From Past To Present (Vicci Crime Family Series Book 2) Read online

  “Yay,” Bethany exclaimed. “Now that we have that all settled, come eat. Your breakfast is ready.”

  I hung my head and laughed. Questo non potra mai uscire.

  8

  Gabriel

  Another day lost and one more day closer to Friday, and I still hadn’t been able to come up with a plan to off Little Tony and Emanuel at the same time. I needed to stop wasting time trying to take them both together. What I should have done was just walk up to them both point blank and put a bullet in their heads. Now, with my impending deadline, one that I set for myself, I needed to act fast.

  Following Emanuel today, I found myself hoping to get a few seconds in a quiet alley that would work to my advantage. I’d just about given up hope until he pulled his car over around nine and parked across the street from a house located on the corner of Beach Avenue and Seventh. It seemed my luck was turning around. Beach Avenue consisted of single-story white and brick homes that lined both sides of the street. Except for one section on the north end where an empty field of high grass and trees remained untouched. I parked my car next to the grassy area and out of sight. The little fucker exited his vehicle and walked up to the door. When it opened, Little Tony stuck his head out and glanced in both directions. When everything seemed to be in place, he opened the door further and let Emanuel walk in, closing the door behind him. Some quick recon proved that three men were the only ones in the home. Emanuel was sloppy, and his arrogance would be his demise tonight.

  I quietly made my way behind the home and let myself in through the open window in the back. Was it possible that it would be this easy, or was there something more going on that I needed to be concerned with? I cracked open the door to the bedroom so I could hear the now raised voices.

  “I told you I wanted that money by the end of the week, and if you didn’t have it, you were not going to like the outcome. So, where is my fucking money, you little puke?”

  “I’ll have it, don’t worry,” Emanuel replied.

  “If you don’t have my fucking money in my hands tomorrow, I’m going to break every bone in your body and then put a bullet in your head. Do you understand me?” The male voice grew louder.

  “Relax, Ricky, you’re getting worked up over nothing. I’ll have it by four tomorrow,” Little Tony interjected. “I’m selling the girls from the west coast, and I’ll have your money by the end of the day.”

  There it was, a piece of information on Little Tony Chiri that solidified he needed to die tonight along with Emanuel. I added the suppressor to the end of my .45 and stepped into the hallway. One shot was all I needed as Ricky came into view. The son of a bitch dropped to the floor, blood pouring from his chest. Emanuel exclaimed, “Oh fuck!” as he and Tony lunged to their feet, both reaching behind their backs for their guns. I pulled the trigger once more and put a bullet between Emanuel’s eyes, and a second into Tony’s right thigh. He quickly fell to the ground, clutching at his leg. “What the fuck, you asshole?”

  “I’m not even going to ask you where the auction is tomorrow because I know you won’t tell me. But I’m going to pry it from your lips as I slice the skin from your body.”

  The little puke cried like a baby as I inflicted slits all over his torso with a razor blade, but he refused to tell me where the auction would be tomorrow. I’d anticipated as such and knew that more extreme measures would be needed, but I had hoped that his little pansy ass would break. Without hesitation, I took his tied wrists in my hand. He was weak from the loss of blood he had sustained already. I had one last chance to get him to talk, as he wouldn’t survive much longer once I started peeling his skin from his body. With the edge of my blade, I ran it down his arm, peeling away a two-inch-by-six-inch slice. The gag in his mouth muffled his screams.

  “I’m going to remove your gag, and you’re going to give me the address that I’m looking for so I can end your life quickly. Or I’m going to continue doing this until there is nothing left to your arms and you die in pain. It is your choice.” Slowly, I moved the cloth from his lips and pulled out the material I’d stuffed in his mouth.

  Tony’s voice was barely audible, so I leaned in closer. “You think you know things, but you have no idea of what you don’t know.”

  “Tell me what I don’t know, then.”

  He leaned in a bit closer and spat at me, coating my face in his blood. “Go fuck yourself, just like the highest bidder will be doing to your daughter. That’s all you’re getting from me.”

