We pull up outside the coffee stand, which is conveniently outdoors. I’m pleased to see the mayor already waiting for me. At least he got that part right.
“Bob,” I say, shaking his hand.
“Cisco,” he responds, as if the word is sour on his tongue.
I put a hand on his shoulder and lead him away from the coffee cart. Edoardo and Giovanni take up flanking positions, their eyes peeled for any eavesdroppers. Luckily, the mayor hasn’t brought any of his staff with him. After all this time, he knows the drill.
“I could have said this over the phone,” he reiterates. “I’m sorry you had to make a trip.”
“Tell me why you can’t give me the contract for the wind turbines,” I say patiently.
“I got another bid, and it’s very competitive,” the mayor responds.
“I thought we had an understanding,” I tell him.
“We did,” he agrees, “but my hands are tied. The city won’t allow me to go with a higher bid.”
“What’s the bid?” I ask.
“You know I can’t tell you that,” he hedges, twisting his body to try to escape my grasp.
I tighten my hand on his shoulder to make sure he understands what’s at stake. “Humor me,” I say lightly.
“Three million,” he responds unhappily.
I turn away. Three million just isn’t going to cut it. I’m looking at this project as the perfect way to launder money through the city. I’ve got a lot more than three million at stake. I’m pissed, but there’s not much I can do at the moment. I can’t very well beat up the mayor in public.
I squeeze his shoulder to the point where it hurts, then drop all physical contact. “I’ll be in touch,” I growl.
He exhales in relief, watching me walk back to my car. “So, I’ll, uh, see you on the golf course.”
“Yeah,” I agree. “See you there.”
Climbing back into the limo, I punch the seat. I’m well aware that my car could be bugged, and that I can’t complain too loudly. I let out a string of curse words and then hold my tongue until we arrive back home. Outside, I pull Giovanni around behind the house so we can talk in peace.
“So?” Giovanni asks. “I gather it didn’t go well.”
“He got a lowball bid and some bureaucrat from the city’s making him take it,” I snap.
“Which bureaucrat?” Giovanni wonders.
“I don’t know,” I reply in exasperation.
“I’ll find out,” Giovanni says.
I sigh, straightening my shirt now that the crisis has passed. “You do that,” I say. “And let me know what you find.”
“On it,” Giovanni promises.
I walk back inside, making a quick stop in the kitchen for a sparkling water. There’s plenty more to get done today, so I walk back into my office. That’s the one place in my home where I feel comfortable doing business. Apart from the phone, which could be bugged off-site, my men sweep for electronic devices every day. I’m ninety-nine percent sure that my office is clean. And I sprang for soundproofing inside the walls, making it an excellent fortress within a fortress.
I check my calendar, and once again, wish I had a secretary. But of course, there’s no one I could trust with the intricacies of my business, so I have to manage my own time. Despite the fact that I’m expecting a few of my capos to report, I’m not in the kind of business where people make regular appointments. So a secretary probably wouldn’t do me any good.
I’m not expecting anyone, so I’m a little surprised when there’s a knock on the door.
“Come in!” I shout, sitting down behind my desk.
The door opens, and Frankie’s tutor walks in. I stand up again. Old habits die hard, and I was taught that a gentleman always stands when a lady walks into the room. She wears a purple blouse that shows off her chest in a classy way. It’s not too form-fitting, but not too loose. I can see the outline of her cleavage, and it gives me all kinds of thoughts.
