Читать книгу The Legacy of the Assassin - Tony Jr. Bertot - Страница 6

A State of Dilemma

Chicago/October

Most crime families met the news of Felicia's recovery as a sigh of relief. However, for crime boss Luis Ruiziano, a combination of both relief and fear overwhelmed him.

"Holy shit, she's alive. What are the odds of her beating this rap?" he commented to the others in the room.

"What are we going to do boss?" asked his brother Dennis.

"Hey, we ain’t got nothing to be afraid of. We didn't do anything wrong. We come clean; tell her what we know. She is smart; she'll see we had nothing to do with it. She'll know what to do," he responded, actually believing what he was saying.

Luis Ruiziano was the head of one of the biggest Chicago crime syndicates ever to hold power. A status bestowed upon him by the Giordano Family, who wanted nothing to do with Chicago. By supplying both the muscle and finances, Mr. Ruiziano attained the position of capo rather quickly. His loyalty was tested and proven on several occasions, earning the trust of both Felicia and Fabio, as well as other members of the family. As a result, he was allowed to keep most of his profits from illegal gambling, prostitution, and the numbers racket with only a small percentage reverting to the Giordano Family. It was the same arrangement made between most of the crime families operating in the United States. They all had a stake in the success of the Giordano's since their influence on public officials and those that enforced the law spanned across the entire United States, and they were unprecedented by any other organization. Additionally, their ability to gather intelligence against any organization, or person, was envied by all.

Most of the families rallied behind Leo Russo when the news of Fabio's death and the attempted murder of Felicia hit the airways. As Leo Russo and his sons, Encino and Jimmy, took the reins of leadership, many families sent soldiers in support of the Giordano family while Felicia lay in the hospital. Other members of the Giordano family quickly moved up the ranks to fill any voids left by the loss of Fabio Giordano.

Luis Ruiziano knew when Miss Giordano returned to her position, she would launch an investigation into the murder of her brother and the attempt on her life. However, he had already advised Leo Russo to let him know when Felicia would be able to talk to him; he had valuable information on the identity of the assassin.

Two and a half months after Fabio and Felicia Giordano had been shot, Luis Ruiziano received a call on the special phone. This phone had been set as a means to contact the assassin they knew as Nick Costello.

Surprised to hear the phone ring, Luis Ruiziano answered with some hesitation. "Hello, who is this?" he asked.

"Where is my money?" the voice on the other side asked.

"What are you talking about? What money?" asked Ruiziano.

"I'm not going to ask you again! The money better be there before the end of tomorrow?" the voice insisted.

"Wait! What are you talking about?" Ruiziano asked, now realizing with alarm who was on the other end of the phone.

There was hesitation on the other end.

"The money for taking out the Giordanos," was the response Ruiziano heard.

"What! Are you out of your fucking mind? I never authorized a hit on the Giordanos. I swear I didn't," Ruiziano was now shouting into the phone.

Remembering to whom he was talking, Ruiziano calmed down. "Mister, I swear I didn't order a hit on the Giordanos," Ruiziano now said in a steady voice.

Again, there was silence on the other end of the phone, then, "Someone ordered the hit from this phone. I found the papers in the agreed locations and half the money," the voice said.

"I swear I didn't order the hit, but I promise you I will look into the matter. I have no reason to want the Giordanos dead. I swear it," Luis Ruiziano told him.

Once again the phone went silent, and then in a cold and chilling voice Luis Ruiziano heard, "I am going to assume you are telling me the truth. So I am going away for a while. It might be several weeks or several months, but when next I call, you had better have a satisfactory answer for me." The phone went dead as Luis Ruiziano heard him hang up.

Ruiziano immediately launched an investigation into how someone in his own organization could have ordered a hit on Fabio and Felicia Giordano, and who it was. Only a few men had access to his office and the information on how to contact the assassin. He had no way of knowing when the hit was ordered, making it virtually impossible to find the culprit. After a few weeks, he was still unable to determine who could have issued the order, and with the recovery of Miss Giordano, his time had run out.

The Past Catches Up

Chicago/October

Hearing his boss, Luis Ruiziano, announce the recovery of Felicia Giordano sent chills through Tom’s bones. He knew now it was simply a matter of time before she began her own investigation into who contacted the assassin and ordered the hit on her and her brother. He only had, maybe, a few weeks before he had to disappear.

Twenty years ago he escaped from being poisoned simply because he was a recovering alcoholic. Soon after, he and his wife moved to Chicago under the assumed names of Tom and Kathy Diasparra.

Both he and his wife were from mob families. Tom's father had been a soldier for the Costellino family, and Kathy's uncle, who raised her, was the head of one of the underground casinos owned by the same family. They met at one of the functions thrown by the families and instantly fell in love. They were part of this world, and knew the risks and rewards offered by this style of life. On more than one occasion they found themselves together at a safe house during one of the many wars that erupted between the different families.

