Page 68 of Deadly Target
Felix was sweating and wiped at his forehead with his arm. “Damn bastard. He took her.”
“Took her where?” Roman asked.
Polly freed Felix’s ankles and he almost stumbled. Victor caught him and steadied him until the man regained his balance against the car. Polly reached out and touched Felix’s arm. “Take it easy. Are you hurt? Do you need some water?”
“Barone took a shot at me but missed on purpose. He threatened to kill Olivia if I didn’t cooperate. That’s how I ended up gagged and bound in the trunk. I don’t know why he didn’t kill me. He tasered her, knocked her out, I think. Goddamn son-of-a-bitch. He’s not too bright, let me tell ya, because when I catch him, I will kill him.”
“Where would he have taken her?” Victor demanded. “Any ideas?”
“I have no clue where the bastard went.” Felix gave them a brief description of what happened earlier with Frankie and Olivia. “Barone’s daughter was in the safe room upstairs. Did he take her too?”
Leaving Felix with the other two, Victor and Roman ran back to the house, joining Thomas and Ronni inside to look. Sure enough, they found it in the girl’s upstairs bedroom closet, but the hidden room was as empty as the rest of the house.
Alfonso had taken what was important to him and bailed.
Why had he taken Olivia?
While Thomas called it in to have the house and car processed as a crime scene, Victor sagged against the kitchen counter. With the overhead light on, his eyes caught on a streak of blood and a strand of dark hair on the tile floor.
He knew that hair. His heart sank, thinking of Olivia hurt and bleeding. Felix was going to need to stand in line when it came to killing Alfonso Barone.
Where would he take her?
There were too many places. Hell, Alfie might be headed for the border, but if he were going to ground, why kidnap Olivia? Was he planning to use her as collateral to ensure his and his daughter’s safety?
He’s in love with her.The thought made Victor all the more enraged. Alfonso Barone was clever and cunning, but he was highly loyal and protective of those he loved. Did he envision a world where he, Olivia, and the girl could live as a family?
A damn big stretch, unless Barone was not in touch with reality, yet Victor knew that was far from the truth. The mobster had a plan, and Victor had to figure it out.
Before it was too late.
Felix stumbled into the kitchen and handed Victor a recorder. It looked similar to the same one he and Olivia had used the day she and Alfie met at the restaurant. “Not sure there’s anything on here that will help you find her, but there is an interesting conversation between Molina and Barone.”
Victor took the recorder, turning it over in his hands. “Olivia was wired?”
“Yeah, but I’m sure she’s out of range now.”
“That’s it. I know where he took her.” Victor barreled past Felix, heading for the door and calling to his agents. “The Blue Seagull,” he yelled. “Thomas, Ronni, you’re with me. Let’s go.”
Just then, his phone burst out with Olivia’s ringtone. He pulled up short at the door and drew out the phone.
Roman came hustling up. “Is it her?”
Victor nearly choked when he saw the text—a photo. “Yes.”And no.
The picture was of her in front of the wall in his living room with the samples of blue paint framing her face. A gash tracked across her forehead, embellished with a bruise and a lump as big as a golf ball. Her eyes were large in her face, sad and angry at the same time.
Below the photo, a message:
Come alone or you know what will happen.
“You hurt her, and I will feed you your balls,” Victor murmured under his breath.
Roman shook his head. “You know where she is?”
Victor put his phone away. “Yeah, I do.”
His feet couldn’t move fast enough to his car. Roman stayed on his heels. Felix joined him. “You’re not going alone,” Roman said.
“It’s a trap,” Felix added.
Of course it was, but what choice did he have?
“That’s why he took her.” Roman said, crossing the street with him. “He’s been after you the whole time.”
“Well, he’s got me,” Victor said, waving off both him and Felix, “and I’m bringing hell with me.”
