Page 119 of Jace 4Ever
“They’ll see us.”
He held up his phone and hit a button. Another light kicked on and shone down the tunnel we’d just come from. “Go.” He pointed.
We didn’t argue, but turned and headed down toward the light in the Freedom Tunnel.
Aaron yelled down at us, “Straight out. Don’t turn until you’re completely out of the tunnel.”
We ran, fast and hard. There was someone at the end of the tunnel, waiting for us. He nodded and motioned us to follow him. I didn’t know what made me trust him, but I did.
He led us out into the sunlight and up to the left of the entrance. The path was a straight shot out of Riverside Park. “There’s a black town car waiting ahead for us. We’re going—”
The blood splatter from the shot covered Tony and me. The guy went down to the ground in a heap, and Tony and I skidded to a halt on the ground next to him.
“Well, hell,” he grumbled.
“Where?” Tony asked.
“Right, hip. Fuck I forgot how much it hurts.”
There was the click of the gun right next to him. “Stand up, or I’ll remind him again.”
Tony and I stood, but I could see Tony keeping an eye on the man on the ground. He was bleeding badly, and I knew that we could staunch it if we had a chance. I turned and looked at the man with the gun.
Tall, dark, and ugly as sin, he had long fingers and hands covered in scars. His face carried pockmarks and liver spots. His hair was greased back and his teeth were smoker’s yellow. There was exactly nothing pleasant about this man.
“The Shoemaker.”
He nodded. “Do you know why they call me that?” I shook my head in the negative. “Because I make shoes for people who need to be at the bottom of the river.”
Oh. Hell.
“Except, I’m not going to bother to make shoes for you, Jace.” He stepped closer and his rancid onion and garlic breath washed over me. “I’m going to make you a whole coffin.”
He lifted the gun and pointed at my forehead. “These two will join you in a moment, so you won’t be lonely in your watery tomb.”
The sound of a shot echoed, and I waited for everything to go dark. But the Shoemaker stared at me, the gun in place. There was another shot, and this time, the Shoemaker was jerked off his feet and tossed the ground.
Dead.
