Chapter 27
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
Enzo stared unseeing out his office window.
The look on Kathleen’s face when it finally sank in what he was telling her was, in a word, brutal.
Loathing but more, loathing with a side of betrayal.
His stomach was still a twisted knot. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d felt nauseous, but here he was, a grown man, wanting to throw up because he’d disappointed a woman.
He tossed back two fingers of scotch that he’d poured himself as soon as she’d left the room.
It burned all the way down, but not as much as the bile in his gut did.
Kathleen wasn’t just any woman, and he didn’t just disappoint her.
No, by the default of his past, he’d crushed her, and that was devastating.
Jamie was going to kill him. And Enzo didn’t blame him.
He would want to kill the man who brought his sister into this mess, too.
He’d want to have him drawn and quartered and then all four pieces of him tarred and feathered.
But he didn’t have a sister. He didn’t have any family.
Jamie was his only true friend, and he’d just put Kathleen in mortal danger.
Enzo rubbed his temples as his mind whirled.
Was there any way out that didn’t involve taking Kathleen with him?
Was there a way to get her to safety? He stared at his phone.
Did he call Jamie? Then they could work together to hatch a plan?
It was tempting, but he knew the truth. Alessandro Vitale was not going to just let that happen.
He would use all kinds of resources to force Enzo’s hand.
Enzo swore. If he called Jamie, then he’d be brought into it.
Jamie would want to negotiate, thinking he could handle Vitale, but Vitale wouldn’t pass up an opportunity to have Jamie owe him.
Jamie was good. Great, even, but Vitale was a different animal, the type of animal Jamie wasn’t used to dealing with.
Calling Jamie meant he was possibly trading Kathleen’s safety for Jamie’s, and as much as that seemed more appealing, the truth was, there was no guarantee of Kathleen’s safety.
“Fucking hell,” Enzo growled as he smacked his fist hard enough on the desk to make the tumbler rattle against the hard surface of his desk.
There really was no way out.
His gaze landed on the treasure map. This was the only way through.
Find the fucking treasure and negotiate.
He didn’t have a lot of time either. He stared at the map, and again a faint bell rang, but it was elusive, and the more he tried to grab a hold of it, the more it slipped away like a wisp of smoke.
“Fuck,” he snarled again, launching himself to his feet.
“Sir,” Aldo said as he entered the room, “I thought perhaps a meal might be in order since you’re here?”
Enzo was about to decline, but changed his mind.
What the hell, maybe food would help. Doubtful.
But it might keep his brain occupied so it could figure out whatever the hell it was trying to tell him.
Also, he would be able to sit down with Kathleen and see how she was doing.
He knew he needed to give her space, but the look on her face haunted him, and he needed to see for himself that she was okay.
“Si, Aldo, bene. Please ask Kathleen if she would like to join me in the dining room.”
“She has declined, sir,” Aldo said and then turned and left the room.
“Of course she has,” Enzo mumbled. He’d decline as well if he were in her shoes. “Fuck,” he snarled again and then made his way to the dining room, where Aldo had set the table.
Enzo absently rubbed his chest when he saw only one place setting on the table. Usually, dining alone didn’t bother him. In fact, it was often the preferred situation, but since Kathleen had materialized in his life, he’d come to look forward to meals and her company.
He sat down while Aldo fussed over him, putting a small plate of antipasti in front of him. “Please take something up to Kathleen. I’m sure she is hungry, and she shouldn’t have to starve because she’s pissed off with me.” That was putting it mildly.
“She requested a salad, sir. I am including many of the fresh herbs, lettuces, and vegetables from the garden to cheer her up. She seemed to be interested when I mentioned them. She asked for a tour, and I wondered if it would be okay if I took her around later today?”
Enzo stared at Aldo, his brain swirling.
“Garden…tour…Shit.” Enzo shot to his feet and dashed back to his office.
He stared at the treasure map on his desk.
Then he pulled up an image on his phone.
“Fuck, yes!” he breathed. He knew where the treasure was, or at least the general vicinity where he should look.
Then the reality of the situation hit him. “Shit,” he breathed again, this time in disappointment.
“Sir,” Danny’s voice broke his reverie.
His head of security and general right-hand man stood in the middle of his office, a grim look upon his face.
“What is it?” Enzo asked as his gut tightened.
