Mancuso seemed to sense my confusion and read my mind, “Ah, I’ve spoken out of turn. Don’t worry, I’ll let you and Elena define your relationship. I’m just so excited to hear her speak positively about a man. Any man. She has been so negative about men since her divorce. It’s just good for her to be upbeat about someone.”
I blurted, “Even a guy who gets her abducted?”
Mancuso looked down at the table, “Well, there is that.”
I swallowed hard. Here it comes. The guy I saw confronting Bracchi is going to reappear. I said, “I’m really sorry about that. I had no idea when I agreed for Elena to come here that anything even remotely like that would happen.” I tried to hold my voice steady, but could hear it rise several octaves.
Mancuso furrowed his brow and looked directly at me, “Of course you didn’t. How can anyone know what a psycho like Bracchi’s going to do?” He paused, his voice softened as he continued, “I really believe you did everything you could to protect Elena. And frankly, I don’t know what we’d have done without Justin. Interesting friend you have. Certainly the right person at the right time.”
I thought about Justin. Interesting doesn’t come close to describing him. I wanted to say something additional about Justin, but didn’t know what to say without getting into topics I would just as soon avoid. I settled for, “Yes, he is a very unique individual.”
Mancuso took the first drink of his Coke and then said, “There is something else I came in to talk to you about Jack. Something I want you to understand.”
Here it comes!
Mancuso was looking intently at me while slowly running his finger around the wet rim of his glass. Finally he spoke, “There are many people, the authorities included, who think I am involved in organized crime. I want you to know that is not true.” He paused and I remained silent. His statement was nothing extraordinary. Most of the mobsters convicted denied their involvement in organized crime until their dying days.
He continued, “My father was a Mafia boss in New York. He worked his way from soldier to capo to boss. In my youth, I was surrounded by that world, but my dad didn’t allow me to get involved. He said it was a one-way street to prison or a grave. For him, it was an early grave. A couple of years prior to his death he sent me to Miami to get me away from New York. He told everyone that I was here laying groundwork for him to stake out some turf down here. The truth was, that he had given me a sizable stake to get started in real estate investment with the clear direction that I was to forever stay out of the family business. My grandfather had been, and both of my uncles were, a part of the business.”
Mancuso paused as if lost in memories. I remained silent. He took another sip of his Coke and continued, “I did as my dad had commanded and started investing in real estate. I never utilized any illegal tactics. After my dad was killed, my uncles just presumed that I was a Florida branch of the family business. They sent money down for me to invest and I returned profits. They presumed I was utilizing the same tactics they utilized in their businesses up north.” His eyes locked mine, “But, I assure you I never have done anything illegal. At least not intentionally. I employee a whole fleet of lawyers to keep me on the right side of the IRS and a host of other regulators.”
I couldn’t help but think how he was conveniently omitting the fact that his entire business empire was built on a foundation of mob money.
He smiled and his lively gray eyes got that mischievous glint I’d seen in Elena’s, “Now I can’t say that the perception that I’m connected doesn’t, on occasion, give me an advantage. And I won’t deny making no effort to dissuade that notion. Like I said, most of the law enforcement organizations will swear that I’m a mobster, but I’ve never so much as had a parking ticket.
“Oh, I have influence in government around here, but I bought it with campaign contributions just like every other businessman.” I laughed and Mancuso went on, “Nothing under the table. No extortion. Nothing like that. I do buy politicians when I can, I just do it above the table.”
I was intrigued by his story. I didn’t think I believed it, but I was intrigued. I probed, “What about your uncles? They didn’t ever push to expand business out of real estate?”
Mancuso shook his head, “They certainly did. They were the ones who got me involved in the businesses at the port and airports. Those types of businesses had been very lucrative for them up north. I told them I would give their ideas a try, but that I didn’t want them looking over my shoulder. I’d started to make inquiries about legitimate opportunities when one of my uncles had a heart attack and died. The second was indicted shortly thereafter and a year later began serving life in prison. I was able to tell their successors that we needed to sever ties because the feds were all over me. On the heels of my uncle’s conviction, no one up there wanted to get near me if I was attracting federal heat.”
I stated, “But you did get involved at the port and airports.”
Mancuso smiled, “Turns out that even without resorting to extortion and theft you can make very good money in some of those businesses. I just began buying small, hiring good management, and growing the businesses legitimately.”
I pushed harder, “Bracchi certainly thinks you’re the real deal.”
“Of course he does. It would be impossible for a guy like him to think that someone with my family history was anything else.”
On the surface everything he said made sense, and it didn’t really contradict anything I’d found in my limited research. Still, how could there be so much law enforcement focus on a guy who was doing nothing illegal. The old adage, where there’s smoke there’s fire, came to mind. I tried a different approach, “Eddie and your other two guys seemed comfortable around weapons last night.”
Mancuso looked quizzically at me and asked, “And if they hadn’t been, where would you be tonight?” Before I could reply he said, “Eddie and all of the people in my executive security service are ex-military. Turns out Eddie and Justin served together somewhere they won’t either one talk about.”
