Page 60 of Sal Gabrini: Man on Fire

After she left, a quiet came over the room. Until Reno spoke.

“At least they aren’t singing their asses off upstairs anymore,” he said, and they all laughed.

But Dommi had a question on his mind too. As the number three capo in the Sinatra Crime Family, although he was a Gabrini and had once been the number two (behind Robby Yale) in the Gabrini Crime Family, he felt as if they were leaving him out too much. “Where were you guys last night?” he asked his father, Mick, and Tommy.

“Where do you think?” Reno answered his son. “We were looking for Jovie.”

“Any luck?”

“We had some leads, that’s why we went on the hunt with our guys. But nothing panned out.”

“And unfortunately I’ve got to get my family back to Seattle this morning,” said Tommy.

“And unfortunately, I’ve got to get back to Maine,” said Big Daddy.

“What’s so unfortunate about it?” asked Dommi. “I’ll still be here. Me and Uncle Mick. We got this.”

“Your ass ain’t got shit,” said Mick to Dommi. “So shut the fuck up.”

A lesser man would have curled under a rock right then and there. But Dommi was no shrinking violet. He still hadn’t had his coming out party yet, where he was going to show the world just how tough he truly was, but he was already putting himself on par with the likes of Mick’s underboss and son Teddy T. “So whatta you saying, Uncle Mick?” he was bold enough to ask even after that little tongue-lashing Mick just gave him. “You saying I gotta go back to Philly?”

“When did I mention Philly?” asked Mick. “You’re staying right here in Vegas until we find out what’s going on. But you will be on guard duty while you’re here. Your job is to protect the ladies and Luciano and that is all you will be doing.”

“Guard duty?” Dommi wasn’t having it. “Do I look like a guard to you, Uncle Mick?”

Everybody looked at Dommi as if he was insane speaking to Mick that way. Mick looked at him, too, but Mick gave him a look so ruthless and cold that it chilled Dommi to his bones.

“Yeah, I kind of do look guard-ish to me too,” Dommi said, nodding his head vigorously. And everybody laughed.

Reno and Trina, however, glanced at their son. Dommi respected Sal when he worked for Sal in the Gabrini Crime Family. But he was terrified of Mick. Which was why they decided his wild ass was better off with Mick.

A half-hour later and the entire clan were outside, standing beside the SUV that was about to transport Tommy, Grace, and TJ to Tommy’s plane. As they talked, but mainly laughed and told bad jokes, Mick’s cell phone rang. And then Gemma’s phone rang. But unlike Mick, who walked away from the crowd to take his call, Sal took Gemma’s phone and looked at the Caller ID.

“What’s he calling you for again?” asked Sal.

Gemma snatched her phone back from Sal and looked to see who was calling her. When she saw who it was, she wasn’t excited about taking the call either. Not after that video had found its way to Sal. But she was on retainer, which meant she was contractually obligated to represent him with future legal problems within her expertise. He was still her client. A client who owed her top dollar and was still paying off: her office were on retainer with so many A-listers in Hollywood that they were in the process of hiring two more attorneys.

Gemma had to answer. “Hello, Mason.”

“I heard about what happened to your son, and I am so sorry. But they got a warrant out for my arrest, Gemma.”

“Your arrest? For what?” Gemma asked and everybody looked at her.

“That girl you was supposed to come and help me with before your son’s accident? The one who was saying I sexually assaulted her?”

“What about her?”

“They found her dead in the Santa Ana river too. They found her dead just like the other girl you just got me off for killing. They’re trying to say I killed this girl too!”

Gemma could hardly believe it. “Where are you now?”

“I’m at the PaLargio.”

Gemma was surprised. “The PaLargio?” Even Reno looked at her then. “What are you doing at Reno’s place?”

“I came for the final night of one of my client’s residencies. That’s when my lawyers in Hollywood called and told me about the warrant. I need you, Gemma. I can’t fly back and risk being arrested in public. And I sure as hell don’t wanna walk up in no police station alone. I need you to escort me in. They know you around here and I can’t risk trying to fly back home.”

“No, you don’t want to go anywhere with a warrant over your head.” She exhaled. “Text me your suite number and stay put until I get there. Don’t go out even for a snack. Just stay put.”

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