Reno and Trina: In the Shadows of Love, Book 12

by Mallory Monroe

  “What the fuck are you looking at me for?” Trina angrily asked him. “That’s my child too!”

  “I didn’t mean any disrespect, Mrs. Gabrini.”

  “Talk gotdammit!” Reno ordered. “Tell me what you know!”

  “At first we couldn’t find out anything,” Debrosiac said. “Nobody was talking, nobody heard nothing, we were getting no-where fast. But there was an undercurrent of fear. Like whatever was going on everybody was too scared to tell it. Jannick said I was crazy, he didn’t feel any undercurrent. But I felt it.”

  “Good,” Reno said, nodding his approval. Debrosiac was all street. He wasn’t settling for any surface shit. Jannick used to be that way, that was why Reno promoted him, but now he was getting too fat and lazy and comfortable to be of any use. “What was in the belly of that beast, Dee?” Reno asked Debrosiac.

  “Cat named Stanislav Provensano,” Debrosiac said. “Stan Pro they call him. Ever heard of him, boss?”

  Reno was too stunned to speak. They wouldn’t dare, he thought. They wouldn’t dare!

  “What is it, boss?” Jannick asked him.

  “I got a visit from three guys. Palameri was the ringleader.”

  “Leo Palameri?” Jannick asked. “But he’s a nobody! He wouldn’t dare pull this shit on you.”

  “What does Palli have to do with Provensano?” Debrosiac asked.

  “He, Connie Parks, and Rice Balentino wanted me to put the squeeze on Provensano. He was taking over their territory and they couldn’t stop him.”

  “Did you help them?”

  “No.”

  Jannick and Debrosiac looked at each other.

  “You said no,” Trina said, “but that may not be what they told Provensano.”

  Reno and his men looked at her. “You mean bait and switch?”

  “Yeah,” Trina said. “They may have shown him proof that they met with you, and from that they could have claimed that you were going to help them. They might have thought that was enough for Provensano to back off and leave them alone.”

  Reno nodded. “That’s possible,” he said.

  “But instead of backing off,” Debrosiac said, “Provensano could have snatched your kid for insurance. That’s possible too, boss.”

  “Yeah,” Reno said. Then he pulled out his cell phone and pressed Jimmy’s face on the screen. When Jimmy answered, he ordered him to come back to the room to stay with Trina and Sophia. “I’ve got to make a run,” he said into the phone. He had a wall of security outside of this hospital room, and security undoubtedly followed Jimmy and Buddy on their coffee break, but he wasn’t trusting anybody but Jimmy to watch his wife and daughter.

  When he hung up, Trina looked at him. “Where are you going?” she asked him. “Does this guy, this Provensano, live here in Vegas?”

  “No,” Reno responded, “but I’m not going to see him.”

  “But why not?” Jannick asked.

  “Because I don’t begin shit in the middle. That’s how you get fucked up. Palameri started this. I’m starting with Palameri.” He then looked at Trina. Her agreement was the only one he was after.

  Trina thought about it, and then she nodded. Reno was a lousy by-the-book general, but he was the best street general ever created. He was instinctive and he was strategic. She’d follow him to the ends of the earth. “Yeah,” she said. “Begin at the beginning.”

  Jimmy and Buddy returned. Trina handed Sophia to Jimmy. “Watch her,” she said.

  Reno looked at her. “What are you doing?”

  “I’m going with you.”

  Reno frowned. “Like hell you are!”

  But Trina wasn’t backing down. “That’s my son, too, Reno. I’m his mother!”

  Reno not only saw her pain, he felt it. But she still wasn’t coming with him. “And I’m his father,” he said. “And I’m also your husband. Your ass is staying right here. I look out for y’all, not the other way around! You’ve got to trust me to handle this, Tree. I’m no fucking novice, I know what I’m doing.”

  But the strain was wearing on Trina, and Reno saw that too. He pulled her into his arms. She snuggled against him. How could such a great night go so wrong, they both couldn’t help but wonder. “I’ll bring him home, Tree,” Reno said. “I promise you I will.”

  Then Reno stopped embracing his wife, told his son to take care of the family, and he and his men left.

