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“I’ll have my police contacts keep me updated,” Elio says. “If Mia was kidnapped, I’m sure they’ll be in contact soon with a ransom.”
“Who’d make a play like this, though?” Tony grunts, giving me a look. “The Marinos run this town. We run the whole country.”
Luca and Elio exchange a look, both bristling a little like they don’t like the idea of Tony including himself in the “we”of the Marinos.
“What do we do?”
“We’ll find them,” Elio says. “Let me get to work.”
“All right, skipper,” Tony says, reaching over and patting Elio on the arm. It’s awkward how he paws at the sleeve of the other man. “Other men might resent that, calling their nephew skipper. But not you because you’re a damn fine leader, Elio.”
“Thanks, uncle,” Elio says awkwardly.
Tony stands up. “I’m going to make some calls of my own. Gentleman.”
He pauses as though waiting for us to tell him not to leave, and then he walks quickly from the room.
Luca follows him down the hallway, then returns, blowing out a whistle. “What thefuck, Dante?”
“You didn’t leave,” Colt mutters. “There’s no damn way. Big bad Vito scared you, did he?”
“I didn’t need the hassle,” I tell them. “I’ve been stressed with my ma. Fellas, we all make mistakes.”
“Do you want to swear on that, Dante?” Elio says, his tone getting serious. “On the Family?”
I swallow. If I agree to that and I’ve lied, they’re allowed to kill me. It’s an old tradition.
Elio sighs. “I didn’t think so. There’s something you’re not telling us.”
“Maybe we need to wait for the ransom note,” I say. “Maybe we can get Mia back, and nobody ever needs to know who the kidnapper was.”
Luca nods slowly. They all know it’s me. I can sense it, but for some reason they are trusting me and why I did what I did was the right move. Maybe this can work. They all know what I’m suggesting. We just need to go along with the charade.
“The last thing we need to do is piss Tony off, Elio,” Luca mutters.
Elio groans. “Who would we pin it on?”
“There are several groups,” Colt says. “We could make it seem like anybody we wanted.”
“All so we don’t upset big bad Tony Marino?” I growl. “Maybe we should just call him up, get him back in here, and I’ll put a bullet in his head.”
“Easy, Dante,” Colt says. “TheseMarinos take that talk seriously.”
“I’ve never liked him,” Elio grunts.
“Yeah, me neither,” Luca says. “He talks like he’s one of us. He talks like he’s earned his stripes. He’s only got that spot because his brother is Leonardo Marino.”
“We only got our spots because Dad is Dad,” Elio says.
“No, we earned it too,” Luca snaps, his eyes growing dark.
“Let’s say we go along with this.” Elio turns to me. “This kidnapper could obviously assure us that Mia is safe.”
“You don’t even have to ask him that,” Colt grunts. “This is Dante.”
The unexpected defense from Colt makes me smile even when I’m trying to keep my expression neutral.
“Then what the fuck?” Elio snaps.
