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“I know you will, Danny. You’re the only one who can.”
Danny. At some point I’d need to tell her that Danny was dead, buried somewhere in the ugly terrain of Afghanistan along with a hundred other dead bodies. Viper had returned and he lived up to his name and then some.
I retrieved my phone and headed outside on the deck, dialing Max. Thankfully, he answered after the third ring.
“What’s up, buddy?”
I heard music in the background, laughter as well. “I’ll make it quick. I can tell you’re busy.”
“No, it’s fine. Let me go into another room. Another charity auction.”
“That’s how you’re trying to turn the organization’s reputation around.”
“Hey, people love money.” Max laughed.
“What do you know about Dante Torino?”
“Bad news. He’s left a trail of blood in the desert. No one seems to be able to touch him either. Why?”
I took a deep breath. “I have a situation involving a friend of mine. She got herself into some trouble with the Torinos.”
“She?”
“Don’t go there. The little sister of a buddy of mine.”
“Hmm… Dante is a real piece of work. He’s one of the most brutal pigs in our… profession. Hell, even the Russians up here don’t want to tangle with him. You need me to send a few men down your way?”
“It all depends. I still need to figure out what I have to deal with. Do you think some of your sources could find out if some important asshole named Jack went missing in Vegas?”
Max chuckled. “Could you give me more to go on?”
“My friend was a blackjack dealer in one of Torino’s hotels. They guy she saw get blown away was named Jack. I’m going to guess a high roller. If he managed to get himself pinched by Torino, then he might be someone of importance.”
“It’s not exactly like Torino will hold up a sign.” He laughed.
“Fuck off, asshole,” I teased. “I have a gut feeling about this for no reason. It’s something I need to check. I’ll run it through the office computer in the morning, but it might help if you check the powerful system Torino had installed before he got himself killed.” Raleigh’s father had some of the most sophisticated systems installed that I’d ever seen or worked with. They’d helped provide information after Max had taken over.
I’d been shocked at what the former mob boss had put together, powerful enough he’d been able to track down almost anyone in the country. Everyone left a footprint, no matter how hard they tried to make themselves disappear. Mistakes were always made, references dropped, friends notified, or old credit cards used. It was usually a matter of time before they were found.
“I’ll do that in the morning as well. So, this woman. Something special?”
“Nothing special at all. Just a friend.”
“You’re a fucking terrible liar,” Max said as he laughed.
“Hey, I was a Boy Scout. Remember?”
“Right. I don’t buy that shit. Just be careful, my friend. Even a man as highly trained as you has an expiration date.”
“Thanks for the vote of confidence.”
“That’s why we’re friends.”
I laughed as the call ended, even though I was highly concerned. If Torino and his soldiers were in town, I’d need to warn Mike. Somehow, I knew the hardheaded son of a bitch wouldn’t leave town if I suggested it.
After shoving my phone into the pocket of my jeans, I moved inside and to the garage. I’d need to swap vehicles, keeping one of mine in the driveway.
I found her baby far too easily. It stuck out like a sore thumb. After scanning the street, I eased inside. With most people, you could gather a lot about their personality by looking inside their vehicle. She obviously adored the older truck. There was no garbage or open cans, no junk piled anywhere. There was an air freshener hanging from the rearview mirror, the cab scented in vanilla and cinnamon. Even after making the long trip, there wasn’t a smudge of dirt on the floormats. I rubbed my hand across the dashboard, asking myself for the fifth time what the hell I thought I was doing.
