Mandy shook her head and snapped her mouth shut.
“Good,” Stevens said. “I really don’t want to hurt you. We’re just going to use you as leverage to get Shane back. To do that, I need to take you out of this hotel. We’re going to go down the stairs, and then we’re going to walk two blocks. You’re going to be quiet and good for that entire trip. If you don’t, I’m going to kill you – and the outcome for your husband isn’t going to be nearly as rosy as it will be if you just cooperate. Do you understand?”
Mandy nodded again.
“Good,” Stevens said. “Now, I’m going to put my gun in my holster. Never think, not for a moment, that I won’t be able to get to it in time to stop you if you decide to run.”
Stevens grabbed Mandy’s arm and directed her toward the stairs. She cast one more look at the closed door James was behind. She pictured him laughing and joking around with the cops. She imagined his smile and flirty eyes. She hoped they would be more than mere memories for her. She hoped she would see him again. No matter what, though, she couldn’t risk his life. She couldn’t put him in danger. That was something she couldn’t live with.
How long would it be before he realized she was gone?
“WHAT did Peter say?” Grady asked when Sophie returned to the main room.
“He says he’s happy to help us,” Sophie said. “He didn’t even argue. He’s making arrangements with Jake and Ally right now. He’ll be here in a couple of hours. He’s heading straight for this hotel when he hits town.”
“I’ll make sure everyone downstairs is aware,” Boyd said. “Thank you for doing this.”
“Don’t mention it,” Sophie said. “I … I thought he would argue about helping. I really did.”
“Sophie, the man can’t say no to you,” Grady said. “He loves you. He wants to help. We’re going to be forever thankful for what he’s doing for us today.”
“I know,” Sophie said. “It’s just … I’m not sure if he would consider this good business.”
“Business goes out the window when you’re dealing with family,” James said. “Trust me. I know.”
“He’s right,” Finn said. “You’re all more important to us than the business. We love the business, but we’re addicted to all of you. I’m sure Peter feels the same way.”
“I’m sure he does, too,” James said. “Speaking of family, Mandy has been gone a long time. Did anyone see her come back from changing her clothes?”
Grady shook his head. “Maybe she’s still down there.”
“Maybe,” James said. He started moving toward the door.
“Where are you going?” Boyd asked.
“My wife hasn’t come back.”
“From where?”
“Stevens took her down to our room so she could change her clothes,” James said. “She said it would only take five minutes. She’s been gone thirty minutes.”
Boyd frowned. “Stevens volunteered to take her down there?”
James nodded.
From his spot in the middle of the living room, Shane started cackling. James narrowed his eyes and focused on him. “What?”
“Your wife is gone,” Shane said.
“What do you mean?”
“She’s gone,” Shane said. “She’s not in this hotel. She’s been taken away. Poof. It’s like magic.”
James rushed through the door and sprinted down to his room. When he opened it, the eerie silence that met him was telling. Grady and Boyd were hot on James’ heels, and when James turned back around, Grady saw a man who had just aged ten years over fifty feet of distance.
“She’s not here,” James said.
“We’ll find her,” Grady said.
“They took her.” James’ voice was hoarse.
“I’ll put an APB out on Stevens,” Boyd said, worried.
“What do you know about him?” Grady asked.
“Not much,” Boyd replied. “As far as I know, he’s never had a black mark on his record, though. I don’t understand why he would do something like this.”
“Maybe they were both jumped,” Grady suggested.
“I don’t see how that’s possible,” Boyd said. “No one can come up to this floor without a police escort. People can go down, but they can’t come up. The only way to get Mandy out of this building without piquing anyone’s suspicion would be with an escort people recognized.”
“I’m going to kill him,” James said, clutching his hands together grimly.
“We’ll get her back,” Grady said. “Don’t fall apart on me now. I promise. We’ll get her back.”
