Betrayed (Rosato & DiNunzio, #2)(84)
Judy got the gist. “So Pablo saw them, too?”
“Pablo is married. Nobody know about him, only me. His wife at home, three children.”
“What’s Pablo’s last name?”
“Diaz.”
“Why did they kill Iris?”
“I don’t know.”
“Are you sure?” Judy was trying to piece it together. “They didn’t say anything or you didn’t hear them talking?”
“We hear screaming, a woman screaming, then we see.” Domingo shuddered, flattening his lips in disgust. “We want to stop them, but they will kill us, too. They are killer.” Domingo slid a silver flip phone from his pocket and checked the clock. “Miss Judy, I have to go. I miss the bus.”
“Wait. Did they kill Daniella, too?”
“I don’t know.”
“Domingo, we should go to the police. Please. We should tell them.”
“No, I told you. Never.” Domingo’s eyes flared with fear. “They will kill me.”
“The police would never kill you.”
“Carlos and Roberto, they will. The police will send me home, but I will not get there.” Domingo rose. “Good-bye, Miss Judy. The bus is far to walk.”
“Please can we go to the police?’
“No.”
“But it’s the right thing to do.”
“No.”
“The police can protect you.”
“They will not. My mother, my brothers. Carlos will kill my family.” Domingo shook his head. “No, no, no.”
“Okay, all right. I’ll take you to the bus stop or wherever you need to go.” Judy would use the ride to convince him to go to the cops.
“Only to the bus.”
“The bus, got it.”
“No police.”
“No.”
“Okay, thank you. Let’s go now.” Domingo smiled, grateful.
Judy would have to figure another way to convince him. She stood up, got her purse, slid ten dollars from her wallet, and left it on the table, then slipped her phone in her pocket, and followed Domingo outside. They fell into step as they turned toward the parking lot, where Domingo pointed at Judy’s VW with a grin.
“Is your car? Is so cute, like a big tomato!”
“It is, isn’t it?” Judy chirped the door open as they walked towards the car. “It’s because of the color, like tomato soup.”
“Yes, I love it. My mother, she always make it for me. Campbell’s.”
“Mine, too.” Judy opened the car door, climbed into the driver’s seat, and slid the key into the ignition as Domingo went around to the back of the car.
“Miss, wait a minute!” someone called out, as Judy was about to close the car door. She spotted the old man from the sandwich shop, making his way slowly toward her, trying to flag her down. He walked with a limp, so she climbed out of the car and walked toward him, to save him the trouble.
“Yes, what is it, sir?”
“You forgot your change.”
“You can keep it.” Judy met him at the corner of the sandwich shop. “Don’t worry about it.”
“No, it’s too much. The tab is only $3.25.” The old man handed her a fistful of dollars and some change, but Judy waved him off.
“Please, keep it.”
“No, take it.” The old man got distracted a moment, looking past Judy and gesturing at the parking lot. “Ha! I think your friend likes the car.”
“What?” Judy turned around to see Domingo sliding into the driver’s seat of her VW, flashing her a big grin. She called to him, “Domingo, you look damn good in there!”
“I know that’s right!” Domingo beeped the horn, turned on the ignition, and burst into laughter.
Suddenly there was an earsplitting boom! The VW exploded into a white-hot fireball. Metal and plastic debris flew into the air. The percussive blast hurled Judy backwards.
And everything went black.
Chapter Thirty-seven
Judy woke up on her back in the parking lot. She felt stunned. She couldn’t keep her eyes open. She couldn’t think. Her head rang. She didn’t know how long she had been lying there. The air reeked of smoke, gasoline, and burning rubber. Chunks of metal, broken glass, and charred debris lay everywhere. She couldn’t hear a thing.
She propped herself up on her arm and saw the old man lying on his side, his face blackened. He was moving and didn’t look injured. Her thoughts cohered in a terrifying moment.
Oh my God.
She looked around her in horror. Bright orange flames engulfed her car, raging through the interior. The conflagration obscured Domingo in the driver’s seat. She scrambled to her feet, reeling.
Oh no no.
“Domingo!” she screamed in anguish. She had to get Domingo out of the car. She staggered to the VW. She didn’t know how long the fire had been burning. Black smoke filled the air, fogging everything. She lunged to the car but raging flames drove her back. She reached into her pocket for her phone, scrolled frantically to the phone function, and pressed 911.
“Please hurry, I have an emergency, an explosion, a car fire!” Judy couldn’t hear the operator or her own voice but kept shouting. “I need an ambulance right away! There’s somebody trapped in the car! We’re at Haltman’s Hoagies in East Grove! Please hurry! I’m hanging up because I can’t hear anyway!”