  Buddy Wellstone walked over and hugged Trina. “If anybody can bring that boy back home,” he said, “Reno can.” Then Buddy looked at her. “You know that. Right?”

  Trina nodded, wiping her tears away. She knew it. But that didn’t make it any easier to bear.

  Palameri Signs was a small company in northwest Vegas. Reno, Debrosiac and Jannick sat silently in the lobby waiting to be escorted up. Jannick thought it was ridiculous that some small-time nobody like Leonard Palameri could be treating Reno Gabrini this way, but Reno didn’t care. He just wanted his son back. He wasn’t flying off any handles or demanding any respect right now. He just wanted to see, to smell, to touch his child again.

  “Right this way, gentlemen,” a gentle-voiced lady walked up to them and said, and they followed her into an elevator and up to the fourth floor: to Palameri’s office.

  When they walked in, Palameri stood to his feet. “Reno, welcome,” he said jovially. “Have a seat.”

  Reno sat down, and Jannick sat beside him.

  “Grab that chair, Dee,” Palameri said, and Debrosiac grabbed the chair and sat on the opposite side of Reno, sandwiching Reno in.

  Palameri sat back behind his desk. “So, what do I owe the pleasure of your company, Reno? I thought you didn’t want to have anything further to do with me. Oh. I forgot. You aren’t here to help me. You’re here to get your son back.”

  Jannick and Debrosiac both looked at Reno, stunned. But Reno remained cool. Not in a million years would he have expected Palameri to be this forthcoming, but he had to hear what he knew first. Reno decided to go for broke. “You have my son?” he asked him pointblank.

  Palameri smiled. “I do. Of course I do!”

  Reno, Jannick, and Debrosiac immediately jumped from their seats, pulled out their guns, and pointed all three barrels at Palameri’s head.

  Palameri seemed unfazed. He held up his hands. “You can shoot me now, and let your son rot for all I care. Or you can come to your damn senses and hear me out.”

  Reno’s heart was hammering. But he knew they couldn’t gun down the only lead they had. Especially after what Palameri had just told them. He waved off Jannick and Debrosiac, and all three put their guns away.

  “Now sit down like civilized individuals if you please,” Palameri said. “And let’s talk.”

  Reno sat down. He knew Palameri had the upper hand, and he had to let this play itself out. Debrosiac and Jannick, both seemingly more affronted than Reno was, sat back down too.

  “Now that we understand each other,” Palameri said, “let’s make a deal.”

  “Where is my son?” Reno asked.

  “I will give you your son this day,” Palameri said, “if you give me a cool million this day.”

  “Are you out of your fucking mind?” Jannick asked. “A million dollars?”

  “Or not,” Palameri said. “But Dominic Gabrini, Junior will not be purchased for anything less.”

  Reno swallowed hard. He was studying Palameri. He was studying his every smile, frown, quirk. He could be full of truth, or full of shit. Reno couldn’t say. But this was the first kernel of hope he had since last night. He wasn’t dismissing it that easily. “Prove it,” he said to his nemesis.

  Palameri smiled. And tossed Reno the cell phone he had on his desk. “That phone in your hand is a throwaway. You can throw it away, if you care to, or you can press the number 1 and listen.”

  Reno pressed the number 1 and the phone began ringing. He put the phone on Speaker in case his men heard something he didn’t hear.

  Then the ringing stopped. “Hello?” a vo
ice said.

  Reno closed his eyes. It was his son. He opened them again. “Dommi?” he asked.

  “Daddy?”

  “Are you okay?”

  “Yes, sir. Where are you?”

  “I’m coming to get you, okay?” Reno had to try it. Debrosiac and Jannick, understanding it too, stood up, pulled out their guns, and trained them on Palameri again.

  Reno tried it. “Where are you, Dom?”

  “I don’t know,” Dommi said. “A room.”

  “In a house?”

  “I don’t know. It’s scary, Daddy.”

  “Who’s there with you?”

  “I don’t know. They come and go. I don’t know anything.”

  Reno fought back tears. “You stay strong, you hear me? You stay strong and do everything they tell you to do, you hear me, boy?”

  “I hear you, Daddy.”

  “Don’t be a hero. Do whatever they say.”

