by S G Zertuche
Thoughts of Bo brought on the memory of the way he looked down at me underneath him as we made love. I sucked in a breath and walked into the bathroom to shower, reminding myself I had things to do. There was no time for memories that didn’t mean anything.
It was still dark out when I pulled into the dimly lit parking lot of the shopping center. My eyes scanned the area as I climbed out of the car and walked to the front door of the shop. Using my key, I let myself in, shut the door, and turned off the alarm.
Leaning my back against the wall where the alarm panel was located, I sucked in a breath and steadied my trembling bottom lip.
I could do this. I needed to be strong. For Andy’s sake. He loved this business and had put so much into it. I couldn’t let it fall by the wayside.
Pushing away from the wall, I walked down the hallway to Andy’s office and flipped on the lights. His mess of a desk made me grin and my heart ache at the same time.
Andy couldn’t be neat to save his life. I would often have to come in and straighten his desk out while he was out on a job. Where Andy had charisma and could charm the pants off people, I had always been the neat and organized one. It was his social abilities that I lacked.
I sat in his office chair and rolled it up to his desk. Pushing some of the paperwork over to the side, I logged into his computer. While I waited for it load, I stacked paperwork, quickly scanning each page I picked up.
Along with the issue of Bo, something else had been really bothering me. Why had Andy borrowed money from the Cernuto bothers and not told me? Who were the men that showed up at the hanger and held Isabella hostage? Who had killed Angel Cernuto? Was it Bo? It had to have been Bo. Or at least one of his men. Why had the Mustard Seed been shot up? Where they shooting at Bo?
Everything came back and pointed at Bo. He was the reason our lives were a mess and would never be the same again. I had so many unanswered questions. Questions I wasn’t sure how to go about finding the answers to, nor was I sure that at this point, I even wanted to know more.
A loud thud sounded from the hallway.
My eyes shot to the time displayed at the bottom right of the screen. It was only six a.m. too early to expect anyone in at this time. Unless Bo had decided to come in early.
I held still and listened for a minute as I watched the space at the open doorway. Hearing or seeing nothing, I shook it off and blamed my sleep deprivation for hearing noises that didn’t exist.
Opening the appointment spreadsheet, I took a look at what was scheduled for this week when what sounded like footsteps came from outside Andy’s door.
I stood up slowly, my eyes glued to the open doorway. I had locked the front door after I came in, hadn’t I? My brain was so groggy, I couldn’t remember.
It had to be Bo. Who else would be in here at this hour?
“Bo?” I called out.
It was completely quiet in response. Chewing on my bottom lip, I waited and listened. When I didn’t hear any other noises, I walked slowly to the hallway and peered out. To the left of the door was my old office, now Bo’s office. The door was wide open, but the room was dark.
Turning my head to the right, I looked down the hallway. I hadn’t turned on all the lights, so the storefront was still dark with the only light coming from the windows at the front of the shop. But there was nobody there.
All I could hear was my own breath as it came in through my nose.
I slowly walked toward the front of the building so I could flip on the lights. It was stupid of me not to do it when I walked in. I would feel better once the building was lit.
Stepping quickly to where the switch plates were located, I flipped them all on at once. Fluorescent light flooded the area at the same time a noise came from behind me. I squealed and spun around.
No one was there.
My mind was playing tricks on me.
I laughed softly, feeling ridiculous.
Unfortunately, I didn’t see the white rag in the hand until it clasped over my mouth and nose.
By then, it was too late to scream.
17
Bo
“Bo!” Santiago yelled, storming into the kitchen.
I raised an eyebrow as I set my mug of coffee down.
“Good morning, Santiago. You know, in the ten years I have known you, I don’t think you have ever actually called me by my first name. It kind of throws me off first thing in the morning.” I grinned at the man.
Ten years back, my father had requested I meet him for lunch. When I arrived at the restaurant, two men were sitting with him. Santiago Martinez and Phillip Dellis. My father introduced them as friends, but after the meal, I truly understood what type of friends they actually were.
Technically, they were a gift from my grandfather, but like most gifts from his side of the family, they came with promises and a heavy price—one my father was not happy about delivering— but because of what was going down, felt that he had to.
I agreed to what he asked on behalf of my grandfather. In those ten years, Santiago and Phillip hadn’t left my side as they waited for the time to come for me to carry out my tasks.
“Bo, are you listening to me?” Santiago demanded. “We need to go now! Phillip believes he has the location locked down. The only problem is we can’t reach Ruben.”
“Sorry,” I apologized to Santiago, taking another drink of coffee. “I was thinking about something for a second. Where are we going? And explain why we need to reach Ruben. I told him to lie low for a bit until everything settles down.”
After what went down at the hanger, the FBI was all over the death of their fellow agent. And on top of killing a Cernuto brother, it was safer for Ruben to remain out of sight for some time.
Santiago stormed up to me and yanked the mug out of my hands. He tossed it into the sink, where it shattered. “They have Adeleigh!”
