Page 102 of Pieces of Ash
Julian grunts softly.
“I wasn’t impressed.”
“It’s in the past,” says Julian, his body tense beside mine.
“Is it? Can you stick with the plan this time?” asks Simmons, his tone intentional and tinged with doubt. “Or will you get distracted?”
I slide my eyes to Julian, wondering yet again why this man, whose dream was to be a Secret Service agent, ended up losing his job.
“Yes, I can stick with the plan,” growls Julian. “I learned my lesson. You can count on me.”
“I hope so,” says Simmons, “because we’re using Ashley as bait. I’ll be staying in the barn, watching surveillance of the galleries and the house. I’ll know when he makes his move and when he’s getting closer. You stick to her like glue. Together we’ll trap him.”
“Done,” says Julian, his tone grave.
“It’s a matter of days, a week or two, tops, before Raumann tracks Ashley to Shelburne and Shelburne to Gus. When he does, he’ll send men to the galleries looking for Gus, to press him for information about Ashley’s whereabouts. We’ll plant the location of this house in Gus’s desk, and then we’ll wait. If I know Raumann, and I do, he’ll come for Ashley himself. This is personal to him, so he won’t pawn off the job on some lackey.He’llcome. And when he tries to take her, we’ll arrest him for attempted kidnapping. With Ashley’s additional testimony about Dragomir Lungu, we should be able to file a murder charge too. We’ll subpoena his employee and financial records. Once we have them in hand, we’ll get a search warrant for his Westchester property. We’ll nail him and his entire operation. He’ll go away for life. His sons too. And since Raumann never trusted anyone besides his sons with the entire operation—unlike other organized crime bosses, Raumann has no lieutenants-in-waiting—the business will collapse.” He’s excited, his eyes shining, when he finishes laying out his plan. Looking around the room at the four of us makes him calm down a little,and his shoulders relax. “But Ashley’s the key. Ashley makes it personal. He’ll come for her.”
“I don’t like it,” says Gus, but Julian’s voice is stronger, “If it works, it’s worth it.”
Jock leans forward, staring at Julian, searching his face. “Can you protect her? Are you sure?”
“Yes,” says Julian. “With my life, if it comes to that.”
“Okay, then.” Cocking his head, Jock gives Gus a loving look. “It’s the only way, Gigi.”
“What happens to Ash after that?” asks Gus. “As long as her stepmonster’s alive, he’ll still come after her!”
“From jail?” I ask.
“It’s possible.” Simmons grimaces. “She can go into the program.”
“Witness Security?” asks Julian.
“Yeah,” says Simmons. “It’s the only way toguaranteeher safety.”
I gulp. “So I’ll have to leave? Leave here?”
Leave Julian and Gus and Jock? Leave this wonderful place? Start over somewhere totally unknown and utterly alone?
“I’m afraid so,” says the agent. “Or you can take your chances here, of course. We can’tforceyou to go anywhere. But if he puts out a hit on you, you’ll be a sitting duck here. Good luck.”
I inhale shakily, all my dreams about staying here and making a life here disappearing with a pitiless poof.
“There’s no other way?” I ask. “No way I can stay here? Afterward?”
“Remember when I said that you make this personal for Raumann? It’s possible, even from prison, that he won’t be able to let you go, to imagine you with someone else,” says Simmons. “He may prefer you dead.”
Jock huffs softly. “Come on, Simmons.”
“You want me to sugarcoat it for her?” asks the agent, nailing Jock with an impatient look. He turns back to me. “Like it or not, Witness Security will be the best way to keep you safe for the long term. But it’s up to you.”
“She’ll go into the program,” says Gus softly. “Won’t you, baby?”
I lift my eyes to Gus, but I can’t see him because my eyes are swimming with tears. I just got him back, and I’m about to lose him again. And what about Julian? Will I ever see him again after all of this is over?
But here is the thing about being out of options. You do what you have to do. And I have no choices left. My grandparents are gone. My mother is dead. My confessor is dead. My dearest friend is in danger. A madman will stop at nothing to get to me. Here and now is the end of the line, and just as I suspected, it doesn’t include a happy ending.
But at least I’ll be free.
