “She’s going to be all right.”

  She nodded brusquely, stepped to one side, keeping her hand on her daughter’s face and walking along with him toward the nearest chopper. “Of course she will, won’t you, Antonia?” She lifted her head, met Nick’s eyes. “She looks better than you do, I can tell you that much.” She glanced toward Joey, who hung back. “Come on, you stubborn man. You can barely stand up. You’re coming with us.”

  Nick heard the slight waver underlying the gusto of her words. He saw her lower lip tremble and he spotted droplets forming on her lashes. What was it with these del Rio women and their false bravado, anyway? “She lost a little blood—that’s why she’s fainted, Kate. But with the chopper we can have her in an emergency room in a matter of minutes. She’s going to be all right.”

  She nodded, steadying him by gripping his shoulder when he lifted Toni up into the waiting chopper. She climbed in behind him. “You don’t have to tell me that. I can see she’s okay.” Joey clambered up after her and slipped a comforting arm around her shoulders. He held her close to his side as the chopper lifted.

  Chapter 15

  When Nick saw Kate del Rio’s gaze jump just before she got to her feet, he knew the surgeon had finally come out of the O.R. of the tiny Community Memorial Hospital in the town of Hamilton. It was a good hospital. Nick had checked. And the guy was a good surgeon. He’d checked on that, too. He’d had little else to do in the four hours since they’d rushed her through the huge double doors with the signs proclaiming Absolutely No Admittance Beyond This Point. He got his rib cage wrapped and then he sat in anguish.

  He tried not to think of her as she’d been when they’d wheeled her through the doors, pale and limp and so damn weak. She’d told him she loved him. He still wasn’t over the shock of it. She’d meant it, too; he’d seen it in her eyes. She loved him. That beautiful Gypsy enchantress loved Nick Manelli. It was a miracle—the only one he’d had in his life. Maybe you were only entitled to one. He sighed hard. He’d damn well like another one. He wanted her to be all right. He couldn’t lose her now.

  “Mrs. del Rio, Mr. Manelli?”

  He snapped to attention. The surgeon stood in front of him. Nick didn’t know when he’d stood. He looked at the man’s blue pouffy paper hat and at the mask he’d tugged down so it hung around his neck. He couldn’t seem to meet the man’s eyes. His fear of seeing the worst there kept his gaze darting around the waiting room. The smell began to get to him. He felt it must have permeated his body by now. He felt as if he’d still smell it even if he burned his clothes and took ten scalding showers. He felt—

  “Thank God,” Kate whispered. She turned into Nick’s chest, and he knew she cried with relief. She wobbled very slightly, and Nick put his arms around her small shoulders to steady her.

  Nick realized in growing awe that the doctor had just informed them Toni was fine. “When can I—can we—see her?” he managed.

  “She’s in recovery. She won’t wake for several hours. I’d advise you to get some sleep. I’ll let you know the minute she starts to come around.”

  “She’s going to be okay,” Nick muttered as the doctor strode away from them.

  Kate straightened and looked up at him. “Yes, but are you?”

  He shook his head. “Two miracles in one day. It’s hard to swallow.”

  She smiled up at him. “I should go and tell Joseph. Are you sure you’re all right?”

  He finally let it sink in. She was all right. She loved him and she was all right. He grinned, feeling like a small boy on Christmas morning. “I’ve never been better!” He grabbed the tiny woman and hugged her hard enough to force the air from her lungs. “I have to go out, but I won’t be long.”

  He walked on air through the corridors, found Harry and managed to commandeer a local cop’s car for his purposes. He drove away from the neat, low brick building, through the college town and into the rural countryside.

  He left the windows down so that wonderful fresh-cut-grass fragrance could waft over him, and he tried to imagine what on earth he’d done to deserve a woman like Toni.

  As he drove, the houses grew farther apart. He passed green meadows, fenced fields and herds of lazy fat cows. He drove by a huge rambling Victorian house and he smiled, remembering the way she’d confided her secret dreams to him, afraid he’d think they were silly.

  He didn’t. He couldn’t for the life of him imagine a better way to spend his life than with Toni in some big old house. They’d fix it up together, and she’d have a big office with lots of light. She could work on those warm, uplifting books she wanted to write. He’d join the local P.D. When he came home at night, she’d be there. She wouldn’t walk out. She loved him.

  He smiled, suddenly knowing exactly what he wanted to get for her. The doctor had said several hours. Would he have time to find what he needed?

  The afternoon sun slanted in through a window and heated her face and eyelids. Toni wrinkled her nose. The smell was unpleasant and familiar. Her throat hurt. It felt dry and as if something had scraped it raw. There was no pain in her shoulder. Somehow she felt as if there should be.

  She opened her eyes. Nick sat beside the bed in a chair. His hand held hers tightly, she realized. He looked better than he had. His cheek still looked swollen and purple, but not as bad as it had been. The blood had all been washed away from his face.

  He looked relieved when she met
his eyes, but nervous, too. “Hey, sleepyhead. Feel up to a five-mile run?”

  She smiled at him, and her heart swelled when she thought of how much she loved him. She blinked. She’d told him so, hadn’t she? When they’d been in the forest, and she’d felt so weak she’d wondered if it could be the end, she’d decided to tell him exactly how she felt, in case she never had another chance. Maybe that was why he seemed nervous. She’d scared him with the intensity of her feelings, just as she’d feared she might.

  He smiled back at her. “You don’t know how good it is to see that smile of yours, Gypsy.” He leaned close and kissed her with exquisite tenderness. When he straightened, he studied her face as if he were drinking it in.

  One hand—the only one she seemed able to move—lifted to run through her hair. “I’m a mess.”

  “You’re gorgeous.”

  “My hair—”

  “You’d be gorgeous bald, lady.”

  That remark elicited a giggle, but Nick wasn’t smiling. His face was serious. “You remember what happened?”

  Her smile faded. She nodded and glanced down at her arm. Her shoulder was heavily bandaged, her arm in a sling. “I was shot.”

  “The arm will be fine, Toni. No complications. A few weeks, you’ll be as good as new.” He cleared his throat, and his gaze dropped before hers. “Do—um—you remember what you told me out there?”

  She drew a deep breath. “I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable. I was afraid I wouldn’t make it. I wanted you to know—”

  “Then you meant it?”

  He seemed so insecure all of a sudden, so vulnerable. Frowning, she looked into his tiger-striped eyes. “I’m in love with you, Nick Manelli. Maybe I shouldn’t have said it so soon, but I’m not going to take it back now.”