Exposed (Rosato & DiNunzio #5)(91)

“What are you talking about? We’ve worked together fifteen years!”

“But we never killed nobody! I’m startin’ to see you using me! You’re treatin’ me like garbage! Like I do your dirty work and you’re the puppet master!”

“How?”

“You and Mo are family, I’m on the outs! I started to think, what if I kill these women and we don’t all drive home together? What if you two decide to off me and go your merry way?”

“Why would we do that?”

“It solves all your problems, doesn’t it? Somehow you stage the scene so you frame me for murderin’ the women and you guys are gone! You’ll never have to worry about me spillin’ the beans! You guys are brothers! Lookin’ out for each other! You always have!”

“Since when?”

Mary lay on the floor, blinking her eyes, trying to keep them clear of blood. Suddenly she spotted a phone wire running down the side of the night table. It was only six inches away. She went toward it, dolphining to the side of the night table.

“Since forever! That’s how we got into this in the first place! You and Mo usin’ the cheap wiring! The cheap drywall, too. The units wouldn’ta burned so fast if you used the five-eighths of an inch! The burn rate’s slower in the good stuff, but he’s paddin’ the bottom line at PowerPlus and you’re gettin’ a cut!”

“Don’t get high and mighty! You kept your mouth shut! We paid you fair and square!”

“So you say! What’s a fair cut? I don’t know if what you’re tellin’ me is true! You and Mo are thick as thieves!”

“Ernie, calm down! What you’re saying doesn’t make any sense! Mo is on the way with the lye! We’re going to shoot these bitches, bury the bodies, and be done with it! We’re a yard from the end zone here!”

“How do I know he’s bringin’ lye? I don’t think he’s bringin’ any lye! I think you’re just waitin’ for him! I think that’s your plan! Then he comes up, you shoot me, and you leave DiNunzio’s car in the driveway with my car! You two go home in his truck, after I’m dead!”

“Ernie, you’re out of your mind! There’s no way! We’re in this together! He’s bringing the lye! That much we planned! The details about which gun we use, fine, whatever, we’ll use his gun if that’s what you want!”

“That’s what I want! I want to use his gun!”

“Fine, we will!”

Mary got her face right next to the wire and tried to grab it with her lips behind the gag. She got it on the third try, struggling to breathe. She waited for the right moment to pull the phone off the table. She remembered that landlines used to be heavy and noisy. If the shouting kept up, she had a fighting chance. Then all she had to do was press 911 with her nose. For the first time in her life, she thanked God she had a big nose.

“And I want him to shoot the women, Ray! I don’t want to shoot the women! You say it doesn’t matter? It matters to me! I don’t shoot women!”

“Okay, he’ll do it! Sheesh! Just sit down! Let’s sit down! Get out of my face! I feel like you’re coming at me!”

“I’m tellin’ you, I don’t like this, Ray! It stinks to high heaven!”

“Ernie, sit down. Let’s sit down. You need to calm down. Cool down. You want a beer? I’ll get you beer.”

“No, I don’t want a beer.” Ernie huffed loudly.

“Good, sit down. Take a breath. Geez, this is getting out of control.”

“Ray, don’t tell me what’s gettin’ out of control. What’s out of control is that we got away with killin’ Todd and now you want me to kill two women. One is a famous lawyer. You think the cops are gonna let that go? I don’t think so. And it’s all on me. I won’t do it. I’ve done enough. I’m out.”

“Okay, you’re out,” Ray said flatly, and suddenly, there was a shout and a terrifying burst of gunfire, pop pop pop pop!

Mary tried not to think about the horror of what was happening in the next room. She’d only get one chance. She tugged the phone cord. The phone came tumbling down on her head. She managed not to cry out in pain. The phone landed on the rag rug. The receiver fell right near her face.

Pop, pop! came more gunfire, and then there was silence.

Mary had to act. Ray had killed Ernie. Ray was going to shoot her and Bennie next. She didn’t have a moment to lose. She heard a dial tone from the receiver.

She wiggled into position to call 911.





CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX

Bennie lay on her back, her feet pushing against the bottom part of the door. She ignored her rib pain, her will to survive in charge. She wished she could kick the door open, but she was too weak and she worried about making noise. The bottom of the door was the weakest, it must have rotted where rain had collected and snow had piled up.

She kept pressing and pressing, making isometric pulses, like killer lunges against the door, one after the next. She had been an elite rower in her younger days, almost making the Olympic team, and her thunder thighs were coming in handy.

She grunted with pain, pushing against the bottom of the door, feeling the boards weaken and finally begin to creak beneath her feet. She kept the pressure on and heard them splinter, then pressed harder, listening for the tiny breaks in the wood fibers as they gave way, her sense of hearing more acute because she couldn’t see anything.