Lie or Die: A Shelby Nichols Adventure (22 page)

What did he mean by that? My shoulders slumped and I stopped in my tracks. Uncle Joey noticed I wasn’t following and glanced back at me. “Come on,” he said. “Shoulders back. We’ve got a job to do. Don’t dawdle.”

Dawdle? Was that even a word? I hurried to catch up with him, realizing at the last moment that I couldn’t hear his thoughts. He was blocking them? My stomach clenched. Why would he do that right now? I needed to know what he was thinking to do my job, but I couldn’t tell him that now, or Kate and Eddie would hear.

We reached the bottom of the arena, and Uncle Joey climbed up the rickety stairs to the ring. I followed more slowly. He held up the ropes for me and I entered, trying to get my terrified expression under control. I tried for sassy, but I couldn’t get my lips to work right, so I just gave up. Besides, my heart was beating so hard, I was sure Eddie or Kate could hear it anyway.

“Uncle Joey,” Kate cordially greeted him. “Please have a seat.”

She brought two chairs from the corner and set them about ten feet apart in the center of the ring, motioning him into one, and Eddie into the other. As they took their places, I stood behind Uncle Joey and scanned Eddie’s mind.

He was thinking his reputation must have preceded him, since this was almost too easy. Although, now that he could see Manetto’s eyes, he was disappointed to find no fear in them.

Eddie glanced at me, and I tried to imitate Uncle Joey’s steely-eyed composure. Eddie’s lips twitched in amusement. He thought I might have pulled it off, if I hadn’t taken that small step back.

“What are you doing here Eddie?” Uncle Joey began. “This is my town, and you’re not welcome here.”

Oh great! Way to get us killed.

If anything Eddie’s smile got bigger. “I’m just here to help Kate get back what is rightfully hers…and make a few lucrative investments. Like this place. I wouldn’t have known about it without Kate.”

I glanced at Kate. She stood behind Eddie the same way that I was standing behind Uncle Joey. Only now that Eddie couldn’t see her face, she licked her lips, visibly shaken, and trying to hold it together. What was going on with her?

“And why would you do that for Kate?” Uncle Joey asked.

Eddie thought he might as well tell Manetto the truth. “She told me a fantastic story about a woman who could read minds. That would be a profitable asset in my line of work, so I figured I’d come help Kate out. I’m even willing to negotiate for Shelby’s services.”

“Kate?” Uncle Joey said. “Is this true?”

“Yes,” she said, raising her chin in defiance. “I don’t want to take your place right now. I just want to take over when you retire. Like we were planning before the whole Walter thing.”

“What makes you think I’d negotiate?” Uncle Joey frowned, his eyes filled with sadness and disappointment. “Kate, you know me better than that. Why would you put me in this position?” He glanced around the arena, motioning toward the room above, where Lanny entertained his important guests. “Remember how you used to come here with me? We had some fun times watching the fights and placing bets. Now poor Lanny’s dead. He was good to you. How could you betray him?”

Stricken to the core, Kate’s composure fell and tears filled her eyes. She was thinking she hadn’t meant for any of this to happen, and I almost felt sorry for her.

When Kate didn’t answer, Eddie broke the silence, upset that Uncle Joey was making it so personal. “Kate has some files that I believe belong to you. As long as she keeps her position in your organization, you will be safe. Push her out, or kill her, and the files go straight to the police.”

Eddie was thinking that he had the place surrounded, and Manetto had better surrender, or he was a dead man. All it took was one signal from him and he was dead. I could prevent that if I went with him peacefully. It was me he wanted. Because of Kate, he knew all about my family and how to get to them. If I didn’t want to see Manetto die, or my family get hurt, I’d do the right thing, and go with him now. It was over. Manetto couldn’t protect me anymore.

He glanced at me expectantly, his eyes lighting up with anticipation. He didn’t think with words, but his eagerness came through loud and clear. He wanted me to tell Uncle Joey exactly what he was thinking. But underneath it, I sensed his acute desire to kill Uncle Joey and Kate, no matter what I said or did.

At the same moment, Kate was practically screaming in her mind,
don’t say it, don’t say what Eddie’s thinking, it’s a trap, please don’t say it!

