The Fall(82)

I ignored the optimism and stated the obvious. “What are you going to do once you get in there?”

“I’m going to end it.”

As expected, but she still hadn’t said how.

“Your brothers are in town, not to mention we don’t know who else is in the house. So unless you are thinking of smothering him with a pillow, I am almost positive someone will hear a gunshot.” More than likely everyone would hear the f*cking gunshot and we’d be SOL on our exit strategy.

“My brothers won’t hurt me.” She got defensive, obviously forgetting it had been her father who had wanted her out of the picture in the first place. “Anyone else, I’ll take the chance.”

“No. You do this, you don’t trust your brothers.” The trio of douchebags might not be involved in the family business on paper, but the old man had been grooming them for years. “You need to get up close and personal. You use a knife and if you don’t have the stomach for it then this isn’t going to work.”

There were so many variables and possibilities, that even with careful execution, it could still turn into a shit storm. But there would be only one chance, and that was to get him when he slept.

Take him out quickly and with as little noise as possible. The mess, well that couldn’t be helped, but I’d rather worry about bloodstains on my shirt than a bullet hole to the head.

“Can you do that, Sofia? Because if you are serious about doing this, you are going to have to look into his eyes when he dies.”

“Yes.” For once she didn’t hesitate. Just a leveled stare that hinted she’d given it some serious thought. And regardless of whether I believed her, she looked like she’d convinced herself. “I know I can do this.”

***

The Nissan Maxima looked like every other car on the road. Which is why I had chosen it. That and the * I’d bought it from didn’t ask too many questions when I’d paid cash for it. A whole lot of don’t ask, don’t tell happening on both sides of the transaction and it would be safe to say the car had questionable origins.

Even though Sofia had shoved her hair up into a ball cap and had it pulled down low in front of her face, I wasn’t taking a chance in having her ride shotgun beside me. Nope, wasn’t happening. Instead she curled herself into the trunk and hid until we reached the pretentious leafy ’burbs. It was where all the jerk offs had their overpriced mansions.

The car eased, coming to a stop near the curb. It was close enough that we didn’t have far to walk but not so close anyone at the Amaro residence would get an eyeful.

The house was dark. No lights were on except for a couple of security beams around the periphery, with the drapes drawn tight like everyone was in for the night.

When the trunk released, Sofia’s body uncoiled, her legs stretching as I helped her out of the car. She had changed so much since I’d met her. I guess we both had. I still wasn’t sure if either of those changes were for the better.

“You sure about this?” I grabbed her arm, not entirely convinced she could one-eighty her decision to let the law bring him to justice. “Once you go down this road, there is no turning back.”

“I’m already on the road, Michael.” She smiled, the reaction so f*cking unexpected I almost fell back on my ass.

“Okay then, let’s go.”

There was no further talking. No need for it either unless we wanted to sign post we were breaking in. We’d gone over our entrance a million times, our bodies moving through the dark with only the streetlights’ glow thrown into the mix.

Jimmy lived in a good neighborhood. High trees, tall fancy fences—it made it easier to slip into the shades and stay out of sight. Plus most of those *s believed no one would have the nerve to rob them with their hi-tech security systems and their beware of guard dog signs. Little did they know their false sense of entitlement had made them all sitting ducks.

Sofia took the lead. It’s what we agreed considering she knew the way and I would be better support if I didn’t stick my toe over the invisible do-not-cross-line and get us both killed. I still wasn’t a hundred percent sure this shit was going to work, but we were in too deep to turn around now. And we were all in, because there wasn’t a backup plan.

Her body moved smoothly in front of me, stepping into Jimmy’s neighbor’s front yard and pushing herself out of sight as I followed close behind.

She pointed silently to the ground a few feet in front of her. A large rock had been positioned with smaller rocks surrounding it like some f*cking art installation that didn’t make sense. And with a nod she took a small run up using the rock to propel her body, her hands catching the top of the fence as the inertia swung her weight around. She wasn’t kidding when she’d said she done this before, the maneuver looking as smooth as an Olympic gymnast, her hands gripping the top of the metal fence without even disturbing the nearby hedge.

She hung for a second, her hands adjusting slightly and then there was a small thud as she landed on the opposite side.

Now I just had to replicate it.

Awesome.

I didn’t take so much of a run but more of a step up onto the rock. I had more height and a hell of a lot more weight, and the last thing I needed was to swing too far because gravity had decided to be an *. It wasn’t as quiet or as graceful as she’d done, but I hefted myself over and waited for her to point to my mark before I let go. A couple of dogs barked in the distance, but no one turned their lights on.