“Mom, wanna go see some dead people?” Gerry called out as he walked off.
“Bro, if you saw any dead people, you’d die of fright,” Harley said.
I loved to hear them use the word ‘bro’. They sounded like their fathers. I watched them shoulder bump, laugh, and try to trip each other up. I was pleased the previous evening hadn’t had too much of an effect on them.
After ten or so minutes, we found ourselves at the chapel. I often visited the chapel; it was a place of comfort for me. I wasn’t religious as such, I just found solace in it’s cool interior. I found joy looking at the stained glass window of the angel, the same angel Robert had tattooed on his back.
As we opened the doors, however, I heard a sob. Franco was sat in the front pew, Evelyn by his side. She turned to look. I stopped the boys from entering and gave Evelyn a small smile. I raised my palm and shook my head, letting her know I wouldn’t interrupt them. Backing out, I closed the doors behind me.
“Is Franco okay?” Gerry asked.
Harley looked at me; he knew.
“He’s sad, darling. Why don’t we take a seat over there.”
A bench had been placed near the chapel, although nothing was ever said, it was there for Evelyn. Her brother was buried behind the chapel. While he would never be mourned, no one grieved for him. Occasionally, as she got older, she liked to sit and remember the good times with Joey, the times when he was young.
“You know the explosion? Well, it made a door fall off. That door hit Sofia and…”
I had to be careful what I said. Gerry had experienced a lot of loss in his life such as his own mother, Kerry, and he didn’t handle it well.
“Bro, the door hit Sofia on the head. You know, when you’re real old like that, getting hit on the head isn’t good. She died last night. That’s why Franco is sad.”
Somehow the news seemed easier for Gerry to take when Harley told him. He nodded a couple of times before looking at me. Although his eyes brimmed with tears, he fought them back. I didn’t want a brave boy; I wanted a boy that would feel free to cry. But he wouldn’t in front of Harley.
“Can we go see Franco? Just for a minute,” he asked.
“I’m not sure. He might just want some peace for the moment,” I replied.
“I think he would love a hug from you,” I heard a man say.
Looking over my shoulder, I saw Evelyn, her arm linked with Franco’s. He had a smile, a false one, as he opened his arms to the boys. They hugged him tight. Nothing was said. I don’t suppose two boys of their age would know what to say, but nothing was needed.
“Let’s get back to the house, shall we?” Evelyn said. “Franco wants to join Robert.”
I nodded and followed behind as the path was not wide enough to allow us to walk side by side.
During the walk back, I sent a text to Gary knowing he would be in the pool house or at the gate since he was in charge of security at the house. He could drive Franco to the office. Gary said he’d meet us at the house.
“Heard from Sam?” he asked as I joined him.
“No. I tried calling this morning, it went to voicemail and the second time he cut me off, I think.”
“Give him some time. I’ll take Franco to the office then maybe I’ll give Scott a call myself. Tell him you’re worried.”
“I didn’t want to call Scott. I wasn’t sure what reception I was going to get.”
“By all accounts, he spent most of last night helping others. He’s not dumb. He knows more than Sam.”
I sighed. If Sam thought Scott knew the kind of family I’d married into and not told him, he’d be really pissed off. He hated being kept in the dark.
In front of the house was a lawn with a few large oak trees. From those trees, rope had been hung, knotted at the end to make swings. The boys ran for them, leaping and swinging through the air. I left them to it as Evelyn, Franco and I waited for Gary to bring the car round.
“Is there anything you need us to do today?” I asked Franco.
“Evelyn has a list, Brooke, thank you. I need to see her, hold her one last time, and then I need to get her home.”
By home, he meant Italy. Sofia would be taken home and laid to rest in her village with what family she had left mourning her. It was those words, ‘take her home’, that sent a small shiver through me. Lucia and her family might be there, and I didn’t know if I could face her.
Evelyn and I watched as Gary drove down the drive with Franco. The gate opened for them and I was dismayed to see two men, armed, stand to the side and wait for the gates to close before moving into a small hut.
Evelyn and I left the boys to play and headed indoors.
“What’s the plan then?” I asked.
“I don’t think Franco will be able to take Sofia home just yet, but he wants to return to New York tomorrow. He made a few calls last night, to friends. He’s an old man, Brooke. He’s been out of this life for a long time but still very highly regarded.”
“Will he be able to see her today?”
“I imagine so. I’ll call the coroner’s office and find out.”
I made two cups of tea as Evelyn took her phone from her pocket. She called the undertaker we had used for Kerry to get advice. I listened as she spoke, asking what the procedure would be, how to arrange transportation to New York and ultimately Italy. She made notes on a pad I had pushed towards her. When she finished her call, she wiped her eyes with the tissue she always kept tucked in the cuff of her shirt.
I startled when my phone rang. As I reached for it, I hoped it would be Sam returning my call. However, the caller display told me it wasn’t.
“Hi, Taylor, how are you?” I said once I’d answered.
“Hey, sweetie. I’m okay, sort of. How are you? Mack told me what happened, how you got out. Are the boys okay?” she fired questions at me.
