Danni nodded. “I hear you loud and clear,” she said. “Does your grandfather support your little business venture?”
Carlo bristled. “You ask a lot of questions. That’s why you’re here now,” he said, his tone snarky.
Danni persisted. “Does Mr. Balducci even know?”
He moved swiftly in her direction, coming to an abrupt stop in front of her. His jaw was tight. “My grandfather is none of your business. And what he does or doesn’t know is mine.”
A slow grin spread across her face. “He doesn’t know! He would have shut you down if he did. And he would never have let you get so sloppy.”
Carlo drew back his hand as if to strike her. Pie suddenly called his name, stalling his arm in midmotion.
Danni took a deep breath. “Mustn’t damage the goods, Pius! One point three million dollars, remember? My new daddy might not like any bruises on my face.”
He stared at her, rage shifting about in his eyes. He tossed a look over his shoulder and shouted up the stairs. “What is it, Pie? What now?”
“I need my medicine, and Ginny says we have to go get it. And Grandfather is on the phone. He keeps calling!”
“There’s medicine in my room, Pie! Tell Ginger to look in my room!”
The man took swift breaths to calm his nerves. He stepped back, his arm falling down to his side. He closed his eyes for a brief moment, an internal battle on his face as he struggled with what to do next. When he opened them, Danni was still eyeing him intently.
He reached his hand out, and Danni drew back abruptly.
“I just want to check your head,” he said as he slowly extended his hand a second time. “If you’re going to need stitches, I need to know. I’ll have to call someone. Now, we can do this the easy way and you can cooperate, or the hard way, which means you won’t know what happens until after it’s over and you’ve been shipped to your new home. Your choice!”
After a moment of hesitation, Danni slowly leaned forward and allowed him to inspect the gash in the back of her scalp.
“That is not pretty,” Carlo said, frustration adding to his other range of emotions. He pulled a key from his pocket and unlocked her wrist from the handcuff. “Upstairs,” he said, pointing his index finger.
“You know what else isn’t pretty?” Danni asked.
He eyed her curiously. “What?”
“Men who act like dicks!” she exclaimed, and then Danni slammed a hard knee into his groin that doubled him over in pain that she was sure had him seeing stars. As he fell forward, she swept his legs out from beneath him and followed with a steel-toed boot against his chin when he hit the ground. The concrete was unforgiving, and she imagined it hurt as much as her head.
* * *
Armstrong and additional tactical units were only minutes away when Danni’s electronic device sounded the alarm. A wave of panic punched him hard, practically doubling him over from the anxiety of not knowing what was going on. He clutched the steering wheel a little tighter as the team already in place updated him.
The Balducci brothers were barricaded inside the home with a light security team posted at each door. He had no doubts Pius had already gotten word that his entire empire was imploding around him. Warrants had been executed on all of his properties, his stable of underage prostitutes now in protective custody. The sex trade in Chi-Town had taken a direct hit, and he was going to ensure there would be no recovery for them anytime soon. Pius’s open retail lines were shut down, and it was only a matter of time before they’d be able to shut down his underground operations, as well.
Tank had fingered him for all the open murder cases, with the exception of one, and if what they were reporting was correct, Danni had audio recordings of Carlo “Pius” Mancuso Balducci confessing to those multiple murders. Taking him into custody was the last thing they needed to do. That and making sure Danni was finally safe and sound.
* * *
When Armstrong pulled into the driveway, his team had already breached the house. He moved swiftly across the lawn to the front door. Stepping inside, he found Danni standing room center, one hand on her hip, the other clutching the back of a chair that Pie sat in. The young man was rocking back and forth, slapping himself as Ginger tried to calm him down. He and Danni locked eyes, and relief flooded his spirit.
He moved to her side, his gaze sweeping over her, around the room and back to her. She gave him a slight smile and a quick nod. “You good, Detective?” he asked, his eyes fixed tightly on her.
“I’m always good when we get our bad guys,” she said, a slight smile pulling across her face.
He gestured with his head toward Pie, questions blessing his expression.
“Meltdown,” she said, her voice dropping. “Apparently he’s off his meds. They’re going to transfer him to county hospital after we book him.”
“I can get him calm,” Ginger interjected. “And I need to call his grandfather.”
“You need to make sure the medics check your injuries. They should probably take you to the hospital so someone can look at that bruise on your face.”
Ginger shook her head. “I’m good. Really,” she said. “I’ve taken worse punches.”
Danni rolled her eyes skyward, she and Armstrong exchanging a look.
“I really need to take care of Pie right now,” Ginger concluded, shifting her attention back to the man.
Danni nodded as Ginger went back to cooing and whispering in Pie’s ear, her arms wrapped tightly around him.
Both Danni and Armstrong turned as an officer led Carlo up from the basement. He still looked dazed. His face twisted with anger when he saw her, and he moved as if to lunge.
Armstrong slid two paces to the side as he stepped between them. He seemed even taller as he side-eyed Carlo, the look he gave daring him to try something. He shook his head slowly at the man.
“Has he been read his rights?” Armstrong asked.
