the siren and maneuvered through traffic as he raced to the hospital.
When they met with the emergency room surgeon who had worked on Donald Gentry, they were told that the patient was stable.
Gold sweated profusely.
“He’s either the luckiest man alive or the unluckiest,” the surgeon said.
The detectives looked to each other.
“He shot a bullet clear through his throat,” the surgeon continued. “He’ll never talk again, but he’ll live. He missed bone and artery by fractions of an inch. It’s amazing there isn’t more damage. His vocal cords were torn to shreds, though. There’s nothing we can do for him there. He’s also got a burn wound on both his lips that appears to be from the barrel of the gun. That might explain why he survived. He probably burned himself and altered the position of the gun just enough to miss killing himself.”
The surgeon showed the two detectives the path of the bullet on his own throat. “The bullet went down and out just above his Adam’s apple.”
“Fuck,” Iandolli said.
“I’m sure you already know about the wife,” the surgeon continued. “DOA. Four shots in the chest.”
Gold stared blankly at the emergency room doors.
“What happened?” the surgeon asked.
Iandolli motioned at the surgeon to leave.
“If you need me, I’ll be around,” the surgeon said. He apologized and headed back inside the emergency room.
“There was nothing anybody could do,” Iandolli told Gold. “You have to know that.”
“I could’ve told her to leave town,” Gold said. “I could’ve told Wilkes to run off with her. I could’ve suggested the department put Gentry on leave.”
“And Mrs. Gentry could’ve went home nights to her husband instead of screwing around with Michael Wilkes,” Iandolli said. “It’s not your fault, Abe. It doesn’t work that way.”
“Poor bastard will be on a suicide watch the rest of his life.”
“Probably.”
“They pick up Wilkes yet?”
“The highway patrol did. He was on his way out of town. At least he was heading that way. His car was packed with his stuff. He had more than ten grand on him.”
“Who has him?” Gold asked.
“Us, right now,” Iandolli said. “But the Feds’ll put up a fight over him soon enough.”
Gold shook his head. “What a joke. We can’t get out of our own way, the good guys.”
“It’s a self-fulfilling nightmare.”
Gold motioned toward the hospital exit. “Why don’t you take off,” he said. “I want to hang around here a while.”
“You gonna be all right?”
“Nothing happened to me.”
“You sure? I can stay, Abe. Talking with these clowns from New York can wait.”
“Go,” Gold said. “I’ll catch up with you later.”
Chapter 42
Charlie decided to take the taxi drive to the hospital with John Denton before heading back to Samantha’s apartment. He tried to call the apartment from a pay phone at the Bellagio but there was no answer.
Denton was quiet during the taxi ride back to the hospital. Charlie found himself feeling sorry for his wife’s lover.
“I’ll deny you were there if you want,” he told Denton. “If you’re worried about your law license.”
“I’m on camera in the hallways same as you,” Denton said. “Besides, I think that guy was right. I don’t think they’ll do anything while we have pictures.”
“Why don’t you two get the hell out of Las Vegas tonight?” Charlie asked.
“I don’t know if she can yet,” Denton said. “Besides, I think she’ll want to know you’re safe.”
“What makes you think that?”
“She doesn’t hate you, Charlie.”
Charlie nodded, then glanced at his watch. “They must have hospitals in California,” he said.
The taxi pulled into the Valley Hospital parking lot.
“You coming in?” Denton asked.
“She doesn’t want to see me,” Charlie said.
“You’re wrong. She did want to see you. To apologize, I think.”
Charlie rubbed his bruised knuckles. “This wasn’t anybody’s fault,” he said. “Look, I know better. Shit happens.”
Denton extended a hand to Charlie. Charlie looked at it a few seconds before taking it.
“Don’t forget to get those developed,” he told Denton. He was pointing at the plastic bag holding the disposable camera. “No matter what that other guy does, it’s all we have.”
Charlie gave the driver Samantha’s address, then sat back in the seat to close his eyes. He pictured his wife upstairs in her hospital room and the smile she would greet her lover with. He felt a pang of jealousy for a smile that was no longer his.
Charlie thought about the new smile in his life and how grateful he would be to see Samantha again. He hoped she was home when the taxi dropped him off. He would hug and kiss her tight. He wouldn’t let go.
Minh had delegated a second contract for the Italian mob to his wife back at the restaurant. He had stayed in touch with his men following Charlie Pellechia and immediately raced to the hospital after his sit-down with Lercasi.
Now Minh sat low behind a steering wheel as he observed a taxi from the edge of a hospital parking lot. A man got out of the cab and headed inside the hospital. Two of Minh’s soldiers were in a car farther up the street. They called to confirm the man still sitting in the taxi to be Charlie Pellecchia.
Minh lit a cigarette as he waited for the taxi to turn up the street. He watched intently as the car passed. He could see the stocky man in the back clearly. Charlie Pellecchia seemed oblivious to his surroundings.
Minh took a few drags on the cigarette before shifting gears and following at a safe distance. When his men asked if they should cut the taxi off, Minh answered in French: “
“No,” he had told them. “Get back to the restaurant. Help cut up that one. I’ll take care of this one.”
“Tu sur?” one of his men asked.
“
Chapter 43
Once Beau removed the belt from Samantha’s ankles, he pulled her pants down. Samantha knew she had to let him get closer.
He started to kiss her feet as she faked a moan for him.
“You do like that, don’t you?” Beau whispered.
Samantha forced herself to open her legs a little.
“Yeah, baby, you do like it,” he said. He kissed up the insides of her legs until he reached her knees. Then he flattened out on his stomach to kiss up the insides of her thighs.
She could kick him in the face right then, but she didn’t think she could stun him long enough to escape the
