The Scorpion's Tale

by Wayne Block

  She hardly recognized him. “Giorgio, what are you doing here? You look terrible!”

  “Please. Walk with me to the beach. Nick can’t see us together.”

  “How did you know I would be here?”

  “Giovanna, move quickly. I’ll explain everything.”

  She turned toward the ocean, pulled along by Giorgio, who was almost running, his eyes nervously darting to and fro. They continued across the beach until Giovanna no longer could bear the silence. She pulled against his hand and dug her feet into the sand to stop him from walking further.

  “What’s going on? What are you doing here and how do you know Nick?’

  Giorgio sullenly looked down at his feet as he kicked at the powdery sand. He had come to grips with the fact that he no longer had any chance of a life with Giovanna, but he had to save her from Nick.

  “Nick Manzione arranged for you family’s murder,” he blurted out, as if he’d been holding his breath under water for a minute too long.

  Giovanna’s eyes flashed angrily. “Is your jealously so unbearable that you need to lie to me? Tell me how you even know Nick! Tell me!” she shouted, making him glance apprehensively toward the hotel.

  He turned to face his ex-lover. “Your brother and I were working closely with Sal and Joey in New York. They told us Manzione was trying to move in on their business.”

  “You’re a liar!”

  Giorgio remained unfazed by her fury. “Sal told your brother they didn’t want to do business with Nick and that if Nick contacted us, we were to report immediately to Sal.”

  “I don’t believe you. You’re jealous because I’m with Nick!”

  “The Brazilians told us that we were being double-crossed by Tony and his partners. A few days later Tony and his partners were dead.”

  “That has nothing to do with Nick!”

  Giorgio shook his head. “Just before Sal and Joey were killed, I got a call from the Brazilians. They told me your brother had been working with Tony to screw them. I told them they were wrong about Roberto. They refused to listen. They told me if I wanted to live, I was to do exactly as they said. I had no choice, Giovanna.”

  “I don’t understand. What are you telling me, Giorgio?”

  “I tried to stop them. They were going to kill Roberto. I had no idea they would kill your parents. There was nothing I could do! You must believe me! It was Nick who turned the Brazilians against Roberto. Nick wanted to wipe out everyone to take over the business himself. He left me alive just to use me. He needed me to keep running the business in San Remo until he could do it himself.”

  Giovanna stepped back from Giorgio with an expression of horror on her face. “You didn’t warn Roberto?”

  “I couldn’t. They would have killed me, too.”

  “Coward! Traitor!” She screamed, as she pounded his chest with her fists. Her screams were drowned out by the waves crashing against the shore. Giorgio grabbed her wrists. She lashed out at him. “You bargained away the lives of my family to spare your own pathetic life! I hate you!”

  Giorgio grabbed her by the shoulders and shook her. “Look at me, Giovanna! Look at what I’ve become! I can’t live with myself! I betrayed my best friend and it is killing me!”

  Giovanna pushed him away and retreated. “Get away from me! You make me sick.”

  Giorgio moved toward her and grasped her hand. He fell down on his knees and looked up at her, tears streaming down his face. “Forgive me, Giovanna. I beg your forgiveness before I die. I love you, Giovanna, and I will always love you. You must understand. I have nobody. Please don’t abandon me.”

  Her heart was stone cold. “There is nothing I can do for you, Judas. You will answer to God for your murderous acts.”

  “All I ask is your forgiveness,” Giorgio cried. “That will be enough for me.”

  “You are nothing to me. You’re alone, just like me!”

  “No, Gia, you’re not alone. You’re with the animal that murdered your family. He is the devil. The reason he came to Rio was to kill the Brazilians so there would be no witnesses to his treachery.”

  “The Brazilians just killed his friend Jerry!” she screamed. “That’s why he came, you liar! If what you said was true, he would have left for Rio before I met him! He showed me documents that prove you’re a liar!”

  “Nick set up everything including the murder of his own man.”

  “A man who took a bullet meant for him? You’re a pathetic liar!”

