28. Allegra
28
Allegra
A welcome state of calm descends on me as I ready myself to leave. After all the turmoil I’ve felt recently, it’s nice to feel in control again. I’m in my comfort zone.
I’m sure Giani expects me to go racing after him, and I will, just not how he thinks. Bonnie is safe for now. Her voice is also whispering in my ear. I was ready to go for the jugular—literally. The second I saw she was gone I wanted to physically hurt the Arellos. But now, I know that’s not the way. I can’t imagine what Bonnie would think of me if I did things the way I would have in my younger days. Giani is a bad guy who deserves everything he gets. But he’s also a person, and no amount of reasoning would convince Bonnie I was right to kill him. I know that much about her.
Giani won’t hurt her until he has an audience. This whole show is for Lorenzo. Giani wants to see him suffer. He’ll want to look Lorenzo in the eye when he kills Bonnie. So, we have time and I’ll use it wisely. I’m going to dismantle his life within the hour.
While Giani has been plotting and planning to pull off his little stunt, I have taken the time to worm my way into all his affairs. I knew something was coming, and even though I couldn’t go after him until he went and made the first move, that didn’t mean I had to sit idly by.
“We’re ready,” Toni says when I reach the bottom step. Rosa, Mia, and Toni are all dressed in the same black combats and T-shirts. They’re ready for what’s to come.
“Rosa, I want you and Mia to go to Giani’s warehouse. Burn it to the ground.”
She nods and they leave. “Toni, we’re going to go pay Gisto a visit.”
The pact with the Arellos is null and void. Giani knew it would happen, but I doubt he’s fully grasped the consequences of his actions yet. By night’s end, he will have.
Toni jumps into the driver’s seat. We’re ten minutes away from Gisto’s house. He won’t be expecting us because he’ll have no idea what his father planned or executed. Giani has never put his faith in his son and it’s going to bite him in the ass.
We roll up to the monstrosity of a house with no opposition. Gisto has his own security, but they spend their nights drinking the contents of Gisto’s cave rather than patrolling the grounds. It’s just another example of the family’s idiocy. They think they’re untouchable. With the current pact, there is no one who would dare attack them. And to an extent, I agree. The Arellos are one of the Mafiosi families. There is no one on this island, or in Italy for that matter, who would do something as stupid as provoke them, let alone attack in the dead of the night.
But as I said, the pact is no longer in play. If Giani had any sense of love or loyalty to his son, he would’ve forewarned him.
We cut the engine and exit the car with practised efficiency. I’ve studied the layout of Gisto’s place and know exactly where to find him. He’ll be passed out in his office after drinking himself into a coma. His wife will be asleep after feigning a headache as a way of rejecting his drunken advances.
I pick the lock and tread lightly through the foyer. All is quiet, just as I thought it would be. With our guns drawn, we head straight for the office. A dimmed light casts shadows over the dark wood. It’s an oppressive space. Gisto is snoring like a freight train on the couch. Thankfully, he isn’t as portly as his father. Toni won’t have a problem moving him.
I lean against the wall and watch Toni slap a piece of duct tape over his mouth. Gisto’s bleary eyes flicker open, but his brain is slow to catch up. Toni has already dragged him off the couch to the floor before he realises what’s happening. There is a string of muffled words pouring out of Gisto’s mouth, but they mean nothing to me. He can rant and rave all he likes.
“Take him,” I say, and lead the way out and back to the car. Toni dumps Gisto in the boot. He slides back into the driver’s seat and waits for my next directive.
“To the docks.”
We’re halfway there when I receive a message from Rosa. It simply reads: “Done.” Once again, the Arellos’ cockiness will be their undoing. Giani has his pudgy fingers in many nasty pies. Unfortunately, he didn’t think separating his cargo was a necessity. He stores all his products in the same place. That place is now in flames. He’s just lost millions.
Our next stop is his dockyard site office. My spies found out he keeps all the titles and deeds to his business and land stored in the floor safe at the docks. He operates his underground businesses from a shell company. It’s the first smart thing he’s done. Now that I know about it, I’m going to rob him blind. No deeds and titles, means no power. I plan to take everything he has.
The dockyard will be a little harder to get into, but I have faith my mole inside will work his magic. I sent him a coded message as soon as we left with Gisto. If he does his job, Giani’s men will be expecting us. They’ll think we’re there for a meeting. My man will escort us to the office and volunteer to guard us until Giani arrives.
Of course, one phone call to their boss would scupper the plan, but I’m betting on them being too scared to check in. Ruling with fear only goes so far. Eventually, the people you rely on are too afraid to question anything. That’s what I’m banking on with Giani’s dockyard security.
There’s one guy standing at the barrier to the entrance. As most of the families have business here, we have designated areas. I’ve never visited the south side. Nico, Marco, and Franco have invited me to their respective offices a time or two, as I have them. That’s the mark of our trust. It isn’t a coincidence none of us have had an invitation to Giani’s place and vice versa. He was always on the outside.
Toni slows to a stop and lowers the window a few inches. “Donna Malgeri. We should be expected.”
I’m not the named Donna yet, but I love Toni for using my title. He’s showing me his respect and I appreciate it now more than ever.
