Page 27 of Inherting the Mafia

I glanced at Vito, somewhat curious and concerned about where my thought process was going. "Can I ask a really weird question?"

"Of course," Vito replied.

"Is there any way that this could be an unexploded bomb on purpose?"

I grew nervous when Vito's eyes narrowed.

"Explain your thinking," he said.

"Well, it's not really fully formed yet, but the thought process is running at full blast."

"Go on," Vito encouraged.

"Well, it just seemed a little weird to me that someone made a bomb that was good enough to take out my entire family plus thirty guards, but this one was made by an amateur. It also seemed a little too easy to find. What if it's a decoy? What if it was never meant to go off because we were supposed to find it and not find the real bomb?"

I winced when Vito, Vinnie, and Fred just stared at me. I hated it when people did that. I reached up and rubbed the side of my neck. "It was just a thought."

Vito turned and called for Siro. "Talk to management and get us a different jet. We're not taking this one home until it's been fully gone over."

"I'd be happy to let you use my jet," Vinnie offered. "I can have it here and ready to go in about an hour."

"Actually," Fred started. "I have a better idea."

We all turned to look at him.

"I'd have to talk to my boss, but I think you should use his jet, not Mr. Borelli's."

"Why?" Vito asked.

"Look, if someone really is trying to fool you, which is probably what is happening, then you need be a little more secretive with your movements. Someone is keeping tabs on you and seems to know your every movement."

Yeah, that wasn't creepy at all.

"If you use Mr. Borelli's plane, people are going to know about it before you even take to the airways."

"So, what do you suggest then?" Vito asked.

Fred grimaced before saying, "Take Mr. D'Amato's jet back to Italy. I can arrange for a vehicle to be waiting for you atthe airport, one rented under Mr. D'Amato's name. Don't tell anyone what you are doing. I'd even deactivate your phones."

"That's a little extreme, don't you think?"

"I don't, actually," Fred replied to Vito's question. "If this was Mr. D'Amato, that's what I'd do and I am the head of his security force."

When we all just stared at him, Fred huffed and said, "Look, someone is trying to kill you. You all need to fly under the radar and the only way to do that is to limit the number of people that know your movements. I'd advise you not to share what you are doing with anyone other than those in this room."

"I'm pretty sure my guards would figure it out if we took Mr. D'Amato's jet back to Italy," Vito pointed out. "I don't hire stupid people."

"Honestly, I'd send them home on a commercial flight."

Vito's eyebrows shot up. "You want me to send my guards back to Italy on a commercial airplane without us?"

Yeah, that sounded sketchy to me, too.

"I'm saying that only the six people in this room, plus my boss, should know your movements until you are safely home at your estate. Whoever is doing this seems to be a few steps ahead of you so you need to do something they don't expect."

While it still sounded a little sketchy, Fred did have a point.

"Jake's legit, Vito," Vinnie said. "Between him and his husband, he's brought four of the five families in New York together. We've all signed a peace agreement because our husbands are friends and we don't want to piss them off."

---