Storm's Cage by Mary Stone (uplifting novels .TXT) 📕

the wall, at Joseph’s suit jacket, at his own throat. Joseph peered into the depths of abject terror that filled those blue orbs, reveling in the man’s helplessness.

The unbridled panic dulled as the sparks of fear were washed away by the flat blue hue of Russel’s irises. Just before the man’s lids fluttered closed for the last time, the final ember fizzled out of existence.

As Joseph released his iron grip, Russel’s body slumped into a graceless heap. For good measure and to work out his lingering aggression, Joseph gave Russel’s neck a good stomp. The satisfying crunch as his heel connected with bone brought a smile to his face. That bastard wouldn’t be harming any more innocents.

“What the hell was that?” Joe Dalessio yelled.

Joseph spun around to meet the mobster’s incredulous glare. With a derisive snort, he brushed off the front of his jacket. “He was a loose end.”

Dalessio threw both arms out to his sides. “A little heads-up would have been good!”

Forgetting his promise to play nice, Joseph narrowed his eyes and leveled an index finger at Dalessio. “I don’t want to hear that from you, you got it? Not when your shithead cousin was running a kiddie porn ring in the basement of one of your warehouses.”

“Who the hell do you think you’re talking to?” Joe’s hand cocked back to strike.

“Touch me, you sorry sonofabitch, and I will make sure it is the last move you make.” Joseph’s tone brooked no arguments. “I bailed your dumb ass out once, but test my patience, and I will bury you.”

Dalessio’s arm trembled, but even as rage burned in his eyes, he made the smart choice and let his arm drop. With a step back, Joe shook his head. “I didn’t know what my idiot cousin was up to.” His posture relaxed as rage was extinguished by disappointment. “None of us knew about that. Not me, not Emilio. No one!”

The capo’s nonthreatening stance was a clear sign he had gotten the message to stop acting like an entitled prick, but Joseph didn’t believe the story Joe was trying to feed him, not for a second.

“None of you knew? You thought a farm that grows corn and soybeans turned that kind of profit? Believe me, I know how much kiddie porn sells for, and it’s a hell of a lot more than crops!”

Dalessio hissed with disgust as he scrubbed his hands over his face. “I figured he was moonlighting, but I also figured he was having them mule drugs or cut coke in their downtime. Not…that.” He spat the final word like a poison. “Believe me, I’d have had a few things to say to Alton if that Fed bitch hadn’t killed him. She’s the same bitch who took down Emilio. Only a matter of time before she pisses off the wrong guy, and—”

As the hairs prickled along the back of Joseph’s neck, he snapped up a hand. “No. None of you are going to touch her. If you do.” He tapped himself on the chest. “I’ll gut you with my bare hands, understood?”

A muscle twitched in Dalessio’s jaw, but he didn’t speak.

With another step away from Russel’s corpse, Joseph straightened his suit jacket. “You and your people have a hell of a lot more on your plate than just one federal agent. Your cousin had a fourth guy in his little kiddie porn show. A CPD detective.”

The strain on Dalessio’s face vanished as his eyes widened. “What? A cop?”

“Yes. A cop. And that ‘Fed bitch’ you mentioned, well, she’s looking for him.” Joseph used all the patronizing snark he could muster. “So, I suggest you and your people start doing the same. Because the ‘Fed bitch’ is very, very good at what she does, and if she gets to him first.” He scoffed, knowing full well what she was capable of and that they deserved every last bit of the retribution she could bring down on them. “My guess is she’ll take him down, along with another chunk of the Leóne family.”

“Shit.” Dalessio shoved a hand through his hair. “I don’t know who the hell it could have been.”

“Figure it out.” Joseph tightened his black tie. “And when you find him, may I offer a suggestion?”

Dalessio’s expression was a mix of incredulous curiosity. “What?”

“Kill him.” For emphasis, Joseph drew a line along his throat with an index finger. “Because if you don’t, and if that ‘Fed bitch’ finds him, you’re going to be up shit creek without a paddle. And this time.” He paused in the doorway. “Don’t expect me or The Shark to bail your asses out. This is a business relationship, and lately, you all haven’t been holding up your end of the bargain.”

Joseph didn’t wait for a response before he turned to make his way to the front door.

Maybe he couldn’t rid himself of the Leónes, but he could make damn sure they knew who was running this show.

22

As Amelia slowed to a stop at a red light, she glanced to the manila folder in the passenger seat—the result of her sleepless night.

Though she’d only gotten four hours of shut-eye, she was impressed that she’d managed any. Aside from peering out her curtains and checking the deadbolt every twenty minutes, she’d dedicated her restless night to researching the old Portelli case.

Alex’s request that she review the pending murder charges against his lieutenant, Gabriel Badoni, had taken a back seat to finding the corrections officer responsible for Carlo Enrico’s death. Now that the prime suspect was in the wind, however, the murdered inmate’s case had ground to a halt.

She hoped the end of the investigation meant she could return to the shoebox-sized office with Zane and the new agent from Public Corruption. At least while she was there, she’d be away from Joseph Larson.

Not that she could avoid him forever. Or even for an entire day.

No. I’ve got work to do. I’m not thinking about that asshole right now.

Amelia tightened her grasp on the steering wheel and forced