Mobster Series Anniversary Edition Read online

  Carlo sits down in one of the chairs, and Vito lies back down on the couch. Antonio gestures for me to sit in the other chair. He leans against it.

  “Adolfo!” Carlo calls out, and Adolfo shuts the door. “So, Antonio, what can we do for you?” Carlo says switching to all business.

  “Megan’s sister has to stay here a couple of days, and Vito’s been hurt. I need some extra eyes and ears on these girls.”

  “So that’s the princess in the bed?” Carlo asks.

  “My sister,” I say, interjecting. Carlo gets up and walks to the side of the bed. I bristle with protectiveness. I go over there too. Antonio follows.

  “What happened?” Carlo asks.

  Antonio puts his hand on my back before I can say a word.

  “She fell,” he says.

  Vito is watching every move Carlo makes. I think he might not trust these guys either.

  “If you could stay here with Vito and Megan that would really help me out.”

  “Sure, no problem,” Carlo says. “I think Adolfo and I can handle that.

  Antonio pulls me aside. “Listen. I have to go take care of some things. Stay here with Carlo and Vito. Don’t leave to go anywhere in the hospital without someone.”

  “Vito needs his medicine,” I remind him.

  “I know. I’m going to send Adolfo downstairs to the pharmacy to get it.”

  “Be careful. And call me. I want to know your safe,” I say, wrapping my arms around his waist, and leaning my head against his chest.

  “I will. I’ll call you.” He puts his hands on my cheeks and kisses me. “I love you.”

  “I love you, too,” I return.

  Antonio says good-bye to Vito and shakes hands with Carlo. He opens the door and speaks to Adolfo. Then he is gone.

  My cell phone rings. It’s Troy.

  “Hello.”

  “Meg? Where are you guys?”

  “We ran into some problems,” I tell him.

  “Problems? What kind of problems? Are you okay?”

  “I can’t tell you, but we’re all alive.”

  “What the hell does that mean?” Troy gets heated.

  “Tell me where you are right now, Meg. I’m coming there.” Carlo shakes his head at me. “Troy, I wish I could, but I can’t. We’re okay.” I try to reassure him.

  “Meg, this is getting out of control.”

  “You’re right,” I tell him. He is right. Things are crazy, and Erin is lying in a hospital. I glance at my listless sister who looks small and helpless.

  “Jake and I can come and get you guys,” Troy says. “I want to help.”

  “Troy, I will definitely call if we need you. Thank you so much. You’re friendship means more to me than I can tell you.

  “Where’s Antonio?” he asks.

  “He had some things to do. Vito is with us.”

  “Meg? Tell Antonio I will do anything he needs. Be careful...” Troy says hesitantly.

  “I will. Bye,” I feel empty when I hang up.

  Adolfo comes back with the medicine for Vito. Vito pops a pill in his mouth dry. Yuck! I gag thinking about it.

  A nurse comes in and changes a bag on my sister’s intravenous. Erin has not stirred or opened her eyes since I saw her shaking in Vito’s arms.

  “Excuse me, nurse?” I say.

  “Yes?” she asks politely.

  “Is she going to wake up soon?”

  “It is hard to tell. We gave her a strong sleep and pain medicine. I’m her nurse till eleven. I’m Brenda. If you need anything, let me know.”

  “Thank you.” The nurse leaves.

  Adolfo assumes his position again outside the door. Not only did he bring Vito’s medicine, but some snacks, a novel, and a deck of cards.

  “Hey, Vito,” Carlo says. “How about a little friendly poker?”

  “Nah, man. I’m going to try to get some sleep. My back is killing me.”

  Vito hasn’t moved from the couch. He has been drifting in and out since Erin was moved up here.

  “How about you, little lady? How about a nice game of cards?”

  “Uh, okay,” I respond. I want something to keep my mind busy, or I’m going to fix the blankets on Erin’s bed a million more times.

  “What’ll it be?” Carlo asks, shuffling the cards with his long dark fingers. We sit opposite each other with the coffee table between us.

  “Whatever you want?” I say.

  “Do you know how to play poker?” he asks, defying gravity by flipping the cards around in the air, so that they look like a waterfall.

  “No.”

  “How about blackjack?”

  “Yeah, that’s twenty-one right?”

