by Box Set
It felt good to be outside in the cool air. Unfortunately, tall, ornate wrought iron fencing surrounded the patio. There’d be no escape this way. If she were able to escape, she now had information she could give the FBI that could make them help her save Vinny and Duran.
As soon as she could see that the date was set, she walked toward the bar. Veronica was already leaving it. “Sorry honey, you’re too late, he’s taken Tuesday.” She bit her lip and moved past her, triumph in her eyes, but it was Kate who was truly triumphant.
An hour later, Kate had bagged five prospective clients, who were happily gambling away in the back room already and one poacher. Because Carlo was the bartender, he overheard a lot of stuff that she couldn’t. Not only was she neck and neck with Veronica, she had the bartender in her pocket, too. That made her ahead in her book. As she ate, her mind wandered to Duran, and she touched the brooch. She couldn’t wait to see him in the morning. Unbidden, the note sprung to mind. Suddenly alert, she looked all around. Carlo got close and took her glass with the pretense to fill it. “Purple tie. Easy recruit.”
Kate focused on the guy. He hadn’t been there long and was sipping on a beer, looking all around, his eyes stopping on each person in the room. Yeah. He was looking for action other than drinking.
She walked up behind him and put her hand on the table to the side of him. “Hi.” She bit her bottom lip. “Want to dance?” She rotated slightly side to side, a flirty gesture. His eyes fell on her cleavage and she knew she had him, but it wasn’t her cleavage he was looking at, it was the brooch. Great, she thought, a thief. He wouldn’t be getting this piece of jewelry. No way, no how.
“Sure, but I need to check this text first.” He leaned in close and whispered. “I’m supposed to be working. Don’t tell.”
She pretended to have a key and lock her lips shut. She felt like a total idiot. She sat next to him while he typed on his phone. Once done, he took her hand and led her to the dance floor. He turned out to be a great dancer, but the dance was short. He led her off the dance floor. She pulled on him, wishing she were someone else and not having to seduce this guy. “Aw, come on. That was too short. One more.”
“I’ll tell you what,” he said, after pulling out his phone again and looking at the display. “How about I buy you a drink over at the bar, and you wait for me while I hit the little boys’ room.”
She felt a blow off. This was not good. What was she doing anyway? Getting Carlo to help her had been smart, but how was she going to pull out ahead of this girl? She was tanking again. But, she couldn’t tank. She couldn’t live with Salvatorio. She’d never have a decent future. It was going to be bad enough being with Duran and Vinny and being told what she could and couldn’t do. The future had been so promising for her back home and now she had nothing. Sure, she would become an awesome attorney, but being an attorney chained to the mafia? That wasn’t the life she wanted. And yet, she didn’t have a choice. She was stuck in a life she would hate.
She’d confront this guy directly. She didn’t have time to mess around. “No, come on. Let’s dance. I want to dance.” He pulled on her.
“I promise, I’m not giving you the slip. I really need to use the head. Come on.” He was stronger than she was and she finally gave up on resisting. She’d watch him to make sure he kept his promise. He deposited Kate at the end of the bar closest the entrance and gave her ten bucks to order what she wanted. She saw him head for the bathroom, but then look her way. She held up her new glass of ginger ale. He smiled and stepped inside.
There were only two people that knew she existed. Only one that knew who she really was and if she didn’t get this guy in the backroom, she’d lose them. What more could she do to show them she could be persuasive? She knew she could be a great judge, but she didn’t want to be the mafia’s puppet. Kate glanced at the exit door. It was only about six steps from her. It would be easy to walk out, but once she was out, she’d run into the bouncer, who would bounce her right back inside and then she and everyone she knew would be punished.
* * *
At the same time, a couple guys were trying to get out of the club, but the door seemed to be locked. They stumbled over to the bar and said something to Carlo. Carlo stopped at the big metal door and spoke with the guy standing next to it. She couldn’t hear what was being said, but they shook hands and laughed before Carlo pushed on the door. The door didn’t budge and he pushed harder, using his shoulder. Still, it didn’t budge.
