La Famiglia Read online

  “I have been compensated.” Bonomo said. He gave Lorenzo and Dominic a nervous smile before looking Giovanni in the eye. “I’m not complaining.”

  “Of course not. But I think it’s time we elevate your position in the Stato. Eh?”

  Bonomo looked around as if confused. “I don’t understand?”

  “What spoils go to the inspector who brings in a full confession from a clan boss in the Camorra.”

  Bonomo began to choke. He hacked and coughed while Giovanni and his men watched, offering no assistance. “Confession? You’re going to confess to me? Publicly?” he asked in disbelief.

  “Never forget who I am Bonomo. I will not bend or yield to you or anyone.” Giovanni replied.

  “Forgive me. Of course. But you must understand my confusion. We have never had a clan boss turn himself in. The polizi di stato have yet to level charges to indict any controlling leader in the Camorra. And you sit here and say it could happen?”

  “It will happen, before sunrise.” Giovanni said coolly.

  Bonomo swallowed. He took a long drink from his glass as his face peppered with sweat. “May I ask, if not you, then who?”

  Giovanni stood. The inspector was quick to do so as well. “You will bring the scoundrel in. Be in charge of his full confession of his crimes. I’m sure you will be elevated, promoted.”

  Bonomo nodded and smiled with gratitude. When the inspector shook Giovanni’s hand Giovanni gripped the inspector’s hand tightly. “You will remember this generosity. Donatello will no longer investigate my family or our business interests.”

  “I will. Of course I will.” The inspector nodded. He kissed Giovanni’s ring, bowed his head and was escorted out.

  Dominic cleared his throat. He dusted his tie. “Well the line is cast, Gio. Care to tell me who you plan to pin this confession on for the Inspector?”

  “Don’t you know, Domi? You know everything else.” Giovanni sat and picked up his cigar. Lorenzo returned after having handed the inspector off to one of their men to be escorted off the property. Dominic cast his gaze between Giovanni and Lorenzo in confusion.

  “No I don’t know,” Dominic said. “But it’s evident you and Lorenzo have discussed this without me.”

  “Mottola goes down. The `Ndrangheta goes down. And Santo… bows.” Lorenzo grinned as he shared the news. “It’s for the best, Gio. Santo can’t be trusted. And I’ve proven it. This is how we show strength and own the territories.”

  Giovanni leveled an icy stare at Dominic.

  “You have not proven it!” Dominic said glancing between the two men. “There is no evidence that Santo caused this breech. None.” Dominic directed his comments to Lorenzo. “This war between you and Santo is petty, unfounded, and unproductive. While you sailed the Mediterranean, Santo has been loyal to Giovanni. He’s done a lot of good.” He then turned to Giovanni to plead his case. “Gio, you pull this trigger there is no going back. The fundamental rules of our brotherhood are broken. What’s to make any man who works for you not believe you won’t do the same to him?”

  Giovanni took a drag of his cigar and blew a ring of smoke. “That’s the fucking point, Domi. That’s the fucking goal! My empire is crumbling, on your watch! Santo’s watch! My watch! That can never happen again. I was distracted with my wife and her issues. She thinks it was to control her. Well she has her wish. I’m not distracted anymore. And I will make sure no one dares doubt me, including every man in this family. The message is clear.” Giovanni stood. “Betray me and no matter who you are in this family you will bend.” He cast Lorenzo a warning glare. He then looked back to Dominic. “No matter who you are.”

  He turned and walked out.

  Dominic couldn’t speak.

  “Tsk, tsk, Domi,” Lorenz stood, and chuckled. “I warned you of this when you stood silent as Gio replaced me with Santo.”

  Dominic cut his cousin a death glare. “Meaning?”

  Lorenzo straightened his tie “Gio needs me. I’m his left hand. You can be his errand boy, and pretend at counseling him. I will keep him strong. This is the way it should always be. Santo is a pretender.”

  “Bullshit, Lo!” Dominic said. “You didn’t do this for Gio. You did it for you. Now you will turn Santo against us. Hand him over to the authorities and he will want revenge. I had it under control!” Dominic shouted. “We are strong as a family of men. That is what Omertá means to us. Gio’s full of rage and you stood back and let him loose. That is not how he should lead. That is his downfall.”

