Page 154 of The Dominator

“Get into the Jeep.” Nino handed me a small handgun and my purse, which had been upstairs. “Listen. We found a tracker on it. I got it off. We’re putting it on my ride so we can see if we can lure whoever it is. I’m taking that, Dex is staying here to see what comes, and we got more guys on their way. Put this under your seat and drive to the city. Drive to my wife’s shop and she’ll meet you and take you to her mother’s place until we get shit sorted. You remember where Bianca’s shop is?”

I nodded and thanked him profusely and got into the Jeep and drove out like a bat outta hell.

It’d been a while since I’d driven and I can’t say I was all that great at it, but I got out of there, quickly. I drove the opposite way that we usually came in, figuring I’d figure the rest out later and also figuring if the other guy wasn’t far, he’d come from the other way.

Ten minutes later I was kind of lost, but I was pretty sure I hadn’t been followed. Fifteen minutes after that, the flip phone was ringing and it was Dario.

“Dario!” I answered.

“Tia! What’s your status?”

I spoke fast, “I got Nino to the safe house because these two guys were there with guns and Nino got one, I don’t know where the other is, he left before Nino got here and I got into Tommy’s Jeep and I’m maybe about thirty minutes away from Bianca’s salon where Nino said to meet her. There was a tracker on the Jeep so whoever put it there knows where the safe house is!”

“Okay, yeah, I just got off the phone with him. Change of plans,” Dario said. “Are you being followed?”

“I don’t think so. I’m on a dirt road alone. Haven’t seen a car for the whole time I’ve been driving. Where’s Tommy?”

“I’ll explain after. Get to 15 Sweet Avenue as fast as you can. Don’t put 15 Sweet into in the GPS in the Jeep in case there’s a hack on the GPS. I will give you directions.”

He gave me directions and let me go.

I got a text and it said Tommy.

Where r u?

I pulled over and dialed his number. No answer. I answered back.

Trying to call!?! Urgent

Him: Can’t talk live. Text me where u r.

Me: I’m driving to meet Dario. Someone came to the farm!

Him: Were ru meeting Dario?

Something wasn’t right.

Me: Where are you? Is everything ok?

It dinged with,

Im ok. Were r u goign?”

I suddenly had this sinking feeling, remembering the text that came through that was a fake about Luciana’s labor. How did I know whether or not this was Tommy? I wrote,

I need to talk to you. I need to hear your voice.

Him: I cant talk 2 u. Need u 2 tell me were u r so I cna meet u. its urgent.

My gut told me it wasn’t him.

I wrote:

What’s OUR favorite ice cream flavor?

The answer:

Strawbery. Were r u honey plz