Total pages in book: 80
Estimated words: 77999 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 390(@200wpm)___ 312(@250wpm)___ 260(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77999 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 390(@200wpm)___ 312(@250wpm)___ 260(@300wpm)
Me:
Wes- I’m in trouble.
I need your help.
Please listen to your voicemail and call me back.
I waited and waited, but he didn’t respond.
So, I decided to call my father. It only rang once before Dad answered, “Antonia? Is it really you?”
“Yeah, Dad. It’s me.”
“Oh, sweetheart. I’m so sorry about all this. I promise I’m going to make it right. I’m going to fix this.”
“Did you really do it? Did you really steal that money?”
“It’s just a big misunderstanding. That’s all.”
“Dad, just tell me.”
“Yes, I took it, but I had every intention of paying it all back. It’s just complicated.”
“Are you going to be able to get the money back in time?”
“I’m trying everything I can.”
“You need to call Wes and his father. They can...”
“No. I’ll fix this. We don’t need them involved...”
I heard someone coming down the hall, so I cut him short and said, “Get help, Dad. Don’t let this man hurt me. I’ve gotta go.”
I quickly returned my phone to its hiding spot and held my breath as I listened to the footsteps continue down the hall. Once I was sure they were gone, I lay across the bed with a defeated sigh. I wanted to believe that my father would come up with the money he’d stolen from Vittorio, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that it wasn’t going to happen. I was on my own, and that’s when the tears started to fall.
But I didn’t fight it anymore.
I let myself cry, and I cried long and hard.
But when I was done, I was done. I wouldn’t let myself shed another tear. It was time to figure out how the hell I was going to get out of this mess.
The house was heavily guarded, but there had to be a way out. There was always a way out. I’d learned that from all the crazy true crime shows I’d watched. I thought about all the different episodes I’d watched, and there were key things that stuck out in my mind, especially staying calm and being aware of my surroundings.
I got up from the bed and started looking around the room. I looked through the empty closet and all the dresser drawers, but all I found was a couple of ballpoint pens and a dull letter opener. Things were not looking good. They weren’t looking good at all.
Memphis
“This is bullshit,” Ghost grumbled. “We can’t keep chasing these assholes or the fucking cops are gonna show.”
“Shoot out their back tires.”
“You sure?”
“Do it!”
Ghost nodded, then rolled down his window and leaned out. I tried to keep the wheel steady as Ghost prepared to take his shot. We’d taken the lead that Louie had given us about the Charger and a local bar, and we ran with it. When Ghost, Seven, and I pulled up at the location, it was parked at the front door.
We thought they were inside the bar until the engine revved, and the tires squealed as they bolted out of the parking lot. We’d spent the next ten minutes trying to run the fuckers off the road, but that Hemi got the best of us every time.
Ghost fired off a couple of rounds, and the car’s backend immediately started to swerve back and forth. They drove a few more yards, then hit a loose patch of gravel, and that was it. The car crashed into a ditch and totaled the front end. We pulled in behind them and jumped out. As we started over to them, I looked over to Ghost and warned, “You know they’re carrying, so be careful.”
He nodded and continued forward, and Goose and I followed close behind. None of us knew what was waiting for us in that car. Hell, we didn’t even know who was inside, so we had to play it safe and take our time. I took a deep breath and let my instincts kick in. “You keep eyes on the front, and I’ll take the back.”
“You got it.”
My heart was beating a mile a minute as we eased closer to the car. We had our weapons drawn, and I was trying to be careful with my footing. At this point, my cane had become a hindrance, but adrenaline rushing through my veins was making me a little off-center. I pushed through and continued toward the car.
I squinted, trying everything I could to see through the dark-tinted windows, but it was pointless. They were too damn dark, but I had no doubt that the men inside were watching as we drew closer. I could feel it. Their eyes were making the hairs prickle across my skin.
Ghost was just a few steps away from the front passenger side door when it flew open. My breath caught when one of the men shot several rounds in his direction, but Ghost was sitting on go. As soon as the asshole pulled the trigger, Ghost returned fire and killed him. He kept his weapon trained on the vehicle as he growled, “Fuck.”