Eleven
After watching Ashley walk away and struggling to free my heels from the mud they’d sunken into, I limped to the car, feeling emotionally drained.
“Where to now?” Frankie asked as we got into the car, his voice void of emotion.
I sighed and leaned against the headrest. “Can we stop at Schnucks? I need to pick up a couple of things.”
“Didn’t Tommy go grocery shopping?”
Rolling my eyes, I flopped my head to the side and gave him a flat look. “I ran out of tampons, and I can’t exactly put them on the shopping list, can I?”
Frankie nodded and left the parking garage. “I’ll run in and—”
“I’d rather get them myself.” He opened his mouth to argue, so I held up my hand. “I also want to wander the snack aisle. After all that—” I gestured toward the hospital as we passed. “I think I need to veg out and watch some trash on tv.”
Frankie looked back to the road, and his hand flexed around the wheel. Alert and focused, he settled into silence.
I relaxed into the supple leather until Frankie made a sudden right-hand turn, then a left. “What the fuck?” I yelled as I grabbed the door.
“An unmarked police car has been following us since the hospital.”
“Shit.”
The bright red Schnucks sign came into view, and I shut my eyes against the bright white lights of the parking lot as Frankie parked. “Let’s make this fast.”
I squinted at him and squeezed my purse against my stomach. “Wait. We’re not going home?”
“Fuck no. Cops are a hassle, but they aren’t going to do shit to us at the grocery store.” Frankie adjusted the gun under his jacket.
“If you’re sure.” I grabbed the handle and waited for him to give me one last nod before I opened the door and got out.
Frankie had just rounded the hood when a tall woman approached us. He quickly got between us, his hand on his gun, out of sight.
"Sasha?”
I let out a sigh of both relief and annoyance. “Daphne?” Frankie let me move to his side but grabbed my elbow when I went to take a step closer. Shaking off his hand but staying next to him, I asked her, “Were you following us?”
“Yes. We were at the hospital because of Malcolm Bello, and when I saw you, I took a chance. We need to talk.”
I frowned at her, crossing my arms, my heavy bag hanging from my fingertips. “So, talk.”
“Hand off your side piece, pretty boy.” Daphne jerked her chin toward Frankie.
“Get to the point, cop.”
Daphne scanned the parking lot, her eyes lingering on an old woman loading her trunk. “Zoe’s still alive.”
I laughed.
“Of course you know,” she mumbled. “Well, Cy Chronis doesn’t know that and put a hit out on Luca.”
Oh, yeah. Cy doesn’t know. Delusional.
Frankie glanced at me, then back at Daphne, removing his hand from his side.
“I’m doing all I can to keep Luca separate from gen pop, but Cy is greasing palms, and the warden doesn’t look too fondly on doing favors for the mob.”
Worry gripped me, but I kept my back straight and face neutral. “Okay.”