" Put more protection on you and your family, but we'll be looking for the Ferrari family," said Danny.
Ten minutes later, Angel walks back in Danny shows him the note," so what else do you know," he asks.
" Only that Mike wanted both families to get married and that he was messing with Amy," I tell him.
I can't tell them that Amy is working for the Ferrari family since they'll put too much heat on the situation and make it evident that they know.
" That's it?" Angel asks.
" Yes," I tell him leaning back on the couch, hoping that they call me as soon as they get off the plane, I thought. We sit quietly for a minute. " I'll be right back," I tell them getting up from the couch, heading to my room. I see Brandi pass out on my bed with her phone next to her. I walk over to her shaking her woke. " Get under the covers," I tell her.
After making sure she was under the covers and phone on the charger, I went to the bathroom. I go back to the living room, but I stopped when I heard them talking.
" We need to keep our eyes on her. Being that all this is happening because she and her family," said Danny.
" I don't think she's involved," I heard Angel says.
" We don't know shit about her involvement with her dad's business in Atlanta. She could be setting this whole thing up without us knowing," said Danny.
" Look, you'll be protecting her and her family and getting to the bottom of this until you can prove why that boy attached Gio you keep a close eye on everyone," said Mrs. Lilly.
They stop talking I walk into the living room " I just took my pills I'll be sleeping in a few," I tell them.
" Guess I'll be leaving," Mrs. Lilly said, getting up off the couch and gathering her things, then giving me a hug before she heads out the door.
" Do you want one of us to stay?" Danny asked.
" No, we'll be fine," I tell him. They both get up off the couch, giving me a hug.
" Have a good night,” Angel said before they left.
I woke up laying on the couch. I search for my phone finding on the floor next to the sofa. I see that's eight o'clock in the morning, and see that I had a couple of missed calls from Chris and dad. I sit up on the couch then call Chris a couple of seconds he answered, " Camille, why did they pick us up from the airport and take us to the hideout.”
" That letter the nurse gave me before I left yesterday had stated that y'all won't make it out alive from that meeting you were going to with the Ferrari family," I tell him.
" What," he said.
"Yeah, the letter stated that you and dad weren't just dealing with Ricci but also the Ferrari, and they want us to leave them alone," I tell him.
" Damn, "Chris said.
" Yeah, like what shit have y' all been doing since I been away," I said.
" Some shit that you don't want to be involved with," Chris said.
" Well, it seems like I have been involved since the very beginning, so when I get down there, you and your father are gonna tell me everything," I said then hang up the phone.
I drop my phone on the table and start rubbing my forehead. These niggas want me to act out of character, I thought. After calming down, I walk to my room to see Brandi still sleep. I grab everything I need to hop in the shower. After getting out, I got dressed in some black leggings and a black graphic shirt. My hair still looks good, I thought.
I leave my room heading to the living room, turning the TV on to the news and grabbing my phone before heading to the kitchen. I set my phone down on the table then went to the refrigerator, grabbing orange juice and bagels. I pop the bagels in the toaster then grab a cup from the cabinet when my phone started ringing. I look at it, seeing that it's the office.
" Hello," I answer the phone.
" Morning Camille. This is James," he said.
" Hey James," I said, grabbing the jelly and cream cheese.
" Sorry to call this early, but I was wondering if you can come into the office today," James asks.
" What is this about?" I ask.
" We just want to ask questions about the incident that's all, " he said.
They want more than that. He could have asked me questions while I was still in the hospital. This has to be about the FEDS, I thought.
" I have my little sister with me. I'll try to be there around twelve," I tell him.
" Thank you I'll see you later," he said before hanging up the phone.
These last couple of weeks just keeps getting tougher, I thought, putting jelly on my bagels.
"Morning," Brandi said when she walks into the kitchen.
" Morning, how did you sleep?” I ask.
