Page 21 of Tommy Gabrini: All Fall Down
Mick knew it was insane too.
“Teddy will be here for the twins,” she continued. “But I have to go.”
Mick exhaled. He never liked Roz anywhere near anything that could be perceived as dangerous. But she was right. This was different. “Get dressed,” he said, as he hurried to get dressed himself.
CHAPTER TEN
Every semester Tollinger, the premier private school in Las Vegas, handed out their academic awards. Everything from top student in Math, History, English, Physics, Sociology, French, Spanish, Swahili, German, Russian, Symphony, and eventually the Top Student award, or the TSA award. It was so expected that Carmine would get the lion’s share of the honors that when Reno had to meet up with Tommy in Seattle to fly with him on a business trip to Alberta, British Columbia, and Trina decided to pay Grace a visit while they were gone, which meant neither parent would be in attendance, it was fine by Carmine. He was tired of winning, let him tell it. But Sal Gabrini, along with his wife Gemma, the parents of their son Lucky Gabrini, were in attendance inside that school’s gymnasium like the proud parents they were.
But Lucky hadn’t won a thing.
Carmine was sweeping up every award so far. Which wasn’t unusual. He was a certified genius and at Tollinger they didn’t skip you to a higher grade just because of your IQ. But Sal, who sat alongside Jimmy Gabrini, Carmine’s brother, wasn’t happy about it. “Why his ass got to win everything?” he asked Jimmy as Carmine accepted the Top Physics award. “Everybody knows he’s a genius. But damn.Everything? Why he got to win everything?”
“Perhaps because he’s my brother,” a proud Jimmy said.
“He’s your half-brother,” said Sal, “and Reno is y’all’s daddy. And we know those brains didn’t come from no dumb-as-rocks Reno. We know that for a fact.”
Jimmy smiled. “Whatever, Uncle Sal.”
“And the winner is,” the announcer said, “Salvatore Luciano Gabrini, Junior! Lucky Gabrini!”
When Sal heard his son’s name, he began applauding vigorously too. “What did he win?” he kept asking Gemma as he happily applauded. “What did he win?”
“Top student in P.E.,” she said as she happily applauded too.
Sal frowned and stopped clapping. “P.E.? You mean like gym class? He’s the top student in gym class? Are you shittin’ me?”
“Sal!” Gemma said as some parents nearby snickered. “Watch your language.”
“Carmine won Top Calculus student and Top Physics student while our boy can do backflips better than anybody else? Give me a fucking break!”
But that was when Sal looked over at the entrance and saw Robby Yale, the underboss of the Gabrini Crime Family syndicate of which Sal was boss, trying to get his attention. “I’ll be back,” he said to his wife and to Jimmy and then made his way down from the bleachers and outside where Robby was waiting.
“What can’t wait?” he asked his second in command. “I’m trying to celebrate my boy. Although his ass don’t deserve it. Top gym student. What kind of an honor is that? Give me a break.”
“Reno tried to call you but your phone is off.”
“They made us turn it off. Why was Reno calling me? I thought he and Tommy was closing that big deal with that rich chick in Alberta.”
“They are. But there’s a problem in Seattle.”
“What problem?”
“There’s been a school shooting at TJ’s school.”
“Another one?” Then Sal realized what that meant. His heart squeezed. “TJ got shot? That fucker shot TJ?”
“No, Sal. They’re saying TJ’s the one doing the shooting. They’re saying TJ’s the shooter.”
Sal couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “You got to be kidding me. That boy wouldn’t do nothing like that. What are you talking, Robby?”
“Reno and Tommy want you and Mrs. Gabrini to get to Seattle asap. They want her to represent TJ. That is, if he gets out of it alive.”
Sal squeezed his hair with his hands. His heart dropped. He could hardly think straight. “Go get my wife. Don’t tell her nothing. Just tell her to come to me. You stay back. Once that awards shit is over you and Jimmy get Lucky and Carmine and round up the rest of the family and put them all on lockdown until you hear from me. Because if they’re claiming Junior shot up a school, something’s going on. Because that ain’t true. I’d bet my life on it.”
“Yes sir,” Robby said. “I just hope it’s not as bad as it sounds.”
Sal lashed out. “His ass shooting up his fellow students and you hope it’s not so bad? Get the fuck out of here!”