“I’m still going to kill him,” James raged. “He should have never touched my wife.” James lifted the glass vase off the table and threw it against the wall, rage and fear coursing through him. Instead of feeding off that rage, though, James sank to the floor and dropped his head into his hands. “Mandy,” he muttered.
Grady and Boyd shared a helpless look. Things had just gotten a whole lot worse.
Twenty-Five
“I’ve seen more cheer at a funeral,” Peter said, moving from the suite’s kitchen and into the living room five hours later. “It can’t be as bad as all this.”
Sophie rushed to him and gave him a big hug. “Thank you so much for coming.”
“Of course I came, my dear,” Peter said. “I wouldn’t leave you hanging out to dry in a situation like this. I understand what a mess this is.”
Peter removed an envelope from the inside of his suit coat and handed it to Grady.
“Is this the chip?” Grady asked.
“Yes. What’s going on here?” He gestured to a morose James. Finn and Emma were trying to console him, but he was shrugging off each and every one of their efforts.
“Between the time Sophie called you and now, we’ve had a change of … circumstances,” Grady said.
“One of the police officers took Mandy,” Sophie said. “He said he was going to walk her down to her room, but she’s gone.”
Peter’s eyes widened. “You’re kidding. How does this keep happening to her?”
“We’ve checked the cameras,” Grady said. “Stevens walked her right out of the building. He didn’t appear to be holding a weapon, but Mandy looked terrified on the cameras and Stevens had a hold of her shirt for the entire trip through the lobby.”
“Do we know where they went?”
“Cameras followed them two blocks down the street,” Grady replied. “Stevens forced her into a car. Mandy fought back some, but he … didn’t take it well.”
“Expand on that,” Peter said, his face serious.
“He hit her before shoving her into the car,” Grady said.
Peter pursed his lips. “Did James see that?”
“He’s been going in and out of it,” Grady said. “One minute he’s convinced she’s already dead, and the next he’s threatening to burn the entire city down until he can find her. It’s not good. I don’t know what to do with him.”
“His wife is missing,” Peter said. “He’s under duress. You can’t rely on him right now. No one blames him for what’s happening. Until he gets himself together, though, you’re the one who has to make the decisions.”
“And what if I make the wrong decision? What if I make a decision that gets Mandy killed?” Grady was beside himself.
“We’ll have to make sure that doesn’t happen,” Peter said. He glanced at Boyd a moment. “How much leeway are you willing to grant me?”
“What did you have in mind?”
“I want to talk to Shane,” Peter said. “And I want the option to … threaten him as I see fit.”
“We can’t let you torture him,” Boyd said. “I might enjoy it, but it’s still against the law.”
“I don’t want to torture him,” Peter said. “I just want to be able to talk to him in a specific way. My threats will be vocal, but I do need to threaten him without anyone interfering.”
“Go for it,” Boyd said. “I’m kind of interested to see what will
happen. The kid has been full of himself since he got here.”
“One thing,” Peter said, holding up a finger. “I’m assuming Shane is aware that Mandy is missing but was Officer Stevens made aware of my arrival before he took her?”
Sophie shook her head.
“Good,” Peter said. “That gives us the upper hand. Don’t worry. We’re still in the better position here. We’re the ones everyone at the table is watching to see if we’re bluffing or holding.”
“Yeah, but the trump card they have is the biggest one in the arsenal,” Grady said. “She’s our family. We don’t care about the chip. We care about her.”
“And that’s why we’ll get her back,” Peter said. “Don’t worry. This isn’t my first rodeo.”
Grady balked. Peter had uttered that exact statement once before. That time, Sophie was the one who had been taken and the only thing they had to trade was money. Peter had outsmarted the opposition then, too, and he’d been equally convinced he was doing the right thing. Peter’s bravado bolstered Grady, if only a little. “Take him down,” Grady said. “I’m starting to really hate that kid.”
WHEN Peter made his way into the room where Shane was being held, he brought two of his bodyguards with him. There was a certain amount of posturing that went along with his business, and that was what he was doing now.
