Chapter 104
Adriano
Florence
Iwas almost to my apartment when two cop cars came racing towards me in the opposite lane, sirens blaring.
My heart froze in my chest.
I knew there was no way they were coming for me –
(right?)
– but years of being on the wrong side of the law were fucking with my brain.
When the cop cars roared past me, I heaved a sigh of relief.
I watched in the rearview mirror and was shocked to see another cop car pull off a side street and join them.
“…what the fuck?” I murmured.
I had a really bad feeling, so I parked on the side of the road and opened the Mercedes’s center console.
Every single car we owned had a police scanner. We just didn’t keep them out in the open, since it was illegal for anybody not in law enforcement to own one.
I plugged it into the cigarette lighter and started turning the dial.
There was a crackle of static –
And then a dispatcher’s voice came through loud and clear. “ – emergency, emergency – all cars to the Piazza della Repubblica – a dozen active shooters targeting civilians – ”
I sat there, stunned.
What the FUCK?!
It was too much of a coincidence.
I turned off the scanner and called Niccolo.
“What’s going on?” he asked as soon as he answered.
“I think the Camorra is shooting up Old Town.”
“…WHAT?!”
“The police scanner says there’s a dozen active shooters in the Piazza della Repubblica.”
“Why would they do THAT?!”
“I don’t fuckin’ know!” I barked. “But I’m heading over there now!”
“WHAT?! NO!”
“They’re fucking with our city, Niccolo! They’re pissing in our territory and they’re daring us to come stop them!”
“This isn’t what you think, Adriano!”
“Then what is it?”
“I don’t know yet, but – ”
“You think the cops and politicians are gonna turn a blind eye if we just sit back and let it happen? You know who they’re gonna blame for this shit.”
That got him, because he knew I was right.
“God DAMN it… alright, tell your men to meet you in Old Town. I’ll call Massimo and tell him to come back you up.”
“I don’t need Massimo – ”
“You’re going to need everyone you can GET, Adriano, and I can’t send Lars.”
This time, I knew he was right.
“Alright, I gotta go,” I said as I swerved back out into traffic.
“Be careful.”
“I keep telling you, I’m not the one who better be careful.”
But this time, I didn’t feel as cocky when I said it.