Deadly Deception

by Gilbert, Morris

  Lanza nodded. “I need a man like you,” he asserted. “I could pay you much more than Miss Ross does.”

  “Thanks, but I’m not interested.”

  “I knew that. Are you in love with her?”

  Lanza had been trying to get some sort of a reaction, to break through Savage’s iron control. He always did that with a man, tried to break him, find out what made him flinch. Now his lips pulled back in a thin smile as he saw Savage suddenly out of words. “It wouldn’t be surprising, Ben,” the old man told him. “She’s quite a girl.”

  Savage pulled his lips together, a frown forming on his forehead. He almost told Lanza to butt out—then suddenly laughed softly. “You old pirate! It’s none of your business, but I just work for her.”

  “Ah. Well, that’s as may be.” Lanza nodded. Then he sobered, continuing without emotion, “Two of Martino’s men were gunned down tonight.”

  Ben stared at him and shook his head before lashing out, “I hope one of them was Ring.”

  “It was not.”

  “Too bad.”

  “My thought exactly.” Lanza spoke in a spare tone, but anger lit his eyes. “I did not order it done.”

  “Ring will never believe that,” Ben stated flatly. “I suppose it was Faye?”

  Lanza nodded slowly. “Yes. He’s been trying to get me to hit Martino for a long time—ever since Sal died.”

  “You going to fire him?”

  “No. I can’t spare him. If Phil were alive, he could control Faye. But now we need him. He’s hotheaded and rash, I know.”

  “And ambitious,” Ben observed.

  “You see that? Well, it’s true enough. When I die, there will be only Frank and Eddy. Neither of them are what Phil was—so there has to be a man like Faye.” Lanza hesitated, then leaned forward. “I never learned how to ask favors, Ben, so I don’t do it very well. . . .”

  He paused, and Ben interjected, “I can’t speak for Dani. I hope she’ll keep us both here as long as you need us.”

  Lanza did not smile. He stared at Ben with a quizzical look. “I have missed something in life. I have only had faith in family. Now that it is too late, I discover that some men are to be trusted—just because they are what they are.”

  Ben was embarrassed by the scene. He knew that the old man before him had been guilty of breaking every law of God and man—yet now that he was old and helpless, he was finding out what it was like to have to lean on others. It was something, Savage knew, that he himself did not do well. To head off any expression of gratitude, he interposed, “Oh, knock it off, Dom! You’ll have both of us crying in our beer about how noble we are!”

  Lanza blinked, then saw what Savage was doing. “Very well, I will not speak of it.”

  “Want me to do anything special?”

  “Yes. I have talked with Dani. The two of you are the last line of defense. I think Ring will react very soon. And I am afraid that he will get inside our defenses.”

  “You think he’s bought somebody in your organization?”

  “It would be the way to do it. It is exactly what I would do myself.”

  “Any ideas?” Savage asked.

  “You’re the detective, Ben, not me,” Lanza pointed out. He leaned back, and Ben noticed that he looked exhausted. “Send Thomas in as you leave. And thanks.”

  Ben left the room and found the tall servant in the kitchen, eating a sandwich. “I guess he’s ready for bed, Thomas,” Savage reported. He hesitated, then added “He’s not doing so well.”

  “No, he’s not. I think he’s keeping himself alive just to do what he can for Frank and Eddy.” Rossi drained the glass of milk, then washed the glass. He turned to the door, but paused long enough to comment, “It’s like the old nursery rhyme, ‘London Bridge Is Falling Down,’ isn’t it?” He didn’t explain, but exited the kitchen, leaving Ben alone with his thoughts.

  Ben left the house, and as he crossed to the garage, the old melody kept going through his mind: “London bridge is falling down, falling down, falling down. . . .” He went to bed, and for a long time he lay there, trying to see some way to stop the thing, some hope that the Lanzas would come out of it and live happily ever after. But he saw no solution and slept poorly all night.

  8

  Another Birthday Party

  * * *

  Lieutenant Sixkiller arrived at the mansion unannounced on Friday morning, three days after the killing at the Orchid, and practically forced his way past the gate. Legs had thoughts of trying to bluff the bronzed policeman, but one look into Sixkiller’s chilling gaze, and he quickly fumbled with the phone. After a quick call, he instructed in a surly tone, “You can go on up to the house.”

