Chapter 25
Matteo
“Hey, boss. We have three new clients dropping their cars off this week for repair. I told them to be patient. Word is getting out about our quality work and it’s getting harder to keep up with demand. At this rate, we might need to expand.”
How the hell did this happen? I swear, if I was intentionally trying to grow this business, it’d likely have turned out to be a bust. But hire a few guys to keep up appearances and put absolutely no effort into it whatsoever, and voila. Instant success. I shake my head.
“Can you imagine? We could have a chain of shops.” He snickers.
“Well, if that’s the case, we probably should think of a better name.” I’d picked AAA Auto Body because it’d put us at the top of the alphabet when people searched shops in the area. Little did I know how popular we’d become.
“I’ll make a deal with you, Reg. If you come up with a business plan for opening a second shop, and find a replacement for you that can keep this one going as well as you have, I’ll let you manage that one. Heck, you can manage both. You’ll be the new regional manager.” I chuckle.
He stands up taller, a wide grin taking over his features. “Done.”
Bzzz. Bzzz.
Glancing down, I see D’angelo’s name flash on my screen. “Hey, Reggie. I have to take this.”
“Sure, boss. I’ve got some cars to get to.”
Once I see the door close behind him, I answer the call. “Hey, Dan. What’s up?”
“Matteo. I wanted to reach out. We’ve managed to plant one of our guys in Vincenzo’s camp.”
“Wow. That’s incredible.”
“I know. He’s an ex-undercover agent. He can’t communicate with us often without blowing his cover, but he managed to get a message to me that some of Vincenzo’s men are on a plane bound for Virginia.”
Shit.
“He wasn’t able to give too many details. But I’d have all of your guys on high alert.”
My mind is racing at this news. “Yes, of course. Thank you.”
“I’ll be in touch with you or Giovanni the moment we know more.” The line briefly grows quiet. “Matteo?”
“Yes.”
“Take care of yourself.” His voice breaks under the weight of his words. We are both keenly aware of the harsh reality of this life. Anyone disloyal to Vincenzo Messina’s organization does so by taking their life into their own hands.
“Same to you, cugino. Thank you for calling.”
The call disconnects, and I push up from my desk as I dial Giovanni.
“Hello.”
“Hey, cugino. I’m on the way to check out the new hires.” This is our code. Get all security ready.
There’s a slight pause before he answers. “We’ll be ready for you.”
Two hours later, I arrive at The Devil’s Playground. The security staff appear more tense than on prior visits, the air thick with trepidation. I’ve barely crossed the threshold before Giovanni and Anthony are walking in my direction.
“Matteo. Glad to see you.” Giovanni extends his hand to shake mine. He’s overly formal, but we’ve practiced this scenario should the time come that we need to up the safety measures we have in place. We can’t take any chances. With a threat this big, anyone can be a mole.
“Right this way,” Anthony says, leading us to the conference room. Once inside, he locks the doors and activates the security system. The glass walls suddenly turn a solid white, and soundproofing initiated. I notice Max and a few of Anthony’s vetted security team are seated at the large conference table.
“I received a call from D’angelo this morning. He’s been able to place a mole in Vincenzo’s camp. The plant is an ex-undercover police officer from the UK.”
“Nice work,” Giovanni acknowledges.
“Yes. He’s already paying off. Vincenzo has men on a plane to Virginia as we speak. He doesn’t have any more details than that.”
If it’s possible, the air becomes even more thick with tension.
“No idea how many men?” Anthony asks.
“No. Or where the plane is landing. We need to be ready for any scenario.”
Giovanni paces around the table. “We need to increase coverage on Luigi, Maria, Antonia, Mimmo, and Sydney. I’d go so far as to tell Luigi that Mimmo should probably stay home from school until we have more information.”
“Agreed,” I add. “But I think it’d go better coming from me. I’ll stop by tonight with dinner and speak with Luigi and Antonia. I need to make sure she feels safe. Reassure her we won’t let anything happen to her or the boy.”
“Good idea, boss.”
“It goes without saying I need eyes on Sydney 24/7. I may have to pull back on watching over her. I can’t risk anyone following me to her.”
“Consider it done, Matteo,” Anthony’s second in command reassures.
“Max, have you noticed anything new?”
He scratches his head. “No. Maybe that should be setting off alarm bells in and of itself. There’s been no chatter at all recently.”
Walking to his side, I peer over his shoulder at the laptop screen. Not that I’d really know what I was looking at.
Anthony pulls out spreadsheets and begins reviewing them with his team. A wary expression crosses Giovanni’s face.
“Are you worried about the club?”
“I’m a little nervous for the staff coming and going. Particularly the girls. I’ll have to ensure Anthony has seasoned men escorting them wherever they need to go. The last thing I need is some new recruit trying to take advantage of one of them when he drops them at their house.”
Shit, I hadn’t even considered that. I run my hand through my hair at this possibility.
“I’ll fucking kill any man who looks to use this as their chance to take advantage. Let them try me,” G practically snarls.
An hour later, I make my exit, wanting to have enough time to beat the traffic back to Hanover so I can meet with Luigi and Antonia. Maria might need to speak with my sister’s therapist. Antonia may require some additional counseling, and possibly an adjustment of her medication, given all she’s been through in the past. She needs to know she’s safe. That we’re only keeping Mimmo home as a precaution.
Entering Luigi’s with Thai food, Antonia’s favorite, I am thrilled to see she’s happy and well adjusted. After pulling Luigi aside to share my concerns, I ask him to watch Mimmo while I speak with Antonia.
“Matteo. Thank you for bringing this. I haven’t had spring rolls in so long.”
“You’re welcome. I’m sorry it took such a visit for me to remember to pick them up for you.”
She tilts her head to the side in confusion. “What do you mean?”
I carefully share the intel we’ve been given by one of Dan’s men. While her shoulders visibly tense, she’s handling the information much better than I’d expected. She has truly come a long way from the timid, broken girl my sister was upon her arrival to the states.
“There are men stationed around the house round the clock. They’ve been instructed to shoot to kill, ask questions later.” Part of me worries that sharing this with her could provoke her anxiety, but she needs to know she has nothing to worry about. “We are only keeping Mimmo home from school out of an abundance of caution. Our sources have shared the threat is not directed at you or Mimmo.”
“Then who?”
I swallow hard. “My wife.”