Page 12 of Taking Care of the Target

All things considered, she’d come out pretty well. If only her memories would return, she’d be no worse for wear.

Tomorrow I’ll go see if Rossi’s has my spot open still, and before you know it, my life will be back to semi-normal.

Chapter Eight

Carlo was enjoying his Cuban cigar in the alley behind the restaurant when the back door burst open with so much force it clanged against the wall.So much for a few minutes of peace and quiet.

Even before Sal spoke, the smug look on his face had Carlo fighting the urge to smack him upside the head. The guy was loyal as they came, which was why he’d promoted him through the ranks, but he was also like a gnat, this tiny buzzing creature that wouldn’t leave you alone. He talked about himself in third person, too, which was annoying as shit.

Carlo blew out a ring of smoke and then tapped the ashes off the end of his cigar, making sure not to get any on his new sport coat. “You going to stand there grinning like an idiot, or you going to spit it out?”

“Sal found her.” His snake oil smile widened. “Sal found Cassie. She didn’t even change her name. I did just what you said. Watched her old place, and when the moving truck came, she was there.” His forehead wrinkled. “It was weird, Boss. She looked right at me, but it was like she didn’t recognize me…She tensed, but she didn’t run. Just made eye contact and stood her ground. Almost like a challenge.”

Carlo had no idea what to make of that. Unless she had damn good protection, surely she would’ve fled—even with, she should’ve shouted for help. She was sweet as they came, but he’d never thought of her as particularly brave. Then again, Allegra had tried to scare her away, and Cassie had shaken it off. This wasn’t his pushy wife, though. This was a guy who’d shot at her the last time she’d seen him.

“She have an escort?”

“I didn’t see one. The new complex I followed her to is locked up pretty tight; it’d be hard to get in and out completely unnoticed. Not that Sal couldn’t do it, but I’m thinking it’d be easier to hit her when she leaves.”

Carlo took another puff of his cigar, letting the information settle. No matter how he spun it, it didn’t make sense.

“I already called a few guys to take care of it, actually. They said they could watch the place and then do a drive-by. Make it look like an accident. That way it doesn’t come back on us. They’ve just got to wait for the right moment and—”

“Call it off,” Carlo said. “I made a promise to Vince.”

“What he don’t know won’t—”

“I said call it off! I don’t want sloppy, and I trust him over any punks who’ll rat if they get caught. Not to mention the first place the cops will look after a stunt like that is at us.” Carlo stepped closer and grabbed the front of Sal’s shirt. After holding back for so long, it was oddly satisfying especially with the way Sal’s eyes bulged out of their sockets. “Capisce?”

Sal nodded. “Sure thing, Boss.”

“Good,” he said, flinging him away. “Go tell Vince I need to talk to him. I’ll be in my office.” He dropped his cigar and ground it out with his foot.

He’d just settled into his chair when there was a knock. The door cracked open, and Vince stuck his head inside. “You wanted to see me?”

“Sal found Cassie.”

Vince stepped farther inside and closed the door behind him. “Where is she? What name’s she under?”

“Still right here in Jersey. Same name.”

The puzzlement he’d felt over the information showed on Vince’s features. “How’d he find her? Did she go back to her old place?”

“Yeah. Sal said she saw him, too—damn fool let him see her. Probably thought he’d take her out right there in the middle of the sidewalk.” Carlo shook his head. He’d never expected him to be the one who found her. Otherwise he would’ve sent someone smarter. “He said she didn’t run, didn’t scream. Just looked right at him. Said it seemed like she didn’t even know him and added there was a sort of challenge to the way she stood her ground. What the hell do you make of that?”

Vince sat on the arm of the chair across from him, his eyebrows drawing together. “No idea.”

As a general rule, he never trusted anything too good to be true. “Seems too easy, doesn’t it? That she was there again and led him right to her apartment. He claimed he didn’t see a cop, but I don’t trust him to spot an undercover pig.”

“You think maybe they’re baiting you? Setting a trap?”

The idea slammed into Carlo like a punch to the gut. Did theywanthim to go after her so they could catch him red-handed? Did they really think he’d be stupid enough to go himself? Or were they planning on taking in his guys to see who’d talk? “Get the address from Sal and check it out. Watch your back. Don’t do anything stupid, and don’t draw too much attention.”

Vince nodded and straightened. Carlo had watched the kid grow up, hoping for years he’d join him. He’d take one of him over a dozen Sals. But Vince had insisted on staying clean since high school, and Carlo had used Bobby’s mistakes to keep him close enough to the line, hoping his nephew would eventually cave. This was the perfect thing to push him over. Once he saw the money and the power, he’d be sucked in, just like his old man.

“I’m trusting you to take care of it,” Carlo said.

“I’ll take care of it,” Vince said in that sure tone he liked to hear. “You think Angelo can handle running the place by himself? He’ll actually have to come in.”

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