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KTBanks.com
Category:
Action/Thriller
Publisher: ICON Publishing
ISBN-10: 0615389929
Type: Fiction
Pages: 324
Copyright: August 1, 2010
ISBN-13: 9780615389929
Nico Tribiani feels the weight of the world on his shoulders, so he tries to take a break from the world and indulges in cigarettes, alcohol and guilt. Troubles slaps him in the face once again when he gets an emergency phone call from his sister that ends unexpectedly with her screaming. His sister, a black belt who is never afraid of anything or anyone.
Nico races to New Orleans only to find that she is missing. Now the chase is on!
PROLOGUE Nico Tribiani sighed as he put the last picture down. It already seemed that the wedding was a long time ago. His best friend and ex--partner on the Dallas Police Department had married and settled down about six months before. The whole family had been through so many traumas at the hands of a serial killer, that when it was over, Luke had finally succumbed to his father’s wishes and taken over the family business. The Manning family was one of the wealthiest in the country and no one had really thought Luke would stay a cop for as long as he did. Of course it had been different when he was single, but now he had a wife, and her family to take care of. She had a son and a handicap father. Luke had adopted her son Bryan and now along with the wedding pictures, was news that another baby was on the way. Nico picked up the glass of whiskey and saluted the picture of a grinning Luke. “Congratulations, boy. I’m happy as hell for you.” Happy. Now, there was a thought. When was the last time he had really been happy? His girlfriend Sherri had been murdered by the same killer that had terrorized Luke’s wife, Shannon, all those months ago. The guilt of feeling like it was all his fault for not paying enough attention to her ate at his gut on a daily basis. He looked at the bottle of whiskey and noticed it was already near empty. Well, that was okay, he patted his shirt pocket, and he was almost out of cigarettes too. He’d just go and get some more. The phone rang and he ignored it, as he had been doing a lot lately. It was probably Shannon or Luke again. They had been trying to get him to come visit them in Louisiana. He knew they were worried about him. Hell, sometimes he was too. But he just wasn’t ready. Although he felt like he needed this time alone, he knew he would have to rejoin the living sooner or later. When the answering machine came on, it took him a few seconds to realize it wasn’t Shannon’s voice. “Nico, listen.” The voice was speaking quietly. “I’m in trouble …” she paused. Recognizing his little sister’s voice, Nico lurched to grab at the receiver. “Toni?” Sighing with relief Antoinette laughed a little shakily. “Hi! I’m so glad you’re there. I just found this old pay phone. I need you to come to New Orleans—tonight. I hate to ask but I … Oh, God! Nico!” She screamed as the line went dead. Nico just stood there, holding the receiver. His heart in his throat.
Excerpt
Nico sighed and followed her up the stairs. Out of habit, he glanced up and started to reach for the white thread. It wasn’t there.
He grabbed Rachel around the mouth. Slowly they walked back down the stairs. Once on the ground, Rachel whirled around and punched him in the ribs. Then she suppressed a shriek. It felt like she had hit steel. “Don’t ever do that to me again,” she hissed at him. “What’s the matter with you?”
Nico was looking around for someplace to hide her. “Someone has been in her house, and they may still be there.” He took her hand and led her back to the car. “Drive down the street and sit very low in the car. If you see anyone but me coming towards you, take off.”
Rachel could see how upset he was, so she did as she was told. Nico turned and sprinted back up the stairs.
The door was firmly shut, but he could still hear the TV he had left on. Apparently whoever it was didn’t care if someone was home or not. Maybe that’s what they were hoping for, the bastards.
He turned the door knob, silently opened it and slipped inside. He didn’t hear anyone. But the place was a mess. Furniture cut and ripped up, things turned over, drawers left open.
He made his way into the kitchen. There was no sign of Rocky, except half of his food missing. He spun around quickly as he thought he heard the front door open. When he saw Rachel’s profile standing in the doorway, he hurried up to her.
