Mafia's Plain Jane

CHAPTER ONE - MY NAME ISN'T CARINA

CHAPTER ONE

She knew she wasn't the prettiest or the smartest or the best conversationalist but she also didn't think she was that bad of a catch that every date she scheduled ditched her at the last moment. What was she doing wrong? She lifted up the shiny silver teaspoon to her face and looked at her exaggerated round features in the reflection. Jane chuckled putting the spoon down before she sighed into her coffee mug, making the warm fog twirl and dance around in the air. Maybe she wasn't destined to have a normal, peaceful life. Her dreams of being a successful state attorney and marrying a good man she could build a home with were slowly beginning to look impossible. After everything she had been through she thought she deserved at least this much. But the universe disagreed.

"Hey Jane... Alone again?" she heard the familiar voice of her friend Alan. He sat down in the cushioned chair opposite her and gave her a sad smile. She shrugged and took a sip of her coffee. "What brings you here?" she asked with a soft smile. It always amazed Alan that this gentle, meek woman was a force to be reckoned with in court. Not only that, she had bravely helped him in putting Vitale Marchetti behind bars completely disregarding his power and influence. However there was a problem... He needed to tell her.

"I don't know how to say this to you Jane but... I'm afraid Vitale Marchetti is going to get away with murder." he told her solemnly.

She slowly put her mug down on the table and stared at Detective Fawkes in alarm. "What are you saying?"

"He's being released as we speak Jane."

"No. How can that be? I was witness! I testified!" she insisted desperately, "Alan... If he gets out he's going to come for me." she whispered in horror.

"No Jane I won't let that happen!"

"What will you do Alan? If he can get away with killing two men even with a key witness then how can you help me against someone that powerful?"

She took out her purse and pulled out a few notes to pay for her coffee and muffin before gathering her belongings and standing up in a rush. Alan watched her in confusion.

"Where are you going?" he asked following suite.

"I need to leave. I'm getting out of New York." she stated with determination.

"Jane no. You can't run. How long will you run for? We need to face him!"

She nearly scoffed. Those were the same words her neighbours and police officials had told her parents when they wanted to quietly leave their small town. A week later they were killed in their home. There was no one and nothing that could stop a dangerous man from harming someone he really wanted to. And for someone of Vitale Marchetti's status, it would be a piece of cake. She knew this from first hand experience.

"I'm sorry Alan but I have to leave," she murmured under her breath before walking out of the warm quaint little cafe and into the cold winter air that blanketed New York City.

"Jane! Jane!" Alan ran after her. She kept walking but slowed down and looked over her shoulder. "Jane listen to me... You've been running for so long don't let people do this to you!" he begged her sadly.

"I'll protect you I swear!" he insisted. Jane sighed and stopped walking. Her head fell back and her eyes stared up heavenward. It was true that she'd been running for a long time and her soul now ached from exhaustion.

All she wanted was a home and a peaceful life. But either trouble found her or she found trouble. After sending Vitale to prison Jane was afraid of the retribution that might follow. She planned to flee right then but Alan had again assured her security and she realised that if something did happen to her, it would point straight to Vitale and his men. He wouldn't do something that stupid. So she stayed indefinitely.

He was being released now however. The court would declare him innocent and there would be nothing to stop him from taking her worthless life as revenge.

"Please Jane..."

"I'll - I'll think about it okay?" she told him, "It's not like I can just up and leave this instance anyway."

Alan was pleased with her answer and smiled in relief. Jane returned his smile but mentally apologised to him for lying. She was going to start packing as soon as she got home.

× × × × ×

The sun was not even visible at the time Jane had got into her car and started driving. It was now past noon and the car was making suspicious sounds. She didn't think it was wise to keep driving without having it checked by a mechanic so she drove into a small town in the middle of nowhere in hopes of finding someone who could figure out what the problem was and fix it.

There was a sense of personal intimacy amongst the people in a small town- everyone knew each other. It was probably for this reason that the women stared at her in curiosity from the large porches of their quaint looking white washed brick and wooden houses that overlooked the street lining both sides of the road Jane drove down. The pace of living was starkly more relaxed than the city. People walked slower, leisurely went about their work. There was not much urgency in their actions unlike the buzzing crowds in New York.

It was a familiar scene for Jane. She came from a small town herself. The charm of it had worn off though...

She stopped in front of a convenience store to find someone who could hopefully guide her to a mechanic. An old man in a white and blue checkered shirt sat on a wooden chair outside the store watched her as she approached him with an uneasy smile on her face. "Um hi, I was just driving through but realised my car was making some noise. Could you tell me if there's any mechanics around?"

"You from the city little lady?" he asked her with a friendly smile that made crows feet appear at the corners of his eyes. "Something like that," she chuckled in response.

"Hmm you sure aren't like the normal city folk. We been getting quite a lot of them visitors from the city lately," he murmured distractedly, "so you're looking for a mechanic you said? There's one down the road from here. He's a good one. Name's Mike. His garage isn't big but you'll know it when you see it."

Jane was also familiar with small town intrusive and blunt manners so she didn't think much of it. He was a sweet old man that meant no harm. She thought it best to avoid his observation of her. "Thank you for your help. I should be on my way then."

He nodded in acknowledgement, "Have a safe trip young lady."

She gave him a sincere smile before going back to her car. As she reversed out of the parking lot she waved at him before pulling off.

