Shooting for the Stars Read Online Free

way. None of them had any breaking news on Laura Marlowe. Hey, you never know.
    At some point from behind the door, I could hear the sounds of people arguing. A man’s voice, very loud, and then a woman shouting at about the same level. The shouting went on for several minutes.
    Then the door flew open and a man stormed out. He seemed very agitated. He was moving so fast he almost ran into me. I stood up to get out of his way, and we were face-to-face for a second. I could see the fury and the anger there. The guy looked vaguely familiar to me, but I couldn’t quite place who he was. He pushed past me without saying a word and walked out.
    The bearded guy with the ponytail appeared and gestured for me to come inside.
    Abbie was sitting behind a desk in her office. At first glance, she looked like she did on TV. She was a few years younger than me, probably in her late twenties. She had green eyes, long auburn hair, and a striking figure like a model—which came across even better in person than on the screen. She was wearing a brown pants suit and a beige blouse that showed off that figure quite nicely.
    But as I got closer, I saw that her makeup was smeared and she looked like she’d been crying. She dabbed at her eyes with a piece of tissue.
    â€œIs this a bad time?” I asked.
    Abbie shook her head no.
    â€œI could come back later . . .”
    â€œJust give me a few minutes,” she said.
    She took a few deep breaths and tried to compose herself.
    â€œI apologize you had to see this,” she said finally. “Not a very elegant way to introduce myself to you. So let’s start at the topagain.” She stuck out her hand. “I’m Abbie Kincaid. So glad you could meet with me today.”
    â€œI’m Gil Malloy of the Daily News .”
    I shook hands with her and then sat down in a chair across from her.
    â€œSo who was that guy?” I asked.
    â€œJust someone I’m dating.”
    â€œUh-huh.”
    â€œActually someone I used to be dating.”
    â€œThat’s an important distinction.”
    â€œI told him we had to end the relationship.”
    â€œHe didn’t seem too happy about it.”
    â€œTommy doesn’t want to, but I do.”
    â€œThe course of true love rarely runs smoothly,” I told her.
    I couldn’t think of anything else to say.
    â€œDo you know him?”
    â€œWho?”
    â€œTommy.”
    â€œNo, I don’t think so. He did look kind of familiar though.”
    â€œI’m sure you’ve heard of his father. Thomas Rizzo.”
    I stared at her in amazement. Thomas Rizzo was one of the legendary mob figures in New York. Some people called him the boss of all bosses. We’d done a lot of stories about him in the Daily News over the years, and I think a few of them mentioned the kid, Thomas Jr. That’s why I remembered his face.
    â€œYou’ve been going out with the son of the Godfather?” I said.
    â€œIt’s not like that,” Abbie said. “Tommy’s actually a very nice guy.”
    â€œWhose father just happens to kill people for a living.”
    She shrugged. “Tommy told me the stuff they say about his father isn’t true. Besides, he isn’t involved in his father’s business anyway.”
    â€œSays who?”
    â€œTommy. He’s really different, you know. Went to Harvard. Made the Dean’s List there.”
    â€œSo what were you two arguing about before I came in? Whether or not he takes you to the big fraternity dance on Friday night?”
    â€œLook, we went out on a few dates, that’s all. Nothing serious. It was all very casual. Tommy wanted to pursue the relationship and make it something more. I didn’t. I told him that. He came here today to try and get me to change my mind. But I won’t. End of story.”
    â€œOh,” I said.
    She gave me a funny look. “What does that ‘oh’ mean?”
    â€œ