Page 17 of Guarding Grace

The journey up the stairs to the third floor went more slowly than normal, on account of my sore hip and the fact that I was stuck in these heels from last night. Yes, a tracksuit and sky-high heels. High fashion.

As soon as I left the stairwell, I could see the door before mine was open again. I kept telling Mrs. Finn she should keep it closed for safety, but she refused, instead complaining about her apartment being stuffy. Withthe door ajar, she got a slight puff of air from her window anytime the door to the stairwell opened.

I walked the length of the hallway, composing my safety speech.

She raised her knitting needle to stop me before I got a single word out. “I don’t want to hear it. I need the fresh air. Everybody here knows my son is a judge, and nobody wants to mess with a judge’s family.”

“Millie, I was going to ask how you are this morning,” I lied.

She lowered her glasses to look over them. “My goodness, girl. I’m doing a damned sight better than you. What happened?”

I shrugged and improvised. “I don’t have anybody important in my family… And some guys wanted to take my phone.”

“Did they catch them?”

“Sadly, no.”

“If they do, you let me know. I’ll make sure my Leonard sends them up to the big house. He even knows some guys who’ll teach ’em some manners.” She giggled to herself.

I moved to my door. The idea of a judge who had links to criminals in prison wasn’t so funny to me.

When I tried my key, it only turned halfway. The deadbolt was already unlocked. I froze. Had I left it unlocked? Or had Val, my cleaning lady? Yesterday was my day on her schedule, and I hadn’t seen her before I left to prepare the venue for last night’s party.

“Millie, have you seen anybody go into my apartment?”

She looked up over her glasses again. “Why no, dear.”

I gulped when a whoosh of air hit me as I cracked the door.

I definitely knew better than to leave a window open.

Terry

On my terrace,I finished my breakfast and squinted at my phone screen. I’d hoped for a message from Grace, but no such luck.

I called Zane. “Did you find out what our two guests wanted with Grace?”

“They were sent to get her to call or text her cousin Elliot. Apparently he’s the one they’re after, and they thought he would respond to her and crawl out from wherever he’s hiding.”

“Why do they want him?” Understanding the motive would be the key to protecting Grace.

“These guys said they didn’t know. I believe them.”

“Anything else?”

“That’s all I had time for before a relative showed up to get them,” Zane said. “Seems at least one of them had a tracker on him.”

“Probably the watch,” I guessed.

“A guy named Victor Russo showed up, and he came with muscle. Four guys backing him, all armed.”

“Victor Russo?”

“Yeah. I called Lucas, and he told me to hand them over. That’s all I know.”

“Probably a good call. Tall Tony Russo is the head of the local Italian mob, and Victor is his son. They’re not the kind of guys you want to have a fight with on their terms.”

“Good to know.” Zane was new to the team, and he didn’t know all the players in town.