He took another drink of his Coke and sighed, “It’s too bad, but a guy like me attracts his share of kooks. Most are harmless, but not all. In fact, some of my business ventures require that I have adequate security as part of my key man insurance protection. It’s the world we live in today, Jack.”
I couldn’t argue with that, actually I found I couldn’t argue with anything he was telling me. I needed to caution myself to not cloud my assessment of the Lorenzo Mancuso sitting before me today with the preconceived notion of him I had going into our first meeting at his office.
I decided I needed time to process everything Mancuso had said so I asked, “You hungry? I could really stand to eat something.” I wasn’t really that hungry, but I needed a break to figure out how I was going to treat Mancuso’s revelations.
He picked up the menu, then laid it aside, “I sure am hungry, but there is one more thing I need to say before we order something.” The gray eyes locked onto mine, “I want to apologize for not trying to help you when you came to my office. I lied when I denied knowing who Bracchi was. Of course I knew who he was. I had even met him once when we were both young and he was making his bones. He had to meet with my father about something and they met in a bakery in our neighborhood. I was there with my father, but he made me go out and wait in the car while they talked. No Jack, the reason I told you I couldn’t help you was that I didn’t want to get involved. I’ve spent my life trying to stay away from guys like Bracchi and I just didn’t want to get involved. I was wrong. I should have tried to help you.”
I held his gaze, “You did get involved when it counted, that’s the important thing.”
He stuck out his hand and we shook. He said, “Thank you, Jack.”
I replied, “No, thank you Enzo.”
Enzo chided me about the lack of Italian dishes on the menu and I reminded him it was bar food. He laughed and said he’d settle for the meatball sandwich.
CH
APTER FORTY-FOUR
After Mancuso left Thursday night I spent some time talking to a couple of guys who had a boat at the marina. They kept telling me how much they liked Cap’s Place because it was such a friendly, quiet, place. I chuckled inside. If only they knew.
I wandered upstairs and called Elena. I kept thinking about what Mancuso said about her dealing with our abduction emotionally. If that was true, and she was having an emotional reaction, it seemed like she would need someone to comfort her.
Elena sounded very tired when she answered the phone. She told me she had been experiencing a roller coaster of emotions all day long. One minute she was mad as hell and the next she could hardly hold the tears back. It sounded like Mancuso knew his daughter well.
After Elena had vented for a while, I mentioned that her dad had stopped into Cap’s. She told me that she knew he’d stopped in, he told her so when he called to check on her on his way home. I realized that I didn’t have a very good handle on who these two people were just yet. If he is an organized crime boss he sure shows a lot of compassion, at least toward his daughter, and if she’s a man hater I must be her exception.
It crossed my mind that maybe this entire situation was too complex for me to get involved in any deeper. Sure Elena’s a great woman, and her father may not be a gangster after all, but it all seemed just too complicated. Too much potential for me to mess up and get myself in trouble. I immediately followed my analysis up by asking Elena if she would like to meet for lunch on Friday. She agreed without hesitation and we picked a spot in Sunny Isles.
When I got up Friday morning, I found myself really looking forward to seeing Elena. It was as if I was trying to reestablish the feelings we had when we were strolling Hollywood Boulevard, in an effort to erase the whole ugly abduction episode. Now who’s making the situation complicated Jack?
When I got downstairs, Sissy was tending bar. She told me she didn’t have any classes that day so she was working. Then an uncharacteristically serious look settled over her and she said, “It looks like there is a good chance I will get one of the internships in Atlanta, Jack.”
“Really? Well, that’s great. Isn’t it?”
“Well yeah, but it means I’ll be gone for awhile.”
I said, “Right. How long?”
“Ah, three months. Six, if I like the position and want to stay. Well, if they want me to stay.”
I smiled, “Of course they’ll want you to stay. You’ll knock ‘em dead, I’m sure.”
Her serious face grew even darker, “There’s more.”
“Well, let’s hear it.”
“Last year a student from here went up there and they liked her so much they not only extended her internship, but they offered to pay for the rest of her college if she transferred to a college in the Atlanta area and continued to work for them.”
I explained, “Wow, that is something. That would be a really great opportunity, Sissy.”
“It would, but of course there is no guarantee anything like that will happen for me. I just wanted to tell you.”
I reached across the bar and took her hand in mine, “I appreciate you telling me Sissy, but you need to know I’m supportive of anything that helps you pursue your dreams.”
Her face was as sad as I’d ever seen it, “But Jack, it’d mean I’d be leaving here. Maybe forever.”
I squeezed her hand and nodded, “That’s the thing about living life Sissy, just when you think you can see the plan, it takes an unexpected turn on you. Because the turn’s unexpected doesn’t mean it’s bad.”
A tear slowly rolled down her cheek, “But it would mean I’d be leaving Cap’s Place, everyone . . . you.”
“Going forward always means leaving something behind. The thing about Cap’s Place, everyone, especially me, we’ll always be here for you to come back to.”
She smiled softly and said, “Sometimes I just love you Jackson Nolan.”
I quipped, “That’s more than I can say about my other ex-wife.”
