Page 39 of Teddy Sinatra: Go Your Own Way
“Wow,” said Marco.
“When Old Man Bengino retired, he made Potter Rarsi boss. He sidestepped his own son Denny and gave it to Rarsi. That’s was years ago. Although Rarsi is looking to retire now himself, and wanted Teddy to take over his outfit, he made a truce with Mick’s syndicate the moment he became boss that has never been broken. That’s why Mick and Teddy, and me as well, trust Potter Rarsi.”
It was one of thoseah-hamoments for Nikki and Marco and everybody else in that room that would never again have them questioning that blind trust Mick and Teddy had in that particular mobster. Although a small part of Nikki still felt it was too blind because people were capable of changing over time. But she trusted Teddy and Mick with her life, and they trusted Potter Rarsi.
“But make no mistake,” Mick spoke up and said, “if we find out that his ass is involved in what happened to my children and our capos, he will be dealt with.”
Nikki nodded. And looked at Teddy. But Teddy was still too worried about Duke and too guilt-ridden to so much as nod his agreement.
Nikki spoke for him. She looked at Boreau. “Find out which leader in the Bengino family hired Hal Janantoni. We’ve got to have concrete proof before we approach anybody over there because if we get this wrong it could be world war three.”
“Right,” agreed Mick.
“They’ve got serious reach,” Nikki reminded Bo. “Nowhere near our reach. But serious enough to cause a lot of damage. We’ve got to be certain.”
“I’ll get right on it, Nikki,” Bo said, glanced over at a still-flustered Teddy, and then left the room.
As soon as Bo left, an eerie silence took over the suite.
And they waited.
Mick had calmed Roz back down, and they took seats side by side with his arm still around her, as they continued to wait.
Sal Gabrini, and then Reno Gabrini, and then Tommy Gabrini all arrived within a few hours of each other.
And they still waited.
Ameila Sinatra-Reese arrived, but without the man they expected to be with her. “Where’s Hammer?” Her big brother, Big Daddy, asked her.
“Don’t ask,” Amelia said and Big Daddy shook his head. Amelia and Hammer Reese. Always drama with those two!
And they waited some more.
Until, ten hours after Duke first went into surgery, the surgical team, along with the Sinatras’ personal physician, entered the suite. Instead of jumping up and bombarding them with questions, they sat there with bated breath. Nobody moved a muscle.
“The surgery went as expected,” the chief of surgery said.
Roz frowned. Her voice, though not that loud, sounded hysterical. “What do you meanas expected? Tell us what that means. He’s alive, but he’s paralyzed? He’s alive, but he’s a vegetable? He’s dead? Tell us what that means!”
Their personal physician quickly moved in front of the renowned surgeons, many of whom that had been flown in from John Hopkins. Bedside manners were not their forte. “What it means, Mrs. Sinatra,” he said, “is that barring any infections or anything of that nature, Duke is expected to fully recover with no lasting issues whatsoever.”
He was talking a language their worried souls could understand and they immediately jumped to their feet with cheers and applause and high-fives. Even Teddy was relieved and smiling as Marco hurried over, grabbed his shoulders, and began massaging them in pure joy.
But Roz fell to her knees thanking Jesus. And shockingly, Mick fell on his knees too, and kept his arm around her. It was just the news they had been praying for.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
Two days later and Duke Sinatra was transported from the hospital, under the heaviest security, to his father’s vast compound for in-home medical care under the supervision of their family physician and his staff. Even while he was still in the hospital he had been recovering well above expectations. He was thrilled to be back home, and the whole family was thrilled to have him back.
While all of the other young people were gathered together in his room laughing and talking with him, and while Vivian was allowed out back on the basketball courts under the watchful eye of grounds security, Marco was in Mick’s office with the other heads of the family: The Gabrinis, Big Daddy, Nikki and Teddy, and Roz and Amelia. Marco gladly joined the conversation.
Mick was seated behind the desk. Roz was seated on the arm of his desk chair. Since Duke and Jackie were back home where they belonged, there was an air of lightness to Roz again. She was still worried because the perps had to be caught, which was always dangerous, but she was at least no longer worried about her kids.
Big Daddy, Amelia, Tommy, Reno, and Sal and Nikki and Marco were all seated in front of the desk. Teddy was leaned against the wall, the back of his shoe pressed against it too, as he folded his arms. He wanted those fuckers even worse than his father did.
“What about Denardo?” asked Sal Gabrini. He was a mob boss too. He understood the stakes better than most. “Teddy told me he was on the radar for fake-suiciding your three capos even before that explosion happened. Why haven’t we gone after that outfit?”
“Same reason we’re still waiting on intel to go after Bengino’s outfit,” said Teddy. “We need more proof.”
