Death Logs In Read Online Free

waters.”
    Samantha stood still, looking paralyzed as she watched Michael and Alex parrying back and forth. She shook her head and turned to leave the room. “I’m sorry. This is too much for me.”
    “I’ll be up in just a minute,” Michael said as Samantha disappeared out of the cellar and up the stairs. “Let me finish up with Alex,” he said now to the empty room and to his virtual brother on the screen. Michael understood the near-comedy of his words.
    Alex looked at Michael. “She’s not my wife, but you’ve got to loosen her up.”
    “Thanks for the advice,” Michael said. “You’ve got two—three now—ex-wives and you want to be my new marriage counselor?”
    “I only have two ex-wives.”
    “Oh, you’re right, just two divorces—and now you have a widow.”
    “A widow doesn’t count as an ex-wife.” Alex looked serious.
    “For most guys that die, it does.”
    “Well then, maybe I don’t have a widow. How many widows’ husbands do you talk to?”
    “ Donna thinks she’s a widow.”
    “She wasn’t the sharpest crayon in the box.”
    “That’s true. Otherwise, you probably wouldn’t have married her.” As he said it, Michael wondered whether he’d gone too far. Nevertheless, Alex seemed to be comfortable with the give and take. Michael decided to leave his brother’s choice of wives alone for now.
    For a moment, everything seemed to stand still. Alex’s facial expression changed; he looked serious, if not strained. “Michael, I’m worried about you.”
    “About me? What do you mean?”
    “Well, we know that Sharkey was behind my murder. He’s the one that hired that kid to shoot me, and he had those three idiots try and make you a concrete anchor at the bottom of Flushing Bay. He still needs to get rid of you. I told you, this guy Frank is on his way to kill you. I’m trying but I can’t get anything more on him. How’s your security?”
    “Not good, not yet anyway. Don’t forget, I have a ‘day job’ too. How do I explain to the Gibraltar corporate people that I need bodyguards without bringing more attention to this side of my life?”
    “They already know about the attempts on your life, and they assume it’s because you’re my brother. They don’t know you’re running my business now. Have the cops said anything about capturing Sharkey?”
    “Not really; there’s all kinds of warrants out for his arrest, but they’re not sure where in the world he is now. I can’t exactly tell them that you’re sure he’s somewhere in Rome.”
    “Well, he is and well-protected and hidden by the Vatican. I can’t get his exact location. He’s been silent lately. “
    “We’ve got to find him. As long as he’s alive, Samantha and I will never be safe.”
    “And what do we do when we find him?”
    “We turn him over to the authorities.”
    “What greater authority is there—especially in Rome—than the Church?”
    “I thought you were an atheist.”
    “Yeah, atheism is easy when you’re young. Not so much when you’re dead though.”
    “You’ve got a point there.” But Michael was just beginning to digest Alex’s comment.
    “I wish I was still in Queens. But this isn’t bad …” Michael noticed that Alex’s eyes looked away, “…although I’m not crazy about being in the basement or whatever you call this.”
    “It’s a wine cellar.” Michael said.
    “Yeah, but it’s still underground. I went to a lot of trouble not to be in the ground.”
    ___________
    As he came up the stairs from the basement, Michael wondered what would await him. He knew Samantha was upset. He could see the bedroom door was open—which was, perhaps, a good sign. But before he reached the door, he could hear her voice; she was on the phone. He paused several feet away but out of sight, and listened.
    “Angie, I am so scared. You won’t believe what I just saw in our basement.”
    Angie Fanelli was Samantha’s best friend.
    “No, Ang, I didn’t finally check the