Vendetta

by Jennifer Moulton

  “Alice,” I mouthed the word. My body felt like a cement blanket had been laid over me. I felt myself drifting off to sleep. I was too weak to move anymore. I just needed to hang in there. I just thought of Lily, my daughter. Alice would make it! We all would. We were fighters… we were Lentini’s. They had to have gotten away.They had to make it. That’s all that mattered right now.

  The last thing I remember is the sirens… the echo’s in the alley… and then it faded… as quickly as it came.

  The next thing I remember hearing was a strange beeping sound. It was extremely annoying. Why can’t I ever get any damn sleep? My body was stiff and my back ached like I hadn’t moved in a week. I suddenly realized that I wasn’t familiar with my surroundings. I panicked, but I couldn’t see very well. Everything was so blurry. I sensed someone was there, beside me.

  I tried to speak. “Who’s there? Where am I?”

  My lips were cracked. They split even more as I struggled to speak. My throat was so dry. I swallowed hard.

  “Hey, soldier. It’s me, Sarge. You’re in the hospital, Vin. You’re going to be alright,” he reassured me, “Here… have some water,” he helped guide my hand to the styrofoam cup he offered. It was full of ice water. I took a small sip. It tasted like rust. I cleared my throat, so I could try to speak again.

  “How are you feeling? Do you need the nurse?” I felt him sit down next to me on the bed. He helped me as I struggled to sit up. “Sorry about all the questions,” he chuckled, nervously. “I’m just glad you’re awake now.”

  My good eye focused a bit as I rubbed out the crusty bits of blood and mucus. My head ached and my equilibrium was spinning out of control.

  “No, it’s okay. I just need to find my sea legs,” I said dryly.

  “Do you remember why you’re here?” Sarge asked hesitantly.

  “Kind of. There was an argument between Alice, Joey and Leo,” I strained to look around the room as I remembered.

  “He pulled a gun and I eventually jumped on him. I tried to take it away…but…” I lost my train of thought. I lightly touched the bandages on my head.

  I tried to remember more…but couldn’t.

  “I’m sorry, man. I’m feeling pretty doped up. Maybe the questioning could wait a few.”

  “Well, shit. That’s more than I expected you to remember. I’m glad your brain still works,” he said jokingly.

  “I know that you were stabbed multiple times all over your body. They had to do some surgeries on your eye to repair the damage and they had to fix your lung, it had been punctured. You also had a brain hemorrhage and they needed to drill a hole in your head to release pressure and let it drain out properly. You have a couple of broken ribs, but other than that you’re all sewn up now and you should be healing up soon. The Doc will tell you more when he gets in here, that should be any second now,” Sarge said.

  “Here he comes now, Sir,” said an unfamiliar voice coming from the corner of the room.

  “Who’s that? Is someone else in here?” I asked startled. I couldn’t see him.

  “Yeah, he’s just a rookie I got training with me today. He tagged along with me this morning,” Sarge said quickly.

  “He sounds familiar,” I said.

  “We’ll give you some privacy now, okay? It’s good to see you awake, buddy.” Sarge stepped out of the room, but he was holding something back. I recognized the indifference in his voice… even If I did have gauze on one of my eyes, I could see through that.

  ~

  I was sitting up drinking some more ice water when Sarge came back in about an hour later. “Hey, Vin, are you feeling better?”

  “Yeah, I’m waiting out this morphine man… I’m a little drowsy, but much more alert than when you left me last.” I smiled a half grin, and tried to make out his shadow. I reached over and adjusted the blinds to let in some light. That was better. I could at least see the transition from light to dark.

  “Where’s Lily? I need to make sure that Alice remembered to pick her up from her play date. Have they been in here to visit at all?” I asked curiously.

  “Lily‘s fine! She’s with Trish at our house. She’s been staying with us and having a blast with the kids. You’ve been in here a little over a week, you know,” he spoke carefully. Sarge looked down and turned his watch around his wrist. I had a bad feeling knotting up in my stomach. He only did that when he was nervous or anxious about something...

