by S G Zertuche
“I don’t know what you have against Bo, but I need you to play nicely. He went out of his way to make sure you had a place to live, and he is saving our company’s ass, which translates to your job, and Ma’s well-being. You need to stop being mean and shake off those stupid ass judgmental ideals that asshole Edgar installed in your head.”
“I’m not being mean,” I whispered, pulling off my rain jacket.
This was my own brother, but apparently, he had more alliance to his rediscovered best friend. And that hurt. I started blinking fast to try and hold back tears.
Andy wrapped his hand around his neck and met my eyes. “Look Ads, it has just been an extremely shitty morning day. You should really think about going home. Not much is going to get done today, anyways.”
I swiped at my nose. “If it is all right with you, I think I’ll call today’s appointments and let them know we will need to reschedule for next week.”
“That sounds like a good idea,” Andy said as he walked back toward his office.
6
Adeleigh
“How long are you going to stand at the window, spying on those agents?” Andy asked from where he leaned against the counter.
A couple of hours had passed since I had canceled all the day’s appointments. As soon as I was done, I took position at the front window and pressed my face against the glass.
“I’m not spying. I’m just looking.” I pulled on my lower lip. I was spying. But not on who Andy thought I was watching. I had been pretending to watch Eric and his fellow FBI agents as they swaggered around the parking lot. More agents had arrived, looking bad-ass as they joined the rest of the flock. They were interesting to watch, but they weren’t who I was looking for.
My eyes were glued to another man, who arrived in his sleek black Porsche, climbed out wearing an expensive-looking black leather jacket, and acted like he owned the place. Bo had finally made an appearance. And without any hesitation, he headed straight for the mess of agents, wearing a scowl on his face that looked completely menacing.
Bo sure had a lot of nerve. There he was tying up tax payer’s money by distracting everyone on the scene. I was torn between wanting to run into the parking lot and tell him to mind his own business or join to find out what he was saying. Maybe I just wanted to wrap my body around him, so I could feel that leather jacket pressed against my skin. I wanted to see if I could melt that menacing look right off his face.
Then something interesting happened. Bo finished speaking with the agents and walked over to The Mustard Seed, where he started talking to a group of waitresses standing just outside the doors. They had been standing there for a while, which I thought was ridiculous because it was only sixty degrees outside and they were clad in their tiny uniform, which consisted of the smallest red shorts I had ever seen and tight white T-shirts cut off at the mid-region. It was wet and cold outside and not a single one of them had the common sense to pull on pants. Only one of them had actually put on a sweater. They all had their bony arms wrapped tightly around their chests as they bounced up and down in what I figured was a move to stay warm.
To make the situation even more frustrating, they all took turns throwing their heads back as they laughed at whatever Bo told them. Yes, because we all knew how witty Bo Donavan could be- not.
“Andy,” I called without turning away from the windows.
“Yes, Addie,” He responded from behind me.
“Don’t you think a woman should have enough common sense to put on a pair of pants or a coat if the weather is rainy and cold?”
Andy appeared next to me as he looked out the window to see what I was looking at. “It’s only around sixty degrees. The rain just makes it seem colder.”
I raised an eyebrow.
He grinned. “Who knows? From what I am seeing, I think they may have plenty of common sense. I’m sure Bo thinks they are much more interesting when he can see all those curves.”
Without turning away from the window, I reached out with my left hand and smacked Andy hard on the chest.
“Ow, shit.” He laughed as he rubbed at where my hand had hit. “I’m just saying common sense would be for them not to cover those luscious bodies. Actually, I think common sense would be for them to strip off their tops too, but one cannot ask the god of common sense to be too generous now.”
I looked over my left shoulder at him and frowned. “How are you my brother? You’re such a pig.”
“Hey, I call them like I see them.”
“That makes no sense whatsoever.” I watched the group of waitresses wiggle their fingers at Bo to tell him bye. All of a sudden, one of them quickly stepped up against him and handed him a small piece of paper, which he tucked into his jacket pocket.
I squinted. It appeared my brother wasn’t the only pig on the premises.
As soon as the slip of paper was in his pocket, Bo turned and looked straight at the window where I was still standing with my nose smudging the glass. I jumped back about a foot before spinning around and running toward the cash register counter, tripping over my own two feet as I reached it.
Andy caught me by the arms before I hit the floor. “What the hell, Addie?” He laughed, taking pure enjoyment from watching my clumsiness. “You jealous of Bo paying attention to those waitresses or something?”
“No, no. NO. Why would you ask that?” I answered, straightening two pens lying on the counter.
Andy strolled over and leaned against the counter, frowning. “Really, because I have never seen you so unglued before.”
I looked up at him from beneath my eyelashes. “I am not unglued, you dweeb. These pens just needed to be lined up.”
Now Andy began to look menacing. “First off, no one uses the word dweeb. Second, no. Not Bo. He is not for you. So, don’t even look at him like you are interested. You need someone who isn’t…” he trailed off.
I looked at him directly in the eyes. “Isn’t what?”
Andy shook his head before walking off without answering my question.
