“It might be too late.”
“If anything happens to Nicky, what Connie finds out will be the least of your worries.”
“Blackmail is a dangerous thing, Detective.”
“Blackmail works both ways. Call your man off.”
“If I do this, you will owe me a favor. Understood?”
“Bullshit. Call him off.”
“For the favor I will.”
Frankie thought about all the things Mangini might have him do for this favor. “No way.”
“It is sad. Your friend risked everything for you.”
“Yeah, well I can’t do that. But let me tell you something, it’s going to be a bloodbath when I’m out of here.”
“Think about what I said. But think quickly.”
Frankie threw the phone across the room, almost hitting Kate as she walked in the door.
“You can just ask me to leave next time.”
“Sorry.”
She picked up the phone and handed it to him. “What’s wrong?”
Frankie shook his head. “Nothing. Some asshole wants me to trade a favor.”
“You want to explain that?”
Frankie sighed. For a moment he said nothing. “Nicky is in trouble with the mob. I can get him off, but I’d owe them.”
“Don’t do it.” Kate seemed vehement about it.
“Don’t? With all he’s done for me?”
“You’ve saved his ass a few times if I remember correctly.”
“Not enough.”
Kate let him stew for a minute. “Frankie, there are laws we have to live by. All of us. You’re a detective. You can’t break those laws for someone just because they are a friend.”
Frankie thought about what Kate said.
Laws to live by. Like the oath we took.
“You’re right, Kate. Can you give me a minute? I’ve got to make a call.”
Her head was still shaking when she walked out. “I hope it’s the right one.”
Frankie dialed the phone.
“Pronto.”
“Okay, we’re on.”
“You will owe me a favor. Agreed?”
“Agreed.”
“A wise decision, Detective Donovan.”
***
I walked slowly to my car. It wasn’t that far away but it seemed like a mile. It had been a long day and I had a long drive home. I couldn’t wait to get back to Angie and the family.
About fifty feet from the car, I slowed down even more. The driver’s side door wasn’t closed all the way. I know I closed it when I got out. Is someone inside? The car wasn’t weighed down so nobody was in there, but somebody definitely opened that door. I moved my hand slowly, got my gun from behind my back and held it close to my side. I had almost come to a stop, looking left and right. Someone was here. Watching.
Fabrizio. It has to be him.
I thought I lost him but he must have figured out where I’d go. I heard a footstep and whirled, ducking at the same time. Fabrizio grabbed my hand, twisting the gun away from me. At the same time, he shoved his gun in my face.
“Don’t do it, Niccolo.”
I stopped, stood up. I had a sick feeling in my gut, and my throat constricted. “There are two cops right down the street.”
“I watched. You did well.”
Everybody always used to say I wasn’t afraid of anything. I wished they could feel my nerves right now. I was terrified. I didn’t want to die, but worst of all, I didn’t want to leave Angie and Rosa to fend for themselves and raise Dante alone. I had to stall until I could think of something. “Let’s get it over with, Fabrizio. No sense wasting time.”
“Not here.”
“Afraid of a few cops? Guess what, I’m not going anywhere with you. I’m going to force you to do it here.”
Fabrizio smiled. “Sei pazzo.”
“I may be crazy, but I’m no fool. If I go with you I just make it easier for you to kill me.”
Fabrizio tucked my gun into his waistband. “It is a shame. I would have liked to work with you.”
I needed a second, that’s all. One second to get the derringer from my cap and shove it into his eye or his ear. But for that, I needed him off guard. He was quick. I decided to talk. Talking sometimes took people out of their game. “Tell Dominic it was something that had to be done. I meant no disrespect.”
“Signor Mangini understands these things.”
“You won’t get away. The cops down the street already called the shooting in. Half a dozen cars will be here any minute.”
“We’ll see.” Fabrizio lost his smile. “I am not an unreasonable man. If you would like to call your wife, do it now.”
This was my chance. “I’m reaching for my phone. Is that okay?”
He stretched, frisked me with his left hand, then nodded.