" Like a baby. Mrs. Lilly tired me out last night," she said, grabbing the Fruity Pebbles off the top of the refrigerator.
" Yeah," I said, thinking about what she said last night about keeping a close eye on me. Like I'm involved with all this, I thought.
" What's on your mind," Brandi asks, sitting across the table from me.
" I just gotta go into the office for a bit today," I tell her.
" What do you want me to do until you get back?” Brandi asks.
"You’re coming with me. Then we'll go shopping in New York City," I tell her.
"Don't play with me, Mille," Brandi said.
" I'm gonna need new clothes when we go to the reunion," I tell her. Brandi had the biggest smile on her face that I hadn't seen since I took her to the amusement park when I was in high school.
"What time are we leaving?" she asked.
" I told him we'll be there around twelve," I said, finishing eating.
" So we are going shopping like we are going to spend a couple hundred," she asks.
" Yes," I tell her, laughing, getting up, putting my dishes in the dishwasher.
I went to my room, putting the leg brace on. I stood up on my own, feeling a little pain but started walking around. I took two pain pills then put the rest in my purse. I can hear Brandi talking to her little friend about us going shopping in New York City today. I put everything I needed in my purse, taking it to the living room.
" What to wear," I hear Brandi said as she walks past me to my room I drop my purse on the table.
" Brandi, bring me my charger," I yell.
A knock on the front door, I walked to the door looking through the peephole seeing Angel standing out there. " Hey," I said, opening the door.
" Hey," he said, coming in the house.
" What are you doing today?" he asked, taking a seat in the living room.
" My boss called me asking if I can come in for a few," I said.
Angel's faces scrunch up " what for? You’re out for a couple of weeks," he said.
" Don't really know he was being very vague on the phone," I tell him.
" What time are you going?" he asks.
" I told him I'll be there by twelve if Brandi hurries her ass up," I tell him.
" What else are you doing after that?" he asks.
"I'm taking Brandi shopping in the city," I told him.
Chapter 11
" So who will be supervising us today," I ask Angel, changing the channel on the TV.
" Me," he said, looking up from his phone.
" Really," I said, surprised.
" Yes, what did you think that we were going to let someone else be in charge of your safety," he said. I shrug my shoulders. I know it's not about my safety, I thought.
" Let me get dressed, then I'll be over," he said, getting off the couch.
" Okay," I tell him getting up following him to the door. I close the door. "Shit," I said. Why does he have to come? He's gonna have to stay with Brandi, I thought. I go in the kitchen, grabbing an bottled water. I go sit on the couch, clutching my charger off the arm of the couch, putting it in my purse.
"Brandi hurry up," I yell, wanting to hurry this along. Thirty minutes later, there was another knock on the door. I open the door without looking knowing it’s Angel.
“You driving or me," he asks, w
alking into the house.
" You can," I tell him; I hate driving into New York.
" What time are we leaving?" he asked, going in the kitchen getting some water.
" Let me get her," I tell him, going to my room to see that a mini-tornado hit the floor. There are clothes and shoes everywhere. I look at Brandi, seeing her half-dressed. “What’s taking so long?" I ask.
" I don't have a shirt to wear," she said.
" Go in my closet and grab a shirt, " I say. She always making shit difficult, I thought. I grab my black leather jacket. "Come on," I said she comes rushing out of my closet with my grey shirt with holes and a blue jean jacket on. We leave the room going into the living room.
"Finally," Angel said, getting off the couch, then we all leave.
"Whose car are we taking?" I ask while we wait for the elevator.
" Mine," Angel said while getting on the elevator.
I look over at Brandi to see that she texting on her phone in her own little world we get off on the first floor. " I'm grabbing the mail," I tell him before we reach the door. I open the mailbox to see a couple of bills and a blank envelope putting them in my purse. We walk towards the end of the parking lot to a black mustang. "This you," I ask.