The other officer nodded. “Yes, sir.” His hand was hooked around Carlo’s elbow, and he motioned for him to move.
Armstrong turned his attention back toward Danni. “Good work, Detective.”
Carlo bristled, stopping in his tracks. He spun back around, wide-eyed with confusion. “Detective? What...?”
Danni took a deep breath. “Detective Danielle Winstead. I’m with the Atlanta Police Department.”
“Working with Chicago PD. She’s been undercover with our special task force,” Armstrong interjected. “And she just took you and your entire operation down.”
Danni gestured toward the uniformed officer. “Have a medic check him out after you book him. He took a nasty fall.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“And here I thought I was going to have the honors,” Armstrong said as they marched Pius out the door and put him in a patrol car.
“Of what?”
“Punching that bastard out!”
Danni smiled as the two exchanged a look. She clutched the side of the chair a little tighter. Turning her attention toward Ginger, she stood watching the young woman, her concern for Pie, who’d finally stopped rocking and was playing a video game on his phone, feeling quite genuine.
Armstrong stepped closer to her. He pressed his back against the chair, his arms crossed over his chest as they stood practically arm to arm. His voice dropped so only she could hear him.
“He has some serious psychological deficits stemming from an accident at birth. He’d been oxygen-deprived during the delivery and suffered some minor brain damage. I discovered that his grandfather has been trying to hide it—private school, tutors, personal escorts—” he gestured toward Ginger as he continued “—that kind of thing. His anger issues as he’s gotten older have made that harder, though. Not sure yet if we’ll book him. It looks like Pius used his nephew’s deficiencies for his own personal gain. Once we get their statements
, we’ll probably release him to his grandfather until we decide what to do.”
“His nephew...?”
He looked at her with a raised brow. “I’ll explain it later,” he said.
Danni nodded. Before she could reply, Officer Lankford moved toward them.
“Detectives? You were looking for me?”
Armstrong nodded. “I need you to escort Mr. Balducci and his companion down to the station. Stay with them both until Detective Winstead and I get there.”
“Yes, sir!”
Danni gestured for Ginger’s attention. “You and Pie go with this officer. I’ll be right behind you. Everything is going to be okay.”
Ginger hesitated. Her apprehension felt thick and tangible, like a winter blanket wrapped around them.
Danni read her mind, understanding sweeping between them. “It’s okay. I trust him. You’ll be safe.”
Ginger finally nodded. “If you’re sure.”
“I am,” Danni said.
She finally nodded. “Thank you.”
The couple watched as Ginger coaxed Pie out of his seat. He stood upright, a snarl on his face as he shot Danni one last look and followed behind Ginger.
The duo stood side by side as they watched the team carry all the computers in the home to the police van parked on the street. They made no effort to move as officers rolled out the file cabinet and its contents and some paperwork and files from Carlo’s bedroom.
Something they both had been missing washed over them. There was an easy energy that swept between them, extremely comfortable and slightly decadent. They took advantage of the moment to settle back into the luxury of it.
“You know I missed you, right?” Armstrong’s voice was low, the whisper just loud enough for her to hear.
“I missed you, too.”
“You had me worried there for a minute. I was just about to send in the troops.”
Danni smiled the faintest smile. “I told you not to worry.”
“That you did. Doesn’t mean I listened.” He gave her a smile back, the warmth of it flooding her spirit.
They stood in the quiet for another few minutes. Danni shifted her body closer to his, resting her weight against his side. The gesture was slight and probably only he noticed, his arms still folded tightly across his broad chest.
“I should probably get to the station so I can debrief Ginger,” Danni finally said.
“You need a ride?” Armstrong asked, turning to face her.
“You should probably stay here until they’re done. I can get one of the patrol cars to drop me off,” she said as she finally released the hold she had on that upholstered wing chair. “But I think I need...” she started, and then just like that she blacked out, never finishing the sentence as she dropped to the carpeted floor.
* * *
Armstrong was pacing the floor at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. The emergency room was packed, the late-night cases running the gamut from women in labor to gunshot victims hanging on by a thread. The pace was fast and hectic, personnel running back and forth, people yelling and crying and the air singed with heated tempers and frustration. The wealth of it only served to feed his anxiety.
A doctor had been examining Danni for almost forty-five minutes, and he was getting nervous that something was seriously wrong. She had been transferred by ambulance after a medical team was unable to revive her. It was only after she’d passed out that he realized she’d been hurt. He was kicking himself for not having noticed it sooner.
He sauntered back to the nurse’s station, the waiting room beginning to frazzle his nerves. The nurse on duty gave him a look, clearly tired of seeing his pretty face.
“I don’t have any news for you yet, Detective. I promise,” she gushed, “as soon as the doctor comes out you will be the first person I make him come see. You have my word.”
“Sorry,” Armstrong said, flooded with contrition. “I don’t mean to be a nuisance.”
The older woman smiled at him. It was obvious that she had been doing her job for many years. She nodded her graying head, the original jet-black strands peppered with ice-white threads. “You’re worried, and I understand. I wish I had more news for you.”
