The Bounty Hunters: The Marino Bros.: Box Set (98 page)

Albert sat in
his office and sipped from his glass of brandy. Having no contact with the outside world these past few days was grating, and he was lucky his father’s passing gave him the excuse to get out. The service had been private, his father’s wishes, and he’d wanted to be cremated and laid to rest with his wife. The arrangements had already been made and Albert only had to be there.

The loss of his father had not fully hit him yet. He was already rich in his own right, but now he was practically a billionaire. His father’s luxury car business was just one of his investments and the one he chose to pass onto his son. Each car they had in their dealership was worth at least 100,000 dollars, but that was peanuts compared to the properties he now owned in Manhattan, the Bronx, and Queens.

True his parents had lived in Rosedale, but that was because their roots had kept them humble, well humbler than him.

Now he could do anything, go anywhere, and not have to run the dealership. But still he wasn’t thinking of that anymore, he was thinking about how in the hell he could clean up the mess he was in. All that money and power would mean nothing if he was found out. His life could be destroyed because of one stupid picture. The master hadn’t brought him into this world, but he surely had entrenched him there. He loved the lifestyle, the secrecy, the clandestine affairs, and the sex. He was also angry as hell with the master’s dictates. Who was he to command him any longer? Their sexual relationship had ended years ago. They were each their own men now. Each had pursued their own interests. True, they had remained friends, and scratched each other’s backs. It was good to have someone of your stature who understood and shared your world, and to protect you. Master had failed to do that twice now. Once all those years ago when he’d fled and left Albert trussed up at
Beat
, and once just two weeks ago when the bomb hadn’t killed Gio. He was losing his edge and Albert was now wealthier and more powerful. He could buy and sell the fucking Senator ten times over. Get him elected president, or destroy him.

He slammed back his drink and finished it. Then poured himself another. His anger was rising. He had always had a temper and been rash. Master was all about control, had tried to teach him that. Finesse, he had called it. But that was not him. That was what had scared Lisa away, and what they had back then had been so good.

Fuck, he needed to get laid, ram his fist into someone’s pussy. God, he became hard at the thought of it, and wished he could still reach out to Connie. She had met his needs, well, most of them. Kept his dirty secrets safe. He’d even called her an hour ago, despite the master’s warning and it had gone straight to her voice mail.

He’d try her again, he thought ruefully, draining his glass. He’d take a shower and do that. He could sneak out and fuck who he chose when he wanted. Fuck Wilson.

He needed a shower first though. He rose from his chair, and made his way around the big desk and began to leave the study.

Then his phone rang.
Connie!

He went back to his desk where he left his cellphone. But instead of Connie, it was a number he didn’t recognize at all.

*     *     *

Lisa was walking
the apartment like a caged animal. Her nerves were on edge. The men had left hours ago, and she had heard nothing from them. She knew they were not planning anything until late, but the waiting was almost becoming too much to bear.

Her sister was keeping her company. Mark had stayed home with the kids. They had kept the evening light, for Johnny, not wanting him to worry. After a movie and snack he had gone to bed.

Lisa was beside herself with worry. It was nearly ten o’clock. Glancing at the clock every other minute wasn’t making the situation any better. She made her decision.

“Mary?” Her sister looked up from the television. She’d been watching the news.

Mary’s eyes narrowed. She knew that look. “No,” she stated firmly.

“I’ve just gotta be there. Closer. In case.”

“No,” Mary repeated getting up from her seat and getting closer to her sister. She’d tried to calm her down earlier, but knew it would be no use with her high strung sister. She was on pins and needles herself.

“Listen, Mary, I’ve got to be there,” she tried to make her sister understand, but couldn’t find the right words.

“Please, Lisa. Don’t do this. They know what they are doing. You will just get in the way. Plus, you have a restraining order against you, and Andreas has two guys outside, one in the hallway and one down stairs watching the lobby.”

“I know, but I have to be there. I’ll wait outside. I won’t go upstairs,” she promised. “If something happens, I’ll never forgive myself.”

“Oh God, is there nothing I can say to convince you to just sit tight?”

“No,” Lisa was already moving. She slipped into the room she was sharing with Johnny, her sister at her heels. Johnny was already sleeping. She grabbed a black turtle neck, and softly came back out. Slipping it on over her pink tank top, with the black jeans she wore, she felt like she would blend in better, and not stand out. Now she just had to slip by the guard outside in the corridor. She peaked through the peephole. He was ensconced down by the bank of elevators, reading a paper. It would have to be the fire escape.

