The Venetian and the Rum Runner - L.A. Witt Page 0,164

all around him in the back of the car. The coppery smell of blood was so strong he could taste it, and his stomach roiled. He fought one hand free from his bindings, burning the backs of his fingers and hand on the rope, and then collected the other gun. One he tucked into his coat. The other he kept at the ready.

In silence, he rode between the two corpses, trying not to notice the dampness on his sleeve and trouser leg where their blood hadn’t yet dried. What was he to do now?

Carmine. He had to speak to Carmine. To warn him. To get his help to save Rowan and the family. To…just see him and be sure nothing had happened to him.

But he also needed to go back to the tenement. Make sure someone came for James’s body.

His heart ached just thinking about that.

James. Lord, no. Not James.

He swallowed hard and blinked back the threat of tears. There’d be time to grieve James, and Danny would grieve him, but he had to be strong now. His family was depending on him, and he couldn’t let harm come to Rowan, Eliza, or the children while he was busy mourning. He had to think of the living before he dealt with the dead, and he just prayed James understood.

First, Carmine. Because he didn’t dare venture out to Rowan’s apartment again without Pulvirentis at his back.

The driver turned down a street that was all but deserted, and abruptly, he stopped, nearly sending Danny toppling off the seat. Looking at Danny in the rearview, he declared, “I ain’t going no further.”

“The hell you’re not.” Danny glared at the driver. The driver glared right back. “Do you want me to shoot you?”

“You won’t.” The driver sounded sure.

And Danny had to admit the man was right. His stomach was sick over killing these two, no matter the reason. Shooting a man who wasn’t threatening him? No, he couldn’t. And the longer he sat here arguing with him…

“Fine.” Danny carefully maneuvered across one of the bodies, opened the door, and stepped out. He briefly considered shooting out one of the driver’s tires, but the sound of gunfire would only draw attention. And anyhow, he didn’t know if the driver had a gun.

Just in case, he watched the driver until he was out of sight. As soon as the car was gone, carrying with it the bodies of the men he’d had to kill to get free, Danny pushed out a breath. He’d survived. He’d escaped.

Now he had to save his family.

He looked around, trying to orient himself. He wasn’t familiar with the block, but after walking a short ways, he found himself at Tompkins Square Park. Perfect. From here, he could find his way to Rowan’s, to Carmine’s, or to his own tenement. And thank God the driver had brought him this far. Danny had no money on him for the subway or the overhead train, never mind a taxi. All he could do was drag his weary, beaten self down familiar streets until he reached people who could help him.

So he started walking, and he headed straight for Carmine’s house.

Chapter 38

Carmine was beyond frustrated and well into infuriated when he followed Maurizio into yet another speakeasy’s backroom for yet another negotiation with Agosto il Sacchi. Danny was in the hands of Salvatore il Sacchi. Sitting here on couches with teacups full of whiskey waiting for Agosto to show up so they could negotiate… Danny didn’t have time for diplomacy. He needed action, and he needed it now.

Carmine fought to sit still as they waited for Agosto to arrive. Sal stood beside him, and Maurizio had brought some security as well. Between Maurizio and Carmine on the couch was James. No one said a word, and all eyes seemed to be fixed on the door as they all waited for Agosto to arrive.

Unbeknownst to Maurizio, Carmine had a backup plan. Giulia was situated in a café across the street, and if Carmine signaled her that something had gone awry (or if he didn’t come out after the meeting), she would call the house, where Liam was already reaching out to the rest of the rum runners as well as trying to find Danny’s family.

“If anything happens to me,” Carmine had told them before he’d left, “you find Danny. No matter what.”

They’d both nodded solemnly, and now they were just waiting for his signal. Hopefully the plan wasn’t necessary. Carmine’s gut told him it might not