Mafia Queen (The Manning Sisters #1) by Christina Escue Page B

suitcases in the car in less than a minute. When John walked into the garage Dakota turned around and hugged him. “Stay safe, dad.”
    “We are securing the house and will be behind you in less than five minutes. No one knows any of our vehicles so we will be fine even if we have to drive down a street filled with Morrison’s men. You, on the other hand, will not, so go and be safe.”
    Dakota nodded and climbed into his vintage Firebird. When Lis was settled in the passenger seat with the gun box in her lap he started the car and backed out of the garage.
    “The code is 0706,” Dakota told her and nodded to the box. “Open it and have it ready just in case.”
    “The code is my birthday?” Lis asked and grinned. “How long have you had this?”
    “Three years,” he answered as he steered the car through traffic. “I bought it when I had the beach house built. I was meaning to take it there, but never did. I’m glad I didn’t because we may need them today.”
    Lis nodded and opened the box. Inside was four perfectly pristine hand guns and several full clips for each. She took her eyes off them for a moment to look around them before she pulled two out and popped the clips in them. “I’m glad you never took them, too.”
    “Keep out an extra clip for each and set the box on the floor. I don’t want anyone driving by to see what we have in here.”
    “Good idea,” She said as she pulled out two more loaded clips and closed the box, making sure it didn’t lock, before setting it on the floor at her feet. She reached over and slid one of the guns under his leg, where it was easily assessable, but not seen, and slipped the other under her own leg.
    “Help me keep an eye out for trouble. We will be at the bridge we’re taking in about five minutes and I really don’t want to get caught unaware.”
    Lis nodded and glanced around her. When her eyes landed on a dark SUV with tented windows heading in the opposite direction she watched it until it passed them. “Dakota, that was one of Morrison’s SUV’s.”
    “How do you know?” He asked and looked in his review mirror as the SUV disappeared from sight.
    “It was an Audi Q5. That’s all he buys for his men. They’re easily recognized if you know what to look for,” she told him and then nodded as another one passed. “There goes more of them.”
    Dakota watched as that one disappeared from view, too. Just as they entered the bridge another one passed and Dakota held his breath. At any moment one of them could recognize him or Lis and then all hell would break loose. “It seems he’s filling the island with his men. That makes me believe he knew we were here, but didn’t know where.”
    “Dakota, we have trouble coming up on our rear,” Lis said as she glanced behind them again. “They’re about ten cars back, but they are slowly closing in.”
    “Fuck. I guess one of them spotted us. As soon as we get off the bridge I want you to hold on tight. I am going to try to lose them.” Lis nodded, but slid her hand under her leg. She was going to be prepared just in case. As soon as the tires left the bridge, Dakota floored it. They sped down the road and were on a side street before the SUV made it off the bridge.
    “Hold on, Lis,” Dakota said through gritted teeth as he took the next left and then an immediate right. “I really don’t want a shootout right now.”
    “Neither do I,” she agreed as she watched behind them. “I’ll watch the back you watch the front.”
    “Deal,” he agreed and grinned. She definitely knew what she was doing and he couldn’t be happier about that.
    “Fuck. They’re behind us,” Lis said as Dakota took the next turn at full speed.
    “Lis, can you shoot from a moving vehicle?”
    “I can,” Lis confirmed and Dakota grinned. “Hold the car steady.”
    Dakota took one more turn onto an empty street and Lis rolled down the window. As she stuck her head out and leveled the gun at the SUV a shot rang out