  Lorenzo chuckled. “The problem with you, Dominic, is you think you are his conscience. For Giovanni to be our leader he should have none.” Lorenzo shook his head smiling and walked out.

  Dominic lowered to his chair. He stared at the floor.

  “Signor Domi, is there anything you need?” Arturo asked.

  What he needed wasn’t in a bottle. He rubbed his brow. No idea formed, just consequence. Before the night ended there would be a lot of consequence.

  * B *

  “She wants to meet with us. I told her I’d call her back,” Marietta said as she entered the door. She paused and blinked at those gathered. Rosetta had been the one to deliver the news that Mira wanted to meet with them all in the nursery. Mira nursed one of the twins while Zia fed the other with a bottle. Catalina stood by the window. Her arms were crossed and her gaze trained to the setting sun out over the beach. Cecelia sat on the bed with Eve helping her turn the page on a book.

  “We having some kind of family meeting?” Marietta asked.

  “Close the door please,” Mira said in a hushed tone, which reminded Marietta she should be conscious of the twins. Marietta did what she was told. “Have a seat,” Mira smiled. “I know things have been really hard for the family the past few weeks. A lot has happened.” Mira stopped rocking in her chair and stood with Gianni in her arms. She walked over to the crib and placed the sleeping baby inside. She fixed her blouse before turning and addressing them all. “I need your help. What I want to ask of you goes against everything we agreed upon with protecting this family and honoring Giovanni’s wishes. I don’t want you to think that I don’t know this.”

  “What is it?” Catalina asked.

  “It’s the truth about Marsuvio Mancini and my mother. The affair they had. The reason for her death. Truths that Giovanni either can’t or won’t tell me. I need more answers.”

  Zia put Gino on her shoulder and tried to burp him. “Rocco told me some of it. Mancini and Tomosino were responsible for your mother’s death.”

  “Patri? My Patri killed your mother?” Catalina asked. “That’s ridiculous!”

  “Yes. He put a contract on her life,” Marietta confirmed.

  The hurt of the accusation drained the color from Catalina’s face. “He wouldn’t do that. He would never put a hit on the life of a woman. Patri wouldn’t!”

  “He did it!” Marietta shot back.

  “That’s enough,” Mira said. “Catalina, listen to me. We don’t know the truth. Who killed my mother and why. I need to get to the bottom of this.”

  “How?” Zia asked.

  “Her name is Gemma, she’s my godmother and she’s here in Sicily. She knew my mother, our mother,” Marietta clarified.

  “We want to meet her. Tonight if possible,” Mira added.

  “No.” Catalina said. “Absolutely not. Gio said we aren’t to leave. We can’t risk it with the men gone.”

  Mira smiled. “What do you suggest? I have to see her, Catalina. I can’t bring her here. It’s not safe.”

  “It’s safer than you leaving to go and meet her,” Zia said.

  “She has a point,” Marietta chimed in. “We really don’t know what is going on now with our men and Mancini. Maybe we should try to bring Gemma here?”

  Mira put her hand to her head. Each way she turned she hit a wall of uncertainty.

  “What about the villa, the beach villa? We can get her there tonight,” Catalina suggested. “It’s a good compromise. The
men don’t go there. There’s a road that I used to take as a girl to ride my bike. I can bring her in that way. With most of the men gone they’d never suspect.”

  “Much better plan.” Zia agreed.

  “What do you think?” Marietta asked Mira. “It could work.”

  “I think it could. But I don’t want to sneak her in here. If she’s discovered it will set the men off. It could put her in danger.”

  “So what are you suggesting? That we walk her in through the front door?” Rosetta asked.

  Mira smiled. “I can’t, but Zia, you can.”

  “Me?” Zia gasped.

  Mira grinned. “She can drive up and say she came upon your request, for help in the kitchen. And then we put her out in the villa on the beach. This way the men won’t be alarmed and…”

  “Won’t work.” Catalina shook her head. “If anyone drives up here and steps on the property they need permission from Giovanni.” Catalina reminded everyone. “None of the men will let a stranger in because Zia said so.”

  Zia walked over to the crib. She laid out a sleeping Gino. “Which men are here?” Zia asked.

