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I point to each guy and call out their names. He assesses them both, then pulls up a chair of his own, sitting astride it with his hand on the backrest.
“Okay, boys. Here’s what’s going to happen,” he announces. “You’re going to give me the name of the guy who sent you. You’re also going to tell me what the hell they want with Charlotte, especially after I’ve made it clear that she’s under Satan’s Pride’s protection.”
The two men glance at one another. Mariano’s about to speak when Iano shakes his head to warn him not to. Guard sees it too and directs his attention to Iano. “Whoever gave you orders just gave you a death sentence. Every player around here knows what we’re capable of, and they sent two newbies. Chances are you would fail, which you did, and we’d kill you and you’d be out of their hair. If by some miracle you managed to get to Charlotte, they’d pat you on the head and throw you a bone. Let’s get this straight: I can find out who you work for. I’m giving you the opportunity to make things easier for yourselves.”
Iano finally finds his voice. “You’re gonna kill us anyway.”
“I can send you back,” Guard replies. Immediately, Mariano winces and Iano swallows hard. These guys don’t want to go back, not now that they failed. Mariano clamps his lips shut. If he was going to talk, he’s decided against it now.
War steps forward. He’s annoyed and moves to Iano. With one jerk of his hand on the sleeve of Iano’s jacket, taking the shirt with it, he exposes his shoulder and a tattoo of a three-dimensional star with a web woven around it. “Make the call,” he says to Risk.
“Last chance. Anyone want to tell me why you’re after Charlotte?” Guard asks once more.
“Iano, tell them. We’re done anyway. Why should that girl get hurt?” Mariano says to his friend. Mariano has a conscience. That’s not a good attribute for a Mafia hitman.
“Her father owes our boss money,” Iano blurts out.
“So get it from him,” I say.
Mariano hangs his head. “Paul said that his daughter agreed to work it off. The boss saw her picture and decided he’s taking her for himself instead.”
Enraged, I pick up the first thing I come across, an old wrench, and whip it across the room, causing a clatter while letting out my frustration. Ghost comes closer and puts a hand on my shoulder. “Calm the fuck down, brother. This isn’t helping.”
I take a breath, then another, before turning back to face the two young men, who are clearly out of their league and terrified.
Risk walks back into the room, the phone still at his ear. “Yeah, I’m in. Give me a sec, I’ll put you on speakerphone,” he says into the phone, then lays it on the table for all of us to hear. “Go ahead.”
“The boys are from the New York division. Their tats, based on the picture Risk sent, refers to a piddly-ass, low-level bruiser and low-life loan shark. He goes by the name Crusher, and he calls his band of merry idiots The Flies. I calledLa Famiglia. They know them well, and they’re nothing and clearly no threat to them.La Famigliacan disintegrate these people in an instant. You have a bigger problem,” Reno says.
“What that?” I ask.
“It seems that Paul Venti has promised his daughter’s sexual favors to several sharks, five to be precise. He owes over a hundred and twenty-three thousand dollars in total. His debts span from Los Vegas to New York. Mainly to small-time thugs, but when money is owed, they’ll come a-callin’,” Reno finishes.
“We can pay them off,” Ghost announces.
“Then Paul will just rack up more debt and we’re in it all over again,” Guard points out. “We’ve got to find him.”
My mind is reeling with questions. Who else is coming after Charlotte? I’m not letting her out of my sight until this is over. How safe is Noah? Up till now, he hasn’t been mentioned, but he’s Charlotte’s soft spot. If they get to him, she’ll put herself in danger to save him.
“Can we find out who else he owes money to?” I ask, directing my question to the phone.
“Dante’s already on it. I’ll send a list to Risk as soon as we confirm,” Reno replies. Then he asks, “What are you doing with those two boys?”
“Not sure yet. Got any thoughts?” Guard picks up the phone, taking it off speaker, and places it to his ear, then walks away. The two guys in the chairs look at each other. Iano is somber, but he keeps his head up. His pretense of bravery is almost admirable, but I can tell he wasn’t prepared for what happened tonight. Either of them could have used their guns at any point, yet they didn’t. They’re not killers. They’re expendable. Crusher didn’t care if they made it back or not.
Mariano hangs his head, keeping his eyes away from us. He’s got more to lose. I think he got mixed up in this mess for money. I’ll bet that it isn’t even for himself.
When Guard comes back, he tosses the phone to Risk and returns to the empty chair he was in earlier. “Here’s how this is going to go. You’re going to tell me every detail about Crusher, this debt, and all you know about Paul Venti. Then you’ll tell me why you volunteered to drag a good woman out of her bed to knowingly deliver her to a man who’s going to destroy her. I want the truth, ’cause I’m going to check it out. If you lie to me, I’ll pull the trigger myself.”
“We’re dead either way,” Mariano mumbles. He raises his eyes and scans the room, settling on my face. “I’ll tell you everything I know, under one condition.”
“I don’t think you’re in a position to ask for conditions,” I reply, crossing my arms.
“Please,” he begs.
“Ask.”
“I want to make a call to Nonna Vincenza. She’s my grandmother. I need to tell her where I hid the money we’ve been collecting for her. Nonna can take it and move into a better place, away from Crusher and the drug dealers in her area. They don’t care that she’s old and frail. Crusher picks on the elderly. He kept taking Nonna’s pension until I agreed to work for him. Iano wouldn’t let me do this alone, and being my best friend, he’s in this mess with me,” he tells us, a tear finally falling onto his cheek that he wipes away with the back of his hand.
