“Uh… yeah, I get that, but look on the bright side. Once Uncle Joey gets out of the mob business, you won’t have to worry so much.”
He snorted. Thinking that I was dreaming if I thought he was really leaving the mob business behind. Manetto might say that, but Chris wouldn’t believe it until it actually happened, and I shouldn’t either.
“You really think so?” I asked. “But… it’s the only way if he wants me to take over, you know?”
“Yeah, I get that. But we’ve still got some time before all of this happens. I mean… naming you as his successor doesn’t mean you’re taking over right away. So, maybe someday it could happen, but I don’t think we should count on it.”
“Yeah, maybe not.”
“That’s what worries me because, until then, you’re still in danger. And it could backfire. If you’re caught during a drug deal, you could get arrested. Are you sure you have to go tonight?”
When he said it like that, it was easy to doubt Uncle Joey. I had to face the fact that he was a mob boss today, regardless of his intentions for the future. Damn. “Yeah. I have to go. But I’ll be careful. Don’t forget my super power. I’ll know if something’s wrong before it happens. It’ll be fine.”
“You’re sure? What if you don’t go? What would happen?”
I shook my head. “It’s not that simple. A man was killed, and I need to find out who did it. It will clear Uncle Joey, but it’s also the right thing to do.”
“What? A man was killed? Someone who worked for Manetto?”
“No, he didn’t work for Uncle Joey, but the police think he did, and that’s why they’re trying to pin it on him. So to clear Uncle Joey, I have to find out who really did it.”
“And your meeting tonight will help you do that?”
“That’s the plan.”
Now he shook his head. Why didn’t I ever tell him these things? A man was dead? And I was just telling him now?
“I didn’t know it was that important at the time. Look… I’ve got to go, but I’ll tell you everything when I get back.” His disappointment cut me to the quick. “I’ll try and do better next time. Okay?”
“Yeah… sure.”
I could tell he didn’t exactly believe me, so I gave him a kiss, and ran up to my room to throw on my black clothes. I still wore my black pants and ankle boots, so I added a black t-shirt and grabbed my black leather jacket. With the temperature in the mid-seventies, I probably didn’t need it, but I wanted to look the part.
After slipping my fully charged stun flashlight into my purse, I hurried back to the kitchen. The kids were watching TV, but they’d come up for a snack, so I mentioned that I had to run an errand for Uncle Joey, and I’d be back soon. Chris had followed me in, so I gave him a quick kiss and left with a wave, hearing their worried thoughts that I was headed for trouble.
As the door closed on their thoughts, I couldn’t help the tiny bubble of anger, along with a twinge of guilt, that popped in my chest. Didn’t they know that this was my job? This was what I did, and I didn’t have much of a choice. Geez, give me a break.
I got in my car, but hesitated before starting it up. Was it true? I didn’t have a choice, did I? I shook my head and backed out of the driveway. Right now, I didn’t want to answer that. I liked what I did, and I didn’t want to stop.
Did that mean it was wrong? Not entirely, and this was nothing like New York. The only person in danger this time was me, and I’d be fine. I pursed my lips, knowing from past experience that wasn’t entirely true either, but I wasn’t about to admit it. Maybe this was something I could talk to Bob about. He was a professional. He could help me figure it out.
On that hopeful note, I drove to the store, listening to some great rock and roll to get me in the mood. It was fully dark as I pulled into the mostly vacant parking lot and stopped the car. In the sudden silence, the emptiness carried a sinister quality, with only a few security lights glowing inside the store.
Had Ramos told me to meet him in the alley behind the store? I couldn’t remember. But since his last meeting with the drug dealer was there, it was a pretty good assumption. Glancing around the deserted lot, I climbed out of my car and edged my way to the small alley between the stores.
I hesitated at the entrance. With it too dark to see much, unease flickered down my spine. Good thing I had my fully charged, trusty stun flashlight. I pulled it out and flicked it on. The light didn’t penetrate the entire alley, but it was enough for me to see where I was going. Even better, it didn’t look like anyone was there waiting to kill me.
Trying to make as little noise as possible, I stepped into the alley. About halfway down, my jaw began to throb from clenching my teeth so hard. Trying to relax, I shook my head and took the last few steps to the back of the building.
Low voices warned me that someone was there, so I switched off the light, and peeked around the corner. Two men, with their backs to me, stood in the bleak yellow light shining over the back entrance. It was hard to make out their faces, but one of them used a key to unlock the door before they vanished inside.
It didn’t look like Ramos was one of them, and that worried
