The Scorpion's Tale (19 page)

“These guys are from Rio,” Nick answered.

“What are their names?” she pressed, inching
her face closer to his.

“Jackie wouldn’t give us names.”

“Can I speak with him? I’ve got some
particular questions I need answered.”

Nick looked uncomfortable. “That’s not
possible,” he said, sipping his Merlot.

Giovanna looked offended. “You don’t think
I’m capable of getting information? Is it because I’m a woman and
Jackie’s such a tough guy?” she asked, raising her voice enough to
attract the attention of nearby guests. “Let me assure you Nick, I
can be very persuasive.”

Nick nodded in agreement and motioned for her
to lower her voice. “Yes, I
know
you can be persuasive. But
it’s not possible,” he repeated.

Giovanna looked at Nick, trying to decipher
the meaning of his statement. He looked away from her and then she
knew.

“Nick, you didn’t, did you? Tell me you
didn’t kill him.”

“What’s with the third degree? Are you
wearing a wire?”

“I’m not even wearing panties, which you
won’t get to witness unless you answer me!” Gia responded without
missing a beat.

“Sorry Gia, but the bottom line is that you
can’t ever talk with Jackie, and that’s all I’m going to say.”

Giovanna looked hurt.

In response, Nick reached for her hand. She
didn’t pull away. He tenderly stroked her fingers as he admired her
hands. “I’m sorry,” he whispered.

“I don’t believe you! You made a promise and
broke it!”

Nick changed the subject. “Giovanna, it’s
getting too dangerous for you in New York. I want you to return to
San Remo and I want to go with you. I can protect you there.”

“I don’t need your protection. I’m a big girl
and I can take care of myself. Stop treating me like an idiot!” she
said, raising her voice. “I need to finish what I’ve started!”

“I’m sorry, Gia, I just don’t want to see you
get hurt. Work with me, Gia. Meet me halfway. Trust me when I tell
you it’s too dangerous. I’m not ordering you, I’m asking you.”

Giovanna calmed herself. “Nick, we would have
the same problem in San Remo.”

“No Gia, we wouldn’t. My family will take
care of things here. A lot of people could get killed and I don’t
want either of us to be among the casualties. I’ll go with you to
make sure you’re safe until the problem is resolved.”

Giovanna sighed, suddenly looking very tired.
“I don’t know, Nick. I came here for a purpose and I’m not leaving
until I’m satisfied.”

Nick smiled as he reached for both of her
hands. “Then we’ll play by your rules, Gia.”

He leaned toward her and she met him halfway.
She kissed him and playfully withdrew a few inches to gaze into his
eyes. “I’ll sleep on it.” Giovanna clicked her glass against his
and sipped her Merlot, a satisfied smile enveloping her face. Men
were so easy to control, she thought.

Detective Johnston had reached a dead end in
his investigation. Chesney had been cooperative in answering the
detective’s questions, but his intuition warned him that Harry was
holding back. The detective’s initial instinct had been to ask
Harry for help in tracking down Steven, but the more he thought
about it, the less he wanted Harry to know of his or Steven’s
activities.

Detective Johnston was immersed in his
thoughts. Assuming the Scorpion had killed Veeksburn, how did he
learn that Capresi was in Vegas? Harry had dismissed the detective,
citing the Scorpion’s unlimited intelligence network. How could the
Scorpion have obtained such precise and specific information about
an obscure meeting in the desert? The Scorpion would ultimately
have needed someone very close to Veeksburn. Who was the Scorpion’s
source? It couldn’t be Steven’s dinner companion in Chicago, and
Veeksburn was a loner, so who would he tell about the location of
his meeting with Steven? All roads led to Harry

Deep in thought, hands folded into his
pockets, he proceeded to cross the street. The rev of an engine
brought him back to reality. He looked over his shoulder in time to
see a car accelerating towards him. Taking two gigantic strides, he
dove from the car’s deliberate path, onto the sidewalk. The car
brushed by him and disappeared around the corner.

-------------------

Nick paid the check and motioned to Jerry.
“Okay big guy. We’re ready. Warm up the car and we’ll be right
behind you.”

