Burnt Rubber: Adults Only Motorcycle Club Romance: Roadrunners MC (17 page)

“This could be a set up,” Six said when he looked down at the dark car park.

“My boss wouldn’t set me up,” Marion said.

She was tired after the long ride to the city, and her nerves were shredded as they waited for the police to show up.

“Why didn’t they ask you to just come into the precinct building?” Six went on. “I told you we should have picked the meeting place.”

“The two people about to show up are the only cops that know about the photos and the negatives,” Marion replied. “You said yourself that every Mob member would likely have my picture. Maybe they didn’t want me anywhere near the precinct in case I was recognized. It’s too late to change things now anyway. Let’s just get this over and done with. You know running isn’t really an option for either of us. We need this to end.”

“And you think putting Jake Fiori away will do that?” he asked. “What about his father?”

Marion didn’t want to think that far ahead. The first thing was just to get the negatives and herself to the police and take it from there. They remained silent as the minutes ticked past towards the nine o’clock meeting that was arranged through her boss the previous day. The darkness of a gloomy evening made her all the more nervous, but she tried to hold her trepidation down. It didn’t really work and the scenarios of what could go wrong began to take over her thinking.

The headlights of the car coming in the parking lot entrance cleared her mind in an instant, and she watched to see what happened. The vehicle was to drive to the far left and switch off its lights when it stopped, then switch them on again five seconds later. Marion counted down from five to one the minute the vehicle was plunged into darkness and saw the headlights flare again just as she finished.

“It’s them,” she said.

“You’re sure you don’t want me to come down with you?” Six asked.

Marion shook her head adamantly.

“There’s no point,” she said. “The arrangements were for just me and that’s what they’ll be expecting. You showing your face might spook them into guns being drawn.” She turned to him and saw the concern on his face. “I’ll be OK.”

She moved forward to wrap her arms around his waist and the kiss was gentle.

“Be careful,” he told her.

“Thanks for looking after me,” she said and smiled.

She reluctantly let go and moved to the stairs of the building that overlooked the parking lot. Her legs trembled as she walked down, but she forced herself to keep going until she reached the ground floor. She then opened the door to slip through it without making a sound and walked across in the direction of the car. The two people inside got out as she approached and she immediately recognized the woman from the day before.

“Marion Thomas?” Detective Allan asked.

She nodded her head.

“Do you have the negatives?” he went on.

“Yes,” she said.

She reached in her pocket to take out the envelope she was carrying and held it up.

“We need to see them,” he went on.

“Tell me who you are first,” Marion said.

“I’m Detective Allan,” the man replied. “And this is Special Agent Dickinson.”

The names were correct, so Marion stepped forward until she was only a few feet from them. She held out the envelope and it was Detective Allan that took it. She watched as he ripped it open and took the negatives out. He shone a torch on them to check they were what he was expecting.

“Let me see,” Angela said.

“Oh… I don’t think we want you getting your hands on these,” he said as he moved away from her.

Angela’s eyes narrowed.

“What do you mean, you don’t…”

The realization came to her too late and she reached inside her jacket. Her reactions were too slow and she found herself staring down the barrel of a gun.

“What the hell is going on?” Marion let out in a panicked voice as she watched the scene playing out.

She heard the sound of the harsh laugh from behind and turned around to see the man slowly emerge from the darkness.

“No,” she let out in a despairing gasp.

She wanted to scream, but terror made it stick in her throat. Jake Fiori pulled the knife from his pocket and she wanted to run, but the gun in Detective Allan’s hand stopped her. The vicious grip on her shoulder dug in her flesh to make her wince. She was pulled to the Mob gangster as his arm came around her neck from behind to pin her in place and choke her.

“You fucking bastard,” Angela screamed at Detective Allan.

“Fuck you, bitch,” he sneered. “Open your jacket and show me the gun.”

Angela could do nothing but comply. The holster was set up so she could easily draw the gun with her right hand and Detective Allan saw that.

“Take it out with your left hand,” he told her. He watched as she did it. “Now drop it to the ground and kick it over here.”

Angela did as she was told and watched as the gun was picked up.