After arriving in Chicago, Tom and Kathy began to plan. Tom joined a local crime family and began working his way up the ladder from the bottom of the organization, around the same time that the Giordano family took control over most of the U.S. outfit. He was readily accepted as he repeatedly proved himself to be both cunning and ruthless. His planning had paid off when just after five years in the organization he was moved to lieutenant in the Ruiziano crime family.

Now all his planning was in jeopardy. He knew if he rushed into anything it could cost him his life. He had to back off and rethink his strategy.

When he got home he could see by the look on Kathy's face she had already heard the news about Felicia Giordano's recovery.

"Tom, what are we going to do?" she asked him as he walked into the apartment.

"Nothing right now. We need to plan our escape without letting anyone know. I will return to work tomorrow just like any other day. I'll try to shift any suspicion towards some of the other men to buy us some time. In the meantime, you need to keep all this to yourself and tell no one about any plans to leave town. Our lives hang in the balance," Tom told her. She nodded, fully understanding the consequences.

"I know, honey, I was there too. Remember? I will never forget seeing our friends keel over, remembering how they looked as they gasped for air," she told him as tears rolled down her face.

"I know, honey. We just got to be extra careful now," he told her as he held her in his arms.

It was on July 11, 1964, when Kathy and Tom attended the funeral services of Bolnaldo Costellino, and then the breakfast at La Ristorante. Tom had always been quick to size up a situation and knew it was time to get out of town before the body count added one more. They didn't wait around for the police. In fact, they were already on their way out of town before the last ambulance left the scene. In those days he was a 2^nd lieutenant in the Costellino crime family and known to all as Joseph Coleto.

When he arrived in Chicago he kept abreast of what happened back in New York. He ordered a copy of all of the New York papers. After a short spell it was evident the Giordano family had carried out the massacre at La Ristorante. Several months of investigation led to no arrests; it appeared the Giordano's had gotten away with it.

Both Kathy and Tom were outraged and swore to someday avenge the death of their friends. It was Kathy who suggested they use the knowledge Tom had about contacting the assassin; a risk Tom was willing to take. So that no one would be the wiser, Kathy was the one who managed to get into the office of Luis Ruiziano. She received the call from Theo Gresco at a time when the Chicago family was in New York attending a Giordano function. Except for one soldier who remained downstairs, completely unaware of the back entrance, there was no one in the building to stop Kathy from getting in and taking Theo’s call.

During her conversation with the assassin, she instructed him on when and at what time to make the hit. She was a bit angry when Theo advised her he would decide on when, where and at what time he would honor the contract. His voice gave her a very uneasy feeling, and her hand was trembling when she hung up the phone. She realized then and there that if this man ever found out he had been duped, he would stop at nothing to eliminate the voyager who entered his world.

Kathy had no way of knowing this single act had sealed her and Tom's fate. Old Friends

St Maarten/January 1985

Sitting on a lounge chair watching the calm waters of the Atlantic Ocean pulling and pushing the surf on the sandy beach, Jay Messina began to drift into a warm slumber.

"Papa! Papa! Wake up," his daughter shouted out to him.

"Maria, why is it that you always wait for me to nod off before you start calling me?" he asked his daughter.

"I am sorry, Papa, but you are always nodding off," she responded.

"Well, what is it now?" he asked her.

"Mama is calling you," she informed him.

Jay got up and looked around toward the house, and sure enough he could see Emelia waving at him to come. "Oh crap, what does she want me to do now? Can't a man have a peaceful nap every once in a while?" he complained to himself.

Waving back he started towards the house as she acknowledged and disappeared inside. "Emelia, what is it you want?" he shouted out as he entered through the double glass doors. As he came through the house and turned left into the dining area he stopped cold. "Holy mother of Christ," Jay said as he found himself staring at his old friend Theo Gresco standing next to his wife.

"Hi, Jay," Theo said.

"Theo. Is it really you?" he asked with his mouth still opened. Jay walked up to him and gave him a big hug. "Boy, I thought you were dead," he told him as a big grin appeared on his face.

"Not yet," was Theo's reply.

"Come in. Come in," Jay said repeatedly.

"I am already in," Theo said.

"Of course you are. Oh my God. I can't believe it. You look good for a man who should have drowned in the East River." Jay said laughing. "Where are my manners? Emelia this is a very good friend of mine. Theo Gresco, meet my wife, Emelia Messina," Jay said.

"We've already met," Theo said.

"What? Of course you have," Jay said laughing. "I got to get use to you all over again," Jay said. "Emelia please set up one of the spare bedrooms for my friend here. He will be staying for as long as he wants," Jay said to his wife.

