“Ciao, Gio. Third room. Guido caught someone snooping around outside. Thought you'd like to be the one to interview him. Find out what he's doing here.”
I rubbed my brow in frustration. I wasn't an enforcer anymore but sometimes it still fell to me to take care of the dirty work. “I'm on it.” With a nod I headed up the stairs.
When I stepped into that room, I couldn't have been more surprised if the Pope was waiting for me. “Naz.” Nazario Baretti, Naz for short, was an old childhood friend. “What in the hell are you doing here and why were you sneaking around outside?” Old friend or not, if he putla famigliaat risk, I would end him. It didn’t matter to me that he worked for the Ricci family. I had my own people to worry about and protect.
“Gio. It’s about damn time you got here. I’m here because word got back toLa Famiglia,the Ricci’s, that there was an incident that could bring unwanted attention to our business.”
Fucking Deo. I could wring his damn neck. “It’s being handled, Naz.La Famigliahas nothing to worry about.” While the Marchetti family had full control of New Orleans, we still answered to the Ricci Crime Family and they were wellwithin their rights to send their main enforcer here to make sure nothing could connect them to crimes here in the Crescent City.
“Gio, Gio, Gio. You know better than that.La Famigliaworries about anything that could bringla poliziato our doorstep. I am here to make sure the problem is fixed.”
“Of course. Let me give you a tour of our operation. Where are you staying while you’re in town? You know Mama will insist on you staying at the house.”
“She istestardo.”
“Mama prefers persistent over stubborn but they’re the same thing in my book.” We both chuckled while I showed him around the warehouse.
“I need to know what happened, Gio.”
I rubbed a hand over my face. “Deo happened. He’d been wanting more responsibility and I thought he was ready. I was wrong and everything went south. Ultimately, the fault is mine.”
“There are rumors there are connections tola polizia.. Tell me it isn’t so.”
“I can’t do that without lying, Naz. It’s been taken care of. Nothing is going to connectla famigliato the body.”
“You know I will have to question him myself. I know he’s your brother, but it is my job to protectLa Famiglia. This isn’t about trusting your ability to clean things up.”
“Yeah. I know, Naz. I won’t ask you to go easy on him. I won’t insult you that way.” Mama wouldn’t be happy about herbambinobeing questioned but maybe this would be the kick in the ass Deo needed to straighten the fuck up.
