Innocent as Sin

50

Chandler Mall

Sunday

Bertone couldn’t move, couldn’t breathe, could barely think.

Kayla had the password.

Gabriel would kill her the instant she left the restaurant.

Cursing in five languages, Bertone punched Gabriel’s number into his cell phone. He tugged one of the earphones out, slammed the cell phone to his ear, and listened to it ring.

And ring.

Foley’s voice talked into his other ear. “Get it. Right now. I’ll follow you.”

Kayla’s voice declining. “We’ve got errands to run. I’ll call you with the password as soon as I get it.”

“I want it now!”

“What’s the hurry? Even with the password, you can’t move anything until Monday morning.”

Gabriel’s phone was still ringing.

Nobody was answering.

Caught between rage and fear, Bertone willed Gabriel to pick up his cell phone.

“Wake up, Jerry.”

And a man’s voice. “You finally through, sweet thing?”

“Oh, yeah. I’ll call you in a few hours, Steve. Enjoy our meals.”

Bertone listened to the sounds of Kayla and her boyfriend leaving the booth, walking away, heading for the restaurant door.

Going straight into Gabriel’s ambush.

Numbly Bertone sat and waited to hear the shots that might as well be aimed at his own heart.