Emelia smiled at Theo and said, "I have heard a lot about you Mr. Gresco. You are welcome in our home. May I get you something to eat or drink?" she asked him.

"No thank you, ma'am," Theo responded.

Theo, now tanned and dressed in a white shirt with brown khaki shorts, and wearing sandals, blended in with the locals very nicely.

"Come. Come let's go out and sit on the beach while we chat," Jay told Theo. They both exited the house through the double glass doors and headed down toward the beach where a few lounge chairs awaited them.

"I want you to know that I am very happy you are here Theo, but I need to know why you aren't with your wife. And what about your kid?" Jay asked.

Theo sat quietly for some time while Jay sat patiently waiting for his response. He remembered his old friend, remembered that he was never quick to answer.

"Sylvia is dead," Theo said. "As for my son, Tyler, I imagine he is currently enjoying the benefits of my hard work, so to speak," Theo responded.

"I am sorry about your wife. Wish I could change the way things turned out. I should have gone with you and Nick. Maybe things would have been different. Maybe they both would still be alive," Jay said now sitting over the side of the lounge chair staring at Theo.

Theo turned to Jay and smiled. "And maybe you too would be dead, and I would have no friend to turn to or call," Theo said in a calm voice.

Jay turned and sat back into the lounge chair as they both stared out at the water. Theo was exhausted, and in just a matter of minutes fell into a deep sleep. Jay watched him for a few minutes before retiring into the house.

The next morning Jay found Theo sitting on the same lounge chair, looking out into the sea.

Theo had been awakened by a small voice. "Good morning," he heard. It was a little girl about five or six years of age.

"What's your name?" she asked him.

Theo stared at the little girl for a few seconds, wondering where she came from. He looked about and saw no one. "Where'd you come from little girl?" he asked her.

"From my house," she said pointing to Jay Messina's house.

"That's your house?" Theo asked her.

"Yes. My mommy and daddy live there with me," she said.

"Your father is Jay Messina?" Theo asked her.

She stared at Theo for a few seconds and then said, “No, his name is Daddy Messina and I am Maria Messina," she replied.

"I see. Well then, I am a friend of your daddy's," Theo told her.

"Are you going to stay with us?" she asked him.

"Just for a while," Theo responded.

"Good. Then you can be my friend and you can play with me, OK?" Maria looked satisfied.

"Don't you have other kids your age that you can play with?"

"Sure I do, but you're brand new and you don't have friends, so I am going to be your first friend," she answered him.

"How do you know I don't have friends? Your daddy is my friend," Theo told her.

"Daddies don't count," Maria countered.

"Hey you two, come on into the house for breakfast," they both heard Emelia shout out. Theo turned to see Emelia waving at them.

As he got up to head towards the house, Maria reached up to take Theo's hand. For a moment he looked at her as if she had three heads. Then, smiling at her, he took her hand and they both walked toward the inviting aroma of a hot breakfast.

"Good morning, you two," Jay said to Theo and Maria as they entered the house.

"See you've met," Emelia said.

"Yes, Mommy. I told him who I was," Maria said.

"Young lady, go and wash your hands before sitting down," Emelia instructed.

"Yes, Mom," Maria said running off to the bathroom.

"Theo, just follow her if you wish to wash up. I left some towels and a change of clothes," Emelia told Theo.

"Yes, ma’am," Theo nodded as he went on to follow Maria.

A few minutes later, Maria came running back to the table reporting that the man went into the bathroom. In less than fifteen minutes Theo managed to shower, shave and get into the clothes Emelia had left him.

"Wow, you look better," Maria said.

"Hush," Jay scolded.

It was not till later that night, as they sat on the beach, that Theo opened up to Jay and told him what had happened since last they departed. Jay sat there quietly listening to Theo divulge the details of his life and the path he had chosen. It was well into the night before Theo was finished.

"God, you've been busy," Jay remarked. "So what are your plans now?" he asked.

"I don't have any right now," Theo answered honestly.

"So are you going to finally quit? Settle down and maybe find yourself a wife?" Jay bombarded him. "Theo, have you ever failed in any of your assignments?" he asked.

"What? Me? Never," Theo responded somewhat surprised by the question.

"Why don't you call it quits while you're ahead? Settle down here with us. You would be welcomed," Jay told Theo.

Theo stared out at the ocean, feeling the cool breeze of the night. It was as close to paradise as he could imagine. But the ebb and flow of the ocean made him realize he must move on and continue moving.

"You have a good life here, Jay," Theo said.

"But?"

"It's not for me," Theo responded.

They sat there quietly for a couple of hours before they got up and went back into the house.

