by S. W. Frank
****
The doors and windows were locked when Nico and his crew arrived. He could not sit and wait for his cousins. Sitting idle wasn’t something he did well. In this instance, he was racing against the clock and his instinct told him to proceed in haste. He’s glad he listened. They were able to jimmy one of the windows in the basement open and gain access to the house. They could hear voices above and the pacing of feet. “Where the hell are they with the money?” A man shouted angrily.
“They may have taken off with it.” Another said.
“We shouldn’t have trusted them.”
“I swear, if they did, I’ll gladly find them and put a bullet in their heads.”
“With that amount of money, a man disappears.”
“Are you deliberately trying to piss me off?”
“Greg, we’re going to have to decide how long we wait. We can’t stay here all night. What if someone called the police?”
“Nobody’s called the cops, they would’ve come already.”
“And the kid?”
There was a pause, followed by, “I’ll take of it. Go upstairs and check on Steve.”
Footsteps tracked across the floor and Nico led the way toward the stairs. He walked on the edge of the treads. These old houses were infamous for squeaky or loose boards. When he reached the top, he quietly opened the basement door and peered out. He was greeted by a brightly lit kitchen and going by Alfonzo’s blue-prints, the living-room was to the right beyond the dining room. He waved the guys up and slid through the door. He was silent as he crept around walls listening for sounds. It’s what he saw when he peeked around the wall into the living room which drew his furor. Darren was tied to a chair. His face bruised and one of his eyes blackened and swollen. Someone had beat his son so bad the kid looked about to pass out. A rush of blood warmed Nico’s entire body and an intensity so foreign to him caused his heart to resound with a cacophony of booms. He signaled to Lou to wait until he cleared the room then without one concern for his life he stepped into the living-room. The man sitting on the couch guarding Darren jumped at the sight of the dangerous looking man.
Nico saw there was no weapon in the man’s hand and he casually slipped his piece in its holster. The man tried to climb over the back of the sofa to escape and it took only four strides for Nico to reach, catch his legs and drag him back. Nico never spoke when he killed a man; it wasted precious breath which he reserved for the living. The man’s eyes bulged in fear as he was hoisted toward ceiling by the throat and a pressure beyond anything he felt in his life began crushing down on him until he had no air. He was staring into the killer’s eyes and there wasn’t a glimmer of emotion in them, only dark pools of coal. When he was raised higher and turned upside down, he could only see the floor now and the man’s feet. It was a brief view, a fraction of time to realize the nature of his death would be painful.
It’s when you’re about to die that every one of your senses becomes heightened and sometimes things are either in hyper speed or deceleration. Gregory’s last moments were the latter. Nico gripped the man and with a power of a bodybuilder he brought Gregory down headfirst to the floor with such speed and force the floor shook and the man’s head cracked open.
Lou had the boy out of the restraints and over his shoulder. The poor kid was really hurt. “Take him to the car, five minutes I’m not out, you leave!” Nico said between clenched teeth as he removed his weapon then he flew up the stairs with the other men on his heels and all Lou heard was gunshots.
****
Alfonzo and Giuseppe spotted Lou carrying the boy over his shoulder like a sack. “Where’s Nico?” Giuseppe asked.
“Inside finishing the job.”
Alfonzo sprint ahead of his cousin at the sound of gunfire coming from the house. He wasn’t about to let Nico die in there. Crazy sonovabitch was probably going homicidal. Lou had left the door open and Alfonzo bound inside the house. He saw the crumpled man bleeding profusely from the head and knew this was Nico’s work.
Gunshots came from the second floor. Alfonzo ascended the stairs without getting winded. Years of climbing those walk-ups in the Bronx and uptown made his legs strong and constant exercise gave him energy. Giuseppe’s pace was much slower; it was more an unhurried gait of a man accustomed to his own time and cognizant of no other.