“Your pretty little photographer was right to avoid the police because of the Mob insiders,” he mocked. “It’s a pity you didn’t follow her example, you stupid Fed whore. I mean you didn’t see this fucking coming, did you?”

“Her boss knows we’re meeting her tonight,” Angela pointed out. “If I disappear, it will come back on you.”

“That’s true,” Detective Allan pointed out. “Unfortunately Harold Taylor won’t be around tomorrow to tell the tale. He’ll be another murder statistic in the city. I might even get the job of investigating it. How fucking good would that be?”

“No,” Marion let out.

“Shut the fuck up,” Jake hissed in her ear as he tightened the choke hold to make her struggle for breath. He turned his attention to the policeman. “Are those the negatives?”

Detective Allan nodded.

“I told you I would deliver the girl and the negatives.”

“You’ll be paid well for it,” Jake went on. “First I have some unfinished business to attend to.”

Marion struggled as the knife was put in front of her face.

“Do you remember this?” he said and let out a manic laugh. “I’m sure you know how good I am with it. You got lucky the last time we met, but your luck just ran out.”

Marion’s intense panic grew stronger still as the knife waved around in front of her face, but even worse than that she could feel Jake becoming erect against her butt. The crazy psychopath was getting off on terrorizing her.

“Please…” she begged as she tried to pull away from him, but her struggling only seemed to encourage him.

Her only hope now was that Six saw what happened and was about to make a move. She remembered Carrie’s words about how he wouldn’t let anything happen to her and prayed that it was true.

“Fucking let her go,” Angela shouted, but she was in no position to give orders.

“Get down on your fucking knees,” Detective Allan snarled.

“You can have her,” Jake said and let out another insane-sounding laugh. “I might have some fun before I carve this bitch up.”

“No…” Marion screamed as she was dragged away from the two people she hoped were going to help her.

She tried to struggle but was no match for the strength of Jake Fiori, and she caught sight of the dumpster that he was dragging her towards. The thought that she was about to die came in her mind to give her strength, but the grip around her throat tightened to cut off the air and the flare of dread came over her. She began to lose the fight to stay conscious as the choke hold stopped her breathing and her vision swam. Her last sight before she was dragged behind the dumpster was of Detective Allan’s arm swinging forcefully to pistol whip Angela and the federal agent crumpled to the ground.

They were both on the verge of death.

Jake’s cry of surprise was cut off by the hand over his mouth and it was him that lost consciousness as the butt of a gun cracked on his skull. Marion desperately gasped for air as his arm dropped away from her throat. She sucked in a huge lungful so that she could speak.

“Six,” she said. “I knew you…”

Marion’s words died away when she turned to see it wasn’t the man she was expecting behind her. The flood of adrenaline made her panic surge and her feet scrambled on the ground as she moved away. Her head banged against the dumpster to stop her going any further and she was bemused as she looked between Jake’s prone body and the man.

“Who the fuck are you?” she let out.

“Just a concerned citizen,” he said.

He heard the noise behind him and quickly moved to her. Six came to an abrupt halt and confusion showed on his face when he saw Jake Fiori spark out on the ground, but it changed to anger when he registered the man now holding a gun to Marion’s head in the darkness.

“Let her go fucking go or so help…” he started.

“Drop your gun first,” the man said in a harsh tone. “I don’t intend doing her any harm, or you for that matter. I just want you to listen.”

“To what?” Six asked.

“An opportunity for progress,” the man said with a grin.

Angela groaned as she blinked her eyes open. The fuzziness in her head morphed to excruciating pain when she tried to sit up and her vision blurred.

“Just give it a minute or two.”

The sound of the voice made her close one eye and squint the other as she tried to cope with the agony as well as see who was speaking. The face of the woman squatting down beside her was hazy, but she recognized it.

“Marion?” she said in a confused voice.

“Yeah, it’s me. You took a nasty blow to your head, but I think you’ll live.”

Angela ignored the pain to push herself up to a sitting position.

“How the fuck did we both live?’ she asked.

“Got lucky,” Marion replied and motioned her head to the side.

Jake Fiori and Detective Allan were lying face down on the ground with handcuffs securing their hands behind their backs and their ankles tied together.

“You did this?” Angela said in a skeptical voice.