We chatted back and forth. I told her about the man in the alley and getting to Ted, and I told her about Sam. I heard her sigh.
“It was bound to happen. He had to know at some point. You’ve been friends long enough, Brooke. He’ll come round, you wait and see.”
I wasn’t as confident as Taylor. Sam had the knack of being able to hold a grudge for a long time.
She offered to call him on my behalf, but I declined. I didn't want him bombarded with calls. I’d give him until that evening. If he still refused to take my call, I would make the journey to visit. I finished my call and sat next to Evelyn.
“Will you go?” she quietly asked.
“I don’t know. I don’t know if I can face Lucia.”
Lucia had been instrumental in the death of Kerry. She had delayed telling Robert I was at the warehouse that summer in New York. She had plenty of time to alert him to the fact I hadn’t arrived to our lunch date, but she didn’t make the call. I blamed her then and I still blamed her now. She lost her husband that day. On my orders, Mack had shot him through the back of his head, and I felt no remorse at all. I shuddered at the memory.
I wandered over to the window and looked out. The boys were still swinging from their ropes and laughing. I thanked God they hadn’t, so far, been traumatised. Gerry seemed to accept the explosion was something to do with the kitchen. Harley I wasn’t so sure about. I would talk to Travis about it later.
I set about making some lunch while Evelyn was on yet another call. I plated some ham sandwiches, crisps and poured some juice before calling for the boys. After washing their hands, they sat to eat.
“Are we going back to school tomorrow?” Harley asked. He loved his school.
I saw Gerry kick him under the stool. Gerry didn’t share the same enthusiasm.
“I’m not sure yet. I think there might be another training day or something,” I lied.
Gerry physically pumped his fist in the air that time while Harley just stared at me.
When lunch was finished, the boys took themselves back outside on strict instructions not to leave the front lawn. I could see them, the secur
ity could see them, and I was confident they were safe.
“I think I have some things sorted,” Evelyn said as she returned to the breakfast bar. “Franco can see Sofia this evening. He can discuss with them when she can be released.”
Released. It sounded as if she was being held against her will. I sat for a moment and thought of the times I had spent with her. Although we’d only been in each other’s company a few days, maybe a week or so in total, we wrote regularly. I practiced my Italian and she practiced her English. I would miss those letters.
Chapter Four
Both Gerry and Harley were showered and settled in the TV room watching a movie when I saw headlights snake up the drive. The Range Rover pulled to a stop in front of the house. I watched through the glass wall as Robert and Franco exited from the rear and Travis from the drivers seat. They stood for a moment talking. Robert, not being the most affectionate towards other men, surprised me by pulling Franco into a hug. He kissed both his cheeks, a sign of respect, before they headed for the house.
Evelyn had been busy that afternoon preparing an evening meal. I set the dining room table but wondered whether Franco would want a family meal. Perhaps I would eat with the kids in the kitchen and leave them to talk. There would be no business talk at dinner—that would have happened during the day. Since Gerry had come into our lives, Robert made a conscious effort to keep business away from home.
“Hey, baby,” Robert said as he strode towards me.
He cupped my cheek with one hand and leaned down for a brief kiss. Franco sat at the breakfast bar while Evelyn filled him in on her conversations, and Travis headed to the TV lounge to check on the boys.
“You look tired,” I said to Robert.
“I’m okay. How was Gerry today?”
“Glad to be off school. Any news?”
“Later, okay? I need a shower.”
I nodded and joined Evelyn in the kitchen. As I passed him, I placed my hand on Franco’s shoulder, he covered it with his own.
“Thank you, Brooke, for all you’ve done,” he said.
“Ev made the calls,” I replied.
“That’s not what I mean. Sofia looked forward to your letters. She would spend days reading them and smiling. The fact you took the time to write in Italian pleased her. After Lucia… Well, you know. She was lonely and your letters cheered her up.”
“I’ll miss her,” I said. My voice broke and tears formed in my eyes.
“No tears, not yet. We find out who did this, then we grieve.”
****
The kids were respectful during dinner. They chatted and we kept the conversation fairly light. Gerry seemed oblivious. Harley understood only too well that the happy faces were forced. I watched as Travis gave him a sly wink.
Travis was a changed man. He was no longer out night after night with a different woman. In fact, he hadn’t dated seriously since he had taken guardianship of Harley. He had the occasional woman, I was informed, not that I wanted to know the details. Once a week, he took Harley to visit his paternal grandmother and once a month to his mother’s grave. He had told Harley the truth, how he had argued with his mother, how she had run from him because she was scared and how he had held her after being hit by the truck. Harley had withdrawn for a little while but he loved Travis like a father.
The boys finished their meal and were sent to watch the rest of their movie. It gave us time to talk.
“What happened today?” I asked.
“The police are still investigating. We know it was a bomb though. We managed to get some footage from the CCTV. It looks like the guy you saw in the alley was the one to bring it in. He walked in, placed a small box on the floor, pretended to look at a clipboard and then turned and ran. Steve, the security guy? He picked it up and then all we can see is him fall to the floor just before it exploded.”
“Did he…did he have family?” I struggled to ask the question.
