CHAPTER 28 - RED
CHAPTER
Red
HANDING LIAM a whiskey, my mind is still half-on Arianna upstairs. If I give her Matteo’s address, she’ll insist on going there straight away.
If I’m right and that Arianna looked at me differently just then – similar to how she used to look at me, making me in with a chance of bringing her heart back to me, I’ll give her anything she wants but I must remain rational.
Allowing her to kill Matteo and Luca is hard enough, but it’s got to be planned, and I’m not yet fully certain we have the correct location.
“Are you taking what I’ve said on board?” Liam barks. “This is serious, bruv.”
Clutching my drink, I move from the sideboard and sit down opposite Liam. The comfortable armchairs clash with this new situation being the opposite of comfortable.
And although I heard Liam, all that’s on my mind is Arianna, Arianna, Arianna.
Forcing myself to switch tack, I concentrate on the subject Liam deems important enough to travel here for. “Who exactly are we talking about? Saying ‘people’ isn’t good enough, so who’s pulled out?”
Liam takes his cigarettes from his pocket, picks two and hands one to me. “The Reynolds and the Wrights.” As he lights his cigarette, the pungent smell of Zippo fuel is strong. “The Chapmans are also making noises.”
Running the names through my head, I do a quick calculation. “So that’s Bermondsey, Rotherhithe and possibly Deptford?” I frown. “Those guys are from our territories next to one another. What’s the connection?”
Liam pulls harder on his cigarette, turning the end into a long, orange point.
“The connection is, since what happened last night, two, possibly three gun deliveries have been canceled in less than twenty-four hours. It’s nothing more complicated than that.
” He shakes his head in frustration. “People are losing faith in our ability to control, Red, and that isn’t good. ”
I nod. No, it isn’t good. Not good at all.
“They’re fucking talking.” Liam’s now on his feet, pacing and leaving a trail of cigarette ash on the carpet. “Our reputation is going to shit.”
“Why would it? No one knows about Arianna being taken,” I remind him. “It was never made public.”
“Not by us - no.” Liam stops and stares at me. “But that doesn’t mean the Galvatores and Bristonis haven’t spread crap around. People got wind several days ago that we had a problem and is why I reopened the fucking casino, but we don’t know what else has been bandied about.”
I purse my lips. Liam has a point. If Matteo Galvatore can get piss-take notes and invitations delivered, he won’t shy away from putting out word about us, even if that word omits what they’re doing behind closed doors.
“Look,” he continues. “We have Matteo’s location now, so we can act. Whatever’s doing the rounds about us has to be quashed. Our lack of retaliation and non-existent presence looks like we’re hiding. We need to reinstate our power.”
I nod. “I agree, but we have to ensure the location is correct.”
“How long will that take? We got it on good authority. One of the Galvatore runners was seen going into the place with a holdall and leaving empty-handed. They’re in there, I know it.”
I chew my lip, disappointed that some of our regular customers should lose faith in us so rapidly. “Maybe, but I won’t lose more of our own men over a rushed strike.”
“We won’t. Let’s just do it and do it now.” Liam claps his meaty hands together, the sound echoing through the high-ceilinged room.
I shake my head. “Have you learned nothing? Your off-the-cuff reaction stands to play right into their hands. However, I do agree it needs to be done, and soon.”
“How soon?” Liam’s frustration is getting the better of him.
Mine is too. However much Arianna needs to make the kill herself, she has to understand that we don’t have the additional time to factor in the planning she requires.
A job like this needs seasoned pros with the ability to take it on.
“We’ll tread carefully, and it will be done within the next couple of days. ”
My brow knits, my brain running at full speed.
“Wait a minute. Why not let this gossip and cancelations continue?” I stop Liam with a raised hand as he goes to interrupt.
“Then we publicly strike on the day of the wedding. Within our line of business, taking those two fuckers out at an important event makes the largest statement.”
My mouth cracks into a satisfied sneer, unsure why I didn’t think this a perfect plan before. “What else could be more of a major retaliation to quieten speculation and hush mouths? Plus, we remove the only remaining thorns in our side, and I get my revenge for what has been done.”
Liam nods, a slow smile inching across his mouth. The plan is decided, and although I will ensure Arianna gets the space to mete out her own vengeance, doing it the way she wants on this occasion is no longer justifiable.