Double-Crossed

by Ali Vali

  “You probably don’t recognize the name of the girl in the photo—I sure as hell didn’t,” Hugo said and Mano glanced at the picture again. “Sorry, I don’t have a paper copy yet, but our guy couldn’t afford to take it out of the file.”

  “If you’re talking about London Emerson, then I don’t recognize her.”

  “How about Benito Lucassi?”

  Mano put the phone down and slid it back to Hugo. “How is that bookie jackass involved in this? I’d have asked him, but he canceled on me the other night.”

  “Benito’s only daughter married a guy and they had one daughter.”

  Mano shook his head. “London Emerson is Benito Lucassi’s granddaughter? Are you kidding?”

  “I wish I were, and I’m as shocked as you are. Lucassi is mostly unknown outside of his main job as a bookie, since he deals pretty strictly with the East and West Coast guys that have nothing to do with our business.” There was noise outside, and Hugo stopped to wave to Sylvia and the kids as they headed for the pool. “He met with Victor for some reason before he died.”

  “You think it was about his granddaughter?”

  Hugo shrugged. “I don’t think that was it. If Benito had known, I’m sure he would’ve gone with some backup to break Victor’s penis into three pieces.”

  “Give me an hour and then we’re going out.” Mano stood and rolled his sleeves up. “I have a few calls to make, but I want to spend a few minutes outside.”

  “I’ll be waiting, boss.”

  Mano made two appointments before going and watching his kids swim. Tres was on the diving board and Sylvia was in the water waiting on him. “You guys don’t stay out too long. The sun is brutal today.”

  “Do you have to go out?” Sylvia asked.

  “I’ll be back and take you all out for dinner. Wherever you guys want to go is what we’ll do, so take a vote.” He crouched down and took Sylvia’s hand that she held up to him.

  “Be careful, okay?” Sylvia said. “After watching the news this morning, I’m afraid for you. That poor woman and her son are still missing.”

  “I’ll be okay, but I need to take us out of the war I have a feeling is coming, since it’s got nothing to do with us.”

  She nodded, as usual leaving questions unasked. She trusted him to take care of their family, and he’d never let her down.

  He left once Hugo told him the people he wanted to see were expecting him. “Who’s first?” Hugo asked. They’d had a heated discussion about bringing more people with them, but he didn’t want to escalate this by showing up surrounded by armed guards.

  “Let’s go by Benito Lucassi’s first. We might get some idea of how to handle Diego if Benito’s in a talkative mood.”

  Lucassi’s house was right outside of town, in a section that was mostly upper middle class, and Benito had considerably overbuilt for the area. The place reminded Mano of a style of house you’d find in New Orleans, which was a change from the ranch homes around it. There were so many cars lining the street that Hugo double-parked in front of the driveway, but no one said anything when Mano got out.

  “Keep your eyes open,” he said as they walked to the door. “I’m curious who’s going to do their best to make this go away. It’s the fastest way to make this mistake a memory, but Lucassi isn’t about to let that happen. He’s never going to see his granddaughter as anything but an innocent in all this.”

  “Caterina will probably try to cover it up,” Hugo said as he rang the doorbell.

  “She does that, and it’ll be like admitting guilt. If she tries anything, it’ll be through a surrogate.”

  “Mano,” Benito said, answering the door himself. “Thank you for coming.”

  “Benito, you have my condolences, my friend.” He embraced Benito and followed him to the back of the house. His daughter was crying and was surrounded by women who appeared uncertain how to help. “I’m so sorry for your loss,” he said to the distraught woman.

  “Thank you.” London’s mother clung to him and started sobbing until Benito helped her sit back down.

  “Let’s have an espresso,” Benito said once his daughter was calm again.

  He sat in Benito’s sunroom and stared at the pool as his host ordered their coffee. There were more people lingering out there than in the house, but Mano didn’t recognize anyone. They appeared to be the spouses of the women comforting their friend. He couldn’t tell for sure because he really didn’t know Benito’s family well, but none of these guys seemed too upset, which meant London’s father wasn’t here.

  “I came to offer my support,” he said when Benito handed him a demitasse cup.

  “The only person I want to kill slowly is already dead.” Benito gulped the hot coffee down like it was a shot of whiskey. “That goddamn Victor killed my grandbaby, and dying the way he did was too good for him.” Benito sounded angry, but also broken.

  “Did you have any idea London was involved with Victor?”

  Benito stared at him as if he was trying to decide if he was going to hit him for asking the question. “That fucker must’ve seduced her, and she got in over her head.”

  “Is your son-in-law here?”

  “That loser hasn’t been around since London was six, and he realized my money wasn’t going to fund his lazy ass. I’ve taken care of London and my daughter ever since. London was always a headstrong kid, but she was a good girl,” Benito said like he truly meant it.

  “Have the police come by and told you anything else?” The tiptoeing to get information wasn’t working, so a more direct route was needed.

  “Mano, I know we’re not great friends, but we are friends,” Benito said, his hands in fists. “You got something to say—spit it out.”

  “I’m not hiding anything from you, Benito, but the two detectives assigned to London’s case came by my office.”