  A short meeting had taken place in Frank Lanza’s office. After greeting Dom and Frank, Sixkiller had rapped out, “Thought I’d give you the word about that bomb. And the word is that the lab can’t help. Nothing in it we can trace. Mostly stuff that can be bought over the counter or swiped pretty easy.”

  Dominic Lanza nodded. “I thought it might be like that.”

  “Yeah, well, as long as I’m here,” Sixkiller spoke as if an afterthought had come to him, “I may as well mention one other little thing. I guess you read about two of Martino’s men getting blown away earlier this week.”

  “Yes, I read about it in the paper.”

  Sixkiller’s lips turned up in a very slight grin, as if he was enjoying the conversation, but he replied evenly, “Well, here’s what it looks like, Mr. Lanza. There are two rival gangs in New Orleans. They’ve been in a war before, and only last week one of them tried to bomb the other one. Now the one that tried to bomb the other gang out is hit in a gang-style killing.” He looked at Frank Lanza, who stared at him expressionlessly. “Some of us at the department are beginning to suspect a connection.”

  It was Dominic Lanza’s turn to reveal a trace of humor. His eyes glinted at the policeman, but he only replied, “I can see how you might come to that conclusion, Lieutenant.”

  “Wonder if any of your men were out of pocket on that night—say at about midnight.”

  Frank informed him, “The men work in shifts. Some of them were off. We don’t keep a record of what they do when they’re off duty.”

  “That would be a violation of their civil liberties, wouldn’t it?” Sixkiller nodded. “Well, just wanted to pass the word along. The mayor is nervous. So’s the DA. You know,” he observed idly, “the next time we have a killing, it wouldn’t surprise me a bit if those two didn’t get together and tell the department to crack down on both organizations. You know what pests we can make of ourselves when we set our mind to it, don’t you, Mr. Lanza?”

  “We’ll all hope that it won’t come to that,” Dom commented smoothly.

  Sixkiller got up from his chair with an easy motion. “Like to see Miss Ross, while I’m here.”

  “I doubt if she knows anything about the shooting,” Frank observed.

  “No, but she might agree to go out with me on her night off,” Sixkiller confessed. “I’ve tried everything else, now I’m going to threaten to pull her license if she turns me down again.”

  “I seriously doubt if that will work.” Dom smiled. “She’s a very firm young woman.”

  “Tell me about it!” Sixkiller grinned. “Where can I find her?”

  “She’s with the children,” Frank told him. “I’ll take you to their classroom.”

  “I’ll be in touch, Mr. Lanza,” Sixkiller promised, then followed Frank out of the room. The two men said nothing as they walked down the hall, but when Frank paused outside the door, he turned and asked, “I know you’ve already checked out our men. Are you going to make any arrests?”

  “Nope. In the first place they’ve all got iron-clad alibis. Even if they didn’t, I wouldn’t waste time with them. My theory is a lot more simple than the mayor’s. I’d just let the Lanzas and the Martinos whittle each other down. In a good gang war as many as twenty or thirty cheap hoods can get wiped out.”

&
nbsp; Frank Lanza stared at the policeman, letting nothing show in his face. “This is where Dani teaches the children,” he indicated quietly. He opened the door, and Sixkiller gave him a quizzical look, thinking, If I’d said that to Phil, he’d have tried to open me up! But he had always known that Frank and Phil were vastly different.

  Dani was standing at a blackboard, diagramming a sentence, as the two men walked in. Matt and Rachel wereseated before her, and Abby was lounging beside a table where Pat was pushing toy wooden cars around.

  “Well, class, we have visitors.” Dani smiled.

  “The lieutenant wants a word with you, Dani,” Frank announced. “I’ll fill in for you, if you want to go to the living area.”

  “Why, thank you, Mr. Lanza,” Dani replied. She walked outside, but demanded at once, “What is it?”

  “I told the old man I was going to ask you to go dancing,” Sixkiller said. “How about it?”

