Read Online Finding Floyd by Melinda Peters - Free Book Online

sweet ass and down her legs. Her teeth had
chattered uncontrollably until he'd wrapped her in a blanket and
held her in his arms by the fire.
    Damn the boss and damn Rodriguez. I'm an
idiot. What's wrong with me? I know I was on duty, but why didn't I
just climb into bed with Diane last night? I think she'd have been
willing. Who knows when I'll be able to get back to see her. My
texts won't even go from up here on the side of this mountain. Must
be in a dead zone. At least I left her that note, telling her how I
felt. As soon as I can get a signal, I'm going to call her. Thank
god I have her number. I'll just have to use the damn government
phone.
    He snapped his head up and looked up and down
the road. I've got to stay focused on the job. His hand went to the
holstered Sig Sauer 9mm pistol on his hip. I need to forget about
Diane for now, and concentrate on what I'm doing.
    He turned his head slowly, peering into the
woods. This time of year was when the black bears emerged hungry,
from their hibernation. The last thing I need is a confrontation
with a cranky bear.
    Down below on the main road, a vehicle slowed
as it approached the turn. Could this be our man? Alert, he peered
down the gravel road to where it disappeared between the trees.
* * *
    Bruno Toricello was on the lam, hiding out in
a hunting cabin in Floyd County, Virginia. The cabin was owned by
one of his many Jersey cousins. He was vigilant as he drove the
battered pickup truck along the winding mountain roads. As he
rounded curves that looped up and over wooded ridges, a few houses
or lonely weathered barns would appear, but he saw no people.
    The truck was part of his cover, as were the
overalls, flannel shirt and Atlanta Braves ball cap. His Dixie
redneck disguise was a little thin, as nothing could hide the tough
looking heavy features that gave him away. Aviator dark glasses sat
on a wide nose that looked as though it'd been broken more than
once. A perpetual blue-black five-o'clock shadow with a half-smoked
cigar protruding from one corner of his cruel mouth didn't help
either. The perpetual cigar and ruthless manner of dealing with his
enemies had earned him the nickname, Bruno "Blowtorch" Toricello.
Despite his disguise, he looked exactly like the big city thug he
was.
    When he'd left Jersey for Virginia, he'd
brought plenty of cash with him to avoid using credit cards and
leaving a paper trail. He'd spent the day food shopping and was
heading back to the safety of the cabin. Behind him were bags
filled with wine, bread, cheese, cold cuts, and several pounds of
what the grocery store's olive bar had to offer.
    "Store's down here, they don't got any good
bread," he groused with irritation. He wasn't used to spending this
much time alone and had taken to talking to himself. "It ain't like
at home, where you could go buy a good loaf all over. How can they
live where you can't get good bread? There's no good pizza, can't
find no good Chinese food neitha. These hicks must eat nothin' but
ham and biscuits. I like a nice fluffy biscuit as much as the next
guy, but no nice crusty Italian bread?" He shook his head in
disgust.
    His attention turned back to the road just in
time to swerve, barely missing the dead skunk lying in the middle
of the road. Toricello wrinkled his nose in disgust. "Speaking of
skunks, that stupid shit, Tony DePalma, let his ass get caught. The
guy's an amateur!" he ranted at the windshield. "Now he's in jail
spilling his guts to the police, the FBI and anybody else who wants
to listen. If I hadn't hired his ass, I wouldn't be stuck here
today. Biggest mistake I ever made. Here I am. Me. Bruno Toricello
holed up here like I'm friggin' Robin Hood out in the woods hiding
from the Sheriff."
    Bruno drove along talking to himself and
gesturing with his hands. A dusty blue pickup approached and passed
him going the other way. The driver nodded and raised an index
finger from the steering wheel giving him a friendly Floyd