“What do you think?” Marion replied with a rueful smile.

“So, who did?”

“Not for me to say, but it’s got us both what we wanted,” Marion went on and held out an envelope. “The negatives are in this and I’m sure you know what to do with the two handcuffed pricks.” She straightened up.

“I need you as well.”

Marion shook her head as she looked down.

“You showed me tonight that you can’t protect me.”

“But…” Angela said.

“I’m not saying I won’t help, but if you need me, then you’ll have to go through my boss,” Marion went on. “I’ll get in touch with him regularly to see if there are any messages for me.”

“Wait,” Angela said. “Didn’t you hear that fucker Allan? He said your boss wouldn’t be alive tomorrow.”

“I have it on good authority that he will be,” Marion replied.

“From who?”

“A concerned citizen,” Marion replied.

The comment rang a bell in Angela’s head. The man who called to tell her about Detective Allan’s failed raid said he was a concerned citizen when she asked who he was. She was in no doubt that it was the same man that Marion was talking about.

“How do you know he’s telling the truth?” Angela asked.

“He just helped save both of us, so I see no reason for him to lie,” Marion replied. “I believe what he’s saying and it just leaves one loose end.”

“What do you mean?” Angela said.

“You can take out Jake Fiori now with the evidence you have,” Marion went on. “But it doesn’t end there for me.” She turned to walk away.

“Don’t do anything stupid,” Angela shouted after her.

“It’s too fucking late for that,” Marion said under her breath.

She walked out of the parking lot and made her way along the street to where the two vehicles were sitting. Six turned the key in the ignition of the Harley when she got on and they followed the car as it got moving. They passed through familiar streets on the thirty minute journey and Six could feel the hair at the nape of his neck standing up as his nerves grew. He was driving deep into enemy territory and wasn’t sure if he could trust the man at the wheel of the car in front of him.

What they were heading for didn’t smell like a trap though, and the man did get to Marion first behind the dumpster so that she came to no real harm. Jake Fiori was now in the hands of the Feds with evidence that would put him in jail, and that got Six off the hook. That wasn’t the case for the woman behind him though, and she was probably now in more danger. It was because of this that he was heading for a place he never thought he would have seen the inside of and lived to tell the tale. He still wasn’t sure he would. The car eventually came to a stop and he was on full alert when he and Marion got off the motorbike. The man got out of the car, slammed the door shut and walked to them.

“You need to do exactly what I say,” he said.

He brought out a pair of cuffs and handed them over with the key.

“Is this really necessary?” Six asked.

“Just in case,” the man said. “We shouldn’t meet anyone, but it needs to look genuine if we do.”

“And how exactly does your fucking plan work in that case?” Six went on.

“We’ll worry about that if it happens,” the man said.

“What about me?” Marion asked.

“She’s not coming inside,” Six said.

“She can get in my car,” the man said. “It will keep her out of sight.”

He handed over the key and Marion looked at Six then threw her arms around him.

“Come back to me,” she whispered in his ear.

“We don’t have time for this,” the man said. “Things will only work now, before news of Jake Fiori’s arrest becomes common knowledge. After that all bets are off as to what will happen.”

“Get in the car,” Six told Marion.

She reluctantly did as she was told and watched through the windscreen as Six placed the handcuffs on then hid the key in his pocket. Her fears rose as she watched him walk away then disappear from view around the corner at the end of the street. The thought came to her that it might be the last time she ever saw him, but she cleared it from her mind quickly. A glance at her watch showed it was almost eleven. Her instructions were to wait no more than forty-five minutes and if no one returned, get away and contact Special Agent Dickinson. She hoped it wouldn’t come to that, although all she could do now was wait.

Six followed along the street they were on until they stepped into a small, dark alley. The man led the way along to the rear of a large building and down a set of steps, and then brought out a set of keys to unlock the door. As agreed, he stepped inside first and Six glanced around nervously as he waited. He didn’t like being cuffed and vulnerable. The key was in his pocket, but he could be dead before he even got it out if he was ambushed.

“It’s clear,” the man said when he returned.

Six followed him inside and could see they were in a basement. They moved along a dark corridor to a set of steps and climbed them.

“The office is this way,” the man said.