“What are you doing? I’m not sure the place is safe yet!”
“Well, I can tell you-- it’s not.” She walked further into the room. A man with a Russian nine millimeter pressed against her back was right behind her.
Now it was that wanted to roll his eyes. “How the hell...?”
“Hey it was your bright idea to leave me in the car. You said to watch for people coming up to me. He came up behind me!” She stomped her foot. “And he broke the window of your rental car.” She folded her arms in front of her and tossed her head.
“Oh my God. Look at her house. She turned and looked at the Russian. “Did you do this?”
Looking frustrated, he pushed her at Nico. “In case you two lovebirds have not noticed, I have a gun. And I will use it.” His accent was just faintly Russian. He walked towards them and they were backed into the dining room.
“Who are you two? And what are you doing in this apartment?”
Rachel rolled her eyes again. “I told you it’s a house. Just because there is a shop under it doesn’t make it an apartment. She owns it. You rent apartments. I already told you that!”
The man looked at Nico. “Is this one crazy?”
Nico nodded, “I’m beginning to think so.”
Taking his hand from Rachel’s shoulder, he held out his hand, “Hi, I’m Nico Tribiani. This is Rachel.”
The man stood where he was, of course he didn’t reach for Nico’s hand. “Tribiani? Do you know Antoinette?”
“Yes, as a matter of fact I do. Do you?”
“Do you know where she is?”
“No. Do you?”
“Are you a relative of hers?”
“Her brother.”
The man motioned to Rachel, “And you?”
“I’m Rachel Ma...” she stopped when she felt Nico squeeze her shoulder.
“Married to me.”
“I thought so, you argue so much. I need to find your sister, now.”
“Why?”
“Just to ask her some questions.” He shrugged.
“I haven’t seen my sister in about six months.”
“Well kiss your wife one more time. I’m afraid I have to terminate you now.” He said it like saying he wanted to go for a newspaper.
Rachel felt Nico tense up. The guy had been so polite; he was hoping it wouldn’t come to this.
“No kiss?” he pointed the gun at Nico’s head. Nico moved to put himself in front of Rachel. At the same time they heard a feral growl as Rocky jumped from the top of the tall china cabinet. He seemed to fly through the air and landed on top of the man with the gun. He yelped and started swinging around trying to dislodge the heavy beast.
His gun went flying across the room and landed with a thud on the hardwood floor. Rachel winced when she saw how deeply it gouged the wood. She ran over and picked up the heavy gun, using both hands to point it at the man.
Nico remembered that Hoop was supposed to give him a better gun at the club. They had both forgotten when Hoop got mad at him. All he could do was grab the small gun at his ankle that belonged to Toni.
The man was on the floor by now, looking frantically for his gun. Rocky was sitting calmly on the dining table, with one leg raised high in the air while he was cleaning himself.
“Shoot him Nico. Shoot him!” Rachel was hopping from one foot to the other.
“If I shoot him, darlin, how will I question him?” Nico did his best Texas drawl. “Plus, you have the better gun.”
Rachel looked down at the gun in her hand as if she just remembered she had it. Then she looked at Nico’s and smirked. “Well look at that. My gun is bigger than your gun. Okay, I’ll shoot him.” She steadied the gun and pointed it at the man’s chest.
“No! I told you we need to question him first.”
“Well, what if I just wing him, so he won’t be able to get away, or cause any trouble?” She narrowed her eyes and smiled at the Russian.
Nico pulled his cell phone out of his pocket, “Sorry babe, I’ll let you hurt someone later. Right now I’m calling the police.” He motioned to the front door, “Go lock the door. We don’t need any more unexpected company.” He started speaking into the phone in a quiet voice.
Rachel locked the door and turned to the man still on the floor, although he was sitting up straight now. “You little worm. Are there more guys like you running around here?”
He refused to speak and just looked away from her.
Nico shut his phone and Rachel walked over to him, “Here, let’s trade guns. This one’s too dang heavy.”
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