By the time Alfonzo reached the first door, Nico emerged unscathed along with Giuseppe’s henchmen. Alfonzo hated to ask what happened, instead he stuck his head in the room and red is all he saw. Geez, Nico did an overkill!
“Torch the house.” Alfonzo shouted to the guys, “Let’s not leave anything for the cops to trace.”
Giuseppe finally reached them with a bored expression, “You saved nothing for us to do, cugino, how selfish of you.”
Nico’s jaw was clenched tight. The image of Darren’s face was the only thing on his brain. Giuseppe’s words had fallen on deaf ears. Nico was a man in thermal combustion and anyone in his path could become scorched by flames.
Minutes later, the SUV’s sped west on the Long Island Expressway and at their backs one could see the sky being licked by flames. Red and black pillars of fire shot angrily to the heavens; a calling card of the Giacanti’s ire.
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
“Ummm, now that’s good.” Ariana admitted with her feet up on the couch scraping the bottom of the bowl for the melted residual chocolate. The movie Forest Gump played on the large screen and every time Selange heard, “Run Forest run,” she rolled on the floor laughing.
Ariana later learned Alfonzo’s cousin Giuseppe teased her with the line a few days ago, thus the uncontrollable mirth. Selange lay on her back on the floor, cushioned by a fluffy white rug. Ariana smirked, the woman was funny. Their cell’s buzzed simultaneously and Selange grabbed hers immediately since it sat right next to her head. Ariana had to get up and go the table where she’d placed hers earlier. She decided to sit down and take Nico’s call in case it was bad news, “Yeah, Nico?”
“We got him honey. Darren’s safe.”
Ariana cupped her mouth. She began to cry with relief, “Thank God…is he hurt?”
“A few scrapes and bruises but he’ll be okay.”
“And Aaron?”
“Going to get him now. Left him in the care of a cousin.”
“Gosh…I am so happy...this is over. Did you take care of the piece of dung?” Ariana didn’t want to breathe Gregory’s name after what he’d done; saying it was distasteful.
“Sure did. Look, I won’t see you until the morning. We have to wait for the plane to be refueled. How’s it going there, you know, you –her?”
“We have a truce. One battle won at a time. Hurry and bring my sons home Nico. I miss them.”
“I will.”
Ariana sighed, “And thanks…thanks for not letting anything happen to the boys. I’ll see you soon.”
Ariana leaned her elbows on the table, her head bowed in prayer. She gave the glory to a higher power. Her sons were safe. She could hear Selange still talking with someone, most likely Alfonzo. The gentleness of her speech and the joy in it a noticeable testament she spoke to a man she adored. Her words rafted through the air and Ariana found herself eavesdropping, accidentally of course.
“I miss you, too…oh honey…I can’t wait to hold you. Yes, we’re good. We were watching Forest Gump,” then Selange laughed, “I know that’s why it’s funny. By the way Shanda’s mad at you and me, now. She thinks we don’t want her with Geo. I know,” then came more laughter and her closing, “love you, too, more than the stars.”
Ariana rose from the table and waved good-night to the woman. Listening to her intimate conversation made it real. Alfonzo and Selange were in love. Not, pretend love, but the rarest kind, love that survived storms.
****
The cabbie tapped the partition shouting, “Hey kid we’re here, wake-up.”
Aaron sat forward rubbing sleep from his eyes. During the long ride he fell asleep after receivi
ng news Darren was found, alive. Whoa, he was super ecstatic and tired. It’s like the news sucked out all of his energy or maybe he was moving on reserves to begin with and that’s the reason he conked out so quickly.
Domingo had paid the cab driver in advance and Aaron collected his backpack and exited the taxi in the parking lot of Dellegio’s. It was after midnight and the place was closing. The closed neon sign on the door flashed. Through the curtained windows, there was a light and people moving about which he assumed was the cleaning crew. He hurried to the side door and knocked, rocking toe to heel as he tried to wake his sleepy body. The temperature must have decreased by at least ten degrees in the last couple of hours and the thick hoodie he wore barely blocked the chill. He put aside his timidity and bang on the door. Dellegio knew he was coming, his father told him so. But damn, what was taking the heavy man so long to answer the door?
