Chapter 26
Tristano
A gold-wrapped jerkoff struts into my warehouse with two of his closest men. Ten rings, tan suit, tattoos to rival mine. He might as well be using a diamond cane. Flashy idiot.
“I heard my baby cousin needs some help.” Castor breaks away from his crew – who hug Mikey hello. “Jokes aside, is everything alright?”
“It’s not,” my father assures.
Castor ducks his head to better see him emerging from the shadow. “Uncle Stanzo? Whoa , good to see you.” He walks up fast to give him a hug, not daring to comment on his frail frame. Once the embrace is over, he looks my way.
I size him up – he’d be a tough bastard to take down, and a part of me wants to do it. For Capri, I bite back my disdain and extend a disarming hand.
“Thanks for showing,” I growl.
“Of course. I had a feeling you two were involved in this Sonny debacle. The connection runs deep.”
He’s risking his neck by being here. As much as his success annoys me, I’d be a fool not to recognize it. His clout with the dons could go out the window if he was pinned to this mess.
“That it does, my boy.” My father slaps his neck. “How fares Don Shadow from his cell? I hear he’s got half the security staff as his bodyguards.”
Shadow is the old head of the Rigiano crime family, until he got pinched by his own son. Donny the Stallion Valentino made nice with him by marrying his daughter. Now we’re one big happy fucking family.
“When you going to get my boy a seat?” My pops says it so casually, like it’s a done deal waiting on Castor’s shiny gold ass to file the paperwork.
“Trino’s got to earn his own.”
My teeth grit at the son of a bitch.
“And he will, soon, I’m sure,” Castor softens the blow. “So, what’s the situation?”
Castor’s crew – Big Ace, the crazy gambler who eats way more than he should, and Tony Hatchet, the weasel who’s more bark than bite – comes strolling up with Mikey Tools.
I motion for everyone to have a seat near a bare-bones circular table with metal chairs. “We have to keep this operation tight-lipped. My crew is already briefed, and one of them took a bullet for the cause. I thank the three of you for joining.”
“What’s the play? Everything was all cryptic on the phone.” Big Ace takes the couch nearby and leans back. “Felt like I was being lured into a top-secret mission with James Bond.”
“Nicky Frits . He made an unsanctioned move on my place.”
“Star Dust? Say it ain’t so .” Ace frowns. “Those ladies are the only reason I come to Jersey once in a while.”
The others chuckle, except for me and my father. I’m past jokes. My woman is in trouble.
“Frits is a hard man to pin, from what I hear.” Castor leans forward, his elbows causing the table to creek.
“That’s why we need the extra manpower. We have to locate him before it’s too late,” I snarl.
“Too late for what?” Castor narrows his eyes.
My mouth twitches. “They have something very important to me.”
The table is all furrowed brows and side-eyes.
“Rocco’s daughter,” my father says.
“Whoa, whoa . Dotelli?” Tony Hatchet spreads his arms. “The fuck?”
“That was my arrangement with Rocco. His daughter and my son… I put them two together.” My father raises an eyebrow. “Wanted a couple of grandkids before I’m cold in a suit. Call it a final favor.”
Me and Castor stare hard at one another. I can’t tell what the big jerkoff is thinking. But he’s here, I have to give him that. He came, no questions asked.
He nods curtly at me. “Alright.”
“Alright?” Tony slaps the table. “I have about a thousand follow-up questions.”
Castor raises his hand for silence. “Sometimes a request just has to be respected, Tony.” He turns his attention to me. “I’ve been there, Trino. My woman was threatened, too. We’re here to help.”
“Even knowing it might start a war?” I say.
He nods again.
“There will be no such thing, gentlemen.” My father stands feebly, pressing both fists on the table.
“Pop, cut it out,” I warn.
“No. I’m not risking your lives because of my decisions. I’m turning myself in to Frits when you find him—”
“This is my fucking crew.” I stand, throat hoarse and eyes bloodshot. “ My operation. When someone takes what’s ours, we don’t bow, ever . I’m going to crush Nicky’s windpipe, and make him beg for his own death. That’s how this is going to go down.”
