Page 86 of Taking Care of the Target

“That what? I should rot in here for a few more years before I get a trial? I want it over with as soon as possible. Just do your job, and get me the hell out of here.” Luckily his reputation meant the other inmates left him alone. He even had a few protecting him and sneaking him cigars. Just to be safe, he spent his free time working out. He’d been having too many dinners and desserts at the restaurant, but a month in here and his gut was quickly shrinking.

“Fine, we’ll just get to it, then.” Uffizi rattled off the charges Carlo was already well aware of, but they stung all over again. Sometimes he thought Uffizi read them every meeting so he could add more billable hours.

Considering his frozen assets, it was going to be a problem soon, especially since Allegra had dipped into his stash for “under duress shopping.” To hear her tell it, she had it worse than he did.

“Just get to the witness list,” Carlo said.

“We’re still in the discovery process, which is why—”

“I swear if you suggest putting off the trial again, I’ll reach across the table and smack you.” It’d almost be worth the guard coming in and cutting the meeting short.

Uffizi pouted for a moment before pulling files out of his briefcase. “As for how they found the body of Eduardo Alvarez, there’s no witness statement, just that a confidential informant led them there. I’ll fight to get the identity disclosed and I’ll win, but they’ll probably wait until the thirty-days-before-trial mark, just because they can.”

So not for a couple more months. Thirty days was still plenty of time to off someone, although Carlo didn’t want to wait that long. “I want you to find out who their informant is, and I want it done yesterday.”

Uffizi nodded and then said, “I’ve been building a long list of character witnesses. There are a lot of people willing to testify about what a generous man you’ve been to them and their community. You contributed the funds to build that extra wing in the high school. That’ll look good.”

“Yeah, murder versus building schools. I wonder which will stick out in the jurors’ minds.”

Uffizi kept on leafing through his file, as if the magic key to everything was simply buried in the pages he lugged around. “The weapons found at Rossi’s are pretty damning. We’ll argue that anyone who worked there had access to them. Give reasonable doubt that they’re yours at least. Who else has access to the safe?”

“Vince, Sal, Dante.”

“We could suggest it was one of them. Vince doesn’t have any priors. Well, not any after he was eighteen, which is what’s important. If they charge him, I’ll find a way to get them to dismiss it later.”

Carlo hated to even think about it. But if Uffizi could make sure Vince didn’t actually get punished for it… Dante was already on his third strike, so what was one more minor charge to him? He could deal down. Then there was Sal. The gnat would probably volunteer if Carlo spun it right.

“Let’s hold off.” Carlo hoped he wouldn’t get desperate enough to consider it. It wasn’t who he was.

Then again, neither was being a prisoner.

***

Cassie put in food orders for two of her tables and then took a quick minute to catch her breath. The Front Range Steakhouse was hopping tonight, the country music blaring louder than usual. Good thing she spent so much of her free time at the gym lately, or she might not have the endurance to make it through the rush. It was part of her “just-in-case” plan, the part she hated most. Although, she might not fail P.E. if she took the physical tests now. She’d also taken self-defense classes and even dragged Deanne along with her.

An elbow to the nose or kick to the groin wouldn’t help much when it came to snipers or drive-bys, but she needed to do something that made her feel in control. The sessions at the shooting range also helped. She was a good shot before, but now she could hit the bull’s-eye every time with the subcompact Glock 27 Vince had given her.

When she wasn’t at work, the gym, or the shooting range, she was scouring the internet for coverage on Carlo Rossi’s upcoming trial. The lack of information frustrated her, so she tried to push her search to once every other day. So far she’d made it exactly zero times.

The cook yelled that one of her orders was up, sending her back into motion. At least the busy nights helped the hours pass faster. Balancing the tray of food in one hand, she weaved her way through the restaurant, placed the plates in front of a family of five, and asked if they needed anything else.

She’d just turned to give one of her tables their bill when she caught sight of three Italian men at the front who looked like they were straight from Jersey.

Her heart pounded as she ducked behind a wooden post and watched Allie, who was working as hostess tonight, lead them into her section.Shit, shit, shit. I wasn’t careful enough. Vince was right. I should’ve moved more.

Surely they wouldn’t just shoot me here in the restaurant?

No, they’ll wait until afterward when I’m leaving work. Or follow me home.The pounding of her heart kicked up several notches. She walked in the opposite direction, trying to come up with a plan, and nearly ran smack into Owen as she rounded the corner.

“Are you okay, Katie?” he asked, putting his hand on her arm.

For the past month, everyone from Maude to Deanne and the rest of the wait staff was trying to push her and Owen together, so she’d taken to avoidance. Not easy to do with a guy who happens to be one of your bosses. “Totally. I was just…going to get drinks and realized I’d forgotten what one of the people wanted. But then I remembered, so…yay!”

His eyebrows drew together. “You’re being weirder than usual.”

“Hey! I’m not weird.”

“Okay, dodgy. You get dodgy sometimes, which is kind of weird, to be honest.”

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