Page 5 of Driftwood Daffodil 2

All these tourists talked about the haunting atmosphere in Louisiana. I never understood that claim until now. There was something intimidating about the way the Mancini mansion stared back at me. As if it knew why I was here, and was taunting me to knock on the door so it could eat me alive. In all fairness, if there were ghosts anywhere in this town, they were probably here.

I was pretty sure death and murder weren’t new things to the Mancini’s. There was no telling how many bodies Gio had buried in his backyard. I was here to make a deal after all, and not a legal one. Though I’m sure they would find a way to make it hold up in a court of law.

The judges were crooked anyway. Maybe I’d end up joining the forgotten bones on this property? Honestly, that might be a better outcome than what I was about to do.

Was I really going to do this? It wasn’t like I had any other choice. If I didn’t do anything then Kato would continue to get hurt and eventually killed.

My shaky fingers wrapped around the handle to reluctantly push the door open.

The hinges were especially loud today. Each second of their creak vibrated through me like a warning bell. Then there was the house itself.

The first step out onto the paved ground was easy, but the second was heavy. I could feel the windows watching and beckoning me to come a little closer, while the safety of my truck whispered in the back of my mind. It’s not too late to change your mind.

It wasn’t too late. I could always just climb back behind the wheel, leave, and everything would go back to normal.

As comforting as that was to think, I knew it wasn’t true. There was no normal anymore. Maybe there never was. And if there was, the person I talked to an hour ago ensured that normal no longer existed.

Special Agent Jack was supposed to be my get out of jail free card. Whatever this deal was with Gio, he couldn’t hold me to it if he wasn’t around, right? I just had to survive long enough for that to happen. It was a simple plan.

Or at least I thought it was.

I once again looked over at the house and fought back the dread churning in my stomach.

Maybe this wasn’t a good idea? If Gio found out what I was planning, then I wouldn’t just be signing my death warrant, but Kato’s as well, and quite possibly Veda’s. That would kind of defeat the purpose of all of this. Then again, I didn’t promise Special Agent Jack anything. So, I could just keep him as a back-up plan.

Damnit, I wish I had more time to figure this out.

Was Gio really going to do anything I couldn’t handle? He’d already tried to kill me twice. Could it get any worse than that? Okay, so maybe Atlee was right and Gio would gothere. So what? I made out with Simon, for Christ's sakes. I could totally do this.

Closing the truck door, I mustered up all of my courage and marched forward.

I so had this.

That confidence lasted about thirty seconds before I spun around and headed back to my truck.

I definitely did not have this.

Okay, so my first attempt failed. I blamed that on the two staircases curving down from the balcony on the upper floor. They ended on either side of the walkway and cast an ominous shadow in the fading sun, and I swear I saw something move in them.

And guess what I had to walk through in order to reach the front door? The creepy shadow of soul swallowing. Then again, that could just be the house… or the situation. There were many factors at play here.

Who needed two extra staircases? Did anyone ever go on to the balcony to knock on that door? Don’t think so. Know why, because normal people only had one front door. What the hell was this bullshit?

“Two damn doors,” I grumbled under my breath and once again made my way back down the walkway.

I almost made it to the front steps before I ran away and placed my palm on my truck like it was a safe zone. But in my defense, I heard something this time. There was a high possibility that it was my own gasp, but one could never be too sure.

Wishing there were more seconds in a minute, I glanced down at my watch. It was 7:55. Five minutes to the deadline Gio gave me. Based on my previous attempts there was a high possibility I would need every single one of those minutes to reach the front door. Especially considering my next two tries also failed.

Confidence came with the next one however. I made it to the front steps. Then froze as the weight of my decisions pressed down on my shoulders.

It might already be too late, but there was no turning back once I knocked on this door. I’d have to live with whatever Gio had in mind, or risk the consequences of turning against him. The entire Mancini family could be affected, or just his father. Either way Gio would lose something, and this time itwouldbe my fault. Could I live with that?

One look at the brass numbers marking the address and I knew what I was going to do.

The way the fading light glinted off that polished finish reminded me of how my brother’s eyes used to sparkle. All he’d have to do to brighten up a room was walk in it. I’d give anything, including my own soul, just for the chance of seeing that look on Kato’s face again.

Before I lost my nerve, I lifted my balled up fist and rapped on the door.

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