“Let’s go meet Daddy Esposito,” Trey replied with a grin, even though his heart rate had kicked up. An ambush might be able to take him if he didn’t have his gloves on. He didn’t know if he was being brave or an idiot like so many of the arrogant bounties he’d taken down throughout the years.
Just got to trust my instincts and training—but I’m taking at least one fucker with me if they try any shit.
Marco chuckled and led Trey inside and down a vase- and statue-filled hallway with an arched ceiling. The hallway led directly to a vast living room. A dapper white-haired man in a sports coat waited in the palatial space.
Trey recognized him instantly, as would anyone with even the most casual of connection to the Vegas underworld. It was Paul Esposito.
Here we go.
The Mafia don nodded toward a chair near him. He looked at Marco. “I’ll call if I need you.”
The other mobsters departed the room.
Doubt he’s gonna cap my ass with all his guys out of the room.
Trey walked over to the indicated chair and took a seat, then folded his hands in his lap and inhaled deeply. This was one time he truly needed Smooth Trey, even if it was annoying to go against his deeply-ingrained speech patterns. He suspected that Paul Esposito would respond to him more positively if he changed the way he talked.
“Trey Garfield,” Paul commented. “It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’ve heard a lot about you.” He looked Trey up and down. “You’re better dressed than a lot of my guys.”
“It’s nice to meet you as well,” Trey replied with a grin. “And I do try to look good, but let’s say this was a big surprise to me. I didn’t expect to get an invitation to meet with you this morning when I got up. I thought your guys had come to kill my ass.”
Paul let out a hearty laugh. “Sorry about that. I would have thought the same thing. Mostly I just wanted to give you time to think about it and see how you’d react.” He waved a hand. “I’ve looked into you, you know. Your past, and how you grew up; the gang you were in. I know all about you. You could say I’m a big fan. I came up hard too, and I made something of myself despite people trying to hold me back.”
What the fuck is all this supposed to mean? Is this motherfucker trying to threaten me, or is he trying to convince me we’re the same kind of man? Better make some shit clear before he gets the wrong idea.
Trey cleared his throat. “I should tell you, Mr. Esposito, that I spoke to your son about his earlier offer. I thought I made our position clear, and the answer I gave him represents the official position of the Brownstone Agency. If you got the big man himself to show up, he’d say the same thing.”
“That’s not what this is about.” Paul shook his head. “And I’d rather not be in the same room as James Brownstone…ever. I respect his power, but to me, it’d be like being in the same room as a tiger, or even a tornado.”
“He is a pretty intense man.” Trey shrugged. “If this ai…isn’t about an alliance, then what is it about?”
“Don’t worry about that. The past is the past, and I understand why you feel the way you do. Quite frankly, your position is fair.” Paul furrowed his brow. “And after what happened to the Harriken, I think everyone in a business like ours understands that sometimes there will be sacrifices if the wrong choices are made.” He chuckled. “You’re too young to remember how different it was, let alone here.”
“Different?” Trey frowned. “What are you talking about?”
“The Mafia was dying in Vegas, especially the Italian Mafia. The Feds had ripped our balls off through the decades, and more vicious groups were cutting into our territory from the opposite side.” The Mafia leader shook his head, faint disgust on his face. “There were still Families, and they had influence, but it wasn’t like the golden days. Then all that shit with Oriceran happened, and everything changed. Opportunities arose, and those who took advantage of those opportunities did well.” He smiled. “That’s what success in life is about: flexibility. That’s why you are doing well. Let’s face it, you were dealt a shit hand, growing up in that neighborhood, but you saw an opportunity in the gang. You followed it up, and then Brownstone gave you another opportunity, and you took it.
“That’s why I like you. Because you’re the kind of man who seizes on an opportunity to improve himself regardless of the situation.”
Despite what he just said, it sounds like this motherfucker’s buttering me up to ask for an alliance again. What, he thinks if he just says how smart I am, I’ll roll over and let him pat my belly?
