“It didn’t go in,” she said.
Tobias looked at her dumbfounded.
“It’s only a graze. Now move it.”’
She pulled him up and continued running. They made it to within ten steps of the police cars and the ambulance parked on West Thirteenth Street.
Tobias held her hand. “Are you crazy? The police are after me.”
Annabel glared at him and pointed toward the approaching assailants. “Them or the police?”
Tobias shrugged.
“You have to decide, Tobias, ’cause I’m not getting killed today.”
Tobias nodded and Annabel put her arms round him, burying his face in her chest. She rushed toward two police officers struggling to keep order. “Please help. My boyfriend’s been shot.”
One of the officers, a brown-haired man, ran toward them and eased Tobias to the ground. He inspected the wound for a few seconds amid the chaos.
Annabel crouched and looked back down Fifth Avenue. Tobias’ face tightened as the officer continued inspecting the wound. Annabel returned to his side. “Is he going to be okay?”
He waved toward a paramedic before helping Tobias to his feet. “He’s going to be just fine, ma’am.” He looked at Tobias. “You’re very lucky. The bullet only grazed your arm.”
“Oh, thank God,” Annabel said in a high-pitched voice. “I was so scared.”
The paramedic arrived soon with another man. They helped Tobias into an ambulance. He gave Annabel a long questioning stare. She gestured that he should remain calm. She then walked back to the Fifth Avenue intersection.
Tobias wiped sweat from his head as he was put into the ambulance. He watched as a number of people boarded it. A woman with glass protruding from her right arm screamed in pain while a man suffering from a bullet wound to the lower abdomen was tended to. He tapped one of the paramedics. “Have you seen my girlfriend?”
Just then, Annabel charged back to the ambulance, breathing heavily. She sat beside him and held his hand.
“What happened?” he whispered. “Where did those guys go?”
“Don’t worry about that. We’re safe now.”
The sirens sounded and the vehicle dashed toward the hospital.
***
The ambulance sped through the busy streets, taking a sharp right onto Sixth Avenue. Tobias could feel his heart beat faster. He couldn’t go to the hospital and he knew it. He assumed that the policeman hadn’t recognized him because his picture had not yet been plastered everywhere. He was in no doubt, however, that by the time they reached the hospital, it would be a completely different story. He continued looking toward Annabel, trying to gain her attention.
Annabel instead was gazing at the gunshot victim, tears forming in her eyes. The ambulance took a sharp right, and Tobias saw that they were on West Fourteenth Street.
“Where are you taking us?” Annabel asked one of the paramedics.
The paramedic glanced at her as she continued attending to the injured. “Bellevue,” she said. “It’s on First Avenue. We can’t be far.”
Annabel rubbed her palms together and looked around before reaching for her gun. She pointed it at the paramedic and shouted at her male partner, “Tell the driver to turn the sirens off and slow down or I’ll kill her.”
What the fuck is she doing?
The male paramedic dropped the bandage he had in his hand and signaled to the driver. The ambulance slowed down and the sirens were silenced. He looked at Annabel. “Where are we going?”
“Tell them to take a left onto Seventh Avenue.”
After he relayed Annabel’s instructions, she motioned for the man to stand near her. Meanwhile, the other paramedic continued tending to the wounded. Annabel avoided her glare.
“I don’t know why you’re doing this,” the woman said, “but these people haven’t done anything. Don’t they at least deserve a chance?”
Annabel dismissed Tobias’ questioning stare. “Can you see us going anywhere else?” she said to the woman. “We’re still going to the hospital, just by a different route.”
Per Annabel’s instructions, the ambulance driver took a right turn and then a left and drove for nearly a mile before Annabel signaled for him to stop. She ordered him to come to the back of the ambulance.
Tobias opened the doors for the driver and looked up and down East Twenty-sixth Street. It was extremely quiet, with few pedestrians in sight. He noticed what he thought was a library to his right, but no one entered or came out.
