Page 144 of Power
Stuart burst out of the Rolls Royce and ran over. “Mr. Santini, I need to get you inside the vehicle.”
“Stuart, we need to help him,” Luciano said.
“Clearing the area.” Simone took off toward the vehicle.
As she approached the car, Luciano and Stuart pulled up alongside her. With her weapon drawn, she peered around the white security fence. The nearby sidewalk was void of foot traffic, the gunshots frightening everyone away. The cars on the street had vacated the immediate area, the drivers fearing for their own lives.
Stuart opened the driver’s side door while Simone scanned the area for someone in a hoodie. He was gone.
On auto-pilot, she turned her attention to the victim. And her heart sank. Guy Chenkus was gone, his lifeless eyes staring straight ahead. He hadn’t even seen his killer coming. He’d been shot in the head, in the neck, and in the chest.
Luciano appeared by her side. “Any sign of him?”
“No,” she replied. “That was the mule, wasn’t it?”
“Yes, or someone who worked for him,” Luciano bit out.
Sin joined them. “We don’t disclose what we know.”
“Agreed,” Luciano said.
“What’s your story?” Sin asked.
“We came to see you,” Simone replied. “You walked us out. We heard gunshots.”
“Put your weapons away,” Sin said.
She and Luciano re-holstered their Glocks, but Stuart did not. “Mr. Santini, I’d really like to get you inside the vehicle.”
“Go,” Sin said. “I’ll handle the police.”
The wailing sirens grew louder as she and Luciano slipped inside the Rolls Royce. Seconds later, Stuart pulled onto the deserted street. As they passed the police cars, Simone turned around and stared out the back window.
“How am I going to find this monster when he’s always one step ahead of us?”
LUCIANO
In the darkened car,Luciano peered over at her. The poker face Simone wore so well had been replaced with a melancholy that singed his soul. He knew that look. It was the look of grief and heartache and loss.
Despite what had just happened, she’d managed through the situation like a pro. First and foremost, she was an ALPHA Op. An elite group of LEOs who rantowarddanger. Her courage, paired with her nerves of steel, impressed him the most.
“You did a great job tonight,” he murmured. “I know you don’t want to hear that?—”
“Thank you. If only I’d seen the eyeglasses a minute sooner.”
“If you had, we could all be dead.”
“I’m blaming myself?—”
“I get that, but this isn’t on you.”
“Are you wearing Kevlar?” she asked.
“What?”
“Body armor.” She pressed his chest. “You’re not.”
“Are you?”