The guy at the door laughed and took a shot at the door. He got the same result. His voice raised in frustration. “What the…” He tried again and then pulled out his phone. He yelled into it and then said to Carlo, “Marcel isn’t answering. Something’s up.” The two of them walked about five feet from the door. Kate slid around the bar, sensing trouble. The men then ran at the door, shoulders low, preparing to ram the door open. Kate covered her eyes with her hands. She heard no thud, but screams instead. She turned to see the door wide open and the men on the ground with someone holding them down, knees in their backs.
As that scene registered, men and women with FBI jackets and shirts, guns drawn, rushed into the establishment. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the man with the purple tie exit the bathroom, but instead of a purple tie and jacket, he now wore a shirt with the letters FBI on it. As they came inside, the first agents in stopped, pointing their guns at people. Another couple of special agents stopped every ten feet, securing the area. They kept pouring in and securing until a horde of agents pushed that back door where the thieves and gamblers and had been taken, and rushed inside. Gun shots fired in the backroom and the people in the front flinched, many crouching to the ground in fear. Two large men and one scrawny one came barreling out of the room, guns firing, not caring who they hit.
Everyone crouched now, even the special agents, dodging bullets as they went down. In mere moments the men were already to the middle of the room. Cries of pain echoed through the room as several people were shot. The determined, frantic looks on the faces of the three men told Kate that this would not end well. She balled up on the floor behind a chair, hoping to avoid the chaos as much as possible. As the men passed the special agents, the agents regrouped and shot at the men while at the same time a few agents entered the front door, aimed at their three targets and sent bullets into them. The three men fell. An eerie silence fell over the room, but only for a few seconds at the most as voices of fear, pain, and relief began to rise.
The FBI had come. Had the Lamberts gotten through to them or was her mother alive and had found out about her and was helping her? But how did they know she was there, at the club? For a moment, hope surged within her. Then she realized—if they’d been coming for her, they would have gotten her out, protected her. This raid had nothing to do with her, at all. She was going to be arrested along with everyone here. They’d never believe her that she was there against her will. That was probably everyone’s story.
A wave of hopelessness crashed over her. When all this was over, she’d just be sent back to the Bellinis, and now even her chance to become a lawyer and judge was dashed. She was going to be at the whim of Salvatorio. She hid behind the bar. Maybe she could escape out the back. She headed for the backroom, but someone grabbed her. She turned to find the special agent she’d danced with holding her. “Not that way, darling.” He cuffed her and held her elbow. Kate’s whole body shook.
Starting at the back of the room, each person was cuffed and led out. Kate’s mind filled with terror at what was about to happen. She thought of the note she’d found about someone coming for her tonight. Whoever it was would have to wait their turn.
Once outside, she was led into a big van with others from the club. Chaos was wide spread, but there were enough agents to control it. The yelling and complaining from the captives in the van gave Kate a headache. She wanted to scream out to the agents who she was—anything to convince them she was a victim, she didn’t belong in jail. But she knew it was too risky—
if they didn’t believe her, the Bellinis and Marconis would punish her for trying to escape. Her only hope was to talk to one of the agents alone.
Kate went along numbly as the agents unloaded the van and herded her along with all the others into the FBI field office. They took her picture and fingerprints, but she was always surrounded by other people from the club. She shifted in her seat, worry making her hot and uncomfortable. She sat in a long line of chairs, waiting for a detective to question her when a man walked in wearing an expensive suit and perfectly shined shoes. He held out a paper to the receptionist.
“You mean you’d like us to round all of these suspects up and put them in one room with you during questioning?” She put one fist on her hip. “You are representing all of them?”
“Yes. And it better be done now.” Kate realized he must be the lawyer for the mafia families.