Bo isn’t what? For me? Because he was Andy’s best friend? Because he wasn’t a good person?
I suddenly felt squeamish again as I realized my brother was keeping more secrets than just a mysterious best friend.
Forcing myself not to look out the windows, I made my way to my makeshift office and closed the door.
I had big plans to tuck myself away for the rest of the day and mull over all that had happened.
Especially since now, I was left with the disturbing thought that Andy was warning me away from Bo and I didn’t understand why.
7
Bo
“Boss, you have a call.” Santiago held his cell phone toward my direction.
The waitress’s from The Mustard seed giggled as multiple sets of eyes trailed over Santiago’s large frame.
“Excuse me, ladies. I need to take this call, and you all should go inside anyways,” I addressed the group with a nod before walking farther into the parking lot out of earshot of both FBI agents and police that were poking around.
“Who is it?” I asked, adjusting the cuff of my jacket once we were farther out.
“It’s Luca Cabrali. He wants to talk to you.”
Frowning, I glanced at the cell phone before looking up at Santiago. “What does Luca want?”
Santiago grinned. It wasn’t an expression I often saw on his face, but when I did, I knew whatever he had to say was probably going to annoy me.
“He needs a favor. It involves Isabella Santini.”
Isabella Santini. There was a name I hadn’t heard in a couple of years. In fact, I believed the last time I had, she was mouthing off to some nun and getting into major trouble. Or something like that.
I rolled my eyes toward the sky before shaking my head. “Tell him, ‘no, we aren’t interested.’”
Santiago held his cell phone toward me again and sighed.
Yanking it out of his hand, I looked down at the screen. Luca was the last person I wanted to speak
to at the moment. I was trying to distance myself from any more Mafia ties. However, with what had recently happened, it appeared I may be failing.
I pressed the end call button on the screen of the phone and tossed it at Santiago. Santiago snatched it out of the air.
“Are you sure that was the right thing to do? Hanging up on Luca like that?”
“You think I’m scared of Luca?”
Santiago let out a rueful laugh. “Hell, sometimes I think I may be scared of Luca.”
When I didn’t respond, he cleared his throat.
“What?” I snapped.
“Luca said they will give us a million if we help.”
“We don’t need the money, Santiago.”
“I know we don’t, but you could give it to Andy to help him.”
I shook my head. That wasn’t going to happen. Andy needed to stay out of Mafia business.
“No. And that’s my final word.”
Turning toward the windows of Alan’s Air, I saw Adeleigh’s face pressed against the window. I was able to tell the exact minute she saw me watching her because she jumped and scurried away from the glass.
No. Luca needed to find someone else. I was not about to expose Andy and Adeleigh to the Santinis. Especially since I got the feeling we were about to have more issues than we originally thought we would have. And they were only just beginning.
8
Adeleigh
“Hey, Pixie Dust,” Andy called, as I walked into the shop with my purse on my shoulder.
“Pixie Dust?” Bo laughed, not bothering to look up from the sheet of paper in his hands.
He was standing on the other side of the counter that displayed parts we offered for quick sale. Bo’s friends, Santiago and Phillip, who I was becoming accustomed to seeing coming and going throughout the workday, grinned from where they stood against one wall.
I stopped walking and glared at Andy.
“I need you to run to The Mustard Seed and pick up lunch for us.”
Rolling my eyes, I ignored him and continued my way to my office.
“Addie, I’m not asking!” Andy snapped.
At the angry tone in my brother’s voice, Bo’s head shot up as he stared in Andy’s direction. He looked pissed as they made eye contact for a few seconds before my brother turned red and started fumbling with his wallet. Watching Andy fumble, Bo turned and nodded to Santiago, who had now moved closer to where I stood.
That was all it took. One quick nod from Bo, and Santiago’s hand shot out in front of me as he shoved a black credit card in my direction.
“Adeleigh,” Bo said softly.
I peeled my eyes away from the card and looked at him.
“Use my card to pay for the order.”
Wanting to quickly remove myself from the environment, which had turned tense, I took the card Santiago offered and made my way for the front door. As I reached it, it quickly opened from the other side.
The older two Cernuto brothers, Tony and Laylo, filed into the doorway, forcing me back several steps.
Andy quickly stepped in front of me, blocking me from their view. “Tony, Laylo, what can I do for you guys? I’m really sorry about Angel.”
The brothers nodded a few times as they looked around the room. The minute they laid eyes on Bo, Phillip, and Santiago, their eyes narrowed before they looked at each other.
“Yeah, about that,” Laylo said.
“About what?” Andy’s shoulders stiffened.
Neither Bo nor his friends made an effort to approach and introduce himself.
“About Angel,” Laylo replied while Tony made the sign of the cross before muttering, “God rest his soul.”
Laylo repeated the sign of the cross before continuing, “By chance, did you all see anything unusual happening around here? Like, I don’t know, anything suspicious? Or have any new ‘friends’ around that we don’t know about?”
“Who are you?” Tony asked, directly speaking to Bo.
The room went silent for a moment while the tension that was already charging the atmosphere grew.
What was happening here?
My eyes quickly darted between Bo and the Cernuto brothers as I waited to see how Bo was going to answer them.