“Now, the hospital is about two minutes away,” Annabel said. “I don’t plan to hurt any of you, but I will if I have to. Neither of us mean anything to you, so as long as we keep it that way, everything will be fine.”
A short plump man with blood trickling down his face nodded in fear. Two middle-aged women also acknowledged their assent with rapid nods. Annabel rested her gaze on the feisty female paramedic. “Do we have a problem?”
The woman shook her head.
“Good. We’re leaving now.” She motioned Tobias to open the doors. “Don’t try anything. Just take these people to the hospital for treatment.”
Annabel led Tobias away. He glanced back upon reaching the edge of the street to see the ambulance continuing toward the hospital.
8. The Other Arm of the Law
Annabel worked her phone’s keyboard for over five minutes as sweat dripped profusely from Tobias’ forehead. They stood in an alley by the corner of East Twenty-sixth Street, not moving an inch. Tobias watched her scroll through numbers and texts and occasionally search the Internet.
After a few minutes, she glanced at Tobias. “We can’t use these anymore.” She placed the cell on the ground and repeatedly stamped it with her foot. She then extended her hand toward Tobias. He paused for a second and then gave his phone to her. After destroying it, too, she edged out of the alley, but he grabbed her wrist. “So are we going to talk about what just happened?”
Annabel looked at him for a moment and turned back to face the street.
Tobias squatted, tensed his injured arm and rubbed it with his left hand. Most of the blood had dried. “We just held up an ambulance. What was that for?”
“The route they would have taken is crawling with police. We couldn’t afford that. They probably know our faces by now.”
Tobias shook his head. “What about Fifth Avenue? All those people dead! Penélope is fucking dead. This can’t be happening.”
Annabel grabbed his shoulders. “Listen, mister, you need to start growing a pair. What do you think I’m doing here? Saving your ass, that’s what. We haven’t done anything wrong. You haven’t done anything wrong. But as long as they think you have, you’ll be a target. The mob. The police. All of them. That’s why we’ve got to do whatever we have to to prove your innocence, but we can’t do that if we’re caught.”
Tobias nodded and grabbed the arm she’d extended and rose to his feet. She peered down the street in the direction of First Avenue and saw only a few passing cars. Clouds filled the sky, and a chill crept through Tobias’ bones. He walked steadily behind Annabel, constantly glancing backward. “So what do we do now?” he asked.
“I know people that can help us. You’re wanted for a crime I know you didn’t commit. You have information Antonio’s family obviously don’t want you to have. Trust me, you’re the most wanted man in New York.” She checked her gun’s clip. “Soon everyone will be in on this: the Colombians, the Mexicans, everyone. Our only move is to get somewhere safe.”
“And we’re not going to the police because?”
“How do you think they found you so fast? Hell, I followed the police to get to your apartment. Why do you think Antonio’s managed to shift all the blame to you? His whole family owns the police. Don’t you watch the news? Their organization is running almost all of New York now. Even if he didn’t kill her, he’d rather have everyone think you did than find the real killer. He just wants them to hunt you down so he can get whatever’s on that memory stick
.”
Tobias put both hands on his head. “But how do I prove my innocence if I’m just going to run? If that bastard killed Penélope, I don’t want him to get away with it.” Why would anyone want to kill someone so beautiful and gentle? I’ll be dammed if I just sit back and let her killer walk free.
“I agree with you, and I give you my word: If he was the one who killed her, he’ll pay. But for now, we need to lay low. I know just the place, but we need a car.”
“Do you need me to do anything?”
“No, I’ll take care of it.” She squeezed his wrist. “It’ll be fine, Tobias. You’ll see.”
They’d reached the corner of First Avenue and East Twenty-sixth Street when loud sirens headed toward them. An ambulance and a police car could be seen in the distance. Other cars on the road immediately stopped, some jumping the curb. Annabel glanced back at the alley they had hidden in. “It’s too far,” she said. “We won’t make it without looking suspicious.” She turned toward Tobias. “Kiss me.” She squinted, trying to get a better view of the vehicles headed their way.
