Barely Legal

107

Downstairs the gunfire had stopped. That could have meant anything, but there were no voices.

Herbie crept down the stairs ahead of Melanie. There were bodies everywhere. He couldn’t tell if they were dead, but they were down. The three hoods from the house, and Carlo, and the driver, and Ollie the Ox. Melanie cringed slightly at the sight.

“Come on,” Herbie said, helping her along. She passed him on the stairs, stepped over Gus’s foot, and headed for the door.

Mario Payday came out of the kitchen with a gun in his hand.

Stone and Dino flew by the cops arresting Mookie, roared down the street, and screeched to a stop in front of Cousin Lou’s house, the approaching sirens of the local cops close in their wake.

David Ross spotted them, waved his arms, and pointed. “They’re in there.”

Stone recognized him as they hopped out of the cars. “What the hell?” he said without breaking stride.

“Who’s that?” Dino yelled.

“My client,” Stone yelled.

They raced up the walk.

Mario Payday’s Normally genial face twisted in rage. Herbie had set him up, tricked him, lured him into a trap, and got his men killed. Worse, he hadn’t paid him! No one did that to Mario Payday.

Mario raised his gun and fired.

Herbie stepped in front of Melanie, taking the bullet in his chest. As he fell, he shot Mario Payday twice in the head as Stone and Dino burst in the door.