Page 31 of Married to the Mafia

Maybe, just maybe, the big guy upstairs will listen and send help. If he does, I’ll spend the rest of my life making it up to him.

12

Dino

Dino

I’m looking up at the building, working it out. Two men on the door, low key. Inside, I’m looking at four floors, each with a corridor and stairwell. Cameras probably watching.

I’m glad I paid extra for the height ranging.

Most trackers can give you a location. It takes something special to give you the height off the ground. I buy special for occasions like this.

She’s in the penthouse at the back. I’ve already looked around there. Fire escape that’s locked.

I think to myself. What’s the simplest way of doing this and getting out without getting killed?

The solution comes to me in an instant. Same as Budapest. That was a building like this.

I’m twenty years older, though. Are my knees still good enough? Only one way to find out. I walk to the apartment block next to it and start hitting buzzers. Soon as someone answers, I start the spiel. “Electric. Had word there’s a shortin the corridors. Think we’ve fixed it but how’re your lights.”

“Fine, fine. All good in here.”

“Great. Try the front door, would you, see if that’s working?”

And then I’m inside. I walk over to the stairs. I’m not taking the elevator just in case. I don’t know what might wait for me up there. It wouldn’t be beyond possibility that the Beluccis own the surrounding buildings despite what Corrado could find out.

It’s been an hour since she was taken. In that time I’ve changed out of my suit into overalls and had Monty bring me the van we use for things like this. Dark blue, Shockwave Electrics written down the side of it. I’ve a high-vis jacket over my overalls and a white helmet on my head.

No one notices me. No one even looks at me. I blend. It’s what I’m good at. I can blend anywhere. Helped me on many jobs back when I was a capo. Now I’m putting all my skills to the test to get Rose back alive.

I can’t go in all guns blazing. She’ll get killed before I reach the fourth floor. I tried calling Don Belucci, but he’s not answering his phone. Not surprising. Means he can deny knowing anything about what his son’s up to.

It was Monty that saw her taken. He saw her loaded into the van and glimpsed Ricardo’s face as they tore off down the street.

Why couldn’t she have stayed put? Why did she have to run?

I’m going to have to keep much closer tabs on her from now on. She doesn’t seem to realize just how dangerous things are now. She’s in big trouble and if I don’t get her back soon, I might not at all.

I know he’s deciding right now whether to marry her forhimself or kill her off just to spite me. His father might want him to become Capo dei Capi, but that is not happening. I have claimed her. She is mine. I will kill anyone who takes her from me, including Ricardo.

I get to the top floor and scout for the access to the roof. It’s in the far corner. Elevator with a keypad. I ring Timmy. “Coleco 7 series,” I say.

“Serial?”

“2-X-4-B-K-R-Y.”

“Two seconds.” He types something at the other end. “Seven, three, two, one.”

I hit the buttons on the pad and the elevator doors open. “I owe you,” I say, hanging up.

Once the elevator opens out on the roof, I take a good look around for snipers. No sign of anyone. They probably think I’m still trying to work out where she’s gone.

I doubt they’ve found the tracker in her wedding dress. Even if they know what they’re looking for, it’s going to be impossible, woven into the fabric itself.

I planned for this. Not for Ricardo taking her, but for the possibility of her running. I wanted to track her and I have. To there.

I look over the gap to the next building. About eight feet. I look down at the alley far below. Don’t want to fall down there.

---