Page 18 of Lethal Bliss

“If you had men who are capable of digging up information this quickly, why did you drag me into it?”

“Because I didn’t know exactly what they had to look for or where to look for it. Bringing you in helped me find that.”

“But I’m not the only investigative journalist in the city,” she says. “Why me?”

I rise from the swivel chair and move closer to her.

Now she’s forced to look up at me.

“You’re the best,” I say.

A small smile starts to form on her lips.

I arrest it with a kiss.

“Thank you,” she says.

I pull away before the urge to go further than a kiss grips me. “I have to leave now.”

A shadow steals into her face. It stays there only for the briefest of moments, but I catch it before it leaves. “Oh…”

“I’ll be back soon,” I assure her. “Then I’ll take you to see the man.”

“How soon?”

“Two hours,” I tell her. “Maybe three.”

“Okay. Can I use your computer? I want to start putting my story together.”

“Sure. Just remember I wasn’t at the motel.”

“Who saved me then?”

“Nobody. You ran away.” I throw on the suit and holster my gun beneath it.

Flora’s eyes narrow, and she opens her mouth, as if to ask a question.

“See you in a bit,” I tell her and walk out of the apartment. Outside, I hail a cab and give the driver Flora’s house address. As I settle into the backseat, I text the same address to Alessandro.

Jacob and the others are going to be watching the house for Flora. When they see me instead, they’ll assume I’ve come to pick clothes for her. They’ll tail me from the house under the assumption that I’ll lead them to her. But I’ll be luring them into a trap.

I’ve requested Alessandro and the crew’s presence just in the event things go wrong.

As the cab pulls away from the curb, I send out another text. This one is to Jack Cartagna, the Don’s son:Set the table. We’re having a feast at heaven’s gate.

Heaven’s gate is an old farmhouse out on the interstate outside the city. That’s where I’m going to lure Jacob and his musketeers. They’ll have two different caporegimes to deal with. There’s no chance in hell that they’re coming out alive.

CHAPTER 10

Flora

WhileEnzo is gone, I work fast on the word processer, reeling out the story. With each word I type, the memories from last night and the days before come back to me. This makes it a difficult task.

However, this isn’t the first time I’ve had to deal with my emotions while putting together a story. The only difference is the worrying thought that keeps gnawing at me.Where has Enzo gone to?

That dangerous look from last night was back in his eyes as he holstered his gun before leaving the house. If I know the mafia well and how they work, I’d say he’s definitely going after Jacob Slattery and his cohorts.

It worries me for two reasons. The first is my fear for his safety. However, that fear wanes when I consider the possibility that his crew will be with him to even out the odds. That brings the next disturbing thought into question: the fact that they’re probably out this morning to take the lives of three sworn officers of the law.