Hannah and the Hitman

Chapter 63

63

JACK

We parked down the street, about three houses from the Highcliff place, as planned. Dax and I watched Hannah walk down the sidewalk toward her parents’ house, then turn up the walk. He even set his hand on my chest to keep me from going after her.

A bunch of kids were having a lemonade stand across the street from where we parked, so while we waited, we forked over twenty bucks to the little entrepreneurs and had a drink.

“Needs a little vodka,” Dax said, leaning against the SUV and eyeing the contents of his plastic cup.

The stand turned out to be helpful because we looked like we were two men enjoying a summer treat instead of waiting for two hitmen and super-girl.

“Where the hell is Paul?” I asked, glancing at my watch for the tenth time. “He was supposed to be here. I don’t like the idea of Hannah alone with her family let alone with a fucking mafia boss.”

Dax’s cell chimed. He pulled it from his suit jacket. “Your timing is impressive. That’s Paul. There was an accident on the highway. He’s stuck for now.”

My eyes bugged out.

He’d only been fifteen minutes behind us and there’d been an accident. Typical.

“Fuck,” I said, making sure I kept my voice low now that there was a clump of kids around the lemonade stand. Some had walked, some arrived on bikes. It was like a little gang. All were completely clueless about what was going on down the street.

“Hannah’s going to come out of the house with Sal without Paul to collect him.” I realized my voice went up and I leaned in and hissed, “She can’t go off with a mafia guy!”

Dax tossed back the remainder of his drink. “Chill. We’ll go down and see what’s going on. Be backup until Paul shows up.”

I’d been overruled about the plan where Hannah was to go in, chat up her family and walk out with Sal, letting them think he got his way. Since the man always got his way, it wouldn’t be out of place. Paul would be there at the curb to greet his father and take him out for ice cream or a bullet to his brain. We’d given Paul the excuse he needed to end his father’s reign, and life, and we’d get rid of the hits put out on me and Hannah. I could quit without having to look over my back or keep Hannah hidden in a secret bat cave .

“Chill? Remind me to annoy the shit out of you when your woman’s in fucking danger.”

I had a bad feeling about this plan. Had from the start. It was falling apart as I predicted. It was time for Plan B, although that was winging it.