Maggie Lee (Book 11): The Hitwoman Hires a Manny Read Free

forbidden her to talk about what had happened. I wondered if Jack had gotten the same instruction. "I'm sorry you got dragged into that."
     
    "Nobody dragged me into anything. I'm the one that followed you up there. I'm just asking for an explanation as to what the hell happened." He pushed himself away from the wall and towered over me, as though he thought I'd be intimidated enough to actually give the answer he was searching for.
     
    "I'm not sure I even know," I muttered. That was the truth. Armani had been kidnapped, I'd tried to rescue her from the O'Hara crime family, but it had been Ms. Whitehat’s black-clad ninjas that had ultimately saved the day.
     
    He put his hands on his hips, and leaned closer, dark eyes glittering as he searched my face. "They scared you into silence too, didn't they?" I wasn't sure if I heard accusation or pity in his voice.
     
    Deciding that the safest thing I could do was remain silent, I lifted a shoulder and stared down at the ground.
     
    "Miss Lee?" Another man's voice interrupted the conversation from behind Jack.
     
    I looked toward its source, desperate to extricate myself from the conversation with Jack. The reporter didn't want to be interrupted. He stepped closer to me, to block my view of the other man.
     
    "Everything okay?" the other man asked, a forced note of cheerfulness in his tone, as he stepped around Jack so that I could see him.
     
    Angel Delveccio, tall, dark and brawny was watching me with concern.

    We’d first met at the mental health facility where my mother and his cousin reside. He’d been kind enough to use his bulging biceps to change my flat tire. We’d sort of hit it off, but then I found out that he's the nephew of my favorite mobster.
     
    As seemed to usually be the case, the former sailor was wearing a Navy shirt.
    I wondered whether that was his way of declaring an identity separate from that of his crime-loving family.
     
    "She's fine, buddy," Jack growled.
     
    Looking from Jack's frustrated face, to the concern on Angel’s, my gut flip-flopped nervously. The last thing I needed was for these two men to get into a fight over me. It couldn't end well.
     
    While Jack had the life-hardened edges of a crime reporter, I was pretty sure he was no match for Angel, who I'd seen toss a car tire like it was a frisbee.
     
    Needing to diffuse the situation, I struggled to come up with a smile for Angel. "I'm fine."
     
    Angel looked from me to Jack, and back to me, as though deciding whether or not to believe me.
     
    "Then I apologize for interrupting," Angel said smoothly. "If you do decide you need me, I'll be in there." He moved past us into the cafeteria.
     
    Before Jack could start asking me again about the fiasco in Pennsylvania, I went on the offensive. "Why did you want to meet? You said it had something to do with my family."
     
    Jack stared at me, assessing. Then he shook his head, his mouth a flat grim line. "Now's not the time." He turned to walk away.
     
    "What do you mean now's not the time?" I called after him.
     
    He didn't answer, just waved a hand, and kept walking.
     
    I watched him disappear from sight, wondering what kind of game he was playing. The fact that he was jerking me around made me angry. I had enough to contend with, without his games. Not the least of which was explaining to Katie what had just happened, and dealing with Angel.
     
    I took a couple of deep steadying breaths, threw my shoulders back, and marched back into the cafeteria, head held high, determined to fool Katie into thinking everything was okay.
     
    Delveccio’s gaze was sharp as it settled on my face.
     
    "Sorry about that," I said breezily, settling back into my seat beside Katie. "It's been a crazy day." I hated the wide-eyed, worried gaze of my niece. She had enough problems, I didn't need to add to them. I kissed the top of her head. "Trust me, if you'd spent time with Aunt Loretta, you'd be stressed out too."
     
    "Did she make you play