Page 42 of Inherting the Mafia

"Of course, sir," the doctor replied.

Luca waved his hand toward me and Vito. "My friends here were involved in a car accident. Can you give them a look?"

I stiffened when the doctor's eyes darted to me and Vito. There was something in them that I didn't like. I didn't know if it was fear or nervousness or what, but I knew I didn't like it.

It made my skin itch.

I slowly stuck my hand in my pocket and grabbed the knife I'd put there earlier. At the same time, I leaned Vito back against the couch, stood, and then moved to stand in front of him.

I held the knife out in front of me. "Touch him and you die!"

I heard Vito startle behind me. "Tony—"

"This is like the airport, Vito."

Despite his injuries, Vito was up in a flash, pointing his gun at the doctor. "Who are you?"

"Tony, Vito, what is going on here?" Luca asked.

"Do you know this man?" Vito asked.

"Yes," Luca replied. "Granted, he is not my normal physician, but he's been here a couple of times."

"Search him," I snapped. "Search him and his bag."

When Luca just stared at me, Vito said, "Listen to him, Luca. Tony doesn't mess around with stuff like this."

Luca frowned for a moment before slowly turning to look at the doctor. "Franco, search him and his bag."

I was glad he was taking me at my word, especially since I didn't have any evidence to prove there was something wrong here. I wasn't even sure what it was, but something wasn't right.

As soon as Franco reached for the man's bag, the doctor darted for the door. Franco dropped the bag and started to go after him, but I was faster. I leapt over the coffee table and kicked the good doctor in the ass. When he stumbled forward, I grabbed him by the shirt collar and jerked him back.

I forced him to turn around and then go down to his knees, holding the knife to his throat. "If you don't have something satisfactory to say in the next five seconds, I'm going to have to pay to have Mr. Sabatino's rug replaced. Blood stains are a bitch to get out."

When I glanced up, everyone was staring at me with wide eyes and dropped jaws. "What?"

Did I have something on my face?

Vito chuckled as he shook his head. "Nothing, Boss."

These people were weird.

I tightened my grip on the doctor and gave him a good shake. "My patience is wearing thin."

"Please, please, I don't know anything."

"I may be from New York, but I'm not stupid." I shook him again, a little harder. "Speak."

"Please, Mr. Sabatino, you know me. You know I would never harm anyone. I'm a doctor. I save lives, not take them."

While I felt some of what he said was true, not all of it was. There was a lie in there somewhere. I just had to find it.

I pressed a little harder with the knife until a small trail of blood trickled out. "My patience is even thinner now. Either speak or I buy a new rug."

"Please," the doctor wailed. "They've got my family."

And that was the clue that I needed.

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