The Lagotti Family Series

by Leopold Borstinski

Bobby sat back and inhaled on his cigar. He liked having the prop in his hand because it was perfect excuse to give himself time to ponder. The end of the stogie glowed orange-red as he took the smoke into his mouth, rolled it around his palate and exhaled.

  “He shouldn't run the family. Can‘t talk about the future, but he‘s not ready now.”

  “And what about me?”

  “Do you want to? I mean, without me by your side?”

  “Dunno. I like the idea of it, but I‘m not sure if I‘m strong enough. Losing Sam hurt me more than I realized and I can‘t tell if I‘m weak at heart.”

  “Mary Lou and I have been an effective double-act for years. You and I could try the same thing - if you were up for it.”

  “At least until I regained my confidence. I used to say I was going to rule the world. Now I‘m not certain I am cut out for global domination.”

  “You‘ll get there. The way you‘ve handled yourself over Sam has been amazing. You‘ve shown dignity and class when most people would have either hidden in their rooms or bitch-slapped her into the seventh circle of hell. You did neither and that takes guts. More than you give yourself credit for.”

  “HOW WILL FRANK react if we carve him out?“

  “Not positively. He‘d have to go.”

  For emphasis, Bobby stubbed out the remaining inch of his cigar in the ashtray, grinding it into oblivion. He flicked a piece of tobacco off his hand and it fluttered to the floor. They both watched the brown speck until it was motionless and looked at each other square in the eye.

  “Let him keep his east coast businesses and cut commercial ties with him, right?”

  “Don‘t know that‘d work, Alice. We might need a more robust response.”

  That euphemism hung in the air, but Alice didn‘t want to deal with its implications: that they‘d have to kill Frank to stop him from murdering them.”

  “I couldn‘t be a part of that. He‘s my flesh and blood. We are twins...”

  Bobby stared at her with a bemused expression. The pair of them had been sparring all their adult lives and now Alice wanted to convince herself she was unable to deliver the final blow. So be it. If she wouldn‘t - or couldn‘t - take care of business then he'd step in and sort matters out to give the family the best chance of a sustainable future.

  “Don‘t worry about it. We send Frank back to AC to empire build and everyone can leave each other in peace.”

  “Good. And Mama is our consiglieri on her better days.”

  “Yeah. We need to be careful not to show any weakness tomorrow in front of Markov so, if Mary Lou is able, she should appear to head up the negotiations.”

  “Cut a deal with Markov and then a smooth transition of power.”

  “Sounds like a plan.”

  FRANK HAD GOT himself a taste for Sammy and was spending time with her. While Alice and Bobby were discussing his future, Frank was penetrating Sammy from behind in the shower. Once he was done, they washed themselves and returned to bed to continue their gallivanting.

  She didn‘t like being held prisoner and had been feeling lonely and ignored. There was no point hooking up with a gangster if she was never given the opportunity to show off his fabulous wealth or to live in extremely comfortable circumstances. At least Alice had an amazing place in Malibu - Frank had dumped her in a crummy apartment and not been back for days.

  So when Frank came over, her eyes lit up and she wrapped her limbs around his body until she absorbed all his energy: he was a monster in the sack. For all Alice's intimate understanding of her body, she was a mild lay compared to Frank. Both had their plus points, but being with Frank was exciting and dangerous. Alice wanted to settle down and Frank just wanted to have fun.

  That was the biggest difference between the twins. Sammy was aware of the irony because to the outside world, the greatest contrast was that one was male and the other female. Those details were uppermost in her mind as she went down on Frank again. His sheer physicality literally filled her head and the judders up and down her spine echoed how much he turned her on after she was finished with him and he had returned the oral favor.

  MARY LOU SAT by the pool and stared into nowhere. She enjoyed the time by herself: she used it to reminisce about happier or clearer times. And to contemplate her conversations with Father Carmoody. That man sure had changed how she thought about the world. How fleeting was her life on the planet and how you risked an eternity of damnation if you made the wrong choices.

