Top Dog

“Okay, okay. Yes. I planted the ring. For a lot of money. Stefano said something about needing a favor to help him get someone out of the way, but that’s all I know. Yes, I’ve been on his payroll, but it’s only been to keep him in the loop with things. I’ve never tampered with evidence. Ever.”

“Until now,” Langley said.

“Please help me. That man has threatened my family. My friends. I’ve switched partners three times because of threats I thought he would follow up on. I don’t want people getting hurt. I just want out,” Johnson said.

“Then you’ll do as we ask,” Bradshaw said. “Your help is still necessary, and then you’ll get your Witness Protection.”

“Please, he won’t let me go. He’ll kill me the second he knows I’ve talked to you guys. Bradshaw, man. Come on. We’ve worked together for years. Langley? We had a barbecue last weekend together. I met your girl!”

“Yeah, and I told her to wash her hand real good after you shook it,” Langley said. “You stay here until we have orders for you. Otherwise, your ass is in jail, and you can bide your time until Stefano comes after you.”

Johnson slumped down in his chair and Officer Lawrence walked out of the room. I knew she wasn’t happy, but it wasn’t my job to make her happy. I needed Johnson as bait to lure Stefano out. It was our best shot. And with Johnson’s confession, it lessened the opportunity for me to have to wear a wire. Hell, it lessened the possibility that I would have to be directly involved, in general. The police could run the sting, I could sit in the precinct and watch everything on the damn body cameras.

Everything was rolling out perfectly.

Then, my phone rang in my pocket.

“Excuse me, Detective Conrad. I need to take this.”

“Don’t take too long. We need to get a plan set before any of this gets back to Bianchi.”

“You have my word. Give me a second,” I said. “Julia. What’s wrong?”

And her frantic voice on the other end of the line had me dashing out of the precinct without another word said to anyone.

CHAPTER 30

JULIA

“Matteo, what would you like for lunch honey?”

“Peanut butter and jelly. With chips?”

“You had that yesterday. You don’t want something different?” I asked.

“Please?”

“Ah, how can I resist you when you look so cute and use your manners?”

I stood in the kitchen and began putting some lunch together for us. My mind was fraught with ideas on how to move against my uncle, and I was waiting for a call from Romeo. I’d sent him a message earlier that morning telling him I needed to talk at his earliest convenience. I hadn’t heard from him, so I assumed he was working on plans of his own. Which was fine. Us being able to fuse our plans together would ensure a much better outcome than if either of us were doing this alone. But the later in the afternoon it became, the more worried I grew that something was wrong.

“What would you like to drink?” I asked.

“Milk?”

“Chocolate or regular?”

“You guys have to get out of here now!”

Enrico busted into the kitchen, wielding his firearm as his eyes grew wide. He rushed over to the table and picked up my son, throwing him over his shoulder. My plate clattered to the ground as I yelled after him, rushing to his side and trying to wrangle my son from him.

“What are you doing? Let go of Matteo!”

“You two have to get out of here and now,” Enrico said.

“Let go of him. You're scaring him!” Was this some sort of trick? Part of Stefano’s plan?

“Mommy. What’s wrong?” my son asked.