Tobias looked at her, wide-eyed. Annabel grabbed his face and pressed his lips against hers. When the sound of sirens started to die down, they awkwardly backed away from each other. Annabel hurried up the road, and Tobias chased after her, tugging against his laptop bag. They continued on in silence for a few minutes.
When they reached East Twenty-fifth Street, Annabel asked Tobias to wait by another alley while she tried to secure a car.
“How are you going to get one?”
“Don’t worry about it. It doesn’t matter how I get it, just so long as it serves its purpose.”
Tobias held on to her shoulder as she was about to walk off. “Are you sure there’s nothing I can do? I feel like a fool just standing here while you do everything.”
“I’ll be fine.” She started walking. “Just stay out of sight till I get back.”
***
Annabel returned ten minutes later with a dark blue Toyota sedan. It was dirty, with mud splattered on the tires, and she dismissed his numerous questions about how she’d acquired it. Traffic was light as they made their way to East Thirty-fourth Street.
Tobias cast his mind back to Chris, worried for his friend’s well-being. If they were on to Tobias, they could just as easily be on to Chris. He spent most of his time at the club, and the police and maybe even the gangsters would probably go to him first in their efforts to find Tobias. He scratched his head and sighed. He looked at the sky, his eyes twitching.
“You okay?” Annabel asked.
“I ... I don’t know. So much is happening. It’s almost like I’m dreaming. I need to at least tell my boss what’s going on. He’ll want to know what’s happening.”
Annabel laughed. “Are you kidding me? All he has to do is watch the news.”
Tobias grimaced.
“Look, I hate to be this evil bitch, but the only way you’ll get through this is by accepting that your life’s over.”
“That’s all well and good, but I have to talk to my friend Chris. I haven’t been able to get hold of him all day.”
Annabel looked at him intently. “Chris? Was he your friend at the club?”
Tobias looked at her, his eyebrows arched. “Yeah, he is. Why?”
Annabel shook her head and reached into the back seat. She handed him a copy of The New York Post. “I’m so sorry. I completely forgot to tell you.”
“Tell me what?”
“Read the article on page six.”
He grabbed the paper and opened it to a story with the headline “Another Grisly Murder Rocks the City.” He read it with shaking hands: “The body of a 25-year-old man was discovered this morning on the shore of the Bronx River. Chris Hawkins appeared to have sustained multiple stab wounds to the chest and legs. Three of his fingers had been severed, and there were extreme contusions on his face.”
Tobias dropped the paper and grabbed the door handle, which didn’t budge. As he reached to unlock it, Annabel swerved to the side of the road and helped him open it. Tobias vomited for almost a minute, cursing between heaves. Annabel smiled at the passersby who stared at them. She reached for a large bottle of water in the back seat, and Tobias used it to rinse his mouth.
After wiping the last specks of vomit from his mouth, he sat in silence. Annabel ran her hands across the steering wheel, gazing at the sky and occasionally at pedestrians.
She turned to Tobias when he started to choke after gulping the water. She held his hand. “I’m really sorry about your friend.”
His face tightened and he looked at her. “Why not just kill him? Why do all that to him? What kind of people are these?” Fuck, these guys are torturing and killing people to find me.
“The very worst kind,” she said. “They’ve done so many bad things to so many people and will never stop doing it unless someone puts an end to this.”
He opened the door and stepped out. Annabel rushed out and stood in front of him.
“Get out of my way,” he said.
“And what’re you gonna do, tough guy? Avenge your friend on your own?”
“I’m going to kill him. Chris didn’t do anything wrong.” Tears returned to his eyes. “Why did Antonio do this? Why?” His voice grew fainter and shakier. “It’s me he wanted. Why did he have to kill Chris?”
Annabel grabbed both his arms and shook him. “Listen to me. These people will do anything they have to for their cause. They will kill anyone who gets in their way. All the talk about these gangsters having some sort of honor, a code or whatever—it’s all bullshit. They’ll find you and kill you. They’ll kill us both.”
