Chapter 54
DIANGELO
Present
“How long?” Renzo demands as soon as we round the corner to his office.
“That’s hard to say. It’s sort of developed ever since the beginning,” I admit.
“And you didn’t think that fucking my sister was something I ought to know about?”
I try to keep calm because I understand why he’s upset, but where Rina is concerned, my instincts are quick to defend and protect her. “I’m not just fucking your sister, Renzo. I wouldn’t do that to you.”
His hands go to his hips. “What then? You two are serious about one another, and still, you didn’t say anything?”
Jesus, this is a clusterfuck.
“I was going to tell you right now. That’s why I wanted a few minutes alone.”
“And the past six weeks?”
I run my hand through my hair and sigh. “Things were … complicated. It was hard to say anything when I didn’t know where she and I stood.”
He mulls over my words, his lips pressed into a thin line, but before he can respond, all hell breaks loose in the kitchen. Screaming, barking, crying. We crash into one another trying to race into the hallway at the same time.
He makes it to the kitchen first, stopping so that I have to peer over his shoulder to see what’s going on.
“Jesus, fuck. You three scared me to death,” he huffs. “You okay?”
All three women are pink-cheeked and fighting back grins.
“Yes, baby. I’m so sorry. We got carried away.” Shae stands and tries to rock the baby back to sleep.
“We’re fine, I promise,” Azzurra chimes in.
Rina stares at me with wide, guilty eyes, and her lips pulled between her teeth. The secret is definitely out of the bag.
Renzo shakes his head. “Absolute lunatics acting like they don’t know the danger they’re in.” His mumbled words carry back to me as we return to the office.
He drops into his desk chair. I sit opposite him and meet his level stare.
“You’re the closest thing I have to a brother since I lost my own,” I offer quietly. “I would never disrespect your sister or recklessly hurt her. Things just sort of … happened. No, I didn’t say anything, and I’m sorry for that. I love her, and if she’ll have me, I want to marry her.”
His chest expands on a long, deep breath. “Well, fuck. That was unexpected.”
“You’re telling me.” I lean back in my chair and rub at the scruff on my jaw. “I can hardly believe it myself, but that’s where we’re at.”
His eyes narrow a fraction. “I suppose she could have done worse.”
Relief coaxes a smile from me. “You willing to keep me around as your brother-in-law?”
“Yeah, that could work.” The levity between us dries up as worry deepens the creases on his face. “Before that happens, we have to end this threat, though.”
“Agreed,” I say somberly and get out my phone.
“The team covering a place called Feathers and Fur has noted the same couple of guys coming and going. Not Pasha, but suspected to be his men. I think this is it. I’m picking up a floor plan from city records while I’m out today.
We could be ready to raid tonight, if you’re on board. ”
His face is grim. “I’m not rushing into this, D. Let’s see what I hear from the Genoveses before we make any decisions.”
I have to swallow back the argument that perches on the tip of my tongue. In my opinion, the time for patience is over, but he’s my boss, and I have to respect that.
“There’s one more thing I wanted to talk about.” I adjust myself in my chair, unsure how what I’m about to say will be received. “Did you know Kristi Kirkland told Terina that Craig was killed because of her?”
“Are you fucking serious?”
“I’m afraid it’s even worse. She told Terina about the quarters, saying Craig was being extorted to keep her safe.”
“That’s not what happened at all.” He slams his fist on the desk.
“I know, man. But she didn’t know that. She went to the cops and saw the crime scene photos.”
“Jesus Christ,” he breathes.
“She’s been blaming herself. I explained the truth. I hope you’re okay with that. I know you said you didn’t want her to know, but—”
“You did the right thing. I had no idea she thought that. I mean … she asked one time early on if there was more to it, but that’s it. She never said anything else.”
“We haven’t gone over it too much, so I’m not sure why she didn’t say more to you. All I know is what she’s told me and what I’ve looked into. That mother-in-law of hers is a real piece of work. You know she had prostitution charges brought against her?”
“Jesus, you’re a font of good fucking news today,” he grumbles. “No, I didn’t. We did a check on the son, and he was clean. It didn’t occur to me his mother would be an issue.”
“I’ve cut her off from Terina, but I’d like to do a little more digging in case she makes another appearance. Stains like that have a way of resurfacing.”
Renzo nods and grabs a piece of paper. “This is the name of the dealer he was using. I considered taking care of him but decided whoever was responsible for the hit did us a favor, so I let it be.” He scribbles the name and gives me the paper.
“He’s one of Fat Joe’s guys. Used to keep shop at the Qwik Wash Laundromat on East 119th, I believe. ”
“A laundromat?”
“They have a back room with girls.”
“Ah, that makes more sense.” I tuck the paper in my pocket. “I’ll let you know what I find.”
Renzo’s phone begins to vibrate on the desk.
“It’s Enzo Genovese.” He answers the call, says a few short words, then scribbles an address on the notepad before hanging up. “We’re meeting his underboss, Gabriele Fiore, tomorrow morning.”
“What are we going to do with the girls?”
He rubs his face while he thinks. “I’ll get with Cosimo. Let’s all stay there tonight so we don’t have to worry about transporting everyone before the meeting. I’ll have our outside detail come with us.”
“Sounds like a plan. Guess the girls will get their outing after all.”
“Let’s hope it gets us closer to ending this thing.”
A few minutes later, I’m back in my car.
I make the drive to city records, where I confirm the plats I had printed are the correct renderings.
The shop is bigger than I expected. That helps explain why he’d choose it as a hideout.
Someone with a struggling business, like a taxidermist in the middle of the city, is a prime candidate to pocket some money while letting Pasha run operations out of a back room.
I’m going to put a serious crimp in those plans.
Satisfied, I look up the address for the Qwik Wash Laundromat. It’s all the way up in East Harlem and will take a while to get over there, but it’ll be worth it if I can find this guy.
Billy Ikes—ready or not, here I come.