Page 85 of Justice for Francesca

“I’m just saying. I don’t give a shit, but if you go to prison, that leaves me in charge of the clubs, and I don’t want that headache.”

Grunting, Tripoli went back into the safe looking for his knife belt buckle and the knife that tucked into his boot. “Frankly, the clubs are the last thing on my mind right now. Knowing you like I do, they’re not really your first concern either.”

“I was trying to be the logical friend.”

“Why start now?”

“Trip.”

Tripoli closed the safe and began to clip the knife buckle to his belt, then thread it through the loops of his pants. “What?”

“We’ll get her back. With the FBI’s help or not, we won’t let you down.”

“I know.”

Raising his leg to rest on the edge of the table, he shoved the remaining knife down in his boot, then lowered his leg. It felt strange to be suited up again as if he were going on a mission.He’d sworn he’d never do this sort of thing again. Little had he known that the most important mission of his life was about to take place. Justice for Francesca.

25

THE RACE

Tripoli

Tripoli and Cosmos used the fire ladder to dodge Cruz and the rest of the official law enforcement who had stormed the building through the front door of the club. Triumph was waiting for them in the alley with Tripoli’s Mustang.

“The signal is steady. They’re in the FairSkies hangar at San Antonio International.”

“That’s brave,” Cosmos admitted.

“Cornered, more likely, and no other options,” Triumph suggested.

Tripoli stayed silent as he sped through the streets. With the bulk of San Antonio’s finest pointed at the club, he was hoping not to run into any of the Blue Line on his way to the airport. He didn’t dare push the Mustang much past a hundred miles per hour, even with the freeway as quiet as it was at the moment. He couldn’t believe their luck at the low level of traffic. At least something was going right tonight.

Cosmos voiced his confusion. “I don’t understand why her father went to these lengths to get rid of her. Even if he didn’t have one of the brothers do it, you can’t tell me he couldn’t have hired a hit on her.”

“Or hire someone else to actually place the hit,” Triumph said. “Then both he and the brothers would have at least one degree of separation from the act.”

Tripoli forced out, “The guy is batshit crazy. That’s why.”

Swerving between two semis, Tripoli divided his attention between driving and the minutes in his apartment before Francesca was taken. The middle brother of the triplets had come in through the window and was waiting for him. They’d traded punches. Well, he’d thrown three before Mannix threw one that rang his bell, then spun Tripoli around into a chokehold. With a few brief sentences, Mannix had made the world spin.

He could have let the FBI handle the situation. Unfortunately, it would take them too long to locate her, and there would be too much procedure to work through. Tripoli knew there was little to no time, given Oisin’s plans. It was up to him, Cosmos, his security team, Triumph, and their friends from Los Angeles to rescue her.

“Cosmos. Hit speed dial three on my phone.”

Two rings later, Lobo was on the call. He didn’t need to ask what Tripoli wanted. “Hangar Six. Father, a woman I don’t recognize, the three brothers, Francesca, and we count six flunkies. There’s also a pilot in the hangar, but I think he’s there under duress. He’s readying a plane. However, if I were to hazard a guess, he’s dragging his feet as much as he can.”

“Thanks. We’re less than five out.”

“Copy that. We’ll wait for you unless we can’t.”

“What’s the plan, Trip?” Triumph asked.

“I need you to stay with the car. Monitor that frequency. If it moves locally, I need you to follow it, even if we can’t go with you. If they manage to take off with her, I need your skills to follow that plane, and we hope they don’t dump her out the door somewhere along the way back home.” He glanced in the rearview mirror. “If shit goes sideways, get out of there. No sense in all of us going down.”

“First part, no problem. Second part is going to be more difficult. I’ll make a decision at the time of.”

Cosmos looked up from his phone, where he was getting ready to contact his men who had slipped away from the club and were a mile behind them. “Where do you need us?”

---