“An’ what business would that be?”
“Waste disposal.”
Max had rolled his eyes.
So he couldn’t confide in Max, and he certainly couldn’t confide in Charlie, who since getting his new leg was working in a bank and doing quite well. Besides, it was probably a good thing there was no one to try and talk him out of what he knew he had to do, for not only had the shooter—Roy—made Vinny into a vegetable, but by killing Anna Maria, he’d robbed Michael of the childhood he might have had.
Pure fury was building inside him like a volcano. He realized he’d been waiting to get revenge for his mother’s murder all these years. And now that he knew the truth, there was no more waiting—it was time to take action.
They would pay. All of them.
And they would pay soon.
Mamie had obviously gotten a good settlement out of Vito, because she’d relocated to a Park Avenue apartment and moved Roy in with her.
Mamie was a true survivor. She’d hired herself the best divorce lawyer in town and was threatening to reveal certain aspects of Mr. G.’s business interests if he didn’t come up with the right amount of alimony. Meanwhile, she was spending her soon-to-be ex-husband’s money at an alarming pace, and doing whatever and whoever took her fancy.
Michael began surveying her apartment building and checking out her movements, making sure she didn’t spot him. He soon found out she had two dogs—a pair of spoiled white miniature poodles. The dogs were walked three times a day by different people. The first walk—early in the morning—was taken care of by the front desk porter. Lunchtime, Mamie took them out herself. And late at night it was Roy’s turn.
A couple of weeks after listening to Bone’s revelations, Michael finally took action. It was time.
That night he waited in the park, stationing himself behind a tree, halfway along the path where Roy usually walked the dogs. It was a cold, dark night, and the park was deserted, exactly the way he wanted it.
As he stood there, he was thinking about the Chronicle and everything the man had taught him. At last it was about to come in useful.
He stamped his feet as he waited, trying to stay warm. He thought about Beth with her seductive smile. And his precious daughter, Madison. He loved them both. They were everything to him.
After about twenty minutes, he spotted Roy approaching. As soon as Roy was close enough, he stepped out from behind the tree and stood in front of him, blocking his way. “Hey, Roy,” he said in a friendly tone. “Remember me?”
Roy peered at him through the darkness. “Who’s that?” he asked, startled.
“Michael Castellino,” he said, moving closer.
The dogs began to bark and pull on their leashes.
“What the hell you doin’ here?” Roy mumbled ill-temperedly. “It’s the middle of the fuckin’ night.”
“I was takin’ a walk, saw you comin’, an’ thought it might be a good time to reminisce.”
“Reminisce?” Roy said, as the dogs continued to yap. “What the fuck you carryin’ on about?”
“Oh, y’know,” he said casually. “Mamie an’ my dad.”
“What?”
“Didn’t Mamie used to go out with him? An’ wasn’t she kinda pissed when he dumped her an’ married my mom?”
Roy made an attempt to kick one of the barking dogs with the tip of his shoe. “Shut up, ya fuckin’ rats,” he said sharply.
“I was wondering if you remembered my grandma’s store,” Michael continued, feeling quite calm, although he knew what he had to do. “Lani’s convenience store. Bring back any memories, Roy?”
“What?” Roy repeated, distracted by the dogs, which were now snarling at each other.
“There was a time my mom worked there, too,” Michael said, keeping his voice low and even. “Yeah—she was pregnant with me.”
“You got a point?” Roy said, beyond irritated. “ ’Cause I’m standin’ here freezin’ my balls off.”
“Yes,” Michael said, “as a matter of fact I do.” And very calmly, he took out his gun, aiming it directly at Roy. “My point is that you’re a piece of shit who doesn’t deserve to live.”
Roy blanched. “For crissakes!” he said, panicking. “Put that away.”
“What’s the matter?” Michael said mildly. “You don’t like guns? They scare you, do they?”
“Put the fuckin’ thing away,” Roy repeated, his eyes bugging.