  “What the fuck for?” Benito’s voice and temper rose predictably. “They think you had something to do with this?”

  “Like you said—we’re friends. There’s no reason for me to go against your family, and my father would never allow anyone to harm, much less kill, someone so young who has nothing to do with our business,” he said placing his hand on Benito’s forearm. “My family has too much honor for that.”

  “I know your father—known him a long time. You and Remi are a lot like him, which means I believe you.” The sad calm returned and Benito seemed to deflate. “Why’d the cops hassle you?”

  “When things like this happen, they come and ask inappropriate questions because they think it’s their right. It’s like one dead fish is bait to catch as many live ones as they can put in their net.” He got up and poured a bit of brandy for Benito. “I’ll admit I didn’t realize it was your granddaughter with Victor then, but then I got curious once I found out.”

  “She was in college but got reprimanded a few times recently,” Benito said, almost absently. The facade of the young innocent schoolgirl was starting to fall away from London like feathers off a tattered boa. Mano wondered how the whole truth would sit with him. “It was like she was in trouble and she didn’t know how to tell us.”

  “You can’t take the blame for this.” Death and its permanence was something he wasn’t familiar with. His family had taken some losses, but they were in Cuba, and for him and Remi the death of unknown relatives wasn’t something they’d suffered through since they’d left so young. You couldn’t really mourn someone you didn’t know at all. They’d watched their parents grieve the loss of their own parents, though, which gave him the idea of what Benito was going through. “Perhaps there is blame here, but you and your daughter share no part of it.”

  “I met with that son of a bitch right before he killed my angel,” Benito said. “That was something I didn’t tell the cops because I’d have to explain why.”

  Mano poured him more brandy since it seemed to soothe him. “Was he asking you to handle some action?” It was football season, but Benito didn’t make house calls at any
of the casinos. He had flunkies for that. “Is there something I can help you with?”

  “Can I trust you, Mano?” Benito seem dazed, which meant he’d indulged in more than two small brandies.

  “I’m here because I believe your granddaughter deserves justice. Our families may have to live with what we do, Benito, but honorable people never touch an innocent. When that happens, the penalty is blood, and enough of it that no one ever dares to do it again.”

  “But Victor’s dead,” Benito said, appearing confused. “Sofia and her sons bear no blame here.”

  “Before you become too forgiving, make sure your family can live in peace.” It was too much of a cryptic comment to say to a drunk grieving man, but slow-burning fuses were sometimes best. “Why did Victor want to see you? That is, if you can tell me.”

  “Francesco Terzo wanted me to deliver a message.”

  A message and business opportunity coming from Francesco Terzo probably meant Victor and Robert Wallace would’ve been forced to work together. The only way to make that partnership work was the scheme that would eventually lead back to Caterina. Once Benito sobered up and figured all this out, he was going to blow Vegas to shit with a few phone calls. Benito wasn’t just a bookie, he was New York connected, and the main guy loved him.

  “I understand completely. Your discretion is why you’ve been as successful as you have through the years.” That part was totally true. Benito wasn’t a man who spoke about anyone’s business, which was why Mano allowed him to work out of the Gemini, within certain parameters, when Benito had a need. “As your friend though, I should tell you my contacts have told me they’re reopening the investigation.”

  “What?” Benito seemed to sober instantly. “Why?”

  “That I don’t know.” He almost laughed at the suspicion on Benito’s face. “You’ve been here a lifetime, Benito, and I know the long list of friendships you’ve made. Some of those have to be cops.”

  “Why are you here, really?” Benito asked after he stayed quiet for a few minutes.

  “My little girl will be nineteen one day,” he said, and Benito nodded. “Perhaps if she falls for someone I’d never approve of, but it’s for love, I’ll rage but eventually understand.” Benito nodded again. “But if she’s lured to do someone’s bidding like an unpaid prostitute, then whoever sent her will roll snake eyes. Do you understand?”

  He and Remi were twins, Remi the older by less than thirty minutes. And they’d been born with unique eyes. They each had one green eye from their mother and one blue from their father, but they were mirror images. When he stood at Remi’s right, and their eyes were level, the two middle were the ice blue of their father, Ramon.

  A tattoo of their company logo was inked on their shoulders, each bearing half the hooded king cobra with dice for eyes. Only when they stood together did the whole picture appear, cementing the nickname they were known by on the streets. Snake eyes.

  Benito said, “Snake eyes is something everyone understands, Mano. It’s been a while since anyone has had that unique experience, from my understanding, but everyone remembers.”

  It was true that to see that tattoo in its entirety meant it was probably the last thing you saw, since he and Remi took care of their bigger problems with very permanent solutions. “Anyone who threatens our families will find that we can still teach important lessons.”

  “Are you saying your family’s in danger?”

  “I’m telling you to make those calls not only to the police, but to your friends back east, and give London the peaceful rest she deserves.”

  “Something tells me you could give me those answers right now if you really wanted to.”

  “There are battles we look for, Benito, and some that have nothing to do with my family’s business.”

  “Those are the ones I imagine you don’t want to be dragged into,” Benito said.