“I’m sorry, sir, it will take some time. Some of these names are already with detectives, while others are waiting their turn. We’ll move as quickly as we can.”
“I want the questioning of anyone on this list stopped immediately.” Kate looked at the man and considered him. That could be her in ten years. Or would they keep her away from the family affairs until she became a judge? That seemed the smarter path. No one would vote for a judge who regularly worked with the mafia. The man had a scar going down his left cheek, and he scowled at the receptionist. She had no doubt her name was on the list. If she couldn’t talk to an agent alone, there was no hope for her. Her chance to escape was dwindling.
The receptionist huffed, but said nothing more as she took the list he’d supplied to the head agent. The agent swore when the paper landed on his desk. A huge shuffle ensued. In a flurry of activity, people in interrogation rooms were brought out while others, including Kate, were moved in. Mass confusion took over, with some suspects yelling, some trying to escape, while still others tussled with the agents detaining them.
Kate was brought to a small room with a narrow table and three chairs. As soon as the special agent took her hand off Kate’s arm, Kate sat in the chair nearest her wishing someone would take the cuffs off. She opened her mouth to speak, to explain who she was, but fear paralyzed her. If she managed to convince them—what would happen to Vinny? What would happen to Duran?
The agent walked past the table and to a door on the other side of the room. She knocked twice, waited a few seconds and knocked once more. She then came to Kate. “Don’t sit now. We’ve got to move. That bull attorney will be breaking down the door to find you any minute.”
Kate stood and the special agent grabbed her arm, leading her around the table and out the now open door. She was met by two other FBI agents, one of them the man from the bar with the purple tie. “Kate Hamilton?”
Relief made her knees weak, and she nearly fell. They knew who she was. “Yes. Yes! I’m Kate.” Tears started to drip down her face, though she barely noticed them.
“I’m Special Agent Tyler and this is Special Agent Long. We are here to remove you from the care of the Bellini family.”
She didn’t know whether to sob or to laugh. What came out was more like a hiccup. “The care?”
He grinned. “You do want us to rescue you, right?”
“Did my mother send you?”
Confusion played across the agent’s faces. “I’m sorry, who’s your mother? This tip came from inside the family. Whoever gave you that brooch. That’s who you need to thank.”
Her hand flew to the brooch. Duran. Her heart lurched. Would he be all right?
“Right now we need to get you back with the Lamberts who are on their way to the airport as we speak.”
It was Monday morning, the day the Lamberts planned to go back home. She had been rescued. Time had seemed to speed past, but at the same time, mouse along.
“We’ll need to escort you to the car in disguise—or rather, covered. We’re going to bulk you up, shackle you, and put a shirt over your head so no one knows it’s you.”
“Okay.” Kate took a deep breath, and nodded, trying to gain control of her emotions.
With her help, they got her ready in a matter of minutes for transport. They’d done well disguising her. She didn’t look anything like herself. She shuffled down a hall and out a door. The only indication she had that she was outside, was hard cement under her feet. They shoved her into the waiting car, careful not to let the shirt over her head fall from its place.
The door clicked shut behind her and relief filled her. She was free.
28
Kate broke away from the special agents when she spotted the Lamberts inside the airport. She ran with all she had to Ellie, who only had a few seconds warning that Kate was about to smash into her. After the initial collision, the rest of the family joined in a group hug, squealing and rejoicing in Kate’s return. It felt beyond wonderful to be back with them. The agents came shortly after and encouraged them to celebrate once they landed in Texas. While the teens calmed down, the special agents spoke with the parents.
“It’s time you go and you get on the plane. We’ll watch from here, and as soon as you get on that escalator, we’ll go deal with the chaos at the office.” Kate and Ellie hugged the men and then rushed to the escalator to go upstairs to get in the security line. The Lamberts had checked everyone in online the previous night. Streams of people rode the escalators down and up, either returning from vacation or just starting it. Kate was the last one on the escalator, each separated from the person in front of them by a step or two. As each person reached the top, they turned down the long hallway leading to the security check in.
