AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Where is she now?”
“Sleeping. I just checked on her.”
I stared into my coffee, concentrating on the little tan bubbles in the center. “It’s time.”
“I know,” she whispered. “Do you have a way to get a hold of Dante? He should know.”
I shook my head. I had his cell phone number, but it wouldn’t do any good to tell him yet. If I were him, it was a conversation I’d want to have in person. But he was head of the family. Ultimately, it was his decision. He’d agree, but I needed to do the leg work first.
Ma needed help and thanks to the fucked up life we led, getting a doctor’s appointment for her wouldn’t be easy. I couldn’t just look someone up in the yellow pages. She had a primary physician - someone the family had trusted for years. But now, she’d need a specialist. The best my ill-gotten money could buy, but it still had to be the right person. If she was suffering from dementia or Alzheimer's...there was no telling where this could lead. It was doable - I had money for bribes or whatever it would take to make sure she was in good hands. She’d want for nothing.
“Make an appointment with Dr. Russo as soon as you can. Then we’ll go from there.”
“I want to be there,” Lilly insisted.
“Of course. Call her today, get it for as soon as you can. Ask to speak directly with Dr. Russo. If there’s still a problem, I’ll call her myself. Let them know that.”
I wouldn’t need to say more. There wouldn’t be a problem.
“I’ll call them now. It’s possible we can get in today.”
None of us were above using our name and influence to get what we wanted. We’d get in today. Dr. Russo had been our family’s physician for decades. She’d made house calls in the middle of the night before and had always been trustworthy. She never asked questions and still gave the very best care. Ma’s current health condition was beyond Dr. Russo’s scope, but she’d be able to make referrals, give me names of people I could vet.
I finished eating mymaritozzi,but its flavor was lost to me. It might as well have been a mouthful of putty, but the chewing kept me busy.
“Hello. This is Lilly Calegari calling for Dr. Russo. Sure - I’ll wait.”
I looked back up at Lilly and she nodded. Dr. Russo was coming to the phone.
“I’ll be in my office. Let me know.”
My “office” was really just a man cave, a place I could go to unwind and think. Other than a few conversations with Andre, I rarely conducted any actual business from my home. Unfortunately, running an illegal business still meant most “work” was done in person, and I paid a specialist a good-sized fortune to make sure anything I did electronically was coded, encrypted, and secure. I didn’t know a thing about how she did it, but I made it worth her while to be her only client. The codes were managed by another entity, so no one was ever really sure what they were seeing.
I switched on the gas fireplace, settled into my leather recliner, and stretched my legs out.
I focused on my breathing. I kept my eyes closed while my heart hammered in my chest. I tried not to think at all.
“Come in,” I said when I heard Lilly’s soft tap.
She cracked the door open and barely stuck her head in. “Dr. Russo said she’s booked all day, but she’ll stay late for us. Is 6:00 okay with you? She offered to make someone cancel and reschedule, but I figured-”
“Six is fine. Tell her we’ll be there.”
The door closed softly just as my phone rang.
“You available?” Andre asked as soon as I answered.
I rubbed the back of my neck where a persistent ache had begun.
“Yeah. What’s up?”
“The drunk. He didn’t say anything specific, but he’s been bragging to his cellie. The usual ‘they don’t know who they’re messing with’ shit. If he keeps it up, he’s going to be asked to put up or shut up.”
Fuck. This was the last thing I needed. Why the fuck couldn’t people just take their licks and shut their fucking mouths?
“Is he working on bail?”
“If he is, he’s taking his time, but it’s only been a few days.”
“Bail him out. Then walk him across the bridge.”
Andre sucked in his breath. “Got it.”
There was only one person I needed to notify about my actions - the man who managed the group of hackers. He vetted them: I paid him for services rendered. In fact, he was the first one to let me know the hacker was in trouble. I sent him a brief message. It took me a minute to remember the code. I took no pleasure in the decision I’d made, so this wasn’t a boastful text I was about to send. There’d be fall out later - he’d need to know what to expect. This would eventually cause him more trouble than it would me, but he was a professional, and he’d never complain.
One sentence:D10 didn’t make it. We’ll need a new model.
The reply:That’s unfortunate. I’ll find you a new droid. Let me know when.
It was a cold-hearted way to talk about ending a man’s life.
