“Where else would I be? I’m your lawyer, Nicky. I got Tramonto to drive me over.”
Garcia “helps” me into the back of the car, but Carlo squeezes himself between her and me before she can shut the door, leaning in to kiss me. “Love you. Let’s see if I can beat my own record getting you released.” He tips my chin up, his toffee eyes darkening a little. “And as for your reckless heroics, we’ll discuss those at home.”
Garcia, hands on her hips behind him, is glaring at him. “Move it, Bianchi, or I’ll arrest you along with your boyfriend.”
He straightens up and grins at her. “I’ll look forward to discussing my client’s options with you at the precinct, Garcia.” She slams the car door shut, but he leans down again and gives me a wink through the window. I blow him a kiss as the car takes off, and settle in for the ride, resting my head back on the seat. For maybe the first time, I’m actually looking forward to being formally charged with a crime, just so I can watch Carlo perform.
Every time I think I could not love that man more, he outdoes himself.
Epilogue
Carlo
Idonotbreak my own record getting three senior Morelli Family members released, but I still do it pretty damn fast. I have to call on a couple of partners from the law firm because I want to stay with Nicky, but we get it done with relatively little fuss. I do find myself missing Miranda Winter, though. She was pretty good at this kind of thing.
As soon as Nick is released without charge—he was the hardest to pry away from the sticky fingers of the law—we head over to the hospital where Luca D’Amato was taken. The stink of antiseptic is strong, and I try not to screw up my nose as we walk through to the waiting room. A little crowd of Morellis has gathered there. Teo Vitali is sitting next to Aidan O’Leary, who, predictably, is praying, a rosary swinging from his fingers. Hudson Taylor is standing around, pale and worried, and he looks like he’s been crying. Even Snapper Marino and Al Vollero have turned up, although I don’t know where Carlucci is.
Finch D’Amato is nowhere to be seen.
“These motherfuckers need to get out of here,” Nicky mutters. “Standing around like this is an invitation to the Irish to take us all out at once.”
“So go tell them,” I say. Nick just screws up his face and shakes his head, uncertain. “Who else is going to say it?”
We head over to the little huddle. “What’s the news?” Nick asks.
“Nothing yet,” Vitali says, looking up. “The police are still sniffing around. Got a police guard down near surgery, Finch said, last time he came out with an update.”
And as he speaks, I see Finch D’Amato himself heading down a nearby hallway towards us, followed by Carlucci. Finch seems somber, not at all his usual self. Aidan and Vitali leap up as he joins us.
Finch doesn’t bother with any pleasantries. “Luca’s still in surgery. It’s more complicated than they thought at first. Those fuckers really did a number on him.”
“We’ll kill every last one of them,” Vollero says.
“Damn straight,” Snapper agrees fiercely.
Aidan reaches to put a hand on Finch’s arm. “I think maybe we should go to the chapel they have here and pray,” Aidan he suggests, and Finch, to my surprise, nods.
“Will you and Hudson go on now and wait for me there?”
Aidan hesitates, but then Teo gives him a quick kiss and a push, and then Aidan and Hudson, who has never to my knowledge refused an order from Finch, head off.
“Family business first,” Finch says, once they’re out of earshot. He glances at me and I brace myself to have to make an argument as to why I should stay, but he says nothing. As far as Finch is concerned, it seems, I’m now part of the inner circle.
He holds out his hand in the middle of the group so we can all see what’s in it: the Morelli Family ring. It’s smeared with sticky red smudges.
Luca D’Amato’s blood.
“My husband asked me to give this to the man he wants as acting Boss while he’s incapacitated,” Finch says, looking around at the Capos. He takes another small step forward and holds the ring out in his fingers to Nicky.
“What the fuck?” Nick and Al Vollero both say together.
“No,” Nick says, pushing Finch’s hand back. “Finch, I—it can’t be me. He can’t want it to be me. And I—I don’t want to do it.”
“I don’t believe for a second that D’Amato would want this rat-bastard in charge of the Family,” Vollero agrees.
“He wants Nick,” Finch says firmly. “He told me in the ambulance. And if anyone has a problem with that—” he looks at Vollero “—I’m sure Luca will be happy to discuss it at length and in depth when he comes out of surgery.”
Vollero seems to decide that discretion is the better part of valor, and says nothing more. But Nicky still looks uncomfortable about it. Teo Vitali clears his throat. “It’s the right call,” he says. “Fontana has the experience,andhe just pulled Sonny Vegas back into line.” He nods at the ring. “Go on, now. Take it, Fontana.”
