Page 84 of Savage Union
"Just coffee for now. I'll be in my office with Marco."
She nods, pouring me a cup before returning to her preparations. "And for Miss Gallo when she wakes?"
"Let her sleep. When she does wake, make sure she eats something substantial."
"Yes, Don."
I take my coffee and head to my office. Marco is already waiting outside the door, scrolling through his phone with his usual focused intensity.
"Boss," he greets me, following me inside. "How are you feeling after yesterday's excitement?"
The subtle inquiry speaks volumes. Marco is one of the few people who would dare to ask, however obliquely, about my well-being.
"Fine." I set my coffee down and take a seat behind my desk. "What updates do you have?"
He sits across from me, pulling out his tablet. "Autopsy confirmed cyanide as the cause of Sullivan's death. The capsule was professionally installed—not something he could have done himself. This was planned."
"The Costellos expected him to be captured," I observe. "They ensured he wouldn't talk beyond delivering their message."
"Exactly." Marco nods. "Which suggests the attack itself wasn't the primary objective. If they'd wanted you dead, they would have sent more men, better equipped."
"It was a message delivery, as we suspected." I lean back, considering. "What about our surveillance on the Irish operations?"
"We've doubled coverage on all their known locations. If they so much as sneeze, we'll know about it." Marco's efficiency is one of his most valuable qualities. "Mickey's been unusually active, meeting with several of the other Irish families. Unusual for him to leave his compound so frequently."
"And Liam?"
"That's where it gets interesting." Marco taps his tablet, bringing up surveillance photos. "He's been meeting with someone outside their usual circle. We haven't identified him yet, but he's not one of their regular associates."
I examine the grainy images. The unknown man is partially obscured in most of them, his face never fully visible. "Keep on this. I want to know who he is and what he's bringing to the table."
"Already on it." Marco hesitates, which is unusual for him. "There's something else. Regarding Miss Gallo."
I keep my expression neutral, though my interest sharpens. "Go on."
"The background check we ran before was thorough, but focused primarily on her father's connections, her finances, her public movements. Standard procedure for vetting a potential Donna."
"And?"
"I've been thinking about Sullivan's message. If there's a connection between Miss Gallo and the Costellos, it wouldn't necessarily show up in our initial investigation. Not if it was personal rather than business."
The same conclusion I'd reached in the shower. "I want a deeper look. More... intimate."
Marco nods, understanding my meaning without requiring elaboration. "Her time at NYU would be a good starting point. Who she knew, who she associated with. The Italian and Irish communities overlap more on campus than they do in our world."
"Do it discreetly." I take a sip of my coffee, considering my next words carefully. "I don't want her to know we're looking."
"Understood." Marco studies me for a moment. "May I speak freely, boss?"
I nod once, curious what he's noticed.
"If there is a connection between Miss Gallo and the Costellos, especially Liam... how do you want to handle it?"
The question hangs in the air between us. How indeed? Twenty-four hours ago, the answer would have been simple: swift, decisive action to eliminate any threat, regardless of who posed it. But now, after what transpired between us last night...
"Let's determine the nature of the connection first," I say finally. "Then I'll decide."
Marco accepts this with a nod, though I catch the slight furrow of his brow. He's worked with me long enough to notice the deviation from my usual approach.