  “Sure is,” he says giving me a wink. He deals the cards. “I’ve never seen anyone with Tonio before. You must be really special.” I blush at his words.

  “Tonio is known as a loner in a lot of ways. He is very loyal,” he continues. “Are you gonna stay or do you want a hit?” I bend my cards so I can read the face down one.

  My cards total fifteen, so I say, “Hit me.”

  Carlo throws down a five for me and a three for him. I now have twenty. “Stay,” I say.

  Carlo flips out another card for himself. An eight. He shakes his head. “Flip um.”

  Carlo is over twenty-one. He swipes the cards off the table and deals again.

  “So, you and Antonio used to be close?” I ask, checking out my cards.

  “I used to hang out with these guys when I lived in Palmetto. My pop acquired an interest in a casino in Chicago, so we moved here.”

  He emphasized the word acquired. I notice that many times Antonio and his friends, and even his father, use formal words that allude to whatever they’re talking about as unlawful.

  I win another hand, and Carlo scoops up the cards and deals a third time.

  “How did you meet him?” Carlo asks.

  “We go to high school together. I live in Palmetto.”

  “Figures Antonio would be taken with the only medigan in Palmetto.” He shakes his head and checks his cards. Vito’s light snoring gets louder. I look over my shoulder and check on my sister. She is still out, sleeping soundly. I want to protest that I’m not the only one. My friend Raven isn’t Italian, but my phone rings. It’s Antonio.

  “Hi,” I say relieved.

  “How are things going there, honey? How’s Erin?”

  “Still sleeping,” I say.

  “Is that normal?” he asks.

  “Yeah, I asked the nurse. She said that they don’t know when she’ll wake.”

  “And Vito?” Antonio asks.

  “Snoring...” I roll my eyes at Carlo and glance over at Vito. “...loudly,” I finish. Carlo laughs.

  “Let me talk to Carlo,” Antonio says.

  I can’t hear what is being said, but Carlo answers with yes. He listens for a minute, then says bye. He hands the phone back to me.

  “Antonio?” I say, making sure he is still on the line.

  “Yeah. Try to get some sleep. Don’t let Carlo keep you up playing cards. He’s addicted to it, and he sucks at it,” Antonio says chuckling.

  “Okay. Love you.”

  “Love you too. I’ll see you soon. Bye.”

  “Bye.” And I end the call.

  Chapter 15

  Mamaluke (mama-luk): something foolish

  Antonio:

  I hated leaving them. Megan’s sister and Vito both hurt. But I had to. I hope I can trust Carlo and his guy Adolfo. I haven’t seen him in years. Time changes people.

  I picked up Troy after I left the suite where I filled up the luggage, packed up the kitchen, and moved it to the car. I would have picked up Troy first to make him help me, but I wasn’t sure what I would find. No point in putting him in harm’s way if I didn’t have to.

  “What the hell?” Troy exclaims looking at his friend’s car.

  “There was a hail storm.” Troy walks around the car in disbelief.

  “Hail?! Was the hail on fi
re? Holy Shit!” he shouts.

  “Don’t worry. I’m buying this guy a new car. It’ll be here on Tuesday.”

  “What did ya do to my car? There is a huge dent in the front,” he asks incredulously.

  “I’ll get it fixed for you.”

  Troy stands there, shaking his head. “I just talked to Megan. She wouldn’t tell me where she is. She sounds scared.”

  I wish I didn’t hear that shit. I don’t like her being scared. Not that it’s not warranted, I just don’t like it.

  We transfer all our stuff to Troy’s car and return the borrowed car to a very stunned freshman. I tell him his new car will be here on Tuesday, a brand new Ford Taurus. I got the kid’s cell phone number to make sure he gets it.

  Troy drove me in his recently dented car to Hertz. I rent another SUV, a Suburban.

  After Troy leaves me, I get a call from Patrick.

  “Hello,” I say.

  “I’m at the airport. Pick me up,” he says and hangs up.

  Okay... Surprise visit from the Cleaner, great!

  I drive to the airport where we started this journey and grab a smoke outside the automatic doors before making my way to the arrival gates. Airport security is flanking both sides of the area. I’m careful not to walk too close to any metal detectors. My gun is secured in the waistband of my jeans.