“Bo is my new business partner,” Andy finally said.
“Partner?” Laylo asked, looking surprised. “Since when do you have a partner?”
“For a while now,” Andy lied. “And in answer to your questions, I already told the FBI agents we didn’t see anything that stood out over these last few weeks. Again, we were all very surprised and sorry to hear about Angel.”
Both men exchanged glances again before turning toward me. “What about you, little Adeleigh? You see anything you want to share with us?” Tony asked.
“Tony, she doesn’t have time to talk. She has to go pick up lunch for us.”
“Andy, I think you need to explain to me because I don’t understand. Why do you have a partner? Was the money we were giving you not enough?” Tony asked, again shooting daggers at Bo.
I grabbed Andy’s arm. “You took money from the Cernuto brothers?” I asked, my voice rising some.
Taking money from the Cernutos wasn’t good. I had heard things about the brothers for years now. Bad loan shark type of things. Mainly from Eric. Why the hell would Andy take money from them?
I felt movement behind me and knew Bo had stepped closer to where we were standing. I fought the urge to turn toward him when suddenly his large hand pressed the middle of my back, pushing me toward the front door of the shop. I planted my feet more firmly and leaned my body weight into his hand. I wanted answers from Andy.
“How much money did you borrow?” I demand from Andy.
Bo’s deep voice hit my ear. “Adeleigh, go. I got this.”
When I still didn’t move, his hand pressed harder, forcing me to walk as the heat of his breath brushed across my ear. “I promise. I will take care of this.”
“Fine,” I bit out.
Shooting the Cernutos one last look, I stomped through the front door.
Andy was going to tell me why he had borrowed the money from some of the shadiest people we knew. And if he thought I’d drop the subject, he was greatly mistaken.
9
Adeleigh
This shopping center needed another food place and different tenants, I thought to myself as I passed the Cernutos’ furniture store. It was still closed up and taped off, windows dark and all.
Angel Cernuto laid there, bleeding to death on the floor. No one deserved to die like that. I paused and glanced into the darkened store windows as a rash of goosebumps broke out over my sweater-covered arms. Under the heavy overcast skies, the darkened interior looked omniscient. Scary even.
I didn’t necessarily believe in ghosts, but I had always wondered if souls left the earth immediately after death. Was it possible that Angel’s spirit still floated around confused over what happened to him?
A quick movement in the back-right hand corner of the store caught my attention. Immediately, I scanned the shadows, searching for what I had seen. For a bit, I didn’t see anything other than some furniture displays. Then suddenly, in the corner of the window, my eyes locked on a set of eyes on the other side of the glass.
I screamed as I jumped back and closed my eyes out of instinct. When I opened them again, nothing was in the window but the furniture. It had to be a cat. I told myself as I backed away and nearly ran to the restaurant, except no cat could be that high off the ground unless it was sitting on top of a bookshelf or some display.
Pushing my way through the doors of The Mustard Seed, I leaned against the wall that separated the restaurant from the Cernutos’ place and tried to calm myself down.
Maybe it was Miguel. Maybe he was inside the building. Except that made no sense. There was still police tape across the doors, and the shop was completely dark. If Miguel was in there, wouldn’t he at least have the lights on?
A waitress with wild red curls ap
peared in front of me. It was the same waitress who had slipped Bo the slip of paper that day in the parking lot. “Is it for here or to go?” she asked, stifling a yawn.
I pushed myself away from the wall and stood up straight. It was the same waitress I had seen slipping Bo the piece of paper in the parking lot the day Angel’s body was found.
“Umm, is this for here or to go?” she impatiently asked again.
“To go, please.” I took a deep breath, my heart pounding from what had just happened.
“Would you like to see a menu, or do you know what you want?” She looked around the room with disinterest.
“No, I know what I want. I’ll take ham on rye. No lettuce, mayonnaise, tomatoes, or pickles. All I want is a single slice of American cheddar on it, please. So just the ham, cheese, and bread. You can add it to the order for Alan’s Air. My bother, Andy, called it in already. Thank you.”
“Got it. One very plain sandwich, extra dry,” she repeated on another sigh.
“I’m sorry, but that is the saddest sandwich order I have ever heard of,” a husky voice whispered into my ear.
The waitress’s face lit up as she looked over my shoulder. “Bo! Hey, stranger. I’ve been calling you. Where have you been hiding?” She stepped around where I stood to get to Bo.
I opened my mouth to ask him what he was doing here and shut it again when the waitress slid her arms around his waist.
Bo’s eyes flicked down to her as he gathered her arms with his hands, unwinding them from their grip. “Hey, Trish. How are you?”
I stared at Bo. Was he dating Trish?
Trish’s face beamed. “Fine, now that you’re here. So yeah, I’ve been calling you. I left like ten messages.”
My stomach growled. I really didn’t have time for this. I cleared my throat loudly.
Bo and Trish both looked at me.
When Trish didn’t move, I raised one eyebrow. She gave another award-winning sigh and turned back to Bo. “I need to go get her order. Follow me handsome, and I’ll seat you on the way.”