The Mafia Killer’s Wife by Rosa Milano

Thirty-Nine

Ethan

Iget to City Hall in time to see the ambulance pulling up. I get a bad feeling in my gut, bringing the car to a stop and climbing out in time to see Albie being loaded onto the back of a stretcher. "What happened?" I ask him, pushing past the uniforms on display.

"Mancini sent Victor to get her," he says with a grimace, holding onto his side. "Going to make her marry him."

"Which way did they go?"

He's pointing to the right as my cellphone rings. "Hang on in there, "I tell him as they load him into the ambulance.

I dig out my phone and answer it. "Ethan," Primo's voice is there and the sound of it makes me grate my teeth together. "How are you?"

"If you've hurt her, I swear to Almighty God I will tear you into pieces with my bare fucking hands, Primo."

"Is that any way to speak to a Don? Is that how you show respect to the Mancini famiglia on the day of my wedding?"

"Let her go and I might let you live."

"Did you think I was going to let the death of my son go without a comment? Did you really think I would allow that to pass by without acting?"

"You tried to act already. I killed all your men."

"That you did. I must say I was impressed. I was assured they would take care of you and they let me down. You did me a favor. I would have had them killed for failing me. You didn't kill Victor though, and that right there was the chink in your armor. You see, that's the difference between you and me, Ethan. You let yourself get emotionally attached and I don't. This is strictly business."

"Like killing my mother."

"The night of the meatballs evened up out there, don't you think?"

"Your men's balls for my parents? You think we're even?"

"How about you killing my son?"

"So you admit it is personal then."

"How would it look to the other families if I did nothing upon finding out my son had been killed? By a Gianni no less? If I do not act, I look weak. Now I may not have succeeded in having you whacked, but I have succeeded in taking something valuable of yours, to be held as hostage against your future conduct. If you agree to not pursue this foolish vendetta against me, I shall let her live. How does that sound?"

"Where is she?"

He laughs down the line. "You don't get it, do you? You're not calling the shots here, Ethan, I am. I have your woman and I can tell by the tone of your voice how much she means to you. Take it from one who knows, you should never let a woman into your heart. It only ends in tears.

"Look at your father. He would still be alive today if he hadn't fallen for that slut of a mother of yours. Like father, like son, eh, Ethan? Can't stay out of my business. Why did you even have to get involved? Why couldn't you just let my son marry her?"

"I'm going to kill you for this, Primo."

"I don't think you are. Think what the commission will do to you if you whack a Don. They'll have your head in a vise by the end of the day. Balls too. Maybe make you see what they taste like."

"Last chance, Primo. You let her go right now or I kill you."

"I know what'll help. We need to talk about this. Work it all out. I'd hate to make an enemy of you but I cannot let the death of my son go without some kind of compensation. You know what? Let's have a meeting. Face to face. We can thrash all this out and come to an arrangement. Reparations. Call it five million. I know you have more than that hidden away.

"The commission have okayed it so we're good. Come under flag of parley or the Gianni famiglia will incur their wrath. How many deaths do you want on your conscience? Eventually they'll whack someone who matters to you as punishment for your anger, maybe her."

I take a deep breath, thinking fast. I think I know what he's doing but I need another minute to be sure. His next few words will tell me if I'm on the right track or not. Time for him to play his hand. "You are getting sloppy," he says. "You let Tony go into the forest instead of killing him. You let her father out of your house alive to tell me what you did. You let my people follow your woman to that elusive hideout of yours. Now you let your emotions show in your voice. What happened to you? You used to be so cold, so efficient. You used to frighten me, Ethan."

"Where's the meet?" I ask, keeping my voice under control.

"Come to Ludovico's in thirty minutes. I'll have a drink waiting for you. Don't be late."

"And if I refuse?"

"Her air runs out in an hour so maybe think about that while you're deciding."

He hangs up and I swipe across the screen of my cellphone, bringing up the tracker. It flashes and gives me the answer I need. I smile to myself. So that's his plan.

Bring me along to his territory. Whack me and then say I burst in on him. The commission will back him up. With me out of the picture, he'll marry Amanda simply to show the Gianni famiglia he can do whatever he wants and we cannot stop him, not with me dead for trying.

I run over to the back of my car and open the trunk. The case is inside. I flick the clasps and look at the contents. Exactly what I need. He said an hour of air. To get where I need to be will take twenty-one minutes. I work out the route in my head as I close the case and then the trunk.

Time to go get my fiance.