  Passengers flock to their loved ones and baggage claims. Everyone seems to be in a hurry. Patrick saunters with the crowd, keeping pace but not appearing to be rushing. He is just naturally fast. He is carrying a large duffle bag and a rigid expression.

  “Let’s go,” Patrick says, and I fall into step with him. He doesn’t say anything else until we get outside. I’m going to need some supplies.”

  Supplies are weapons and whatever he needs to chop up people into little pieces to make them disappear.

  Inside the parking garage of the airport, I click the doors to unlock and I walk around to the driver’s side.

  Thoomp, thoomp!

  Something stings my leg. I automatically reach down to see what it is. A bee is the first thing to come to mind, but it’s a dart. A tranquilizer dart. I yank it out. My body becomes numb and I hit the door of car. I crash to the cement, paralyzed. I hear a thump from the other side of the vehicle and people running. Then, darkness consumes me.

  *****

  Megan:

  We play a couple more hands of blackjack, and I win all of them. Antonio is right. This guy is terrible at cards, which is surprising for someone whose father owns a casino.

  “I’m going to check on my sister, then try to sleep a little,” I inform Carlo.

  “Yeah, it’s getting late. I’m gonna go stretch my legs and get a coffee. You want anything?”

  “No thanks.”

  Nurse Brenda comes in and takes my sister’s blood pressure. I hover over her, watching. She takes a needle from Erin’s arm and sticks it in a red box on the wall marked, used needles. She replaces the needle gently, and then shakes a bag of saline. Nurse Brenda hooks up the new bag and tosses the old one away. The door is open, and I can see Adolfo’s frame by the door in the hallway.

  “She was pretty dehydrated when she came in,” the nurse comments, checking Erin’s pulse.

  “Well, she was sick a few days ago and not eating and drinking too much. It was hard to get her to have anything.”

  “Her vitals are good. She just needs rest.” The nurse fiddles with some buttons on a monitor and leaves, closing the door.

  I go to the closet and find an extra blanket and another pillow. I snap the lights off so that there is only a glow from the bathroom. I hunker down in my chair and close my eyes. Ending a night with a kidnapping and rescue, then starting the next day with a car-bomb, makes you bone-achingly tired.

  My body is tired but my mind is racing. Replays and images thrust themselves in my thoughts unwanted. I wonder about Antonio, what he’s doing, if he’s okay. I think about my mom and dad. I want to sort out the hows and the whys, but I can’t. Anxiety won’t let me.

  I flip around in the chair trying to find a comfortable spot. My eyelids are heavy but restless. The door opens quietly, and I see a shadow of Carlo. I can smell his coffee.

  It’s definitely late because the hallway is much quieter. Earlier, the hallway was bustling with nurses, patients, and visitors. We’ve been here all day, and I just want to sleep. Find that relaxing comfortable state and succumb to it.

  Chapter 16

  Mooshadda (moo-sha-da): someone who is stupid

  Megan:

  I am startled awake and unease creeps its way through my bones. It’s dark in the room. I feel someone behind me, lingering over my chair. I tilt my head up and even in the shadows and dim light, I recognize the guy. It’s Antonio’s Uncle. I am momentarily appeased and ready to say hello, but something is not right.

  A large rope comes around my neck choking me. My heart rate spikes knowing my body is in trouble. I dig my nails into the fiber of the rope desperately. I pull hard and it doesn’t move. My throat crushes in on itself, and I gasp. I frantically search the room for Carlo and Vito. Vito is still on the couch and Carlo is on the floor in a heap, his body twisted. I strain to see the bed. My sister looks exactly the same as before.

  “You’ve caused me a lot of trouble, you little bitch,” Antonio’s uncle hisses quietly to me, putting his lips right up to my ear. The rope is burning my skin. Vito is not far from me. I kick out, trying to get his attention.

  “You won’t wake him, Irish whore,” he says, and yanks harder on the rope. I choke and spit runs down my chin. I try again to pull the rope away, but Uncle Tutti regathers his hold on it.

  I kick Vito hard in the shoulder, and he moans.

