Total pages in book: 68
Estimated words: 71312 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 357(@200wpm)___ 285(@250wpm)___ 238(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 71312 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 357(@200wpm)___ 285(@250wpm)___ 238(@300wpm)
“I’m not arguing that point, but I should’ve at least called.”
“Why didn’t you?”
“First of all, I didn’t wake up until eleven thirty, and second, I have no idea where my phone is.”
“It’s in the kitchen on the counter.”
I sigh. “All right. I guess I need to get this over with.” I walk to the door and then turn around. “And I am going with you today.”
“I figured you’d insist. I don’t blame you. I wouldn’t want to stay alone here either if I were you.”
“It’s not staying alone that’s the problem, Falcon.” I push my hair out of my eyes. “Do you think this is the first time I’ve ever seen gunfire? Knife wounds?”
He doesn’t respond.
“I need to go because I need to see firsthand the devastation I’ve caused. Mrs. Shaw is a widow because of me. And I may be a killer.”
17
FALCON
Leif Ramsey is still tall, blond, blue-eyed. It’s only been eight years, but the two of us of have aged for sure. After a couple tours in Afghanistan, he’s probably seen as much or more than I saw in prison.
“Falcon,” he says, holding out his hand.
I take it. We shake hands firmly.
We’re not the hugging type, although after all this time, I almost want to embrace him.
I’m still kind of pissed at him.
I nod to Savannah. “This is Savannah Gallo.”
“Hi. Leif Ramsey.”
Leif and Savannah shake hands.
I glance around. “Where’s your wife?”
“I didn’t bring her long. I wanted to scope out the situation first. You didn’t get real detailed with me on the phone.”
“No, I didn’t.” I touch my phone in my back pocket. “From now on I’ll be using burners.”
“You get yourself in some more trouble, man?” Leif asks.
Anger crawls at the back of my neck. He has a lot of nerve. “No.”
Savannah steps forward. “This is all my doing, I’m afraid.”
Leif raises an eyebrow. “Oh?”
“It’s a long story,” I say. “But first, we need to check on some people who were here.”
“They’re not going to give you information unless you’re family,” he says.
I cross my arms. “Do I look like an idiot to you? I know they won’t. That’s why you and I are going to charm the pants off one of these volunteers.”
Savannah nudges me. “Excuse me?”
I turn to her. “Savannah, do you have a better idea?”
“Not that the two of you aren’t charming, but yeah, I have a better idea. I’ll tell them who I am. I’m a parole officer working for the county. They’ll give me the information.”
“They will?” Leif asks.
“I have a certain amount of charm too, you know.”
I take her hand. “And you think you can handle this?”
“I’ve handled it before. All I have to do is flash my ID.”
“All right. You try first then.”
Leif and I stand back, while Savannah strides to the information desk.
She stands talking for a few minutes, smiling. Then she opens her purse, pulls out her wallet, and flashes something.
She and the information clerk continue talking, laughing, and smiling.
How she can smile is beyond me, but I get it. She’s playing a part—and it’s clearly not the first time she’s played it.
All this time…I was looking at Vannah as someone sweet and innocent, someone who needs a white picket fence.
And then it turns out she comes from the damned Mafia.
Of course, that doesn’t mean she herself is Mafia. She wants out. She’s explained all of that.
But growing up the way she did, she clearly learned this act she’s putting on. I learned in prison to read people. Sometimes I read them better than they did themselves. I knew when someone was hiding something…but Savannah’s background slipped right by me. I was blinded by my intense attraction to her, by our explosive chemistry, and by the fact that she’s a parole officer.
I should have seen it. I should have seen it all. And maybe I did… Maybe that’s the real reason I asked Lance to investigate her.
Is she playing me? Is she…
No. Absolutely not. What we have—whatever the hell it is—is fucking real.
About ten minutes later, Savannah returns and walks right by us.
Leif and I wait a few minutes and then follow her outside the hospital.
“What did you find out?” I ask.
She’s shivering now. As if she’s breaking down after putting on the act. “Giancarlo’s alive. His prognosis is good.”
I heave a sigh of relief. “Thank God,”
“And Mrs. Shaw’s going to be fine.”
“Thank God,” I say again. “What about Abel?”
“Abel…”
“Just tell me, Savannah.”
“He… He had a brain bleed last night, Falcon. From the head trauma. They missed it on the first MRI, and then they didn’t get to it in time. He…” She covers her face with both hands. “I’m so sorry.”
I rake my fingers through my hair. “Fuck it all.”
All this time I was worried about Savannah killing a man. I didn’t realize I was the one who had done so.