"If Sal needs to step in, he will. He's dealt with Burnett before."
Except I wanted to be the one to step in and save Skip, and that was just insane. I had no business even thinking about Skip Jones as anything other than Lany's doctor and a victim of a hold-up.
I needed air.
"I'm going to step outside and get some air."
"Don't go far," Clarke said. "Burnett's going to want your statement, too."
I gave a curt nod and walked toward the double doors leading to the waiting room. There were quite a few police officers in the waiting room taking statements from witnesses.
I almost grabbed one of them to give them my statement instead of Burnett, but I really did need some air. My skin was crawling, and my lungs were tight. If I didn't know any better, I'd think I was having a panic attack.
When I got outside, I went to the left and walked to the end of the walkway. I found a solid piece of cement wall and used it to prop myself up. I leaned my head back, closed my eyes, and just breathed.
Cool night air filled my nostrils and then my lungs. After several deep inhales, I felt the pressure in my chest begin to ease. I opened my eyes and stared up. There was something special about the late autumn night. It was still warm enough to not need a jacket, and a few stars sparkled here and there in the night sky.
I could breathe.
Right up until a black limousine pulled up in front of me and stopped.
Damn.
When the window rolled down, I was a little shocked to find myself face to face with Carlos Gambino, head of a local crime family and the adopted father of my cousin Eddie Wu. "Mr. Gambino."
"Officer Wu." Carlos nodded at me.
"What brings you out so late at night?"
I was praying it was something simple.
Silently begging the powers that be.
"Salvador needs to speak with Vinnie," Carlos said. "There's trouble brewing."
I lifted an eyebrow. "Trouble?"
"Those boys who got into trouble here tonight? They are members of a new element that is trying to set up shop here in the city. They're bringing a lot of shit into the city that none of us wants here. Bad shit."
I frowned quickly, my eyebrows pulling together. "How do you even know about what went on here tonight? It just happened."
Carlos just stared at me.
I didn't want to know.
"Just tell Salvador to talk to Vinnie. The families are going to let Salvador deal with this, but if he can't..." Carlos shook his head. "Salvador needs to get on top of this before it gets out of control and innocent people get caught in the crossfire. If the families get involved, it'll be a bloodbath."
Fuck my life.
Chapter Four
Skip
David rushing back into the emergency room drew my attention away from the detective taking my statement. I grew immediately concerned when I saw the paleness of his face and the hard set of his jaw.
"Dr. Jones!"
"Oh, sorry." I turned back to the detective with a weak smile crossing my lips. "Please, continue."
