Page 65 of Deadly Target
The girl stood and pointed toward the closet door. “I could just go into the safe room and you could help my dad.”
Safe room? Olivia moved to the closet. “What kind of safe room?”
Mary Margaret joined her and opened the closet door. She shoved aside clothes and some boxes, going deeper into the darkness. She tapped on a panel and the thing sprang open, revealing a metal door behind it.
“My dad told me to hide in here if anyone ever came to the house threatening us, and not to come out until he said it was okay.”
The small space held shelves of bottled water, various snacks, and there was a small security TV allowing the person inside to see who was on the other side of the door. There was a digital lock and the room had electricity.
It wasn’t the best panic room she’d ever seen, but it was efficient and the walls were probably bulletproof. Alfie had set up everything for a temporary hiding place to keep his daughter safe.
For a second, Olivia’s mind flashed back to a similar room her father had built in their house. Luckily, her and her mom never had to use it. “Your dad is a smart guy. If there’s anything you want for inside, grab it now and get in there.”
“My phone doesn’t work in there.”
Her eyes were bloodshot, and she had dark circles under them. Olivia reached up and pulled a blanket down from the highest shelf and tossed it into the room. “I hear you’re having troubles with some of the kids in your class.”
The girl sniffed and went to grab a couple books off her nightstand. “Being thirteen is tough. I don’t really like it.”
Olivia patted the girl’s shoulder as she returned to the panic room. “After I help your dad out, maybe we can set a lunch date. Do some shopping, share some girl talk. Would you be up for that?”
Mary Margaret nodded, her countenance lightening slightly. “My dad really likes you. He told me you’re an important person with the police department.”
Close enough. “I’m going to shut you in now. Lock the door, and like your dad said, don’t open it again until you see him, or me, on the other side. If we don’t come to get you, there will be a man named Felix or Victor who will. You can trust them. Got it?”
The girl drew a deep breath and spread the blanket on the floor before hugging her knees and opening one of the books. “Got it.”
Olivia was sneaking back out of the room when she heard it—a sound that sent her heart triple-timing it and her feet running for the stairs.
Boom.
Gunshot. Outside.
Before the echo died, the men flooded the entryway. The doorbell rang.
Oh shit.Who was joining the party now?
She grabbed her gun and pulled up on the landing, every bone in her body frozen in place. Alfie was at the door, swinging it open. She could only see the bottom half of his legs. Behind him stood Frankie’s two bodyguards, the underboss out of her view.
“Hello, boys.” Her dad’s voice was jovial but had an underlying menace to it.
No! What is he doing?
Alfie stepped back; through the open doorway, Olivia saw a body lying on the front steps—the other bodyguard.
“Who the fuck are you?” Alfie asked.
Her father pushed inside and smacked Alfie upside the head. “Mind your manners. Who the fuck do you think I am? You’re screwing with my daughter and I’m here to put a stop to it.”
Jesus, Joseph, and Mary. What the hell? Her dad was going to get himself killed and her along with him. Olivia didn’t know whether to rush downstairs and make her presence known in order to stop this crazy train or hang back like a spectator and watch it all play out. It was like seeing a car accident about to happen and not being able to stop it.
Hopefully, her dad had notified Victor, and someone was on the way to back her up. She had two choices—draw her weapon and try to diffuse the situation with force or play a little game on the gangsters and see if she could get everyone out without violence.
Odds were slim the latter would work, but with her dad in the mix, she couldn’t exactly go down with guns blazing and expect a positive outcome.
“Alfie?” She called seductively, walking down the stairs as if she owned the place. “What’s all the racket? I thought you were coming to bed…?”
She paused as all eyes turned toward her, equal expressions of surprise on everyone’s face. Frankie’s two bodyguards already had their weapons out and turned them from Felix to her.