The guard waves us through, pointing to a building in the distance. “Benny will wait with you,” he replies. Benny is my guy on the inside. He’s done well.
Gisto is trying to call out, but his pleas fall on deaf ears. Toni parks around the side of the building, hiding the car in the shadows. We need to get Gisto into the office without being seen. Benny directs us to a side door, almost hidden behind a stack of crates. We can’t take too long. If the guard notices we haven’t entered through the main office door, he’ll get suspicious.
Benny and Toni work quickly. They shove Gisto through the side door and we’re out front within seconds. I see the guard looking over, but I pay him no mind—It would be strange if I did—before stepping through the main entrance.
Inside, Gisto is wriggling, doing his level best to break free. Toni drags him over to Giani’s office chair with ease.
“Gisto. I’m going to have Toni remove the tape. If you make a sound, you die. Is that clear?” My voice is low and deadly. Gisto nods. “I won’t give you a second warning, so bear that in mind.” As I speak, I unholster my gun.
Nodding to Toni, I settle back against the door. The sound of the tape being ripped off almost makes my eyes water. I’m sure Gisto just lost half his facial hair.
“What is this, Allegra?” he asks quietly. I’m happy he’s taken my warning seriously.
I decide to answer his question with one of my own. “Do you know what your father did this evening, Gisto?”
He looks between me and Toni. “No. But I presume from this, it isn’t good.”
Well, give the man a prize. “Tonight, your father broke the pact.”
Gisto shakes his head disbelievingly. “He wouldn’t—”
“But he did,” I interject. “Didn’t you wonder why he had you mess with our cargo with the intention of getting caught?”
Gisto swallows hard. Beads of sweat form on his brow. “All he said was we needed to send a message to Lorenzo.”
“Indeed,” I say. “I’m guessing he left out the real reason. Do you know Bonnie Moorside?”
He shakes his head. “Never heard of her.”
“Do you know the reason your father hates Lorenzo so much?”
“Old family shit, I think.”
I sigh. “Gisto, my dear man. You really are in the dark, aren’t you?”
He bristles but doesn’t reply. I proceed to fill him in on Giani and Lorenzo’s history. By the time I’m finished, Gisto’s head has dropped to his chest.
“You’re telling me he’s broken the pact for a whore he loved decades ago?” he growls.
“Careful, Gisto. Maria is Bonnie’s mother and Bonnie means a lot to me. I don’t think you want to use that particular word to describe her, especially not when I know what your wife gets up to.”
His face pales and then turns a shade of red I’m not sure is medically possible.
“Do you want to cut to the chase and let me tell you why I have you here?”
“You plan to kill me, right? Exact your own revenge,” he says matter-of-factly.
I laugh loudly. “Gisto, your father wouldn’t give a shit if I killed you. We both know that.”
It’s sad to watch his reaction. No child should know their parent sees them as nothing more than a burden.
“Then why?”
“Because as much as I dislike you, I think I can help you out.”
He scoffs. “Why bother? I know you well enough, Allegra. You’ll burn us to the ground for his actions.”
I tip my head and smile. “You do know me well. However, I’m going to need your help to do it, and in return, I’ll let you walk away with some dignity. Your father will have to answer to the Mafiosi for his actions. I can make it so you, your wife, and your children are left out of it.”
“And my brother?” Ah, here he is, Giani’s son. He’s got a nasty streak just like his father. “What about him? What if I don’t want him saved?”
“Then he won’t be. I know you’ve never been trusted with your father’s secrets. But I also know you’re a slippery son of a bitch, and I’ll bet my Ferrari you’ve made it your business to know certain things—like the combination to his floor safe.”
He gets a glint in his eyes. “I’ll make a deal,” he begins. “I’ll give you the combination if you leave me with the house I’m in and enough money to live on.”
I rub my chin. “What will you do for business? There will be no work here, and I plan to blacklist your family name. That’s not up for negotiation.”
He shrugs. “Allegra, believe it or not, I couldn’t give a flying fuck about this goddamn life. All it’s ever brought is pain. I want enough money for my kids to grow up in a secure home. I’ll find legitimate work if I have to.”
I contemplate his request for a few seconds. More than anything, I’m surprised to hear how unhappy he is. Of course, Giani made his life hell, but I never thought he disliked “The Life” itself.
“Deal. Now—the safe code.”
Gisto calls it out as I tap it into the keypad. The satisfying click makes me smile. I have Giani’s entire life in my hands. Flicking through, I find the deed to Gisto’s house and hand it over.
“Once I have control of the Arello accounts, I’ll have your money transferred. Fair?”
“Fair. I hope this is the last time we have to do business, Allegra.”
“Same. Now let’s put on a show. I need the man at the gate to think I’m pissed off at being stood up. Sadly, Gisto, you need to go back the way you came and into the trunk.”
“As long as you get me home, I’ll do whatever you want.”
I couldn’t have foreseen how successful my plan would be. I’m a little shocked, to be honest. Then again, I am Allegra Malgeri. I strive for perfection.
Handing the paperwork to Toni, I instruct him to get it to my money man. Reggio will have all of Giani’s assets transferred to me within a day. And then it’s game over for the Arello family.
In the meantime, it’s time to visit the man of the hour. I hope he’s ready for me.