Trey’s gaze cut around the room. Paul really liked old paintings. Art appreciation was still fairly low on the things Trey cared about.
“I like to think I’m not a dumbass,” Trey explained. “But I’ve made plenty of mistakes in my life, and I’ll make plenty more. Fortunately, I was given chances. Opportunities, like you said.”
“Yes, you were given some chances, or at least, one big chance.” Paul leaned back and inhaled deeply. “Mercy’s a good thing, don’t you think? I was wondering how things would have been different if Brownstone was more like the Silver Ghost.”
Trey’s face tightened. His and Victoria’s thorough ass-kicking at the Silver Ghost’s hands still rubbed him raw months later. It didn’t matter that she was dead.
He asked, “You mean if the big man was a crazy vigilante?”
Paul nodded. “Yes. I’ve seen the kind of things he can do. He could have killed or maimed every single person in your gang to get you out of his neighborhood.”
“Sure, but we always showed him proper respect. James Brownstone understands respect, just like y’all.”
“That’s good to hear.” Paul rubbed his chin. “And you agree on the importance of mercy?”
“Yeah, of course.” Trey nodded. “That’s the way the Brownstone Agency works. A lot of times if it’s a low-level guy, we try to get them to surrender so no one has to get hurt, bounty or bounty hunter. We try to keep our guys under control. Our hope is that our combination of reputation for being badasses as well as professionals who don’t hurt people just for the sake of hurting people will lead to fewer confrontations. I can’t say it always works, but I think it’s helpful.”
“It’s a good strategy.” Paul raised his leg and rested his foot on his knee. “And that mercy and restraint are what I wanted to talk to you about.”
“Yeah?”
“The other day you picked up a bounty, Gino Cantu,” Paul began.
Okay, here we go. He’s all smiles, but he’s pissed that the fucker got picked up.
Trey lifted his chin. “I did, at that. Level two. I understand he’s had some dealings with the Mafia, including the Espositos, but he had a valid bounty. I took him down based on that. Brownstone Agency doesn’t go after people without bounties unless they come after us.”
Paul’s affable smile turned into a frown. “My understanding is that there was an incident during the apprehension. An extreme incident.”
“Another bounty hunter not affiliated with the Brownstone Agency showed up. He initiated his recovery attempt with a grenade. I won’t apologize for that dumbass motherfucker. I beat his ass down for multiple reasons, including the fact that he threw a motherfucking grenade near me.”
Trey assumed that the mobster could handle his normal speech patterns. If you couldn’t call a man a motherfucker for throwing a grenade right next to you, when could you?
Paul shook a finger. “Yes, I heard how you beat the guy up, and that was what I was curious about. So you were just mad about the grenade, then? Or was it more about him trying to jump your bounty? I know your type can get territorial.”
Trying to figure out which bounty hunter to be pissed at, Esposito?
Trey scoffed. “I’m not gonna lie. I was angry about that shit, too, but that wasn’t the main thing that got my fists flying. I don’t know all the details of why, but there was a kid there. I didn’t like the idea of some motherfucker throwing grenades around when there w
as a kid who could have taken shrapnel. Cantu might have picked his lifestyle and accepted the risk, but that kid didn’t. A little restraint wouldn’t hurt, so I helped the other bounty hunter understand that.”
Paul blew out a breath and smacked his lips. “No hurting kids. That’s a good policy. It’s how we operate, too. No kids. No wives. Not all Families have those policies, but I think there are some lines that shouldn’t be crossed. It’s the difference between being a businessman and being a thug. The world doesn’t need more thugs.”
“I agree, Mr. Esposito.”
I don’t get his angle in all this. I thought he was gonna be pissed about Cantu, but he don’t seem to give a shit. Maybe he just figures Jared’s the one who should get fucked up over it.
“I’m going to tell you something that very few people in this area know, Trey.” Paul stared at him gravely. “It’s going to come out very soon anyway, and I want you to understand how important what happened the other day was.”
Trey frowned, now even more confused.