"Yeah," Angel said, all cocky. We got in Angel put the radio on. "We need to stop anywhere?" he asks. I shake my head, no. "Ok," he said, driving. I pull the blank envelope out my purse, opening it to see another letter.
Dear Mrs. Smith,
I see you were able to warn your family in time, but that's okay. The games don't just start with them. There will be repercussions being involved with the Ricci's. This is going to be my last warning: break all ties to them. If you don't, there won't be just a loss of business but also family.
Sincerely Ferrari and other families
" Shit," I said, looking at the letter.
" What?" Angel asks, peeking at it.
" Another letter," I said, folding it, putting it back into my purse.
" Who's it from?" he asks.
"It’s from the same people," I told him. I started breathing in and out, trying to calm down. I pulled out my phone, texting Chris and sent ‘who all know you were involved with the Ricci's.’ I lean back in the seat and close my eyes, waiting for him to reply. The rest of the ride was quiet, nobody saying nothing, just the radio playing.
" We’re here," Angel said, waking me up.
I open my eyes and start stretching " okay, don't bring in no weapons," I said, looking at Angel. I go in my purse, grabbing my badge, the letter, and my phone. We get out of the car, headed to the entrance. We walk in, seeing Tisha and D at the door. " Hey y'all," I said, walking to them.
" What are you doing here?" Tisha ask.
" James wanted to see me," I told her.
" Mm," she said, then started wanding me.
" Come here, girl," D said, giving me a hug. " How are you doing?" he asks.
" I'm fine," I tell him.
" You better. I want to see you come back here stronger than ever," he said, walking back to his post.
I look behind to see Angel all in Tisha's face. "You ready to go, Romeo?" I ask. Angel straightens up.
"Yea," he said, walking towards me.
We get on the elevator. " I'm gonna drop you two off at my office, then I'm going to talk to James," I tell them when we got off the elevator.
As we are walking down the hallways towards my office, my coworkers kept stopping me, asking how I'm doing. We made it to my office after being stopped like twenty times. "Finally," Angel said, being dramatic as I unlock the door. I drop my bag on the desk then open my drawers, looking at my files on Giovanni and any cases that I had with Mike.
"How long do you think you'll be up there for," Angel asks.
" I'm thinking no more than an hour and a half," I tell him gathering all the files. I look at Brandi sitting on the couch." I'll be back" I tell her then hand Angel the letter out my pocket. I leave my office closing the door walking to the elevator when I bump into Lindsey.
" Oh, hey Camille," she said.
" Hey, Lindsay," I said, trying to walk around her.
" What are you doing here? I thought you were out for a couple weeks," she asks.
" I just need to talk to James," I tell her, pushing past her. I make my way to the open elevator hopping on it but then see Lindsey walking towards it. Damn, I thought, as she just got on the elevator before it closes.
" So how have you been?" she asks.
I huffed out some air and said, " I'm doing good," I say, trying to end the conversation.
We go past the third floor with no words I get off on the fifth floor walking down the hall I hear footsteps behind me I turn around to see her. “How can I help you?" I ask her.
" I was just trying to see James," she said, fidgeting.
I know this heifer heard me just tell her that I'm gotta see James.
" Come on, you can see him before me," I said, letting her walk ahead of me and knock on his door then wait.
James sticks his head out of the door, " hey Camille, " he says to me.
" Hey, James," I said back.
He looks over at Lindsey. " How can I help you?" he asks her, stepping out of his office.
" Well, I just wanted to know what cases I am taking over for Camille," she asks.
" Lindsey, I said this in the meeting last week to talk to Grace," he said, gritting his teeth like he told her this a hundred times.
" Okay," she said, scurrying away from us. James opens the door, letting me in his office farther, I walk in to see Conner sitting on the couch across from James' desk and Jackson standing by the window. I knew it was about them, I thought.
" Hey, Officer Smith. How are you doing?" Conner asks when I enter the office.