“Hello, Shane,” Peter said, sitting down across from him. “How are you doing today?”
“It’s night,” Shane replied blandly.
“It’s actually closer to dawn now,” Peter said, crossing his legs and fixing Shane with an unreadable look. “Tell me about the chip. I’m curious what your father wants with it.”
Shane made a face. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“I happen to know your father,” Peter said. “And, when I say I know him, I mean that I know him on a personal level. We’ve done business for years.”
“Oh, you’re a cop who does business with my father? I have serious doubts about that,” Shane scoffed.
“I never said I was a cop,” Peter replied, unruffled.
Shane narrowed his eyes. “Then who are you?”
“I’m Peter Marconi. I’m from Detroit.”
Shane sat up a little straighter. “You’re Peter Marconi?”
“I am.”
“And why are you here?”
“My foster daughter asked for some help,” Peter said. “I was happy to oblige.”
“Your foster daughter? Are you saying one of those three bitches is your daughter?”
Peter ignored the vulgarity. “Yes.”
“Well, you’d better hope it’s not the blonde one,” Shane said. “You’re never going to see her again if I’m not released, and the longer you wait, the more body parts she’s going to be missing when you get her back. Personally, I’m hoping they cut out her tongue. She’s a mean bitch.”
“It’s not the blonde one,” Peter said, opting to pretend Shane hadn’t threatened Mandy. “That doesn’t mean I’m not fond of her, though.”
“Then you’d better find a way to release me,” Shane said. “My father will cut her into little pieces if you don’t.”
Peter wrinkled his nose. “That’s where you’re wrong, Shane,” he said. “I know a great deal about your father, including how many children he has and what esteem he holds them in.
“You’re the third son. You’re not necessary to his operation,” he continued. “Plus, you’ve been nothing but a bitter disappointment since you joined the family business.”
“That’s bullshit,” Shane snapped.
“Why do you think you’re treated like a thug off the street and your older brother, Lance, is the one being groomed to take over the business?” Peter asked. His voice was eerily calm. “Your other brother, Jason, is also high up in the hierarchy. To maintain peace, your father is giving him his own territory. He doesn’t want warring brothers to ruin the business.”
Peter steepled his fingers on his lap. “Your father is even giving your sister Mariella a prime spot,” he said. “She’s taking over the imports and ordering. That’s a very important position.
“You, on the other hand, are sent on basic runs and you screw them up every time,” Peter said.
“How can you possibly know that?” Shane was incensed.
“It’s important to watch your business associates,” Peter said. “It’s even more important to watch your enemies. Your father and I cut ties many years ago because the way he did business was … unsavory. In the years since, we’ve had other engagements – and none of them have ended well.”
“Oh, you’re a mobster with a code of ethics?” Shane barked out a harsh laugh. “This is priceless.”
“Here’s the thing, Shane,” Peter said. “We’re not going to let you go. You don’t have to worry about me touching you. I have no interest in playing that game. You are going to go to jail for a very long time, though.”
“I guess you’re not as fond of the blonde as you pretend to be, are you?” Shane said.
“Oh, we’re still getting Mandy back,” Peter said. “And if one hair on her head is harmed, I’ll make sure your time in prison is short-lived. I can promise you that. We’re just not going to trade you for her.”
“Oh, really, what are you going to trade?”
“We’re going to trade the chip,” Peter said.
All of the color drained from Shane’s face. “What are you talking about?”
“You’re finally putting it together, aren’t you? You’re doing the math,” Peter said. “You’ve come to the realization that if we trade Mandy for the chip, there will be no reason for your father to even attempt to reclaim you. He’ll be able to wash his hands of you and move on – something I think he’s wanted to do for a very long time.”
“You can’t do this,” Shane said. “They said they don’t even have the chip.”
“They didn’t,” Peter said. “They do now. Thanks to me.”