I immediately stood to my full height and grabbed my jacket, as I moved for the door of the penthouse. “Who has Adeleigh?”
“We think the same group who showed up at the hanger, but Phillip is checking into it now. She went into work around six this morning. Phillip followed her there and sat in the parking lot on lookout. She went in, but for some reason, did not turn on all the lights. He waited only about five minutes when the lights turned on then quickly turned back off. That’s when he realized something was strange. He went inside to check and found her purse on the floor, Andy’s computer was turned on, and there was a white rag on the floor of the hallway. It was saturated in chloroform. Adeleigh was gone. And the emergency door at the back of the store was wide open.”
Running to where Santiago was parked, I opened the passenger door and got in. “Hurry, Santiago,” I yelled as he climbed into the driver’s seat.
He shot me a look but said nothing as he put the car into drive and floored the gas peddle.
………………………………………………………………………..
I threw open the door to the shop with so much force the hydraulic door-closer at the top busted. “Where the fuck is she?” I demanded.
Phillip, who was on his cell phone in the middle of the room, held up a hand and kept talking to whoever was on the other end.
“Thanks, man. Yeah. If you will, please let us know the address as soon as you find out. We will owe you. Yes, we can do cash. A million good? Okay, thanks.”
“They know where she is?” I demanded, picking up the small handbag off the counter.
“That was Elie. He thinks he has a lockdown on where. He will call back in five minutes after his informant calls in,” Phillip explained.
Elie was another FBI agent. A colleague of Eric’s.
I unzipped Adeleigh’s handbag and dumped everything onto the counter. Keys, a lipstick tube, a tin of mints, a bank debit/credit card, and a couple of wadded up receipts spilled out.
I looked at Phillip. “Everything is here?”
He nodded.
“Why?” I demand as I walk do
wn the hallway.
I stopped at Andy’s office and moved behind the desk, searching through the paperwork covering it. “Why?” I repeated. “Payback? Is that what this is about? Control?”
“We aren’t sure. Santiago and I both think it may be in part retribution for what went down at the furniture store, but they may also want to use her as a bargaining tool. We just aren’t sure as to what exactly they want.”
Clicking on the keyboard to Andy’s computer, I watched the home screen pop up.
Phillip spoke again. “That was the screen it was on when I found it. I don’t think she actually logged in. She wasn’t in the building long enough to.”
I nodded, wrapping my hand hard against the desk. I was about to ask Phillip to call Elie back when my cell phone rang. Pulling it out of my pocket, I took a look at the screen. ‘Private number’ flashed across with each ring. Frowning, I hit the talk button and held it up to my ear.
“Listen here, and listen carefully,” a male voice rasped out of the earpiece. “If you want to see her alive, you will do exactly as I say.”
“Go on,” I demanded into the speaker, mentally reminding myself to control my temper. I wanted to reach through the fucking phone and wrap my hands around whoever it was on the other end.
“1782 North Main. Small grey house on the right. You come alone. You enter alone. Else we kill her.”
The call disconnected.
“Who was that?” Santiago asked.
When I said nothing, Phillip spoke up, “We’re coming with you.”
I shook my head, crossed the room, and held my hand out. Phillip looked at Santiago for help, but he just gave a brief nod.
Phillip reached out and dropped his car keys into my hand.
I clasped them, dropped my arm, and raised my other hand, palm out in front of him.
“What? I gave you my keys,” Phillip snapped.
Still saying nothing, I stared at him.
“Give him your gun, Phillip,” Santiago said, already holding out his piece for me to take.
I tucked it into the belt at my back before holding out my hand to Phillip again.
“This fucking blows!” Phillip shouted. He pulled out his gun from his side and placed it in my palm. “This was never part of the agreement. Your grandfather is probably turning in his grave, knowing what you are about to do,” he said, shaking his head.
Not commenting, I left the room and made my way to the front door.
Phillip was right. My grandfather would have a fucking fit if he were alive and knew what I was up to.
But if I don’t make it, it would be anyone’s fault but my own.
If Adeleigh doesn’t come out of this alive, I swear on my mother’s grave I will take out every fucking one of them before taking my own life.
Because if they kill her, I will not survive.
18
Adeleigh
Wherever I was located, was completely pitch black. It didn’t matter how wide I opened my eyes or which way I turned my head; I couldn’t see anything at all. I kept trying to focus on something— anything—but failed each time. And for that reason, along with the pounding headache I had, I was scared to move.
My body ached everywhere, especially from where my legs were twisted in front of me. The surface beneath me was hard as stone.
After I opened my eyes, I struggled to breathe for what seemed like forever. Eventually, my lungs didn’t feel so tight anymore, and I was able to suck in a deep breath. But I was cold. So cold my teeth chattered; squeezing my jaw shut hadn’t helped.
Even though it was cold, it was humid. The air stank like body sweat and fluids I didn’t want to think about.
I remained quiet for some time while I tried to calm myself from totally losing it. Then I screamed. I screamed and screamed for help. I begged anyone and then the darkness to let me go.
