my nose, you bastard,” Mick said, pointing a handgun right at Leo’s chest. My heart skittered to a halt, then jump-started into an erratic pounding against my rib cage.
“I’m sorry I didn’t,” Leo answered. “A broken nose would be the least of your problems.”
“Well, that’s not a very nice thing to say,” Mick answered. “And it looks like you’re the one with the problem. Because I’m the one with the gun.” He smiled his dingy-toothed grin, and I thought about fainting. I always hoped I’d be extra brave in the face of danger, but it turned out that even the hint of bodily harm was enough to make me want to cry and pee my pants.
“Don’t do this, Mickey,” Dmitri said. “No amount of money is worth going back to prison for, is it? You heard what they said to me. If we give them the jewels, you and I are both in the clear.”
Mick scowled at him for a second before returning his gaze, and the barrel of the gun, to Leo. “I don’t think that’s what they said, Jimmy. And anyway, what would you know about prison? I’m the one who spent half my life in there. I’m not going back. Fortunately, those shiny stones you were foolish enough to save are just what I need to get my new life started.”
“Don’t be a fool, O’Malley,” Leo said. “There’s no way off this island. The police know you’re here.”
Leo was bluffing, but Mick stared at him hard, then looked to Gina. “You just told Jimmy you hadn’t called them yet. So, which is it?”
“I called them,” I said, not at all certain I should be saying anything but choosing to follow Leo’s lead. “I texted my father before we got here so he’d know we were coming for Dmitri.” A total lie. I had just told a total lie to the convict with the gun—which was now pointed at me. I was in no way a fan of that. I definitely should have kept my mouth shut.
“You, little girl. I’ve met you. You come over here by me.”
“Leave her out of it, Mick. She doesn’t have anything to do with this,” Dmitri said.
I stayed frozen to the spot, not out of bravery or defiance. Quite the opposite, in fact. I was essentially paralyzed with fear. I was about to start hyperventilating. I needed a paper bag, but now hardly seemed like the time to ask for one.
“Nothing to do with this? Sure she does. She’s my insurance policy.”
He crooked a finger at me. I took a reluctant step forward, and Mick grabbed my arm and twisted me around, pointing the gun at my midsection, poking me with it a little. Time moved in surreal slow motion. I was not brave. Not by any stretch of the imagination, but falling apart right now would only make matters worse. And I had two soldiers with me. Surely, they’d figure out something? Something that included Mick being knocked unconscious and me walking away with no extra ventilation? My eyes met Leo’s, and he was calm in a way that gave me strength. He was going to fix this.
“You are making an epic mistake,” Leo said, his voice low and gravelly.
“No, you’re making a mistake if you think I’m leaving here without my payoff.” Mick’s voice had gone from friendly to threatening, and he poked me again.
“Whether we called the police or not, you’ll never make it off the island,” Gina said.
“I will if I take this pretty little mayor with me. You might think I don’t have an escape plan, but I do. I’m smarter than I look.”
“You’d have to be,” Gina muttered.
“Take me instead,” Leo said. “Think about it, Mick. She is the police chief’s daughter. You think he’s going to let that rest? No, he’s going to want revenge. You’ll be looking over your shoulder for the rest of your life.”
Mick’s chuckle lacked humor. “I’m going to be looking over my shoulder for the rest of my life anyway, buddy.”
“Sure, but speaking of looking over your shoulder . . . what’s that?” Leo exclaimed and abruptly pointed behind us.
Mick twisted to see, and the next thing I knew Leo’s body had slammed into us both. I went flying from the impact and landed with a woof on the floor, with Leo half on top of me and Mick half underneath. I coiled reflexively as I heard the sounds of punches being thrown and a gun skittering across a hardwood