Accidental Mobster (20 page)

I immediately panic. Here I am, breaking the law, and if I don't think of something quickly, I might get caught. My brain races, making me wonder how many password tries I will get before the alarm goes off and I have to run for the Lexus. I take another deep breath and punch the only word I can think of at that moment: “T-O-M-M-Y.”

I must be on a lucky streak. The light changes to green and the words “Thank you” drift across the digital screen. I fall back against the wall, relieved and surprised that Ray Gallo would pick such a weak password.

“Well, well, nice guess. I'll have to tell Ray Gallo that his password is inadequate.”

I flinch at the sound of a familiar and unwelcome voice and quickly flick the light switch next to my hand. The brightness illuminates the unpleasantly bird-like face of Barb Kluwer.

“What's going on?” I ask, angry and defeated all at once.

“Perhaps
you
should tell
me
what's going on. Ray invited me to his home. I don't believe you were invited.”

“Tommy stole my wallet. I need it back.” I pause when I see the pleased look on her face. “But you knew that already.”

“Perhaps,” she replies, not a hint of surprise in her voice, “a little bird told me. You played right into our hands, Danny. Why not just tell an adult about the wallet?”

“This is between me and Tommy,” I say furiously.

“Oh, really?” Barb laughs in a way that makes me again want to shove her. “I thought it might have been because of this.” She holds up a small business card with the name “Pete Alvarez” on it. I grimace, knowing that my connection to the Newcastle police has been discovered.

“Tommy's a good boy—he showed his father this card in your wallet because they know Pete's a cop. Ray contacted me to see if it might just be something from your little scuffle at home. You see, the Gallos have been very interested in your arrival at the Vigliottis. I told them I would talk to you, but I knew that you didn't have any interaction with the police, by your own choice, of course. Besides, Alvarez is a Newcastle man, not a Ridley man.” She sighs and narrows her eyes. “I'm very interested by what appears to be a little espionage,” she continues, her strident voice crooning with triumph. “Here I was, thinking you were such a lucky boy to be rescued by a well-to-do family like the Vigliottis, and yet I find that you are ratting on them, betraying their kindness to the police.”

“I am not betraying them!” I exclaim, my rage now almost completely out of control.

“They want information, but I won't betray Gino!”

“They?” she asks innocently.

I fall silent, aware that I have confirmed her accusation.

“Oh, don't worry,” she says cheerfully. “We already know that there's an undercover cop somewhere within the organization. There are so many new associates, it's hard to tell who he may be, but we're getting closer. Perhaps you know?”

“I don't know,” I lie. “They didn't tell me.”

“Hmm, I think you're lying, Danny,” she says, her eyes narrowing on my face. “I hear you've been doing an awful lot of that these days.”

I want to say something really nasty to her, but I catch myself. I'm playing right into her game—she is trying to make me angry. If I want to win this battle of wills, I need to play it smart. “I don't know who the undercover is, but I'm trying to find out so I can protect Gino.”

“If you're not careful, you're the one who is going to need protection,” she says, smiling. “I hear Gino was responsible for taking care of a rat not too long ago. He takes tattlers very seriously. So does Ray Gallo.”

I try not to show her my uneasiness. I wonder if she is telling the truth about Gino killing a rat. I change the subject. “So, I see you've got plenty to hide as well. I knew Capriotti was dirty, but now I see you're involved in all this too. I could tell them, you know.”

She chuckles. “Well, you could. But then I would be forced to inform Gino of your true loyalties. I'm afraid he would be very disappointed in his godson.”

“He would never hurt me.”

“Really? I wouldn't be so sure. His allegiance is to his family and the Mafia. And you haven't exactly proven yourself trustworthy.” She motions to the paper and key in my hands.

“I'm pretty sure he didn't exactly hand those over to you. Although, I must say, even though we expected you to show up after you questioned Paul, I had no idea that you would take Gino's private items to get in here.”

I shake my head in frustration, ashamed of myself but not wanting to show it. “What do you want from me?”

