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Jack nods apologetically. “Yes, ma’am,” he says. “Now, as much as Pedretti does appear to be in good health, the Boss wanted to hear it from his own lips. Wanted a…a check-in, you could call it.”
Anna-Vittoria sighs. “I have just informed Signor Pedretti that he is free to go at any time, of course. He wants to stay.”
Jack looks at me. “Is that so?”
I give a slight nod.
“All the same,” Jack says, and there’s a note of seriousness to his voice that I don’t miss, “Sandro was hoping for a chat.”
I glance at Bricker. No matter what, I’m coming back to him, even if it’s not in an official capacity. But whatever is going on at Redwood is important too, or Jack wouldn’t be here trying to delicately hint something.
“I’m happy to go reassure the Boss,” I say with a shrug. “As long as everyone else is just as happy about it.” I look at Anna-Vittoria.
“Very well,” she says. “Pedretti, you may visit Redwood Manor to assure Don Castellani of your well-being. And you are welcome to return, if andonlyif you are given leave from your Don. I will not be accused of keeping you against your will—or his. Is that understood?”
“Understood, Maestra.”
Jack raises an eyebrow at my use of the term, and I can tell I’m going to get some ribbing later.
“And I will send Fabrizio with you,” she adds casually, although she keeps a close eye on my reaction. “A return guest to the Castellanis. I’m sure Alessandro would appreciate Fabrizio’s assurances of your continued safety.”
I glance at Jack, who gives me a slight nod. “Alright,” I say. “Don’t want to worry the Boss.”
The truth is, the last thing I want is to betray the fragile trust I’ve built with Bricker and the Espositos. My job here was to build ties. Pulling Bricker in for a dressing-down by Sandro is the last thing I want to do, but—
“Fabrizio?” Anna-Vittoria says.
His response is clipped. “Fine by me.”
“Then everyone’s happy,” Jack says, nodding his thanks at Anna-Vittoria. “I’ll take Max and his friend right now. Sandro’s at Redwood,” he adds to me.
“A moment, Signor Pedretti, if you will,” Anna-Vittoria says. “Fabrizio, wait with Signor Jacopo outside.” After the door closes behind them, she walks straight up to me and says, “Well? Have you told him?”
CHAPTER24
MAX
I haveto bite back my first response. I can’t see any of Anna-Vittoria’s guards around here, but I bet they’re watching, and they wouldn’t be okay with the first words that threaten to burst out of my mouth.
“No,” I say at last. “I haven’t. Assuming you’re talking about his dad. You told me not to, and I followed orders.”
She nods. “Good. See that you continue to do so.”
“Now hang on just a minute—”
“I don’t have time for your outrage, Massimo,” she says in Italian. “And you know as well as I do that it is even more important now to keep your secrets.”
She’s the only person who can call me Massimo without me hating the sound of it, but I still don’t like what she’s saying. “He needs support. His Family’s support.Yoursupport.”
“And he has it. But he needs more than that. He needs a soft place to land.” I’m a little taken aback, but she sweeps on before I can ask what she means. “If you are willing to return to us, then I want you two, together, to find the mole. You are the only ones I can trust—you, because you’re an outsider, and Fabrizio, because if I can’t trust my own judgment in making him Capo, then what kind of leader am I?”
I wonder if she knew how dire things would get when she poached me from Sandro. And I wonder if I’ll be able to convince Sandro to let me return. But for Bricker’s sake, I’m determined.
She dismisses me then, and I’m anxious to get out to Jack and Bricker, make sure there’s no problems there. But the two don’t seem to have said anything at all to each other when I open the doors. They’re just standing there under the watchful eyes of four armed guards.
Four? I only got one. Jack’s lethal reputation is as strong as ever, I see.
As we make our way out of the house and over to Jack’s car, I feel rather than see Bricker’s double take at the beat-up Pinto. “It’s his baby,” I sigh.