  “Vinny, are you up to answering some questions for Detective Rogers?” Sarge quickly changed the subject.

  “Rogers? Is he from Homicide?” I asked.

  “Yeah, Vin, he is,” Sarge said softer.

  “Yeah, of course,” I said cooperatively. I was sure he needed to get my first hand recollection, maybe even write up a statement about the stabbing, for the attempted murder charges to stick.

  “Alright, soldier, you know the drill. Can you tell us what you remember happening that night of the… argument?” Sarge asked me.

  Detective Rogers interjected. “We should ask him about…”

  Sarge stopped him immediately and said “Just write your damn notes as he tells it! You got it? I’ll ask the damn questions,” he growled.

  “Fine,” Rogers responded. I could sense and feel the mounting tension in the room.

  I cleared my throat and began. “Leo Vanzetti and two of his friends, Tommy and Johnny, came to the house to talk to Alice. It was about 5:30 or so. They actually woke me up yelling at each other. Alice had previously gotten into an argument with Joey and they had broken up that morning. I looked out the window and saw Leo yelling at her and that’s when I saw him grab her arm. I ran out there in nothing but my pants. Leo became erratic and pulled a gun. His buddies take off. Not long after, Joey shows up. Tommy went and got him I guess. I tried to talk him down and shield Alice, the entire time. The two brothers basically argued over Alice and then Joey finally told us why Alice was so moody these days!” I chuckled a little. My ribs ached. “Joey tells Leo that Alice is pregnant with Joey’s baby!” I reached over and smacked Sarge’s arm, “Can you believe it?” I said excitedly.

  Sarge closed his eyes and looked down.

  “So, uh, anyways, Leo was apparently high, presumably on methamphetamines, his usual. I tackled Leo when I had a chance and sent the kids running down the alley. I knew he was stabbing me; I just didn’t want him to get control of that gun till I knew that Alice was long gone. Then I heard shots fired and sirens soon after. I knew then that Alice had called you. That’s about it, I mean, other than waking up here,” I finished.

  An awkward silence filled the room.

  I heard the loud snap of a briefcase closing. “Ok, that’s it, Rogers… you’re done here,” Sarge stood up and walked over to the door and opened it for him.

  Rogers seemed hesitant. “But sir, what about...”

  Sarge silenced him. “I said you’re done. Now get out and let me talk to my partner!” Sarge hissed.

  “Yes sir. Thank you for your time, Vinny. I’m sorry about… everything that happened to you,” Detective Rogers got up and walked out quickly.

  “Yeah, it’s no problem man. I appreciate it,” I said, respectively.

  Sarge came back toward the bed. He was rubbing his bald head from front to back.

  “Vin, I need to tell you what happened after you blacked out,” Sarge sat down at the foot of my bed. He fumbled with his watch again, turning it round and round.

  “So tell me, then.” That sick feeling returned to my gut.

  “I don’t know how to start this.” He put his head down into his hands, and steadied his feet on the hard hospital floor. “I’m real sorry, Vinny.” He took a deep breath...

  “Alice and Joey… didn’t make it,” he exhaled.

  I stared at his blurred shape sitting on my bed. They didn’t make it? What did that mean exactly?

  “Didn’t make it where?” I asked.

  Sarge continued.

  “We received a 911 call from the n
eighbor. When we heard that it was next to your house, all officers responded that were in the area. We found you first, damn near bleeding to death with the gun at your side. They found Alice and Joey down at the end of the alley…. they were both shot in the back. Leo did a bad job of framing you though. His prints were all over the gun, not to mention all of your blood on his clothes when we found him. He still had the bloody knife folded up in his pocket,” he leaned back staring at the ceiling… with tears in his eyes.

  I kept listening, hoping that he would say they had made a mistake and that Alice and Joey were fine and recovering in the hospital as well. I tried to make sense out of my own thoughts, but the reality of it had begun set in.