  “I’m not much of a dancer, Luke,” Dani objected. “And that’s not why you want to see me.”

  The burly officer shrugged, then informed her, “We’re not going to be able to put anybody away for knocking off those two Martino guys. Just wanted to warn you: Ring won’t let it alone. Sooner or later he’ll try to even the score. Keep your guard up, Dani.” He blinked, then advised quietly, “Get out of it. These people are going to kill each other off.”

  “What about the children? Do I just write them off?”

  Luke stared at her hard, then shook his head. “I knew it was a waste of time—but I thought I’d give it a shot.” He grinned, asking as he moved to go, “You sure about not going out with me?”

  Dani liked him, but she shook her head. “Maybe when this is over. You’ll have to come and ask my father, though. He has to approve all my dates.”

  “Yeah, I’ll do that.” He turned and left, and Dani returned to the classroom. At once she saw that something was wrong with Rachel. She came to stand beside the girl and threw a quick look at Frank.

  Lanza met her gaze and reported, “I can’t make it to the circus tonight. I was just telling Rachel I’ll make it up to her.”

  “It’s all right, Daddy,” Rachel whispered. She tried to smile, unsuccessfully.

  Dani stared at Lanza, anger building up inside her like a thunderhead. “Well, you kids have a good time at the circus,” their father urged. He turned and walked out of the room without looking back.

  Dani glanced at Rachel, and the sight of the effort the child was making to keep from crying made her furious. “Abby, stay with the children, will you?” She started for the door, her back rigid and her lips thin.

  She caught up with Frank downstairs and addressed him in a spare tone, “I want to talk to you.”

  Frank looked at her strangely, but only offered, “We can go to my office.” He led the way, and when they were inside, he attempted to head her off: “You’re upset because I can’t go to the circus. Well, I’m sorry, but it can’t be helped. Something’s come up that I can’t get out of.”

  Dani bit off her words carefully. “Whatever it is, it’s not as important as keeping your word to your daughter.”

  Lanza snapped back angrily, “I don’t have time to listen to this! Is that all you have to say?”

  “Oh, no, Mr. Lanza!” Dani pulled herself up, her eyes flashing, and there was no gentleness in her voice as she tore on, “No, it’s not all I have to say. What kind of a man are you, anyway? You have a daughter who’s starving for a little affection from you. It’s her birthday, and you’re the lad who said, ‘Pick any place you want to go, Rachel, and I’ll take you on your birthday.’ So now, after you’ve let her build her hopes up all this time, you come marching in with ‘I have something more important to do. Run along and play’!”

  Lanza was not a man used to being talked to in such a fashion. A flash of color touched his cheeks, and he ordered, “Get out of here! Just do what you’re paid to do!”

  Dani didn’t move. “What am I paid to do? Keep someone from shooting your children? That’s all you care about, isn’t it? Just feed them, buy their clothes, and keep somebody from killing them! Never mind that Rachel is going to pieces—and Matthew as well! The big man has important things to do!”

  Only twice in her life had Dani slipped out of control. She knew exactly what she was saying, but couldn’t stop. Though she realized that Frank Lanza would never let his hired help talk to him in such a fashion, the words came spilling out.

  “Do you know two of your children are afraid of you? You’re a stranger to them. Do you think they don’t know there’s death in this house? They do! And you’re the one, their father, who should be holding them up. But not Frank Lanza! Oh, no! You come floating by and give Pat all the little scraps of attention you have in your miserable soul and let Matt and Rachel see how much more you think of him!”

  “Get out!” Frank cried hoarsely. “You’re fired!”

  “No, I’m not fired,” Dani shot back. “You didn’t hire me. Your father did. And I’ll leave when he tells me to.”

  Frank’s face was pale and set. He turned and walked around her, saying, “Pack your things.” As he strode to his father’s room, he found himself trembling. He was filled with a sense of rage and indignation such as he had rarely known. It was so severe he had to stop outside his father’s door for several moments, waiting until he could breathe more evenly.

  He knocked, entered, and found his father reading. “I just fired the Ross woman,” he announced abruptly. “We’ll have to find somebody else.”

