Page 65 of Sal Gabrini: Man on Fire

That was why, before Sal could say a word, Mick spoke up to see what Jovie was willing to admit to. “Your name has been in the news lately,” he said.

“Oh yes? Which news is this? The Mick Sinatra Times, or the New York Times?”

“Guess.”

“The former.”

“Bingo.”

“And what have I supposedly done, according to the Sinatra Times?”

“Let’s start with my syndicate,” said Sal. “Let’s start with you taking over six of my coalition families. Did you or did you not do that?”

“I did that, yes,” Jovie admitted.

Sal was surprised he admitted it. “Why did you do it?”

“The same reason you took over other people’s properties when you first got started. I need territory. They had it. I took it. I haven’t infringed on your territory, Sal Luca.”

“Bullshit! They were in my coalition. What happens to one, happens to all of us.”

“When have any of those people helped you?” Jovie asked. “You’re their strongman that keeps the bogeymen away. But I’m a strongman too, in my own way. And I’m also the bogeyman. They were glad to have both. They said you’ve lost a step. They said you weren’t paying attention to the challenges they faced like you used to. They were an easy get, to be honest.”

Sal had been hearing that shit about him losing a step too. He’d heard it in the past. But it was bullshit then. Now even he wasn’t so sure. “What about my shipments?” he asked. “And those fires at my warehouses?”

“Guilty and guilty. Just as you were guilty when you did those things to your rivals too.”

“I’m not your fucking rival! You have to be at the top of the mountain to rival me. Your ass not even on the hill.”

Jovie laughed. “You have a point,” he said. Then his smile was gone. “But I think your uncle would beg to differ with you on your characterization of me. And you’re right. You are on the top of the mountain. But so am I. Just on a different side.”

“Your ass talk in riddles,” said Sal. “Let’s cut the riddles. Did you send Markie to Mason Curry’s house on that drive-by? Did you order your men or whoever the fuck you ordered to put those explosives in my wife’s car? Did you try to ambush my family at my house? Did you kidnap the kids of the other families in my coalition?”

An odd look came over Jovie’s face when those charges were read. But he remained cool. “Not guilty,” he said. “On all counts!”

Although Mick was still staring at Jovie, Sal was floored. “Not guilty? Are you fucking kidding me? I got witnesses up those very stairs that can testify against your ass. Now you either tell me the truth, or I’ll start telling you. And you won’t like the way I tell it.”

“I am a lot of things, Mr. Gabrini. A liar is not one of them. I am telling you the truth. I did take over the territories of six of your coalition families because I offered them a better deal. I did disrupt your supply chain because I needed to keep you off your game while I built mine. But I never once put any member of your family or anybody else’s family at risk. I’m a counterpuncher like you. I don’t seek fights. I’m seeking territories. And in that game, may the best man win.”

For some strange reason, Sal believed him. Just like that! He looked at Mick. Was he falling for this dog and pony show too?

Apparently he was. Because Mick exhaled a frustrated exhale. And Sal could tell it was because they didn’t have their man. They had to start all over again from square one.

“Robby Yale!”

“Yes, sir, Boss?”

“Get Pauley down here.”

Robby got on his walkie talkie and made the order to the men upstairs. Within seconds, Pauley was thrust downstairs as the guard closed him into the basement with Sal and company.

Pauley, even Sal could see, was terrified as he walked down those stairs. And seeing Mick Sinatra there, too, didn’t help. “You want me, Boss?” he asked Sal.

“Who is this man?” Sal asked Pauley.

“That’s the guy from the photo I gave you. That’s Jovie Joventanno.”

But Sal caught the nuance. “Why you said it like that? Why you acting like you didn’t take the photo?”

---