  “Leo killed them?” I said. My tears stung at my swollen eyes.

  “Yeah, there gone, Vinny. I’m so sorry for your loss,” Sarge added. “I didn’t know Alice was… with child. That’s going to make a difference in court for sure.”

  “You said you got him?” I asked. My mind was reeling.

  “Yeah, we got him. I handled the bastard myself,” Sarge cleared his throat.

  “We’re really going to need you to testify in court as to the events of that night. The neighbor won’t do it, what with Leo’s reputation and all. Leo’s family is still connected to the mob and the Vanzetti’s might retaliate. We’ll protect you and Lily though, don’t you worry about any of that. It’s going to be a witness protection type of deal and you’ll definitely need to relocate after you testify; change your names and all that. Don’t worry about what’s going to happen to Leo, he’s going away for a very, long time….” his words trailed off. “I’m so sorry, brother,” Sarge lowered his head once again, and sat in silence. I felt his hand squeeze the calf muscle of my leg.

  My body went numb. It felt paralyzed. I tried to move my legs. I kicked out and brought them up to my chest. I started to rock back and forth in my bed. I knew my body was physically moving, but I still couldn’t feel it. I tried to speak and couldn’t make a sound.

  A sharp pain shot through my chest. Was it my broken ribs? A roaring, deafening sound filled my ears. I grabbed both sides of my head and leaned back. The sharp pain worsened as my head began to pound. I then realized that the loud groaning sounds were coming from me. A sudden, heavy weight was pushing me down. Sarge had pinned my shoulders down to the bed.

  A nurse suddenly appeared at my side with a needle injecting something into my I.V.

  My sorrow and sadness had quickly turned into anger and physical pain. It created a rage so white hot with hate… that it was all I could see. It was all I could feel. My mind used that rage to desperately fill the empty hole in my heart, that Alice’s death had created. I lay in the hospital bed weeping, heavily sedated and unable to grasp my own reality. I incoherently spoke of revenge and dreamed of redemption in the most brutal and merciless of ways. Leo, in my mind, would forever be a killer of innocence and a coward.

  Over the next couple of weeks, I would heal physically and endure a mental battle of good versus evil. My only solace was Lily. She was my peace of mind; my “Lily of the Valley” in a land of sadness and despair.

  My only glimmer of hope in this sadistic world is my daughter. She was now my only reason to live. With my Mother and sister Alice both gone now, I knew I had to do whatever it took to protect what I had left. Sarge knew I would testify, even if we had to start a new life somewhere else. That was the best thing for us anyway. He knew I would do whatever it took to bring down Leo and to create a semblance of justice for my sister and her baby. Even for Joey. I would testify against the world.

  Some say that time and time alone can heal all wounds. For mine and Lily’s sake, I hope it’s at least a little bit true.

  CHAPTER 1

  13 YEARS LATER

  “Bye, Dad!” Allie rushed past Mark and grabbed her heavy back pack off the kitchen counter. She grunted as she heaped the strap up over her shoulder. It amazed him that her string bean, ballerina frame, could lug that thing around like it was nothing.

  “Will you be coming home right after school to get ready for your birthday dinner?” He asked, peering over the rim of his coffee cup.

  She suddenly stopped fussing with her bag and spun around to face him. She grimaced in hesitation, like she had something to tell him, and didn’t know how to start.

  He raised his eyebrows. “Inquiring minds want to know.”

  Her sweet dimpled smile was a bit crooked as she stammered out the details.

  “Well, Jen wanted to show me this little coffee shop down town,” she smiled her dad’s same goofy grin.

  “Do all teenage girls smile when they talk?” He thought to himself.

  “So, you think that because you’re eighteen now, you can just “ditch out” on your dad any time you want,” he said sarcastically.

  “It was really a spur of the moment invite and I forgot to tell you about it last night. I’ll be home in time for dinner, I promise. I won’t be late. Is it alright?” She waited in anticipation.

