Maggie Lee (Book 7): The Hitwoman and the 7 Cops (19 page)
I visited Katie next. She was in a great mood, full of wit and laughter. The time I spent with her erased all the tension of the previous days and filled my heart with joy.
I was humming a happy tune when I left her room.
I was half-way down the hall when the muscled barbarian stepped into my path. Even his arrival didn’t dampen my spirits. “Hi,” I said with a genuine smile.
The greeting obviously confused Vinnie, Delveccio’s bodyguard because he regarded me like I was something he’d never seen before.
“How are you?” I asked pleasantly.
“Chocolate pudding,” he growled. “Now.”
Sighing, I changed course toward the cafeteria. I continued humming, secure in the knowledge that whatever the mobster tossed my way, I’d be able to handle it.
After all, I’d saved The Corset, saved Marlene from Wally the Pimp, saved Deb from Lucky O’Hara (a development I made a mental note to talk to Patrick about), and saved my dad from both the Marshal Service and a crime family.
For a paid killer, I was doing quite a bit of lifesaving.
Delveccio sat in the far corner of the cafeteria. Two puddings were in front of him. He was half-hidden by the newspaper he pretended to read.
“Mind if I join you?” I asked cheekily.
“Sit.”
I slid into the seat and reached for one of the creamy desserts. I’d
earned
this treat.
“Did you hear about our mutual friend?” Delveccio watched me carefully.
Something in his tone, made me put down my spoon before ever dipping it into the pudding. My good mood evaporated and a knot of anxiety yanked tight in my gut. “What about him?”
“He’s in the hospital.”
I looked away, not wanting the mob boss to see how much that revelation affected me. “Hurt on the job?” I tilted my head to one side than the other. “Or hurt on
a
job?”
“Nope.” Delveccio fiddled with his over-sized diamond pinkie ring for a long moment. “He was poisoned.”
I thought about Patrick sneezing and looking sick. I thought about him not calling.
I did my best to sound nonchalant, but my voice cracked under the strain. “Accidentally?” I asked hopefully.
Delveccio shook his head. “Somebody wants him dead.”
The end
Don’t miss Book 8 in the Neurotic Hitwoman series.
You know it’s going to be a bad day when “CEMETERY” tops your To Do list.
Want to know why Armani “borrowed” DeeDee?
Find out in:
The Mutt and the Matchmaker
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