Page 75 of Tesio
“Torch!Listen, uh… PC… Officer uh…”
“Jamie. Jay. Just call me Jay. That’s how friends know me.”
“Oh, look at that, we’re friends with a cop,” Torch said from the sofa and I glared at him.
“I didn’t sayyoucould call me it.”
“Ooooh.”
“Torch, shut it. Listen… Jay…” Micro paused, like he was waiting for me to yell at him, but I stayed quiet for once, “Yes, he left, but only to make a call he didn’t want getting traced back to here.”
“He doesn’t have all the fancy tech stuff to prevent that?”
They both chuckled. “He’s doing his best to stay incognito, but he didn’t want to be where you are, in case he fucks up. Look, just relax. He’ll be back, okay? He just… fuck it… he wanted to talk to the Don in person, or… Jesus, Torch, help me.”
Torch stood up, a shit-eating grin on his face.
“You told me to shut it. Besides, you’re doing so well, man.”
I clenched my fists and growled out with frustration.
“You’re both so cute, but I need fucking answers here. If he’s falling on his sword, I should be with him. And if either of you mentions me falling on his ‘sword’, I’ll kick you in the nuts.”
Torch snorted, and Micro elbowed him. They looked like really good friends, which was lovely and all, but I didn’t need their double act right now. I needed answers. No, not even answers, just Grease. I needed him. Tesio, Grease, whatever the hell his name was.
“Please. Just tell me he’s okay,” I practically begged, fighting the burn of tears, because the helplessness of this whole situation was as painful as the fear.
Micro hesitated, and Torch groaned, patting his shoulder as he stepped past him, closer to me.
“Listen, love, he’s Grease, yeah? He’s smart, he’s resourceful, and he’s way too smug of a fucker to let this take him down. He’s probably already convincing Rossi that this is all just fine, and nobody’s a threat to anyone. You’ll be having pasta at the Don’s-”
“Could you sound more culturally inappropriate?” Micro interrupted, rolling his eyes at Torch. “And I thoughtIwas doing a bad job. He’ll be back soon, and he’ll have all the answers, I’m sure. If you guys have to run, we’ll do everything we can to help you get away. Now, can I get you a coffee? We got in some real milk this morning, so it’ll taste less like shit. We have pastries too.”
I reluctantly agreed, and sat at the small dining table with a mug of coffee, and a bag of pastries, which looked like enough to feed ten people instead of just us, but as I watched Torch pound two of the damn things, I realised why. Big men eat big amounts. Big men. I stared morosely at the front door, wishing Grease would walk through it, and knowing I’d probably punch him if, and when, he did. So as hours passed with no word, I became more and more frustrated and afraid.
“They killed him, I bet those fuckers killed him.”
Micro was starting to look like he agreed with me, but Torch shook his head.
“Nope. Some shit just takes time. Trust me. He’s got this.”
Micro’s phone buzzed a moment later and he chewed his lip as he read it.
“Well, he’s on his way back, so he’s alive at least.”
Yeah, but for how fucking long? How did I get mixed up with bikers and mafia men? I’d always been a decent, law-abiding person, but how long had I been starting to hover on the edge of the law? How many times had I pushed the limits to get the arrest, or encourage the suspect to behave in a way that gave me that right? Maybe I’d never been a good person. Maybe it was all just an illusion. I guess, the real question was this… would I leave it all for a bad guy?
Chapter Thirty-Nine
No precautions were enoughwhen dealing with the mafia, hence why I used a burner I’d never used before, rode thirty miles out into the centre of the next town, and dialled the Don from there. I’d stayed on my ride, and parked in an alley, where it was a dead end behind me, and I was facing out of it. I’d see anyone coming, even if I risked getting trapped. It was better than the idea of them sneaking up behind me. I’d disabled the GPS on the phone, but I knew nothing was ever guaranteed, which was why this phone was getting tossed in the drain beside me after the call.
I had to wait for five agonising rings before it was answered.
“Mario’s Pizza.”
“Luca, it’s Tesio.”
“You fucking traitor. How dare you call this number?! You think you’re gonna speak to the Don? You can go right to hell.”
