The Fall(44)

“I’m leaving again and I might be gone awhile, so I need you not to get any ideas and do more exploring.”

She didn’t respond, her arms folding across her chest with the nerve to glare at me.

“I am f*cking serious and don’t get any ideas about going outside. You stay in here, I don’t care if I’m gone a month, you do not leave. You understand?”

I had no idea what was gonna happen at the meet, but if Franco even suspected I was involved, he’d put a bullet between my eyes and then come for her. And given I had no idea if it was a test or a job interview, I was going to play it on the fly, which meant I might not be back tonight. Or tomorrow.

“Something happened.” It wasn’t a question; we both knew she was smarter than that.

“Your bounty just went up.”

“How much?”

“One point five.”

“Million?”

“Million.”

There was no benefit to me telling her. In fact, it would probably make my job harder if she became emotional. But I was hoping that her knowing might help her see how serious it was. So that she didn’t get the urge to continue to be Dora the f*cking Explorer.

“Do you know who?” she asked calmly, like it made a difference who was holding the purse strings.

“I have my suspicions.”

“Are you going to share them?” Once again, she kept her voice controlled, non-emotional.

“Franco Santini, you know that name?”

“Of course I do.” She nodded. “His family and mine came over on the boat together. He owns a bakery on Michigan Avenue, but his fortune hasn’t come from selling cannoli.”

“You were investigating him?” It might have been a question, but I was fairly sure I knew the answer.

“Of course I was, he’s been indicted three times and nothing has ever stuck.”

“Then I would suggest making your peace with that and get ready to move to Canada.” And even that wouldn’t be far enough. “He has operatives in Mexico, so your dad won’t send you there.”

“I can’t run.” She shook her head slowly, like she’d come to that realization while sitting like Gandhi on the floor.

“Then you are f*cking stupid.”

“My dad paid you to protect me, right?” She shrugged like I needed to be reminded of what the hell I was doing here. “So I wait it out here for a while.”

“Get your head out of the clouds. Waiting it out?” We didn’t have years, and even then I doubted it would be long enough. “You know these people, you think they are going to forget about you next week? I’m not babysitting you indefinitely; I have business to take care of. Besides, I don’t need the heat landing on my f*cking doorstep.”

“So kill me then, collect the bounty, but I’m not leaving.” She planted her hands on her hips, tilting her chin in defiance.

“Don’t tempt me, Sofia. I’m not a reasonable man.” And considering I’d held a knife at her throat maybe twenty minutes ago, not the kind of request you think she’d be making.

“Why? What have I got to lose? I’m dead anyway, right?”

Maybe she was right. I should save us both the time and effort and end it all now.

“I don’t have time for this shit,” I snapped, needing to get out before I changed my mind. “Stay inside and out of trouble.”

I didn’t bother with a goodbye. I was still fired up from her sticking her nose into my past and now dealing with Franco. The sooner I was gone, the better for everyone.

“What if you don’t come back?” she called after me, her voice missing the panic most people would have saying those words.

“Go to the supply closet and look in the first aid kits. There’s a cell phone in one of them. It has only one number on it. Mine. Call me, let it ring three times and then hang up. If I haven’t answered, grab some supplies and ammunition and head north.”

I tossed the words over my shoulder as I went to leave. “And if I were you, I’d trust no one.”





No matter how hot it was in the city, the wind that blew over Lake Michigan was always unforgiving. And today was far from warm.

It had been smarter to boost a car and dump it rather than take the beat-up Chevy, which was exactly what I’d done. Because there wasn’t a chance I was giving Franco or his crew a chance to ID anything that could be traced back to the warehouse.

I popped the collar of my leather jacket as I stood on the steps in front of the planetarium, my watch showing four fifty-nine.

“You’re early.” A voice came from behind me, the owner of it no surprise—Franco Santini.

He was dressed like a stockbroker in a thick winter coat with his trademark fedora, and I assumed his three-piece Brioni suit underneath. He was in better shape than Jimmy, his body and face not looking anywhere close to fifty-five, which is how he got so much *. His wife turned a blind eye to Franco’s indiscretions, but everyone else knew.

“I didn’t take you for the museum type of man.” I turned and saw he was alone. Also not a surprise.

Where Jimmy liked to have an army surrounding him, Franco believed he was God and walked around like he was untouchable. I had no doubt he had men covering us from different angles, probably one with a long range shotgun trained right on my chest. But you’d never know. Like I said—big balls.