My voice echoes throughout the space.
Pop’s jaw grits back and forth, letting the finality in my tone marinate. “Alright. Have it your way, kid.” He sits with his arms folded.
I turn to the rest of the men sitting before me.
“Capri Dotelli is my wife. We got married in the shadows, on this fucker’s account.
” I point to Pop. “I kicked and screamed about it, but, ultimately, he was right. She’s important to me now.
So, do me this favor… I want you all to think of your own. ”
“We’re with you, cuz,” Castor says. “How many times do I have to say it?”
Big Ace smiles. “When all this is said and done, Trino, we’re having you a real wedding.
Not any of this back office get hitched bullshit.
” He wags his finger at me. We’re both smirking.
“That’s not the Italian way. Marone, our ancestors would be rolling in their graves.
I want open bar, top shelf, with a nice little poker table during the Venetian hour, alright? ”
I grunt at him, holding back a hoot.
Tony folds his arms. “Alright, what’s the plan?”
“Nicky’s got three safe houses, and ten businesses between him and his crew.
I’ve been to all of them these past months, never able to pin the fuck down.
Chestnut said he took hostages on his way out of Star Dust – four of them, including Capri.
The only way to find out for sure is to use our connections to infiltrate Nicky’s crew. ”
“He’s known for a tight lock, Trino,” Mikey comments.
“I—um, might have an idea.” Snaps literally snaps his fingers. “Not many places he could house hostages. He needs a basement, and—uh, um , thick walls. I’m thinking the butcher’s locker on Berkely Avenue.”
“That’s good.” I nod. “We can start with any connections surrounding the butcher’s block.”
“I got some guys around there.” Ace lifts his chin when we all look at him. “ What? I like to eat. Fresh beef is the best beef.”
“You get your food from the enemy, you fuck?” Tony cackles.
“Cows don’t discriminate. Besides, it’s good to keep it light with the Lucrazis sometimes,” Ace defends himself.
“So, first thing during business hours, we check our connections,” Castor says.
“ No ,” I growl.
“No?” Castor flexes.
“ Tonight .”
“You want to raise suspicion, Trino? That’s a sure fucking way.” Castor taps the metal table.
“She could be dead by dawn. I’m going tonight, with or without you New York assholes. I won’t lose her.”
Castor grits his teeth and looks at Ace. “How close are you to the guys at the shop?”
“Just barely past acquaintance, Bull. If I wake them up in the middle of the night for some beef tips, they’re going to try and hang me in the locker for waking their kids.”
“We’d need to scope out cameras too, if we head out tonight. Can’t just show up like a bunch of meatballs in ski-masks,” Mikey says.
I bare my teeth. “Frankie Laundry runs three businesses by himself, and he’s Nicky’s closest of the three right-hands. We got ourselves a strong hostage.”
“What you thinking, boss. Leverage?” Snaps asks. “Call his ass direct for a trade?”
“Nicky? Nah. He wouldn’t bend.” I shake my head. “We have a better chance at making this prick in the other room talk.”
“He’d never,” my father says. “Right-hand to a capo ain’t scared of death or pain.”
“They don’t make them like they used to, Uncle,” Castor laughs and pats Ace’s belly. “This guy would sell me out for a beef jerky and a seat at the world series of poker.”
“Damn straight.” Ace winks.
The table lightens up a bit.
I do too. Because at the end of the day, we’re the ones who are going to storm a meat locker at my direction. Some of us might not make it out. And even if we do, the blowback is going to be insane.
“I have an idea.” Castor gets up and starts pacing. “How about I get the dons in on this. Have the Stallion and Shadow speak to Don Vino on the other side. Make the trade, chalk it up to Sonny invading a house where Stanzo and Trino were already there defending themselves.”
It’s like he read my mind about the blowback. That doesn’t make this a good idea, though. It would never hold.
“They’d want blood. No way we walk away clean. And I ain’t giving up my pop.”
He folds his arms, holding back his protests.
“Suggestions?” Castor says.
I crack my knuckles. “Yeah, let’s pay our prisoner a little visit.”