Chapter Twenty-Eight
Emilio POV
There was one place I knew I could find Alfie and that was the lounge.
The air was crisp as the scent of fall was approaching.
As I stepped into the dimly lit bar, the familiar scent of aged wood and spilled whiskey hung in the air.
I held my breath as I entered the lounge that I used to spend most of my days.
Although nothing changed, it looked different.
Setting foot inside the place, I was half expecting to have guns pointed in my face but instead there was a deary feeling in the air. The place was empty.
“Took you long enough,” Alfie’s voice carried through the room before he came into full view. “Losing your touch, Emilio.”
“You ungrateful piece of shit.” Pulling my gun from my waistband, I pointed it in the direction of his chest.
My mind grappled with the weight of this betrayal that hung heavy in my heart.
The revelation of this deceit would strike Luca like a thunderbolt, the kind that shattered the calm after the storm.
Each breath felt like a leaden burden, the truth pressing down on me like a dark cloud.
There was no going back from this after learning the painful truth.
It would shatter Luca of any hope of humanity.
“Whoa, whoa,” Alfie held his hands up – one held a gun, “We are on the same team here.”
“That’s how you greet friends?” I nodded in the direction of his gun.
Alfie tossed his gun onto a nearby table. “We are on the same team Emilio.”
“I’m not on the team you think I am.”
“You taught me to learn a man’s pattern. See how he moves so you can try to dictate his next step.” Alfie walked closer. “If we weren’t on the same side, I’d be dead already along with Luca and the rest of the DeCarlos. You’re the only one that would be able to pull it off.”
“You’re gonna look me in the face and tell me you aren’t working for MC?”
“MC?,” Alfie questioned, “You mean ghost.”
I let out a deep breathe. “At least now we know who we are dealing with. How long have you been in contact with him?”
“For the last month, but it was to get close enough. It was the only way.” Alfie stood tall and firm in his decision. “I got him to believe that I’ve turned on Luca. He trusts me. No one has gotten close to him any other way.”
“Bethany has, she’s seen him.”
“No, she thinks she has. He hides in plain sight. You’ve probably stood right next to him without giving him a thought. He has someone else play him in front of people. Same features so it stays consistent.”
“Shit. We really are dealing with a ghost. Are you sure you’ve seen the real ghost?” I lower my gun.
Alfie nodded his head. “I’ve seen him before. Like I said – hides in plain site.”
“He wants the trio dead.”
“Not necessarily. He wants the Baricelli line to cease to exist.”
“What’s that got to do with the trio?”
“Il codice was started by Vincenzo Baricelli who we know was a power hungry prick. But turns out he’s sicker than we knew. He started the trio under the assumption that it will govern all families under 3 Dons. Each Don, however, is a descendant of Baricelli himself – something he didn’t disclose.”
“Jesus,” I spit out. Talk about ultimate power. “So you’re saying they were related to him somehow. That's one way to ensure loyalty.”
Alfie shook his head to correct me, “I’m saying, direct descendant. As in each one appointed is his son.”
My mind raced to connect the dots that would make this all make sense. “You know this for a fact?”
“Ghost said so himself.” Alfie grabbed a bottle of scotch and two glasses pouring us each a drink. “Domenico obviously was his father’s successor. But if Vincenzo was as power hungry as he was, then there is no way he’d give up his seat so soon.”
“Not unless it guaranteed him ultimate power.”
“Exactly, if the trio all followed his command, he would have all the power. Which means Luca is really a Baricelli.”
“That’s a far stretch there Alfie.” I chugged the liquid in my cup.
“Think about it. Luca and Bethany don’t look anything like their siblings.
MC – ghost- whatever you want to call him, he said that Lorenzo’s older brother Michael Cassarino was appointed to be part of the trio originally.
He was killed. Marco, Luca’s brother, was killed.
But Marco couldn’t have been Vincenzo’s son. ”
“Why not?”
“Because the DeCarlo’s didn’t start working for Baricelli when he was born. It was only when Nicoletta fell pregnant and had a boy did the DeCarlo family become his Underboss.”
“Where are you getting your information from?”
“Started as a hunch and then I did some digging. One thing I’ve learned is that women love to talk.
And if you stick around long enough, they tell you more than you want to know.
Nicoletta spent hours talking about her husband and how he came to bring them up from poverty.
She talked about sacrifices that she didn’t want to make for the sake of survival. ”
“What about the Cassarianos?”
“Aria loves talking about her brother Michael. Like it fills this void. She also likes talking about her Zia Stella who she spent years with in California. It’s not a coincidence that your older brother gets killed and you get sent off across the country.”
“So how did Marco and Michael end up dead?”
“I think someone found out and wanted to put a stop to it. Which leads us to ghost.”
“But he still got to complete the trio with Domenico and Luca.”
“And Morchetti. All current men are sons of Baricelli. And I think they know.”
This was mind blowing, something I never even thought to put together. “That’s why they didn’t want Lorenzo part of it.”
Alfie took it a step further, “That’s why Lorenzo let Aria into Chicago. Why else would you send your sister into the lion’s den? He banked on her either falling for Luca or Luca falling for her to secure his seat. If he’s not their brother, at least his sister can seal the deal.”
“Pour me another drink.” I immediately gulped it down. “So this ghost knows enough which means he has to be older. Everyone has had an issue with the Vincenzo Baricelli, to narrow it down is impossible even with Domenico making many mends.”
“Can I ask you something?”
“Not sure if I have any answers, you seemed to have really gotten your shit together while I’ve been gone.”
Alfie smiled then it quickly dropped. “Am I really Marco’s son?” Alfie said in a surprisingly calm manner.
“How did you find out?”
The look of hurt in his eyes caused me a shot of guilt. “Of course you knew,” Alfie said under his breath.
Shaking my head, “I found out by accident. No one knows that I know. How did you come across it?”
“Ghost showed me proof I was. Said Luca killed my father and that everything I know about Luca is a lie.”
“Don’t let this baffoon change the reality of the situation. Luca did it to protect you. If the killer knew you survived that hit, they’d come after you.”
Alfie nodded his head. “I know.” There was a look of pride in his eyes when he said, “That’s why I’m going to sacrifice myself.”
“You don’t need to do that.”
“I’m a dead man anyway. Ghost sent you to kill me.
He probably has someone in Luca’s ear right now telling him that I’m the rat.
I don’t mind though. Luca holds a lot of baggage for everyone and he’s done things for each of us.
” There was an odd look in his eyes. “He didn’t tell me I was his nephew the same reason why he didn’t call you out for being with Bethany sooner.
It would potentially rip the family apart – and family is everything to him. ”
“He knew all along?”
Alfie shrugged, “Figured it out at some point.” He chugged his drink. “You never leave clues behind unless you want to be caught.”
I had to look away. There were times I did leave things behind hoping he would ask me so I could tell him – somehow I thought it would be easier that way.
“So what now?” Alfie asked.
“As long as we keep a tight plan between you, Luca, and myself then we may have a shot at getting this prick.” I lit up a cigarette.
“How? He’ll know you didn’t kill me.”
Letting out a puff of smoke, “You’re forgetting a cardinal rule. Only believe half of what you see and nothing that you hear.” Taking another drag then releasing the smoke. “I’m going to walk out of this bar. Once I have Bethany in my possession, she will contact Luca and tell him to meet here.”
“Won’t it be suspicious that you come back here?”
I get to my feet and nod with my head for Alfie to follow me. In the private room, under the table there is a secret door on the floor.
“This will lead to the river.”