Total pages in book: 97
Estimated words: 92071 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 460(@200wpm)___ 368(@250wpm)___ 307(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 92071 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 460(@200wpm)___ 368(@250wpm)___ 307(@300wpm)
“You have eyes on her, right?” I asked.
“Yes, Boss.”
“Whatever you do, don’t lose her. They know we’ll tail them so ensure you don’t lose them. Where are the guys that were looking after her roommate?”
“They’re still there,” he replied.
“Have them join you in trailing Zola from a different direction if possible. We can’t lose her. No matter what.”
I ended the call and leaned into the seat completely drained of strength but too terrified to fall asleep.
“You should get some rest,” Foster said.
I considered his suggestion and then opened my eyes to see Luca watching me from the rearview mirror. He was waiting for instructions. A few minutes later, I made up my mind.
“No,” I replied. “No rest.”
“To the office then?”
I stared out of the window at the police station we had just exited. “No, let’s go after them.”
The car was silent for a little while but then Luca put the car into motion.
“What do you mean by go after them?” Larry asked.
“Zola and the U.S. Marshals,” I replied. “Ugo is smarter than the average mafia boss and extremely strategic. If I have this many eyes on her then no doubt he has something cunning up his sleeve so I can’t take any risk. I can’t just go back to sit and wait either, so let's go after them.”
Foster looked unhappy, but I ignored his sulkiness until we came to our first intersection.
“You’re welcome to get off here.” I turned to him. “It might get dangerous. I’ll contact you later.”
He gave this a thought while looking ahead. “No,” he refused. “I’ll go.”
Chapter 55
Zola
We were leaving the city of New York and heading toward the outskirts and slowly I was becoming even less familiar with my surroundings. We were going toward Westchester County, but that was all I could tell. Something bothered me. What had me alarmed was the fact more security wasn’t present. It was only the two guys in front and Detective Mellor seated by my side and none of them were speaking to each other. Detective Mellor had been courteous with Matthew and Sarah, but now she didn’t seem very familiar or friendly to the men in front. Were they just being somber and vigilant because of Matthew and Sarah’s passing?
Regardless, I felt uncomfortable, and I didn’t know what to attribute it to. Something was wrong. I felt it in my bones.
“Where are we going?” I asked Detective Mellor.
“Don’t worry. We’ll be there soon,” she said with a smile, but I’d never seen her smile like that before, and it made my skin tingle. Something was definitely wrong.
“Are you alright?” she asked.
I managed a tight smile and nodded.
She turned to stare outside the window and I did the same. I recalled I still had my phone on me. I was tempted to call Dante and tell him where we were, but something about Detective Mellor made me think I shouldn’t do it in front of her.
We pulled into a gas station. The driver got out and began filling the gas tank while the man in the passenger seat stayed in the SUV.
“I’m going to get something to drink. Want to come with me?” Detective Mellor asked.
“No,” I said instinctively.
“Suit yourself,” she said and got out.
I watched as she walked towards the store. I knew I had to call Dante in private. Before I could talk myself out of it, I pushed the door open and went after her.
She looked behind her, saw me and gave me a peculiar look.
“I’m a bit hungry,” I said.
She forced a smile, but it wasn’t as friendly as it once was. My skin began to tingle as I headed over to the fridge to get a bottle of water.
As I pretended to stare through the glass at the multiple choices, I surreptitiously pulled out my phone and started to dial his number. It began to ring and I put the phone to my ear, but a disapproving voice behind me made me nearly jump out of my skin.
“What do you think you’re doing?”
I spun around and stared at Detective Mellor. She looked very displeased.
“Um … I wanted to make a quick call.”
“You can’t do that,” she snapped.
“I can’t? Why not? We’re not at the safe house yet.”
“It doesn’t matter,” she said. “From the moment we left your apartment you're not allowed to be in contact with anyone, especially Moretti.”
She came forward and snatched the phone from me. For a couple of seconds, I was so shocked I just stood there like a statue.
“Hey!” I called out, but she didn't respond.
She just kept going and I had no choice but to run after her. She disappeared into a hallway, and I immediately assumed she was going to destroy my phone in the toilet, so I ran after her.
“Detective Mellor!” I called out desperately, but there was no one in the hallway. It was dim, illuminated only by the light from the store.