Page 109 of Callan

I end the call and rapidly move away from the window. On my way down, I call one of my men.

“Jimmy and Carlos have left Brooklyn,” he says when I ask if any of our guys is close to the building.

“Never mind,” I say, and tap my phone before picking up my coat.

I bump into my driver as I walk out of the house.

“You’re off tonight,” I say as he gets ready to return to the car. “I’ll drive. Give me the keys.”

He tosses me the car keys, and I sprint to the black car parked on the side.

It’s cold outside, yet a film of sweat settles under the collar of my crisp dress shirt.

What the fuck is wrong with these people?

I have no time to analyze this as I yank the door open, slide into the driver’s seat, and start the engine.

The car moves swiftly as I steer the wheel and pull it out of the parking spot.

Teeth grinding, I glance at the time on the dashboard and cuss under my breath. The street seem carved in ice and snow and light, a sense of joy floating over the neighborhood, yet all I feel is dread.

A bad feeling hovers over me, and I only had that feeling once before.

When they killed my family.

MACKENZIE

Still in shock,I walk around the room, struggling to process what just happened.

If they’re after him, he needs to know. But where should I go to talk to him?I hate that I can’t call him.

Should I call that woman again? Beverly?

Yeah. I should.

Or maybe not.

I need to find him.

She knew what was happening and played along.

So, chances are, she’ll tell him.

Tell him what? That I talked like a lunatic, making no sense? How come my little ploy didn’t raise a red flag with her?

That is strange.

She acted like a pro.

Like someone who deals with this sort of stuff. And who is she, anyway?

I move to the window and look outside. Not a soul walks down the street. It’s Christmas Eve. Why would anyone be outside?

Slowly, I open the door to my balcony, step outside, and peer up. I can’t see much, so I have no clue whether Carmen and her goon have gone to her place or left the building.

I should’ve paid more attention.

Charlie? Why would she call him Charlie? And why would she really be after him? He stole something from her?

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