I think we all carry some guilt that we didn’t realize what was going or try to stop it.
That said, my father was exactly the sort of man Olivia thinks I am.
If I’d challenged him, I’d be dead too.
He was the one in La Corona valued himself more than family.
“Maybe,” Pops finally says.
“What can you tell me?”
“All that’s water under the bridge. Everyone is dead now.” Pops gives me a stern look, like he’s warning me against something.
Up until now, I’ve spoken with respect and reverence toward these men. They are my elders. But now I speak as the don of the Vitale family. “The FBI agent isn’t dead, and I have reason to believe he was behind Rocco’s kidnapping last year. So I need to know what the fuck vendetta he might have against the Vitales or La Corona.”
The three men straighten in a sign of respect, responding to the authority I hold, even in their retirement.
“Well, that changes things. Poor kid.” Carmine glances over where Rocco and his siblings are playing reindeer games. He turns back to me. “I don’t know if it’s the same guy, but Aldodid have a Fed he was bringing on. He was supposed to get some of the product seized in the raid that jammed up Umberto. He was also going to get paid to jam up the Russians. But you know your father. Something about the fed rubbed him wrong. So once Umberto was dead and Aberov was in prison, he…as my granddaughter says, ghosted him.”
I determine that could give Blackwood motive to want to fuck with us, but it doesn’t explain Detective Ricci’s murder. “How does Ricci fit into that?”
Pops lights a cigarette and takes a long puff before saying. “Aldo didn’t just ghost him. Aldo wanted Ricci to make sure the fed was caught with his ill-gotten gains. Especially when his initial plan didn’t work, he wanted someone to take the fall for Umberto. Who better than a greedy fed who’s on the take?”
“Don Monti took the fall?—”
“Well, he got blamed,” Carmine rightly points out. “Aldo was okay with that, as long as it wasn’t him.”
God, my father was such a mother fucker. “Back to Ricci.”
“Oh,” Pops flicks an ash on the ground. “My guess is the fed got wind of it. Killed Ricci. Your dad passed not long after. I never heard anything more after that.”
His reasoning makes sense. But Blackwood wasn’t satisfied with killing Ricci and my father dying. He wanted to ruin us all.
I finish my drink. "Thank you. This stays between us."
As they nod their agreement, I spot Roman across the festival, watching me intently. He gestures subtly for me to join him.
I excuse myself, the pieces falling into place.
Blackwood didn't just show up in our lives recently.
He's been circling La Corona for nearly a decade.
And Olivia's father may have died trying to get him exposed.
Which means Olivia is in even more danger than I thought. She’s already been attacked once, given a warning she hasn’t heeded.
I dial her number but it doesn’t ring. I stop walking, focusing on writing her a text. I need to warn her. But it doesn’t go through and I realize she’s blocked me. Dammit, Olivia.
Roman approaches, eyebrow raised. "Everything okay?"
"No." I move away from a group of carolers. "I need to find Olivia. Now."
“Dom, you need to?—”
“I’m nearly certain her boss killed her father for the same thing she’s doing now.”
“She’s an FBI agent. She knows how to protect?—”