“No, not immediate family. He has a mother somewhere. Mack is going through the records. From what I remember, she’s in a home. Not that that makes it any better, of course.”
Franco spoke to Robert in Italian. Evelyn would understand but Travis and I looked on, hoping for a translation. I watched as Robert placed his hand on Franco’s arm and nod.
“Ella sa,” Robert said.
‘She knows’. What do I know? I thought.
Franco smiled over to me. “You are a brave woman, Brooke, to be involved with this life. I can see that you love Roberto deeply. Never, no matter what comes, forget that love.”
Franco stood to leave. As he did, he wobbled a little. Evelyn took his arm and guided him from the room. He had aged dramatically overnight. Travis accompanied them to the front door.
“What did he mean by that?” I asked. There was a shift in the atmosphere; an ominous cloud seemed to have descended on the room.
“I don’t know, but I do know things may get ugly. We can’t see the face of the guy who brought in the bomb, but he’s young, late teens maybe. I think I’d rather you were away from here, but I don’t want to let you out of my sight either.”
Robert’s shoulders sagged a little. He swirled a glass of red wine in his hand. In the years we had been together, through the troubles we had already faced, I’d never seen him that worried.
“No way. I’m not going anywhere. I’ll stay in the house or be surrounded by security if you want, but I’m not leaving.”
He sighed and took my hand in his. He brought it to his lips and kissed my wrist.
“Whoever did this, it isn’t another family we know. Franco spoke to some old friends. There’s a group, the Commission, they’re heads of families. They still meet monthly but they don’t have the control they once had. No one knows anything or isn’t talking. That’s what makes this situation dangerous. I don’t know who my enemy is.”
“But you will though, won’t you?”
“I hope so. I just need to know who I’m dealing with before they make their next move.”
Travis walked back into the dining room, his mobile phone raised to his ear.
“You’re fucking kidding me,” he said. Robert and I looked at him. “And you didn’t think to tell me this before?” he added.
We waited until he had slammed his phone down on the table in frustration. I winced as I heard the face crack. He looked up.
“Well?” Robert said.
“Why did Paul fly to Rome?” Travis asked.
“He didn’t. He flew to New York to check on a development. Gina organised his flight.”
“According to an email, he booked to go to Rome and return three days later. The dumb fuck didn’t even think to take the flight to New York and transfer from there.”
“What?” Robert replied.
“He booked a flight to Rome and paid for it himself. Who does he know in Rome?”
“How do you know this?” I asked.
“There was a message at the office from the airline about a change to the flight itinerary. Surely he would know we’d find out if he didn’t take the flight.”
“How do you know he went to Rome?” I asked.
“Because he booked it online. I had Dan go through his emails. He had deleted them from his laptop but they still sit on the main server. Dan found out earlier but fucking sat on the information until just now.”
“That doesn’t confirm he went, just that he booked. And he couldn’t have flown to New York and Rome. Get hold of someone in Immigration, see if his passport was scanned at the airport,” Robert said.
“Wouldn’t he have come and talked to you about his trip though?” I asked.
“He got back the day of the party. We haven’t had time.”
“Do you think it’s connected?” I asked.
“Possibly. I need to talk to Franco,” Robert said.
Both stood and Travis picked up his phone, sighing as he saw the broken screen. As they left, I cleared the table. Thoughts ran wild in my mind. I knew Robert didn’t trust Paul fu
lly, but would he betray his family? No matter what the reason was for the mistrust, Paul was still around, he was still part of the business, his children worked in the construction division.
Of all the guys on the board of Vassago, Paul and his wife Rosa were the most distant. Although they always attended a function, they kept to themselves most of the time, and as much as it pained me, their two boys, Paulo and Franco, made me feel uncomfortable. Both had a leer and sneering faces whenever I saw them. Something about the twins disturbed me and listening to my instincts was something I had learned to do well.
The movie finished and as I was stacking the dishwasher, Gerry and Harley sat at the breakfast bar. Both wanted ice cream. It was a little late but knowing they wouldn’t be up early for school the following day, I relented.
“Where’s dad?” Gerry asked.
I loved to hear him refer to Robert as his father. “He’s with Franco. I think they have things to talk about. Eat your ice cream before it melts.”
The boys chatted about the movie—some shoot ‘em up film—and re-enacted scenes as I washed glasses. While I dried the glasses, I thought on what we had learned.
I stilled.
“Shit,” I said.
“Mom! You swore,” I heard.
“Yes, sorry. Stay here, I need to speak to your dad.”
I rushed from the room. Travis has said Paul had travelled to Rome, but what if it wasn’t? What if it was his son? The son with the same name.
Chapter Five
I pushed open the door to the apartment and made my way to the living room. Robert, Travis and Franco were sitting on the sofa.
“Sorry, but I just had a thought. Where was Paulo the past couple of days?”
“He went with Paul. Fuck…” Robert reached for his phone, connecting the same dots I had. “Gina, I know it’s late, but I need to know what the alternations to the flight to New York were and I need to know soon as possible.”
Fallen Angel, Part 4 - A Mafia Romance: Fallen Angel Series Page 4
