Chapter 238
(SASHA)
Luigi looks as nervous as I suppose should be expected, given the way we left things just before I got filled with lead. He stands at the foot of my bed, his hands clasped behind his back, and bows his head.
“Don Sasha,” he greets me, standing at the foot of my bed.
“How are you feeling p>
“Like hot shit, but don’t tell Tyler p>
That raises only the faintest of smiles, but at least he looks me in the eye.
“Get over here. Let me see my ring; make sure you haven’t scratched it.” He sits in the chair that Tyler pulled up to the side of the bed and holds out his hand so I can see it. I rub my thumb over the stone and sniff.
“Doesn’t suit you p>
“That’s for sure p>
“But I’ll need you to wear it a while longer. I’m sorry p>
He gives a slow nod. He really doesn’t want it.
“Thank you,” I add. “I know what a burden it is p>
“That’s putting it lightly. But of course I’ll do it p>
“Good. Now give it back to me. I’ll need it for the meeting tonight. God knows, I suspect some of them are only cowed by the sight of it on my finger p>
Luigi, raising his eyebrows a little, pulls it off with eagerness and drops it in my palm.
We sit there for a moment, each of us in our own thoughts, until I say, “Giulio gave me your message about the Irish p>
“Sorry, we couldn’t nail them for you.” His hands clench by his sides. He really did want to avenge me.
“We’ll pay them back,” I tell him. “Apart from them, what’s the general situation? With the family, I mean—and beyond p>
“Not great p>
“And that’s not all,” Luigi continues grimly, and then I hear all about Marco making trouble.
“Marco gets an idea in his head and he has trouble letting it go,” I agree. “But this is my mess to clear up. You’re my man, Luigi. You’re Underboss, and I should have made it official a long time ago. I’ll do it tonight p>
“Okay,” he says, nodding at the bedspread. “Good to know.” “Back to the other families. What exactly are the Callahan up to p>
“Moving in on our territory p>
“That’s to be expected p>
When Luigi stays quiet, I prompt, “What is it? Ask what you want to ask p>
“Okay then, why is Lou Callahan still breathing? After what he did with Peter Sawyer, liaising to attack your husband at your home and even going to an extent of kidnapping him? It is them that got you in this state in the first place. I thought you were going to put him to the ground p>
It’s a blunt question, and I admire that about Luigi. Besides, he has a right to know.
Callahan almost got away with a hit on us, and his plans could have been much more detrimental to us if not for the efforts of the dedicated Triple Triad men. Apart from that, Callahan has been an enemy for a long time, rather an old enemy of mine. I have wanted him dead for a long time. It’s just that the time has never been right.
“Imagine for a moment that you’re the boss of a mob family,” I say to Luigi. “Might not be such a stretch for you to imagine now, eh? You hold some power, thanks to money and influence, but your greatest enemy has you in sheer numbers. Would it be clever to provoke them, knowing that a head-on attack from them would destroy your own forces—and knowing how many innocents would die in the crossfire? Or would it be wiser to build up your friends and your allies until the numbers are more equal and then find a way to dismantle the enemy from the inside p>
Luigi takes it in and thinks about it. “But we have friends,” he says. “We have allies. And if you took out Lou Callahan, no one would blame you. The Commission would give you a free pass. And there are plenty in the Callahan family waiting in the wings to take Lou’s place; they’d thank you for it p>
“That’s exactly the problem. Cutting off one head of the hydra won’t rid us of them. When I defeat them, I want to make sure the whole top layer is wiped out—and their resources, too. Which is why getting stock in that company is so important. It’s the bedrock of Callahan’s wealth. They’ve been stupid enough to put all their eggs in one basket p>
“And now you’re trying to make an omelette with them?” Luigi suggests with a grin.
“Something like that p>
The Italian stakeholder is still holding out, and I haven’t been able to move forward with my plans there. The meetings I missed a week ago could have been a turning point. It wasn’t.
Luigi rubs his nose, thinking. “So you’ve been giving Callahan all the rope he wants p>
“Until I kick the chair out from under him. I will destroy the Callahan’s completely,” I assure him, “when the time comes. But at the moment, they’re backed too strongly by their ties in Italy. So until I can cut those ties, I want Louis Callahan left alone. I’d rather have him in power than a more intelligent man—or one who’s even more prone to violence. Or worse, a power vacuum. But in the meantime, push back where they’re pushing forward. Do as we would normally do. Alvarado will help us if you ask him p>
“Understood p>
We move on to other topics. To the quick and subtle clearing of our fallen soldiers at the hospital before the cops got to them; to Santino’s reappearance; to Detective Burgess; to the senior members of our own family.
“They’re all downstairs, by the way,” Luigi tells me.
“Looking forward to a reunion.” “So am I.” For the first time in a long time, I really am looking forward to seeing them.
“The two of us, Luigi—we’re okay?” I hold out my hand.
He clasps it and squeezes. “We’re okay p>
“And you and Luciano—how’s that going?” The smile he gives then reminds me of my own when I think about Tyler.
“Great. Luciano…he’s just amazing.” “I’ve been appreciating his greater involvement in our business,” I say. I cast about for a way to ask what I really want to know.
“Do you… find it affecting your home life p>
“Not at all. If anything, it’s a relief to be able to talk about that shit, you know? I don’t have to watch my words quite so much p>
“I see. Well…I’m glad to hear that p>
My words sound hollow to my own ears. But it’s not Luciano and Luigi I’m thinking about. I shake the mood off. “Let’s get this done; bring up the others p>