His entire body shook violently, and he took several gulping breaths before speaking. “I go way back with your father, okay? He and I were old friends and he helped me out of a jam a long time ago. I owed him. I fucking owe him everything.”
I could tell by the way he was shaking that he was telling the truth. “My father called you.”
Nodding, he swallowed several times. “And I told him everything I knew. You need to get out of town for a while until this shit cools off. I know the DA. Clive is an asshole but he has power. And the police chief? No one goes against him.”
“I’m not a runner, Dick, but thank you for your advice. I suggest you find a location close enough to my house and drop me off.” My mind reeled with the news. The DA I could buy but the police chief had never entered into our telescope on any level. That would lead me to believe he was most powerful of all and in the perfect position to exact his own brand of domination.
“Fine. You do what you want, but I can’t stay in town. I hope both you and your father know that. I’ll give you everything I have on this, which is shit, but might help you. Trust me, they will hunt you down.”
I mulled over what Dick was telling me. At this point, his words rang truer than anything else I was hearing. “And the Francesco family?”
Dick managed to glance in my direction. “No idea about that. I told Giordano that much. I’ve never heard anything from our task force or anyone else for that matter.”
So much deception.
“All right. Follow my directions, Dick, and I’ll see what I can do about getting you safely out of town.”
He nodded, his face pinched. The poor guy was going to lose his shit. He was definitely telling the truth. “You need to call your father. He said there’s been some developments on his end. He wouldn’t tell me anything. I’m nobody. Just fucking nobody.”
Interesting.
“Thanks for the info, Dick. Now, just drive.” I grabbed my phone, checking the side mirror again, but called Bruno instead. First order of business was to get Caroline out of the house. This situation was on borrowed time. After six rings, I looked at the screen. No answer. No voicemail.
Fuck me.
Then I dialed my father, my heart racing. This was a terrible omen.
“Pops. I’m out. I have a bad feeling the shit is going to hit the fan.”
“Thank God you’re out, Dom, and it already has. You need to get over here.”
“I have a package to pick up first. I can’t get ahold of Bruno. You know what’s important to me.”
“You can’t do that, Dom. There’s been a development, significant and one we need to deal with together.”
“What the hell are you talking about?”
“Just come here first, son. If the cops want to pick you up, they’ll need to get through me first.”
The hackles on the back of my neck rose. “Tell me now.” I heard the angry deep sigh and bristled. As he began to speak, I held my breath.
“There’s been an accident.”
There was no way to stop the anger, the devastation in my mind. But there was one way to seek revenge.
Dominick
“You shouldn’t be here, Dominick,” Angelo said under his breath as he walked with me down the hospital corridor.
“Like hell I shouldn’t.” I stormed down the hall, pushing past anyone who attempted to get in my way.
“You know it’s only a matter of time before they’re going to try and arrest you again.”
I laughed, touching my gun for effect. “As if I give a shit.” I noticed a nurse and nearly accosted her as I grabbed her arm. “Caroline Hargrove. What is going on? Where is she?”
The woman sputtered then shook her head. “In surgery from internal injuries, but she’s alive. That’s all I know.”
“Where?” I barked.
“You can’t see her, sir. You’re going to have to wait.” She managed to jerk out of my hold, racing down the hallway.
“Calm down, Dominick. Bruno is in his room. Talk to him.”
I ran my fingers through my hair, calming my breathing. “What do we have on the accident?”
“Nothing right now. The SUV was broadsided somewhere just after nine. There are no cameras at the intersection and nobody saw anything.”
Which meant no one was willing to talk. “Where’s the SUV?”
“Impound lot.”
“You gotta clean it out. Bring whatever is inside to me. Where is Bruno?”
Angelo pointed to the end of the hall. “Jo-Jo’s already doing that, but Bruno keeps a clean car.”
“That might be true, but there’s a reason he took Caroline out at night.” I had no guesses what that could be, and it was just another troubling issue. “I don’t care what stones you have to turn, find out who is responsible for the wreck. And when you do, hold the asshole for me and no one else. Am I clear?”
“I hear you, Dom. One way or the other we will find out.”