Dom
It’s been a few days and the dock situation gnaws at me. Something's off about that new hire.
Too eager, too convenient.
In my world, coincidences don't exist. But that’s why I hired him. I want to know for sure if I’m paranoid or right.
They’ve either been turned against us or manipulated.
I trust Angelo will find everything I need to know about Michael Russo, whether he’s who he says he is, from a rival family, or maybe law enforcement.
I've given the newcomer legitimate work for now. Let him think he's in. Let him get comfortable.
The moment we identify him as a threat, I'll handle it personally.
The irony isn't lost on me that while I'm hunting a potential rat, I'm sleeping with a federal agent.
If…or maybe when, La Corona finds out, they’ll have my head on a stake.
My phone rings, and Angelo’s name pops up.
“Angelo.”
“Got the info on the new guy.” His tone suggests I won’t like it.
“I’m listening.”
“Michael Mullen. Thirty-one. New hire in the organized crime division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.”
I blow out a breath.
“You’ve got some Spidey sense about this, boss. You were right to be suspicious.”
The fact that I hoped I was paranoid doesn’t help. I should have known. The desperation seemed genuine enough, but the eagerness to do "anything" and “run errands" was too obvious.
The question is whether or not Olivia sent him in or her boss. The thought of Olivia being involved in this makes my chest burn.
I trusted her, as much as I can trust anyone outside the family. Did she send this kid to my docks while I was warming her bed?
Or was it Blackwood pulling strings, and if so, is it with or without her knowledge?
I weigh my options. The simplest solution would be to make Agent Mullen disappear. It's what my father would have done without hesitation. But I meant what I told Olivia.
Killing law enforcement brings more heat than it's worth. He disappears and there’s no question who made it happen. No. I need to be smarter than my father was. More calculated.
"Keep him on regular shifts. Legitimate work only.
Watch everything." This could be an opportunity.
Let the FBI think they've successfully infiltrated my operation while I feed them exactly what I want them to see.
Meanwhile, I'll be learning what they're after, who's running the operation, and how deep it goes.
“The forklift has been acting up lately,” Angelo says, suggesting Michael could have an accident.
“No, I want to know what he’s looking for. Keep him on a tight leash.”
“Will do.”
I pour myself two fingers of whiskey and stare out at the Manhattan skyline. I’m procrastinating on what I need to do next. I need to speak with La Corona.
I’m not sure if this is part of Olivia’s investigation or an extension of whatever the hell has been going on the last few years.
Either way, I took a vow to keep La Corona informed.
I take a long sip of whiskey, letting it burn down my throat, as I know that I’m also going to lie to them.
No way can I let them know I’ve been fucking the agent looking to put me in jail.
I wonder what Olivia would think if she knew I was letting her colleague continue his charade.
Would she be relieved I'm not planning to kill him, or disappointed I saw through their plan so quickly?
Either way, I need answers. And if Olivia is behind this, our next encounter will be very different from the last.
No matter how much I might want her, I won't let anyone threaten mine.
Not even her.
I finish my drink and make the call setting up a meeting of La Corona to meet at Leonardo Ferraza’s.
Two hours later, I arrive at Leo’s home, ten minutes late. I stride into his meeting room and take my usual seat at the table.
“Sorry I’m late.”
“It’s unusual considering you called this meeting,” Marco states.
Luca sits across from me, looking concerned. Roman stands behind Marco, ever the loyal enforcer.
Leonardo pours himself a glass of his prized Sicilian wine. "Your message sounded urgent, Dominic."
"It is." There’s no small talk in La Corona. We deliver the good, the bad, and the ugly directly. "The FBI planted an undercover agent at my docks the other day. Special Agent Michael Mullen posing as a desperate dock worker."
The room tenses. Marco leans forward, his eyes narrowing. "Are you certain?"
"Completely. Had his prints run.”
Luca shifts in his seat. "What's your plan? Have you removed him?"
"No." I meet each of their gazes. "I've kept him on legitimate work. For now, he sees nothing suspicious, learns nothing valuable. But I find out what he’s after."
"Risky," Leonardo comments, swirling his wine. "Your father would have handled it differently."
"My father isn't here," I reply coolly. "And his methods often created more problems than they solved."
Marco nods slightly, the closest thing to approval I'll get from him. "You think this is targeted, or part of something broader?"
