Deep (Pagano Family #4)(30)

Conti asked, “Is that confirmed? It was Church?”

“Yes. We got a message from him Saturday, claiming credit.”

“What was the message?”

Ben gestured at Nick, who answered. “The registration card from the SUV.”

Gabriel Sacco cut in. “These are Providence problems—caused by your beef with Auberon. You handled that beef off the record. And every one of us had something going with Auberon. All that business was broken.”

Ben tipped his head, once, acknowledging Sacco’s complaint. “You’re right. But that was a problem that needed to be handled quickly, and I did what had to be done. I’ve made my apologies to the Council, and I’ve paid my restitution to the families.” He looked around the table. “Yes?” All the bosses, including Sacco, nodded. “We move from here, then. That the void would be filled by this gutter trash none of us expected. Yes, Church’s attention is on the Paganos now, and it’s us who are taking the brunt of the damage. But I know you’re hurting, too.”

Sacco spoke again, clearly looking for a fight, and Nick turned his antennae toward the reactions of the rest of the table. Something was happening here. “Again, this is your weight. You should not be asking for help. You should be offering it.”

Conti, too, was spoiling. He could see it in the nod of the man’s head. Nick sat forward, and Ben gave him a warning look. Fred, to Ben’s left, caught Nick’s eye and made a bare shake of his head. Neither needed to have worried; Nick wasn’t going to interrupt. But he would have information for later, if he needed it.

But his uncle was on fire today. “It’s good you say this, Gabriel. I’m not here to ask for help. I am here to offer it.”

His assertion changed the tone of the table immediately. Ben had their attention. Though the conversation was lively, and though Sacco and Conti looked for holes everywhere, by the end of the meeting, the Council was in and had a plan. It was a long-view plan that would take weeks to play out, but it was solid.

Alvin Church didn’t know it yet, but all the families were coming for him. His days were numbered.



oOo



Nick’s new driver, Sam, was not quite as big as Jimmy but big enough and plenty mean. He’d been promoted from bagman to this more high-profile position. Nick knew he’d been a great bagman because nobody ever f*cked with him. So he was probably great for this position, if he could handle the long stretches of empty time without getting bored.

Was that what had happened to Jimmy? Had he gotten bored and wandered off? Had Church’s men simply gotten lucky? Had they been following Nick around with a bomb, waiting for their chance?

No. They’d known when they’d have the chance. Somehow, they’d known. They’d known where Nick would be. They’d known where the SUV would be. They’d known they’d have opportunity to place the bomb, and Jimmy never left his post without letting someone know and getting covered.

That meant that somebody close to Nick was in on it. Not Jimmy. Jimmy had been killed, and his warning had saved Nick, Brian, and Beverly.

Brian was Nick’s oldest, closest friend. Their relationship transcended the Pagano Brothers. And Brian had been with Nick all night. He’d covered him with his own body.

No, not Brian.

Not Beverly—he’d had a full check done on her. She had no cause, no ties, no experience, no opportunity.

Matty or Chi-Chi. It had to be one of them. It had to be. One of his own crew. When he found out which one it was, Nick would devise a new way to kill.

He would have to tell Uncle Ben about his suspicions and lock down any conversation about their plans for Stone and Church, but otherwise, he would say nothing until he was sure.

With Matty at his side, he pushed the door to his friend’s hospital room open. Brian was ready to go, dressed and sitting on the side of the bed. His left arm was in a sling, and there was a kind of net bandage showing on the back of his neck.

Nick set aside his murderous thoughts and smiled. “You ready to go, crip?”

“Nice—thanks for that. Yeah. I’m just waiting for a wheelchair. They won’t let me walk out.”

“Matty—there was one in the hall. Grab it.” Nick turned to Brian. “We’ll take you down.”

Brian shook his head. “No, no. I’ll wait. You should see this nurse who’s going to take me down. Hot as f*ck.”

As if on cue, the door opened again, and a big, bald orderly came in with the wheelchair. “Mr. Notaro? Ready for your ride?”

Brian actually blushed, and Nick laughed, forgetting for the moment his dark thoughts of betrayal and revenge, and focusing on his friend’s embarrassment. “Brian, man. I had no idea. Not that there’s anything wrong with that.”

“Fuck you, man.” Still sitting on the bed, he gave the orderly a plaintive look. “Where’s the nurse? The blonde with the little white cats on her scrubs? Kaia?”

“She’s with another patient. Gonna be a while. I’m your taxi service.”

Nick was still laughing as Brian muttered “Fuck” and moved to the wheelchair.



oOo



They dropped Matty off at the warehouse, and Sam drove Nick and Brian to Brian’s apartment. Once they got Brian situated, Sam went on watch, and Nick got beers for himself and his friend. Sitting back in his aged recliner, Brian took the brew with a grateful nod, and Nick went to his sofa. He’d stay until Brian’s guard came.