Page 13 of The Vincinti's 1
Chapter Eight
“Why not?”Leon askedher.
“We are Gianno’s grandchildren, aren’t we?Products of the bad seed.He wouldn’t believe you if you told him we brought this to your attention.Instead, he would tell you we were making it up to stir up trouble.How could we do that?I don’t even know the man.I am not my father or even his father.I hate lies and liars and the fact that he never reached out to me or Calli?That doesn’t make him family, not in my book.We were left alone, cut off from everyone and they all forgot us.Well, so be it.”
“Would you rather I don’t warn him?”Leon asked in surprise.
Rowen shook her head.“No, you have to warn him.If you don’t, you are just as guilty as my father and grandfather are.Just don’t be surprised if he ignores you if he finds out we brought this up.I’ve heard he’s a stubborn man.”
“They can stay with me above the shop if they want,” Donavan suggested.“There’s plenty of room there and I don’t mind sharing the space.That way if someone comes looking for them they won’t find them here under your roof.They’ll still be safe behind these walls.”He shrugged.“Just a suggestion.”
Rowen turned to stare at him then looked down at Calli.Calli gave her a small nod and she sighed.She looked at Leon and nodded.“We could do that.”
Leon nodded.“Plus, that building has a safe room below the main floor.If trouble does come, you and Calli will be safe until the shooting is over.”
Rowen nodded.“I can shoot as well.I had to learn how because I never knew what was going to happen.Once I started earning my own living, I bought a gun to protect Calli and me.”
Leon smiled at her and advised, “Well, before you go and shoot anyone, let’s see what we’re up against first.Let John find what information we need and I’ll call your uncle and see what he has to say about this threat.Then I’ll call the family and see what they want us to do.”He shook his head.“I just hope they are willing to listen.Everyone thought this problem was handled years ago.”
“And in three weeks, it will begin all over again,” Rowen said as she got to her feet and Calli did the same.Leon folded Calli’s laptop and returned it to him and when Rowen moved away from the desk.
Calli followed and the dog followed him.He stopped and looked down at the dog then turned his head to Rowen as if to ask something.
Rowen shook her head.“He’s not my dog, you have to ask her.”She pointed at Meena.
Meena smiled.“If you want to keep Cheri with you tonight, I don’t mind.I was training him to be a service dog but he won’t settle down.But I can see he likes you.We can try it for a few days if you like.”
Calli smiled and nodded his head enthusiastically.Then he snapped his fingers and Cheri came over to him and nudged his hand.Calli reached out and set his hand on the dog’s head.Cheri followed him to the door.
Rowen looked spooked as she shook her head and glanced at Leon.In shock, she followed her brother and Donavan followed her.
Calderone watched the small group leave and raised a brow.Looking over at his father, he asked, “What are you doing, Dad?”
Leon shrugged.“Just checking a theory son, just checking a theory.”He leaned back in his chair and asked, “Well this day certainly went to hell in a hurry didn’t it?I certainly never expected this sort of thing to turn up when I got up this morning.”
“Is Gianno really that crazy?”Calderone wanted to know.“I mean coming after you is one thing but going after his own brother in an attempt for a coup is something entirely different.How does he expect the family to agree to this?”
Leon sighed hard.“And that is the problem isn’t it?I don’t think he does expect the Family to go along with his plan.He might instead be planning a bigger coup and this one on the Family itself.”
Calderone gasped.“Is he pazzo?They will never go along with that.”
Leon turned to his son and shrugged.“I think his mind is warped and he’s somehow changed everything in his head.He’s made himself the victim.There is no way to come back from this if he goes through with it.”
An hour later, Johnjoined him again in his office and showed Leon a printout of all the recent messages Stephano had received from his father.
Leon looked at the printouts and asked, “"So what did you find?”
“They have been in contact for some time.”John told him.“I think over the years Stephano could see his father was slipping into insanity and ten years ago he quit going to see him.Then he began drinking heavier to stop the pain of what his father was telling him.Gianno was calling his son a quitter and a loser who couldn’t hold his own family together.Stephano’s wife just walked out on her family.She left her young son and daughter behind with their dad.”He shook his head.“But he’s been planning this attack on you and Marco since the day he went to prison.He never really thought he’d have to do the whole term inside those walls.So when his parole kept being denied, I think something snapped inside him and his hate just grew until it was out of control and he is after blood.Your blood and Marco’s blood.He blames his brother's death on you because you were supposed to be the one in bed that night, not Salvador.It was never his plan to get caught but after he shot Salvador he passed out from being too drunk.”
“He kept telling Stephano that he didn’t do anything wrong.So much so that I think he made himself believe it.”John shook his head.“I think he’s got some of his friends from inside that are going to help him too.”