Jerry headed to the front door, followed by
Pete and Louie. Nick waved down the owner of the restaurant and
took Gia by the arm, saying, “Come here. I want to show you a
picture of my brother.” He led her toward the back area where there
was a large photograph of the Manzione family. As Nick pointed to
the handsome man next to him in the picture, Jerry opened the front
door. Suddenly the glass door and front windows shattered. Nick
instinctively reached for Giovanna and pulled her to the floor. He
fell on top of her as Louie and Pete withdrew their guns in one
fluid motion. Shattered glass flew everywhere, and the diners and
staff scrambled for refuge underneath tables. Jerry’s massive body
danced in the doorway under a hail of bullets. Finally, Jerry
collapsed onto the sidewalk.

Louie and Pete returned fire. The first
gunman, shot in the head, lay dead in the gutter. The second, shot
in the knees and chest, lay twitching on the ground while the third
shooter, still in the car, sped away with the driver and
disappeared into the night.

Nick stood and pulled Giovanna from the
floor, brushing glass shards off her clothes. Neither Giovanna nor
Nick had been injured. Nick gripped Giovanna’s shoulders tightly
and shook her. Her eyes were wide with fright and glazed in shock.
Nick shook her again and stared straight into her eyes.

“Giovanna, talk to me, baby.”

Giovanna looked at Nick but said nothing.
Tears welled in her eyes as she trembled uncontrollably.

Nick grabbed her arm and walked her
outside.

“Pete. Get her out of here. Take her back to
the hotel and wait for my call. Louie and I will clean up.”

Pete took Giovanna by the hand, led her to
Nick’s car, and drove off. Nick and Louie knelt down beside the
dying man.

“Do you know either of these guys, Louie?”
Nick asked, as he rummaged through the nearest shooter’s pockets
for identification.

Louie shook his head. “No, Nick. I don’t know
them.”

Nick found his wallet and opened it. He
pulled out the driver’s license and showed it to Louie.

“Eddie Torres,” Nick read.

“Great,” Louie said, “there must be a
thousand Eddie Torres’ in the city.”

“Get the other guy’s wallet and let’s get out
of here.”

Louie jumped up and ran over to the dead
man.

Nick looked down at the gunman. The man’s
chest was heaving as he struggled for his final breaths. Nick
leaned closer to him.

The man opened his eyes and looked straight
at Nick. Blood was flowing from his mouth and nose. He struggled to
speak, moving his trembling lips and working his jaw muscles in a
desperate attempt to form words. He managed to utter a short
sentence, struggling for breaths in between each word.

“You fuck, the…bitch…is…dead. So…are…you.” A
faint smile came across his face, and then he was gone. Nick ran to
his car and joined Louie, thinking how his brother Carlo helped him
out again, this time from beyond the grave.

-------------------

Nick and Louie hastily entered Alberto’s
house. Alberto wore his bathrobe and was getting ready to retire.
He came downstairs and met them in the study.

“What happened?” Alberto asked, looking back
and forth between the ashen faces of Nick and Louie.

“We were ambushed at the restaurant,” Nick
replied. “They were shooting from a car parked on the street. Pete
and Louie killed two, but two got away.”

Alberto looked past Nick. “Where’s Pete?” he
asked.

“He’s with Giovanna at her hotel,” Nick
answered.

“And Jerry?” Alberto asked.

Nick glanced at Louie, and then lowered his
head. “Jerry’s dead. He took about fifty bullets.”

“Yeah, Alberto,” Louie added, “that
overstuffed teddy bear saved our lives.”

Alberto walked over to his chair and sat
down. He looked pale. He silently stroked his chin and looked down
at the ground, shaking his head in disbelief. Alberto loved Jerry.
War had been declared.

“Who are these people?” he shouted, looking
beyond Nick and Louie. “They’re dead. All of them!”

Nick and Louie said nothing, waiting for
Alberto’s wrath to subside.

Alberto looked at Nick. “I’ve changed my
mind. I want you to do what you need to do and find these people.
The two surviving shooters are already marked men. I expect their
bodies will be floating in the river by tonight. You won’t find
them alive. Find out who hired them.” He yelled something
incomprehensible and pounded his fist on the end table. “Jerry,
Jerry! I raised him like a son! Poor Jerry,” Alberto moaned. “He
was loyal like a son! He was famiglia!”

Alberto’s eyes were red and puffy, but there
were no tears. Alberto would not allow himself to cry in front of
his men. “Find these mothers and send them an invitation to the
Gates of Hell!” he yelled.

