So, yeah. This whole thing was majorly fucked up. No question about it.
Was that going to stop me?
No. Not for a second.
I tried to focus my thoughts on the road again. I was behind the wheel of the Lexus, driving fast on a nighttime highway headed north. Sofia and I had set out after feasting on the pot roast and vegetables Mum made for dinner. Declan and Ryan had stuck around for dinner too, and Mom had been so happy to have us all together under her roof again when it wasn’t even Christmas yet. Hell, Ryan had even warmed up to Sofia. A little bit, at least.
The burner smartphone Declan had given me already had the cabin location on the map, and a female voice fed me directions. That was fine because I needed to plan my next moves. I’d beenreactingever since this job went bad. I needed to stop reacting and retake the initiative if I had any hope of living through this and keeping Sofia safe like I’d promised. Kissing her was the first part of retaking the initiative. But as great as that had been, it sure as hell hadn’t been planned.
Declan’s hideout cabin was north of Culver Lake, in Frankford Township, far from New York City…or any decent city, to be honest. I needed to stop in town and buy stuff to replace what I’d tossed. Clothes and toiletries and crap—both for Sofia and for myself. Some food, too, perishable stuff. I needed to make certain to set Sofia up with whatever she might need because I was heading back to New York tomorrow. I’d be paying Freddy Russo a visit and getting a few answers. And yeah, I’d be bringing along the gun.
The drive wasn’t that bad once I got free of the Greater New York traffic. Sofia sat quietly, staring out the window at the city lights, then watching the dark mass of trees lining the freeway once we were on 1-280. I didn’t bother with small talk. She was clearly not in the mood.
Eventually, we swung onto NJ-15, a more highway that dropped from four lanes to two as we headed north, the road becoming even more rural. The town itself was microscopic when compared to New York City. These kinds of places weren’t always the best to lie low in because the locals always noticed you. If the cops were looking for either of us, that could be a problem.
But I’d been as careful as ever, using fake names, paying cash, switching cars, and avoiding surveillance cameras. Declan had checked online for any information about Sofia Accardo disappearing or being kidnapped, but it looked as if her father meant to keep things quiet from the law. Big surprise with a hundred and twenty-five million in stolen crypto at play, the greedy bastard.
Giovanni Accardo keeping my cross-state-lines kidnapping of his daughter a secret from the law only made sense if he knew about the thumb drive. If his men had followed the tracking device to that construction site, they now knew I’d ditched the suitcase but took the thumb drive.
I felt bad for Sofia. She’d been quiet since we’d left Mum’s place. I wished she’d start insulting me again because at least I’d know she was doing okay. I had no idea why I was going soft around her. Maybe I was a sucker for a damsel in distress, even if I’d been the asshole to drag her into trouble.
But I was damn sure going to keep her safe. Hell, I’d promised her that much, hadn’t I? She’d chosen to trust me by coming to the cabin—which had been one hell of a shock—and I didn’t intend to let her down. When I gave someone my word, I made good on it. She needed me, whether she ever admitted it or not.
It turned out the house wasn’t an actual log cabin, which was what I’d been imagining, knowing Declan and his questionable taste. Instead, it was some kind of modern “cabin” with a steeply sloping roof and a rustic look that was obviously a design style.
I made Sofia stay in the car while I got out and headed for the door, looking for trouble. My hand was inside my coat, resting on the pistol grip. Too many ambushes had made me wary, even though I trusted Declan with my life.
The area was quiet. The lack of sound was unsettling for a guy from the big city. I kept my eyes scanning the windows and sides of the cabin as I approached. The porch steps creaked under my weight. I unlocked the front door with Declan’s key and slipped inside, bringing out my pistol and chambering a round.
The air was still and a little stale. The heat was on and cycling with a quiet hum, but it was clear no one had been inside for quite some time. It had that “empty house” feeling to it. The decor was spare and standard stuff. Furniture that looked like Declan had bought everything in one go at some furniture warehouse. The place had none of his personality. Then again, this was only a bolt-hole for when the shit hit the fan.
Like now.
The cabin wasn’t big, only one floor, two bedrooms, two baths, and no cellar. It didn’t take me long to clear it. Turned out, it was as empty as it felt, and that was a relief.
I headed back outside and went to Sofia. “It’s clear. Head inside and freshen up or whatever, and then we’ll go shopping for everything we need.”
“Thank God. I wasn’t looking forward to living in these clothes for the next few days.”
I grabbed the duffel bag that had made the change in cars with me and escorted Sofia to the front door.
She stepped inside and glanced around curiously. “Looks like a vacation rental.”
“It must be a step down from tropical resorts.”
“It’s fine. Give me a break.” She wandered into the kitchen and checked the fridge. “Don’t worry. There’s lots of beer.”
I grinned. That did sound like my brother. Declan loved a good beer almost as much as a decent whisky. “Anything edible?”
“Condiments.” There was a pause. “There’s lots of prepackaged stuff in the freezer.”
“All right. Let’s make our supply run.”
She walked back out of the kitchen. “Sounds good.”
I had to admit, it was nice not having her glare daggers at me all the time. Couldn’t blame her. I was an asshole. It kept me alive in a world where you had to be a hardass or you were someone’s bitch.
After bathroom breaks, we set off. I wanted to avoid the shops in Frankford because I didn’t want local eyes on me. Instead, I headed down to a Walmart about fifteen minutes away, south near Newton. The store was filled with security cameras, but it wasn’t the cops I was worried about most. Besides, where else could we buy food, toiletries, and clothing all in one go? I wasn’t going to win any fashion contests with the gear I grabbed, but it was good for Sofia to shop with the commoners. But she surprised me by not complaining once. I really had been too harsh on her.
