The Goddaughter by Melodie Campbell Page B

practically ran back to the building.
    â€œOkay, let’s move it,” I said to Pete.
    â€œWhy am I driving your car, again?” Pete started her up and shifted into drive.
    â€œBecause your car only has two seats.”
    Pete glanced over. “I meant, why aren’t you driving?”
    â€œAh!” I said. “Well, that’s the clever part of the plan.” And I told him what I had in mind.
    Pete sighed. “Tell me again why I’m doing this.”
    â€œBecause you’re crazy about me, and because the sex is amazing.”
    Now he laughed. “Maybe I’m just crazy. But I’m glad you think it’s amazing.”
    Pete seemed pretty comfortable driving my car. We whipped through the streets of Steeltown and headed straight for the freeway. Next stop, Buffalo.
    It would have been a good plan. I’m pretty sure it would have worked.
    We almost got to Niagara Falls before the car broke down.
    â€œSon of a bitch!” yelled Pete, pulling off to the shoulder.
    Smoke billowed from under the hood.
    I reached for my cell phone.
    â€œSammy, we got a problem.” I explained the situation.
    â€œUm, Gina? I think we should probably get out of the car.”
    I looked up. Flames were coming out of the hood now.
    â€œHoly crap!” I pushed open the door and pitched myself out. “Yikes!”
    The shoulder gave way to a steep ditch. I rolled into a mass of bulrushes.
    Pete whacked the top of the hood with his jacket, trying to put out flames.
    I crawled up the side of the bank on my hands and knees. Pete was still yelling and cursing. The flames shot three feet in the air.
    â€œWell, at least they’ll be able to find us easily,” I said. This day was not going according to plan.
    I found my cell phone at the side of the road. Sammy was still yelling out of it. I sat down and reassured him that we would live.
    â€œBut we have another problem,” I said. “The package is melting.”

CHAPTER SIXTEEN
    W hen the ice-cream truck pulled up, I wasn’t surprised to see Sammy get out. Another car pulled up behind it. A nice new red one with spiffy wheels and no flames shooting out from under the hood. My cousin Luca got out of it.
    â€œNice save,” said Pete, admiring the freezer compartment of the truck.
    I made introductions. “Sammy, Pete. Pete, Sammy.”
    Sammy moved forward to shake hands.
    â€œSorry we got you into this,” Sammy said. Darn, I was proud of him. It was a nice sentiment. It might mean they weren’t going to kill him.
    Pete nodded. “Gina kinda dragged me into it.”
    â€œShe can drag with the best of them.”
    I rolled my eyes. “And this is my cousin Luca,” I said.
    Luca was not tall, but he was built like a boxer, light on his feet and heavy with muscle. He was wearing all black, as usual. His long dark hair was tied back in a ponytail.
    Not surprisingly, he managed a gym.
    Luca glared at Pete. Didn’t hold out his hand.
    Pete took his cue from Luca’s folded arms. He bobbed his head. “Howdy.”
    Luca nodded, then turned to me. “This the guy with the newspaper?”
    â€œIt’s okay. He’s been warned.”
    â€œWarn him again.”
    â€œNo need,” said Pete. “I’m sports beat, not crime. And I’m not stupid.”
    Luca looked Pete up and down, like a breeder looking over a stud horse. Then he stood back and nodded.
    â€œYou played for the Vikings. Quarterback. I saw the game they carried you off the field.”
    Pete nodded. He was clearly chuffed.
    I was also impressed. Had someone been doing their homework? Or was Pete a more famous guy in the sports world than I had ever realized?
    â€œYour first year in the pros.”
    Pete shrugged. “Wrecked my knee. That game finished my career.”
    Sammy nodded. “Gotta be tough to be a quarterback. Nerves of steel. They come at you from all directions.”
    Pete said