I slowly pulled out my phone and started dialing. At the same time, I wiped my forehead and took off my cap. The gun was strapped inside it. I held the cap in my left hand with the phone, prepared to act at the first opportunity.
Fabrizio reached into his pocket and pulled out a phone. It must have been on vibrate. “Si.”
He nodded a few times, but he never took his eyes off me. I moved slowly. Got hold of the derringer, cupped it in my hand. If his eyes shifted just once, he was gone.
After maybe ten or fifteen seconds, he put the phone away. “You must have an angel on your side, Signore.”
I shot him a questioning look.
“Signor Mangini said you are welcome to stay as long as you follow the rules.”
The lump in my throat vanished, as if it had never been there. My grip on the gun relaxed.
“What changed his mind?”
“You have a good friend in that Irish detective.”
“Bugs?” I laughed. Good old Bugs.
I looked at Fabrizio. “Guess we’re not enemies anymore.”
He tucked the gun into his pants, then nodded to me. “Your gun, Signore.”
I tried to feign confusion.
“You don’t think I missed that gun, do you? The one in your hat?”
I put the derringer back inside the cap and laughed. Then I laughed some more. “Fabrizio, I like you. You need a ride?”
“Sei pazzo,” he said, and then he laughed too.
“Maybe we’re both crazy, Fabrizio.”
I opened the car door. “Hop in. I’ll take you to get your car.”
CHAPTER 62
Recovery
Lou and Sherri finished their paperwork and went to the hospital. They chatted with Kate for a while, then went to Frankie’s room. After about fifteen minutes he woke from his first nap of the day, wiping tired eyes and wishing he had a pain pill in addition to his painkiller pump. Being stabbed was not a fun thing. Lou stood a few feet from the bed, Sherri beside him.
“Where’s Kate? And Alex?”
“She went to get something to eat. Alex mentioned something about possibly being admitted after eating so much hospital cafeteria food.”
“Little brat,” Frankie said.
“He’s adorable,” Sherri said. “I’d take him in a heartbeat.”
Frankie looked around. “Was Nicky here?”
Lou looked at his watch. “He should be here soon.”
“And the case? If you two are here I’m assuming it’s over.”
“Primary suspect is dead,” Sherri said.
“Stewart?”
Lou nodded. “Stewart. How your friend figured that out I don’t know. But he did.”
Frankie didn’t want to ask who killed Stewart. He was afraid to know. “Smart guy, Nicky is. Street smart.”
“Saved my ass,” Sherri said. “Lou’s, too.”
Frankie tried sitting up, more interested now. “How?”
“Stewart was about to cut my throat. I thought I was gone. Then Fusco pops up from behind a car, and a minute later he capped him. I think I felt the bullet whiz by me. Got him in the eye and head. I still can’t believe he took the sho
t with me right there. Didn’t have more than an inch or two room for error.”
Frankie started to laugh. It hurt. He held his stomach. “He’d have taken the shot with half that and still hit the guy.”
“That’s confidence,” Lou said.
“So I guess you two are heroes,” Frankie said.
“You, too. You’re a martyr.”
“What did Morreau say?”
“He suspects something fishy. Stewart was shot with your gun.”
“My gun?”
“Stewart took it when he stabbed you.”
“Then how—”
“Nicky took it back.”
“Oh shit,” Frankie said. “Morreau might take us all off homicide.”
“Maybe he’ll send me back to Narcotics where it’s safe.”
“You staying around, Miller?”
She looked at Frankie. “Guess I have to now. Somebody needs to take care of this grumpy old bastard.”
Lou put a cigarette in his mouth, sucking on it dry. “In case you two haven’t noticed, I’m the only one who hasn’t been shot or stabbed.”
“You look like you’re going to keel over at any minute. Nobody is going to risk jail time to take you out a few days early.”
“Yeah, keep telling yourself that. I’ll be singing at your funeral.”
The door opened and Nicky walked in.
“Hey, Bugs. How’s it going today?”
“Do we need to deputize you?”