While sitting on the couch, Theo was caught off guard when Maria came running up to him, threw her little arms around his neck and gave him a kiss on his cheek.

"Good night," she said to him.

"Um... Good night, kind lady," responded Theo. Maria smiled at him and ran off to bed.

Theo looked up at Jay and Emelia as they both shrugged their shoulders as if saying "We don't know where she gets these things from either."

Theo was given the spare bedroom adjacent to Maria’s. It was the second night in a row that he felt at peace.

The next morning was a repeat of the previous day as all four sat around the table having breakfast. Little Maria was telling Theo about one of her friends who she thought liked her and wanted to marry her.

"Really? And don't you think you are too young to get married?" Theo asked her.

"Of course, silly. It's not for now," Maria told him in a matter of fact way.

"Oh, sorry I misunderstood," Theo told her.

"His name is Robert. But I call him Bobby," Maria said.

"Who?" Theo asked her.

"My boyfriend. Aren't you listening to me?" Maria asked him.

"Oh...umm... I see. Yes, I'm listening," Theo responded feeling somewhat uneasy. Both Emelia and Jay stared at them as they were having their conversation, wondering what Theo must be thinking.

After breakfast, Theo and Jay both enjoyed a walk to get his mail at the local post office about a mile down the road.

"She's a handful," Jay said of Maria. Theo smiled and nodded in agreement.

Twenty minutes later they were walking back with a pile of newspapers. "What the hell is all that," Theo asked Jay.

"I subscribe to several newspapers. It helps me keep tabs on what's going on back home," Jay responded.

"Why don't you simply buy a television," Theo asked him.

"Nah, I like reading stuff. Besides the television out here only reports on major international issues. Not things that might happen on the streets of New York or Chicago," Jay said.

When they got back, Jay took the papers, laid them on the sand next to the beach chairs and started to go through them. Every once in a while he mentioned something of interest to Theo, who was occupying the chair next to him. It was four newspapers later when Jay said, "Hey Theo, here's a bit of news that might interest you."

"Yeah, what's that?" Theo asked.

"It seems Felicia Giordano has come back from the dead," Jay said.

***

The news that Felicia Giordano was still alive caught Theo off guard. The incident replayed in his mind over and over again. "How could she have survived a direct hit to the head?" he asked himself.

It wasn't till almost three a.m. that he realized what he had to do. The job wasn't finished. Regardless of who hired him, he had not completed his end of the contract. In Theo's way of thinking it had to be resolved immediately; his unblemished reputation of never failing to complete a contract was now in jeopardy.

Though Jay had asked him to let it go, that it was an omen, he could not: he could not let her live. He knew she would stop at nothing, spare no expense, to track him down. Such was her nature. Such was his nature.

So at around 6:00 a.m. Theo was up. He took a quick shower and was ready to walk out the door when he was confronted by little Maria. "Where you going?" she asked him.

"It's time for me to go," Theo responded.

"But I don't want you to go," she told him.

Theo walked over to her, got down on his knees and looked her right in the eyes. "I have to go. I didn't finish a job and I have to go and finish it," Theo told her.

"Will you be back after you finish?" she asked him.

He looked into her eyes and smiled. "Yes, I'll try to come back once I am finished," he told her.

Maria gave Theo a tight hug. "Please, come back," she told him.

Theo picked her up, carried her to her bed and laid her down, brought the cover up to her neck and kissed her on the forehead. "Go to sleep," he whispered.

"I love you," responded Maria. This caught Theo completely off guard. He had not heard those words in many years. This little girl touched his heart and he was almost overwhelmed by it.

He stared down at her and smiled. "I love you too," he told her. Theo straightened up and walked out of the room and down the hall toward the living room where Jay stood with his back to him, looking out onto the beach.

"It's going to be another beautiful day," Jay said, still with his back to him.

Theo came alongside him and peered out towards the beach. "Yes, it is," he responded.

"Do you remember when we were in Nam and Nick asked you to let him take out the next mark?" Jay asked.

It took a few seconds before Theo responded. "Yes, I remember. I also remember telling him that it was a long shot and he hadn't ever taken a shot like that from that distance. But he insisted," Theo said.

"He shot four other men before he finally hit his mark. Lucky they were all looking in different directions, and the mark didn't even notice until the third guy went down," Jay said almost laughing hysterically.

"Yeah, I never seen two grown men laugh so hard while running for their lives," Theo said smiling as he recalled the incident. "We ended up jumping into the freaken river," Theo added.

Then there was a dead silence.

"Want me to go with you?" Jay asked him.

Theo turned to Jay and smiled. The two men embraced and Theo walked out without ever responding.

Jay watched as Theo disappeared into the night. "Good luck my friend," Jay said to himself as he fought back the tears that threatened to spill.