“Please,” Mary tried again as she followed her sister to the window.

“Stay with Johnny. I’ll call just as soon as I know anything.”

*     *     *

Connie was frantic.
She was waiting at JFK. Her flight left in thirty minutes and every minute that passed seemed to take longer and longer. When she arrived home she’d discovered her cell was missing, and her land line had been cut. Well, she wasn’t sure, but she had no service. That terrified her to no end. She thought somehow that master must have known and found out already, although it had taken her less than an hour to walk home. Those fucking police idiots acted faster than she thought. She knew her life was on the line. She began to toss items into her suitcases, and then went outside dragging the heavy luggage behind her. She hailed a cab at the end of the block, and had gone straight to the bank, tipping the cab driver one hundred dollars to wait while she went inside. In fifteen minutes she emerged and had one hundred thousand dollars. Practically all her savings. Looks like she would be losing out on Albert’s promise of a million. But she would convince her parents she was reformed, play it cool, and lay low until she thought things had cooled down. Their place in Puerto Rico was where she was headed.

Without her phone, she had no idea about flights. But once there she would book something to get her closer to her destination. Anywhere but here. She was able to get a late flight to Atlanta. There was no immediate flight connecting to her final destination, but she didn’t care. She could sleep in a hotel and catch another flight in the morning. She wanted out and as each minute crept buy, her nerves began to get the best of her. When they finally announced boarding, she clamored to get to the front of the line. Ass in seat was her only thought.
Get all your fat asses in those seats people, and get the plane off the god dammed ground.
Albert, baby, you are on your own, she thought sadly, thinking of the million. Perhaps someday, if he wasn’t implicated in this thing, she could come back and collect, but for now, it was all about saving her hide.

*     *     *

Andreas, Blaze, and
Nikko were all in position. Blaze was monitoring the equipment in the custodial closet. They had climbed through the duct work, and slipped a camera, and audio device over Albert’s study, and his living room. The apartment had an open concept and the panoramic device gave them good visual of the living room, dining area and kitchen. The study, although small, was the only other room, other than the bedrooms, and bathrooms. It was the best they were able to do on short notice.

Nikko climbed up the fire escape and was waiting for any message or alert indicating there was trouble.

Andreas was going to monitor the hallway. As soon as Gio was inside, he’d slip out of the closet, and fiddle with the electrical panel by the elevators, pretending to be doing some repair work. There were only two other apartments on this wing, and with a little digging had been able to confirm the other owners of those co-ops were both out of town. Most of the people who lived in the building weren’t full time residents. He felt confident he wouldn’t be noticed, but he wanted to look busy just in case.

With everything in place, they would do one final sound check, and then give Gio a call. All was nearly ready.

*     *     *

Gio nearly jumped
out of his skin at the soft tap on his window. He had been looking down at his phone. When he saw the red under the baseball cap, he immediately grew angry and rolled down his window.

“What the hell? Lisa, get in the car,” he whispered vehemently.

She heard the click of the door lock releasing, and whisked around the front and got in. She had spotted his rental, and approached the vehicle, not hesitating. She had only momentarily thought about staying hidden in the shadows, but knew he would be even madder if she kept any secrets from him.

“I’m going to wait in the car,” she promised sliding inside.

“Lisa, of all the stupid . . .” his words faded when he received the notification from Andreas.

Andreas:
All set. You’re up.

He read it quickly and replied with a K. Then he focused on her. “God dammit, Lisa. You had better wait in the car. We have vests. You don’t. Stay. In. The. Car.”

He wanted to throttle her, but he didn’t want to take the time to do it. Everyone was waiting, and the longer they waited, the more chance of them being discovered and ruining this opportunity.

“Promise me, Lisa. Promise.” His blue eyes fixated on her green ones.

Lisa gave him her word, and vowed she would keep it. “Gio, I promise. I do. I just needed to be near you, in case. I don’t know. I don’t want you to worry about me while you are up there, and unless I hear sirens, or see cops go in first, I promise you I’ll stay put.”

Gio could see the worry there. “Lisa, I’ll be fine. I understand, but please, please, keep that promise. I don’t want to worry about you. I love you. Nothing is going to happen, but Johnny needs you too.”