The door opened and he stared into shadow. He didn’t see the person behind the door and blindly walked into the vestibule. The door closed and a man stood there eyeing him up and down in curiosity. “Who are you?” He asked.
“Aaron.”
“Aaron we’re closed.”
Aaron got this weird vibe. Like an alarm going off in his body. The thing was literally screaming…WARNING DANGER…for real! He stayed calm. He didn’t let on to his fear and shrugged, “Dellegio usually gives me some left-overs to take home to help feed my sisters since my mom got laid–off.”
The man snickered, “Is that right. The fat geezer only gives you left-overs. The man dug in his pocket, “Tell you what, I’m gonna’ do better than that. Here’s a grand. Tomorrow take your sisters for something to eat in style, courtesy of Vito. Dellegio’s going out of business. Health Department’s closing this place down, they serving up dead rats in here.”
Aaron wrinkled his face in mock disgust, “Ew, that’s nasty.”
The man, Vito smirked, “Same thing I said, nasty fat bastard.” He put the money in Aaron’s hand then held open the door, “Go on home, it’s late.”
Aaron pulled on his hood and scurried out the door. He walked until the man couldn’t see him anymore then ran around the large lot to the back of the building and crouched behind a car. He called his dad.
Nico answered on the first ring, “What’s up son?”
Aaron’s voice was one of high-pitched nervousness, “Dad, something’s wrong. This guy answered the door of the restaurant. He said Dellegio’s going out of business. He wouldn’t let me in. There’s more guys inside, too. Dad, what should I do?”
“Where are you?”
“In the parking lot, behind a car.”
“Stay away from the building and make sure you keep out of sight.”
“Are you coming?”
“You’re damn right we’re coming. I’m fifteen minutes out.”
“Okay, hurry dad. What if they killed Dellegio or Sergio?”
“I’m worried about you son. Don’t do anything stupid boy. Stay your ass put until I get there. Do you hear me?”
“Yes, I hear you.”
Aaron returned the cell to his pocket and crouched on the ground. He was breathing rapidly; the nervous excitement had him worked-up. He wasn’t sleepy anymore. It’s like when he took his mom’s car for a joyride without her permission last month. Man, he thought she’d find out, but she didn’t. He drove all the way to Long Island City to visit his girlfriend and man was he shitting bricks until he made it home. He pulled the backpack from his shoulders and dug inside. His dad had a whole bunch of gadgets in there. He saw a metal little black box, a cell still in its package, a tiny screw driver the size of his pinky and a gun.
He took the gun out. He never held a real gun before. It was heavy. He turned it over examining it. He played enough video games to identify the make of the weapon and locate the safety. It had a clip in the handle and there was another magazine in the bottom of the backpack. He hadn’t planned on doing anything heroic. No, he wasn’t stupid. He only wanted to take a peek through the window to see what was happening inside. He had to look. Another exciting story to tell Darren, that’s all.
He took out the extra clip and tucked it in his pocket. He snuck toward the building and peered through the lightly tinted window. The drapes were closed but a thin opening allowed him to see inside the eatery. ‘Ah shit…I mean poo!’
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
Geovonna touched up her toe nail polish as she chatted with Lucia. They were in the front parlor watching the men patrolling the grounds with their large weapons as if they guarded the King’s crown jewels. Amelda slept after returning from the hospital. Matteo survived the surgery to remove the bullet from his stomach. All the blood coming from him, Geovonna also thought the man had died. She shrugged; death was part of this life. It is how you die that men remember most. She wanted to die making love to Giuseppe. That would be the most glorious and pleasurable death. Their bodies interlocked in carnal pleasure forever.