  “Don’t be naïve, Gia. One day, when he no longer has any use for you, he’ll kill you, too.”

  “No, you’re wrong,” she said defiantly. “I know what’s in Nick’s heart. I see the good man he is. He is protective, like my father.”

  “He’s nothing like your father!” Giorgio bellowed. “Your father was a saint. Nick is Satan! You must leave him Gia. You must save yourself!”

  Giovanna stared indignantly at the wretched, crumpled mass at her feet. Giorgio held her ankles and tried to kiss her feet. “Should I do as you have done and save myself? Look at you. Have you really been saved?” Giovanna stepped back and looked at the clouds floating over the sea. “Go home, if you have one. I cannot save you and you can no longer save me.” She turned her back on him and ran toward the hotel.

  Giorgio watched her disappear. He knew he would never see her again, but hopefully, he had planted a seed of doubt in her heart about Manzione.

  -------------------

  Giovanna returned to the room and found Nick reading the paper. He glanced up and smiled at her.

  “Where have you been? I’ve been very lonely here without you.”

  Giovanna forced a smile. “I got up early for a swim in the pool.”

  Nick frowned. “Didn’t you go to the beach?”

  Giovanna was taken aback, wondering whether Nick had been spying on her during her meeting with Giorgio. “How did you know I went to the beach?”

  Nick pointed at her legs. “Could it be because you’re covered in sand?” he said sarcastically.

  She smiled, relieved Nick was merely stating the obvious.

  “Did you meet anyone interesting?”

  Again, Giovanna wondered whether Nick was toying with her. “Not really. There weren’t many people around.”

  Giovanna avoided eye contact with Nick. She was still thinking about what Giorgio had said.

  Nick folded the paper and placed it on the table. He stood and stretched his arms behind his back. “How would you like a nice breakfast followed by a little rest and relaxation at the pool?”

  Giovanna looked suspiciously at him. “Nick, you told me that you hate sitting in the sun. You can’t sit still for more than a few minutes.”

  “I know Giovanna, but I also know how much you love the sun, and I want to do what makes you happy.”

  Giovanna’s face lit up. “I’d really like that.”

  “Why don’t you get dressed for breakfast and we’ll go down in fifteen minutes. Sound good?”

  “That’s perfect. I need to take a quick shower. She kissed him gently on the lips and went into the bathroom, closing the door behind her.

  Nick waited until he heard the shower running and walked over to the door connecting Louie and Pete’s suite. Nick knocked and Pete opened the door.

  “How long did she meet with him?”

  “I’m guessing ten minutes.”

  “You didn’t hear any of the conversation?”

  “We were too far away. We were watching through binoculars from a vantage point where they couldn’t see us.”

  “What were they doing?”

  “If I had to guess, I would say he was begging her for something. He was actually down on his knees grabbing her ankles.”

  “Jesus!” Nick snapped, clenching his jaw. “Did you get a better look at her face as she returned to the hotel? Did she look upset?”

  “She was definitely crying but she washed her face down at the pool before coming up. She’s pretty shrewd.”

&n
bsp; Nick pounded the wall. “Shit, now I have to wonder what that little bastard told her. Were the boys able to follow him? Do we know where to find him?”

  “Yeah, I don’t think he knew he was being tailed. He’s living in a dump.”

  “Good. That stupid asshole just couldn’t leave well enough alone. His guilty conscience with Gia will be his death sentence,” Nick mused. He heard Giovanna turn off the shower. “Have Braulio keep an eye on Giorgio and let me know if he goes anywhere.”

  Nick returned to his room and sat on the balcony. He lit a cigarette and wondered what Giorgio had discussed with Giovanna. He had to assume the worst. Giovanna had been crying; that was certainly not a good sign. He was going to have to extract a confession from his San Remo associate sooner than he had anticipated. Now he just had to decide whom to kill first–Giorgio or Renaldo. Either way, the thought made him smile.

