by Hamel, B. B.
“He won’t come alone,” Shaun said, jabbing a finger into the table. “Once you shoot at Colm, that’ll start everyone shooting.”
“It’s a risk we’ll have to take,” I said. “Maybe you guys can spread the word, see if anyone in the crowd might hold their fire when it goes down.”
Shaun snorted. “Fuck that,” he said. “Colm only brings his most loyal soldiers with him.”
“Weren’t you one of them?” Sam asked.
Shaun narrowed his eyes. “I guess you’re right,” he said. “But shit, it’s not that simple.”
“We have no other choice,” I said. “We want a meeting in the city, but not out in the open. Convince him to go to another bar, maybe somewhere in the suburbs again.”
“I’ll try,” Shaun said. “He might go to the pub again. He likes it there for some reason.”
“That’d work,” I said. “Small place, hard to pack guys inside. It’d be up close and personal.”
“You gonna pull the trigger?” Shaun asked.
I hesitated, then nodded. “If it comes to that, yes. We’ll try to set something more elegant up first.”
“Like what, snipers?” Torin asked.
“Exactly like snipers,” I said. “You guys have one job, and that’s to get Colm to a meeting. Can you do it?”
Shaun looked at Brody, who only shrugged. “Your call, man,” Brody said.
“We can do it,” Shaun said. “I’ll make it happen.”
“Good.” I pushed my chair back and stood. “You boys stay here and talk amongst yourselves. Figure out how it’ll happen. Eat, drink, whatever. Go enjoy the pool, if you want, but when you leave here, that’s it, this is happening. You all understand?”
I was met with grim faces, but Brody and Shaun both nodded.
“Good,” I said and gestured for Sam to join me. She stood and smiled at the boys, then followed me out of the room.
I led her into the hallway and paused outside of the living room. “What do you think?” I asked her softly.
“I think they’re scared,” she said. “But they’ll do it.”
“I hope you’re right.” I kissed her gently. “I’m glad we got married.”
“Even if it didn’t matter in the end.” She grinned up at me. “But I’m happy too.”
I pulled her close against me, and I knew our future was in the hands of the enemy, a bunch of kids that had lost way too much and were terrified to lose even more, but we had no other choice. The war had to end, and it had to end soon.
18
Matteo
The first problem happened two days after the meeting with Shaun and Brody.
“He’s insisting that you bring her,” Shaun said over the phone. He was calling from one of the few pay phones left in the city, an ancient relic from a simpler time. “Says he wants to see her face.”
I glanced back at Sam and grunted. “I’m not sure that’s acceptable.”
“It’ll have to be. He wants you to deny this so he has an excuse to avoid the meeting.”
I sucked in a breath and let it out. “All right, fine. She’ll come. But I’m keeping her away from the fighting.”
“If you do your job, it won’t matter. He’ll be dead.”
I wasn’t happy about it, but Shaun was right. We had to do whatever was necessary to get Colm to that meeting. I talked to Sam about it, and she agreed—if everyone else can put their lives in danger to end this war, then so can she.
Which was a respectable answer and made my heart swell with all sorts of complicated feelings. She was an incredible and strong person, and I almost felt as though I didn’t deserve her.
And I still didn’t want her anywhere near that meeting, but denying Colm his request would only tip my hand.
So when Shaun called back the next day, I told him Sam agreed. “She’ll do it, but her safety is a priority,” I told him.
“That’s good,” Shaun said. “Because Colm wants to meet today.”
I cleared my throat. “Excuse me?”
“Today,” Shaun said. “At the Glenside Pub again.”
And that was the second problem. “We need more time to set up. When does he want to meet today?”
“Two hours,” Shaun said. “Not enough time for you to get your guys into position.” He laughed and I could hear the bitterness. “Colm’s fucking smart, man. He smells something.”
“Tell him we’ll do it,” I said. “I’ll figure something out.”
“You can’t go in there alone. He’ll eat you alive.”