A young man who’d run up the escalators bumped Kate as she stepped off the escalators, making her fall. The teen yelled his apology as he sped up and cruised to the security checkpoint. Kate could see Ellie’s feet disappear into the security line, a bunch of other passengers getting in line behind her.
“So sorry. I’m going to miss my flight. So sorry!” He didn’t look back as he yelled the words, and Kate couldn’t help but chuckle. Nothing was going to make her sad now. In a few minutes she’d be through security and in less than an hour she’d be on her way back home.
A hand reached out to her, and she took it gladly. The hand pulled her up so hard that she sprang through the air.
“What are you doing here, Kate?” The gruff voice asked, his hand not letting go of hers. Galtem was here.
Dizziness swept over her and an ache in the back of her throat came alive. He’d been the one who had beaten her that first night when she turned herself in to the Bellinis. She whimpered as he grabbed her by the back of the neck. Her arms flailed and her whimpering became uncontrolled. All she could think about was escaping, but her body wouldn’t respond to the commands her mind was sending. She scanned the hallway for the Lamberts, but she couldn’t see them.
Once she was standing, Galtem put his arm around her shoulders and pulled her in close, like they were good friends. He whispered, his hot breath sliding over her cheek, “What. Are. You. Doing. Here?” He grabbed her ticket from her hand and led her to a far corner, away from the crowds and lines of people coming and going from the airport.
Salvatorio was not here. She would not give him power over her again. “What are you doing here?” she spat. She had to figure this out.
“Benito,” Galtem said to the other big guy across the hall, “Call Vinny. We have a runaway here. Kate thinks she’s heading for—” he consulted the top of her ticket. “Dallas, Texas. I think we have other plans for her.” She snatched the ticket from him before he could see her last name. “You won’t be needing that, honey.” While keeping hold of her, he pushed her toward the other guy. “Just don’t take your eyes off the people arriving. If we miss Ricco, the boss will kill us.”
For some reason, knowing they hadn’t come to specifically find her gave her hope. They were here to pick someone up. They obviously didn’t even know what had happened at the club. She shoved her ticket into her pocket.
; She thought of a way out. “Let go of me! I wasn’t escaping. I can’t believe you don’t know. There was a raid on the club last night and everyone was arrested. Me included. They quickly discovered I didn’t belong and were sending me home.”
The men looked at each other and Benito said, “How did they know who you are. Did you snitch?” Benito grabbed Kate’s jaw and squeezed.
She had to work the angle hard. She would not give up yet. As soon as a fresh batch of people arriving started shuffling through the hall, she said, “I’m serious! It wasn’t my choice to go home. The FBI is sending me. If I don’t show up, they’ll come after you guys again.” Galtem reacted by squeezing her neck tighter. She stomped on the arch of his foot, he bent a bit forward and she bit his forearm, which now pressed against her face. Instead of jerking his arm out of her reach, he pushed hard into her mouth, gagging her. She tried to pull back, but he didn’t allow it. He pushed still harder and she screamed, but the scream was lost in his arm. He must have been in enough situations like this one that it didn’t even faze him. He was used to such assaults.
She drew hard for breath. She couldn’t believe everyone was so focused on whatever they were doing that they didn’t see her distress, but then again, they were back a good thirty feet from the masses moving in snakelike lines here and there.
“I see him,” Benito said. “I’ll retrieve Ricco. You think you can manage her? She’s a wild one.”
“Of course,” he said, with a determination and enthusiasm that soured her stomach. “The wilder the better.” And with that, he squeezed a bit harder, taking what little breath she had out of her. If he hadn’t relaxed only a moment later, she would have died of asphyxiation. Perhaps death was preferable to what was to come. No. She couldn’t give in. She’d been fighting to find her parents for all this time and now it was her time to rise up and be her best self despite her discovery. She needed to deal with it.