Lethal Journey Read Free

box. Diamonds shimmered in the
candlelight.
    “Dad, it’s
gorgeous.”
    “A little
something I found on Fifth Avenue. Do you like it?”
    Lauren smiled
and clasped the white gold bracelet around her wrist. “Of course I
do. Thank you. It’s beautiful.” She started to nibble on a bread
twist and noticed her father yawn. “Tough day?”
    “Yeah. I spent
most of the afternoon reading through my old files on Valdina.”
    “You should be
the one taking him on again. You’re still the Deputy District
Attorney.”
    She never
forgot the look of disappointment in her father’s eyes when the
decision came down ten years ago. Not guilty of murder. With lots of money tucked away and dozens
of associates bought and paid for, Gino Valdina’s “friends” would
gladly take the fall for him. Anytime. At any cost. And
had.
    “You know
that’s not possible. The farther I stay away from the case the
better. We don’t want to give Ricardo Pinstronna any excuse to ask
the judge for a mistrial. The guy is the true meaning of a
slime-ball. He gives lawyers a bad name. Did you know he defended a
dozen of Bonanno’s crew in the eighties and won?”
    “I didn’t know
that. Well he’s not going to get his client off this time.
Valdina’s claim that someone broke into his house while he was out
of town and slaughtered his wife for revenge doesn’t wash. I’m sure
he has enemies, lots of them. Being head of New York’s oldest and
most influential Cosa Nostra for over thirty years, no doubt there
are people lined up waiting to take him out and anyone he’s
connected with. The evidence doesn’t lie.” Lauren paused and took a
sip of her wine before continuing. “Gino killed Madelina in cold
blood. She was fed up with his ‘goomatta’ and demanded fidelity in
their marriage. When he refused to give up his long-term mistress,
Madelina took matters in her own hands and filed for a divorce. Not
something you do when you’re married to the mob. When you’re a
Mafia wife you’re “owned” for life. I’m confident the state will
prove their case.”
    “And I’m
confident my brilliant and beautiful daughter will nail the
bastard’s ass to the wall.”
    She hoped he
was right. “We’ll get him.”
    Her father
leaned back in the chair. “Troy said he wouldn’t be surprised if
Pinstronna wants to make an eleventh hour deal.”
    Troy Granger.
Assistant District Attorney. An attractive playboy known throughout
the state of New York. Even his name made Lauren’s skin crawl. She
detested the man and the feeling was mutual. To fuel the fire even
more, her best friend Amanda Richmond had become Troy’s recent love
conquest. The thought of Amanda and Troy vacationing in the Bahamas
almost made Lauren sick.
    Lauren put the
linen napkin on her lap. “I couldn’t care less what Troy thinks.
He’s not running this trial. There won’t be any deals. It’s all or
nothing.”
    “That’s my
girl. You sound very much like your old man. Hey, look. Here comes
our dinner.”
    “Great, I’m
starved.”
    After the
waiter put the salmon roll and caviar on the table, they dug
in.
    When their
entrees were served, Lauren pushed the green beans to the side of
her plate and took a bite of the sole. Across the room a waitress
snapped a picture of a young couple cuddled together in a booth.
The man looked deep into the woman’s eyes, and then seductively
kissed the woman’s cheek.
    “Dating anyone
these days?”
    The fork
slipped from between Lauren’s fingers and fell to her plate with a
clang, but went unnoticed due to the festive hum of the restaurant.
“What?”
    “Dating
anyone?”
    She swallowed
hard. “You know I haven’t dated much since—”
    “Eric?”
    “Yes, since
Eric. Do we have to discuss this tonight?”
    “I’m just
concerned. You don’t seem to have much of a social life.”
    “Come on, you
make me sound like a nun. I don’t have much free time these days. I
volunteer every Saturday at the Humane Society. The