CHAPTER 63 - RED
CHAPTER
Red
I STUB MY CIGARETTE OUT in my overflowing ashtray. I’ve done little else but chain smoke, berating myself for getting into such an untenable situation last night.
Yes, I could have gone through with what my body wanted, but how could I, when doing so would risk everything?
I made an agreement. Not just with Arianna and myself, but also with my brothers and my firm. I’ve already broken that promise by going further than intended in the wrong direction.
It’s like I’m possessed by an all-consuming pull to be with Arianna. I don’t know whether it’s my promises which held me back last night or knowing she doesn’t feel the same way as I do.
To feel how I do, to this magnitude and extent puts me in uncharted waters.
It’s somewhere I never believed possible I’d be afloat in, let alone navigating.
Arianna being here for reasons which are not me is not something I can be involved in.
I’m too full on for that. I demand 100% return from everything and everyone.
And with her, that will never happen.
From Arianna’s side, being with me can only ever be fabricated.
The punishment I’ve dealt myself has turned out harsher than planned.
“You didn’t respond to my calls or the message I left for you at reception.” Del observes me carefully. I forgot he and the others were here. I’ve got to get a grip.
I glance at the sofa across the room, double-checking I’ve hidden any clues I spent the night here, rather than in my own bed. Thankfully, I’ve put everything away and hope my lack of a shower and shave goes unnoticed.
“Red must have been too busy having dinner with his wife to respond to us mere minions.” Liam’s eyes glint. “And by the looks of it, he didn’t get much sleep!”
My eyes narrow. So, Liam’s noticed my unkempt appearance is a marked contrast with my usual exemplary look? “Much to your disappointment, rather than going against my word and bedding my ‘in name only’ wife, I’ve been in here all night fine-tuning the plan for tonight’s event.”
I don’t know why I’m explaining myself. Maybe I’m reminding myself that my marriage to Arianna is in name only and must remain that way. But last night came precariously close to crossing the line I cannot afford to pass.
It’s then I realize what Liam said. “How did you know I went to dinner? I didn’t mention that to anyone.”
“Ask your wife,” Liam shrugs. “She enjoyed telling me you’d told her to wear something special when I bumped into her snooping around the fire escape yesterday afternoon. I’m surprised she didn’t mention it.”
My bubble of suspicion grows. I’m surprised Arianna didn’t mention a run-in with Liam too!
“Can we get on to what’s important?” Oscar pulls a bin bag wrapped box lying on a sheet of tarpaulin across to my desk.
“What the hell is that?” I bend down to lift the box.
“Be careful!” Del warns. “It leaks.”
“What?” Scowling, I lift the box a few inches off the tarpaulin and liquid drips from one corner. It’s around the same time that I see what the box contains. I immediately recoil. “Jesus wept! A fucking heart? Who the fu...?”
“It arrived for you last night,” Del continues. “It’s what I was calling you about. Keith took receipt of it and was bringing it to your office when he noticed blood dripping from the bottom, so I opened it.”
I stare at the grisly contents, already surmising who was behind sending this package. “Has anyone else seen it?”
“No,” Del says. “Thankfully, only us. And before you ask, DPD delivered it.”
I rake my hand through my tangled hair, then shove my fingers into the box. There’s a note in there and I intend to read it. Pulling out the blood-soaked scrap of paper, I can just about make out the words.
“Christ!” I throw the note on my desk.
Liam eyes the note and folds his arms over his chest. “It’s got to be the Bristonis.”
“That heart... Is it human?” Oscar eyes the organ in the box.
“That’s the question, isn’t it?” I mutter. “Has Bristoni struck already?” I’ve already put my hand in this fucking box once, so a second time won’t matter. Shoving my hand back in, I pull out the heart. “Are our men accounted for?”
“Yes, they’re all intact.”
I turn the heart over in my hand, blood dripping from one of the severed veins. Inspecting it, anger overtakes my exhaustion. “Whoever’s done this made a bad job of removing it, but no, it’s not human. It’s an animal - probably a pig. But it’s a definite warning and a fucking stark one at that!”
“Exactly how long are we sitting on this, Red? I know the plan was to wait until Bristoni strikes, but this is getting stupid.” Liam stares at me intently, as does Del. Oscar is more transfixed with the heart in my hand.
I chuck the heart back in the box and wipe my bloodied hand down my suit trousers. They’re in need of a wash anyway, as am I. “Look at the note: ‘Cat / Mouse. Which are you?’ That reads to me like they’re winding us up to strike first.”
“Then it’s fucking working!” Liam spits. “I’m sick of this shit. We need to finish the bastard. Galvatore too. We shouldn’t have procrastinated in dealing with them.”
My eyes narrow. Liam means I procrastinated.
I’m well aware that I turned the van around the night of Steve’s murder, but there’s something about this that isn’t sitting right.
“Has it crossed anyone’s mind that by us striking first, we could walk into a trap?
By sending this sort of bullshit, it’s obvious what they want us to do. ”
“But is it?” Del frowns. “We all think - even Keith - that we need to act. It’s clear something will kick off before long.”
“Hear, hear!” Liam bangs his hand on the desk.
“Last time I looked, Keith nor any of you run this firm,” I roar. “Where is he anyway?”
“I sent him to do a stock check on weapons in case you wanted to call a strike,” Del admits sheepishly.
I spontaneously combust with fury. “I’ll let everyone know whether we fucking strike or whether we wait and not before.
” I glare at everyone and I’m just about to unleash a full diatribe when my desk phone rings.
“Bateman. What? No... no, it’s not fucking convenient.
Tell Mr Galvatore I’ll be in touch after the weekend.
Yes... yes, that’s correct. We have an event today, and there’s no time to meet with him. ”
Slamming the phone down, I ignore the pairs of eyes staring at me. No one needs to tell me that Galvatore calling to “chase our agreement” the morning after his alleged ex-business partner delivers another warning isn’t a little too convenient.
I’m going for a shower and hope Arianna has gone elsewhere in this bloody building. Standing up, I snatch my jacket from the back of the chair. “It’s business as usual. We run the event as planned and offload Slater.”
Stopping, I turn as I reach my office door. “After that’s done, we will strike Bristoni and Galvatore, whether they expect us to or not.”
I don’t know if I’m right and we’ll walk headlong into a trap, but I’m fucked if I’ll sit here waiting.
I’ve had enough. I’ll take my frustrations out on my enemies, and Arianna will have to accept that her darling daddy is a lying cunt who’s still tight with Edoardo Bristoni.
Because of this, they’ll be dealt with equally.