“Front door.”
“Front door’s good. Cleaner. We need a reason.”
“Yes.”
“Already thinking about it. Give me a second.”
He drives one-handed and dials with the other. He puts it on the dashboard speaker.
I notice the phone in his hand. Not his, a burner. Antonio won’t recognize the number.
The line picks up on the second ring.
“Who is this?” Antonio’s voice is annoyed.Itsounds like he’s eating.
“Lorenzo Castellano. Calling on behalf of Mr. D’Amico.”
“What does he want?”
“Good news, actually.” Lorenzo says. “The Martinez files. Boss says they’re getting closed. Thought you’d want to hear it from us directly.”
“About fucking time. That’s what I’ve been saying. That’s what I told him today, in his own goddamn office, before he?—”
“Yeah, about that.”
“What?”
“Boss wants to come by. Smooth things over after this morning. He feels bad about the misunderstanding.”
“Misunderstanding?” Antonio laughs. “He punched me in the fucking face.”
“That’s because he likes you, Antonio. You know how he is. He only loses it on guys he actually gives a shit about.”
I keep my eyes on the road.
“Which is why he’s bringing the good wine,” Lorenzo continues. “The stuff he doesn’t open for anyone else. A peace offering. The Barolo. The man does not pull that bottle out for anyone, Antonio. Anyone.“
I can hear Antonio working it out on the other end. The math isn’t complicated, and Antonio doesn’t have the patience for complicated math. He hearsBaroloandpeace offeringandMartinez files closing, and his ego does the rest.
“Yeah, all right. Fine. I’ll have the guys at the gate let you through.”
“Twenty minutes.”
He hangs up before Lorenzo finishes saying goodbye.
Lorenzo glances at me.
“Easy. Guy swallowed it like a trout.”
“Tell me you have the bottle.”
“Tell me you have the bottle,” he mimics. “Boss.Boss.You wound me. Every time. You think I’m winging this.”
“You usually are.”
“It’s in the trunk. Wrapped in a cloth. Like a baby.” He mutters to himself, shaking his head, “The man works with me for five years. Five years. Still treats me like the new kid.”
We don’t speak again until the gate.
