Witness Protection (Defenders of Love Book 1) Read Online Free Page B
Author: Carolyn LaRoche
violently. When would she stop reacting so hard to such innocent sounds?
Grabbing the cell, she took a deep breath to settle her nerves before she spoke.
"Hello?"
"Lucy? It's Mulholland." Her witsec agent. Damn it. If Jack Mulholland was calling her something was up. Something not good. Not good at all.
"What's up, Jack? Haven't heard from you in months."
"Unfortunately, this isn't a social call."
She groaned. Mulholland never made social calls but to have him be so frank about it unnerved her. "So, what sort of call is it then?"
"Salvatore Junior is on the move. Word is he didn't take kindly to being rejected and not having the chance to redeem his honor with your untimely demise. From what I gather, he's convinced you are still alive so he hired some big shot private detectives to look for you. There's been a lot of activity on your old name."
Her old name, Angelina Ferrara, sounded odd to her even now as she tossed it around in her mind. That girl was so far gone from who she had become as Lucy Taylor; she no longer recognized the green eyed brunette in her memory.
"So, have they found me yet, Jack?" She wasn't sure she wanted to know the answer. Mulholland wouldn't have called if there wasn't some concern for her safety.
"I don't rightly know, Luce. I'm looking into it, but I thought you needed a heads up, just in case. So watch your back. The Riccis have put a hit out on you. You haven't told anyone who you are, have you?"
"Of course not!" Anger and indignation at his accusation colored her words.
"I didn't think so. Really, I didn't. I just had to
ask to be sure. We've never had a better charge in the program than you, Lucy. I'm so sorry the news wasn't better."
She sighed heavily. "Honestly, Jack, the only thing that surprises me is that it took Sal this long to make a move. He was not at all happy with me when I refused his ring."
"Well, girl, you just watch your step and you call me if anything—and I mean anything out of the ordinary happens, okay?"
"I will. I promise."
"Good girl. I'll be in touch."
The line went dead. Salvatore Ricci Jr. was looking for her. It was only a matter of time before he found her. Sal always got his way and his father's crime contacts were as deep and far reaching as the roots of a hundred year old oak tree.
At least one thing worked in her favor. Sal had a sick sense of humor. He liked to toy with people like a cat tortures a mouse before pouncing on it and killing it. She would become his prey. He would take his time; enjoy the hunt a little before trying to snuff her out. Plenty of time for her to disappear into witness protection again.
She groaned as she wondered what sort of persona they would cook up for her next time. Nanny? Nun? Oh, wouldn't that be a hoot. Angelina Ferrara, former NYPD detective, undercover as a nun.
Lucy sighed again. She was so tired of being on the run, hiding away from everything she loved. She missed her family, her friends, her job . Being a cop was who she was.
Something Lucy—Angelina—had wanted since she was old enough to say the word. If she had had her
way, she would have stayed in the city instead of being forced out. She would have fought the Riccis. Sure, she would have been constantly watching over her shoulder for shadows, checking under her car for explosives, and making sure there were no mysterious "gas leaks" in her apartment, but at least she would have been home in the city where things made sense. Her captain had not even given her a choice.
There was an upside to her predicament. She didn't have to listen to her mother rant and rave any more about not having a house full of bambinos and bambinas to fill her days as a grandmother. Floria Ferrara had never understood her only daughter's choice to do a menial job like police work. In her mind, Angelina was destined to be a mother and a wife to some Italian businessman—it didn't matter whether the business was legal as long as the babies kept coming. Poor Floria
Grabbing the cell, she took a deep breath to settle her nerves before she spoke.
"Hello?"
"Lucy? It's Mulholland." Her witsec agent. Damn it. If Jack Mulholland was calling her something was up. Something not good. Not good at all.
"What's up, Jack? Haven't heard from you in months."
"Unfortunately, this isn't a social call."
She groaned. Mulholland never made social calls but to have him be so frank about it unnerved her. "So, what sort of call is it then?"
"Salvatore Junior is on the move. Word is he didn't take kindly to being rejected and not having the chance to redeem his honor with your untimely demise. From what I gather, he's convinced you are still alive so he hired some big shot private detectives to look for you. There's been a lot of activity on your old name."
Her old name, Angelina Ferrara, sounded odd to her even now as she tossed it around in her mind. That girl was so far gone from who she had become as Lucy Taylor; she no longer recognized the green eyed brunette in her memory.
"So, have they found me yet, Jack?" She wasn't sure she wanted to know the answer. Mulholland wouldn't have called if there wasn't some concern for her safety.
"I don't rightly know, Luce. I'm looking into it, but I thought you needed a heads up, just in case. So watch your back. The Riccis have put a hit out on you. You haven't told anyone who you are, have you?"
"Of course not!" Anger and indignation at his accusation colored her words.
"I didn't think so. Really, I didn't. I just had to
ask to be sure. We've never had a better charge in the program than you, Lucy. I'm so sorry the news wasn't better."
She sighed heavily. "Honestly, Jack, the only thing that surprises me is that it took Sal this long to make a move. He was not at all happy with me when I refused his ring."
"Well, girl, you just watch your step and you call me if anything—and I mean anything out of the ordinary happens, okay?"
"I will. I promise."
"Good girl. I'll be in touch."
The line went dead. Salvatore Ricci Jr. was looking for her. It was only a matter of time before he found her. Sal always got his way and his father's crime contacts were as deep and far reaching as the roots of a hundred year old oak tree.
At least one thing worked in her favor. Sal had a sick sense of humor. He liked to toy with people like a cat tortures a mouse before pouncing on it and killing it. She would become his prey. He would take his time; enjoy the hunt a little before trying to snuff her out. Plenty of time for her to disappear into witness protection again.
She groaned as she wondered what sort of persona they would cook up for her next time. Nanny? Nun? Oh, wouldn't that be a hoot. Angelina Ferrara, former NYPD detective, undercover as a nun.
Lucy sighed again. She was so tired of being on the run, hiding away from everything she loved. She missed her family, her friends, her job . Being a cop was who she was.
Something Lucy—Angelina—had wanted since she was old enough to say the word. If she had had her
way, she would have stayed in the city instead of being forced out. She would have fought the Riccis. Sure, she would have been constantly watching over her shoulder for shadows, checking under her car for explosives, and making sure there were no mysterious "gas leaks" in her apartment, but at least she would have been home in the city where things made sense. Her captain had not even given her a choice.
There was an upside to her predicament. She didn't have to listen to her mother rant and rave any more about not having a house full of bambinos and bambinas to fill her days as a grandmother. Floria Ferrara had never understood her only daughter's choice to do a menial job like police work. In her mind, Angelina was destined to be a mother and a wife to some Italian businessman—it didn't matter whether the business was legal as long as the babies kept coming. Poor Floria
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