  “What the fuck you say?”

  “I’d watch out for your daughter if I were you.”

  I didn’t have to think. My body acted without hesitation as I placed a bullet between his eyes. “Lights out, bitch.”

  9

  Gabriel

  The first order of business when I arrived home was to burn the blood-soaked gloves I’d worn. I was reasonably confident that I’d left no possible trace of my involvement in the triple murder that the news would soon be reporting. However, it wasn’t worth the risk, so I lit a fire in my fireplace, tossed my clothes and the gloves into the flames, and watched as they burned.

  Next, I placed a call to Angelo to ensure my daughter was still at his home. When it seemed everything was as it should be, I headed to the bathroom and stepped into the shower to wash away both the blood and my dark thoughts from earlier today. I stood beneath the hot water, my head lowered, letting the spray pelt against my tense neck. The heated water helped clear my mind, but nothing could relax my body. Something was off; why would Tony Chiri mention my daughter? Was there a plan to attack Angelo’s home?

  Reaching for my phone, I dialed Angelo once again. It rang several times before he finally answered.

  “Is everything okay on your end?” I quickly asked.

  “Everything is fine, Gabriel. That is twice you’ve called and asked that question. Why?”

  “Call a meeting with the men we know we can trust. Something is up, and I can’t figure it out on my own. I’ll be there in twenty.”

  “You still haven’t told me what’s going on, Gabriel.”

  “I’m not exactly sure, Angelo. Just stay alert. I’ll explain everything when I get there.”

  When I arrived at the Rizzuto residence, I found Nicco, Remi, and Angelo all sitting around a table in the backyard. I pulled out the last empty chair and took a seat. My first order of business was to recount my conversation with Chiri Jr. No one spoke once I’d finished, but I could see the wheels turning in each of their eyes.

  After what felt like an eternity, Angelo spoke. “Nicco, go get my son and bring him here. Alone.”

  It didn’t take long for Jefferson to return with Nicco. Angelo stood, offering his seat to his son. He paced several times and then spoke, bringing Jefferson up to speed on what had transpired and ordering him to take Giovanna and Nicco and head to their Virginia home.

  “I’ll have Bethany let Lincoln and your aunt know you will be there by dinnertime tonight, and Lincoln will assign extra security to assist you and Nicco,” Angelo advised.

  “So, what are we going to do about tomorrow’s sale?” I asked.

  Angelo stopped pacing. “Nothing. We do not have the manpower needed to figure this out in time.”

  “But they are children. We can’t just let that happen,” Remi spoke up.

  “Remi, we have cops on our payroll. I’ll pass the information to them, and they can figure it out. We need to figure out why there are targets on Gabriel and Giovanna’s heads. With Francis dead, this should have all ended, but it hasn’t.”

  Remi pushed back away from the table, pulled out a cigarette, and lit it. “Someone in the family is still loyal to Francis or has a connection with Mancini. We need to figure out who that is. Then we’ll be able to know why Gabriel’s daughter is in danger.”

  I thought about it for a moment. “What if it was more than Francis giving an order to take Giovanna and hurt Jefferson in a ploy to force Angelo back into the family? What if his end game was to get Ang
elo back in and take me out at the same time? But why?”

  10

  Angelo

  Gabriel’s question haunted me. Why would someone want him out, or better yet, dead? There would be nothing to gain family-wise, so every bone in my body told me it had to be personal to someone.

  “I’m betting it’s personal and has nothing to do with family business anymore. We knew the original kidnapping and release of Giovanna had everything to do with Francis. But what if someone is using that to cover up their own agenda?”

  Gabriel reached across the table, snatching the tobacco-filled paper from Remi’s hand as he lit another cigarette. A cloud of fog still floated around him. “Brother, if you don’t stop lighting one smoke after another, you’re going to die of cancer before we figure this out.”

  “Keep that shit up,” Remi replied angrily, “and I’ll be the one coming after you.”