“That’s probably because we weren’t married that long. If we’d been married longer, I probably wouldn’t love you either.” As soon as she said it she clasped her hand over her mouth, then continued, “Oh Jack, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that. Your ex probably does still love you.”
I responded, “No, she doesn’t. That I can guarantee.”
Sissy smiled again, “Well, this ex does.”
I laughed and asked, “When would this Atlanta thing happen anyway?”
“In a couple of months, if it happens at all.”
“Oh good, plenty of time to cash in my rainchecks.” With that, I wandered toward the office to tell Marge I was going to Sunny Isle and ask if there was anything she needed while I was out.
Elena and I had a nice lunch but it was impossible to just pick up where we were before the abduction. Even though it wasn’t my fault, I guessed that Elena linked the terror of her abduction to me, and it had a somewhat chilling effect on how she felt about me. In all honesty, learning that she was Mancuso’s daughter had given me pause to think. Especially since I wasn’t sure if I believed his whole story about not being connected to organized crime. We both said we enjoyed lunch and promised to get together again soon, but I wasn’t certain how sincere either of us was, nor did I think either of us honestly knew the answer to that question. I guess time will tell.
By the time I got back to Cap’s, I was in a real funk. A short forty-eight hours ago I was having a great time with a great woman and was on the verge of fantasizing about a potential relationship with her. Now, there was a real potential it was over. That’s to say nothing about being abducted and nearly killed.
I carried the box of office supplies I had picked up for Marge back to the office and slumped down on the couch. Marge turned from the computer and asked, “Why the long face?”
“Ah, nothing. Just tired I guess.”
“Your lunch date not go well?”
I lied, “No, not that at all. It was great. Just tired.”
Marge leaned back in her chair and said, “Well, I got some bad news today. Liz came in and quit. She’s moving on. She thinks her husband is getting close to finding her and she’s scared to death, so she’s moving again.”
“Wow. That is bad news. She seemed very reliable and good with the customers. Sorry to see her go. Sorry to see her running constantly too.”
“Yeah, I tried to talk to her about options to fight him. You know agencies where she could get help. But she’s just too frightened to stay and fight.”
I asked, “When is she leaving?”
Marge shook her head, “She’s gone. Left while you were out. I paid her everything she was owed and she left.”
I nodded, “Too bad. I didn’t even get a chance to say goodbye to her.”
Marge muttered, “Yeah, I know. She was so scared. She just wanted to get out of town.”
Marge leaned forward on the desk, “Hey, I haven’t seen any of the guys Justin was going to have around here for the weekend. Justin came in for a few minutes while I was walking out with Liz, and after she left he started asking me a bunch of questions about her. What is it with you two, trying to hit on every new woman that crosses our threshold? I told him he was too late, that she was leaving town. He left in a hurry and didn’t mention anything about his guys being around this weekend. Do you think you should call him?”
Keep your stories straight Jack. “No, I don’t think it’s necessary. I think Bracchi went back up north. Probably feeling the heat from the investigation into my car bombing.”
“Yeah, you said the cops said his alibi was that he was up north when your car was bombed, but what makes you think he’ll stay up there?”
I scratched my head and stalled, “Must have been something PJ said. For some reason I think the cops believe he’s going to leave us alone. At least in the immediate future.”
Marge exhaled while thinking, “Okay, if you think everything is all right I’ll go with that,
but don’t hold back from me Jack. I deserve to know what’s going on.”
“Of course you do Marge. I’ll tell you whatever I know.” I hated myself for lying to her, but I didn’t have any choice. I need Justin on my side and he’s been pretty emphatic about keeping things quiet.
CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE
It was nearly 2:00 a.m. as Liz stood across the street from Cap’s Place. She’d been standing there for ten minutes, just watching. The lights were out in the bar, but she could see a light on in Jack’s apartment upstairs. It didn’t appear anyone else was still around.
Liz stood in the dark staring across the street. She knew she had stayed in Hollywood too long. She should never have taken the job at Cap’s Place. She should have just kept moving. When you stop, you get attached to people and it just makes moving on all the more difficult. The people here had been so nice to her. There really are good people in the world, her life just hadn’t afforded her the opportunity to meet enough of them.
Marge had been like a mother to her. Like the mother she never had. Dana had bent over backwards to teach her the operation at Cap’s. Really, everyone had tried to make her feel welcome. Renee was always willing to share insight about the regulars, who drank what and similar tips. Sissy, Moe, Juan, they were all like a big extended family always willing to embrace one more. Even Sid the dishwasher was friendly enough, he was just so shy around women that it was difficult to have much of a conversation with him.
Of course the reason she was still here was Jack. She would have been gone long ago if she hadn’t found him so intriguing. The water ran so much deeper than Jack allowed most people to see. She wished she could take longer to really get to know him, but she knew she had to be moving along. This last visit will be such sweet sorrow.
Sighing, Liz slung her ever present backpack over her shoulder and walked across the street and down the side of the building to the outside stairs leading to Jack’s apartment. When she reached the top of the stairs she rapped on the door.
Nimble Be Jack: A Jack Nolan Novel (The Cap's Place Series Book 2) Page 23