  -------------------

  Nick paced back and forth at the pool. He had to wait for Giorgio to finalize the plans and was pissed that he was not in control of that insignificant Dago. He couldn’t kill Giorgio until after the meeting with the Brazilians. Nick was beginning to second-guess the wisdom of coming to Rio. He had foolishly relied upon Giorgio and had not thought out the consequences of a misguided allegiance. Giorgio was his only connection to these people and Nick’s instincts warned him Giorgio was playing both sides. Giorgio had managed to stay out of Nick’s grasp, which was infuriating, but Nick needed Giorgio to continue believing that Nick did not know where to find him. He sat down across the pool from his entourage and dialed Alberto.

  “Nick, how’s Rio?” Alberto said in an unexpectedly boisterous tone.

  “Not so great, Uncle. I’m sitting here with my thumb up my ass waiting for this meeting to be arranged.”

  “It shouldn’t take this long. Something else is going on.”

  Nick nodded as if Alberto was seated next to him. “I know. Something’s wrong.”

  Alberto waited a few seconds to see whether Nick was going to elaborate. He didn’t.

  “Nick, let me be frank. You’ve left me out of this mess and I haven’t asked you a lot of questions. I figured you’re a big boy and know what you’re doing. If I don’t know what’s going on, I can’t give you any meaningful advice.” Alberto sensed Nick’s conflict. “If you need my help, all you have to do is ask me.”

  “Uncle, things have become complicated.”

  “I’m listening.”

  “The only guy who can set up this meeting is some nobody named Giorgio. He was a partner of Giovanna’s brother, Roberto Milani, and he knows these Brazilians.”

  “Go on.”

  “Giorgio can’t stand the Brazilians. He thinks they’re crazy cokeheads and he wants them dead, too.”

  “How much do you know about this Giorgio?” Alberto asked.

  “Not as much as I thought,” Nick admitted. “I thought this would be a slam dunk. Giorgio would arrange a meeting for me and it would be over.”

  Alberto considered this new information. “Giorgio is double-crossing you. He’s cutting a separate deal with them and the meeting is a hit on you. You need to come home immediately.”

  Nick was relieved. “That’s what I was hoping you’d say.”

  Alberto sensed Nick’s dejection. “Don’t beat yourself up, just get back here. You can fill me in with more details when you return and we’ll take care of this together.”

  “All right. I’ll see if we can get out of here tomorrow.”

  “What about tonight?” Alberto asked, urgency in his voice. “Get on a plane as soon as possible!”

  “I don’t think one more day will kill me,” Nick said.

  Alberto didn’t want to get into an argument. “Don’t go to any meetings. Do you hear me? I want you back here as soon as possible, and not in a coffin. Understand?”

  “I understand.”

  Alberto hung up the phone and shook his head. He wasn’t impressed with Nick’s candor. Alberto dialed another number. A male voice answered.

  “Hello?”

  “Don Gregorio, it’s Alberto. I just spoke with Nick. What have you learned?”

  Alberto’s Sicilian counterpart answered without hesitation. “This guy Giorgio was Roberto Milani’s business partner.”

  “I know that.”

  “Did you also know that Giorgio was Roberto’s cousin? Which makes him Giovanna’s cousin, too?”

  There was silence. “I didn’t have that information,” Alberto admitted. “What else?”

  “Giorgio and Giovanna were lovers.”

  “What the hell! You just said they were cousins!”

  “The morality of today’s youth does not abide the past,” the Don replied.

  “Does Nick know?”

  “Unless she’s confessed to him, I highly doubt it.”

  “And Giorgio is the same guy who is setting up this meeting for Nick?”

  “Correct. So we know where that will lead. A jealous man will set the whole house on fire. Giorgio was no innocent bystander in the deal with Roberto Milani. Giorgio was being paid by the Brazilians to keep an eye on Milani and report back to them, based on losses that I am trying to determine.”

  “The Brazilians were paying Giorgio?”

  “That’s what I’ve been informed through interrogating the collateral players here.”

  “What a scumbag!” Alberto mumbled. “But this is interesting. What else?”

  “The Brazilians were just fronting for the Columbians, who paid for the hits in New York and on the Milani family.”

