Page 12 of The Vincinti's 1
How bad is this, Mr.Vincinti?”Donavan asked.
Leon looked at him and nodded at the paperwork.“Gianno and Stephano plan to not only kill me but then go to New York and murder his younger brother Marco and take his place in the family.Marco took over from his father three years ago when the old man died.He now runs the New York City version of the Family there.”
Donavan looked surprised and shocked.“How the hell does he think he could do something like that and get away with it?”
Leon shrugged.“He wants to fight for his rightful title.You see, before he killed Salvador, he was first in line to take over when his father stepped down.When his father disowned him, he lost that chance.So, I suppose now after all this time, he wants it back.Even if it means killing another brother.”
“Are you going to warn this Marco guy in New York?”Donavan asked.
“I have to, don’t I?”Leon growled.“I will call the leaders of the Family there and tell them what I know.Heads are gonna roll by the time they get done.”
Calderone nodded.“Quelli che vivono di esso, moriranno di esso.”
Donavan shook his head.
Leon gave him a half smile and translated it, “The ones who live by it, will die by it.”He turned to look at Rowen and Calli.“I think you and your brother should remain behind these walls until we see this through.If your father finds you, he might hurt you for betraying him.But I also know if your grandfather finds out what you did, hewillhurt you.”
Rowen shrugged.“I’ve never met the man to tell you the truth and I really don’t care to either.The fact that he has my dad under his thumb means nothing.Dad never was one for standing for his beliefs, no he’d rather let someone else tell him what to do, what to think and heaven help him if he happened to disagree with them.”She looked over at Calli and said, “The one thing I didn’t know was that Calli could get around a computer like that.Or that he would think to record a conversation he’d seen.Dad never really gave him a chance to excel so Calli had to do it on his own.Our father said he was dumb, but he isn’t as you can see for yourselves.He just learns at a pace that most people don’t but he can learn.I’m so proud of him.”
Leon shrugged.“I don’t know that much about autism but I do know they have their own problems.Some of them can live a productive life while others need special care.Calli seems to be one that can live a productive life and that is good.”
Rowen nodded.“Yes, he watches and waits until he knows what needs to be done then he steps up to do it.He tends to think things through several times until he feels comfortable then he will just surprise you and do it.And he does a very good job.He just takes his own time, is all.”
“More of us should do that.”Leon nodded at her.“But I’m afraid we do not and we allow our tempers to flare and that just gets us into trouble.Your grandfather let his rage get the better of him and he allowed his imagination to run away with him.He built up something in his own mind that just wasn’t true on so many levels.When he tried to kill me over a girl he barely knew then turned it into a tragedy like he did.In the end, he blamed me for all his misdeeds.To tell you the truth, he never should have been looking at other women anyway.He had a wife and two young children to take care of at home.”
Rowen frowned, “Two kids?I thought my dad was an only child.”
Leon shook his head.“No my dear, he wasn’t an only child, Gianno had two children, your father Stephano and a daughter Marie.Apparently, his wife stood beside him through the trial and just a little beyond, but when he was convicted to go to prison, she took her daughter and she too made a different life for them.Stephano was almost full grown by then, so he stayed and finished growing up on the streets.”Leon paused, then told them, “I kept track of Marie and her mother for a few years after Gianno went to prison and his wife had a hard time finding a job and keeping everything together.Then I heard that some hooligans broke into their apartment and Marie was murdered one night when her mom was at her job.Gianno’s wife went a little off the radar about that time, she was hunting for her daughter’s killer and I heard she ended up stabbed one night.The police found her body, as she had been beaten and stabbed and no one knew who did it.Word on the street was that she found the men who killed her daughter and they in turn, killed her.It was all very sad.”Leon shook his head.“According to what else I heard, Gianno didn’t even care.It was a few years later he reached out to your father and the cycle began to repeat the abuse all over again.”
“Maybe it would have been better for everyone,” Rowen told them.“If he never walked out of that prison.He needs to let go of the past.”
Leon nodded.“And this plan he has to reclaim his place in the hierarchy is idiotic.Marco will never allow him to take his place.The Italians in New York will hunt him down for it in any case.Gianno could start a war that he can’t control.”
Rowen shivered and said, “Calli and I will find a safe place to hunker down and just hide for a while.”
Leon shook his head.“You will be safe here and no one needs to know I am housing you.”
“And just why would you do that?”Rowen wanted to know.“Aren’t Calli and I your enemies?Or at least the children of your enemies?”
Leon shook his head slowly.“No mia cara, my enemies are your father and your grandfather.I would never paint you and your brother with the same brush as the other two.They will get what is coming to them but you and your brother brought this situation to me.You and Calli brought me evidence of their complicity.No my dear, you could have walked away without bothering to tell me anything but you did not do that.You did the right thing, you told me there was trouble coming.”
“Now all I can hope for is that Marco believes you when you tell him.Just don’t mention me and Calli, ok?”she asked.
Leon paused to stare at her.