“What about Giovanna?” Nick asked.

“Bring her here! Get her out of that
hotel!”

-------------------

Alberto, Nick, and Louie sat in the study and
waited, while a horde of enforcers patrolled the estate. Nick paced
back and forth, looking at his watch every few minutes. Finally,
one of Alberto’s men walked in the room to announce Pete’s arrival.
Nick got up and poured himself a scotch. He could now relax.

Pete walked into the room followed by
Giovanna. Nick rushed over and hugged her.

“How are you doing?” Nick asked, gently
stroking her hair.

“Better now,” she said.

Nick took her by the hand and led her towards
Alberto. “I want to introduce you to my uncle.”

“Giovanna, I have been looking forward to
meeting you. I’m sorry that it’s under such circumstances.”
Alberto’s smile disappeared. “It appears that Nick has not been
completely truthful with me.” Alberto glanced at Nick’s
apprehensive expression. Giovanna also looked worried. Alberto
returned his gaze to Giovanna’s face and an even bigger smile
spread across his face. “You are even more beautiful than Nick
described! I’ll deal with my nephew later. Come sit next to
me.”

When they realized that Alberto was teasing
them, Nick and Giovanna both breathed a sigh of relief. Giovanna
sat on the couch next to Alberto’s chair.

“What can we get you to drink, Giovanna? I’m
sure you probably need something after tonight.”

Giovanna sighed heavily. “A gin and tonic.
Thank you.”

Alberto looked over at Louie. “You heard the
lady.”

Alberto regarded the young lovers for a few
moments. “You make a nice couple.”

Nick smiled as he put his arm around her.
Giovanna snuggled against him. “Your nephew is a very special man,”
she said, taking Nick’s hand in hers.

“I know,” Alberto agreed. “And he thinks the
world of you.”

Giovanna nodded appreciatively.

“I am very sorry about what happened to your
family,” Alberto said. “I know you are determined to find the
people responsible. I had instructed Nick to take you back to San
Remo because it is too dangerous for you to remain in New
York.”

“And I agree to return with Nick,” she
acknowledged.

Nick looked surprised. “I thought you were
going to think about it.”

Giovanna smiled, all the while looking at
Alberto. “I’ve had plenty of time to think about it. I will return
to San Remo with Nick.”

Alberto retrieved his drink and took a sip.
“Giovanna, I’ve changed my mind. These people tried to kill you and
Nick. Jerry is dead.”

Giovanna lowered her eyes. “He seemed very
sweet.”

“He was,” Alberto said, a lump in his throat.
“I want Nick to find these people, and I would like you to remain a
guest in my house. My men will protect you until this is finished.
I’m sending Nick to Rio.”

Louie handed Giovanna her drink and sat down
next to Pete.

Giovanna sipped her drink, inching closer to
Alberto and lowering her voice. “Alberto, I greatly appreciate your
hospitality and your generous offer to protect me, but I want to go
with Nick to Brazil. I need to go with him!”

Alberto raised his hand to silence her.
“Enough! I won’t hear of it!” he said, raising his voice. “You will
stay here and that’s the end of this discussion!”

“It’s much too dangerous for you, Giovanna,”
Nick added. “You need to be here where I won’t have to worry about
you. I’m going into a city I know nothing about. I’ve got a job to
do, and you’ll only get in the way.” Nick felt Giovanna’s body
tense, and she pulled away slightly, just enough to let Nick know
she was displeased.

Giovanna knew it was pointless to argue any
further. She wasn’t going to change Alberto’s mind. She held her
tongue as she considered her options.

Nick moved closer to the edge of the couch.
“Uncle, Louie and Pete will come with me. I’d like to take Eddie
and Braulio. Eddie’s been there before so he can help us get our
bearings.”

Alberto stood up. “Take all of them.”

Nick turned to Louie. “Go tell Eddie and
Braulio to get ready.”

Alberto leaned towards Giovanna and kissed
her on the cheek. “Goodnight. We’ll have more time to talk in the
morning. Perhaps you’ll join me for breakfast and you can tell me
about your family. I know you are angry with me, but you will come
to appreciate the wisdom of my decision.”

Giovanna smiled warmly. She was already
making other plans. “That would be my pleasure, Alberto. I look
forward to our breakfast.” She kissed him on the cheek and glanced
at Nick.