Jorge put his arm around the ejecutor. “I want you to know that I’m proud of you, son. I know it seemed like I only looked out for Reynaldo and Eduardo, but I cared about you, too. I’ll see that Juan gives you Antonio’s crew after he’s gone.”
“Thanks, boss,” Rodrigo said.
He pressed the alarm button for their car, and the indicators flashed twice. Just then the silhouette of an approaching man appeared against the light of a street lamp about sixty yards away. He walked in a crooked fashion, wearing what appeared to be a long Mackintosh coat.
Rodrigo walked toward Jorge and squinted to get a better look. “Who’s that?”
Jorge stumbled forward and shrugged. “Probably no one. What do you say we get out of here?”
They walked toward the car, keeping an eye on the approaching man, who was now about twenty steps away. As he stepped beneath a streetlight, his face came into view. Stitches covered his forehead, lips and nose. His eyes were filled with hate, and a long red mark covered his neck. His hand emerged from under his coat, and in it was a shotgun.
“Rico,” Rodrigo shouted. He reached for his gun, but Rico released a shot that exploded in the center of Rodrigo’s chest, tearing out huge chunks of flesh. A second shot hit him in the heart and he dropped to the ground, dead.
Rico trained the gun on Jorge, who stood motionless, grimacing at the sight of Rodrigo’s body lying on the ground. “You—you don’t have to do this, son,” he stammered. “I never wanted to hurt you. It was always Antonio.”
Rico looked into Jorge’s scared eyes. He stepped toward him and extended his gun. “You fucked with the wrong crew.” He squeezed the trigger, and the bullet exploded in Jorge’s face, taking most of it off, blood and pieces of brain spewing everywhere.
Rico stood there staring at the two bodies until he heard a scream and turned to see light suddenly fill the window of a nearby house. He heard screeching tires and looked back to see the Chrysler approaching.
“Get in!” Fernando shouted through the window. “We’ve got to go now.”
Rico got into the car and frowned as Fernando drove off.
***
Twenty minutes passed before Fernando parked the car at the corner of Atlantic and Troy avenues. He turned the engine off and stared ahead in silence. Rico remained quiet as well. “So that’s it then?” Fernando said.
Rico nodded slowly.
“So, what now?”
Rico looked at his childhood friend, sadness filling his eyes.
Fernando edged toward the window. “What is it?”
Rico pulled out a .45 and pointed it at his head.
“What the fuck!? Why have you got a gun in my face?”
“It was you, Fernando. It’s always been you. You sold us out to Jorge.”
He squeezed the trigger, and blood splattered the windows. He wiped a tear from his cheek before getting out of the car. He walked toward a silver Mercedes parked across the street with its side lights on. He peered in to see Eduardo in the driver’s seat with a cigarette in his mouth.
“Smoke?” he asked Rico.
Rico got in and took a cigarette.
“So were there any problems?”
Rico shook his head. “What about Hector?”
Eduardo took a long drag. “Well, let’s just say his business is done here. He’s flown out on the private jet. I guess he found Antonio’s terms better than Juan’s. You’ve also now got Jorge’s old crew.” He looked at the sky and smiled. “I guess it’s official now. Antonio’s the new boss of the family.”
Rico nodded.
Eduardo’s phone rang, and the comisionado put it on speaker setting. “Antonio. How’s Germany?”
“Cold. How did it go?”
“Just as you said it would.”
“Good, and what about the other thing?”
Eduardo glanced at Rico. “Well, you’re on speaker with Rico as well, so why don’t you ask him?”
“Rico, how’re you feeling?”
“I’m good,” Rico said sternly.
“Did you take care of everything?”
“Yes, boss. Jorge and Rodrigo have retired.”
“And Fernando?”
Rico swallowed and struggled to speak.
“What about Fernando? Did you—”
“He’s gone. Everything’s as you wanted.”
Antonio sniggered. “That’s good news. Now go get some sleep, I should be back soon. We have work to do.”
Rico lit his cigarette and leaned back in his seat as Eduardo drove off.
***
Antonio smiled broadly after hanging up. “Great news from back home,” he said to Irish. “We’re back on track.” He walked toward Tobias. “You scared us there for a bit, champ. Your disappearing act almost cost us everything.”
Tobias winced and looked at the ground. He had been royally played. This whole time. This whole fucking time it was Antonio. All this just so I’d get them the fucking money. Everything was bullshit. The “I love you’s”—all bullshit. “So everything that happened, everyone that died, was just so you could fleece me for money?”
Annabel sniffled and covered her mouth with her hands.
“You won’t get away with it. I swear you’ll all pay for this.” He glared at Annabel. “So was it your fucking idea to use me or was it his, huh?”
Antonio put his hand on Annabel’s shoulder and shook his head at Tobias. “I’m afraid you’ve got it all wrong. Annabel didn’t choose you for this. Hell, I didn’t even choose you.”
“Then who did?”
The other rear door opened and the sound of high heels striking the ground could be heard. A woman stepped out, her back to Tobias, and the long curly hair looked immediately familiar. She turned, and his heart nearly jumped out of his chest when he saw the bright green eyes and the plump lips. She smiled as she walked past Annabel and stood in front of Tobias, her pale blue dress wrapped tightly around her perfect body.