  Gabriel smirked at Remi and then turned to me. “I’ve got so much blood on my hands; it could be anyone. We’ll never figure this out.”

  I knew it wasn’t just anyone. “No, it has to be someone who knew I’d go after the firstborns. Someone who was privy to my warning to Mancini. That would mean whoever it is was close to Francis.”

  Remi withdrew another cigarette from his pack and placed it between his lips, but not before raising an eyebrow to Gabriel as he gave him a death stare. “Well, they’ve got nothing now. We’ve got Giovanna and Jefferson protected. There is no one who Gabriel cares enough about to use against him.”

  “Except Victoria,” Gabriel whispered as he lowered his head into his hands. He took several deep breathes and then spoke up. “If someone was that close to Francis or Mancini, then they know there is only one other person who owns my heart.”

  “Victoria,” I spoke up. “That person would know that killing her would destroy you and complete my vendetta. She’s the last of the firstborns.” I turned to Remi. “You need to go to her and tell her she is in danger, find out if she has a place to go to out of town for a bit.”

  “She won’t listen to me.” Remi flicked his wrist and pointed his thumb at Gabriel. “He needs to be the one to make contact with her. She doesn’t know me from Adam, so she’d have no reason to believe me.”

  “I can’t go to her,” Gabriel spoke up. “She won’t listen to me, not after what I did to her when we were kids.”

  “Then she’ll die. Is that what you want, Gabriel?” Remi snapped back.

  “Oh my God, no.”

  We all turned to find Bethany and a half-cracked door just a few feet away.

  “Tesoro, why are you standing there with the door open?” I couldn’t help but wonder how long she’d been listening to our conversation.

  11

  Bethany

  I wasn’t eavesdropping on Angelo and the boys. I’d had all intentions of seeing if they wanted anything to eat or drink. They’d been out in the backyard for such a long time.

  I knew something was up; otherwise, Angelo wouldn’t have sent Nicco and the kids to Virginia. When I asked, all he said was Family business—not your business. But when I opened the door and heard part of their conversation about Giovanna and Jefferson, I did what any other concerned mother would do. I stood there quietly and listened to their conversation. Minutes had gone by, and no one detected me, but when I heard Victoria’s name, I couldn’t stay quiet any longer.

  When Angelo questioned me about how long I’d been standing there, I just shook my head and responded, “Just a moment. I wanted to see if you all were doing okay or if you needed anything to eat or drink.” I wasn’t sure if my husband would call bullshit, but when he didn’t, I knew what I had to do. I sprinted up the stairs to his vacant office and rummaged around until I spotted the manilla folder with the information I needed about Victoria.

  I’d thought through every aspect of my plan before reaching out to Lincoln for help while trying to be as vague as possible. If he knew what I was up to, he’d immediately call Angelo, and that was something I couldn’t afford to happen. The further along the Verrazano Narrows Bridge we went, the more I started second-guessing myself. Was I doing the right thing? Could I pull this off? By the time the driver pulled to the curb in front of the white and gray condo located in the Fawn Ridge community, I was ready to turn tail and head home.

  “Ms. Bethany, we’re here.”

  The only other person who knew my entire plan was Lillian. She’d graciously offered to help and provided Peter, her mother’s driver, citing it would be best if I told no one loyal to Angelo about my intentions.

  “Thank you, Peter. I shouldn’t be too long.”

  “No worries, Ms. Bethany. I’ll be right here.” His strong deep voice was comforting.

  As I walked up the path leading to the front door, my heart began to beat faster and faster. I took a deep breath, held it for several seconds, and then released it, hoping it would calm my nerves. With a shaky hand, I pushed the doorbell and waited for Victoria to answer the door. I was still wondering once again if I’d made a mistake.

  Unsure if Victoria was even home, I waited patiently for several minutes. When no one answered the door, I was about to leave until a female voice from behind me spoke, asking if she could help me. I turned to find a slender woman around five three with brunette hair. She held two grocery sacks in her arms and stood quizzically looking at me and waiting for my response.

