Page 14

Chapter

Thirteen

Robbie wished he could’ve broken through Alice’s walls. In his mind, cutting his hair and shaving his beard was a very generous peace offering. Regrettably, it wasn’t enough. He’d even told her that he wouldn’t let his career come between them. And her response?

Fifteen years of reasons.

How was he supposed to overcome that? Was it right for him to even try?

After this time together, he’d go back to working for Aiden and putting his life on the line and she’d go back to her architecture work and her needy mom.

He would be willing to give up or change his career for her, but he didn’t know that Marietta was a healthy place for them to start a relationship.

Was it wrong to beg her to move far away from her mom?

Where would they even settle? He couldn’t take her on dangerous jobs, and she had a business she was building and a grouchy mom to take care of.

The next few days were a blur as they toured cities in the surrounding areas.

Padua with its elliptical square and a water feature surrounded by statues, one of the oldest universities in the world, and the Scrovegni Chapel with a fresco by Grotto, a masterpiece of Renaissance art.

Vicenza with its ‘elegant Renaissance architecture, especially the works of Andrea Palladio, a fifteenth century architect’, according to their tour guide.

Ferrera with its unique urban layout, imposing castle walls, and strong cycling culture.

Treviso or ‘Little Venice’ with its medieval walls, canals, cobblestone streets, elegant palaces, and the Sile River running through it.

Bologna, which truly was the origin of bologna. The food was delicious everywhere but particularly there, the meat rich and savory.

Bassano del Grappa with its iconic wooden bridge, historic center, and the Ezzelini Castle.

Verona, the two-thousand-year-old city of love, was a mix of medieval and Roman influences where Romeo and Juliet was set. They even went to Juliet’s house. Robbie wished the city of love would bring him Alice’s love, but she remained sweet, fun, and somehow aloof.

In Sirmione, on the beautiful Lake Garda, they toured the fort and town situated on the lake’s southern bank.

They returned to Venice late Saturday night from Sirmione and Robbie felt morose.

An entire week was gone, and he was no closer to Alice or finding the murderer than he’d been a week ago.

He scrubbed at the stubble on his jawline as they walked from where they’d parked the cars to the building their penthouse was located in.

The lights of the city reflected off a nearby canal.

Everything was peaceful, except inside him.

He wanted Alice to forgive him and love him again, but he feared it was only for selfish reasons.

Maybe they could never carve out a future together.

Didn’t him saying he wouldn’t let his career come between them mean anything to her? She must not trust him any longer.

He glanced up at the balconies with their flower baskets. The city was ‘delightful’, as Alice would say.

The barrel of an M1 Carbine rifle poked out of the open door of a balcony. Robbie moved instinctively, wrapping Alice up and taking her to the concrete walkway as he yelled to Curtis and River, “Down!”

A spray of bullets whizzed above his back and head, slamming into the wall and spraying them with bits of stone and dust. The muffled sound of the muzzle blasts revealed the shooter was using a silencer.

Curtis and River didn’t hit the ground like he’d instructed. They both dodged to the side, away from the bullets, but yanked out their sidearms and returned fire.

A woman shrieked and a window banged closed.

Alice’s soft form cradled in his arms reminded him how much was at risk. He had to protect her, and that meant catching the shooter.

“You all right?” he asked.

“Y-yes.”

He dragged his focus away from her and watched as the shooter withdrew behind the curtains to avoid the return fire.

Releasing her, he murmured, “Stay down.”

“Robbie…”

He almost stopped and stayed close to her.

He wanted to comfort and love her, but the guy could be escaping even as he paused.

This was his chance to catch Big Buddha and put an end to Alice’s suffering.

Thankfully, Big Buddha had shown no indications of hurting her. She’d be safe with River and Curtis.

Leaping to his feet, he said to River, “Keep Alice safe. Call the police. Cover me.”

River and Curtis held their pistols ready, nodded to him, and eased back to stand in front of Alice.

Robbie ran for the balcony. He leaped, grasping the bottom of it, and flung his legs up and over like a pole vaulter.

“Robbie,” Alice cried out.

He wanted to reassure her, but there was no time. He landed on the balcony and dodged to the side, tensing for a bullet.