  Dom put his book down and stared at his son. “Why?”

  “She’s—she’s getting insolent!” Frank shook his head, then knowing he’d have to explain, told his father what had happened. “She’ll have to be replaced,” he defiantly proclaimed.

  The silence ran on, and Frank grew more nervous under the heavy weight of his father’s eyes. Finally Dom asked, “Did you promise to take Rachel to the circus?”

  “Well—yes,” Frank admitted. Then he added quickly, “But you know how it’s been since Ring got hit, Pop. It’s a bad time.”

  “And your word, it’s not good, Frank?” Dom stared at his son, his old eyes sad. “I have done so many things that I am not proud of. But I have never broken my word to you, have I? Or to any of my family.”

  Frank dropped his head suddenly, remembering. “No, Pop—you never did.”

  The old man rose and came to stand beside his son. He put his hand on the younger man’s arm and waited until Frank met his gaze. “Frank, you are my son. There is nothing I wouldn’t do for you. But I have to be honest.” Dom hesitated, then continued very softly, “I know your pride is hurt. We Lanzas—we have a lot of pride. Too much, I think, at times. But isn’t the woman right?”

  Frank could hardly meet his father’s eyes. He had known when Dani was slicing at him with her accusations that she was telling the truth. He had always known that he was not the father he ought to be. That was why he had reacted with such anger. Now as he stood there, thinking of her words and trying to meet his father’s eyes, a razor was doing fine work on his conscience. Finally he nodded, and whispered: “Yes, Pop, she was right.” He tried to grin and could not. “That’s why I got so mad, I guess.”

  Dom observed, “You are a good father in many ways, Frank, but even I have seen that your children need more of you.” He shrugged his thin shoulders. “I was the same way. I favored Phil. I didn’t give you and Eddy the attention you deserved. That—has been heavy on me, my son. It has hurt me much worse than the thought of dying.”

  “You were always a good father!”

  Dom looked at him eagerly. “Do you really mean that, Frank?”

  “Yes! Eddy and I knew Phil was your favorite. But you didn’t cut us out. Remember the trips to the beach every year? And how you taught us all to play golf? I’ve never forgotten—”

  Frank cut his words off sharply, then stared at his father. “That’s what I remember most—the time you spent with me. And
that’s what Dani said I haven’t been giving the kids—and she’s right, Pop. But I just don’t seem to know how to talk to them.”

  “I really don’t think it matters much what you say,” Dom advised slowly. “What matters is that you are there. I wish all our problems had such an easy solution. Rachel and Matthew will be happy if you just spend a little time with them. Can you do that? And I suppose you’ll have to apologize to Dani.” He gave a semblance of a smile. “Another thing we Lanzas never learned to do—apologize.”

  Frank gave a nervous laugh. The tension of the moment had raked across his nerves, but he responded, “I’ll try— but she might pull that gun she wears and shoot me before I have a chance!”

  She is a fiery woman, isn’t she?” Dom nodded. “But I am glad she is here. Now, go eat your words. It will not be as bad as you think.”

  “All right.” Frank left the room, and Dom went to the chair and sat down abruptly. The pain in his stomach burned like a fire, but he ignored it and smiled as he pictured the scene that would be taking place between his son and the nanny.

  Dani had gone back to the classroom after the confrontation with Frank. Abby stared at her curiously, but said nothing. Pat had pulled at her slacks, and she had gone to sit with him as he pointed out the function of each of his cars. Dani wanted to go to Rachel—who was sitting at her desk, a book before her, her head down—but thought, I’ll wait until later, when we’re alone. Matt was joylessly working on the model of an aircraft carrier.

  Ten minutes later, the door opened, and Dani looked to see Frank. He didn’t even glance at her, but went directly to Rachel. He stood over her, but she kept her head down, eyes fixed on the book. “Guess what, Rachel?” he asked.

  “I don’t know, Daddy.” Her answer was faint, and when she looked up, he saw she had been crying.

  “Well, I’ve been talking to your grandfather—” He did glance at Dani then, but quickly continued, “He told me something about promises—something I’d forgotten. Can you guess what?”