He suddenly looked at her with anger and disgust. “But why should I even trust you? You’re one of them. Your best friend went out with one and lied to me. I’m going to the police.”
She held his face in her hands. “Think, Tobias. You’re not thinking straight. They own the police. If you go there, you’re as good as dead. We have to do this together.”
He took a deep breath and returned to the car. He sat motionless for nearly ten minutes, hardly blinking. Finally, he took a long swig from the water bottle and turned to Annabel. “So what do we do now?”
Annabel started the car. “Let’s start by looking at what’s on that memory stick. That might be how we take them down. It’s our only leverage.”
Tobias nodded and leaned back in his seat. Annabel lit a cigarette and took a drag before pulling out. He held out his hand and she passed one to him.
“Where are we going?” he asked.
“Somewhere safe. Penélope and I used to go there when we just wanted to get away from everything.”
“But what if she told Antonio?”
“She wouldn’t have. We got that place so she could get away from him when she needed to. It’s the last place he’ll come looking for us.”
She continued through the city, heading toward I-278.
***
They arrived at Staten Island a little after 5 p.m. Tobias had checked the side mirrors the whole way there, his mind racing in multiple directions. The temperature had dipped significantly, and rain had started to fall. Annabel parked on Riedel Avenue, a quiet street lined with trees and apartment buildings.
She grabbed her handbag and some newspapers from the back seat before getting out of the car. Tobias put his laptop bag on his shoulder again and followed her. They walked up an aging staircase covered in burgundy carpeting to the second floor of the three-story building.
Tobias watched Annabel as she walked ahead of him. He wondered how she could remain so calm in the face of such danger. She had had no trouble firing a gun and had spoken commandingly to the police and the ambulance staff. She didn’t seem to fear anything, even death. He wondered whether she might be an undercover police officer and eventually turn him in. A worse possibility—and one that entered his mind more than once—was that she actually believed he’d killed Penélope and she wanted to see him dead, too.
As the door opened, Tobias reached for the gun in his pocket. Annabel looked at his hand. “I’m not the enemy here, Tobias.”
He sighed and brought his hand back out. He walked in after her to a sharp musty smell. A foyer with pale red carpets welcomed them. Besides the small kitchen, there were three rooms with little in the way of furniture. There was a tan leather sofa, a large black coffee table, a forty-two-inch TV and a lamp in the front room. One bedroom had only a wardrobe and a cross-trainer, while the second had a king-size four-poster bed. The place didn’t look as if it had been inhabited recently. Tobias approached the kitchen and opened the refrigerator, which was empty. He opened the cupboards under the sink and found some dusty drinking glasses. He gave two a thorough rinse before filling them with tap water.
They sat on the sofa, and he handed Annabel a glass. She turned on the TV and tuned to a news channel. They saw video footage of the incident on Fifth Avenue. Tobias frowned when he saw glimpses of them running across the street making their escape. The pictures looked grainy, as if they had been taken with a camera phone.
Minutes later, a dark-haired anchor described the day’s events. “The carnage on Fifth Avenue this afternoon is said to have been caused by an armed man and woman.” she said. A picture of them appeared on the screen, Tobias in profile and Annabel holding a gun in the air. “These pictures were taken with an eyewitness’s camera phone when the disturbance began. The man is believed to be Tobias Mead, the prime suspect in the killing of murder victim Penélope Salazar, whose body was discovered on Saturday morning. The woman has been identified as Annabel Lopez, supposed best friend of the victim. Police now believe that both Mead and Lopez might have conspired to murder Salazar but are still unsure of what started the shootout on the streets of New York this afternoon. It’s been reported that the man and woman also exchanged fire with two other assailants whose identities have not yet been verified. The police are seeking anyone who might have seen these two people, as their testimony could help to shed light on today’s events as well as how this unfortunate incident relates to the grisly murder of an innocent young woman.”
The Kiss after Midnight (The Midnight Trilogy) Page 7