" Hey Conner, I'm doing fine," I said, taking a seat by James' desk. Nobody said anything. "Why am I here?" I ask after a few minutes of silence.
" Ricci's lawyer filed to have Ricci on house arrest after the incident," Conner said.
" Okay, what does that have to do with me?" I ask.
" Seeing that you’re his CO here, we would like for you to do house visits with Ricci," Jackson said.
"How would that be possible?" I ask.
" We're the FBI; we can make anything happen since you’re the only one that he'll talk to," Jackson said.
" Look since that thing with Mike happened. I need to keep some distance from Ricci," I tell them, getting up from my chair. While I'm headed to the door, I hear, " I don't like to bring this up, but I know about your Uncle Dre and who he’s involved with," Jackson said.
I stopped in my tracks and turned around to see Jackson looking at me. " What did you say?" I ask making sure I heard him correctly.
" I know that your uncle Dre borrowed some money from the mafia that's causing the family to go crazy with depleted funds, " Jackson said in a taunting voice.
" So your gonna try to strike up a deal with me for what," I ask.
" Not so much of a deal, but if you stay as Ricci's CO, then I can somehow help your dear old uncle Dre," Jackson said.
This man doesn't know me, I thought.
" See, this might work on most people but not me. Uncle Dre's problem is just what I just said-—Uncle Dre's problem. He's a grown man. I don't need to help him. Now, if you don't have no other way to keep me as Ricci's CO, then I'll be leaving," I said, walking out the door. These white motherfuckers think they had me. Nigga, please, I thought, walking to the elevator as I press the button.
" Camille," Conner said, jogging down the hallway.
I turn to look at him with my arms folded across my chest. " Yes," I said, tapping my foot, getting impatient with the whole situation.
" I'm sorry the way my partner came off just now, but we really like for you to continue being his CO," he said.
" Why? And don't tell me because Ricci is attracted to me," I said to Conner.
" Ricci does have a liking to you, so that does make it
easier for you to talk to him," Conner said he looks around the hallway. He then got a little closer to me, whispering. " We also know that your family is tied to his and that he wants to make it a permitted thing between both of you," he said.
I look at him. Who do they have undercover that just not know about my family but his as well, I thought? "Let me think about it. I'll tell you when I come back from leave," I tell Conner getting on the elevator.
“That’s all I can ask," he said.
I breathe in and out, trying to clear my mind about what just happened. I get off the elevator heading straight to my office. I see the door open, and I hear a female voice talking to Angel; "so how long have you known Camille?" she asks.
"For a little while, but my grandma knew her for years," he said. I walk to the edge of the doorway to see Amy sitting next to Angel, trying to run her hands on his arm.
" I've known Camille for some years now," Amy said, trying to prolong the conversation.
" Really, she hasn't mentioned your name, not even once. Since she's been here, she never said anything to my family or to me," Brandi said, being the smart ass that she is.
I look over at Amy to see her face scrunch up. Amy gets up out of her seat, and I walk into the office. "Ready to go," I said, walking to my desk.
" Hey Camille," Amy said.
" Hey, why are you in my office?" I ask her.
" I just wanted to see how you were doing," she said.
" You just saw me at the hospital, so what are you really doing here," I ask her.
" Just checking up on you," she said. I look at her.
" Well, you checked up on me. I'm doing fine. So have a nice day," I said, dismissing her.
She stands there for a minute then walks out of my office. I put my files away.
" What was that about," Angel asks.
" We'll talk about it later," I tell him, grabbing my purse then head out the door we leave the office to see Amy and Lindsey whispering in the hallway. I already knew she had Lindsey as her sidekick. Who else does she have watching my every move in here, I thought.
We leave the jail and head to Manhattan. Angel had the radio on.
" Who was that girl?" Brandi asks.
" An annoying co-worker," I tell her. I look over at Angel to see him giving me a look that he knows there's more to it. "You read the letter," I ask.
Giovanni Page 8