  “How certain are you?” Alberto asked.

  “Very certain. I just don’t know what the deal was. Unlike you, I was not a victim of treachery when it came to my tribute. If the Columbians paid for the hits, you understand what that means?”

  “Yes, something rather disturbing,” Alberto admitted. “The Columbians never had any connections with the Scorpion. They always use their own assassins. They set up the hits only with the help of someone in New York who was maneuvering behind the scenes.” Alberto hesitated. “Do you think it was Nick?” he asked, tentatively.

  “I’m not certain, but it’s logical. Nick was in charge of collecting for you, while my captain was in charge of collecting my ten percent. Yet, I was getting close to a million a month from the Italian operation while you were only getting a small pittance. Tony would not screw you and pay me, knowing eventually we would compare notes. The money leak had to be from Nick on your end.”

  “Find out exactly what the deal was with the Columbians. Before I act, I have to know if the Italian side was more lucrative than my side. I want to know what Nick’s relationship was with these people. So far nothing makes sense.”

  “One last bit of information that I have been unable to verify, but I should have confirmation in the next few hours,” said the elder statesmen.

  “What?” Alberto asked.

  “A contract has been put out on Nick, and I think the Scorpion has been hired to do the job. I’ve been advised he’s on his way to Rio.”

  “Who the hell would put out such a contract?” Alberto demanded.

  “I don’t know.”

  “Please, Don Gregorio, find out for sure and let me know as soon as possible.”

  “Are you going to warn Nick?” the Don asked.

  “Not yet. Please verify and call me immediately.”

  “You’ll hear from me soon.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

  Steven reached the Roatan airport overwhelmed by an utter sense of dread. Alone and beyond the safety of Pablo’s compound he was paranoid, feeling his every move was being watched. He looked at people in detail, focusing on how they spoke, trying to detect a unique phrase here or there. He was looking for unusual tan lines and made mental notes of anyone fitting the Scorpion’s physical description. Steven knew he would have to rely on all his senses if he was going to succeed in killing the Scorpion.

  A blond-haired American man walked by and casual
ly glanced at Steven. Steven’s pulse quickened and he briefly shadowed him, but the American never gave him a second look. Was this the way his life was going to be? Steven decided that the best way to deal with his paranoia was to embrace it.

  Pablo had thrown Steven a curve ball with his revelations about Nick. Steven was certain of one thing: the past was connecting with the present. Steven found a secluded spot and called Nick.

  “Nick, it’s Steven.”

  “Well, well. Look who’s calling, the mystery man extraordinaire. Where are you?”

  Steven hesitated. He had spent the last few hours considering how much information he would divulge to Nick. He was reluctant to lie, only because Nick had a sixth sense for bullshit.

  “I’m vacationing in Honduras. How about you?”

  “I’m in New York.”

  Steven tensed. Strike One, he thought. “How’s the Big Apple?”

  “Nothing exciting–same old crap. But I want to hear all about Honduras. What the hell are you doing there?”

  “I’ve been spending a few days with an interesting character named Pablo Munoz. Do you know him?” Steven listened intently for a reaction.

  “Pablo Munoz?” Nick repeated, trying to buy a few seconds to overcome the shock of hearing that name after so many years. “Yeah, I know him. He’s a pathological liar. I wouldn’t believe anything he tells you.”

  “Yeah, I think you’re right about him. He’s got some wild stories. He said he knew your father, but not you.”

  Nick seemed relieved. “Yeah, that’s right. He knew my dad and Alberto.”

  “He said something about having a price on his head, but he didn’t really get into it.”

  “I didn’t know that. If there was a contract on Pablo, I‘d know about it. As I said, Steven, the guy’s a lunatic. He was a big shot in the old days, but now he’s a has-been. Are you getting any closer to finding your man?” Nick asked, blatantly changing the subject.

  “My leads are exhausted and the trail is cold. I expect to be back in New York tomorrow. Can we meet tomorrow or the next day?” Steven asked, waiting to hear the excuse Nick would invent.