CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE #2
But Mick had to see her for himself. He jumped up and made his way to his guest bedroom. The idea of his wife sleeping in a guest room infuriated him, but the fact that she didn’t stay out all night with what’s-his-face kept the lid on.
But Teddy’s lid was simmering. When Mick left the dining hall, he looked at Big Daddy and Sal. “I don’t care what Pop says, but he’ll take Frankie out over my dead body.”
“Then you’d better prepare to die,” said Sal bluntly. “Your father never says words he doesn’t mean.”
“Facts,” agreed Amelia with a wave of her hand as if she was in a black church shouting amen.
“He’s not talking out both sides of his mouth,” Sal continued. “He’s not playing games. He’s not bullshitting us. This is not a test.”
“Then what are we going to do about it? Pop will take Monk down and all of us right along with him. And for what? Some son none of us ever even heard of before last night? I mean Pop’s not thinking straight.
Is he still in love with his so-called son’s mama?
Is that what this is about? Some woman? What’s going on here, Uncle Sal? ”
Sal leaned back in his chair. He was Teddy’s cousin, not his uncle, but that title of respect had been bestowed on certain members of the family.
Sal was one of those members. “I agree with everything you just said, Teddy. But you aren’t listening to me.
We aren’t changing his mind. That will never happen. ”
Nikki looked at Big Daddy. She was as worried as Teddy. “Will you talk to him again, Big Daddy? He’ll listen to you.”
“He listens to me in many things,” Big Daddy agreed, “except how he runs that criminal side of his life. That side he’s stuck in and will never be able to get out of. That’s his domain alone. Sal’s right. He’s not changing his mind.”
Teddy and Nikki looked at each other. The frustration on their faces was palpable. Then Teddy looked back at Big Daddy. “What about Frankie?” he asked. “Is he interested in a truce? Did you guys even bring it up?”
“No, Teddy,” said an insulted Amelia. “We went all the way to Jersey to talk to him about the weather and if I should repaint my house. Of course we mentioned it, you idiot!”
“And?” asked Nikki.
“He’s not interested in any truce. None. He’s as dug-in as my brother is.”
“He already gave us a warning with that tanker,” said Sal. “What he’ll do next isn’t up to Mick or any of us. The ball’s in Monk’s court.”
“My men will not be sitting ducks for him to pick off the way Pop picked off his guys,” said Teddy.
“Then round their asses up and bring them here,” said Sal. “You need to get all of them over here. If he’s going to hit back as hard as Mick hit him, he’ll have to hit all of us.”
They all were looking at Sal. They all respected the mob pecking order and Sal was second only to Mick.
Teddy, as head of Mick’s organization, was third.
And although the underboss of Mick’s organization would have been next in that pecking order, nobody in the underworld was going to put a newcomer like Nikki over a seasoned veteran like Monk Paletti.
Monk was just behind Teddy. Which meant he was uniquely qualified to do some serious damage to them.
“He could you know,” Amelia said.
“He could what?” asked Nikki.
“Take all our asses out. Mick didn’t give a shit when he was on his rampage. Why should Monk?”
It was a good question, and they all knew it.
“We need to stay strategic because that’s how Frankie thinks,” said Nikki.
“We should have armies of our guys in different locations throughout the city. In locations Frankie won’t know about, and with everybody on radio.
That way, if he hits one, we’ll all hear about it at the same time and stop him before he can hit anybody else. ”
Sal nodded. “That’s a better idea,” he agreed. “Good thinking, Nikki. I see why Mick so in love with your ass.”
They all looked at Sal.
“I didn’t mean it that way!” Sal quickly cleaned it up. “She’s his favorite. That’s all I meant.”
Then they all looked at Teddy. It was his call.
“Set it up,” Teddy finally said, and Nikki quickly pulled out her phone and moved away from the table to make the call.
But Sal was still looking at Teddy. He knew how close Teddy was to Monk. “You tried to call him,” he said. “Didn’t you?”
Everybody looked at Teddy.
He didn’t deny it. “I did, yes.”
“And?” asked Amelia.
“He wouldn’t answer my calls. I left a voice message. He didn’t return it.”
“Well, there you have it,” said an exasperated Sal.
“He could have stomped this shit out too. It’s not all on Uncle Mick.
It’s on Frankie’s ass too. After he hit Dory, he should have called a truce then.
Dory got them. They got Dory. That could have been the end of it.
But he didn’t call a truce. He left that door wide open for Mick’s big-ass feet to walk right on in.
Now the ball’s in his court and he won’t give in because he can’t give in.
Neither one of them can now. And that should tell you all you need to know,” Sal added. And nobody could disagree.
“Anyway,” Sal said, standing up. “I need to get back to Vegas. I’ve got construction going on and that lazy-ass contractor is suddenly dragging his feet.”
“We’ll gonna miss you, Uncle Sal,” said Nikki.
“I’m gonna miss y’all big heads too,” he said and they laughed. “But keep me in the loop. I can turn my plane around and get back here if I have to.”
“Yes sir,” said Nikki.
Then he looked at Teddy. “Ain’t nobody gonna hurt Frankie, if that’s what you’re worried about.”
Teddy nodded.
“And tell your old man . . .”
Teddy waited. “Tell him what, Uncle Sal?”
“Tell him nothing because I don’t wanna hear his mouth,” Sal said, they all laughed, and Sal left.