  “Exactly.” He stood and buttoned his suit jacket.

  “That only happens if I do something stupid with what you say. I haven’t lived this long by being stupid.” Benito stood as well and took his hand. “If you know something, I’ll be in your debt. Thank you for letting me know I should look a little deeper.”

  “Promise me you’ll call before you do anything.”

  “You have my word.”

  He handed Benito an envelope with the text messages in it and shook his hand with both of his. “Your granddaughter bears no blame in this either, my friend. I may have never met her, but she’s the good girl you’ll always remember.”

  “Thank you, Mano.” Benito placed the envelope in his pocket. “Is Remi coming to town soon?”

  “She’ll be here for the service.” A small white lie never killed anyone.

  “That’s generous,” Benito said, his eyes becoming glassy. “Your friendship is appreciated, and I might need it going forward.”

  “It’s why I’m here. Snake eyes isn’t something you have to fear.” Mano left knowing he’d planted the seed. The Terzo family had grown fat and powerful with the money they were making off drugs, and it would be suicide to hit them directly. Giving Benito the information about Caterina was like loading a cannon and aiming it right at the Terzos.

  His father always said that sometimes the smart play was letting someone not only take out your trash but having them be grateful once the cleanup was done.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Reed returned with more shopping bags than she’d ever put in her car at once and found Brinley and Finn asleep on her sofa. The stress of the day before seemed to have caught up with them, and the silence gave her a minute to think. Not killing these people had been the right thing to do, but keeping them here long term wasn’t something she was prepared for.

  She put all the stuff Brinley had requested on the counter and in the refrigerator and took the time to unbox all the toys she’d gotten for the kid. With any luck her windows and doors would survive if he had something softer to play with. She left everything on the coffee table and went upstairs to the bedroom to shower and change. She felt like she’d been wearing the same clothes for a week.

  The house was still quiet when she put on a pair of sweatpants and a T-shirt, so she closed the door to the bathroom and called Sofia. There was no reason to keep her waiting any longer since she had new things to handle.

  “Hello.” Sofia spoke softly, and she seemed to be alone since there wasn’t any noise from her end.

  “Mrs. Madison, I believe our business is done, and it’s time for us to move on.” Reed stared at her reflection and made a mental note to get a haircut.

  “Why didn’t you tell me that bastard was planning to kill me?” The rage was easy to hear, but it was misplaced.

  “He’s dead, so what does it matter?” She came close to laughing when Sofia let out a strangled scream. “I read the woman’s texts, or should I say really young woman? She was more than a bedmate—she was an enticement to talk him into killing you. That I didn’t know until they were both dead.”

  “You read her texts, or you overheard them talking?”

  “Believe me, their conversation was limited and had nothing to do with you.” She heard Finn’s muffled laughter from the other room. He’d found his new stash.

  “Why didn’t you take her phone, you idiot?” People like Sofia who’d grown up wanting for nothing were all the same. Their mouth engaged with no thought of consequences, because up to now there had been none.

  “Mrs. Madison, you asked for your husband’s death to look like an accident, and that’s what you paid a tremendous amount of money for. A nineteen-year-old with no cell phone makes people suspicious, and suspicion erases the odds it was an accident.”

  “A death plot outlined on the phone makes me a suspect, which in no way is what I asked for. But since that’s what happened, go ahead and cut your fee in half.” Sofia barked orders as if she already had her inheritance and could actually carry out the threat.

  “The police still think you’re a suspect aft
er they saw who that kid was taking orders from?” The police telling Diego Moretti that Caterina Terzo had tried to goad Victor into killing Sofia so Victor would do Caterina’s bidding was an invitation to start a war they’d quickly lose control of. A slew of murders triggered by that information would make the original crime hard to solve, if suddenly the authorities had fifty murders instead of the one—well, the two. It was no wonder the investigation appeared to be moving at a snail’s pace.

  “You’re about to lose the other half of your fee if you know that and haven’t told me.” Sofia was truly angry now, and it was the only explanation for the stupidity spewing out of her mouth at top volume.

  Reed hung up and turned the phone off even though Sofia didn’t know the number. Her days of taking shit from people who considered themselves superior to her in every way were over.

  She called Oscar and gave him the rundown on what happened, and he laughed. “Start monitoring what’s going on in the house and call me if you hear anything about us.”

  “What a stupid bitch.”

  “We both know the world is full of them.” She heard Brinley’s voice, so she had to cut this off before her guests came looking for her. “Call me, and tonight might be a good time to go back to Victor’s love nest and search for the treasure I’m sure he left us.”

  “You don’t think they’ve cleaned it out by now?”

  “Whatever he left isn’t in plain sight, and it’s a crime scene. It’ll be another two days or so before they release it to the cleaning crew, which means it’s still there. If we go late enough, it shouldn’t be too hard.”

  “Okay, I’ll book a room and let you know when I’m set up to go.”

  She walked across to the guest rooms to see if they were habitable. Aside from the house tour, she’d never been in them, and she didn’t want to spend another night downstairs in the recliner keeping an eye on Brinley.