Sweet Vengeance by Cindy Stark Page A

sights below.  She leaned out over the
thigh-high wall as though to see better, and Jase had to stop himself from
grabbing her.  It didn't make him feel any better when she turned and sat on
the short wall, facing him.  If she leaned too far back, she could fall.   
    "Are
you afraid someone might betray you, and you'll need a back door?" 
    "No. 
This place is a fortress."  He walked and sat next to her, glancing over
his shoulder at the passing cars.  The street was a long way down.  A siren
sounded in the distance, but his block was quiet.  "The men I've hired are
loyal, and I'm not worried."  At least, not much.
    When
she spoke again, her voice was more subdued.  "How long are they going to
look for me?" 
    "Honestly,
I don't know."  He sighed and put a protective arm around her.  The
constant need to watch over her baffled him.  "Is this okay?"
    She
leaned against him.  "It's nice."
    It
was nice.  Too nice.  "I'm not sure why they're so desperate to get their
hands on you."
    "I
saw them kill Joey," she whispered.  "You know that."
    "I
know, and I could see them taking you out if they saw you on the
streets."  It made him sick to think about it.  "But this is more
than an active interest in finding you."  He turned to her, wondering how
to approach the subject of what Joey may have passed along to her.  "Could
you identify who shot him?"
    "No." 
She shook her head, a sad look crossing her face.  He hated to keep reminding
her of the previous night, but they both needed answers. 
    "A
green sedan came out of nowhere, and the next thing I knew Joey was laying on
the ground.  It all happened so fast."
    "Exactly
how they wanted it.  The Trasatti organization is good at what they do."
    "I
can't believe the Trasattis would kill him.  Joey was friends with them, with
Benny Trasatti.  They might beat him up, but they wouldn't kill him."  She
paused, a worried look on her face.  "Would they?" 
    Jase
shrugged.  "Word on the street today is that's who made the hit." 
Now was his chance.  "Did Joey ever talk about them to you?  Did he ever
give you anything unusual or ask you to do something odd for him?"
    "No." 
She shook her head slowly.  "He didn't ever give me anything unusual.  He
did mention something about giving his 'boys' what they wanted.  But I don't
know what that was."  Tension grew on her words.  "He said if he gave
whatever it was to them, everything would be fine.  There wouldn't be anything
to worry about." 
    She
pulled away from Jase and stood, looking out toward the city.  "Plus, he
was best friends with Benny Trasatti.  Benny wouldn't hurt him.  Not to
mention, he hadn't had time to return whatever it was.  He'd barely told me
this, and—" her voice dropped to a whisper, "—then he was
shot." 
    Jase
stood, too.  "Yeah, that doesn't make a whole lot of sense to demand
something one minute and kill him the next."
    Allie
wrapped her arms across her chest.  "I just can't believe Benny's family
would kill Joey.  He and Benny had been best friends since grade school."
    Jase
studied her, trying to get a sense of whether or not she was withholding
anything.  She seemed pretty straightforward.  "Any idea what this 'thing'
might have been?"
    "No. 
I have no clue."
    "You
must have some kind of an idea."  He hated giving her a mental push, but
it was necessary.
    She
turned to him with wide eyes.  "No.  In fact, last night was the first
night he'd ever mentioned having any real trouble."
    Jase
raised his brows, but didn't say anything.
    "Do
you think I wouldn't tell you if I knew?  You're trying to help me." 
Emotion shadowed her words making him feel like a jerk.
    "To
be honest, I'm not sure."  He turned his gaze, looking at the skyline.  He
couldn't bear to see the fear in her eyes, but he needed to play this role a
few minutes longer.  How did either one of them really know they could trust
the other yet?  "Max thinks you know something."
    "Jase." 
She