Joey watched his mother as she stared out the back window. The house had been cleaned and the window replaced. It was almost like it had been before the assault.
But it would never really be the same.
Mamma hadn’t moved much, and he was worried. Learning about the death of her daughter had been a significant blow. Learning about Janice’s betrayal and death hadn’t helped either.
Joey put his book down on the couch and stared at the wall. No doubt she was thinking about the fact that she never met her real daughter. He knew he was thinking about his real half-sister. What she might have been like? What she might have liked to do for fun? What her life had been like?
He would never know.
It hurt.
Joey laid his book down and went to the kitchen. Frankie entered. He went straight to the bar and poured a drink. He swirled the amber liquid around, sniffed, and then swallowed it in one gulp.
“Mamma looks the same.”
“Yes.”
“We should cheer her up.” He poured another drink.
“How?”
“I thought you would have an idea.”
Joey shrugged. He was clueless. The idea that she needed time seemed pointless to suggest.
“Papa would know what do to.” Frankie muttered. “What is your girlfriend doing about that? Looks like nothing.”
Joey cringed at the hatred in his brother’s voice. He didn’t correct the girlfriend assumption because he wished it was true. But it could never be.
A knock on the door had them both turning. Mickey’s replacement opened the door with someone in tow. Joey knew it was her before she spoke. He could smell her strawberry shampoo.
Did she know how recognizable she was?
“Speak of the devil.”
Frankie was at the door before Joey could move.
“To what do we owe the pleasure?”
Ericka came farther into the room. Their eyes met. She didn’t look away as she spoke.
“Carlo Ricci walked out of the police station today. Do you know where he is?”
Frankie laughed. Ericka’s gaze never wavered. Joey couldn’t move either.
“You made my man leave the area, remember? I told him to let you handle it, so he came home.”
“May I speak with him?”
“Sure, I’ll call him in from the grounds.”
“Also, if Carlo owns any property not listed with the property assessor’s office, I need to know.”
“And why would I tell you that?”
“Because I believe that he is holding your father at one of those properties.”
“Carlo would never—”
“Frankie, shut up and get the lady her list.” No one had noticed Mary’s arrival or change in attention.
Mary continued. “Carlo didn’t want a legit business. And he tried to reason with your father, but Tony had other plans. Carlo is perfectly capable of doing or ordering done everything that has occurred. So, get the stinking list.”
Joey still stared at Ericka. Her gaze only wavered for an instant to flash a shocked expression at his mother then right back to him.
“May I speak to you?”
He nodded, came closer, and escorted her to the lanai.
She leaned against a column. Even in her slacks and lady’s dress jacket she was the most attractive woman he’d ever met.
A tear slipped onto her cheek. Immediately, he was there swiping it away with his knuckle.
“There’s no need for that.”
She chuckled. “I can’t help it. I’ve met a really great guy but it can’t last.”
He cocked his head to the side and arched his brow. “Is that so? Who is it?”
She rolled her eyes and smiled.
“And who said?”
She flung her head back, her hair cascading over her right shoulder. He picked up a strand and let the silkiness slip through his fingers.
Her intake of breath was swift.
“Tell me who said we can’t be together, and I’ll convince them differently.” At that moment he was willing to do anything he needed to do in order to convince his family and anyone else they were wrong.
“We—we come from different worlds.”
“Good argument, but soon our worlds will be the same.”
“Your family will never be safe after your father goes legit. The government’s plan to keep him in the fold for intel is too far gone. Now they want state’s evidence and –”
“They are going to place us in witness protection.” The realization was like a punch to the gut.
“Yes. And if you stay with me—”
“I’ll have to leave my mother.” He looked in the window at his frail mother in the wheelchair. Just a few short months ago he’d thought he was going to lose her, and he’d been willing to ask a stranger to help her.
He couldn’t leave her. He’d realized this before, and Ericka knew this as well.
He backed up and fell onto a bench. His heart hammered so loud between his ears he didn’t even notice when Frankie brought out the list.
“Here’s your list. I hope you’re right. You’re going to make it unsafe for us to live around here.”
Frankie had no idea how right he was. Now Joey had a real decision to make, and it was going to tear him apart no matter what he chose.
****
A uniformed officer waited behind the wheel to drive Ericka wherever she wanted to go. She would have loved to have been alone as she leaned her head against the headrest. She shouldn’t have shared the witness protection information with Joey, but she didn’t want to spring it on them or at least him when the time came. He needed time to think about what he really wanted to do.
