Page 98 of Second Chance

There might be someone at the gas station who can help, maybe someone nice enough to let Tony start the engine using their car. It’ll take a while, though, and if this whole plan goes to shit, there will be witnesses saying Lily was making a hasty exit, accompanied by the rest of them. There will also be witnesses saying Daniel, Tony, and Gianna were aiding and abetting a murderer. Because they are.

Tony has only one other option he can think of, and it’s an even worse idea.

“I shouldn’t go with you.” Lily’s voice is high and tight and anxious.

Tony decides he’s already committed to some awful ideas tonight, and he might as well keep it going. “Stay put. Don’t move. I’ll be right back.”

They aren’t actually in a hurry. The police don’t know where they are, nor does anyone else besides Lisa and Blake. It’s more that Lily is a flight risk, and now that Daniel and Gianna have both committed to helping her— Well, Tony can’t let her get away with not experiencing a single consequence. He’s going with the worst idea he has, and they’ll all have to deal with it.

He hasn’t been running in a week, and he’s wearing the wrong shoes for it. At least he’s still in sweatpants. It takes Tony ten minutes to get to Emilio’s all the same, going as fast as he can. The pace seems to get progressively slower the longer he goes, but it’s still quick enough that he can’t second-guess this incredibly stupid idea.

Of everyone in Germantown, Emilio’s the one person who would have a reasonnotto help Tony jumpstart the car. Of everyone in Germantown, he’s the one person who would and could instantly call the police on them.

The part of Tony that thinks he should have called the police the second Paul got in touch with him reminds him that of everyone in Germantown, Emilio is the one who has the right to know what’s going on.

It’s a dick move, but Tony leans on the doorbell.

Emilio takes precious minutes to get to the door. He’s changed clothes, which is progress for him. “When I said anytime…”

“Not now,” Tony snaps. “I need your help. We have Daniel. We know who killed your wife. But we need to get out of here. Where’s your car?”

“Garage. What the—”

“Get your keys.”

The drive to the parking lot is tense, Tony’s knee jiggling the entire time, his breath still coming in pants from the brisk run. It’s almost fully light out.

“Park across from me,” he instructs. “Hood to hood.”

Tony tries to look relaxed and calm when he gets out the jumper cables from the trunk. He’s done this enough that it’s a quick process to connect the cables to his battery and to get Emilio’s hood open and ready. It still feels like every movement draws out for hours, Emilio’s eyes heavy on him and on the car, where Daniel’s fully visible in the passenger seat, though at least the back is shrouded in darkness and hidden by the front seat.

“Come on, come on,” Tony mutters to himself.

Finally, the engine springs to life.

He leaves it running as he disconnects the cables and closes the hood.

“Tony?” Emilio asks as Tony slides into the driver’s seat. “Tony, are you gonna—”

Tony could tell him now. He could say everything, and Emilio would absolutely call the cops instantly, and it would be a savage satisfaction to have it over with, to have someone explode in anger about all the things Tony’s keeping his temper in check about.

In the passenger seat of the Toyota, Daniel’s twisted around to watch Lily, concern etched across every inch of his face.

Once again, Tony takes a deep breath and reins in his temper.

“I’ll explain everything later.” Tony’s not surprised when Emilio’s expression darkens as Tony pulls the door shut. Emilio never gave him a phone number.

The car squeaks violently in protest as Tony throws it into reverse. He pulls away from Emilio’s car, barrels onto the 9G, and doesn’t slow down until they hit Red Hook.

No one in the car speaks.

When they pass the sign for Rhinebeck, Tony says, “I think I need to get a new car.”

In the passenger seat, Daniel bursts into laughter. “Finally.” He looks at Tony so fondly that Tony forgets for an instant Amelia Lawrence’s murderer is in the car, and they need to figure out how to get her in a place to hand her off to someone who knows what they’re doing so they’ll no longer be harboring a murderer. He forgets Amelia’s husband saw them all together, and this is far from over. He has Daniel back, safe and sound, the lines around his eyes crinkling with joy and his jawline devastatingly handsome with that hint of stubble.

Blake and Lisa beat them to Rhinebeck. It’s not surprising, given their errand probably involved less crises. They don’t have a key to Daniel’s apartment, though, so they’ve stationed themselves in Colette’s, where they waylay Tony and Daniel as soon as they hear them coming up the stairs. They’re followed immediately by Colette.

Colette, who is blindingly furious with Tony for not waking her up.

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