The last thing we need is to make waves when we’re getting ready to take over. Once we own the county, I can sweep her up if I still want her.
Do this right and the county is ours. No one left to fight. Get it wrong and… well, best not to think about getting it wrong. I enjoy having my limbs still attached to my body.
I see the sheriff’s car twice, patrolling slow. I don’t see the two who are out there looking for me. Is it possible they’ve gone back to the casino to get back up?
I doubt it. They’d have to admit they couldn’t deal with me on their own. No second chances with Bobby in charge. If they don’t kill me, he’ll kill them. I have the chip. The Gianni family is heading back on top. Belucci will be a footnote in history.
I get to the edge of Sunside and look at the row of buildings. Houses, all of them. Tiny front gardens and white gates, matching paint. Only one place has a set of lights on. I head for there, moving fast.
If they’re watching, they better be ready. They already hurt my dog. They aren’t getting out of this alive. They aren’t getting out of it easy. By the time I’m done, they’ll beg for death.
I get to the front gate of Moira’s place. A sign on a brass plate tells me I’m in the right place. Something isn’t right. I can tell at once. The door’s ajar. It’s too quiet in there.
I run on by, making my way around back, hugging the wall until I can see the back door. Wide-open. Not good. I look up. A window sill sticking out.
I step back and take a run up, jumping and catching onto the edge. With a quiet grunt, I pull myself up and look in. No sign of anything.
Just a bedroom. Window open a crack. It’s almost too easy. I ease the window open and step through, dropping to the carpet and listening hard. Nothing.
The lights are out in here, so I wait a minute, letting my eyes adjust. I close one and cross to the door, easing it open. Lights on out there.
I keep one eye shut until I’m sure they will not throw the switch. Old army trick, so you don’t get blinded when the lights go on. The place is dead. I can tell. Whatever happened here is already over.
I take the stairs two at a time. Downstairs is divided into a living space to the right and vets to the left. I take the left corridor through a frosted glass door and into an examination room. There’s blood on the floor.
I look around the cages and there’s no sign of Rex. There are two other dogs in there. Both dead. Both shot. The bastards. There was no need for that. They did it just to prove a point. Made men can do what they want.
I turn back to the corridor and follow the blood spots. There’s a dispensary filled with bottles and little paper boxes. Then a waiting room.
The vet’s in there. Bullet wound to the abdomen. She might have a chance. The dumb fucks got dumber. Amateurs. Always double tap to be sure.
When I walk in she looks up at me, her head lifting off her chest. She’s pale, losing a lot of blood. “Please,” she mutters. “Help me.”
I grab the phone off the wall and punch in 911. I hand her the phone. “Where did they go?” I ask. She’s talking into the phone, pointing out the front door at the same time. I look down at her. They didn’t shoot her. They knifed her. They wanted her to live long enough to tell me something. “Wait there,” I say.
She’s telling the ambulance where to come. The coffee table has a cloth covering. I rip it off, sending magazines flying. I cram the cloth against the wound and press her hand to it. “Don’t move,” I say. “Help is coming.” “They said to come to the park if you want your dog back,” she says, each word an effort, her neck muscles straining as she talks. “Take it to them. They want it back.”
“What did you do?” a shocked voice asks behind me.
I turn around and it’s Amelia. She’s still wearing her pajamas, but she’s got a gown wrapped around her, the cord working loose. She’s looking from me to Moira and she looks disgusted with me. “Ambulance on the way,” I say. “She’ll live.” “Where are you going?” she asks.
I don’t answer. I’m gone already.
I’m going to get my dog back. I’m furious with her, but also relieved. I told her to stay at home. I told her she was in danger and what did she do? Follow me through the fucking town.
With her there, the vet might live. Why is that good? One more witness to the fact this went down tonight. That’s two I’m letting live who can identify me. What’s wrong with me? I should kill them and just bury the chip somewhere.
I hear a howl. The sons of bitches are torturing Rex, making sure he makes plenty of noise. It came from my left. I run that way, pulling out my gun. No messing about. No time.
Just kill them, get Rex, and get the fuck out of this town without looking back. I can get the chip another time. Leave it with her for now. No one knows she has it but me and the two dead men walking.
I turn a corner and there’s a car, lights on. Engines off. The classic signal.
I slow and see the park waiting for me. They think the darkness in there gives them room to deal with me. It’ll just make my job easier.
I climb over the railings next to me and duck into the bushes. I move toward the noise. I hate to hear Rex howl like that, but I’ve got to be careful. Otherwise, they’ll shoot me before I can get close enough to deal with them. I move silently, keeping to the dark, getting closer every second.
I look out from behind some trees and they’re in the open. One’s holding Rex as he tries to bite the guy’s arm off.
The other guy points a gun wildly, looking out for me, no idea which way I might come from. “Shut that dog up,” he says. “I can’t hear a fucking thing.”
I point my gun, steady myself, and hold my breath.
I squeeze the trigger gently and the first shot fires. It hits the son of a bitch holding Rex. I get him in the balls. Before the other guy can turn my way, I shoot again.
Both of them are on the ground now screaming and Rex is sprinting my way. He jumps up to my face, tail flying left to right. “Stay,” I tell him, and his ass hits the ground, tail still flicking.
I leave him there and move out. I let them suffer for another minute, watching them. The last thing they’ll ever see is me. When I’ve had enough, I end it.
Another shot to each head to make sure and then I’m back to Rex, patting him on the head.
We move out of the park fast after that. It won’t be long before those shots get back to the sheriff. We could buy him off, but Barry might pay him more and then we’re back at square one.
I could kill him, but that might bring the Feds looking just when we’re about to take over.
I get to my car and load Rex in the back. He’s limping and panting and his eyes are glazing over. He lets out a whimper of pain. I remember what Amelia said. He needs to rest. How’s he going to rest with all the work we’ve got to do in the next few days? Fuck. I’ve no one to look after him.
I think for a moment and then I make a decision that, though I don’t know it, will change my life forever.