She would never get between him and his family, but she wanted him to have time to reason that out.
He wouldn’t choose her, she wouldn’t let him. Family was everything to him. She wouldn’t let him give that up for her. Family was too important. Growing up without one had taught her that.
Ericka unfolded the paper that Frankie had given her. The list of properties was vast and scattered around the city as well as outside the city limits.
She sent a picture to Quinn then called him.
“We’ll start searching traffic cameras in relation to Carlo’s direction when he left the station and see if any lead us to one on this list.”
“Sounds like a plan. I’ll wait here and see if you get a lead close to my current location.”
Ericka and the officer waited in the car. The Demarco’s front door opened and slammed shut. Frankie, head bent low, stalked to a running truck. He climbed inside, left the gated area, and zoomed right past her.
She called Greg. “I think Frankie is checking a property he believes Carlo is holding up in.”
“Why? Didn’t he give you a list?”
“He did, but he just took out of here like a crazy person, so I think he has a personal idea of a good place to look and he plans to do it on his own.”
“Follow him, but don’t go in. Let us meet you there.”
The officer started the car, and Ericka hung up the phone. She could see the tail end of the truck turning the corner.
They followed at a safe distance until they reached the warehouse district. Behind the building she could make out Frankie exiting the truck. Quickly, Ericka dialed the office. Quinn answered.
“Quinn, I have an address for you to check?” She repeated the address as well as scanned her own paper list.
The warehouse was listed as one of the last on the list. “No worries, Quinn, I found it.”
“I looked that place up. They used to make shoes there but it has been abandoned for years.”
“Thank.”
Frankie had a gun in his hand as he stalked toward a door on the side. He was yelling. “Carlo! I’m going to kill you! Do you understand me?”
Ericka exited the car and pulled her gun. The officer pulled his gun and went around the opposite side of the building. She sneaked closer to Frankie as he disappeared inside. Fear gripped her heart as she eased the door open. She wasn’t a fool. Frankie had a gun, and he was nervous.
Terrible combination.
She slipped inside. Frankie disappeared behind another door. The sound of something slapping the wall and breaking echoed through the empty building.
Holding her service weapon ready, she approached then cracked the door.
He looked up and pointed the gun at her. “You!”
She froze.
“Well, come on in. See how stupid we’ve all been. Carlo, right under our noses the whole time.” He laughed like a crazy person then stood and paced.
“Papa was here. Right here How long did he wait here in this dark place with no food and water? All so that we could be free of the business.”
Ericka waited.
“Here is his scarf. Mamma gave it to him for Christmas. He hated it but he wore it anyway. On every cold day, he wore it.”
Ericka actually felt bad for Frankie.
“What do we do now?” Restrained tears made his voice gruff.
“We follow the leads. We look at all the other properties.” She eased forward and placed her hand on his shoulder and squeezed. “We’ll find him.”
He wrapped her in an embrace and buried his face in her hair. “Thank you.”
Ericka patted his back. The embrace felt awkward. But she felt he needed the comfort. And she meant what she said. They would find Tony. She just hoped they did before it was too late.
****
All the properties were searched and came up empty. Only one property remained. Ericka studied the map of the woods surrounding the property. It was not unlike the cabin she and Thomas had been held in only a short time ago.
Electric-looking fences surrounded the house up close. Frankie had shared the presence of an electronic warning system around the property before they arrived. He knew the code. If they could get close enough to the junction box to enter it, that was.
“Let me go in. Carlo doesn’t know that we know about his involvement.”
“Mr. Demarco, we can’t allow you to do that.”
Greg and Frankie had been arguing over the same thing all day. Ericka was getting tired. She wanted it to be over. Then Joey could get on with his life and she could force herself into her realty… again.
Alone. That was how she would always be.
“Ericka, what do you think?”
Greg was asking a question, but she’d missed the lead up.
She’d admit it.
“Think about what?”
“We send in an officer to pretend he is repairing an electrical issue but he puts in the code so we can all go in.”
“Why not just cut the power?”
“Cut the power! There’s your answer. Brilliant.” Greg stepped away to tell the officers the plan which left her with Frankie.
“If you’re doing this to be with Joey, it won’t work.”
“Doing what?”
“Saving our father.”
She closed the gap between them. His breath was minty as if he’d chewed gum, but he hadn’t. She drew in a deep breath before speaking.
“I’m only going to say this once, so listen good. I’m not doing this for Joey, your mother, or you. I’m doing this because it is my job. You would do well to remember that.”
She turned and walked away before he could reply.