Was she serious? How could I trust Kate after everything she’d done? Her thinking that could be the trap. But Kate must have told Eddie I could read his mind. He wanted me to give myself away, and give up at the same time. Doing what he wanted couldn’t be good, especially if he was lying. Maybe it was a trap.

Uncle Joey was thinking the files didn’t exist. He knew Kate didn’t have any files like that. The fact that she was threatening him with ‘fake files’ was what made him think she was in trouble in the first place. Now he knew it was true, and he had to help her.

What? The files were fake? How did Uncle Joey know for sure? And he thought Kate was in trouble? He was going to help her? What made him think she wouldn’t double-cross him? He glanced at me and motioned to Kate, so I listened in.

She was desperate for Uncle Joey’s help. She’d gotten in too deep with Eddie, and this was her only way out. He’d killed Hodges, and would have killed her if she hadn’t made this deal with him. Uncle Joey had to help her. He was the only one who could get her out of this mess. She’d do whatever he wanted. Disappear from his life forever, pay him back for the money and jewels she stole, anything, if he just did this for her. Otherwise she was as good as dead.

Damn! It was true.

“Well Shelby? What do you say?” Uncle Joey asked. “Is Eddie telling the truth, or is he lying?”

I opened my mind outward, hoping to hear if Ramos had found Eddie’s men. If we were surrounded like Eddie was thinking, did we stand a chance of getting out alive? Or was it all just a big bluff? I listened as hard as I could, but nothing reached me. Then I heard Ramos
. Shelby! I need more time. A little more time. Stall him.

Hell and damnation!

“Um…” I said, going with my gut instincts. “First of all, Eddie is bluffing. He really wants to help Kate because… he’s secretly in love with her.” I swallowed, and tried to keep a straight face. This was a whopper. “Kate has no idea he feels this way.”

I glanced at Kate, including Eddie with a sympathetic smile, and shrugged my shoulders. “So now Kate, I guess you know the truth. Don’t go through with this diabolical plan. You’ve hurt Uncle Joey enough. Take this chance at true love. It might be the only chance you get. Eddie really does love you with all his heart. He’s not so bad. In fact, if you only knew what he’s already done for you – he took a huge risk coming here, and putting his life on the line with Uncle Joey. He knows Uncle Joey’s reputation, but he was willing to do it all for you. He’s thinking right now that he could be killed at any moment, but he’s okay with that…”

“Shut up!” Eddie shouted. He jumped to his feet, sending his chair crashing behind him. “You’re messing with me. But it won’t work. I’ve got my men pointing guns at you. Now tell Manetto and Kate the truth! Tell them what I’m really thinking.”

“The real truth? Or the lie?” I asked, stalling for time.

Eddie’s brows creased in confusion. “What?”

I was saved from answering by Ramos’ voice in my mind.
Got them. There were three. You’re good to go.
Relieved, I turned to Uncle Joey and nodded, my signal that Ramos was in position.

“It’s over Eddie,” Uncle Joey said, a hint of steel in his voice. He stood tall, facing Eddie squarely. “Here’s what’s going to happen. You will take your men, your drugs, your guns, and your stinking self, and get the hell out of my town!”

Eddie jerked back like he’d been slapped. He hadn’t expected Manetto to talk to him like that. Not when he was surrounded. Rage burned his blood, but he held back the seething storm and smiled.

“I don’t think you understand the situation,” he said. “I’m taking Shelby. She’s what I came for, and I’m not leaving without her. Make a move, and my men will kill you.” He was thinking they were going to kill him anyway, but not until he had me in his clutches.

“You’re a fool!” I said to Eddie, trying to distract him. “No one can read minds. That’s impossible. I’m not going anywhere with you, and you can’t make me. I’d rather die first!”

Eddie’s face turned red. “That can be arranged!” He raised his arm, and in one motion, a small gun slid from his sleeve into his hand. He aimed it directly at me and opened his mouth to shout an order for his men to shoot us, but suddenly jerked back instead.

A knife protruded from his chest, and blood blossomed in the center of his white shirt. He clutched at the knife, his eyes wide with disbelief, and sank to his knees. He fell further onto his side, and tried to raise the gun to shoot, but Uncle Joey was there, stepping on his hand. “They don’t call me Joey ‘The Knife’ for nothing,” he growled.

