MURDER TAKES TIME

Chapter 48

Tough Decisions

Hershey, Pennsylvania—20 Months Ago

At the motel that night, I sat and pondered. For the tenth time, I reminded myself that if I didn’t do this contract, my life was over. At the very best, I’d have to go into hiding. More likely, I’d be dead. But every time I thought about pulling the trigger, I saw Angela’s face. Angela’s smile. Heard her laugh. Smelled her. Tasted her. 

I punched the bed. Then punched it more. How could anybody’s life be so fucked up? I walked to the dresser and reached into the bag. The letter from Angie was in that briefcase, calling me. 

Find me, Nicky. No matter where I am, find me. 

I punched the bed again. Fucking coward. Fearless Nicky the Rat, scared to go see her, and hear she left me to fuck somebody else.

The letter helped me make up my mind, though. That, and thoughts of those kids playing. No way I was killing her in front of those kids. I waited until 2:00 AM, crept out the door, checking to make sure the lights were out, then sneaked out into the night. A phone booth was maybe a quarter mile away, so I jogged there and dialed Debbie Small’s number. She didn’t answer until the seventh ring.

“Hello?”

“Gina?”

“Who is this?” Panic was in her voice, though it was tainted by sleep.

“My name isn’t important. Tito Martelli sent me to kill you.” 

I heard the gasp, then what sounded like a squeal. “How did you find me?” 

“I’m not here to kill you. Not anymore. But if you want to live, you need to follow my orders.” I waited until the sobbing stopped. “Do you understand?”

“Okay, what? What do you want me to do?”

“Listen closely. Get your money and anything else you need into two small bags. Also get the evidence you have on Tito.” I waited through another series of gasps, then heard a creaking noise. It sounded like attic steps being pulled down. 

“Gina, listen to me. There isn’t time. Get the money out of the attic later, if that is what you’re doing. This is no joke. I was supposed to kill you today. I didn’t. But if you don’t listen to everything I say, you’ll be dead before noon.”

“Okay. Okay. Go on.”

“Tomorrow at morning recess you will hear a gunshot. When you hear it, fall down. Don’t run. Don’t scream. Don’t do anything but fall down.” I paused. “Do you understand?”

“Fall down when I hear the shot.”

“That’s right.”

“What about the children? I don’t want them scared.”

“They won’t even know what’s going on. They’ll probably think it’s a firecracker or something. You’ll know the shot when you hear it though, and when you do, fall down.”

“Okay, then what?”

“This is going to be difficult. It will require all of your concentration.”

“Okay.”

“Once you’re down, count to thirty. Slowly. Make each one a second if you can.”

“You mean like one, one-thousand…”

“That’s exactly what I mean. Count to thirty. Then get up and walk away.”

“Where?”

“There will be a crowd. People will be looking around for what the noise was. No matter what happens, walk away quickly. Don’t run, and don’t take your car. Walk through the neighborhood. Keep going until you find a place where you can call a cab. Do not use your cell phone. Do not call anyone you know. After tomorrow, Debbie Small is dead, do you understand?”