There was no answer… no response.
So I went quiet.
Too scared to move, too exhausted to fight.
My abdomen hurt badly because my bladder had wanted a release. I had tried to hold it, hoping someone would come, but no one did.
Eventually, my bladder gave up and I felt warm urine soak the pants I was wearing. I wept because now I was humiliated, filthy, and absolutely terrified.
I was going to die. I felt it in my bones.
An image of Isabella Santini popped into my head as she stood with the gun pressed to her temple. Not once did she ever look afraid. Not once had she lost her composure, even when she was shoved onto the ground. If anything, she looked pissed, like she was ready to take them all down.
I needed to channel her and be strong the way she was. I wasn’t a Mafia princess, but I liked to believe I had inner strength.
Holding one hand above my head to make sure I wasn’t going to smack it on anything since I couldn’t see a thing, I slowly pulled myself into a sitting position.
I gave a short laugh at my success before letting out a small sob.
Shit. Stop it, Adeleigh.
Voices interrupted my thoughts. Muffled, at first, and coming from somewhere over my head. I tilted my head back, my eyes once again searching the dark.
It went quiet for a minute, then came through louder. I closed my eyes tight and held perfectly still while my ears strained to make out what they were saying.
Several masculine voices that sounded angry. Very angry. They argued and shouted at each other.
I opened my mouth to scream for help, then suddenly closed it. Calling attention to myself was a bad idea. One of them could come down here and kill me.
Another sob escaped my lips. What if it was the police looking for me? That was a possibility, right? I asked myself.
I opened my mouth and screamed as loud as I possibly could, “Help! Someone, PLEASE HELP ME!”
It went quiet again before a series of popping sounds went off. Even though they weren’t as loud as the times I had heard before, I knew right away, it was gun fire. Someone was shooting.
What do I do… What do I do? I repeated in my head.
More gunshots went off, this time louder. It moved closer to where I was located.
Out of fear and desperation, I opened my mouth and screamed.
Heavy footsteps sounded in a series of thumps before a slamming noise came from across the room. Light flooded the area, making my eyes fly open, then closed again due to the extreme brightness.
“Shut the fuck up!” A man yelled.
With my eyes closed, I opened my mouth and screamed again.
A sharp pain blossomed across my mouth, cutting me off. He hit me with enough force to bust both my lips.
My eyes flew open as I turned my head and spit out a mouth full of blood onto the stone floor that looked like it hadn’t been cleaned or swept in years. And it was now splattered with blood.
Shifting my head to the left, I locked eyes with Laylo Cernuto.
At first, I thought he was here to save me, then I realized he was the one who had just slapped me hard enough that blood gushed out of my mouth.
“Laylo?” I asked, confused. “You’re the one who kidnapped me?”
“You need to stop fucking yelling. We are busy trying to figure this shit out,” he snapped.
“Oh, my God! You kidnapped me?” I whispered, using the sleeve of my long shirt to blot at the blood, dripping from my mouth. “And you hit me? What the hell is wrong with you?”
Laylo smirked. “Nothing ever gets passed you or your brother now, does it little Pixie Dust?”
With my hand pressed to my face, I looked at him. “But why? Why would you take me? It’s not like Andy and I have anything to offer. Wait, is this about the money Andy owes you all?”
Laylo laughed. “You think we care about the money? We don’t. However, we will make sure we collect from Andy one way or another.”
“Andy is in critical condition….” I explained.
“Oh, I know,” Laylo cut me off. “It was a shame Miguel’s bullet missed majo
r organs. I had been telling that kid for years to target practice, but he never wanted to listen. Unlike Tony and I, Miguel and Angel had the worst aims. Could never hit shit. Perhaps if they did, they would still be alive. Bo would have been killed when Angel tried to take him out the first time.”
My eyes widened, and I pushed myself with my hands, so I could slide back. Laylo grabbed my ankle and pulled me toward him. “You asshole! You wanted Andy dead!”
Laylo laughed again and shook his head. “Wasn’t Andy Miguel was shooting at.”
“Bo,” I whispered.
“Bingo!” Laylo exclaimed, tapping the tip of my nose with the barrel of the gun in his hand. “See, that college education did pay off, or maybe it was banging that old man professor of yours, Edgar.” Laylo clucked his tongue. “Too bad Bo had to fuck it all up for you all. Such a shame.”
What the hell was Laylo talking about? How would have Angel taken out Bo when he was found dead in the furniture shop? My eyes grew as it began to hit me.
“Oh, Pixie Dust, you just now figured that part out?” Laylo smirked. “Maybe I gave your education too much credit.”
I looked straight at him but said nothing. Bo had killed Angel. And Miguel.
“Say it,” Laylo demanded, stroking the barrel of his gun down the front of my blouse. I leaned back to get away from him, but he fisted his hand in my hair and pulled me close to his mouth. “Fucking say it,” he repeated, watching the blood drip from my lips.