  If it would save her soul, Mary Lou would hand the organization over to her children but she felt their own time in hell‘s fire would be affected. Perhaps they should wind down all their operations. That idea crossed her mind more than once, although she hadn‘t acted on it yet. A bad deal with Nikolay Markov could be precisely the excuse necessary to pass over the business to him and save her family from the Devil‘s clutches.

  Then the memory of walking past all the cars in the lot, blood dripping off her skirt and her fingers, after her Frank was gunned down at Burbank Airport. Mary Lou recalled each vehicle: color, marque, which direction it was facing in its parking space.

  Every little detail like it was yesterday. How she drove five miles below the speed limit all the way back to the hotel. What was its name again? The aroma of his dried blood on her hands. That acrid flavor of rust on her tongue.

  Her entire world condensed into a journey across a lot to escape from the FBI and hang on to the takings from the Lansdowne branch of the First Bank of Baltimore. A personal fortune to start the family business which she‘d turned into a small empire. Mary Lou and ... what‘s-his-name. They‘d done it together.

  IN THE EVENING, Frank lay on the bed, head resting on Sammy‘s thighs. She made a good pillow and he inhaled the scent of sex which was smeared over both their bodies like a high-class perfume. He considered his plan for the peace conference, running through each element in his mind: rehearsing every moment. For him to succeed, he needed to execute a subtle play in the room and Isaak had to deliver the best marksmanship.

  Sammy wriggled out from under him and propped him up with pillows. Then she nipped to the bathroom. When she came back into the bedroom, she sashayed off to mix them two cocktails, offering him one, which he gladly took - his mouth seemed parched.

  He sank the curious green liquid in a single swig, smacked his lips together and announced his desire for a refill. Sammy shrugged and handed over her own glass as she couldn‘t be bothered to go off and mess about with the cocktail shaker and all that ice. Too cold and too much hassle.

  She stood right by the bed to reach Frank‘s hand with the drink. He knocked back the second cocktail, throwing the receptacle onto the carpeted floor causing it to bounce once and roll to a halt on the other side of the room. Sammy giggled as Frank turned around to face her. His head was inches from her groin and he placed a palm round her ass to draw her in nearer until she collapsed on top of him. Frank chuckled and teased a nipple.

  Within five minutes, Sammy was sat astride him and the warmth of his dick inside her felt good. As soon as he was done, Frank pushed her off and stood up to put his clothes on. Then his shoes.

  “Been a blast. I‘ll be back tomorrow evening. Wear your red G-string for when I come over.”

  He closed the front door before Sammy had time to say a word. She dialed for a pizza and rummaged around to find a dressing gown before the boy with her food appeared wanting his tip.

  43

  THE PALLADIUM HOTEL used to be a go-to venue in San Francisco, but its heyday had long since receded. Nowadays, families occupied it in high season as a cheap alternative to one of the plush hotels in town. The rest of the year, sales reps and conference delegates took advantage of its competitive rates.

  Half the rooms boasted a balcony view of the bay and a well-stocked minibar, comprising an array of liquor, bandages and prophylactics. Nobody assumed all three would be used at the same time, but this was San Francisco so no-one judged.

  The reason the Palladi
um survived despite its tawdry exterior was due to its location - and its competitive rates. This combination was the precise set of reasons Naldo selected the hotel for the peace conference. It was cheap, in the middle of town and there were loads of civilians milling all around in case anyone planned any funny business.

  Both sides had scoped the meeting room on the second floor together. Each item of furniture subjected to a rigorous check: there was nothing hidden underneath, inside or elsewhere. Either Naldo or Lara Mikhailov slid a hand behind the mirror and the various paintings on the walls to ensure no blades were available for use if tensions arose. Once they were both satisfied, Naldo and Mikhailov stayed guard outside the only door into the place.