“Thank you anyway,” he said. He hesitated, dreading the thought of going back to the public waiting room.
The nurse seemed to read his mind. She rose from her seat, placing the pen she’d been writing with on the countertop. “Why don’t I take you to the surgical lounge? It’s quieter there and you’ll probably be more comfortable.”
Armstrong nodded. “Thank you.”
She chatted him up as they maneuvered down the hall and came to the surgical waiting area. The room was empty, no one occupying the pale blue space. The walls were adorned with local artwork, and there was a large, flat-screen television playing on one wall. The furniture was relatively new and comfortable, the whole room designed for calm and tranquility.
He thanked the nurse profusely before she turned to go back to her station. Moving into the far corner, he took a seat and pulled his phone from his pocket. He took advantage of the quiet and called to check in with all of his teams to ensure everyone was on task. As expected, Alexander Balducci had lawyered up his grandson, as well as the boy’s companion, Ginger garnering protection under the family umbrella. Legally, they were allowed to hold the two for seventy-two hours before charges had to be filed. Armstrong made a judgment call, releasing both into Alexander’s custody with the admonishment that neither was to leave town. Carlo wasn’t quite so lucky, his father leaving him to fend for himself. He was behind bars, and Armstrong knew that wasn’t likely to change anytime soon.
A breaking news banner suddenly flashed on the television screen, drawing his attention. He sat forward in his seat and listened as local newscasters announced that arrests had been made in a multistate sex trafficking operation. They noted that local law enforcement working in conjunction with federal investigators had shut down a child prostitution ring and solved the murders of a number of young women and girls. There had also been an arrest of a local business owner with known ties to a renowned crime family. They promised that further details were forthcoming. Apparently the mayor and the police chief were planning a news conference the next morning. There was media footage of one of the homes and some of the girls being brought out in handcuffs, their faces shielded.
Dr. Paul Reilly suddenly entered the room, moving swiftly. He extended his hand in greeting. “Armstrong, it’s good to see you again, although I hate that we keep running into each other like this.”
“It’s good to see you, too, Paul. How is she?” Armstrong asked as the two men shook hands.
“Detective Winstead is one tough cookie. We gave her twelve stitches to close the laceration in the back of her head. And, she has a mild concussion. We would like to keep her here overnight, but she refuses to stay. She really needs to just rest. Her headache is going to persist for a day or two. Also, she might experience some nausea, dizziness and blurred vision. That will all go away as long as she takes it easy and doesn’t get hit in the head again. I also don’t recommend that she be alone for the next forty-eight hours. If the headache gets worse or there’s any slurring in her speech, loss of consciousness or seizures, then you need to get her back here to the hospital as soon as possible.”
Armstrong nodded. “When can I see her?”
“I’ll walk you back to her room.”
“Thanks, Paul,” Armstrong said as he shook the man’s hand a second time. “I really appreciate you.”
“Just doing my job. How’s that sister of yours doing?” the doctor asked.
Armstrong laughed. “Simone is still as mean as ever.”
Dr. Reilly laughed with him. “I want to call and invite her to dinner, but I’m scared.”
He nodded his understanding. His sister had a reputation for
chewing men up and spitting them out without a moment of hesitation. Simone and the good doctor had dated very briefly before Dr. Reilly had left the country to do some mission work in Africa. His leaving hadn’t sat well with Simone, nor had his return inspired her to reconnect with the man.
“It’s like I warned you before, bro,” Armstrong said, “you need to tread cautiously with that one. She even scares me!”
The two men laughed again.
“Well, duty calls,” Dr. Reilly said as the beeper on his hip vibrated. “If Detective Winstead experiences any problems, don’t hesitate to contact me. You have my private number.”
“Thanks, Paul!”
Armstrong took a breath as his friend moved swiftly down the hall. He hesitated for a split second and then knocked on the door and waited for permission to enter.
“Come in,” Danni called out.
Armstrong did, pushing the door open easily. “Hey!”
“Hey!” she answered, smiling at the sight of him.
“I hear you’re refusing medical care.”
“I received medical care. I’m refusing to sit in this hospital all night long. I have work to do.” She had dressed and was sitting on the edge of the hospital bed, waiting for someone to bring her discharge papers.
He moved to her side, inspecting the large bandage that covered the back of her skull. Shaking his head, he cupped his hand beneath her chin and lifted her face to his. He kissed her gently, his lips brushing lightly against hers.
“Well, I’m taking you home to get some rest,” he said when he finally pulled himself from her.
“But we still have work...” she started.
He shook his head. “Everything is under control,” he said as he updated her.
“Are we sure Ginger is safe?”
“I spoke to Mr. Balducci myself. She’s fine and he is bringing her down to the station tomorrow himself for us to talk to.”
“I don’t feel good about that,” Danni said, concern furrowing her brow.
“I wasn’t sure what was going to happen with you, so I made a judgment call. I didn’t want to hold her in a cell all night, and I don’t think she’s going to run. He gave me his word that she would be safe, and I trust that, despite everything else I know about him.”
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