  “Leo, Leonardo, Antonio, David, Michael, Giulio,” Cecelia offered.

  “Renaldo is here.” Rosetta reminded everyone. Renaldo was a very silent but strict enforcer of Giovanni’s rules.

  “Not at the moment,” Catalina said. “I asked him to go into Palermo to get some packages for me and Mira. He’s not going to return from those pickups until tonight.”

  “Why would Renaldo run that kind of errand? Isn’t he over these men?” Marietta asked. Mira had to agree. Renaldo was Giovanni’s personal bodyguard. He’d take a bullet for the family. Giovanni would put him and Nico in front of the family at all times.

  “Because of the bombing with the Mancinis,” Catalina answered. “Everyone is on alert. Renaldo doesn’t want the men out there or at risk. He’d rather be the only one to come and go from here.”

  “Why does any of this matter?” Mira asked Zia.

  Zia smiled. “Because those men don’t know my cousin Ines.”

  Mira loved the way Zia thought. She nodded understanding. She glanced at Marietta. “Call Gemma, tell her we can send a car for her. That she will be cousin Ines.”

  Catalina laughed. “That might work. If she’s family and the men contact Gio, he’ll approve. Perfect, Zia!” she kissed her cheek. “We can prove that my Patri did not kill your mother.”

  Mira winked at Catalina. “I hope we get to the bottom of many things tonight.”

  * B *

  Giovanni bounded down the stairs. He was an hour behind. Dominic and Lorenzo waited for him at the bottom step. He had an early dinner minus the alcohol. He felt strong enough for all that would unfold in the evening.

  “Are we ready?” he asked.

  Lorenzo nodded.

  Dominic stared at him. Giovanni ignored the concern in Dominic’s eyes. He walked out and the men climbed inside his black van. It was a lot less conspicuous than the fancy cars he owned. Giovanni took a seat to the back.

  “Home? How are the women?” Giovanni asked once Carlo slammed the door shut on the van and got inside.

  “Got a call from Leo—he checks in regularly. Zia wants Ines to come and assist with the cooking. The twins are a handful.”

  Giovanni smiled. “They are. Bella is a good mother.”

  “Did you speak with her before we left?” Dominic asked.

  He decided to ignore the question. The problems with his wife were private. He feared that the families’ interference was one of the reasons Bella was so stubborn toward him. The other being that she could not forgive him for deceiving her. Once his affairs were settled he’d return and find a way to bring his wife to the understanding of his heart.

  The ride out of the mountain of Sorrento toward Chiaiano was ahead of him. He settled back in his seat and closed his eyes.

  Later –

  “She’s here!” Marietta said. She turned from the curtain. The women exchanged worried looks but Marietta was excited. Gemma was hard to convince to come to Villa Mare Blu. She sounded fearful. Marietta assured her Giovanni and Lorenzo were gone and not returning any time soon. She swore to her she was safe. And after a thirty-minute conversation of negotiations she feared that Gemma would decline. But she agreed.

  Mira stood. “Let’s greet her together.”

  Zia and Catalina sat on the sofa. Rosetta held Eve on her lap and sat across from them in a chair. Only Cecilia was missing, she watched over the babies in case either of them woke. Marietta and Mira walked out of the parlor as the doors opened to the front of the villa. Marietta held her breath for the meeting. She hadn’t truly forgiven Gemma, but she did love her.

  David held the door for her. Gemma walked in looking as regal and beautiful as ever. She wore a white and yellow striped dress with her hair down. Marietta went to her. Mira was hesitant but she followed.

  “Ciao!” Marietta said.

  Gemma hugged her in return.

  “You can go, David,” Mira said.

  Marietta let Gemma go and she waited for David to walk out of the door. “Gemma this is…”

  “I know who she is.” Gemma extended her hand. Mira shook it. Gemma kissed Mira on both cheeks. “So nice to meet you, Donna Mirabella.”

  “A pleasure, come with me.” Mira walked her into the parlor. The others were standing and waiting. Gemma nodded her head in respect at Zia. “Catalina and Zia, this is Gemma.”

  “Ciao,” the women said in unison.

  “Marietta will take you to a beach villa, to wait for me. The men won’t question you but if by chance one does do you understand what you are to say?” Mira asked.