Danny flicked his dark hair out of his dark eyes, an unconscious gesture, and frowned. “We’ve got problems.”
Enzo sighed. Probably a vast understatement. “What kind of problems?”
“Men have set up at either end of the street. They’re watching the house. There’s no way to leave by car without them seeing.”
“We expected that, so why is it a problem?” They had discussed things earlier and had planned for this likelihood. Of course, Enzo had hoped to be out of here before that happened. Or at least before the teams were dug in.
“I expected them to be watching. I didn’t think they would have gunmen posted on the rooftops.”
“Fucking hell,” Enzo swore as he crashed down into his chair.
“I’m sorry, Sir, I should have anticipated this.”
Enzo waved him off. “I didn’t think of it.
No reason you should’ve.” He glanced up.
Danilo Ferrara had been part of La Famiglia.
He’d joined Enzo when he’d retired, and Enzo had never had a reason to doubt the man’s loyalty.
But then, he’d never really been on the outs with the family. At least not like this.
“Okay, we’re going to have to rethink the plan slightly.”
Danny nodded. “I have some ideas.” He opened his mouth to continue, but Enzo cut him off.
“You should know Rocco is about to declare me enemy number one. I will be persona non grata very shortly.”
Danny frowned. “What the hell, Enzo? Why? You’re the reason the Rinaldi family is still in the game.”
Enzo waved him off. “With Bianca being held hostage, Rocco sees it as his time to finally be able to move against me. He still sees me as a threat.”
“He’s not totally stupid then,” Danny commented. “You are a threat. Everyone prefers you to Rocco. He’s too damn volatile.”
“But,” Enzo reminded his head of security, “I’ve retired.”
Danny snorted.
Enzo shook his head. “Seriously, I do not want to be brought back into that mess. I am enjoying my retirement.”
“Bullshit,” Danny blurted out, then immediately grimaced.
Danny was in his mid-thirties and wore a suit like a runway model, but he was a street rat just like Enzo, and sometimes his rough edges showed.
He’d managed to curb it most of the time, but now and again, his attitude and true nature would burst out.
Enzo liked it. Reminded him of where he’d come from.
Even though he had a good seven years on Danny, they were, in fact, the same people.
It was good to have people around who understood who you were.
“Sorry,” Danny mumbled.
Enzo sighed. He was not wrong. “Okay, maybe enjoying is a bit of a stretch, but Danny, I was serious when I said I wanted out. I meant it. Rocco is just paranoid, which makes him dangerous. My understanding is that he is negotiating with Vitale to get Bianca back, but blaming me for the whole situation. He will then be able to exact his revenge and finally take me off the board with no blowback.”
Danny stared at Enzo but Enzo knew his brain was working all the angles.
“Oh, shit,” Danny blurted. “He’s going to kill Bianca, isn’t he?”
“That’s my read on the situation as well. They hate each other, and Massimo has always favored her. This is Rocco’s chance to get even.”
“Fuck me,” Danny growled. “So how do you want to handle this?”
Enzo studied the man before him. “I wanted to give you a heads up because all of our usual contacts will dry up. I am under no illusion that we will have any support from anyone in the family, but also anyone who usually does business with the family will side with them.”
Danny blinked, and a muscle popped in his jaw. “So… you’re saying we can’t expect help from anyone, and if they do offer help, we can’t trust them.”
Enzo nodded. His gut churned, and his fingers drummed an erratic beat on the desk.
This next bit could alter things dramatically.
“Danny, I’m also telling you this because you have to make a choice.
I know you chose to come with me when I got out, but we still had some connection to the family then.
This is burning all of those bridges. If you want out, now is the time to tell me. ”
Enzo had a Glock in a holster on the underside of his middle desk drawer. He could reach it in seconds. If Danny said he wanted out or worse, reached for a weapon, Enzo would be ready. It would break his heart, but he wasn’t a fool. He’d spent too long with the mob not to anticipate being betrayed.
Danny’s face went dark. “I’m insulted that you even ask. I told you when you first hired me… My loyalty is to you. It will always be to you. You never have to doubt that.”
Enzo nodded, and his hand relaxed. “Good, because this is going to be the fight of our lives.”
“Bring it on,” Danny said, and Enzo knew he meant it.
“Okay, give me a few scenarios to get Kathleen and me out of here. I have to make some calls. We’ll regroup in an hour.”
Danny nodded and left the office.