Page 20 of Roman

“Yes. Do not stick around.”

A voice beside him spoke. “I’ll slip into the SUV, and when you call me, I’ll back it up into the driveway. You’ll come out with the package, and we leave.”

“Yes. Anything happens and you don’t get my signal, you get the fuck out. Understand?”

“Yes.”

I turned to Aldo. “Thanks for coming with me.”

He nodded. “I always have your back. Even when you’re starting a war.”

“They won’t know. The witnesses will be dead.”

“Let’s hope they’re the only ones who know.”

He was right, but I had to do this. I had no choice.

The old car pulled up into the driveway, and John got out, carrying two pizza boxes. “Let’s go.”

We followed closely, hiding to the side. John rang the bell, and a voice inside yelled out, “Who is it?”

“Pizza delivery,” he sang out cheerfully.

There was a brief conversation inside. “We didn’t order pizza.”

“What? Is this 188 Warrington?”

“Yes. We didn’t order it.”

“Dammit, that’s the second one this week. Look, do you want it? I have to throw it away, so if you want it, it’s yours.”

“What do you mean?”

“If someone’s ordered and not given the right address, we have to chuck the pizza.”

“Leave it on the step.”

“Sure. No problem.” He waited.

“What now?” the voice yelled.

“Don’t I get a tip? You’re getting free pizza. All I’m gonna get is a cuff upside the head for no delivery and then have to go back out to the right address. Bastards.”

Even though this was a serious situation, I bit my lip at his whine. He was doing a convincing job.

“Fine.” The door opened a crack, and a bill was shoved out.

“Thanks!” John jogged past me, grinning, a ten held in his hand. He hopped into the car and pulled out of the driveway. I snuck up the steps, waiting, Aldo right behind me.

A moment later, the door opened again, and a pair of hands appeared to grab the pizza. I pressed my gun into the head bent over the boxes. “Slowly now,” I advised. “Unless you want your brain matter all over the front steps.”

He cursed, backing in. I followed, my gun still against his head. Aldo trailed me, his gun pointing at the other man in the room. I pushed at the one I had. “Stand. Slowly, with your hands where I can see them.”

He did so, backing away. The two men were shocked. Both were ruffians, dirty and unkempt. One had claw marks on his face and a bruise on his cheek. “What do you want?”

“Nice try, boys. Where is she?”

They were silent. I cocked my gun. “I’ll ask again. Nicely. Next time, you’ll be eating my bullet. Where is my fiancée?”