Judge & Jury

Chapter 119

ANDIE WAS JUMPY as she turned the key to the hotel room door. Cavello barely gave her time to catch a breath."Let me," he whispered, close to her ear.

He took the keys out of her hand and, a second later, pushed her up against the wall inside, pressing his body hard against hers. He put his tongue into her mouth.

Andie almost gagged.

Then Cavello had his hand underneath her T-shirt, pawing at her breasts.

Oh, God. This was Dominic Cavello. He was Jarrod's killer.

Andie closed her eyes, then felt his hand slowly slide down her stomach, slipping underneath her panties.

"You're all hot." Cavello pulled away, gri

"Yeah. Let's not rush this, though, Frank. We have all the time in the world."

He pulled her denim jacket off, tossed it on the floor."You knowthe second I saw you I wanted this to happen. I wanted to take you right in that store."

"Does that mean the trip to the ranch is off?" Andie said, trying to be cute.

Cavello laughed again, pulling her in to him, cupping his hands over her breasts again. She wanted to kill him right now.

"I need a couple of seconds." Andie gasped.

"Not right now." He pulled her T-shirt up, started licking her breasts and shoulders. He began to grind against her thigh. Then he ripped her bra off in a violent tug and started fondling her bare breasts.

"Please, I need a second," she said."The bathroom."

Cavello looked into her eyes."You don't want to back out now?"

"Who's backing out?" Andie tried to laugh, but Cavello grabbed her by the wrist and flung her onto the bed. He seemed out of control. She tried to calm herself, but she was thinking of the knife. She slid herself up to the pillow, where it was hidden. She'd cut through that melon. She could cut Cavello.

Cavello thrust himself between her legs. He was trying to get her jeans off.

"Slower," Andie said, pretending to help him, shuffling back until the pillow was under her head. She reached behind, feeling for the blade. She stretched out, pretending to enjoy Cavello undressing her. She prayed that Nick would come through the door. Where was he?

She felt the handle of the knife under the pillow. She had to get him a little closer. She fixed her eyes on Cavello's neck-the spot where Nick taught her to plunge the blade.

"What's the name of your ship?" Cavello said, startling her.

"What? E-excuse me?" she stammered.

"The name of your ship, Alicia." He had her wrists pi

Andie froze. She stared back into his eyes. Her heart thumped as she struggled for an answer.

"Nothing goes out this time of year. They leave in the spring, not winter," Cavello said."You're a fox, Alicia." He dug one hand into her throat."But now I think it's time you tell me who the hell you are."

Chapter 120

THEY'D BEEN UP THERE for seven minutes. I knew I couldn't wait any longer. It didn't matter that the bodyguard in the Adidas warm-up was smoking a cigarette in front of the hotel entrance. Or that the other one, with the shaved head and mustache, had followed Cavello and Andie inside.

I had to go in.

Los Pelicanos wasn't exactly a five-star. It was sleepy and quiet, with a tiny lobby and a single clerk behind the desk. A cramped three-person elevator served its five floors.

I went around back to a small alleyway. I couldn't chance going into the lobby. Above me, there was an old fire escape, the kind with the lowest platform hanging from the second floor. I jumped, latched onto a grate, and yanked myself up. The window facing me opened to what looked like a hallway. But the window was locked.

I cocked my elbow back and hit the pane. Shards of glass shattered all over the floor. I squeezed my hands through the splintered pane and lifted the frame. The window rose. Then I ducked inside the hallway, the Glock in my hand.

In front of me was the elevator landing and a narrow staircase leading to the upper floors. That's where Andie was, on three. I made my way up the stairs.

I stopped on the third-floor landing. I saw Shaved Head leaning against the wall. He had his back turned to me and was gazing out a hallway window.

I rushed him-and he must have heard me coming. In a frantic motion, he fumbled for his gun.

I flattened the muzzle of my weapon against his jacket and jerked the trigger, twice. The retort convulsed him, the sound muffled against his body. He slumped against the wall, his hand still grasping for his gun. He slowly slid down as his eyes rolled back. A crimson stain spread out on his shirt.

I raced down the hallway to 304. I held back at the door for a second; then I heard a gasp-Andie.

Chapter 121

"YOU KILLED MY SON!"

Cavello's eyes bulged as he tried to make sense of what she said. Then recognition spread across his face. He reached for the dog tag Andie always kept around her neck. It had Jarrod's birthday on it.

"You're from the trial! You're the one whose kid was on the bus!"

"You pig!" Andie tried to twist out of his grasp, but Cavello held her tight.

"You'll like this," he said."I wanted to do you all through the trial. Right in the jury box."

Suddenly the hotel room door crashed open. Cavello spun around.

"Get off her!" Nick yelled as he stepped into the room, his gun leveled at Cavello.

The strangest look came over the gangster's face. He was shocked at first, staring at the gun muzzle. But then he couldn't hold back an incredulous grin. "Nicky Smiles."

"You told me to come and find you. So I did."

"You've been wasting your talents, Nicky. All these years, working for the FBI." He looked at Andie."And you. You lost out on a really good time."

Without a word, Andie punched his face as hard as she could."A good time? I had to keep from throwing up. You killed my little boy! "

"Well, that really stings, Alicia, or whatever your name is. Tell me, Nick, is this little rendezvous official? How'd you find me?"

Cavello rose from the bed, rubbing his jaw and moving it around.

"El Fin del Mundo. This is it. Remlikov sold you out."

"Remlikov?" Cavello squinted."Who's that?"

"Nordeshenko," Nick said."You got a lot to pay for, Dom."

"Yeah, well I figure I got time. The extradition treaties don't move so fast down here. Not to imply I'm not totally humbled-you guys coming all the way down here to take me back."

Nick stared at him coldly."What makes you think anyone came down here to take you back?"

The color in Cavello's face began to drain."You're a federal agent, Pellisante."

"Actually, not anymore. What do you think of that?"

Cavello sniffed."Well, waddaya know. I'm impressed, Nicky Smiles."

In a swift motion, Cavello took the small writing desk by the window and hurled it.

Nick fired. The bullet tore into Cavello's shoulder.

Nick jumped back as the desk crashed against the wall. Cavello made a leap for the window, hitting it with his clenched fists. He crashed through the glass.

Both Nick and Andie ran to the broken window. They saw Cavello writhing on the ground, three stories below. Then he started to rise. He struggled to his feet, clutching his shoulder. And he began to stagger away.