Italy might not have been the best choice of venue. He didn’t know how far along Tiffany was in the planning process, but the first chance he got, he would suggest they wait to have the wedding in the states.
From what he gauged, his employer needed to sanitize. Sometimes the fumes reached those in close proximity.
“You have something on your mind Tony?” Nico asked out of the blue.
“No.”
“Second thoughts, maybe?”
“No second thoughts.” Alfonzo had issued orders. Tony had observed Alfonzo long enough to establish he wasn’t stupid like Chip…no way…Chip didn’t have a smart bone in his body. A Mafioso of Alfonzo’s stature stayed alive with cunning, force didn’t always win a duel. In this case, he had to wipe Domingo’s grime from his hands and the only option was to hit the players before the law started figuring out names. Thinking about what occurred at the shop, he realized Domingo was marked the minute Alfonzo entered the door. He didn’t send anyone to handle the situation; he’d done the unpleasant deed himself.
Tony wiped his lower lip; these guys were cold-blooded.
Nico spoke. “You’re going on an assignment. I want to see if you can handle yourself in the field. You won’t have any crew. Tomorrow morning I’ll fill you in on the details. Meet me at the spot at three a.m. Let your lady know you have to go on a short business trip. Let’s get something out of the way so we can avoid that surprise look as I slice your throat if I hear you’ve broken rules. One, never talk shop with your woman or anybody, two, when you’re entrusted with a job, do it, no excuses. Three, never have me mop up after your mess. Four, break those rules and we’re no longer friends, capisce?”
“No capisce. One, if I can’t talk shop with anybody does n’t that include you?”
“You’re a smart-ass, huh?”
“I’m not a kid you need to explain common sense stuff to. While we’re having this discussion, let me remind you that even professionals screw up. A cigar for example can be dropped containing a killer’s DNA, but if a brother hadn’t been generous and withheld the identity of the careless smoker from Chip, who knows where that expert might be today, capisce?”
“Humph.” Nico scoffed. “Right here enjoying a cigar in peace, while you and Chip’s establishment would be filled with a clientele of dead miscreants.” He reached inside the hand rest and silently laughed when Tony’s bravado wavered. When he pulled out two cigars, Tony’s broad shoulders relaxed. Nico’s eyes were on the road, held between his fingers were stogies. “Light ‘em up and shut the fuck up!”
C HAPTER FIVE
The boxes were packed and loaded on the truck today. The large bulky items were being shipped to Italy. Selange wanted some familiar furnishings, like an antique armoire that belonged to her Nana and a break front that she said was purchased by her dad.
Alfonzo had shrugged; the ugly pieces would be delegated to the basement anyway. The renovations were finalized on the villa; the children’s school and security were chosen. The only thing missing was the Diaz family on Italian soil which would happen shortly.
Soon the Diaz roots would sprout to another part of the world to form solid limbs. Alfonzo walked along the edge of the shoreline. He could see the ancient fort and the hotels on opposite ends of the coastline to accommodate the influx of tourists who flocked here in droves over the years. Puerto Rico had changed and so had he. The island would always be his home, in fact his abode simply stretched to more continents.
He chose to meet Emilio in Old San Juan to say farewell and to take a stroll on a part of the island his grandparents took him to visit when he was a kid.
He looked at the old garrison sitting not far in the distance. Some things had changed, but that fort remained untouched. There wasn’t pretentious ambience other than the
From what he gauged, his employer needed to sanitize. Sometimes the fumes reached those in close proximity.
“You have something on your mind Tony?” Nico asked out of the blue.
“No.”
“Second thoughts, maybe?”
“No second thoughts.” Alfonzo had issued orders. Tony had observed Alfonzo long enough to establish he wasn’t stupid like Chip…no way…Chip didn’t have a smart bone in his body. A Mafioso of Alfonzo’s stature stayed alive with cunning, force didn’t always win a duel. In this case, he had to wipe Domingo’s grime from his hands and the only option was to hit the players before the law started figuring out names. Thinking about what occurred at the shop, he realized Domingo was marked the minute Alfonzo entered the door. He didn’t send anyone to handle the situation; he’d done the unpleasant deed himself.
Tony wiped his lower lip; these guys were cold-blooded.
Nico spoke. “You’re going on an assignment. I want to see if you can handle yourself in the field. You won’t have any crew. Tomorrow morning I’ll fill you in on the details. Meet me at the spot at three a.m. Let your lady know you have to go on a short business trip. Let’s get something out of the way so we can avoid that surprise look as I slice your throat if I hear you’ve broken rules. One, never talk shop with your woman or anybody, two, when you’re entrusted with a job, do it, no excuses. Three, never have me mop up after your mess. Four, break those rules and we’re no longer friends, capisce?”
“No capisce. One, if I can’t talk shop with anybody does n’t that include you?”
“You’re a smart-ass, huh?”
“I’m not a kid you need to explain common sense stuff to. While we’re having this discussion, let me remind you that even professionals screw up. A cigar for example can be dropped containing a killer’s DNA, but if a brother hadn’t been generous and withheld the identity of the careless smoker from Chip, who knows where that expert might be today, capisce?”
“Humph.” Nico scoffed. “Right here enjoying a cigar in peace, while you and Chip’s establishment would be filled with a clientele of dead miscreants.” He reached inside the hand rest and silently laughed when Tony’s bravado wavered. When he pulled out two cigars, Tony’s broad shoulders relaxed. Nico’s eyes were on the road, held between his fingers were stogies. “Light ‘em up and shut the fuck up!”
C HAPTER FIVE
The boxes were packed and loaded on the truck today. The large bulky items were being shipped to Italy. Selange wanted some familiar furnishings, like an antique armoire that belonged to her Nana and a break front that she said was purchased by her dad.
Alfonzo had shrugged; the ugly pieces would be delegated to the basement anyway. The renovations were finalized on the villa; the children’s school and security were chosen. The only thing missing was the Diaz family on Italian soil which would happen shortly.
Soon the Diaz roots would sprout to another part of the world to form solid limbs. Alfonzo walked along the edge of the shoreline. He could see the ancient fort and the hotels on opposite ends of the coastline to accommodate the influx of tourists who flocked here in droves over the years. Puerto Rico had changed and so had he. The island would always be his home, in fact his abode simply stretched to more continents.
He chose to meet Emilio in Old San Juan to say farewell and to take a stroll on a part of the island his grandparents took him to visit when he was a kid.
He looked at the old garrison sitting not far in the distance. Some things had changed, but that fort remained untouched. There wasn’t pretentious ambience other than the
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