He taps at his screen before shoving it away. Then he wipes his forehead with his sleeve. “I had a feeling this was about last night.”
“Why, Frankie?”
He sighs, shaking his head. “Fucking Turks were supposed to check in. But they’re not reliable, you know? I wasn’t sure what went wrong. Now I guess I see what happened.”
“You told them.”
“You set me up.” He shrugs, grinning a touch. “Does that make us even?”
“Why?”
He nods to himself, pats at his pockets, and reaches inside. I have my gun drawn before he can take out a packet of cigarettes. He flips out one and lights it. My aim doesn’t deviate from his chest as he takes a drag.
“I gamble. You know that. But six months ago I got in deep with some fucking Russians. Deeper than I’d ever been before. Couldn’t tell you about it. That would’ve only pissed you off and left me in a worse spot. So when this guy approached me from the Turks and offered to buy off my debt in exchange for some information, it was too good to be true.”
I almost laugh. “You betrayed me for money?”
“Always comes back to money. That’s the American way, right? Capitalism and shit? Lots of economists would say this is your own fault for not paying me what I’m worth.”
“Fuck you, traitor. You fucking rat.”
He shrugs. “Yeah. Well. Guess my debt doesn’t matter much anymore.”
“Why’d you come out here?”
“Hoped I was wrong. But I also knew that if I wasn’t, and you caught me, there was no running away. I’ve seen what you do. I know what you’re like. Who knows you better?”
I clench my jaw. He’s got a good point. Not many people know me like he does.
“Over ten years,” I say softly. “You’ve been my partner for over ten years. I trusted you with my life.”
“I know. I’m sorry.”
“You were going to sell our entire Famiglia to the Turks.”
“It wasa lotof money.” He grins sheepishly. “A really deep hole.” He sucks in more smoke and blows it out. His hands are shaking. I know Frankie well enough to know he’s afraid and trying not to show it.
Fucker’s always been a brave idiot.
“Start digging.”
“You really gonna make me? Seriously, Stellan?”
“You betrayed me. You’re getting off easy and you know it. Your whole family should be dead for this. Your name should besmeared from history. Instead, I’ll tell everyone you died during a job. We’ll pay your mother and take care of your sister. But you’re done.”
Frankie nods and lights another cigarette on the butt of his first. “You know what I always loved about you, Stellan? You act tough and cold, but you’re fair. And you’ve got compassion. You don’t like showing it, but I know you do.”
“Start fucking digging.”
“The family’s gonna be in better shape with you leading it. I probably should’ve just told you the truth.”
“Dig, Frankie.” Rage hits me, blinding and hot. “Dig, you fucking traitor. You were my friend. Fuckingdig.”
Frankie throws the cigarette at me. He dives to the side, reaching behind his back as he falls. He draws his weapon in one fluid, practiced motion.
I shoot him in the head. His finger squeezes and the gun goes off, but the bullet hits a tree ten feet to my left.
His corpse hits the ground in a spray of blood and brain.
