vehicle.
“It looks like he’s going to the house he’s rented,” Cy told her as he ran red light after red light through downtown Lexington. Horns sounded and tires skidded as cars were forced to yield to the larger truck.
The busy streets of downtown quickly turned to country roads as Cy came up behind Pinnelli’s car. “Gemma, I need you to unbuckle your seatbelt and get ready to slide behind the wheel,” Cy ordered as he unlocked and opened the sliding rear window leading to the truck bed with one hand.
“What are you doing?” Gemma yelled over the sound of the wind rushing in through the open window.
“I’m just going to pop over and have a word with our friend there, but I need you to drive so I can do that.”
“You’re insane.”
“Don’t worry, I’ve done this countless times,” Cy shot her his amused smile and pulled the truck into the opposite lane and sped up. He set the cruise control and looked over at her. “Take the wheel and keep it in this lane. As soon as I’m in the back, speed up so I can jump into the car.”
“You better not die. If you do, I’ll kill you again,” Gemma yelled as she unhooked her seatbelt and grabbed hold of the steering wheel.
She tried to keep her eyes on the road as Cy angled his shoulders and shimmied his way through the small window. “Okay, speed up and pass him a bit,” Cy shouted into the cab.
Gemma only nodded as she watched Pinnelli turn his head to see what they were doing. He stepped on the pedal and his sports car shot forward. Gemma floored the pedal as the big V8 ate up the road and closed in on the little red car. “No cars, no cars,” Gemma chanted as she sped over a hill in the wrong lane.
She glanced back and saw Cy resting his hand against the top of the cab with one leg on the side of the truck bed. As soon as he saw there were no cars coming at them, he pounded the top of the cab. Gemma swerved toward the red car and forced Pinnelli to hit the brake. She pressed hard on the gas and started nosing in front of the car.
Cy hung on as Gemma flew over the hilltop. He had fifteen seconds to make the jump before they rounded a sharp turn. He pounded the top of the cab and Gemma accelerated in return and then turned sharply at Pinnelli’s car.
“Crap.” Cy went flying forward and was then flung backward as Gemma swerved back into the opposite lane and pressed the gas once again.
Cy scrambled to his feet and without hesitation launched himself off the side of the truck. He aimed for the windshield and, with momentum working against him, was happy when he landed in the tiny backseat of the sports car. Pinnelli started swerving, causing Cy to slam around in the back seat.
Cy pulled his foot from where it was stuck behind the driver’s seat and used the passenger headrest to pull himself forward. “Hello, Arthur. Fancy meeting you here. Out for a drive? How about we pull over and have a little chat?”
Cy looked up and saw headlights coming at them. Gemma slammed on the brakes and fishtailed as she battled to gain control of the truck before sliding in behind Pinnelli. Cy almost laughed at the pissed-off look on her cute face.
“You’ll be dead in a minute, so I don’t think we have much to talk about except deciding how I should kill that bitch of yours. I wonder if Sergei will make her scream like her sister did.”
Cy propelled himself over the center console and grabbed the wheel, turning it sharply. The car careened off the road and headed straight for a line of trees. He heard Gemma’s tires lock up as she slammed on the brakes back on the road. Cy shot an elbow backward and connected with Pinnelli’s face as he fought for control of the steering wheel. Pinnelli let go of the wheel with one hand and grabbed his eye. It was enough to allow Cy control of the wheel as he steered between the trees and into the field.
Pinnelli clenched his fist and slammed it into the back of Cy’s neck. His head shot forward and smashed into the steering wheel. Dropping his hands from the wheel, Cy rolled to the side and grabbed the palm of Pinnelli’s hand. With a quick twist, he felt it snap. Pinnelli howled in pain and slammed on the brakes. As the car spun in the field of grass, Cy was tossed into the passenger seat. He lashed out with his leg and hit Pinnelli right in his head. The man’s eyes rolled back and his arms dropped from the wheel as his body slumped forward in unconsciousness.
“Cy! Oh my God, are you okay?” Gemma yelled as she ran to the stopped car.
“It was a piece of cake. Didn’t you believe me when I told you I’d done this before?” He enjoyed the way her face scrunched in annoyance at his nonchalant tone.
“Jumping from a truck at over seventy miles per hour, barely missing a tree line, and fighting for control of a car as you spin uncontrollably through a field is
“Yes, dear. And you're right. I haven’t done it exactly like that before. Last time it was on an ice road in Siberia so there were no trees.”
“Oh, you stupid man.” Gemma swatted him and huffed past him to the man now groaning as he regained consciousness. “Hello, Arthur. Can you please tell me why my sister was killed?”
Cy choked on his laugh and then sprinted around the car when Gemma reached into it. She grabbed Pinnelli by the lapels and brought her face to his. “You don’t have Sergei here to protect you, you piece of crap.”
“Yet,” Pinnelli smiled through the blood trickling down the side of his face. “Five minutes from now is a different story. Then you’ll experience what your sister did. Tell me, will you beg for your life, too?”
Gemma pulled back her fist and rammed it into his face right as Cy reached her. Cy placed his hand over Gemma’s left hand that was still gripping Pinnelli’s lapel. “You’ve done well. Wait in the truck a minute, sweetheart,” Cy told her as calmly as possible.
“Forget that. I have an idea what I want to do with these high heels,” Gemma stared at Pinnelli with such hatred that he started to look a little less sure of himself.
Cy was beginning to think he wasn’t needed. She was taking care of this all by herself. “Sounds interesting, doesn’t it, Artie?” Cy gave a low whistle as he looked down at Gemma’s shoes. “Four-inch spiked heels. I can’t wait to see what she has in mind.” Cy yanked hard on Pinnelli’s lapel and dragged him over the door and let him fall to the ground. “Now, if you don’t want to find out what she has in mind, you tell me what you meant about Sergei.”
“I already told you. You’ll find out in three minutes.”
“He’s here? Is your boss with him?”
“Of course he is. He’s here to make sure you two never see morning.”
“If we’re not going to see morning, then tell me why your boss had my sister murdered?” Gemma asked as it looked like she was getting ready to hit him with her heel if he didn’t answer.
“Because she somehow connected the dots. She was only one dot away from identifying our boss. But don’t worry, honey, you’ll see your sister in about two minutes.”
Cy beat Gemma to the punch, literally, with a solid punch to his jaw. Pinnelli’s mouth pinched and he spit out a tooth.
“Who’s your boss?” Cy demanded.
“Like I’d tell you. He’d kill me.”
“I’ll kill you myself if you don’t.” Gemma quickly reached behind Cy and pulled out his gun.
“Gemma, do you know how to use that?” Cy asked quietly.
“No, I don’t. But from this distance it doesn’t really matter.” Gemma placed the gun to Pinnelli’s head and flipped the safety off.
“I’d start talking if I were you. That woman is madder than an old wet hen and is prone to fly off the handle at any moment.” Cy rocked back on his heels and gave Pinnelli a silly little grin.
He looked at Gemma and decided that maybe Cy was right. “Fine. You’re going to die anyway. Your sister found his . . .” Pinnelli’s head slammed back and a tiny round trickle of blood fell from between his eyes.
Cy leaped forward and grabbed the gun from Gemma’s still outstretched hand.
“What?” she stammered as he pulled her away and returned fire in the direction of the gunshot.
“Looks like Sergei got here early. Get in the truck.” Cy pushed Gemma and laid down cover fire while she ran the short distance to the truck. When she dove into the cab, Cy took off at a run as he dodged the bullets now