She eyes me intently. This is the question for which she has obviously been waiting. “So many things, Danny. You're an important key to this whole organization. But for the moment, my silence can be bought with two items. Two items that will keep me and my boss from saying anything ‘unfortunate' about you to Ray or, more importantly, Gino, whom Ray still trusts completely.”

I say nothing. I feel helpless, as though the door I have chosen has opened into a gaping, black hole from which I can't escape.

“I need you to find out who the undercover person is from your little friends at the police department,” Barb says. “And then, I want you to get us Tony Chen's laptop.”

“What?”

“Yes. You see, it seems as though Mister Chen is selling his son's protection software to some of Ray's clients. We need Tony's laptop. If you don't help us, we'll just take it ourselves—and maybe take the whole family out while we're at it.”

I stare at her in disbelief. “Why? Why would you kill an entire family?”

“This is big money,” Barb replies. “More than your tiny brain could ever imagine. We're not letting one little family stand in our way.” She sneers at me. “And we're not letting you stand in our way either.” Next she pulls my wallet out of her pocket and puts the business card back behind my ID. “You've got three days, Danny. That's it. Then I'll tell Gino and Ray you're a rat. On Tuesday morning you will meet me at the Newcastle Mall and turn over both the computer and the name of the undercover.”

I glare at her, agreeing to nothing.

She holds out my wallet. “Do what you're told, Danny. Stop trying to be a hero. It didn't work for your dad, and it won't work for you.”

“My dad's not a hero, not even close,” I counter, snatching the wallet from her claw-like fingers.

“Not that one,” she says, and then she cackles at the look of confusion crossing my face.

“You had better go—I don't want your buddy to get suspicious.”

I don't move. “What did you mean about my dad?”

Her face contorts unattractively. “All these father figures—and not one of them good. Poor boy.”

I wait for her to say more, but she just leans quietly up against the stair rail and grins at me. “This is not over. I won't let you win,” I tell her bitterly.

“Oh, you're right about that, Danny. It's not over. We will use you however we see fit. You may have escaped me once, but it won't happen again.”

“Why won't you leave me alone?”

She sneers. “We will—eventually. When you are of no further worth.”

I scowl at her and then hurry out the door, desperate to get away from a mess I may never escape.

I climb into the Lexus, feeling like I have just been shot.

“Well?” Vince asks, his face as serious as the night he tried to attack me.

“I got it,” I reply, holding up the wallet.

Vince nods, but he doesn't fire up the SUV. “You're awfully serious for someone who just had a successful break-in. I thought you'd be all excited. What's up?”

“Nothing,” I snap; I'm spinning out of control.

“Did you run into their Rottweiler?”

I spin around to face him. “They have a Rottweiler? That might have been important information for me to know!” I am definitely overreacting, but the truth is, I can't check my emotions at the moment.

“Hey, take it easy!” Vince snaps back. “You didn't run into any trouble, right?”

I shake my head and turn to look out the window, making myself live yet another lie.

“No, it's fine. I'm just—I'm just tired of all this nonsense with Tommy.”

Vince puts the SUV in drive and speeds quickly out of the neighborhood, seemingly oblivious to our earlier goal to not raise suspicion with the neighbors. But I don't care at the moment. The truth is, I did run into trouble, and I think an encounter with the Gallo's vicious dog might have been preferable to the meeting I had just had with Barb Kluwer. I can't believe that I am getting blackmailed for the second time in less than a month, and I can't tell Vince because I know his loyalties are to his dad first. If I tell Vince what Barb wants, Vince will urge me to divulge the undercover's name and take the computer just to make sure Gino doesn't get into any trouble with the mob underboss. But I know I can never give up Frank's name to that woman. Not only would Frank be as good as dead, Gino might die too because he brought Frank under his wing. I'm relieved that Barb and the others think the undercover is a cop; however, someone may suspect Frank. And I know I must warn him before the wiseguys figure out who the spy is among them.

