“Oh no,” said Mick. “They’ve up the ante. They want one-hundred percent control of the PaLargio. They want it all. And they aren’t settling for less this time.”
Reno and Sal could hardly believe it. “Who are these people?” Reno asked. “What could they possibly think would be worth me giving up my entire corporation over? This doesn’t add up.”
But Sal and Mick glanced at each other. They knew Trina would be at the top of the list for the reason Reno would even consider giving up his beloved PaLargio. And those blackmailers apparently knew it too.
”What about the middleman?” asked Mick. “The news said Douglas was brought to this hospital too. Is he dead?”
That was a question neither Reno nor Sal had even thought to ask. All three jumped up and hurried out of the waiting room. With the one remaining capo following them as if he thought bizarrely that he could protect them better than they could protect themselves, they hurried down the hall.
When they got to the nurse’s station, everybody at that station, the doctors included, seemed to stop all conversation and stiffen up. They knew the rumors about that family. They did not ever want to get on their bad side.
“Yes sir?” the charge nurse asked as soon as they walked up to the counter.
“We need to see Javon Douglas,” Reno said. “He came in just ahead of my wife. Is he still in surgery?”
“No sir,” a young doctor answered. “He’s out. He’s in Recovery.”
Reno was shocked. “Already?”
“Yes sir.”
“But they said he’d been shot several times.”
“He had, sir. But all of his wounds were superficial.”
Reno frowned. “What do you mean superficial?”
“They didn’t hit any vital organs. The bullets brushed him, some grazed him, but none penetrated him. He’s doing just fine.”
Reno and Mick looked at each other. That was insanity to them. Trina was fighting for her life, and they justbrushedhim? “Take us to him,” said Mick.
The young doctor suddenly wasn’t so confident. He looked at the older doctor on site. What Reno was asking was completely out of protocol. They weren’t even family.
But that older doctor knew even more about the Sinatras and Gabrinis and wasn’t about to rub them wrong. “You heard the man,” he said. “Take them to see him.”
“Yes sir,” the younger doctor said, and he escorted them to Recovery.
But Javon was being held in a private room, and two police officers were guarding his door.
“Excuse us, Officers, but these men wish to see the patient,” the young doctor said.
But both officers blocked the entrance. “No can do,” said the shorter one. “We’re under strict orders that nobody is allowed in that room except for the doctor and nurse of record. Which ain’t you. And we were specifically told that Reno Gabrini is not allowed anywhere near Mr. Douglas.”
Reno frowned. “Why the hell not?”
“Why do you think, Reno?” asked Sal. “Your wife was found shot up in a motel room with another man. They probably think your jealous ass set it up.”
Reno was floored beyond belief. “Whaaat? These idiots think I ordered a hit on my ownwife? Are they nuts?!”
“Yes,” said Mick, nodding his head. “They are.”
“It’s all over the news like that,” said Sal. “That’s how their spinning it. Jealous husband tries to off wife and her lover. They’re claiming you’re a person of interest even though the cops aren’t publicly saying that.”
Reno was so outdone that he could hardly contain his rage. He looked at those two cops so chillingly that they felt it to the depths of their souls. “Move your asses out of my way!” he ordered them.
The officers, now more terrified of what Reno could do to them than what their bosses could do to them, quickly moved out of the way. And the doctor began to escort them inside.
But Sal pulled the doctor back. “You’ll wait out here with me,” he said. He was staying outside to make certain those cops didn’t go for help. And since it was none of the doctor’s business what they had to discuss with Douglas, he was staying back too.
