Worth Dying For (18 page)

Directly behind him was the blue Chevy Blazer. Part of the driver’s side window had been shot out, and what remained was covered with blood spatter. The driver’s side door and fenders were riddled with bullet holes. It looked like a slice of Swiss cheese. The driver’s body lay against the steering wheel.

The camera operator zoomed in for a close-up view. Rheyna could see that he had taken several shots to the head and upper body. The camera then followed the reporter around the front of the car and stopped next to the passenger-side, where another man, still wearing his seatbelt, lay slumped against the window.

In the background, police officers could be seen cordoning off the area and pushing a group of curious onlookers back.

The reporter looked directly at the camera. “Witnesses claim that a grey panel van pulled up next to the men and opened fire with what sounded like a machine gun.”

That would definitely explain the amount of bullet holes
, she thought to herself.

The reporter continued speaking as a police officer pushed him outside the tape perimeter. “An anonymous source with the Los Angeles Crime Division stated that the two men in the vehicle were identified as George Fabrizio and Paul Moceri.”

Rheyna recognized the names instantly. She knew what he was going to say next.

“Both men were suspected of working for reputed Mob Boss Carlos Massino.”

She turned off the TV and leaned back against the couch. She knew this was a dangerous operation from the beginning, but hearing the news report brought home the crude fact of reality and the seriousness of her situation.

Once again, she felt that black pit in her stomach. There was no doubt in her mind that somehow, Castrucci was responsible for those two men’s death. That proved he was willing to do anything to get what he wanted, and she was determined to be the one who nailed his ass to the wall.

###

Sonny sauntered toward the back of the alley and stopped beneath the street lamp. He rubbed the right side of his temple with his fingers as Henry and Farino dragged Ritchie into the alley.

They stopped in front of Sonny. Farino slammed Richie up against the wall, knocking the wind out of his lungs. Richie gasped for several seconds, trying to catch his breath.

Sonny grabbed him by the hair and lifted his head up to face him. “Where’s my money, Richie?”

“I … I’ll have it … have it in the morning, Sonny,” Richie said, struggling to get the words out.
 

Sonny slapped him across the face, splitting his upper lip. “I gave you twenty-four hours. Where’s my fucking money?”

Richie spit a mouthful of blood on the ground. “Please, Sonny … I swear I’ll have it in the morning,” he pleaded.

“Okay, Richie … you have til noon,” Sonny said, running his hands through his hair in agitation. He started to walk away and stopped. Before Richie knew what was happening, Sonny slammed his fist into his gut. Richie let out a loud groan and slumped down to the ground on his knees.

He flinched as Sonny jabbed his index finger in the middle of his forehead. “If you don’t have it by noon, I’m gonna cut your motherfuckin’ fingers off. Capische?” Sonny drew his arm back to strike him again and then laughed as Richie cowered to the ground, his hands above his head.

Richie slowly moved his hands from in front of his face. “I swear I’ll have it for you, Sonny,” he said, his voice shaking.

“If you know what’s good for you, you better,” Sonny said over his shoulder before turning to leave.

Sighing with relief, Richie watched Sonny walk over to Henry and Farino, who had stopped near a trash bin close to the alley’s entrance. He saw Henry glaring down at something and moved a little to the right to see what it was. An old bum was looking up at the men from inside a cardboard box.

“What ta fuck you looking at?” Henry yelled, kicking the man in the stomach as hard as he could. The old man groaned, slumped forward, and then fell back into his box. Henry high-fived Farino as if he had just scored a game-winning goal.

Chapter 14

The week had flown by, and before Rheyna knew it, she found herself and Annie on their way to meet Caroline at the Half Moon Bay Yacht Club. She thought about her conversation last night with Laura regarding the hit down in L.A.

They had found the abandoned grey panel van parked down at one of the docks. The van had been stolen the night before from a flower delivery service over on the south side, and just as they had expected, was wiped clean.

Laura told her about the conversation she and Stevens overheard at Pal Joey’s between Big Tony, Sonny, and Henry. Laura was really kicking herself in the ass for not warning their people in L.A.

Rheyna tried unsuccessfully to convince Laura that it wasn’t her fault. Stevens was the one who owned it. If anyone was responsible, it was him. He was the one who had to live with the consequences of his actions—or in this case, lack thereof. He was also the one who now had to deal with Edwards.

Rheyna pulled into the crowded parking lot and saw Caroline waving from the bow of a very large boat. From what she could see, Caroline was wearing a white t-shirt over a neon pink bikini. She had to stifle a laugh when she saw the name on the side of the boat. In big, red, cursive writing was the name ‘
Untouchable
’. Not only was it appropriate, but typical for Anthony Castrucci to be so openly arrogant.

She helped Annie over the rail and climbed onboard. The red and white boat was impressive, to say the least. If she had to guess, she would say that it was at least thirty-feet long.

Caroline took off her sunglasses and perched them on top of her head. “Hi, there,” she said with a big smile.

“Hi, there yourself.”

“Are you sure you two are up for this?”

“Oh, yeah. I’ve been looking forward to it all week, and whatever I like, Annie likes.”

