Chapter 7 - The Master Stroke
Leo looked down at Dante's lifeless body and smiled with pure satisfaction.
"You actually did it, waitress," Leo laughed, holstering his weapon.
Mia was sobbing, her hands bound tightly behind her back with zip ties.
"I held up my end of the deal, now let her go," I demanded, stepping between them.
Leo kicked Dante's ribs to ensure he wasn't faking, but the heavy man didn't move an inch.
"You did good, Cara, but there is a slight change of plans," Leo said.
Two massive Russian thugs entered the room and grabbed Dante's body by the arms.
"Vanessa doesn't just want the money," Leo explained, lighting a cigarette.
"She wants the pleasure of watching his body burn in the crematorium herself."
Leo grabbed Mia by the hair and dragged her out the door.
"Bring the waitress too," Leo ordered the guards.
They shoved me into the back of a panel van alongside my crying sister.
We drove to an industrial funeral home on the outskirts of the city.
This was the location Vanessa had chosen for her fake grieving press conference.
They dragged us down to the basement, where a massive steel incinerator roared with fire.
Vanessa stood in front of the flames, wearing a stunning black designer dress.
Dante's body was dumped onto a metal rolling table right in front of the open furnace.
"Oh, Dante," Vanessa mocked, tracing her perfectly manicured finger over his pale face.
"You were always so hard to kill."
She turned to Leo and handed him a heavy silver revolver.
"Shoot the girls and throw them all in the fire," Vanessa ordered casually.
"Leave no loose ends."
Leo pointed the gun directly at my forehead.
I closed my eyes and prayed that Dante's plan was real.
Suddenly, a loud, metallic click echoed through the basement.
May you like
Vanessa gasped as a cold steel barrel was pressed directly against the back of her head.
Dante was sitting straight up on the metal table, holding a gun.
