Page 51 of The Holy Ghost
“And Sal?” Ciroasked.
“Salmight be difficult, but like Leo,he’s not stupid,” Luca replied. “He’s also not blind to his faults.He knows he’s not fit to lead, just like Leo knows he’s not.They’ll fall in line when the time comes. No way they’ll risk themoney, power, or unlimited pussy.”
We were Luca’soffice, Ciro behind the bar, me on the couch, and Lucaleaning up against his desk.One would think we were just three guys shooting the shit, but wedidn’t indulge in that kind of casualness often. It was almostalways business.
“Have youdecided who will be your Underboss?” Ciro asked knowing that, evenif Luca didn’t know yet, he had a plan.
Luca always had aplan.
“Sal,” heannounced. “Leo’s smart, but he has a conscience.It’ll always prevent him frommaking the touch decisions.”
“Sal’spsychopathy doesn’t worry you?” I posed that question because itwas a validconcern.
Lucashrugged. “It’s a concern, butI don’t have any other brothers to consider, and that position canonly go to a Benetti.”
“Get a girland knock her up,” Ciro suggested as he made is way from around theback of the bar. “If the position hasto go to a Benetti, your future son is the bestbet.”
“And if I onlyproduce girls?” he posed, a smile in his question.
Ciro barked out alaugh. “Even better. They’ll be little cutthroat mercenaries thatno one will see coming.”
I smiled atthe image Ciropresented. Icould totally see an army of little black-hair, black-eyed Benettidaughters wreaking havoc all over Morgan City. “Female Benettis.Can you imagine?” I laughed.
“Evenif my sons were an option, I stillneed someone to fill the position until they come of age,” Lucapointed out. “And the whole of the matter is that I’d rather haveruthlessness than compassion at the helm of this entire thing.Respect had its place, but so does fear, and that’s the only thingLeo isn’t good at. The kid is smart as a whip and can shoot a gun,but pleas donotfall on deaf earsaround him.”
“So, Leo will stillbe in charge of the money?” Ciro sat on the couch opposite me as heasked that question.
“Frankie willbe in charge of allourlegitimate business; mine, yours, and Phoenix’s,” he began toexplain. “Nothing dirty touches her hands. She will be protectedboth physically and legally.” I sometimes wondered what peoplewould think if they knew how strong Luca’s weakness for Frankiewas. “Phoenix will handle my own person wealth, the clean and thedirty, and Leo will handle all other Benetti business.”
“And the cleanupoperation?” I asked.
“Sal willstill be in charge of that,” he went on to continue explaining.“He’ll decide when he’sreadyto hand it over and to whom.”
“Lookslike things are finally looking up,”Ciro commented, smiling.
“Except for onething,” Luca said, ruining Ciro’s smile.
“What onething?”
Luca’s blackeyes glanced my way before settling back on Ciro. “RobertRegal,” he answered. “She’s stilla…factor.”
The look on Ciro’s facewas pure loathing. “The fuck she is,” he argued. “How do youfigure?”
“She’s Francesca’sfriend, Ciro. She’s going to be on the fringes of whateverFrancesca does.”
Ciro’s ambereyes shot my way. “You’reallowing Frankie to still be friends with her?”
I understoodhis anger, but he wasn’t married to his sister. He was guaranteedFrankie’s love because he was her brother. That was an advantage Ididn’t have. And that was proven when Ciro was the only one she contacted while she was goneall those years. Sure, they were random texts and nothing more, butit was a hell of a lot more than Luca and I had gotten fromher.
“Robbie’sinjuries came about because she caught Randy textingFrankie,” I explained. “InFrankie’s eyes, Robbie took a beating trying to protect her fromRandy. Frankie insists that Robbie is loyal and would neverknowingly place her in danger.”
Ciro’seyes glowed, and he jumped offthe couch. You could feel the flames flickering from his anger. “Idon’t give a fuck about knowingly putting Frankie in danger,” hespat. “My concern is her carelessness. We don’t need someone likethat around my sister. Hell, around any of us.”
“I agree.” AndI did. But Frankie wasn’t going tobudge on this one. “I’m not saying I trust her, Ciro. What I’msuggesting is that we give her a chance. She’s Frankie’s friend andI’m not going to fight with my wife every single time she wants tohang out with her friend.”
“No,”he contended. “She doesn’t deserve achance.” His eyes danced back and forth between me and Luca beforehe exploded. “Goddamn it! She almost got Frankie fucking killed!How can you guys forgive that?”
Luca scoffed,clearly offended. “I haven’t forgiven that,” he snapped. “I’llneverforgive that. But what do you propose, Ciro? Because I cantell you that if we forbid Francesca from being friends withRoberta, it’s just going to place Frankie in moredanger.”
