“Yeah, I got the memo.” I gave him a tight smile, wondering just how long this increased supervision would last.
When I got off on the fourteenth floor, I found my Uncle Sal waiting for me outside my apartment. It was strange tolook at him and know he wasn’t just my father’s best friend, he was in the mafia. I wasn’t sure if my father had told him I knew, so I decided not to broach the subject.
“Hey, Uncle Sal! This is a surprise—I hope you weren’t waiting long.” I gave him a hug and began to fish my keys out of my purse.
“Not at all. It’s my fault for not calling before I came up. I was nearby and needed to get a gift for my upcoming anniversary, so I thought I’d drop by and you could help me with some ideas. Us men are no good at these things,” he said with a chuckle.
“Sure, I’m happy to help. Come on in.” I held the door open for him, then set down my purse. “Can I get you a water or soda?”
“Nah, just come have a seat.” He walked toward the sofa and gestured for me to sit.
The entire situation was irregular. I couldn’t shake the feeling something was off—he was my uncle, and older people were strange sometimes, but his surprise visit notably coincided with my discovery about my family’s mob involvement. Did he know that I knew? Was he trying to uncover how much I knew? I suspected he had an ulterior motive, but I had no idea what it might be.
“You know,” he started in, hands in his pockets as he gazed out the window. “You’ve always been my favorite—so ambitious and eager to please. When you were little, you used to tickle my beard, your little fingers on my chin.”
“And you would call me a scamp and chase me away, making me laugh until I couldn’t breathe.”
“You remember,” he said with surprise.
“Yeah, we’ve had a lot of good memories together. Remember the time you took me and Sofia to see theRockettes? Looking back, I think maybe that was a little for your own benefit,” I teased, remembering the gorgeous dancers and their long, beautiful legs.
He smiled at me, but there was a deep sadness behind those grey eyes. “That’s why this pains me so much. It wasn’t supposed to be this way, but plans change, and sometimes, we have to make sacrifices.”
Before I could ask what he was talking about, Sal pulled out a handkerchief from his pocket and pressed the wet cloth against my face. Unable to help a gasp of surprise, my lungs filled with a sickly-sweet smell. Almost instantly, my vision blurred, and my flailing arms failed to respond to my muddled commands. Not even terror-induced panic could overcome the numbing effects of whatever chemical soaked the cloth. All I could do was plead in the silent recesses of my mind as I slipped deep into unconsciousness.
The first thing I noticed as I woke was the rank odor of stale cigarettes and the biting cold of metal against my back. When I tried to rub at my aching head, I discovered my hands were bound with leather cuffs to the hard surface below me. The restraints triggered a cascade of memories, ramping up my heartrate and flooding my system with adrenaline.
I tried to open my eyes, but the glaring light sent a stabbing pain deep into my skull. All I could do was squint, my lids blinking rapidly as I tried to survey my surroundings. I still wore my clothes, which was a relief, but that was the only shred of good news.
I was strapped to a metal examining table as best I couldtell, and two brilliant pendant lights hung down over me like the lights in an operating room. The implications weren’t lost on me. Choppy, shallow breaths puffed from my chest as I continued to look around the small concrete cell.
An evil laugh, low and malicious sounded from behind my head.
“Stop, Rico, you’re scaring her.”
It’s amazing how the brain can cling to hope. The instant I heard Uncle Sal’s voice, hope surged inside me. It didn’t matter that he had been the one to abduct me. He was family, and therefore, my mind insisted he might help save me.
“But it’s so fun to watch her squirm and panic,” said the man with the evil laugh. His words bore the heavy drawl of a thick Italian accent.
“Uncle Sal?” I whimpered. “Please, help me.” My voice was scratchy and horse, sending me into a coughing fit.
“I’m sorry, little Lessi, but I can’t do that. Rico here wants revenge for some very bad things your father has done. Those are our rules—blood for blood.” He was silent for a moment, then slowly approached the table until I could finally see him above me. “You’re not surprised by any of this, are you? I see you must have known more than I gave you credit for.” His head tilted to the side, more intrigued than bothered.
“Why would you do this?”
Sal’s lips thinned as he thought. “Rico, leave us,” he ordered the other man.
I had yet to see the other man, but I could hear the clicking of a door open and close. It sounded like a heavy metal door, and I wondered where on Earth they’d taken me and how they’d removed me unseen from my apartment.
My uncle lifted his hand and swept at a tear that hadleaked out of the corner of my eye. “If you have to die for this, it seems only fair you know why. Your father has grown weak in recent years, soft and complacent. It’s no longer in the best interest of the family to be led by him. Unfortunately, in our world, there are no letters of resignation or peaceful takeovers. There is only one way a don can be removed from power. I tried to set up your father, have the Commission take him out on my behalf, but it hasn’t played out according to my plans. Now, it looks as though war may be the only way I can take over his position. Your death would ignite already explosive tensions between the families. It works out for everyone—Rico here gets his revenge, and I get my war.”
“Everyone except me. Please, don’t do this, Uncle Sal. Please, I’m begging you.” I hated how my jaw quivered as I plead with him but not enough to overrule my desperation.
He peered down at me with a look akin to remorse, but I knew better. This monster I had called family was incapable of something so human as remorse or empathy. Before I could curse him and spew insults, he walked to a table on the side of the room I hadn’t noticed before. He picked up a roll of duct tape and tore off a section with his teeth.
“What are you doing?” I blurted.
“I’m afraid I can’t have you telling all my secrets.” With both hands, he stretched the tape over my mouth and pressed down to seal my mouth shut.
