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It seems strange to me that a man who wanted to avoid jail time would make a confession to law enforcement, and I wonder if Rafe had anything to do with the disappearance.
“He admitted he wanted to rob the ‘rich Americans.’”
“He didn’t have to shoot us. We would have given him whatever we had on us.”
The policeman shrugs. “Some criminals, they do not think.”
I bite my bottom lip and keep shut.
After the police informs the hospital that they’re done with Peter, the doctor approves his discharge. We get into the car with Chung driving.
“Okay, spill it, sis,” Peter says to me. “What’s with the nice car, and who’s the tough dude?”
I take a deep breath and bring him up to speed. Of course, I leave out the details between me and Rafe. I can tell by Peter’s ashen features that what I’ve said is a lot to take in already.
“So Gigi is lying in a hospital bed because of us?” Peter asks.
“More directly, because of Alessandro,” I answer, “but yes, if we hadn’t done the Morelli job for him...”
Peter is silent for a good part of the ride.
“There is a packed lunch, if you’re hungry,” Chung tells us, holding up a basket that was in the front passenger seat.
Peter looks up. “Why are you being so nice to us?”
“Boss said to be helpful,” answers Chung.
“And why is your boss being so nice?”
Chung looks into the rearview mirror at me.
I feel my cheeks turning red. “Maybe he feels sorry for us. He said we were civilians, and that Alessandro shouldn’t have hired us.”
“Are you telling me that gangsters have principles of some kind?”
“I guess Rafe isn’t without some decency.”
“So you’re on a first-name basis with the guy?”
“What do you expect me to call him? Mr. Lee?”
“So what happened to Alessandro?”
My gaze once again meets Chung’s in the rearview mirror. “Probably better not to know,” I reply.
Peter turns to me. “I am so sorry I got us into this. Alessandro seemed like a trustworthy guy, and I thought if anyone was going to be in trouble with a triad boss, it would be him.”
“You couldn’t have known.”
Peter puts his head in his hands. “Still...”
I take his hand and we sit in silence the rest of the ride. Neither one of us has much of an appetite, so Chung brings the basket with him when we get to the hospital in San Jose.
Luckily, when we arrive, we’re allowed to see Gigi. I come in with Peter, but it’s not easy seeing her all bandaged up and hooked to an IV. She was lucky that the bullet didn’t strike any vital organs. It went in near her shoulder and out the back. Still, this is our doing. As I gaze upon her, looking gorgeous as always to me, I feel anger along with my guilt.
How could Alessandro do something like this? Involving an innocent third party like Gigi is unforgivable. How could anyone want to willfully kill another human being? Something Rafe probably does without blinking. Even though he didn’t have a part in the attempted murder of my brother and Gigi, I’m angry at Rafe, too.
I allow Peter time alone with Gigi and, finding a table outside, drop my head onto its surface. Because I was in a rush to see Peter this morning, I had skipped eating or drinking anything. Now the days’ events and my lack of sleep are catching up to me.
