Page 94 of Collateral Claim
The four leather seats in the back are custom-made and facing each other, giving it the feeling of a limousine.
Endo broods the entire time.
We finish circling the largest cathedral in the region,and as we pull away, Massio fishes out a cold bottle of water and twists the cap. He offers it to me and says, “I can arrange for a private tour of the inside of the cathedral later tonight.”
Next to me, Endo tenses.
I pat his thigh. “That’s not necessary. Thank you.” I wave off the water.
How does Massio’s interference affect the exchange between Endo and my dad? I’d love to crawl inside Endo’s brain right now and figure out what he’s planning. Also, Massio showed upwith a large entourage right as we landed, which means he was ready for us. He knew we were coming.
Is my dad connected with this man?Oh God.
Massio’s smirk tells me he’s pleased to have annoyed or at least outmaneuvered Endo. He drinks the water, Adam’s apple bobbing. I don’t find it attractive.
Massio crunches the empty bottle of water in his fist and puts it on the tray, then looks over at Endo as if assessing him. For what, I have no idea. I don’t read gangster body language well. Or psychopath’s, for that matter.
“Who told you I was in town?” Endo asks.
“Should’ve been you.”
Endo pulls his bottom lip through his teeth. “You’re right. My apologies. I’m not here on business. It’s a pleasure trip, so I didn’t call.”
“Even so. If I so much as flew over your territory you’d get bent out of shape. You disrespect me when you arrive and don’t tell me. But at least your fiancée is nice, so I can forgive you.”
Massio snatches my hand and brings it to his lips as if to kiss it, but Endo yanks my hand back, pulls out his gun, and lunges at Massio. He pins the man against the seat and shoves the barrel of the gun inside Massio’s mouth.
Endo is breathing hard.
I make a conscious effort not to urinate on the seat. I’m terrified Endo will fill Massio’s head with bullets, and he’ll die right in front of me. A whimper escapes. “Please,” I utter, but it’s so quiet, even I can barely hear it.
Endo pushes the gun farther down Massio’s throat, eliciting a gag. The man lifts his arms in surrender, and Endo sits back down.
Massio smiles a deranged smile and reminds me of Endo for a moment. I can see the similarities now.
“They told me the engagement is fake,” the man says.
I breathe deeply and try to recover from debilitating fear.
Endo chews his gum. Violently.
Massio nods. “Okay. Fine. I get it. I was the same way about my late wife.”
Not sure I know what he means. Minutes pass in silence before I say, “I’m sorry to hear about your wife.”
“Don’t be. I killed her.”
Endo shakes his head. “What’s with the small talk?”
I look out the window. “I was just trying to be polite.”
“What for?”
“No reason.”
The tension in the car suffocates me. I need to get out of here. I roll down the window for some fresh air.
“How is Cass?” Massio asks.
