by the treachery of the Disciples.
His next order would’ve been to kidnap Zeus’s son. There would’ve been torture before the young man’s body was left to rot in the Arizona desert.
Two men dead, and another out on bail for criminal stalking. Not the way Salvatore expected his orders to be fulfilled. Staring into the pitch black night, he ticked through the options to make this right.
When he’d been young and a dirt poor soldier for the Mob, killing had seemed easy. They paid him well for a job he enjoyed. As he rose within the ranks, instead of being called on to pull the trigger, Salvatore ordered the hits. Now, in his late forties, he’d never lost his taste for watching someone on their knees, begging for their life.
Stopping next to the end table, he picked up his glass, sipping brandy while weighing the possibilities. He could send more men, but the cops and Disciples would be watching for reinforcements.
Another possibility crossed his mind, this one causing him to chuckle. The job called for a younger man, one without the responsibilities and social standing he enjoyed. Even as those reasons rolled around in his head, he couldn’t put aside the rush of excitement he felt at his idea.
As underboss, Salvatore had a great deal of leeway at making decisions regarding Mob business. Still, the risk going with this possibility was great.
Unable to keep the rush of adrenaline under control, he settled back into the sofa, rolling the stem of the brandy glass between his fingers. He’d have to let his boss know. Afterward, he’d field the strong objections certain to follow.
Taking another sip of brandy, a feral smile curved his lips. Completing the final preparations would be a pleasure.
Liberty Lake
It had taken a great deal of talking before Teri agreed to move with Katrina and Brady to a safe house. Wrath had called her boss, Brodie Jurgensen, explaining the situation, knowing he’d understand, and reinforce the already elevated security at his ranch.
Four days later, Gunner plus six additional Brethren appeared at the Snowden home to perform recon, and guard the family during the move.
The safe house was average in size, unpretentious, located on a large, one acre lot with dozens of pine, sycamore, and spruce. The other houses in the neighborhood were from the same era, with similar landscape. The differences between those homes and the Snowdens’ temporary residence were the high-tech security, and the people monitoring it.
By early afternoon, they’d settled into their new place. Gunner, Ghost, and Fargo sat down with Katrina, Teri, and Brady, confirming details for their trips to and from work and school. As they finished, Ghost’s phone rang. He glanced at the screen, then at the others.
“It’s Chaos.” Standing, he tucked the phone against his ear. “What do you have?”
“A car, dark colored with tinted windows and local plates, has driven by twice in the last twenty minutes. I can’t make out the number of people inside, other than a driver and passenger in the front.”
“Are they slowing when they come by?” Ghost turned away from the table, putting his back to the others.
“No.”
“Are Bas and Banner with you or in the back?”
“Bas is making rounds. Banner’s in back. What do you want me to do, Ghost?”
“Take pictures. I’m on my way out.” Ending the call, he returned to the table. “I’ll be right back. Gunner?” He nodded toward the door, indicating he wanted Gunner to follow. “Contact Raider. Have him focus on footage of the last half hour of the front street. I want to know all he can learn about the dark sedan with tinted windows, a driver and passenger.”
“You got it.”
Salvatore Ricca sat next to Giorgio Amato, weapons specialist, tech whiz, and second cousin, in the dark sedan half a mile away from the safe house. Holding a camera with a high-powered telescopic zoom lens, he focused on property shielded from the street by trees and dense underbrush.
Giorgio snapped shots of two men talking several feet away from the street, unconcerned about the house hidden toward the back of the large lot. Both wore black leather cuts showing the Eternal Brethren patch. The older of the two had a rocker indicating his position as vice president. A slight grin twisted his lips.
“Tony did a good job.” Giorgio continued taking pictures, ignoring Salvatore’s grunt in reply.
Before being arrested, Tony had completed the most critical job assigned him. He’d hidden trackers on the cars driven by Teri and Katrina, plus the bicycle Brady