  Mark tried to look serious. “I don’t know. Do you have your pepper spray?” He was stalling now.

  “Dad,” she cocked her head to one side and rolled her eyes. “Nothing’s going to happen to me in a coffee shop, in Idaho, in broad day light,” she scoffed.

  Mark could hear Jens stereo as she pulled into the driveway. Jen was Allie’s best friend. “Nearest and dearest,” she would say.

  “You would be surprised what could happen in broad day light. It‘s a simple question darling, do you have your pepper spray?” he asked again.

  “Yes, Dad, there are two canisters in my backpack and don’t forget the stash in my locker at school,” she gently grasped her chin and pretended to think really hard. “I’m pretty sure Jen still has an arsenal in her glove compartment,” she smiled.

  He stood up from the table and walked over to the back door, where she stood. “Alright, be careful and I’ll see you sometime after school,” he smiled at her as he opened the door.

  “Oh, you’re so awesome! Thanks for understanding, Dad,” she hugged him quickly. “I’ve got to get going now okay, Jen’s waiting,” she nodded towards the back lot.

  “Have a great day at school! Enjoy your coffee for me, huh?” Mark winked at her.

  “Oh, school will be a blast, don’t you worry,” she said sarcastically.

  She stopped just short of the door and turned to look up at him through her thick, hooded lashes. She flashed her dimpled smile, and with those big hazel eyes, Mark thought that she looked just like her Aunt Alice.

  She hugged him tight, wrapping her arms around his chest to squeeze. He kissed the top of her head.

  “Have a great day, Allie-Cat, I love you!” He raised his hand and waved to Jen.

  “I love you too, Dad, thanks!” He walked with her out onto the porch and watched as she ran to her friend’s car, or whatever you call that thing. It looked like a Jeep, but Jen insisted it was a Samurai.

  The girls squealed and giggled in their seats for an excited moment before buckling in. Jen pretended to adjust her mirrors and look extra cautious.

  “Silly girls,” Mark mumbled to himself.

  And that was that. Allie was off to school. Senior year was going to be an exciting time for her.

  Mark slowly walked up the creaky, golden stained, wood porch and bent down to pick up the morning paper. Mark went inside and closed the door behind him. He sauntered into the sunlit kitchen and refilled his coffee cup before settling down at the breakfast bar to read. He loved these sunny autumn mornings. “Indian Summer”, as Allie calls it.

  Mark didn’t have to work at the restaurant he managed today. This is very unusual for a dedicated, single father like himself, but even he had to admit… it felt pretty good to just sit and relax, without having anything pressing to deal with. He had every intention of getting ready for the day; just not yet.

  You see, today wasn’t just any ordinary day. It was Allie’s eighteenth birthday party. Angelo’s Resta
urant was closed today in preparation for it. No catering, deliveries or dining at all to the public. They had been secretly advertising the closure for a week, mostly to the regulars, by word of mouth. Mark didn’t think closing the restaurant was necessary, but Dom Angelo, the owner, thought so.

  “Allie is my Goddaughter and it’s very important to have a big, surprise party for her. Closing the restaurant for it is common sense. Don‘t you worry so much, Marko” Dom had said.

  Mark was Dom’s new partner and longtime friend. Dom’s wife Lucy, who occasionally worked in the kitchen and as a hostess, was planning and coordinating this special event. She was definitely going to go all out for our princess. Mark was fully aware of her capabilities and never doubted Lucy’s party planning abilities for a second. He was blown away by the attention to detail that Lucy was obviously displaying in the decorations. He wouldn’t have done a very good job, if left to his own devices.

  Allies birthday, technically had passed, but was during a very busy week. All though, they had a small celebration, they had planned to surprise her with this all along.

  Silver twinkling lights draped over the ceiling and cascaded down the walls. Garlands of white roses and lilies were arranged nicely and hung over the arched doorways. The sweet fragrance from the fresh, delicate flowers was thick in the air. Rows of rectangular tables were covered with dark purple cloths, and adorned with polished silverware.