Leon stopped her by placing a hand on her arm.“Please join us.Your friends at least know you and they would be more comfortable with you at our first meeting,” he spoke softly.
Jelly nodded then stepped back into the room.
Storm nodded at her.“Hey, Jelly Bean how you been?”
“Been living high and mighty,” she joked.“All gravy and no train.This man here may think he is living normally.”She motioned to Leon.“But as you can see....It is like the Lifestyles of the Rich and Extremely Dangerous.And you?”
Storm chuckled.“Same ole Jelly.All jokes and no fear.I always thought I might see you on a comedy tour somewhere.”He then shrugged and asked her, “So is this for real?”
Jelly Bean nodded.“Yeah man, this is real.”
Storm turned his head to stare at Leon and asked, “Why’d you know enough to call me?”
Leon sat behind his desk and studied the group of men in front of him.They really weren’t anything average.Let alone an average street person.All big, in shape and looking alert to anything that might come.“I knew to call for you because of the signals.You know the flashlights as you were guarding my street?Then I went to Jelly Bean.After convincing her of the importance, she told me your name but not much else.Said I needed to talk to Oscar.”
Storm nodded.“I can’t believe you even know him.”
“I’ve known him for a while.So, after I realized you and your group were keeping a look out along the road here, I wondered if you knew where these men were hiding?”
Storm nodded.“Yeah, they been there a few days.They think they’re safe because the place is out in the sticks.They are waiting for some bigshot from Italy.He’s supposed to be here today at some point.”
Leon steepled his fingers and replied, “Si, he is supposed to arrive today but things are going wrong back home.Things that he might not know about yet and that news is not going to make him happy.”
Storm just stared at him for a long moment.“Oh, yeah?That’s too bad, isn’t it?”
Leon nodded and said in mock pity, “Si it istoo badbut he and his brother had to know their father’s plan wouldn’t work.”
Storm held up his hand.“We got most of the story straight from the horse’s mouth so to speak.We heard their plans from the guys holed up, so we know the gist of it already.”
Leon nodded.“We need you to show us where these men are staying.We’ll surround them and take them out.”
One of Storm’s men snorted.“Yeah, I just bet you will.”
Leon just stared at him.“We don’t want bloodshed but I will not just let them go either.They broke men out of prison and brought them here to Boston to do harm to my family.Two of the men are dead for what they did after they got here and the other three are downstairs in my cells.But we didn’t know where these other men are.”
Storm studied Leon then nodded.“We’ll show you the front door.What you do to them after you break that door down, is your business.”He looked over at Jelly Bean.
Jelly Bean studied him.Then to show her trust in Leon, she nodded.
Storm then looked back at Leon and nodded.“Her word is good enough for me.”
Leon cocked his head at him.“But she didn’t say a word.”
Storm smiled.“She didn’t have to say it.”He shrugged.“If you know her at all?You know when she disapproves.”
Leon paused then he chuckled.“Si, Ihavelearned this.The woman has no filter.”He looked over at her and added, “And that makes her a treasure to behold.”
Storm paused at this odd statement then he laughed too.“I see that youdoknow her.So at first, she gives you a real headache like a migraine, man...and threatens to kick your ass several times.Then when she sees you aren’t giving up, she will slowly allow you in.IFyou are lucky.But not far, just enough so you wish to earn her friendship.”
Jelly Bean scoffed.“You act like I’m someone important.Come on, man!”
Leon just shook his head.Then he turned to Jelly.“I have found that your importance grows by the day.Not only to me and my family but to Nick.You need to realize just how wonderful you are and acceptour...trust in you.”
Jelly Bean said not a word.She simply shook her head as if they were all crazy then gave Storm and his men a nod.Turning, she left the room.
After what he just said about Jelly Bean, Storm stared at Leon.“So, youarethe real deal.”
John replied to this, “Those of us who work for him know that he is just that.”