It was a short drive to what Jane believed was Mike's garage. There were a few old cars inside and a desk in the corner. Tools were lying around next to the cars and oil spills stained the concrete floors. She walked towards a tall lanky man dressed in a dirty blue jumpsuit. He was faced away from her and hadn't taken notice of her presence yet. "Hello? Is this Mike's garage?"

He turned around a bit startled. When he looked at her, his misty blue eyes shifted. "Uh yeah but- but we're about to close." he almost whispered.

"Please I need help. My car has been making strange sounds and I have a long way to go... Please I'm willing to pay extra for your services,"

He shuffled on his feet and looked behind her for a second. Jane followed his gaze and looked outside at the setting sun, "Please... I'm desperate." she begged.

The man sighed and scratched his forehead in thought. "Fine... But you'll have to go into the office and speak to my 'boss' about the money."

"Thank you so much! I'm sorry for the trouble and for making you have to work overtime. I really appreciate it though!"

He shook his head despondently, "Yeah, yeah just go in through..."

"Thank you again!" she called after him as he walked away.

The 'office' was behind the garage, a small makeshift room with two windows on each side of the chipped wooden door. Jane knocked twice but heard no response. She knocked a third time and decided to just go in and announce herself when there was still no answer. Just as she opened the door a loud screeching sound made her jump. She looked back and found the man from earlier simply pulling down the roll-up steel garage door. As he pulled it closed, the garage was thrown into semi-darkness.

'He must be closing up so no one else comes in last minute like I did.' She entered the office and noticed it was illuminated by a single lamp light on a desk littered with haphazard files and papers. The rest of the room was bare and painted a dull shade of blue.

Faced away from her was the back of a dark haired man. Perhaps he was Mike? Had he not even heard her enter? "Excuse me are you the owner of this garage? I'm from out of town and my car seems to be having some problems. One of your employees told me to come talk to you."

He still didn't turn to face her but she heard a gruff, "Sit."

Her eyebrows furrowed in mild confusion even as she took a seat on the other side of the desk. For some reason she had a bad feeling in her gut. It only got worse when she heard the sound of the door closing on it's own. She looked back and thought of walking out- or at least trying to if the door wasn't actually locked from outside as she suspected. Her gut feeling now told her to flee. Run!

"I have waited so long to see you," the silky voice sent chills down her spine and although she had only heard his heavy accented voice a handful of times she knew it was him. Her head slowly turned in his direction. The cold blue eyes that met her confirmed what she knew.

He watched her intently, leaning back against the chair. His sharp handsome features were relaxed and gave away nothing of his thoughts or feelings. "Potrei guardarti tutto il giorno," (I could look at you all day) he spoke with the slightest hint of a smile that only accentuated how good looking he was. How could a man be so beautiful and yet so cruel?

Without another second of a thought and knowing fully well that the chances were slim, Jane pushed her chair back and bolted for the door. She pulled on the handle and to her surprise it was unlocked. The door opened just a fraction but was slammed closed by a hand that shot from behind her immediately. The loud sound frightened her so much that a terrified shriek left her lips.

Her body shook even as she desperately tugged on the handle to no avail. She felt the heat of his body against her back and his warm breath blew the stray wisps of curls on the nape of her neck but it didn't stop her from trying to pull the door open.

Sadly her strength was no match for his as the door wouldn't budge even an inch under his pressure. "You're too smart to think I would let you just escape that easily..." he whispered almost seductively. He was closer. Too close. It felt like he was wrapped around her body!

Not only was she scared but some silly part of her was also cringing from the embarrassment of knowing he was close enough to smell how sweaty she was from driving under the hot sun the whole day.

"You kept me away from you very skillfully carina(pretty girl)."

"M- my name isn't Carina it's Jane... I'm friend's with a cop you know? If you don't let me go he'll find you and put you back behind bars!" she threatened weakly without fully turning to face him.

"Alan Fawkes? Si. I know. Good thing he's married and has a lovely family." he mused.

Jane gasped and finally turned around to face him. He really was too close and there was barely a hair's width of space between their bodies. "You stay away from them! They have nothing to do with this." she snarled hatefully.

His head tilted to the side as he watched the anger colour her face in wonder. "I don't intend to go near them. You're the only one I cannot stay away from."

"You can kill me if you want to but I won't go down without a fight."

He sighed and stepped away from her much to her relief. Their proximity was starting to make her feel squeamish.

"I don't doubt that cara. That's why I have to do what I am about to do."

His back was to her so she took the chance to try the door again but this time it really was locked. He chuckled softly under his breath as he worked on something. She saw the movement of his arms. Her breath caught in her lungs and she gulped in fear. Was he really getting ready to kill her? She wanted to ask him but damn it if she let him see her as weak or scared.

"Well? What are you going to do?" she mustered the courage to ask.

He turned around and held a slender finger to his lips and much like a predator stalked towards her again. She sunk back and clenched her hands into fists ready to throw a punch regardless of how effective it would be. But he already anticipated her motives and caught her wrists and pinned them above her head within seconds. He even dodged the knee that was about to hit him in the crotch.

"You are a wild kitten," he tsked placing his thigh between her legs.

"Get away from me!"

He held her wrists in one hand and brought the other down to her face. "What- what is that?" she stammered seeing the cloth in his hand.

"Chloroform," he told her simply before pressing it to her nose. "I did not want to hurt you so chloroform was the best option," he explained to her as she squirmed to get loose.

Her vision started to become blurry and her body just wanted to rest. Sensing the fight leaving her Vitale let her wrists free. They fell to his shoulders and weakly tried to push him away only for him to wrap an arm around her waist and keep her steady until she had lost all consciousness.