  “Are you Victoria Devecchio?”

  “Yes, do I know you?” she replied hesitantly.

  “No, but my name is Bethany Eastwick, and I need to talk to you about Gabriel Panzica. Can you spare just a few moments?”

  Victoria’s face paled at the mention of Gabriels’ name. We stood there silently, looking at each other for several moments before she spoke. I wasn’t sure what her response would be; it could have gone either way, so when she offered for me to join her inside, I knew it was a good sign that maybe my plan would work after all.

  The front door opened to a large set of stairs. Slowly, I climbed them behind her. At the top of the stairs, a large open living room awaited us. Victoria instructed me to take a seat while she went to put away her groceries. It didn’t take her long, and when she entered the living area, she brought two glasses of iced tea with her.

  “I hope you like tea. It’s all I have.” She reached out, handing me a glass, and then took a seat across from me in an oversized comfortable-looking chair. “You mentioned Gabriel’s name. I haven’t spoken to him since we were teenagers, so I’m not sure how I can be of any assistance to you.”

  I leaned forward and placed the glass on the table in front of me. “It’s not what you can do for me, it’s what I can do for you, and that is protecting your life.”

  Sitting taller, Victoria narrowed her eyes at me and placed her glass beside mine on the table. “I’m sorry, Bethany, but I really think you need to leave.” She began to stand when I interrupted her movement.

  “Please, let me explain. I know this seems out of left field, and if I were in your shoes, I’d think I was a looney bin escapee. But trust me, you’re going to want to hear what I have to say.”

  “You’ve got ten minutes to make your point. If you haven’t successfully convinced me at the end of that time, then I’m going to ask you to leave and never contact me again.”

  Ten minutes. Could I say everything I needed to say in that short of time? Possibly. If I started and Victoria saw I wasn’t crazy, she’d give me more time. Or maybe she’d kick me out sooner.

  “First, let me start by saying that Eastwick is my maiden name and the one I use daily for my protection. But Rizzuto is my married name. Angelo is my husband.” I saw her eyes widen and her face lose a bit of color. “My husband does not know that I am here, neither does Gabriel.” With that, she seemed to regain a bit of the color in her face. “I recently found out that you are the love of Gabriel’s life.”

  Victoria reached for her glass of tea and then stood. “I find that very hard to believe,” she replied
as she walked towards the kitchen. “If he loved me so much, he wouldn’t have done what he did.”

  I thought about the situation and how I would feel if it had been me in her shoes. I was confident that I, too, would find it hard to believe that Gabriel loved me. “I understand your reluctance, but I assure you it is true. After years, I’m just now understanding how the family works. It wasn’t his decision to make. He’d have given up his life if it was even a possibility to keep you as his own. But your father made that impossible.”

  Returning to the vacated chair, Victoria took a seat. “What does my sperm donor have to do with this? He wasn’t even a part of my life back then. It wasn’t until after my mother passed that I wanted to know who the man was that got my mother pregnant.”

  Now I was the one surprised. I hadn’t expected her to know who her father was. “So, then you know that Rosario Curfari is not only your father but also a Capo for the Mancini family?”

  “He is not my father. I’ve never had one of those,” Victoria snarled. She took two deep breaths. “I’m sorry, but that man is the lowest form of a human being there is. I may have his genetic sequence, but he will never be my father. He has been in and out of jail for as long as I’ve been alive. So, yes, I’ve read of his affiliation with that crime family.”

  Nodding, I proceeded to fill her in on the promise Angelo had made to Mancini and that he’d given an order to Gabriel to kill her. I watched as all the color left her face and neck. Her hand shook as she raised her tea glass to her lips and took a sip. “Don’t worry, Victoria, I know Gabriel well enough to know he could have never gone through with the order. But here’s the thing. Someone has it in for him and isn’t above hurting anything or anyone who means anything to Gabriel.”