Page 94 of Parker
Worry lodges in my throat. Joel will be furious if I go to the rendezvous without telling him. I have no idea how to leave the house without alerting my constant security.
“We go,” I say with as much conviction as possible. “My son will not be used as a pawn in this twisted power play.”
My friend’s terrified eyes hold mine.
“We’ll need your car.”
She nods.
“There are weapons upstairs.”
I sprint for them, and she follows silently.
Joel gave me a gun to put in my bedside drawer when we married. It should still be there. He knew having a weapon made me feel more comfortable. I’m relieved to find it where it was left years ago, untouched. Picking it from its resting place and placing it on the bed, I move to the wardrobe and pull the doors open. Inside are various bats and knives—my man is always prepared for war. Sophie gasps.
“I’m married to a mob leader. We have enemies.”
“But you’re not married anymore,” she argues.
“In this world, it’s the action not the paperwork that counts,” I reply, then continue to search the available weapons. “You don’t have to come with me.”
“Nicky, I’ve changed my mind. I think we need to tell someone.”
“No,” I bark. “That’s what he wants me to do. To run and tell Joel so he rushes there to be slaughtered. I won’t sacrifice my husband.”
“But you’ll sacrifice yourself?”
“He won’t expect me, and he won’t hurt me. He needs me to lure Joel there,” I explain. “Soph, I’m doing this, with or without your help. If you tell Joel behind my back, we’re over. You need to trust my instincts on this.”
Her face falls, then she cradles her head in her hands, like she’s at a complete loss with the situation unfurling around her. I want to comfort her, but there’s no room left for softness. Guilt bubbles in my stomach. My beautiful, loyal friend has been dragged into this. It’s nothing to do with her, and now she’s expected to accompany me into the darkness.
“I can’t lose you, Nicky. You’re my best friend, and I’m scared. But I trust you,” she whispers, then throws her arms around my waist. “What do you need me to do?”
***
Sophie wanders away from the house and down the drive. She turns halfway to the gate and signals that she’ll call me like we planned. I wave enthusiastically in farewell. The guards can’t know anything is amiss.
It’s 3:27 pm.
I collect my rucksack I packed earlier with the gun, a few small knives, and a short-handled bat. The winter temperatures meanI can dress in long black leggings and a jumper without raising suspicion. Over the top, I pull on my thick winter coat.
Our garden is walled at the rear and backs onto wasteland where people walk their dogs. The boundary has CCTV, but I know there is a blind spot in the rear corner. The wind catches the camera, often moving it off-center. It happened again during a storm the other night, and it hasn’t been fixed. I check the app on my phone to be sure.
Sophie’s voice rings out at the front of the house, laughing loudly as she chats with one of the guards. My phone buzzes with a single word.
Now.
Carrying a laundry basket to the line, I begin pegging up sheets as my cover. My route takes me to the blind spot. The wall towers above me, but an old coal store offers an opportunity to climb. I grab my bag and scramble up, scuffing my knees on the old brick in the process.
My muscles scream as I haul myself up. The weight of the rucksack drags on my back. My core still isn’t strong after my C-section. Pain bites down my side, but I grit my teeth. This is for Evan. For my family.
Standing precariously on the ancient roof of the store, I go up on my tiptoes and can just see over the wall.
The coast is clear, apart from two security guards who are looking the other way.
I hesitate. One sudden glance, and this all unravels. My stomach turns over. This is the dumbest thing I’ve ever done. But also, the most necessary.
Momentarily, a feeling of guilt washes over me. Joel will kill them if something happens to me because they allowed me to escape.