“And you’re just going to hand it over to my father? No way. You know how much that chip is worth.”
“I do,” Peter said. “And it doesn’t even come close to what we’d pay to get Mandy back. The difference is, you can’t say the same thing about your father. Enjoy your time in prison, Shane. I think you’ve earned it.”
“THAT was impressive,” Boyd said once Peter rejoined them in the adjacent room. “You know you can’t give him the chip, though, right?”
“Oh, I know,” Peter said. “That’s not going to be an issue.”
“How do you figure?”
“I’m going to set up a meet with Sidney’s men,” Peter said. “I’ll tell him I’m willing to personally exchange the chip for Mandy. Once we have Mandy back, you can swoop in and arrest his men.”
“And won’t that put you in a precarious situation when he finds out what you’ve done?” Boyd asked.
“Probably,” Peter said. “It won’t matter, though. I have enough dirt on Sidney that the federal authorities can arrest him in Chicago at the same time the meet is going down.”
Sophie was stunned. “You do?”
“Of course I do,” Peter said. “It’s important to know your enemy’s weak spot.”
“Does he have dirt on you?”
Peter winked at Sophie. “Sidney isn’t a very good criminal,” Peter said. “That’s why gathering evidence on him was easy. I happen to be a very good criminal. Don’t worry about that, my dear.”
“What if the remnants of his organization move against you?” Boyd asked.
“I’ve got that covered, too. I just ask you to wait for a little bit. I also need a private place to make a few phone calls. Everything will be fine.”
“We have to get Mandy back,” Sophie said, putting her hand on his arm. “We have to.”
“I won’t lose Mandy,” Peter said. “I can promise you that.”
“Okay. Let’s do it,” Boyd said. “Let’s save the blonde and take down Chicago’s biggest mob player. This is going
to be some story to tell my wife when I finally get home for dinner.”
“YOU guys are morons,” Mandy said, eyeing Kent and Philip distastefully. “You have no idea what you’ve set off here.”
“Shut your mouth, bitch,” Kent said. “If you don’t, I’ll gag you.”
“Oh, don’t do that,” Philip said. “I want to hear her scream.”
“Leave her alone,” Stevens instructed. “If you hurt her, they’ll never stop looking for you. Those Hardy men have quite the reputation, and she’s important to them.”
“You’re the one who hit her,” Kent pointed out.
“I had to,” Stevens said. “She was starting to make a scene. There’s no reason to hurt her now.”
“Listen, you’re on our payroll,” Kent said. “We’re in charge.”
“Not according to Sidney,” Stevens said. “When I talked to him, he said I was in charge. If you have a problem with that, you can call him. I’m not in this to hurt a woman. I’m in it for money and a one-way ticket to a non-extradition country. Leave her alone.”
Mandy narrowed her eyes as she regarded Stevens. “How did this guy even find you?”
“I don’t have a clue,” Stevens said. “I was approached by a local individual, and he pitched a very impressive case for isolating one of you and removing you from the hotel. This opportunity came at the perfect time. You have no idea how much I hate going to a day job.”
“So, you’re going to get some money and just disappear?”
“That’s the plan.”
“How do you know you’re going to get away with it?” Mandy asked. “Everyone knows you’re the one who took me. There are cameras everywhere these days.”
“I’m good at what I do,” Stevens said. “How else do you think I managed to get you away from your hyper-vigilant husband? Of course, he was more interested in what the brunette had to say than taking care of you.”
Mandy ignored the dig. “Who is Sidney Davenport?”
Stevens smirked. “He’s the most generous man in the world. Do you want to know all about him?”
Mandy nodded.
“I guess we have some time,” Stevens said. “I don’t expect him to be able to arrange a trade for a few hours. I guess it can’t hurt to tell you. Sit back and relax. It’s going to be a long day, sweetheart.”
Deadly Vacation (Hardy Brothers Security Book 10) Page 17