I realized my mouth was hanging open, and I quickly snapped it shut. It had all happened so fast that I could hardly believe what I’d just witnessed. Where had that knife come from? It was stuck in Eddie’s chest clear to the hilt.

A moment later, Eddie’s fingers relaxed, and his head fell back. He was dead. Uncle Joey knelt down and pulled out his knife. He wiped it on Eddie’s jacket before folding the blade and slipping it into his pocket.

Ramos rushed down the stairs behind us, his friend Bennie coming from the other side. They were dressed in black with guns and all kinds of gear strapped around them. “We’ve got to go,” he shouted. “Ricky just called. The feds are here. They just pulled into the parking lot.”

“The feds?” Uncle Joey almost lost his composure at that. “All right. Lead the way.”

We scrambled down the steps, and Ramos motioned us to follow Bennie down a long ramp under the arena leading into the fighter’s dressing rooms. After passing through the lockers and showers, Bennie unlocked a door at the back of the room. He flipped a switch, and several lights flicked on, showing a long narrow hall that reminded me of a tunnel.

He motioned us all through, then shut and locked the door. We hustled to the other end, finally coming to another door. Bennie unlocked it for us, and we hurried out into a stairwell. “Go on up,” he said, flipping off the lights and bolting the door shut. “The stairs lead up into the building across the street from the club. We’ll be safe there.”

At the top of the stairs, the door opened into a hallway that led to a kitchen on one side and a living room on the other. It was simply furnished with a couch, lazy-boy recliner, and a flat-screen TV set against the back wall. The small kitchen had a stainless steel sink and matching appliances, with a small table and chairs in the corner. Another set of stairs led up to what I assumed were bedrooms. This was someone’s house.

Bennie confirmed it. “This is Lanny’s place. Er…was.” His face flushed with anger and sorrow. He shook it off, and turned to look out the window. He cracked the blinds open, and we all crowded around him to see what was happening at the club. Several agents with bulletproof vests and guns entered the building. Others gathered around the stolen car.

Uncle Joey was thanking his lucky stars the car we left couldn’t be traced back to him. We’d barely made it out of there in time as it was. He wondered who had tipped off the feds? Was it Kate? He glanced at her, but decided not to pursue it, taking pity on her disheveled and frantic state. Thank goodness he didn’t glance in my direction.

She caught him looking, and turned to him with tears in her eyes. “You saved me. Thank you so much. I don’t think I could have gotten away without you. I’m so sorry for all the trouble I’ve caused. I’ll pay back all the money I took, as well as the jewels. I’ll do whatever you want to make up for it. I promise.”

She threw her arms around him, and wept into his jacket. Uncle Joey patted her back. “It’s over now. I’m sure we can work things out.” After a moment, he pushed her from him. “We should probably leave while the feds are busy over there.”

“Oh, yeah. Good idea.” Kate pulled herself together, wiping her eyes with her sleeve. She glanced at me and quickly looked away, guilt at how she’d treated me flooding through her. She was thinking that I probably hated her, and it made her uncomfortable.

She glanced at me with widened eyes, realizing I’d heard that. I pursed my lips, and raised my brow in silent acknowledgement. She jerked her gaze away, and I sighed. I wasn’t quite ready to be nice to her, let alone forgive her. Plus, I hated the fact that she knew my secret.

However, on the bright side, at least she’d know she couldn’t pull one over on me. It gave me the upper hand, and something settled inside. Maybe I could deal with her after all. As long as she stayed away from Chris.

“This way,” Ramos said. He stood beside a door in the kitchen that opened into the alleyway between the buildings. We scurried down a couple of stairs, along the brick wall, and came out on the other side of the block where Ricky waited with the car.

Uncle Joey slid into the front seat with Ricky, leaving me to ride in the back with Kate. Ramos and Bennie jumped into their car and drove off in the opposite direction.

Kate squeezed into the corner, keeping her distance from me, and worked hard at not thinking anything important. It would have been funny if she hadn’t kept thinking about the way Eddie died. I quickly put up my shields and tried to ignore her.