“Fuck me,” Tobias whispered. “Penélope.?”
She grinned playfully. “In the flesh.”
“You’re ... you’re ...
“Dead? Yeah, I know. And thanks to you, I’m also a lot richer, too.”
He studied her with eyes like a wounded animal’s, shock spread across his face. Fuck. She planned it all. The cars that kept popping up, the people always watching, the snipers. All so I could fall in love with Annabel and give her the money. She must have known who my grandfather was and targeted me. Fuck. I can’t believe how this happened. What a fucking bitch. He looked at Annabel. “So you knew all along.”
Annabel wiped her eyes. “I swear it wasn’t like that. I didn’t know she was alive until after we got to Staten Island.”
“Enough!” Penélope frowned at Annabel and held out her hand. “I’ll take that now.”
Annabel kept her eyes on the ground as she approached Penélope and handed her the sheet of paper containing the details of the Cayman account.
Penélope studied it and cocked her head toward Tobias. “Well, Tobias, or is it Siegfried? I can never decide. Anyway, as much fun as it’s been seeing the look on your face, I’m afraid it’s time for me to leave.” She grinned and took the gun from Antonio.
Terrified, Tobias threw his arms into the air. “Okay, you’ve killed the only family I had left and taken my entire inheritance. What can you gain from killing me?”
“You know I’m alive. That’s information I can’t afford to have people know.”
Tobias’ hands trembled. “I swear I won’t say anything. I’ll just disappear. You have my word.”
Penélope put her other hand on the gun and inched her finger toward the trigger. Tears streamed from Annabel’s eyes.
“Please,” Tobias pleaded. “You don’t need to do this.”
A hard, menacing look overtook Penélope’s face. “Bye, Tobias.” She squeezed the trigger.
Tobias grunted and dropped to his knees. Blood trickled from his mouth and stomach to the ground. He l
ooked at Annabel, who was crying uncontrollably. He felt extremely cold, and his throat was parched. He opened his mouth to say something to Annabel—the woman he’d thought loved him—and could just barely utter, “Help me.”
Penélope released another shot into his body. More blood gushed onto the pavement, and Tobias fell to the ground face first. His body was motionless.
Annabel wailed, tears streaming down her face. She rushed toward Penélope, but Antonio stopped her. She kicked and screamed for a few seconds before he forced her into the car, where she sobbed quietly.
Penélope got into the car and sat beside Annabel. “Know this,” she whispered into her ear. “The only reason you’re still alive is because we came from the same womb. Defy me like that again and you die.”
Annabel sat up and held her sister’s cheeks lovingly. “But you didn’t have to kill him. He was so gentle. He wouldn’t hurt a fly.”
Penélope pushed her away. “Get the fuck off me, Elina. I can’t handle all this weakness. This is what we’ve been waiting for. The family is ours again. No Jorge or Juan to get in our way, and you’re acting like a lovesick idiot. What the fuck kind of Dominguez are you. I’m my father’s daughter. I don’t know who the hell you are.” She tapped Irish on the shoulder. “Get us out of here.” She glanced at the carefully folded piece of paper in her hand. “We have a plane to catch.”
To be continued...
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Surprised? Don’t miss Book 2 in the Midnight Trilogy. With Penelope now out of the shadows and The Dominguez Organization under new leadership, New York has never been more dangerous...
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The Midnight Catastrophe (The Midnight Trilogy 2)
2013
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Acknowledgments
I would like to thank my mother, Mabel, for reading every single revision of this book. Her encouragement motivated me at times when I almost gave up altogether. I thank my brother, Obi, for helping me in my research and asking the awkward but necessary questions.
I would also like to thank the entire staff at the Editorial Department, including: Peter Gelfan, Beth Jusino, Jane Ryder, Liz Felix and Doug Wagner. Their professionalism was wonderful, and I am pleased to have worked with them on this book.
I would also like to thank Nu-Image Design’s Daniel Yeager who conjured up a magical front cover that captured the essence of the novel and brought New York City to life.
You have all been part of my writing journey, and I thank you all.
Marvin Amazon
About the Author
Marvin Amazon is a Nigerian-born British author who currently lives and writes in Essex, England. He discovered the compelling nature of crime fiction through the noir crime films of the 1970s, and he credits the library across the street from his childhood home in Battersea, southwest London, with opening his eyes to the engrossing worlds of all types of fiction. In addition to The Midnight Trilogy, Amazon is also the author of the fantasy series, The Corin Chronicles. Visit him online at www.marvinamazon.com or www.midnighttrilogy.com.
Also by Marvin Amazon
The Corin Chronicles: Volume 1: The Light and the Dark
The Corin Chronicles are sweeping new series of novels offering a complex universe that dares to redefine good and evil, pushing the boundaries of all common preconceptions. In The Light and the Dark, the gods stop the planet Corin from turning, trapping its people in eternal light. Their only hope is buried in an enchanted darkness.
Find out more at: www.marvinamazon.com
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