Lucia was talking. Geovonna liked Lucia. She was easy-going and fun to be with. “I spoke with my father. He says the Russians came in from the Imalfi Coast. He says the families who assisted Benaducci were dealt with and there is a meeting scheduled today to reassign territories.”
“Who cares how the Russians came in to Italy? I only care how they were able to kill my father then enter our home. These bodyguards are useless. I do not think they take their work seriously.”
“This was planned for some time. How did they know where to ambush your father’s automobile? I am glad Alberti stomped them out. It’s unfortunate we lost so many to do it.”
Geovonna raised her head a fraction and blew her toenails, “What is with Alberti?”
“What do you mean?”
“Why does he act as if he is the boss and not Giuseppe?”
Lucia grinned at the young woman’s naiveté, “Because he is.”
“What do you mean?”
“Ah, Geovonna, you are late. Alberti is Sergio Giacanti’s son. I thought you knew this.”
“No, I did not.”
“Yes. Carlo Dichenzo was also one of the sons and Luzo. They are all brothers.”
Geovonna frowned. Why did she not hear this before? There was something odd in the way Alberti spoke to Lucia, as if he had a secret about her. Hmm, she blew on her toes again. Luzo Palazzo’s son is American. The one she saw with the blue eyes identical to her beloved Giuseppe. There was an uncanny resemblance which she was surprised no one else noticed. Aside from the eyes, the jaw, the cheekbones and the nose was Luzo Palazzo. Carlo Dichenzo was shorter than his brothers and stout. His nose was less prominent and although not ugly, he was not as handsome as the others. Luzo was the only one of the three with those eyes and from her youth, she recalled he was a strikingly attractive and charming man.
She cocked her head sideways. A thought entered her mind. It’s odd how a theory spreads from a tiny thought to an idea worthy of investigation. Could it possibly be her Giuseppe is Luzo’s son?
The possibilities of it were true was vast. He would then be entitled to a share of Palazzo Enterprises which Alfonzo inherited. She decided she would have a talk with Sophie; perhaps as women they could make a mutually agreeable trade. Sophie would gain a loyal daughter-in-law in exchange for Geovonna’s silence.
She blew very hard on her toes. Her mother and brother were arriving today. The funeral arrangements for her father must be made. So, many funerals. This was the reality of mafia life. There were regular funerals, visits to stupid relatives who went to jail and secrets. To Geovonna it was an exciting game. The best part of it was the money and the dangerous men. Danger gave her a thrill and Giuseppe was the most dangerous of them all.
****
The guy who gave Aaron a wad of cash stood in front of Dellegio who was seated at one of the tables, hands folded, listening to the man talk. It’s weird because Aaron didn’t detect any fear in Dellegio’s face, although on the floor were bodies and a gun pointed at his head. Aaron’s eyes rolled
around the room, looking for the nice waitress or Sergio, instead all he found were several men holding guns dressed in black. He counted eight, plus the guy Vito made nine and there was no telling how many might be in the kitchen. He walked to the rear of the building searching for an entry for a kid like him to squeeze through. If he could find one, he might be able to get inside to see if Sergio made it out. The thought of the guy being his cousin and not doing anything to help him, just seemed a cowards way out.
He spotted a window about seven feet high then saw the discarded crates near a large dumpster and went for them then stacked one atop the other to climb on. He had a good view in to a storage room. It was dark though. “Oh shit!” Aaron cursed. The waitress and Sergio were hiding in a corner behind large bags of onions or maybe it was a bag of potatoes.
Aaron tapped lightly on the glass and Sergio who heard the sound. His face looked super relieved and he darted to the window trying to tell Aaron something. Aaron concentrated on reading his lips, something he was horrible at. “Can’t get…tall…luck…call…cops?”
What the heck? Aaron gave up and tugged at the window. He pushed in and the thing gave with a scraping whine. “Oh poo!” He hoped nobody heard. He stuck his head in, “Come on, stack those two boxes man and send the girl out.”