Chapter 17 - THE GREENHOUSE
Massimo went alone.
At least, that was what Dean believed.
The old greenhouse sat at the edge of the property beyond a line of black oak trees. Half the glass roof had been replaced after a hurricane, and ivy crawled along the stone foundation like veins.
Massimo entered with his cane in one hand and no visible weapon.
Dean stood near the center aisle.
Nina sat on a potting bench, hugging her rabbit.
A pistol rested against her tiny shoulder.
Massimo’s vision narrowed.
“Take the gun off her.”
Dean smiled. “Give me the codes.”
“Nina.”
She looked at him with wet eyes. “Uncle Massimo.”
“You okay?”
She nodded bravely.
Dean pressed the barrel closer. “Codes.”
Massimo recited the first sequence.
Dean typed it into a laptop.
“Second half.”
“No.”
Dean’s smile vanished.
Massimo leaned on the cane. “You get the second half when she walks to me.”
“Not how this works.”
“It is if you want the money.”
Dean studied him.
Then he grabbed Nina by the arm and pushed her forward.
She stumbled.
Massimo’s entire body tensed.
“Easy.”
Nina ran the last few feet into him.
He dropped the cane and caught her.
For one second, relief broke through everything.
Then Dean raised the gun.
“You always had a weakness for strays.”
Massimo shoved Nina behind a concrete planter.
The first shot hit his shoulder.
He spun but stayed upright.
Dean fired again.
Glass exploded behind Massimo.
Then Carla’s voice screamed from outside.
“Nina!”
Dean turned.
Massimo lunged.
They crashed into a row of tables.
Dean was stronger. Massimo’s legs were barely reliable.
But rage gave him balance.
Dean drove a fist into his wound.
Massimo grunted and dropped to one knee.
“You were supposed to stay broken,” Dean hissed.
Massimo looked up.
“So were you.”
He swung the cane into Dean’s injured shoulder—the same shoulder Dean had once taken a bullet through to sell his lie.
Dean screamed.
The pistol skidded across the floor.
Nina saw it.
So did Dean.
May you like
He dove toward the gun.
And Nina got there first.