No movement. He slid around the open balcony door and took stock. The apartment was bare, the only light from the streets below. He listened, his heartbeat too loud in his ears. He was unarmed, and the shooter could spring out of a closed door and fill him with bullets at any moment.

He hurried through the open area, not letting himself second-guess his imminent death.

Had the shooter escaped out the apartment door?

A door to his right creaked open. The rifle and a man’s arm appeared.

He should’ve dodged to safety, but he leaped at the door and slammed it hard on the man’s arm.

The man cursed and the gun fired as it dropped to the ground.

The bullet lodged into the opposite wall.

Robbie yanked the door back open and tackled the assailant.

They slammed hard into the ground, the man’s head cracking on the hardwood floor.

He threw jabs into Robbie’s side, but Robbie had the advantage.

He eased back enough to put some power behind the fists he rained onto the man’s face.

The man tried to buck underneath and knee him but only got his thigh.

Robbie grabbed the attacker’s head and slammed it into the floor again.

The man went limp under him. It was disappointing to not have a better fight, but Alice was safe and Robbie hadn’t died. That was all that mattered.

He stood and ripped the man to his feet, pinning his arms behind him. The guy stirred and tried to struggle, but Robbie held him fast, yanking his arms tighter, eliciting a wince. He dragged him to the front door, yanking it open.

“Please,” the man begged, flailing but making no progress in ripping free of Robbie’s grip. “I’ll tell you what I know. No police.”

He spoke English with no discernable accent. He was an average-sized guy, bald, dressed in a T-shirt and joggers.

Robbie paused. It was an offer that he wanted to accept, but he was in the business of ridding the world of crime. He wasn’t going to agree and let a hitman wander free.

A curious neighbor poked their head outside of their apartment door.

“Stay inside,” Robbie ordered.

The man looked at him, obviously not understanding the English. He rattled off some words, including la polizia .

Robbie gestured with his head, not willing to release his grip on the shooter.

“ Chiama la polizia ,” the man in the doorway yelled at him.

“ Si ,” Robbie agreed. “ Chiama la polizia. Per favore .” Luckily, some words translated from Spanish to Italian.

The man glared at him and banged the door shut.

“You’re an American,” Robbie guessed, focusing on the shooter.

“A murderer who goes by the moniker of Big Buddha. You’ve killed everyone close to Alice Marshall, and that’s why you’re targeting me.

” It gave him an odd thrill to realize Big Buddha would go after him because he thought Alice loved him. If only that were true.

“No.” The man stiffened. “You’ve got it wrong. I was going to leave a card that claimed it was Big Buddha. I’m just a hired gun. Innocent, really.”

Robbie grunted at that.

“I responded to a request on the dark web. All the information they had was your description and that you’re currently in Venice, but the hit had to be done anytime today. By midnight, or the offer is no good.”

“Why today?”

“Don’t call the police and I’ll tell you. Trust me, I have info you’re going to want to hear.”

“Like what?”

The man shook his head, clamping his jaw shut.

Robbie wondered what else the man could tell him as he yanked him down the stairs. The police would interrogate him, but would they get the information?

The man protested and squirmed but was no match for him.

Robbie stopped as they reached the main level and spun the man, pinning him against the wall. “What else do you know?”

The man said nothing.

“Who’s Big Buddha?”

The man shrugged. “The dark web doesn’t introduce me to my employers.”

“So you know nothing?”

“I know you’re going to die before midnight.”

A chill ran through Robbie. He searched the man’s gaze. If there was a hit out for him on the dark web with a midnight deadline … getting somewhere safe was critical. The police would have to question this hitman further.

He yanked the man around and they banged through the front door. River and Curtis aimed their pistols at them. Several onlookers scurried farther away down the street. He couldn’t see Alice but knew she was behind the two bodyguards.

River aimed his gun at the shooter and advanced toward them while Curtis stayed back with Alice. Robbie glanced at Alice. She looked disheveled from him tackling her to protect her but otherwise unharmed.

“I’ve got him,” River said when he reached them. “Police will be here soon.”

“Appreciate it.”

“Kneel down and put your hands behind your head,” River instructed the man.