Page 53 of Married With Malice

Richie nudges me toward the front door. “Plenty of time to chat later.”

Nico Castelli is waiting in the driveway beside a black Range Rover. His throat bobs with a hard swallow when he sees me being escorted out with the boss and his twocapos. There’s nothing I can do at the moment to reassure him except tip my head with the slightest of nods.

Nico opens the doors and takes the driver’s seat. Now that Richie’s cataracts are a road hazard, he can’t be behind the wheel anymore. Richie closes the seatbelt in the front passenger seat while I’m wedged between Franco and Brisetti in the back.

The Barone estate is about five miles east. I’ve been here a number of times but today I look at the sprawling grounds and Tuscan-style mansion with more cynical eyes.

Annalisa grew up here. The things that happened to her inside these walls played a role in shaping her into the person she is now. The many windows, dark and covered with elaborately designed wrought iron for security, are expressionless and yet call to mind my wife’s dark eyes.

Now I stare at those windows for hints of what’s coming, just as I’m constantly searching Anni’s eyes. Often their mood is willful, sometimes angry. And other times a glimmer of soft affection creeps in before returning to watchful wariness.

Whatever happens at her father’s house today, she’ll never hear the whole story. Just as she’ll never hear what really happened to her tormenter in a seedy room above a bar in Queens.

Anni grew up as a mafia daughter and she’s well aware of the way shit works in this world. Nothing changes, not really. The men we’re surrounded with still abide by the same brutal rules andomertacodes of silence that have existed forever.

Some of Barone’s men are ballsy enough to throw hostile glares in our direction as we’re shown inside. I feel sorry for Nico, who’s been told to stay back at the car. No doubt some of these Barone soldiers are friends of Rocco’s and they’ll take the opportunity to get in Nico’s face.

There’s always a lot to see inside the Barone house. The walls are all covered with dark oil paintings and artwork, much of it religious and definitely selected by Anni’s mother. Polished antiques sit on just about every flat surface and plush, intricately designed area rugs complement the dark wood furniture.

As we pass one of the many rooms, Anni’s mother is carefully dusting off an army of ceramic vases. I know the Barones have a maid but I guess she needs to keep busy somehow.

Anni’s mother glances up for only a split second and then quickly returns to her dusting without a word of greeting, like she wishes she hadn’t seen us at all.

I’m not offended. Maybe it’s how she copes. If you don’t acknowledge what’s going on around you, then you can pretend all is well. No different from Aunt Donna and her constant cooking.

The man himself awaits in the company of his loyalcaposinside a room that puts Richie’s rather baroque office to shame. With a soaring ceiling and tapestries hung on the walls, it could double as a medieval throne room.

Even with a dozen Barone sidekicks in the room there’s no shortage of space. Barone himself is seated behind a desk as large as a cafeteria table. When he smiles at me, the smile doesn’t quite reach his eyes, however he does rise from his velvet-covered chair.

Richie flashes me a warning look, a reminder that I’m not to speak unless asked a direct question.

“Albie, I appreciate the invitation to get this sorted out. Let’s just remember we’re all family.”

Barone’s eyes flicker to me. His flat stare gives nothing away. With a gesture of his hand, he dismisses most of his entourage from the room.

A long moment of silence passes as we all take a seat. I’m right beside Richie in front of Barone’s mega desk while Franco and Brisetti sit on a thick wooden bench along the wall.

Barone taps his fingers together. There are rings on seven out of ten of them. He appraises me without blinking.

I stare right back him.

Someone coughs. Franco, I think.

Barone sighs. “One of my men rots in the morgue today. I’ve been assured this is an accident and I’m very aware Rocco did tend to run up debts.” He jerks his chin at me. “Do you have anything to add?”

“Just that I’m sorry for your loss, sir.” Takes some effort to remove all sarcasm from my voice but I think I succeeded.

Barone gazes at me and nods. An unsettling spark lights up his eyes and he turns to Richie. “Word on the street says my new son-in-law hasn’t even popped his cherry yet. Is that true?”

Everyone in the room knows he’s not talking about where I stick my cock. I’m the only one here who isn’t a murderer. Rocco, an accident, doesn’t count.

Richie shifts in his chair. “Luca assumed his brother’s role in the family rather abruptly. You can be sure he’ll pay his dues when the time comes.”

Barone grins. The sight is ugly. “Why wait? There’s a job that was supposed to be done tonight. Rocco was going to take care of it but now he can’t. Not a big deal. Just a little problem with a warehouse manager in Bayonne who caught a case of sticky fingers and now threatens to expose the whole operation. Good way for the kid to earn his stripes.”

Richie breathes noisily. He doesn’t like this, sending me out to do Barone’s low level dirty work. Right now he’s wracking his brain to come up with a way out.

Meanwhile, Barone’s attention returns to me. “What do you say, Luca? This is an easy task. You know I wouldn’t really risk the husband of my daughter. And then we can leave this whole mess in the rearview mirror.”

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