"That's why I called this meeting." I lean in. "We’ve had usual issues over the last few years. I don’t know if the FBI thinks Agent Ricci sucks at her job and is sending someone else in or if this is something different.” Deciding to tell them everything, or mostly everything, I say, “In an unrelated story, Darius is gone. The mother fucker stole half a million from me.”
All three dons glance at each other in surprise.
“He said Blackwood approached him, but he turned him down. Still, he felt my downfall was imminent and decided to help himself to my money.”
Roman laughs. “Idiot.”
Marco nods. “Maybe we should consider this a part of the coordinated effort against us.”
“It would be easier if we knew who was behind the effort,” Luca says. “This always playing defense is getting fucking annoying.”
“We’ve been sifting through person after person, all of whom are gone except one,” I say. “Blackwood.” I know Roman has zeroed in on Blackwood from the beginning, but others have been less sure. I get it.
It’s one thing to go after people like us.
Going after the FBI is a whole other deal.
Even if we killed Blackwood, the vengeance it would set upon us would be great. It turns out cops aren’t that different from mafia when it comes to revenge.
“Have you learned anything from Agent Ricci?” Marco asks. “She let anything slip about her boss?
I shake my head.
“Yeah, well, I don’t like her poking around Isabella.” Roman’s face contorts into disgust and for a moment, I worry he might decide it’s worth taking out a federal agent.
My hands ball into fists as an overwhelming feeling of protectiveness over Olivia fills me.
“Her father was reasonable, do you think she can be turned?” Leo asks.
I shake my head. “She believes in justice. Even for us. She’s a true believer. Not na?ve, but definitely idealistic.”
“I don’t know about that.” Roman’s continues to hold its venom.
“Do you know something,” I say, hoping I don’t sound defensive.
“Actually, since we’re here, Roman uncovered something regarding Rocco’s kidnapping.” Marco nods to Roman to proceed.
Luca straightens. “And you haven’t told me—”
“I just finished compiling it all this morning,” Roman says. “It’s taken a great deal of time and…influence, to get this.”
Influence could be money or coercion at the end of Roman’s bat. He’s effective at both.
“The Winter Festival venue doesn’t have much in the way of cameras,” Roman starts.
The lack of surveillance is one reason we like the place for La Corona outings.
But for Rocco, it hindered finding his kidnapper.
“But I’ve finally been able to find the vehicle that took Rocco from the Winter Festival to Brooklyn.
” Roman sets a series of photos on the table.
“We knew where he was taken and where Agent Ricci picked him up. We worked out the various routes the kidnapper could take and then started getting traffic camera footage.” He sets a map on the table.
“This is the route, but that is less important than this.” He sets a close-up shot on a license plate.
“This is an FBI-issued SUV." Roman's eyes are cold steel.
"Registered to the New York field office. "
“Holy fuck,” Luca says, staring at the vehicle. “Jesus, you can see Rocco’s head here.” He points to another photo.
“Amazing work, Roman,” I say, and I mean it. I can’t imagine how much time and effort it took him. “I don’t think we can ignore anymore that Blackwood or someone in the FBI is behind this.”
“I think we need to consider Agent Ricci, as well.” Roman slips another picture onto the table. This time it’s Olivia in her vehicle. The date stamp is the day she found Rocco. “This is the vehicle she was driving the day she brought Rocco to the diner to return him to Elena. Notice the plate.”
My stomach drops and when I look at Roman, I’m sure my face gives away my shock. “It’s the same vehicle.”
He nods. “They’re assigned vehicles. I’ve confirmed it’s hers.”
My mind is reeling. Have I really been fucking…been losing my mind over a woman behind Rocco’s kidnapping?
It takes a moment, but my brain begins to re-engage. “She’s not this stupid.” I snatch the photo from Luca. “Plus, we know Santa delivered Rocco to a man.”
There is silence and when I look up all eyes are on me. “What?” I snarl.
“You seem defensive of Agent Ricci.”
Fuck. “No. I’m stating fact. A man took Rocco.”
“Maybe she’s working with him. He takes Rocco.
She saves him. Didn’t she try to get Elena to leave the family?
Maybe it was part of a plan to turn Elena away from the family.
” Roman’s eyes are narrow like he’s trying to see into my soul.
“We’ve been caught with our asses out too many times the last four years because we keep thinking they’re operating within the law or that it’s a rogue agent. ”
“Roman’s right. We need to treat them like we’d treat any rival family,” Luca says.
“I thought you were ‘turning the tables’ on her,” Marco says using air quotes.