  “I will, Daddy.”

  Then the phone went dead.

  “Proof enough?” Palameri asked.

  Reno nodded to his men. They stood down again and put away their weapons. “When do you want the money?” Reno asked Palameri.

  “I want my phone back first.”

  Reno hesitated, then tossed him back his cell phone.

  “When can you have the money?” Palameri asked.

  “Without drawing the attention of the authorities? Next week.”

  Palameri smiled. “Come now, Reno. Who do you think you’re dealing with? I’m not talking about that neat little money you keep in that neat little bank. I’m talking about that dirty big money the bank, nor IRS, know shit about. Pay me with that money.”

  Palameri then slid a notepad across the desk. Reno grabbed it. “That’s the meeting place,” he said. “I’ll meet you there in two hours. My men are already there, so don’t try to get yours there early. My men are already blanketing my office, and will be following you, so don’t try to follow me. If you get that money, and bring it to that location at ten thirty this morning, then you will have your beautiful boy in your bosom by ten-thirty-one. Understood?”

  Reno didn’t like the odds. They favored Palameri too much and were too stacked against him. But he knew he didn’t have a choice. He stood up. “You’ll get your money. See that I get my son.”

  And Reno and his small entourage left.

  Palameri leaned back and clasped his hands. He could not believe his great luck.

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  Amy Shumer walked into Champagne’s expecting to see Trina behind the counter. She saw Liz Mertan, Trina’s business partner, instead.

  “May I help you?” Liz asked. The woman looked downright depressed to Liz.

  “Hi. I’m Amy Shumer.”

  “Oh, right.” Liz remembered her now. “You’re the young lady that Trina hired. Or will be hiring. Or didn’t hire. I’m not sure of your status. What is it? Trina didn’t say.”

  “We’re still in the talking phase,” Amy said. “Is Mrs. Gabrini here?”

  “Here at work today? Oh, heavens no,” Liz said. “Her daughter-in-law was the victim of a shooting last night. I’m not expecting her at all today. She’s at the hospital and probably will be there for the balance of the day. Sorry. Perhaps if you come back tomorrow?”

  “Thanks,” Amy said and headed out. But tomorrow felt like an eternity away. She had leverage now, and she aimed to use it.

  Trina was lying on the couch, with Sophia in her arms, when the doctor finally walked in. Buddy and Jimmy were sitting down, but they both stood up when the neurosurgeon walked in. Trina sat up.

  “How is she, Doc?” Buddy asked.

  The doctor removed his surgical cap, revealing a bald head. “She’s resting comfortably,” he said. “Surgery went as well as we could have hoped for. The bullet has been removed, and thankfully there appears to be no damage to her brain.”

  “Thank God,” Jimmy said. “What about her recovery? Is she going to be alright?”

  “There’s always risks to consider, but yes. If we can keep her infection-free, then she should make a full recovery.”

  “Thank-you, Jesus,” Buddy said.

  “Can we see her?” Jimmy asked.

  “You’re her husband?”

  “Yes.”

  “You can see her. The rest of you will have to wait.”

  Buddy nodded. Just as long as Jimmy eye-balled her for him. “Make sure she’s comfortable,” he said to his son-in-law.

  “I will,” Jimmy assured him, and followed the doctor out.

  Buddy looked at Trina and smiled in relief. “Thank you, Jesus,” he said. “Thank you Jesus!”

  Trina was relieved too, but she couldn’t manage a smile. It had been well over two hours, and still no word from Reno. She wasn’t in any celebratory mood just yet.

  Palameri was right. His men had blanketed the area. They had followed Reno to the PaLargio to get the money, and had followed him to the drop-off point in Spring Valley at what used to be a thriving housing project. Now it was boarded up and deserted, surrounded by old, rusty cars, piles of trash, and vultures swarming some dead carcass in the middle of another heap of trash. A landfill would have looked more desirable than this place. But this was the place Palameri had chosen. Reno knew he and Debrosiac and Jannick were at risk. Their men were on standby, and Jannick was wired so that they could listen in on the entire encounter. They were on their way, but they couldn’t make a move until all of Palameri’s people had gone. They were far behind. But Reno had insurance. He always did.