“I don’t want any of that shit.”
Frankie squeezed his hand. “Thanks for coming up.” There was no need to say thanks for anything else.
Sherri lowered her head, then walked to Nicky’s side and kissed his cheek. “I was an ass last night.”
Lou made a noise that only old men who have been smoking for about sixty years can make.
Sherri raised her eyebrows. “Okay, I have been an ass since I met you. I just want to say thanks. You saved my life.”
Nicky smiled. “That kiss made it even. But don’t tell my wife. She hates it when all the beautiful women fawn over me.”
Sherri laughed, the tension gone. “God, you sound just like Donovan.”
Nicky turned to Lou. “You guys search his house in Red Hook yet?”
“They’re tearing it apart as we speak.”
“It was immaculate. Not a speck of dust, even with renovations.”
Bugs slapped his hand on the bedrail. “Damn, I knew it. When I was at his house, it was dirty, but only superficially dirty. It’s all coming back to me.”
“What’s coming back?” Lou asked.
“Stewart’s house. There were no smudges on the chrome faucet or the sink. The mirror had no fingerprints, and the grout on the floor and walls was sparkling white. All the dirt in Stewart’s house was superficial. Planted to make it look dirty.”
Frankie shook his head. “It’s like a slob who cleans up real quick before company comes. They can’t hide the dirt—this guy couldn’t hide the clean. I can’t believe I didn’t see it.”
Nicky laughed. “A little dirt can’t hide a pretty face.”
Bugs slapped the rail again. “That’s it, Nicky. And I even thought that on the way home, but couldn’t place it at the time.”
“Besides that,” Nicky said, “Wait until you see the pictures at his Brooklyn Heights house. Stewart was a sick son of a bitch.”
“How did he kill Krenshaw and her lover if he had so many witnesses to alibi him?” Frankie asked.
“I figure he bought them off,” Lou said. “The guy had more money than he knew what to do with, and he wasn’t shy about throwing it around.”
“Not at all,” Sherri said. “They told us he took them all out and paid everyone’s way. Sometimes he would take a whole crowd to a club, all his treat.”
Lou nodded. “People like that—leeches—they aren’t ratting out their money horse. No way.”
“Guess not,” Frankie said. “Odd though. I can see it for something small, but when it’s a murder investigation, I would expect a few of them to crack.”
Frankie turned to Nicky. “When are you leaving?”
“Right now. I have to get back before Angie kills me.”
Lou tapped Sherri on the arm. “We’re going to finish up some paperwork. See you later, Frankie.”
“Yeah, see ya’, Irish,” Sherri said. “You too, Fusco. Hope there’s not a next time.”
“There won’t be.”
Frankie waited for the door to close. He dropped his smile. “You shouldn’t have done it, Nicky. We’d have gotten the guy.”
“Sure you would. Mazzetti still thinks Benning did it.”
Bugs laughed. “He’s a good cop. Miller, too.”
“I know. I need to practice my patience.”
Bugs held his fist out, raised it in the air. “Friendship and honor.”
Nicky laughed and did the same. “Just like old times, Bugs. We protect each other.”
“And we always will.”
Nicky seemed nervous. He fidgeted, something he seldom did. “Bugs, listen. I gotta go.”
“Say hi to Angie and Rosa. And Dante. I almost forgot him.”
Nicky’s head drooped. “If she’s still there.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Nothing.”
“What? You better tell me.”
Nicky fidgeted more. Shifted his weight from one foot to the other, moved around, tapped on the bed rail. “She was pissed when I left. I haven’t been able to reach her since.”
“See what I mean? You shouldn’t have come. Now get the hell out of here. Go home.”
“You’re right. I’m gone.”
CHAPTER 63
Point of No Return
As soon as the door closed, Frankie grabbed his phone. He tried to reach Angie but got no answer. He didn’t leave a message; he didn’t want Nicky to hear it. What to do…He remembered Rosa called him a few days ago. He looked for her number and dialed. She answered right away. Maybe all kids did.