“Doesn’t matter. Tell him we’ll be there in two hours.”
I hung up and found Sam out by the pool. She ran inside to get ready as I stormed into the Don’s office. He was on the phone and held up a hand, but I walked to the receiver and hung up on him. He lowered the phone down, glaring at me. “That was the mayor, you know.”
“Colm Healy wants to meet today,” I said. “He wants to meet at the Glenside Pub in about two hours from right now.”
“Shit,” Don Valentin said, hanging up the phone. “Not enough time to prepare.”
“What can you pull together?”
“I’ve got some guys we can rely on, but this isn’t a good situation.”
“Call them up. We’re going. I don’t think we’ll get another meeting like this.”
Don Valentino studied me for a long moment before standing. “Listen, Matteo, if you can take the shot, then do it. Kill that fucker Colm. Do what I haven’t been able to do and end this damn war.”
“I will,” I said. “I won’t walk out of there alive otherwise.”
“Don’t get yourself killed. You just got married.”
“She’s coming too.”
His face darkened for a moment. “Let me guess, Colm requested that.”
“If I could avoid it, I would.”
“I know.” He sighed and shook his head. “I’ll provide whatever support I can, but this is our only shot. We have to take it.”
“I agree. Sam’s already on board.”
“Good. You got lucky with that one. Could’ve gotten a hundred girls pregnant and not ended up with a woman like her.”
“You’re damn right I got lucky,” I said, turning to leave. “I’m going to get prepped. Tell your guys to head over to the Glenside Pub right now and find positions around the building. If one of them can get inside, tell them to do it, but only one.”
“Understood.” Don Valentino sat back down and grabbed his phone. “Good luck, Matteo.”
I left his office and headed upstairs. I should’ve taken a shower or gotten changed, or done any number of things, but instead I headed right to Sam’s bedroom. I knocked twice before she let me in.
She wore a pair of black jeans and a long-sleeve shirt, her hair pulled back in a tight bun. I touched her cheek as she came closer, then pulled her against me in a tight hug as the door closed behind us.
“You okay?” I asked softly.
“I’m okay. Just nervous. I know it’s the right thing for me to go, but it’s still terrifying.”
“I know,” I said. “If I could avoid this, I would.”
“Why do you think Colm wants me there?”
“He’s testing us. Wants to see if we’ll show our hand. He knows you’re important to me, probably realized it at the last meeting, and now he’s going to take advantage of that.”
“He’s my uncle, Matteo. What’s that say about my family?”
I shook my head and pulled back to kiss her. “It only says that Colm’s a power-hungry snake, and we’re going to cut his head off today.”
She nodded, staring into my eyes with her jaw set and a determined expression on her face. “Damn right we are.”
“Just one thing. When we’re in there, I need you to do whatever I say. If I tell you to dive to the floor, do it without hesitation. Can you promise me that?”
“I promise.” She touched my cheek. “I’d tell you that I’m scared, but I think you know that already.”
“You’re going to make it through this, I swear. I won’t let you get hurt.”
“I believe you.”
I kissed her again, holding here there, lips tasting hers, and that strange, tingling rush moved over my body again thinking about bringing her through this and what our lives might be like after it was all over. We’d still be married, though I didn’t know how long she’d let that last, but the baby would come eventually and she’d always be in my life.
I wanted her to stay. I wanted this, whatever it was. For so long, I’d been a single man living only to help the family, fighting and killing and stealing. Now I felt like I had purpose with this baby and this woman that I worshiped. She was the reason I woke up and kept fighting, the reason I wanted to make it through this meeting.
She gave my existence meaning beyond pure violence and money and greed.
I still had all those things, but at least I could turn all my broken flaws into something good if it meant giving Sam and our baby the perfect life.
“I need to get ready,” I said, kissing her one more time. “We’re leaving in ten.”
“Come get me when it’s time.”