  Bobby, Alice, Frank and Mary Lou arrived around ten and Nikolay appeared two minutes later. Everyone acknowledged each other but no-one shook hands. Coffee and water was served and everybody sat down, apart from Naldo and Mikhailov who continued to stand behind their respective leaders.

  “If I had known so many of you were coming, I‘d have brought my entire family this morning too.”

  Nikolay smirked and sipped his coffee. Alice ground her molars and held back the disgust she felt for this man. Mary Lou smiled benignly, because she didn‘t care about Nikolay‘s childish comment or because she had no idea who he was or what she was doing there.

  “Shall we get on? We are here to broker a truce, not engage in idle chat.”

  “YOURS IS A large outfit with resources stretching from coast to coast. We are a small family with control over the Tenderloin and not much more.”

  “Nikolay, you do yourself an injustice. Your friends stretch all the way to Russia, so let‘s not pretend you have no reach. If you were just a cockroach, we we’d have crushed you like a bug by now.”

  “Thank you for recognizing I am someone to be reckoned with. We all work hard in this pitiful country.”

  “The land of opportunity is big enough for all of us to carve out successful lives. We must agree how to slice up San Francisco.”

  “The way I see things, you came to my city, stole from me and killed my own. We agreed an accommodation and then you returned, took some more and attacked me again. You owe me and all we need to decide is how you shall pay for the damage you caused me.”

  Before Alice responded, Frank slammed his fist on the table, causing everyone to jump perceptibly and to rattle every cup of coffee in the room.

  “Listen to me, little man: there has been damage done to both sides. What you need to consider more is how to make restitution for the killings with your name on it. If you think I‘ll bend over and take it up the ass from you, you‘re smoking more opium than you can sell.”

  Frank glared at Nikolay, who responded with a casual stare and gritted teeth. People didn‘t talk to him with such scant respect usually and survive. Mary Lou smiled benignly at the argument unfolding before her and Alice maintained her composure. Her primary aim was to prevent Mama from saying too much, so Frank‘s outburst aligned with her interests. As agreed, Bobby intended to remain silent for as long as possible, so there was one calm voice if tempers frayed.

  “THE WAY I see things: we‘ve got you by the balls because we‘ve cut off your heroin supply and that musta hurt business. Without the brown sugar, how could you keep your skanks sedated enough to fuck the degenerates you get in your whorehouses? And your operations rely on the cash you generate from selling those bags too. So talk less about reparations and more about what you will do to convince us to open your franchises again.”

  “I am sure we are here to discuss, negotiate and agree, boy. If you want me to not make demands of you then you must stop laying down the law to me.”

  Frank stared through Nikolay and Mikhailov adjusted position to her right to get a better take on Frank‘s state of mind. Alice looked to Frank, then to Nikolay and finally on Mikhailov - in case she tried a move against Frank. No-one needed to resort to violence given they were sat around a table talking.

  “LET US BE clear. You admit you are blocking our supply lines, so the first thing you must do is to open our access to our own narcotics.”

  “Of course, we can do that but you get nothing for nothing in this life. What will you offer in return?”

  Nikolay smiled again and glanced out the window as a boat motored across the view. Then his attention floated back inside the room and he focused on Frank and his challenge.

  “What could I possibly give you that you don‘t already possess?”

  “Someone in your position should have the imagination to make an offer and, even if you can‘t, you should be aware enough of your gang‘s actions to name something within your largesse. If you are the man you think you are.”

  “Don‘t goad me, boy.”

  “Stop acting like the cheerleader who got fucked by the jock at the end of the prom and didn‘t expect anything to happen. You are here to negotiate and all you‘ve done so far is to piss and moan.”

  Nikolay remained silent and drummed his fingers on the table. The annoyance seeped out of his fingertips until he regained his composure. Hard to tell if it was because Frank had called him on his behavior or because Markov was going to be forced to give something up. Frank remembered never to put out any number first in a negotiation, so was desperate to force Nikolay‘s hand, but the Russian didn‘t want to play ball. Maybe he‘d received the same advice.

