Page 69 of Canapés at the Beach House Hotel
As soon as we climbed into the front seats of the car as he directed, the man sat in the back.“Hand me your phones.”
It took us a minute to get them out of our purses, but we did as he asked.
“What’s Vinnie got to do with this?”Rhonda asked him.
“I can’t tell you.Now let’s get out of here.We’re going to travel south to Marco Island.I assume you know how to get there.When we do, I’ll direct you from there.Don’t try to draw attention to us,” the man warned.“If you do, it could be dangerous for all of us.What were you doing at the restaurant, anyway?”
“We were going to talk to Jonny about the latest thing he’s done to us,” said Rhonda.
“Our property was defaced by his people,” I said.“It really makes no sense at all.We’re not out to fight with him.”
“Sounds like him,” said the man.“Let’s hurry.I don’t want you two involved in anything we’re doing.”
“Who’s we?”asked Rhonda.
“I can’t tell you that,” the man answered.“Just keep your cool and no one will get hurt.”He checked the rear view mirror.“I don’t think anyone saw us or is following.”
My fingers gripped the steering wheel so hard they hurt.It was difficult to resist doing something unexpected to get rid of the man.But I thought of Vaughn and my children and knew I’d never try.We’d been warned of the danger, and I definitely had the impression the person had a gun and would have no problem using it.
I glanced at Rhonda and shook my head, indicating how I felt.
She’d folded her fingers into fists and knew she was mad as hell.
Doing as he’d ordered; I drove south and onto the island.Then to a small hotel at the water’s edge he directed us to.
“Okay, we’re clear.Park and get out,” he ordered.“We’ll walk directly across the parking lot to the entrance of the ground-floor room we want.Remember, no problems.”
Feeling queasy.I got out of the car and stood on unsteady feet until Rhonda joined me.Then we walked together, the man right behind us.
A woman in the distance waved to us from a nearby dock and I automatically waved back.
“Move it,” said the man quietly.“Go to the door right in front of us.”
He gave us warning looks as he indicated we were to step aside and then he quickly unlocked the door and waved us inside.
“Okay, you can relax now,” the man said.“You’re safe as long as you don’t do anything to draw attention to us.No phone calls, no stepping outside to the deck.Vinnie will be here shortly.”He pulled his gun out of his shoulder holster.
“May I use the restroom?”I asked politely.
“Okay, but again, no trying to call attention to us.It’s important to you and your family.Understand?”
I glanced at Rhonda.Neither one of us would do anything to harm them.
We both freshened up and then sat on a couch watching television.When Rhonda found an old run ofThe Sins of the Children, the soap opera Vaughn had starred in for years, my eyes filled with tears.I’d been too frightened to cry, but now that we were considered safe by the man who’d kidnapped us, I couldn’t help it.
If Rhonda and I got out of this situation alive, I knew how relieved Vaughn would be.But when he learned the details of our ordeal, he’d be upset that Rhonda and I had once again got caught up in another troublesome mess.
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
After what seemed a lifetime but was in truth under an hour, two men dressed in black entered the hotel room with Vinnie, a tall man with brown hair.When he took off his jacket, I noticed his broad shoulders and well-exercised body.
“Everything all right, here?”Vinnie asked our guard.Concern showed in his brown eyes.
“They’re safe, and we haven’t drawn attention,” said the man.
Rhonda stood with her hands on her hips.“Vinnie Carozza, tell me what’s going on.What kind of trouble are we in?”
“We’ve saved you from a lot of it.Don’t worry, I wouldn’t let anything bad happen to you.You and your brother always stood up for me in the neighborhood.Your mom’s cooking helped me too.”Smiling, he walked over to her and gave her a hug.“It’s nice to see you.I’ve read all about you and your partner owning and running the hotel.Someday I might even have the chance to stay there.”