“Gino Cantu is my son,” Paul explained. “His mom was a waitress at a club I was running back in the day. We had some fun times between the sheets, but it was nothing serious. Then I found out she was knocked up. I told her I couldn’t acknowledge the kid.” He looked uncomfortable. “My dearly departed wife, God rest her soul, would have never forgiven me, but I made sure he was taken care of, and when the time came a few years back, I made sure he had opportunities to get involved with the family business. But I had to be careful.” He frowned. “Very few people know who Gino actually is. Even he didn’t know for most of his life. It was something his mom agreed to a long time ago. Originally, it was to keep them safe, and after that it was just because he didn’t know, and it was too much a dick move to come in years later and say, ‘Hey, I’m your dad.’ I let him know the truth recently, and we’re trying to understand each other better. Soon I’m going to let everyone know, which is why I feel comfortable telling you.”
Trey blinked as he processed the information. “I guess it was a good thing that I didn’t rough up Gino, then. But you got to understand, it is Brownstone policy. I didn’t have a clue who he was.”
“That doesn’t matter.” Paul threaded his fingers together. “And that little boy you were so concerned about is my grandson.” His face darkened. “If the other bounty hunter had hurt him, I would have made him pay, but it wouldn’t have mattered. Decades in this business have taught me that revenge doesn’t bring anyone back.”
“Shit.” Trey blinked. “Damn.”
“Exactly. Your restraint was not only respectful of my Family, but I heard how you threw yourself on Gino. Your fancy magic might have saved him from getting killed, and if you had not taken on that other bounty hunter, my grandson might have been hurt, or worse.” Paul smiled. “So, no, if Gino had to be taken down on a bounty, I’m glad it was by you, Trey.
“But here’s the thing. As far as I’m concerned, I owe you a favor. A big favor, and I’m a man who always pays his favors.”
Trey shook his head. “I don’t know about that. I was just doing my job. The Brownstone Agency strives to be something more than a bunch of thugs, you know what I’m saying? Bounty hunters; no more, no less.”
“Just think about it,” Paul replied. “And no matter what you say, I owe you a favor. Family men always pay their debts, and I’m sure you can find a use for it at some point in the future.” He chuckled. “And don’t worry. I understand this doesn’t change anything between the Esposito Family or any other Mafia Family and the Brownstone Agency.” He glanced at his watch. “But I’m sorry. I have to wrap this up. I’ve got meetings I need to go to, but I thought it was important that I talk to you face-to-face about this.”
Trey just stared at the mob boss, at a rare loss for words. Finally, he managed to open his mouth. “Thanks.”
Damn. This is some shit I never thought would happen today.
23
It’s good to be back home, James thought. No weird-ass monsters. No crazy forests. No walled-in shit patrolled by soldiers. Tomb raiding leads to weird places. It’s probably a good thing that Shay’s dialing that shit down.
He put up the footrest on his recliner. He liked having his dog sitting at his feet. Mack was always great when it came to dog watching, but flying to a foreign country to deal with a weird magical anarchy zone had been annoying.
At least the Professor has the stupid instrument and can stick it in whatever big hole he takes all the dangerous artifacts. I wonder if he blows up shit like the cobza or sends it to the World in Between, or just tosses it in some landfill in Iowa.
James grunted and decided that the less he knew, the better.
Shay’s right, though. If I can travel to places like Romania, I can go to other places. It might not hurt to hit high-level bounties around the world more often. Not like I’ve never done that. Bounty-hunting road trip or some shit like that.
Shay emerged from the bedroom in a robe, her hair up in a towel, droplets of water still on her face from her shower. “I meant to tell you before I got in the shower that I was catching up on important shit on my phone and found out there’s a bridal show at the Convention Center. I was thinking about us going to that. All sorts of vendors and ideas. Not just regular stuff, magical shit, too.”
James shook his head. “No fucking way. The flower shop was bad enough. How many fucking shades of pink did that guy claim there were? They all looked exactly the same. Besides, if you’re gonna do boring shit like that, just hire a wedding planner.”