  “PROSTITUTION. I CAN offer you a percentage of that San Francisco racket, if it was something of interest.”

  “Always into making money out of fucking. We could open the supply lines for fifty per cent of your prostitution revenues and leave you to run San Francisco. Or we could accept only twenty cents on the dollar, but you would cease interfering with any of our whorehouses in town.”

  “A fifth for doing nothing. That‘s quite an offer.”

  “The revenue keeps your skanks alive and the smack flowing. Don‘t make yourself seem foolish: you understand the value of what I‘m offering - and it‘s insulting for you to pretend otherwise.”

  “You forget why you are here, boy. Our biting at your heels so much has impacted your operations. Not just in this city, but your lottery racket is within our reach. So don‘t talk to me like a pimp to one of your whores. I am at least your equal and achieved more than you as I started with nothing while you were gifted your success by your mother.”

  Now it was Frank‘s turn to fall into silence and suck in the air until his pulse stopped racing. So far, all the two men had succeeded in doing was to goad each other, and they were no closer to any agreement than when they arrived. Alice was not impressed. If Frank wanted to preen his feathers, so be it, but they needed to bring Nikolay‘s plane safely in to land: no bumps, no bruises and no crashes.

  “WHAT MY BROTHER is trying to say is that we respect all your achievements in the Tenderloin - and beyond. And what we agree here will have significant consequences for all concerned. I expect you would like to devote your energies into making more money and we want to do the same. So we need to draw a line under what has happened and figure out the best way to live side by side either by not elbowing each other or by working together, sharing risks and the rewards.”

  “My biggest concern is to get access to my heroin. The rest is just cheap words.”

  “If tens of millions of dollars are of no matter to you then I underestimate the respect you deserve. For the Lagotti family that is a considerable amount of money that is at stake if we can‘t agree a reasonable resolution to our difficulties.”

  Nikolay raised his eyebrows and widened his eyes a fraction. Clearly he wanted to get his hands on that kind of green.

  “Our lottery operation in California is the beginning of the adventure, not the endgame. As more states create legalized gambling, we shall take advantage with our fake tickets: the numbers racket reborn for modern times. There will be enough profit in the venture to allow others to dip their beaks in the trough. If you work with us - supplying drivers, protection and boots on the gro
und - we could give you five per cent of the gross.”

  Beat.

  “But if you harm our people or our assets then you will have nothing and can peck on the floor with the rest of the hens. The choice is yours. The time to decide your future is now. Before we leave the Palladium either you are working with us or against our interests.”

  Nikolay‘s cheeks reddened and he sipped his long gone cold coffee. Mikhailov tried to refill his mug, but he told her not to fuss around him.

  “Let us take a break for a short while and stretch our legs.”

  44

  NIKOLAY STOOD UP, put his hands in his pants pockets and took two steps to stand to look out of the window. The sky was blue and Alcatraz was easy to spot. Alice poured fresh coffees, walked over and handed one to him. The others hovered near the drinks table, murmuring and chewing on cookies.

  “You need to cut a deal with us and I understand that you may not think much of my brother - or me.”

  “He thinks he is somebody because he can get girls to fuck for money. That just means he‘s a pimp. He has ideas far above his ability and doesn‘t realize how small a man he is.”

  “Not everyone in my family shares Frank’s view of you and you should remember that.”

  “That may be the case but when we last met, you showed me tremendous disrespect.”

  Alice‘s pupils dilated as she recalled that moment in her hotel room.

  “There is a world of difference between wanting to do business with you and wanting to fuck. You failed to distinguish those two things. That‘s not about respect; it‘s a question of your judgment.”

  “You chastise me like your brother did.”

  “No, he believes the best method to get his way is to strong-arm a person. I operate by letting people understand their options and leaving them to decide which consequences they prefer. You are free to do whatever you want - within reason - but accept what happens next.”