“Cut it out, the pair of you!” Dario’s pouring another espresso, which probably isn’t necessary for him since he’s already so wired. Though I imagine Raoul needs it – he clearly hasn’t slept. “Now, back to the subject – what’s the next step.”
“Well, I was thinking I should track down the McErlane girl and make an honest woman of her. Then I’d be ole Tommy’s heir, and the war would be over,” Raoul deadpans.
Dario and I stare at him in utter astonishment for a moment before his face cracks into a grin. And then he’s laughing. Practically spitting coffee across the counter.
“I’m joking! Jesus! You should see your faces!”
“Goddammit, what do I have to do to get you to focus, bro?” Dario is shaking his head.
“Grow a pair of tits and take off your shirt,” I mutter darkly. I’m losing patience, too, now. “Raoul couldn’t keep it in his pants long enough to walk down the fucking aisle, anyhow.”
“I’m hurt.” He clutches his hand to his chest in mock offense. “I’d make a great husband someday. Probably when I’m dead.”
“Which is bound to happen if you marry Tommy McErlane’s daughter and then screw around on her. He’d string you up by his balls.” The thought of it has me grinning again.
“Can wepleaseget back to the subject? I can’t be hanging around all day listening to your comedy act. I told Nikki I’d be back in time for dinner.”
“Okay, okay, don’t get your panties in a twist. So, the plan is that Mateo goes to Reed with the rest of his intel. I’ve had a guy inside who’s put together a pretty juicy folder of evidence against Whitlock, and I’m sure the Feds can make it stick. We wait for our gap and get Reed to go in.”
Dario’s nodding. “Sounds solid. You just have to pin him down someplace.”
“Shouldn’t be hard.” Raoul shrugs. “The man is wired for autofuck; so arrogant he thinks he’s untouchable. He’s going to step out of line with another of his gatherings or soirees or whatever the fuck he calls them. When he does, we’ll be there. Reed’s bunch will take him out, and life goes back to normal.”
“As normal as you’d expect for a deviant like you,” I quip.
“Cut it out,” Dario warns me. I grin. He may be two years younger than I am, but Dario’s taken to being the level-headed one since he learned he would be a father. Not that he hasn’t taken on that role with the boy he adopted all those years back. Thanks to Dario, Danny’s turned out to be a great kid. There are depths to my brother that surprise me.
“So, anyway, we’ll be keeping tabs on him night and day. I’ve got my own team on him too. He’s wired for sound; we’re watching his emails and bank accounts. If he’s planning any kind of move that we can exploit, we’ll know exactly when and where.”
“Sounds good,” Dario nods. “And your girl?”
“I’ll get Andy out at the same time.” I say it firmly. As if I can mentally will it into being.
“That’s if she’s alive,” Raoul adds, suddenly serious. “You’d better brace yourself for that, Mateo. Too many girls have gone in there and not come out again.” He’s not kidding around this time, and his words make my stomach lurch.
Because he’s right.
Chapter 7
Andy Carter
Dead…dead!
And it’s all because of me. I glance down at the blood on my hands, see it spreading around me like a lake. I’m staring into Kyle’s lifeless eyes, and then they’re not Kyle’s; they’re Mateo’s, his beautiful face splattered with it.
No! Please God, no!
I shoot up into a sitting position, my hair clinging damply to my face. I push it away with a shaking hand. The flickering of the motel light plays across the foot of my bed as I suck in air and try to calm myself.
It’s not the first time I’ve had this dream…although it’s becoming more frequent lately. I know I won’t sleep peacefully until I’ve rid the world of the evil that still walks in it. I won’t get it wrong this time.
“For you, Kyle…I’ll do it for you!”
And Mateo. I’ll make sure he doesn’t meet the same fate.
I swing my feet from the edge of the bed and sidle awkwardly between the edge of it and the wall to get to the bathroom. Splashing tepid on my face goes some way to settling my nerves. A glance at the time tells me it’s 4 a.m. I’ll never get back to sleep now. Particularly since there’s a banging coming from next door. I’m pretty sure my neighbor is a hooker. As the headboard slams against the thin wall between us, I hear the moans building.
Hopefully, it’ll be over soon, and she’ll go out again to pick someone else up.