Shay sighed. “I’m trying to generate a bunch of ideas before I worry about committing to anything or anyone, but if you don’t want to go, that’s fine. I won’t force you.”
“Jessie Rae’s and Father McCartney,” James reiterated. “That’s non-negotiable. You can have thirty-four fucking shades of pink if you want.”
“Duly noted and remembered.” Shay put her hands on her hips. “Do you believe I’m going to have thirty-four shades of pink at my wedding?”
“Probably not.”
“Exactly. For now, though, I’m going to go get dressed so I can go to the bridal show…by myself.” Shay winked and headed back into the bedroom.
Huh. Speaking of important shit, maybe I should see what’s up too. The only interesting bounty anyone’s mentioned was Trey telling me about that mobster.
James pulled his phone out of his pocket and brought up the bounty hunting app. He sorted for level four and above bounties, with a filter for Los Angeles County. Nothing came up.
Huh. The agency can handle everything else. Guess the big boys are quiet right now.
He was just about to turn his phone off when the app beeped with a new bounty alert that fit his parameters. He tapped on it, a slight smile on his face. It’d been a while since a level five had hit LA.
“Let’s see what we’ve got.”
A NEW LEVEL FIVE BOUNTY HAS BEEN ISSUED BY THE LOS ANGELES POLICE DEPARTMENT. IT IS FUNDED BY THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES, COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES, AND CITY OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND.
Officially released information on LYLE LASSOM as follows:
James scrolled down to a security camera picture of an unassuming brown-haired man. The man’s appearance did not scream badass in even the remotest sense of the word.
Huh. He must have super-powerful magic or some shit. Hope he’s not a necromancer. Motherfucking zombies.
LYLE LASSOM, 25-year-old Caucasian male, is responsible for two homicides in the city of Providence, Rhode Island, and multiple homicides in the city of Los Angeles in connection with the Sherman Oaks explosion and other unrelated incidents. Suspect is also responsible for other crimes, including but not limited to inciting to riot, grand theft, grand theft auto, kidnapping, illegal smuggling of artifacts, violation of FAA Hazardous Materials regulations, resisting arrest, and assaulting a law enforcement officer.
LYLE LASSOM’s whereabouts are unknown at this time, but he is currently believed to be op
erating in Los Angeles County.
Abilities channeled via magical artifact described as BONE CHARM NECKLACE include extreme mental manipulation and/or control manifesting as oral orders to humanoid subjects which they blindly follow. Note that such orders can lead to direct harm of self and others, including possible forced suicide.
This is classified as a LEVEL FIVE bounty at this time. Appropriate licensing is required for recovery of the bounty.
Please be advised this is a FULL LIVE recovery bounty. Termination of the bounty will result in forfeiting 100% of the pre-tax value of the bounty.
All licensed bounty hunters attempting to capture the bounty should exercise extreme caution and assume the bounty may possess additional weapons or abilities not specified in this notice. These additional abilities may result in a more difficult bounty hunting experience than suggested by the current bounty level.
The City of Los Angeles and the City of Los Angeles Police Department are not responsible for any death, injury, or loss of property that occurs as a result of pursuing LYLE LASSOM. Incidental damage or injury of third-parties will be the legal responsibility of the bounty hunter, not the city of Los Angeles or the City of Los Angeles Police Department.
Please note that all bounties are subject to the State of California Bounty Hunting Tax and Federal income taxes. Appropriate reporting forms will be sent to the IRS and California Department of Taxation and Fee Administration following award of the bounty.
Click here for additional information, including further legal disclaimers.
James grunted. High-level bounties without nicknames were always the most dangerous. Those kinds of men didn’t have anything to prove. The non-badass picture was more proof. This Lassom might be one of the more dangerous men to ever come to Los Angeles.
He headed to the bedroom. Shay sat on the bed doing her makeup with the aid of a compact.
“A level-five bounty just popped up,” James told her. “I’m gonna check into it.”
The Unbelievable Mr Brownstone Omnibus 3 Page 78