Page 46 of Memento Mori
“Who was the Camorra boss, Aaliyah?” Abasi asked. “If it’s true, he had to be the most powerful Camorra boss at the time. There should be some kind of record of him.”
“I have no idea,” she said, frustration in her voice. “I’ve done a deep dive, but the history of the Camorra around that time has been scrubbed. I’m still digging. If there’s something out there, I’ll find it. It’s just taking longer because Papa Rizzo did a banging ass job of covering all this up.”
“I may have a quicker way,” I said, reaching for my cellphone and dialing Vincenzo De Maio, head of the notorious De Maio Clan of the Camorra. If anyone knew anything he would.
I placed the phone on speaker.
“Rizzo?”
“You’re on speaker,” I said.
He let out a sigh. “I assume this isn’t a friendly call then?”
“I’m calling in what you owe me,” I responded. “And it has to remain between us. No one else.”
“Okay, I’ll help as much as I can, but we are even after this,” Vincenzo said.
“A little over thirty years ago there was a death of a Camorra boss. I can’t find any information on him or what happened. I want a name and any other information you can find on his death.”
“Is this going to cause problems?” he asked.
“I don’t know, but I need that information, Vincenzo.”
He let out another sigh. “Give me seventy-two hours to get back to you.”
“Twenty-four hours, Vincenzo,” I said. “Time is of the essence.”
For a moment, there was nothing but silence from him.
“Vincenzo?”
“I’ll see what I can find out,” he said confidently, and with that, he ended the call.
“Now we wait,” I said.
“I hate waiting,” Aaliyah said.
“Me too, but if there’s any information out there, Vincenzo will come through.”
I couldn’t stand waiting either, but I needed to confirm what I thought was true. Agent Grasso had to have some connection to the Camorra boss whose death was sanctioned by the Commission. Now how my mother fit into all of it, I had no fucking clue.
Chapter Eighteen
NO MERCY
Aaliyah
Sitting in Tony’s office, we listened intently to Guiseppe as he meticulously went over the information, he had collected from sources he wouldn’t name. Whether he named them or not, it made no difference. We knew who was behind everything, and now we were eagerly seeking confirmation.
“Is that everyone?” Antonio asked through gritted teeth, struggling to contain his anger.
Although he suspected his mother was involved, it was hard hearing it from someone else’s mouth. He tried to hide how it affected him, but I could see. His jaw ticked, the way his brow furrowed. He was angry but also heartbroken. Although Antonio knew his mother was a piece of shit, it was hard knowing she hated me so much when he loved me beyond measure.
“No, Don. But if I might make a suggestion?” Instead of speaking, Antonio silently urged Guiseppe to continue with a brief, affirmative nod. “I don’t believe Dante and your mother are in this alone. I don’t have proof, but the word on the street is there’s a major player coming after other organizations. Maybe they are the ones pulling the strings.”
Antonio gave me a knowing look, his eyes filled with understanding. His mother was working with whoever had put hits on the wives of all the leaders.
“Thank you for the information, Guiseppe.” His eyes shot up in surprise, but he schooled his reaction quickly. “The Don and I are grateful that you came forward. Please come by tomorrow so we can discuss how to pay you for this valuable information.”