“I will.” I didn’t want to let her go, but I knew I had to. I peeled myself away and turned to the door, refusing to look back as I left and headed to my room.
* * *
The Glenside Pub was quiet, just like last time. I drove past twice to make sure there weren’t any obvious Healy goons set up in ambush and couldn’t find anything. I knew Don Valentino’s guys were somewhere nearby, but I hadn’t been in touch with them, and so couldn’t coordinate.
This was a fucked-up mess. Coming here last minute was bad enough, but I should’ve checked in with the squad the Don sent over so everyone understood the plan. Instead, we were going in blind, and probably winging it.
What a goddamn mess.
“You sure you’re okay?” Sam asked as I pulled the truck over and parked. “You’re on edge.”
“I just don’t like this. It’s not how I wanted this to go down at all.”
“I know, but we’re here and I believe in you. Let’s finish this.”
I squeezed her hand then got out of the truck. She followed and we walked down toward the pub together. Town was quiet, only a couple young guys walking up the hill toward the college, and that didn’t do much to help calm my nerves. It was like everyone knew something bad was about to happen, like some old Western showdown shootout, and everyone got away to avoid the bloodshed. I halfway expected a tumbleweed to roll down the street.
The Pub itself was empty. The bartender looked bored, cleaning glasses and watching the Phillies on TV. I stooped in under the hanging signs and spotted Colm sitting on the opposite side again with Shaun, but this time at a booth.
Sam kept close as I walked toward them. The bartender barely paid any attention as I stopped at the edge of the table and looked down at Colm’s smiling face.
There were no other Healy guys inside, at least as far as I could tell. They could’ve been in the back, but I didn’t think so. My own guys were likely outside still, and maybe they thought the plan was to ambush Colm on the way out, but as soon as I looked into the man’s eyes, at that stupid grinning face that caused so much pain and suffering, I knew I wouldn’t let it get that far.
“Take a seat,” Colm said. “Let’s have a talk.”
I nodded and gestured for Sam to get in first. She hesitated, then slid in opposite Shaun. He glared at her, lips curled back in a sneer, like he was disgusted by her presence. If I didn’t know better, I’d say the kid genuinely hated her.
Good actor. Or this was a trap and we were fucked.
“I’m glad you came,” I said. “I wasn’t sure you would.”
Colm drummed his fingers on the table. “I wasn’t sure I would either, but here I am.”
“Did Shaun tell you about our offer?”
“The boy mentioned it.” Colm glanced at him. “Although I’m wondering how you even spoke.”
“Nessa,” I said, nodding at Sam. “We used her to relay information.” Better to tell a half-truth than an outright lie. It was totally plausible that Nessa would act as a messenger for us.
“Of course,” Colm said. “That girl’s always willing to help a friend. Isn’t that right, Sam? Your best friend’s so kind.”
Sam shifted in her seat and didn’t meet Colm’s gaze. Her nerves were like high-voltage wires, electric and buzzing. If this weren’t an inherently stressful situation, it would’ve been suspicious.
“We had no way to contact you directly, so we went to Shaun instead. He made it seem like he could get a message to you.”
“And you’re lucky I did,” Shaun said angrily.
Colm put a hand on his shoulder. “The boy did the right thing, coming to me directly. I know it’s not easy.”
Shaun looked away, scowling at the wall.
“We want to make this deal happen,” I said. “The Don’s willing to make concessions, which is more than you can say.”
“Concessions?” Colm barked a laugh. “Your Don’s giving me what’s owed, is all. You can’t sit there and act as though you haven’t had a part in this war.”
“I’m well aware of what we’ve done. But we both know the Healy family hasn’t been forthcoming about negotiations. We’ve tried, again and again, and you keep pushing us off with unreasonable demands.”
“Unreasonable to you,” Colm said, leaning forward. He showed his teeth like a dog. “And yet here you are anyway.”
