had saved the hotel’s reputation. Everyone would want to come where the owners put their life on the line for their guests.
Behind him, the doors of the hotel opened, and police burst into the lobby, rushing up behind Stefano. Stefano turned to face them, his hand up in the air. “Just hold it right there.”
For a moment, chaos reigned as the SWAT team poured into the lobby, weapons drawn. There was more yelling and some screams. Vittorio stepped out from the shadows, behind and just to the side of the shooter. As he reached to strip the gun from the man, two shots rang out, one after the other, and the woman slumped in the shooter’s arms, blood dripping from her throat and the middle of her forehead.
At once screams rivaled with gunfire as the police opened up with their weapons, mowing down the shooter. Vittorio turned and dove for the tube as the shooter was flung backward. The teenage boy waited as the cops rushed the stairs. One tapped him on the shoulder and he turned and ran down the stairs, looking as if he was weeping.
Stefano was waiting at the end of the hall. Relief was palpable the moment Vittorio stepped out of the shadows in front of him. “Are you all right? Were you hit?” He ran his hands over his brother’s chest. “That went to hell fast. What the fuck happened, Vittorio? Who shot her? The shot didn’t come from behind me.”
Vittorio shook his head. “I don’t know. I was concentrating on trying to strip the gun without him pulling the trigger. It was small caliber. I barely heard it. It sounded more like a pop, pop to me. The only one close was a kid . . . a teenage boy. I think he was the woman’s son. She waved him back when the shooter grabbed her. He was crouched on the stairs and was terrified. We should find that kid and make certain he’s all right.”
Stefano swore softly. “I thought for sure you were hit, too. My heart nearly stopped.” He gave a sigh. “This bites, Vittorio. The cops are going to be all over this, especially when they see we’ve had a meeting with the Saldis. We might as well just invite them to investigate us all over again.”
“They’re not going to let any of us leave.”
“Get Val and Giuseppi back into the conference room with the others where they’ll be more comfortable. There’s food. Drink. See if they need anything else. I’ll make sure the police know that Giuseppi has to get back to his wife as soon as possible.”
“They’ll be nasty about that.”
“Not if Art Maverick or Jason Bradshaw are here. They’re decent men and good detectives. Neither one will hold Giuseppi here for no reason when they know his wife is dying.”
Vittorio knew that much was true. He wanted to get to Grace, but he’d been seen behind the shooter and the police were going to keep him downstairs as well. Stefano was going to catch the brunt of the investigation. As head of the family and the one trying to talk the shooter into giving up his hostage, he would be the one talking to the police and the reporters. Vittorio didn’t envy him.
“Let’s get it done.” Talking to police and reporters was just something the Ferraros had to occasionally put up with. Vittorio put his hand on his brother’s shoulder. “I’m going to text Grace and let her know we’re all okay. She’ll be worried.”
“I’m letting Francesca know, although I’ve been keeping Demetrio and Drago apprised of the situation,” Stefano said. “Things didn’t look good between you and Grace.”
“They haven’t been for this last week. If she doesn’t come to me soon, I’m going to have to force the issue. She isn’t sleeping, and that will impede her shoulder healing. Eloisa, as usual, managed to fuck things up for me.”
“I think she makes it her life’s work to fuck up our relationships.” Stefano was watching over Vittorio’s shoulder and he turned slightly to see Art Maverick come into the building with his partner, Jason Bradshaw. The two detectives were assigned their neighborhood along with Little Italy, so they were very familiar with both the Ferraros and Saldis.
“I’d better get Giuseppi and Val into the conference room, if they weren’t taken there already,” Vittorio said. He hastened to the little alcove where Val had taken his father to sit, their bodyguards surrounding the two men. Vittorio ignored the posturing