Total pages in book: 74
Estimated words: 73042 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 365(@200wpm)___ 292(@250wpm)___ 243(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 73042 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 365(@200wpm)___ 292(@250wpm)___ 243(@300wpm)
This is where Giacomo Puzo lives, along with his lovely wife Marinella and their two children, Anna and Paulina.
Marinella and the girls probably have no idea what Daddy does for a living.
Fred parks the car in a circular driveway in front of the home’s three-car garage.
My bodyguard, Elmo—yes, that’s actually his name—sits beside me in the backseat. When Fred is in front of the house, he moves to get out of the car, but I stop him.
“I’m going up alone.”
Elmo frowns. “Mr. Bianchi wouldn’t like that.”
“Do you think I give a rat’s ass what Mr. Bianchi would like? I’m going up there alone. If he’s not home, I don’t want to alarm his wife or children.”
Elmo looks over at the house for a moment, but finally nods. “If you say so, Mr. Gallo.”
I get out of the car and take the concrete walkway up to the elegant brick-and-stone two-story. This is a suburban dream. All that’s missing is the white picket fence.
I ring the doorbell, and a golden retriever peeks through the side window, his tongue hanging out of his mouth so that he looks like he’s smiling.
Man, a golden retriever? Aren’t mobsters supposed to have Dobermans or Rottweilers? Who is this guy anyway?
A moment later, a young woman wearing light-yellow yoga pants and a dark-gray hoodie answers the door, shooing the dog out of the way. “Go on, Francis.” Then she looks at me. “Hello, can I help you?”
“Are you Marinella Puzo?”
She laughs. “Gosh, no. I’m Clarice, the kids’ nanny.”
“I see. When do you expect Mrs. Puzo to come home?”
Clarice pulls out her cell phone and checks the time. “Probably pretty soon. She had lunch with the girls, and then a mani-pedi.” Clarice rolls her eyes.
I stifle a chuckle. Classic Mafia wife, for sure. “All right. What about Mr. Puzo?”
Clarice frowns. “He works late most nights. I hardly ever see him. By the time he gets home, I’ve already got the kids in bed and I’ve retired to my room.”
“Oh, you live here?”
“Yes. The nanny position is a live-in job.”
I tilt my head. This young woman is being pretty liberal with the information she’s giving me. She has no idea who I am. Granted, I’m wearing an Armani suit, and I totally look the part of a businessman. She has no idea I’m here to kill her employer.
Except I’m not going to kill him. Not directly, at least.
I have my own ideas of how to deal with this. I’m not quite sure what I’m going to do, but I’m good at strategizing on the fly.
“Please tell Mrs. Puzo that Vincent Gallo Junior stopped by to see Mr. Puzo.”
“Sure, glad to.” She smiles. “Do you have a card or something?”
“Of course.” I pull my wallet out of my pocket and take out one of my newly minted business cards.
Vincent Gallo Junior, Bianchi & Sons Imports. The Finest Arabica Beans from Colombia.
She grabs the card and reads it. “Oh, I love coffee.”
“We only import the best.” I give her a quick wink.
I learned while I was in Europe that my good looks can get me pretty much anything I want from a woman. I never took advantage of that, of course.
That is to say, I never used it for the gain of my mafia family. I took plenty of women to my bed, but they had just as good a time as I did.
Unfortunately, I may have to use my powers for evil now.
“It was nice to meet you, Clarice.”
“You too, Mr. Gallo.”
I dazzle her with my smile once more. “Vinnie. Call me Vinnie.”
“Sure. Of course.”
I nod and walk away from the Puzo home.
Clarice is a nice girl. Cute, friendly. Clearly overqualified for her job of changing diapers and chauffeuring rugrats to and from their errands.
I almost feel bad about the fact that the man who employs her will soon be six feet under.
5
RAVEN
I can’t believe it. It’s an email from my old bestie from high school, CJ Simons. She and I haven’t talked in ages. Does she even know I had cancer?
How did she get this email?
But I laugh at myself.
My email address is easy.
raven@bellamyranch.com.
I open the email and start to read.
Hey Ray,
Long time no talk! I just wanted to let you know that I’m back in town. I got a cushy job in the suburbs. It’s been forever since we’ve talked. I’m really sorry we lost touch after college. Of course it didn’t help that my family moved to Germany and I tagged along. I hope all is good with you, and if you’re still around, I’d love to meet up and find out what’s been going on with you for the past eight years. Give me a call.
Best, Ceej.
Then her phone number.
CJ Simons.
Damn. We used to hang out all the time. She and I were the only two in the needlecraft club at our small high school.