“We’ll pay,” I said, shifting slightly. I felt the gun tucked into my waistband, pointing down at my crotch, which wasn’t the best place for it but couldn’t be helped, and moved slow, as slow as I could. I got my hand around the grip and held it there, waiting. “We’ll even give you some turf. But in exchange, you’ll stay where you belong, and you won’t bother our guys anymore. And we want free passage through West Philly.” That last point was an improvisation but I couldn’t let Colm suspect that we were giving too much away.
Shaun laughed, shaking his head angrily, and banged his hands down on the table. As soon as he did it, Colm turned his head to glare at the young man, and I pulled the gun out from my waistband while he was distracted. I held it there below the table, pointing at Colm’s gut.
“Fuck you, free passage,” Shaun said. “You deserve to get lit up anytime you come near us.”
“Watch your mouth, boy,” Colm snapped. “You aren’t in charge of these negotiations.”
“The hell with this.” Shaun turned to Colm. “Let me out. I’m not sitting here and listening to this bullshit.”
“Stay where you are,” Colm growled.
“Let me out.”
The men glared at each other until Colm finally broke away and slid to the side. Shaun got out of the booth and walked a few feet away. Colm turned his back and stared after the boy, rage written all over every muscle in his body.
I tapped Sam on the leg. One, hard jab to her thigh, then stood and brought the gun up in one smooth motion.
This was the moment. There might not be another clear chance where Colm was up and distracted and nobody was in the line of fire. Colm turned, ready to tell me to sit down or to snap something at me, and his eyes went wide as I pressed the gun against his face.
“That’s how it is then?” he asked. “You’re going to kill me in cold blood? We’re supposed to be negotiating.”
“You never wanted to negotiate in good faith. Only way to end this war is to end you.”
“I’m at the table. You know what’ll happen if you squeeze that trigger.” His eyes narrowed and he kept his hands up. “My family will rise up and get revenge. You think they’re fighting hard now? Imagine how they’ll fight when I’m dead.”
“Here’s the problem with that, Colm,” Sam said suddenly. “Your family hates you. They despise that you’ve kept them in this war for so long, and they’re tired of losing family.”
Colm glared down at her. “What the fuck
do you know about it, your traitor bitch?”
I shot him in the head. One bullet, the report of the gun sharp and booming in the tight space. His skull snapped backwards as shards of brain and blood splattered all over the floor and the tables. Shaun threw himself sideways and yelled something as the back door opened up, but I didn’t hear what he said. I put another bullet in Colm’s chest, then dove to my right, tackling Sam down and yanking her under the table seconds before gunfire erupted.
Bullets tore into the seats and the table and the wall. Shards of wood and vinyl siding blasted against our bodies like shrapnel. I kept Sam down and covered, blocking her with my body, and I felt a hundred little fragments cut through my clothes and my skin. After a moment, the shooting stopped, and I slid on my side, gun aimed forward.
Three guys stood in the doorway. “Stand down, goddamn it,” Shaun yelled, but I wasn’t about to find out if they’d listen. I got off two rounds, shot the guy on the right dead, before they responded. I growled in pain as a bullet tore into my shoulder close to my lung, and I rolled across the aisle and hid under the opposite table. I took a couple random shots and missed, then leaned back against the wall, hand against the bleeding wound.
Sam’s eyes were wild with fear. She stared at me, her mouth hanging open, tears in her eyes. “Matteo,” she yelled. “Please, Matteo.” Meaningless, formless words. I had only one thought, one goal, and that was to keep her alive no matter what.
Which meant killing two more men.
I could do it. I’d killed hundreds of men in my life. I could lose myself, but so long as she was alive, and my baby was alive, I’d be okay. Dying wouldn’t be so bad, if it was for a reason.
I kicked out from under the table again and squeezed off more shots. The two guys fell back, but I think I hit one. He screamed in pain, and as I tried to scramble away, my wound flared up. I gasped and my arms buckled, and I fell onto my face on the slick, dirty floor. Any second, those two bastards would come out of cover and finish me off, and I was completely exposed.