While the video was being shown, I moved to another row of liquor boxes. Evidently Damien had been somewhat frantic to try to find the drugs. That could mean he had buyers heading into the club tonight. It didn’t matter who, the chances of the drugs getting into the hands of street dealers who would then cut and distribute it with dangerous garbage and distribute to minors were too great.
By the time I turned backed toward Damien, I could tell by his expression he knew he was about to die. At least the kid wasn’t blubbering as of yet or trying to make excuses. Only those with a sadistic streak enjoyed watching grown men suffer by way of reducing themselves to sobbing, drooling idiots.
That wasn’t my style.
“Okay, Damien. Let’s cut through the bullshit. With Zorro’s help, the drugs were intercepted at the main warehouse, the delivery drivers dealt with. So, all that’s left is for you to confirm that Sergio Russo is the man using you as a mule. And if so, what’s the end game?”
“End game?” he repeated.
“Yes. You know what I mean. Is Sergio working under the guise of the Russo family or rogue, suddenly deciding to make his own headway into the game of illegal drugs? They should be easy answers for you.” I thought I was being nice by not shoving a weapon into his face and that Zorro was enough of a strong-arm.
Maybe I was wrong.
Damien didn’t just have the deer in the headlights look. He acted as if my questions were gibberish.
This shit used to be easier.
I wasn’t honestly certain what to expect at this point. He stared at me with a hard look in his eyes, trying to decide if betraying Sergio was the lesser of the evils.
That was completely understandable.
“He, um… Sergio approached me.”
“How do you know him?” I was genuinely curious.
Damien took a deep breath. “We go to the same gym. We talked a few times.”
“Alright. Go on.” That could mean Sergio had been nurturing a relationship with Damien, which indicated a plan had been in motion for longer than anyone had believed.
“He said it would be quick money. That’s all I know.”
“Ah. I see. Okay.” I took a deep breath. If he thought I’d leave the situation this way, he was way too young and naïve and everyone who worked for me knew the drill of who the family was and what we were capable of.
Or maybe I’d simply underestimated the guy because when he took off running, it took both Donatello and me a full three seconds to react.
“What the fuck?”
The worst part was that Damien wasn’t headed to the main door. He obviously knew I’d brought backup. So where the fuck was he going?
I was much faster than my Capo but not nearly as quick as my canine companion, although Damien was zigging and zaggingthrough the maze of boxes and steel shelves. Where the fuck was he headed?
As if reading my mind, Donatello provided the answer.
“The hidden stairs!”
Ah, shit. I’d forgotten all about them. In the renovation process, we had several different security measures installed including a private, well-hidden stairway that only family members and those on the upper echelon of rankings within the soldiers knew existed.
Which meant Damien had used the stairway for his illegal activities for a while. He was already through the door, with the soft close almost back to the original closed position by the time Zorro was skidding his way in front.
I wasn’t long past, throwing open the door. At first, I was certain he’d gone down. However given the location to the main set of stairs, he might know I’d have men ready to stop him as soon as he hit the main floor.
So he went up to the only floor he did have access to.
The main dance club.
Well, fuck. This I hadn’t anticipated. Zorro and I picked up speed, Donatello right behind us and I overheard him notifying Malcolm of what was transpiring.
In my tight-fitting suit and polished Gucci loafers, I was no match for a ten-years-younger man in tennis shoes. But I pushed my limits, thankful for all the hours spent in the gym in the boxing ring.
