Read Online ROMANTIC SUSPENSE : DEATH WHISPERED SOFTLY by Oliver Anderson, Maddie Grace - Free Book Online Page A

into it as he was. There was no way Ricardo could blackmail him without risking his own skin. Steve knew he was safe as long as he did the job. But it would be an entirely different story should he elect to back out.
    As if reading what was going on in his mind Ricardo asked Steve quietly “What are you thinking amigo?  Don’t tell me you think I will rat on you?”  Ricardo sneered. “Or are you having second thoughts about going ahead with this?” Ricardo asked- a snap in his voice.
    But Steve shook his head, looked straight into Ricardo’s eyes and gave Ricardo a ghost of a smile “Don’t worry Ricardo, I will go ahead with it, but remember, you are as much in this as me and so is your rich friend Gustav Nilsson. If you decide to blow the whistle on me, be sure that I will blow it on both you and Nilsson” Steve told Ricardo—an unmistakable threat in his icy cold voice.
    Ricardo was surprised by Steve’s reaction. He knew this man was not joking and he could only nod. “Cool it amigo, I am not blowing no whistle”.
    In Ricardo’s black furtive eyes, void of emotion, Steve saw that they had come to an understanding, and he smiled mirthlessly. 
    Both men recognized the fact that they were immersed deep in this plan and it would be hard pressed for either of them to turn on each other now. The ‘hit’ was now in place and Steve was committed and he knew there would be no turning back from here on without dire consequences. 
    “Let’s drink to the success of our plan Steve. What would you like, Whiskey or Vodka? I keep both” Ricardo asked cheerfully.
    “Whiskey” replied Steve. And as Ricardo got up to walk across to the shabby bar across the room, Steve lapsed once again into thoughts. Although he looked calm and composed on the outside, he didn’t feel very serene or peaceful inwardly. He was interiorly trying his utmost to inhibit his mind from dwelling on the “hit”—for it was too troubling for Steve to evaluate why he was prepared to murder a young lady who was grieving the tragic loss of her father. He wanted this dreadful incident to be over as quickly as possible so that he can get the money he desperately needed to accomplish his burning ambition of establishing a chain of restaurants in California.  But netting money at the cost of taking someone’s life, a totally innocent girl’s life, was a highly tormenting thought. And it was already disturbing Steve profoundly. It was like a nightmare, being chased by a wicked monster, you find yourself standing at the edge of a lake peering into the deep abyss of cold dark water, to get to the other side and away from danger, and your only option is to swim across.  Nervous about diving in, but once in the lake, all you can do is swim hard, get across and get away from what’s pursuing you!   This is exactly how Steve felt, and he now wanted to get through with this as soon as he could and get the hell out of New York, to lay low in California, for a while until the case became cold and then he could begin a brand new life, with his restaurant!
    He didn’t know where he would go, Florida? Texas? California wouldn’t be safe he thought. “I still have a fortnight to go,” he reminded himself. “There is plenty of time to think about that!” 
    But there was a hitch; he needed some money. The little money he carried from LA was now running out. He wondered if he should ask Ricardo for an advance. Even as he was contemplating whether to ask Ricardo for an advance or not, Ricardo returned with a bottle of scotch and two surprisingly clean glasses.

He placed the glasses next to the bottle and fetched some water and ice from the fridge. “Let’s drink to our agreement Amigo” Ricardo announced.
    But he saw Steve hesitate. As if reading Steve’s mind, Ricardo opened the drawer of his desk, and fished out three wads of neatly stacked hundred dollar bills. “That’s thirty thousand in advance for you Steve. You will need clothes, a