The Mafia Killer’s Wife by Rosa Milano

Sixteen

Ethan

Iwatched her leave last night. She didn't know it but leaving her room unlocked was a test and she failed. I trusted her and she let me down. I'm going to have to be far stricter with her when I get her back.

I heard her walking out of her bedroom. I opened my eyes to see her taking the keycard to the elevator from my jacket. I didn't realize she took my car key as well until the elevator door closed and I got to my feet, crossing to my study and opening my laptop. I pressed a button and there on the screen was the garage camera. She was climbing into my car and backing it out.

I had to give her credit. It was a ballsy move. Dumb, that was for sure, but ballsy. Does she really think I'll let her get away that easily?

I would have gone to get her immediately, but something came up. A message from the Don. It came via Paulie. The Don doesn't use telephones, too worried about who might be listening in. Doesn't accept Paulie's reassurances that we're using encryption that can't be broken into.

"Ethan," he says when I answer. "Glad you're not balls deep."

"What do you want, Paulie?"

"The Don's pissed at you, Ethan. Real pissed."

I can guess what for, but I let Paulie talk anyway. "He's had Don Mancini on him for what you've done to that girl. Snatching her away from Benito like that. Fuck man, if you like them innocent, I could have set you up with any number still holding onto their V card. Why'd you have to screw up a good thing and pick that one?"

"Get to the point, Paulie."

"Don's giving you a choice. You either give the girl back to Mancini and it gets called quits. Put's it down to you acting out for your birthday."

"And the other option?"

"Don't even ask. It's a job you can't do."

"What's the job?"

"It's impossible, Ethan. You don't want to know."

"Tell me."

"Shit man. He wants Harrison Kruger taken care of."

My mind runs straight to my internal filing cabinet. Pulls out his name and reads. In a second I have the memory. Harrison Kruger. Fashion designer and biggest coke importer on the west coast. Always surrounded by security. Hasn't left his compound for three years except with so much muscle no one can get near. Guards that can't be bought.

Sixty years old and ex merc until he got into the fashion game to cover up his import business. Started with European women and found coke more profitable. Ended up more famous than he expected because his outfits caught on. His clothes hang off superstars worldwide. Paulie's not kidding. An impossible target is right.

The part I don't get is why the Don wants him dead.

Paulie reads my mind. "Kruger's halfway through a deal with Don Mancini. Going into business together."

I get it at once. If the deal is done, Kruger's product will flood the city. Mancini will make a fortune, enough cash to buy judges, cops, senators. Make life real hard for the other families to operate. Whack Kruger and that money and influence disappears in a puff of smoke. Not to mention Kruger got the Don's niece pregnant a few years back. Made her get rid of it but the operation went south. She ended up infertile, killed herself about six months later. The Don never forgave him for that. Kept telling me to watch for Kruger ever coming into the open. He never did. Locked himself away after that.

"Is he walking?" I ask.

"There's a retrospective of his work coming up in L.A. Lifetime achievement award from some bullshit body or other. Couldn't give them a decent excuse to stay away I'm guessing."

I doubt it. I know Kruger. His ego is making him come out for the award, overruling his defensive nature. "When is it?" I ask.

"Tomorrow at five. We've booked a flight for you. Leaves in an hour. Case is at the airport in the long term lot at the other end. But listen to me, Ethan. Is she worth all this? Kruger will have security up the wazoo. You're retiring, my man. Why not just give the girl up and let bygones be bygones? I'll get you all the snatch you want."

"Tell the Don I'll take the job."

"Are you insane? You'll get killed. Just give Benito the girl and walk away. Take that money and set up somewhere new. Get yourself a dozen girls, every shade of the rainbow."

"I said I'll take the job."

"You don't get it. You'll get killed. Kruger won't let you get within a mile of the place. He knows your face, I've no doubt."

"Have I ever failed a job?"

"That's not the point. You're the best, Ethan, I know that. But even if you do it, Primo is still going to come after you to get her back. Or to kill her if she won't leave you. He'll never let this rest. His son's honor is on the line. His honor is on the line. He'll come after the family businesses, try and make us give you up. You've embarrassed him by taking the girl. Why not just give her back and retire like you were going to?"

Maybe he's right. But I won't give her up. She's hiding out at her place right now. I know that. The tracker in my car shows it's outside her front door. She's gone home and I want to go collect her. I can wait a couple of hours. She won't be going anywhere. She'll be too scared I'll snatch her off the streets.

I'll do this job and then I'll have the Don's blessing to marry her. He won't be able to refuse it. I'm doing the impossible job for him. I'm taking out Harrison Kruger, the man he's wanted dead ever since Annie killed herself. I do this and I'm home free.

I don't bother telling Paulie that my entire plan revolves around having Primo and Benito come after me. The last couple of jobs I've deliberately made a couple of hardly noticeable errors. Just small ones. I want my enemies to think I'm slipping.

That way they get complacent, think they don't need to be as sharp. They don't know I'm as sharp as I ever was when it comes to killing. Primo and Benito think I'm a man on the slide. They'll soon find out different.