“Uncle Mario!” She sounded excited.
“Rosa, how are you?”
“How am I? How are you doing? Dad said you were in the hospital. I wanted to come see you, but…”
“Never mind that, I’m doing okay. Listen, I was calling to talk to your mom. Is she around?”
A long pause followed. “She’s not here.”
“Where is she?”
“She…she’s at her cousin’s house.”
“Do you have the number?”
“Uncle Mario, talk some sense into her. Please? She’s really upset, and it’s stupid.”
“Give me the number.”
Frankie called and asked for Angie. It took her a moment to get on the phone.
“What is it, Frankie?”
“Nicky is really upset, Angie. I’ve never seen him like this.”
“He’s upset? And I’m supposed to run home and coddle him?”
Frankie heard her breathing hard.
“I can’t do it anymore. I can’t. I’ve got two kids now. I won’t sit around waiting for him to get out of prison again. And I can’t bury him. I won’t bury him.”
“Angie, he didn’t do anything wrong.”
“Sure. Like he didn’t do anything last year. I hear the talk.”
“Angie, I swear. Read the paper tomorrow. It will have all the details.”
She said nothing. “Call him,” Frankie said. “His heart is breaking.”
Angie cried. Frankie let her go on even though it tore him up to hear it. She cried for a long time. “His heart is breaking? Do you know what mine feels like? Do you?”
“I don’t. But I’ve known Nicky all his life. And I can tell you, his heart is breaking. So please, do me a favor and call him. Give him a chance.”
There was more silence. “I didn’t even ask how you were. Are you okay?”
“Much better, thanks. I’ll be a whole lot better if you call Nicky.”
“Goodbye, Frankie,�
� she said, and hung up.
***
Angie went outside and started walking. After circling the block three times, she called Sister Thomas. “I need to talk, Sister.”
“Meet me at the bench in the park,” Sister Thomas said.
“This might take a while. Maybe we should meet at my house.”
“I’ll meet you there.”
Fifteen minutes later, Sister Thomas showed up. Angie had just pulled up in her car. They went inside and sat in the living room. “I won’t waste time, Sister. I’m worried about Nicky. I’m afraid he might be getting into trouble, and he’s…”
Sister Thomas took hold of Angie’s hands and squeezed. “Angela, I’ve known all of you since you were babies. I know what each one of you is like—your personalities and idiosyncrasies.”
“But you don’t understand, Sister. How could you? Nicky—”
She gave Angela a glare. “How could I? I’ll tell you. I know that Rosa is not Nicky’s daughter. And I know that she’s not Marty Ferris’ daughter either. And if she is whose daughter I think she is, I know what must have happened for you to become pregnant.”
Angela pulled back and looked away.
“And God forgive me for saying this,” Sister Thomas said as she blessed herself with the sign of the cross, “I’m not sorry that Tony Sannullo is dead. All he did was ruin lives.”
Tears formed in Angela’s eyes.
“Nicky is a lot like his father. He needs help, and it’s up to you to take care of him.”
Angela stared at Sister Thomas, her eyebrows raised. “How do you know all of this?”
Sister Thomas looked up, while her hands fumbled with her rosary beads. “Because I failed a man just like Nicky. I should have been there for him. I should have been his strength. But I wasn’t, and because of me he fell out of grace with God.”
She mouthed a short prayer and then grabbed hold of Angela’s cheek and turned her so they faced each other. “I pray every night for him, and I wish I could part a curtain and go back in time. But God doesn’t allow such things. We get one chance. One decision.”
She stared at Angela for a long time, then said, “Remember that, Angela. Don’t make the mistake I did.”
***
I took the expressway to the bridge and started the long ride home. It wasn’t far—two and a half hours—but it was going to feel like twice that with all the worrying. Angie hadn’t talked to me since I left Wilmington and I suspected she wouldn’t be there when I got home. I was touching down on the Staten Island side of the bridge when my phone rang. It reminded me I had to get rid of the other phone.
Murder Takes Patience Page 31