  “I want you to know that I’ve been dreaming about killing you for a long time,” he taunts. “Patrick’s number one daughter — helpless. I wish he was here to see it. But daddy won’t be coming. He’s run into a little bit of trouble, just like you.”He laughs quietly and maniacally. I strike out at Vito again with my foot. I manage to land another solid kick on his shoulder and he rouses.

  “What the fuck?” he grumbles, his eyes still closed. Another figure comes out of the shadows and grabs Vito and hauls him up. “Shit! What’s going on?” he slurs, the pain medication making him slow.

  “Keep him quiet. I have plans for him, too.”

  Stars form in front of my eyes, my strength is weakening. The darkness is getting thicker from the lack of oxygen. Very soon, I’ll be out cold, then dead.

  Quick snapshots of my father subduing our attackers at our house, and Antonio snapping the leg of some guy he was told to beat up, surface. Then an image, one I can only remember from my dreams, hits me. It’s me. I’m on the floor, a wooden floor. I have a gun in my hand, and I fire at shadows.

  Don’t think, just do. I stamp my feet and push my chair over with my jellied legs towards the couch. The thump of the chair is loud. Uncle Tutti loses his hold on the rope, and I tear away from him. I scrabble on my knees to reach under the pillow for Vito’s gun, all the while coughing and gasping. I am grabbed by the waist and hauled up before I can reach it.

  “Oh, no you don’t, bitch.” I am lifted in the air. I kick and let out a raw scream. Uncle Tutti clocks me in the head. It stuns me for a moment, but I recover and shift in his hold. I kick him with all my might. “Son of a bitch!” he yells.

  I catch a glimpse of Vito. He is fighting the other guy. It’s a struggle because he’s not himself. His punches are slow and he’s slurring his curses. It registers who the other guy is that Vito is fighting and it’s Adolfo. Shit! Anger burns and replaces my flight response with fight. That disloyal asshole!

  There is a light knock on the door, and we all stop for a split second. I take that opportunity to backhand Uncle Tutti in the face with my fist. He reels back, but doesn’t let go of me.

  “Is everything okay in here?” The door opens. It’s a new nurse, not Brenda. Adolfo slams the door on her. She yelps from behind it, prob
ably hurt.

  Vito finally manages to tackle Adolfo. He is stunned on the floor and Vito reaches for me. Uncle Tutti is older and can’t fend off Vito and hold me, so I wrench free of his grasp. He and Vito struggle. There are grunts and fuck-yous bouncing off the walls. Vito calls out, “Fuckin’ traitor!” and lands a solid punch to Uncle Tutti’s face.

  I crawl away to the other side of the bed. Erin is motionless. Nothing wakes her. I reach into the red used needle bin and pull out three. I rest them in my fist and crawl back towards Vito. But a foot steps on my hand crushing it to the hard linoleum. I screech and look up. Adolfo is standing over me. I swipe my free arm back, and jam the needles into his leg. My trapped hand is immediately freed and I yank the needles out. He picks me up and shakes me. The weight of my body is insignificant to him as he wields me in the air, cursing me. He is fucking angry. Well, so am I.

  I thrust the needles into the side of his neck. I stab them so hard, they ram right up to the plastic. He hollers and drops me, I don’t let go of the needles. They rip and tear at his flesh. I can feel wetness on my hand — blood. I am back on the floor.

  Adolfo staggers, tripping over a chair, and yanks the door open. Harsh fluorescent light pours in the room. I am momentarily blinded. I spin around and jab Uncle Tutti in the leg with the needles. He yells and kicks me, while defending himself against a medicated Vito. On a good day, Vito could have taken this guy with one hand while the other held an ice cream cone.

  I am sprawled against the wall, spent. I try to shake off the spinning room unsuccessfully. I see Uncle Tutti rush out. I hear people yelling in the hallway, but I can’t get up.

  Chapter 17

  Guinea (gin-nee): a derogatory term for an Italian

  Antonio:

  I wake up to the smell of rotting meat and a massive headache. My arms are heavy. I open my eyes and see a large slab of frozen beef inches from my face. I scan around to find a doorway, and when I do, it’s upside down. It’s upside down, because I am hanging upside down by my feet. They are bare and bound; the rope is secured on a meat hook. It’s cold, and I am stripped down to only my jeans. A few yards away is Patrick, suspended from the ceiling too and unconscious.