* * * *

Finding a way to contact Pete Alvarez on Sunday is more difficult than I thought it would be. Julia's cell phone is practically an extension of her ear, and I don't want to ask Vince because this might raise a bunch of questions I won't be able to answer. I can't use the house phone or my phone because I don't know who might be listening to my call. It's possible, maybe unlikely, but possible. Eventually, I decide to go to a pay phone, but by the time I go with the Vigliottis to church and have Sunday dinner, I have already lost a decent portion of the afternoon. Finally, I use my cell phone to call the one person I had really hoped to avoid until I figured this whole mess out.

Reggie picks up on the third ring.

“You guys are really dropping the ball. I've never waited for three rings before,” I joke.

“Hey, Danny,” Reggie says, his voice lacking enthusiasm. “What's up?”

“I need your help.”

Reggie sighs. “What is it this time? I was grounded for three weeks last time you needed my help. And what could you possibly want from me? I've seen your place, Danny. Remember? You've got everything you want.”

“Knock it off, Reggie. I really, really need a friend right now,” I say, trying to express in the tone of my voice everything I can't say out loud. “Please come get me.”

Reggie groans. “Fine. But I'm taking my mom's car. I don't need to get knocked off by the mob.”

I mildly control my frustration. “Just come get me. I'll reimburse you for gas.”

“How about my homework? Will you do that too?” Reggie's voice is oozing sarcasm.

“Just come get me.” I snap my cell phone shut with more force than necessary and glare at Baxter, who wags his tail happily, despite my scowl.

“Baxter, I feel like I'm you and everyone else is Tommy Gallo's Rottweiler.” I pat his tiny head then walk outside to wait for Reggie.

Thirty minutes later, my friend arrives in an old Toyota Camry. He is in no better mood than he was on the phone. “Where are we going?” Reggie asks. “The mall? Are you going to buy me something nice?”

I slam the door, my anger starting to spill over despite my determination to control it.

“Gas station on the corner.”

“I came all the way here just to drive you to the gas station?” Reggie complains bitterly as he pulls away from the curb and starts down the street. “Couldn't you get your spoiled ‘brother' to take you?”

I've finally had it. “Enough, Reggie! I am asking you as a friend to help me. I'm in a lot of trouble, and I need it to look like I'm out with a friend. You
are
my friend, right?”

Reggie rolls his eyes. “You tell me. You're the one who left, Danny. You left and now you're all wrapped up in your new life as the son of a mobster.”

“Gino's not my dad. And now I'm in a big mess.” I pause, trying to figure out what I should tell Reggie. “The district attorney's assistant knows about the undercover agent, except she wants to expose him to Ray Gallo. She wants me to help her do that in addition to doing some other things for her.”

“Other things?”

“She wants me to steal a laptop, too. If I don't, she's going to tell Gino and Ray about my connection to the police. Reggie, I don't know what they will do! Well, scratch that—I have a feeling I know what Ray will do.”

Reggie smashes his hands angrily against the steering wheel. “Are you kidding me?

What is wrong with you, Danny? You've got to get out of this!”

“What do you mean?”

Reggie slams on his brakes in front of the gas station. “Just tell the agent you're in trouble and you need to get out of the Vigliotti house.”

“Are you joking? I'm not leaving the Vigliottis. I need to protect Gino, like he protected me!” I counter.

“No, Danny. You need to protect yourself
and
do what's right. Get out of there!”

I want to beat the dashboard. “You don't understand! If they take me away from here, I won't see anyone again, including you!”

“Well, that won't be much different from how things are now, will it?” Reggie retorts.

“You're becoming just like them, Danny. You're practically one of them.”

“What? A mobster? How can you even say that? I've always done the right thing!”

“Really? Take a good look at who you're protecting, Danny. Whether by accident or not, you're now a part of the Newcastle Mob.”

“That's not true,” I shoot back, but I don't know what else I can say to defend myself. We glare at each other for a few minutes. I am furious with Reggie's lack of support, and I don't feel like I can count on anyone now. I decide to do what I had planned to do, even though I'm losing trust in my friend. I pull a piece of paper out of my wallet.