  He parked his Porsche beside Palameri’s SUV, and he and his men got out. Palameri was already out, and waiting.

  “What took you so long?” he said with that ridiculous grin on his face.

  “Where’s my son?”

  “Where’s my money?” Palameri asked. “You aren’t running this, Reno. I run this. And this is how it’s going to work: you will give me my money, give me and my men a chance to get out of the area without being followed, and then I’ll phone back and let you know where you can find your son. Safe and sound.”

  “Hell no! Even swap. You know that. You give me my son, I give you the money.”

  “Then your men ambush my men on our way out? No way, Reno. I have what you want. You have to make the compromise. Not me. I have the strongest hand here. I have your son. And once I get the money, and is safely away, then I’ll call and tell you where you can find your boy.”

  “What’s to stop you from not bothering to call?”

  Palameri smiled. “You’ll just have to trust me, now won’t you? Don’t worry, Reno. I keep my word. Your son will be delivered to you safe and sound.”

  “If he’s not safe and sound,” Reno said, “and I don’t find him, you’re dead. You know that?”

  “I know it.”

  “If anything happens to me or my men, you’re dead. You know that?”

  Palameri smiled. “I know. I know Sal Gabrini is still out there, and Dapper Tom. I’m no fool, Reno.”

  “But just in case you have foolish plans in that direction,” Reno said, pulling out his phone, “I would advise you to change them.”

  Reno handed the phone to Palameri. On it was a live feed of a young, beautiful woman bound and gagged, sitting in a chair. Palameri stood up straight. “What the fuck,” he said.

  “My men snatched her while you were setting up this lovely event. You don’t deliver my son, I won’t deliver your gorgeous wife.” Palameri looked at him. “Just so we’re clear,” Reno added.

  Palameri stared at Reno with nothing but contempt in his eyes. There was a reason Reno was king of the Vegas mountain. But even Kings got dethroned sometimes. “You outsmarted me,” he said. Then he nodded. “You’ll get the call. And then you’ll release her?”

  “After I eyeball my son, your wife will be free to go.”

  “What’s to stop your men from killing her after you get your son?”

  Reno stared at Palameri. “You’ll have to tr
ust me, now won’t you?”

  Palameri continued to stare at Reno. It wasn’t as if he had a choice either. Then he exhaled. “You’ll get the call,” he said.

  Reno then nodded to Jannick. Jannick reached inside of the Porsche, pulled out a duffel bag, and tossed it to Palameri. Palameri opened it, saw all of the big bills, and smiled. Then he zipped it closed and tossed it into his SUV.

  “You’ll get the call,” he said again, as he got into his SUV. He rolled down the window. “If any of your people follow us, that boy of yours is dead. I cannot stress that enough.” He then rolled up his window, and his Driver drove him away.

  “I don’t like this, boss,” Jannick said when the SUV was clean out of sight.

  “You’ve got a better idea?” Reno asked. “He’s not turning over Dom unless he gets away. What else am I supposed to do? Not let him get away when he has an army around this place?”

  “Stop worrying,” Debrosiac said. “He has Dom. We have his wife. We’re insured.”

  But it would be five more minutes. Five agonizing minutes, before the call came in. Reno quickly answered his cell phone.

  “Where is he?” Reno asked.

  “Look around you,” Palameri said into the phone. “At all of those cars.” Reno began looking around. “There’s one. All the way in the back. An old, rusty Chevy Malibu. The white one. You see it?”

  Reno saw it. “I see it.”

  “Your son’s in there,” Palameri said and Reno, Jannick, and Debrosiac all ran toward the vehicle, with Reno leading the pack.

  But just as they approached, the car detonated and blew up in their faces. They fell back, from the impact, and Reno was the first to look back up in horror. It was only then could they hear Palameri’s voice still on the cell phone. “Reno,” he was saying. “Reno!”

  Reno answered the call. “What the fuck have you done?” he screamed into the phone.

  “Oops,” Palameri said. “Wrong car. The right car is the Malibu on the other side of the yard. All the way on the other side. The green one.”

  Reno saw the car, but then he frowned. “What kind of game are you playing? You’re trying to fuck with me?”