  “Yes. Ines, from Bagheria. Zia Carlotta’s cousin,” Gemma said.

  “Good. Let me check on my boys and I’ll come.” Mira said.

  “Grazie, to all of you. I don’t deserve your hospitality,” Gemma said humbly.

  Marietta squeezed Gemma’s hand. With Catalina joining them they walked her out.

  “She’s not familiar to me, Mira,” Zia said. “Are you sure we can trust her?”

  Mira picked up Eve. Her daughter yawned in her face and dropped her head on her shoulder. It was close to eight in the evening. Well past her bedtime. “I’m not sure she can be trusted. But what choice do I have? She’s the closest to the truth I can get.”

  “Dominic is going to be angry that we lied to him.” Rosetta volunteered.

  Mira frowned. She dismissed Rosetta’s comments. “I need to lay Eve down and check on the babies. Rosetta stay here with Cecilia and help her if she needs any assistance with the twins. Zia, I want you to come with me to talk to this Gemma person. You can help me understand what she tells me. If she is telling me the truth.”

  Zia nodded. “I can try.”

  Rosetta did as she was instructed. As soon as Mira and Zia left the twins room she told Cecilia she had to go to the bathroom. Rosetta then dashed downstairs. She went straight for the front door and opened it. At first she saw no one. But when she stepped out David appeared from the left with a gun in his hand. He walked straight for her.

  “Need something?” David asked.

  “I have to speak with Domi. It’s important.”

  David looked her over. “Why is it important?”

  “I can only talk to him.” Rosetta said.

  David frowned. He glanced back to the cars parked out front. “Renaldo will be here later tonight. He’s in Palermo still. I can page him.”

  “Yes. Call Renaldo and tell him I want to speak to Dominic. It’s important. Something… something he needs to know from the Donna that he has to tell Gio. She only wants me to deliver the message.”

  “Why can’t the Donna deliver the message herself?” David scoffed.

  “They aren’t talking stupid. She’s mad at him remember? Get the message to Renaldo. Tell him I will be near the phone if he wants to talk to me. But I have to speak with Domi.”

  David stared at her f
or a moment. He then nodded and walked off. Rosetta breathed a sigh of relief. It was risky to betray Mira. Up until now everything she did to gain Domi’s attention had failed. If this backfired she’d be sent back to Palermo and her chances of being anything would be squandered. But Dominic hadn’t given her up the last time she told him of Catalina’s actions. Maybe this time his gratitude would indeed prove her loyalty.

  * B *

  Yeremian grinned at Giovanni. “It’s good to see you!”

  Giovanni embraced his friend. “It has been some time. I can’t thank you enough for coming.”

  Yeremian and his men arrived a week ago. They’d been working with Santo and Lorenzo to flush out and capture as many of the Mottolas as they could. The Armenians had a unique yet brutal way of dealing with enemies that Giovanni found exceptionally attractive given the depth of Mottola’s betrayal.

  He glanced to Dominic and Santo. They accompanied him to the back room. The stench of excrement, blood and sweat overwhelmed him. And soon he understood why. Three men were tied down to chairs and one hung from chains to the ceiling. As Giovanni entered the room he witnessed one man’s suffering. The beaten brute hollered as a bucket of water was tossed over him. The Armenian stood next to a battery, which he wheeled over to the man, handcuffed to his chair. Giovanni guessed his age to be no more than twenty or so. The young man shook his head and slang water with his hair from his eyes.

  “No! No! I beg you!”

  Without mercy the Armenian flipped the switch on the battery and then stabbed the man with the end of the rod sending hot electricity through his body. The young man gurgled and jerked in the chair. He either passed out or died before them.

  “That one is Mottola’s oldest son. There hanging is his brother, and those two are nephews. We have his women in the room next door.” Yeremian said as if it were the most common of things. Giovanni glanced over to Dominic who looked on with disgust.

  “Do not harm the women,” he said and smirked at Dominic. His consigliere turned and walked out.

  The door was kicked open from the back of the room. A sniveling man was dragged in. Giovanni recognized him. It was Giuliani. The man looked up at him with blackened and swollen eyes. “Giovanni! Per favore! I beg of you! I beg of you!”