Caroline grinned. “Is that a fact?” she asked.

“As a matter of fact, it is.” Rheyna pulled her t-shirt over her head, revealing her own bikini. She slid one of the loungers around, so she would be facing Caroline. She didn’t need to look up to know that Caroline was watching her. She knew where Caroline’s eyes were by the warm tingling sensations traveling up her body.

“The color suits you. I think the black and teal goes great with your hair and eyes.”
 

Rheyna felt her cheeks flush. She forced herself to look at Caroline, to meet her gaze. Her eyes went to Caroline’s mouth.

Since the very first moment they met, she had sensed something different about Caroline, though not different in a strange or odd sort of way. Caroline was humanely different. “Marked by compassion, sympathy, and consideration for humans and animals,” is the Merriam-Webster’s definition of humane, and it described Caroline perfectly.

It was those attributes wreaking havoc on her emotions. Although she had wanted to leave Washington and looked at it as a chance to get on with her life, a big part of her was comfortable with her boring existence. Since Jenny died, she had avoided dating like the plague. The few times she had, it felt like a betrayal to Jenny’s memory; the guilty feelings afterward didn’t help, either.

She was falling for Caroline and falling hard. She didn’t want to be in love with any woman, especially if that woman happened to be Caroline Castrucci. It was something that could never be.
 

Annie barked, snapping Rheyna from her thoughts. She turned to look in the same direction as Annie. Just a few slips down, a young couple was boarding a boat approximately a third of the size of theirs. She turned back around and caught Caroline watching her.

“I really like the color of your suit,” she said, immediately feeling like an idiot. Talk about a delayed reaction, she thought as she leaned back in the lounger.

Caroline smiled and pulled her glasses down over her eyes. “Okay, then. Now that we’ve got that out of the way, what’ya say we get out of here?” Caroline started the engine and expertly maneuvered the boat out of the bay.

Annie had found her place at the front rail, wagging her tail. She periodically barked at the passing skiers as Caroline steered the boat up the coast toward deeper water. They traveled at a steady, even pace, not too slow and not too fast, just fast enough to enjoy the breathtaking views along the coastline. They cruised for close to an hour before Caroline found a little out-of-the-way spot back in a cove off the main throughway.

She dropped anchor, pulled her t-shirt over her head, and then joined Annie and Rheyna on the bow. She pulled over a lounger and sat down next to Rheyna, swinging her legs over the side of the chair. She stuck her hand in the pocket on the backside of her lounger and pulled out a bottle of tanning oil. “I don’t think we could have picked a better day to be on the water,” she said.

Rheyna’s senses were assaulted with a mixture of coconut and seawater. She watched Caroline spread the oil over her tanned legs. Her skin was the sweet color of honey and so rich in contrast with the blue of her eyes, giving them an almost iridescent glow. They were hypnotic.
It would be so easy to see her gracing the cover of Vogue magazine
, she thought as Caroline rubbed in the oil.

Caroline turned to Rheyna and smiled. “Is it awesome out here, or what?” she asked.

“Yes, and according to the wonderful weather channel, we’re going to be in the high eighties all day.”

“If you ask me, it feels more like ninety,” Caroline said as she continued to spread the oil on her arms.

Rheyna glanced around the bay. “I think I could stay here for days.”

“I have. It’s just like having a little apartment on water, and it has everything you could possibly need. Dad bought it a couple years ago for business, but I use it more than he does,” she said, holding the bottle of lotion out for Rheyna. “Would you mind putting some on my back?” she asked.

“I don’t think that is such a good idea,” Rheyna said the words in her mind.

Caroline didn’t wait for her to answer and turned over on her stomach, stretching out on the lounger.

When Rheyna touched Caroline’s skin, she half expected to hear a sizzle. She knew this was dangerous ground and quickly finished the task. She set the bottle on the table and leaned back in the seat, prepared to soak in the sun.

Caroline reached over her, her hand slightly brushing against Rheyna’s stomach. She grabbed the bottle of oil and squirted a dab in her hand. “Your turn, now turn over and I’ll put some on you.”
 

What could she say? No, you can’t possibly put your hands on me. What choice did she have, other than to comply? As soon as Caroline touched her, she felt all the stress leave her body. Her hands were so warm, and Rheyna was powerless to control the shiver that made her hair stand up on end. She hoped Caroline didn’t notice.
No such luck
, she thought when she heard Caroline chuckle.

A little embarrassed, Rheyna turned over and pulled her shades down over her eyes. She was grateful that Caroline didn’t say anything.

Caroline stood up. She looked down at Rheyna. “I’m going to get a drink. Would you like something?” she asked.

“I’ll have whatever you’re having.”

Caroline disappeared inside the cabin and came out a few minutes later with two glasses and a bottle of wine.

Rheyna peeked at her over the rim of her glasses.

Caroline held the glass out to her and laughed. “I promise not to pass out on you this time.”

“That’s not what I was thinking.”

“What were you thinking, then?” she asked, pouring the wine into Rheyna’s glass.

Rheyna motioned behind her. “I was thinking that boat is getting awfully close.”