He quickly moved off and Six glanced around as he followed. The place was quiet, but that didn’t mean there was no one around. The sound of footsteps came to them and the man quickly opened a door and pushed his captive inside.

“Shit,” Six hissed under his breath as the dank smell of cleaning fluids and detergent surrounded him.

He was obviously in a storage closet, but ignored the unpleasant aroma to put his ear against the door. The muffled sound of a conversation came to him, but he couldn’t quite catch it. He half expected the door to be yanked open and a gun thrust in his face, but it didn’t happen. He saw the man was alone when he stepped out to the hallway.

“The boss is in his office.”

They were the only words spoken before they moved off again. Six prepared himself for what he needed to do. It would be the first time ever, but he knew he wouldn’t hesitate. He wanted Marion to be safe and this was the only way to ensure it. The man eventually stopped in front of a door then glanced over his shoulder.

“Don’t fucking let me down,” he said in a low voice then knocked.

He opened the door then grabbed Six’s arm to push him inside.

“What the fuck?” Jacob Fiori said as he sprang to his feet then let out a laugh when he saw the handcuffs on Six. He looked to the other man. “Who the hell is this, Johnny?”

“The man we set up for a murder,” Johnny replied.

“Why the fuck did you bring him here?” Jacob said in an angry voice.

“Things didn’t go well with Jake tonight,” Johnny went on.

Jacob moved around the desk.

“The photographer and FBI bitch are dead, right?”

Johnny shook his head.

“No, they survived after I knocked Jake out, then the pair of us took down Detective Allan.”

The hard edge showed in Jacob’s watery grey eyes, but it was as if he didn’t quite believe what he heard.

“What the fuck did you say?”

“It’s time for a change at the top,” Johnny went on and lifted the gun in his hand to aim it at his boss. He looked at Six. “Take the handcuffs off.”

Six was quick to do it then got the gun out from under his belt. He brought out the silencer he was given by Johnny and screwed it on to the weapon.

“Give me five minutes,” Johnny said. “I want to make sure I get everyone here together for a meeting. I don’t want things coming back on me, and the more witnesses that see me while you do the job the better.”

“Remember the agreement,” Six said.

“I’m a businessman,” Johnny said. “Not a fucking violent thug like him and his psycho son.”

Six nodded his head, but didn’t watch as Johnny left the office. Apart from a glance at his watch, he kept his gaze squarely on Jacob Fiori. There was silence for a while before he broke it.

“Must be shit to get stabbed in the back,” he mocked the older man.

The hatred burned in Jacob’s eyes.

“Can I at least have a cigar while we wait?” he said.

“You can do whatever you fucking want,” Six replied. “Just make sure I can see your hands.”

Jacob reached to a box on the desk.

“Stop,” Six ordered him. “Just tip it open and let me see what’s inside.”

Jacob did it and cigars and a lighter rolled on to the desk.

“Fucking happy?” he cursed.

He picked up one of the cigars and placed it in his mouth then got the lighter. In seconds he was puffing on it.

“Want one?” he asked.

Six shook his head.

“It’s a bad habit that can kill you,” he said with a tight smile.

“You won’t get away with this,” Jacob said. “And when it all goes wrong, I’ll fucking hunt you and that bitch photographer down and personally cut you up into pieces.”

“Brave words considering your situation,” Six told him. He glanced at his watch and saw it was halfway to five minutes.

“Maybe we could make a deal then,” Jacob said.

Six let out a humorless laugh.

“What?” he said. “I walk out and let you live and you won’t cut me into pieces?”

“Something along those lines,” Jacob said. “Can I sit?”

“Be my guest,” Six said. “Just remember what I said about your hands.”

Jacob stepped around the desk to sit down. A loaded gun was in the drawer to his left and he knew it was his last chance as the seconds ticked down.

“You’ll never get out of here alive,” he said.

“Johnny will have your boys at the other end of the building by now, don’t you think?” Six replied. “I didn’t get caught coming in, so I’m sure I’ll get out just as easily.”

“Then what?” Jacob snarled. “If I’m killed by a Roadrunner, then my boys, as you call them, will hunt down you and every one of your scum gang and eliminate them.”