Page 29 of Dane

There were a few moments of silence over the phone, and when I finally heard Rory’s voice, I let out a deep breath.

“Dane, please tell me you found Michael.” Her voice sounded hoarse as if she’d been crying.

I squeezed my eyes shut. “Yes, Rory. He’s with me and safe. Are you okay?”

“Yes – “

Carlo cut her off and spoke, “I didn’t hurt her, boss.”

“What do you want? I swear if you hurt my wife, I’ll rip you to pieces.”

“Give me your word that I have a guaranteed safe way out. I’ll give Aurora back to you, and I’ll disappear, head to Chicago, or maybe out west to Reno or Vegas.”

“You have my word,” I gritted out.

“We meet somewhere public, where there are people around. National Harbor. The Capital Wheel. One hour.”

****

Anna greeted us at the house when I pulled up with Michael. I unbuckled his seat belt, and he climbed out, running into Anna's arms. She went pale, and her eyes went wide with shock when she saw Michael’s dirty closes, his face still smudged with dirt.

She immediately saw the fiery look of rage in my eyes as I approached her.

“Brody Huntsman and some of Mr. Takata’s men will arrive here very soon. Take Michael inside. Don’t let him out of your sight.” I wrapped my arms around both Anna and Michael.

I got back in the Bentley and drove like a bat out of hell, racing down the Capital Beltway to National Harbor. Since it was late afternoon, there were no large crowds around the massive Ferris wheel.

The Capital Wheel had stopped rotating to let people out of the enclosed climate-controlled gondolas. I stood by the steps leading up to the wheel and wore my Bluetooth earpiece. Push wore his and waited for my signal. Carlo appeared from several yards away, walking toward me with his arm around Rory’s shoulders. I knew that he held a gun in his other hand and pointed it into her side.

Rory’s lips were set in a straight line, and there was a red welt underneath her left eye. I clenched my fists, and the pain in my chest felt like a knife slicing my heart into little pieces.

Carlo looked nervous and agitated, his brow was dripping with sweat, and his eyes darted around frantically.

“This will all be over soon, wife,” I said to Rory.

Her bottom lip trembled, and her eyes welled with tears. “Kill this son of a bitch for me, Dane.”

“Shut up!” Carlo shouted, pulling Rory closer to him.

“How many years has it been now, Carlo? How many years that I’ve trusted you with my own fucking life?” I barked, drawing his attention back to me.

Out of my peripheral vision behind Carlo and Rory, I watched a young couple stepping into one of the Ferris wheel’s enclosed gondolas and the attendant closing the door. It began to move again, sending the gondola up one hundred and eighty feet above the Potomac River.

“What about me? All I wanted was a piece of the fucking good life you have, Dane. You always passed me over time and time again, giving every other guy a piece of the pie. I want respect!”

The Ferris wheel stopped again. The door of the next gondola opened.

“Got him?” I whispered.

“Yes.” Push replied.

Push stepped out of the gondola, raised his gun, and fired once. The silent bullet struck the back of Carlo’s skull, and then blood spewed as it exited through his forehead. He dropped dead, falling face-first. Blood splattered onto Rory’s face as she fell with Carlo onto the asphalt.

I ran over and pulled Rory up off the ground. She cried as I held her tight in my arms. Her hands gripped the front of my shirt as she screamed.

People passing by turned to stare at the man lying dead on the ground. One woman screamed. Push appeared beside me, holding his gun with the custom-made suppresser, making that shot to Carlo’s head quick and quiet.

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