“I bet my mom was scared, exactly like you are now. And as I said—she was pregnant with me, so she couldn’t run, couldn’t do anythin’, could she? I guess she was a sittin’ target. Do you agree?”
“Jesus Christ!” Roy said, spittle dribbling from the side of his mouth. “I warned Mamie not to bother with you. Knew you’d be trouble one of these days. The dumb cunt wouldn’t listen—she got off on havin’ you around.”
“Until you got rid of me, right?” Michael said, his voice hardening. “You set me up good, Roy. Eight years, an’ I ended up servin’ five. That must’ve been a disappointment.”
“It wasn’t me,” Roy whined. “She wanted you outta the way, it wasn’t my idea.”
“No?”
“I swear it wasn’t, Mike,” he said, his hands beginning to shake. “I like you—you’ve always been civil t’ me.”
“That’s good to know.”
“So . . . ,” Roy whined. “Why don’t you put the piece away before you hurt someone?”
“You think I should do that, Roy?”
“Yeah, yeah, I think ya should do that.”
“Just like you did for my mom, huh?”
“I never shot your mom.”
“You didn’t, huh?”
“It was—”
“Remember the Chronicle?” Michael interrupted. “An’ Vito tellin’ me I should learn to shoot? He was some guy, that Chronicle—he taught me good.”
Raising the gun higher, he pointed it at Roy’s face. “Retribution is the name of the game. It’s called paying the price. You killed my mother. Destroyed my dad. Now it’s your turn.” A long silent beat. “Remember my name, Roy. Michael Castellino. Remember it all the way to hell.”
And he shot him in the head.
Then, very calmly, he turned and walked away.
One down. Two to go.
Dani—1972
You gave him back the ring!” Gemini exclaimed in amazement. “Why?”
“Because I didn’t say yes—therefore, there was no reason for me to accept it,” Dani explained.
They were standing in the wings, getting ready to go on. Two tall, spectacular young women, both blond, wearing matching skimpy costumes of sequins, feathers, and lace, with plenty of flesh on show, and extravagant headdresses. The two of them together with their long legs and large bosoms were every man’s fantasy.
“You’re crazy,” Gemini said, licking her highly glossed lips. “Surely you know that a girl never returns jewelry.”
“I couldn’t lead him on.”
“You poor baby—you have so much to learn.”
“And I’m sure you’re planning on teaching me.”
“I can see I’ll have to.”
Several other girls jostled for position as the music started. Gemini and Dani hung back. They made their entrance a few minutes after the dancers. Statuesque, dazzling. Total glamour.
“How did you leave it?” Gemini asked.
“He had to fly to Houston,” Dani said. “He’ll be back in a couple of weeks. I told him I’d try to give him an answer by then. In the meantime, he gave me the name of a lawyer to call.”
“Then what are you waiting for?” Gemini said, taking a quick peek in the backstage full-length mirror. “Call the man.”
“I will,” Dani promised.
She’d been struggling with her feelings all day. How simple it would be to say yes to Dean, pack up everything, take Vincent, and move to Houston.
Yet something held her back. She refused to get involved in another loveless marriage like the one to Sam. It
wasn’t fair to Vincent to bring someone else into his life who might not be permanent. She wasn’t even sure she knew what love was. She’d murmured the words once in her life, and that was to Michael.
Ah . . . Michael. One magical night from her past, and she’d been no more than a child. Yet hard as she tried, she couldn’t forget him. How was it possible with Vincent there to remind her?
The next morning she and Gemini worked out in the gym. Hardly the gorgeous untouchable creatures of the previous evening, they now wore no makeup, hair in simple ponytails, and had on workout clothes. Staying in perfect shape was an essential part of their job, and they both toiled hard at it.
“Do you believe in love?” Dani asked as she lifted light weights.
Gemini nodded, finishing a series of punishing sit-ups. “Yes. Only, you must never mistake love for passion,” she said, grabbing a towel. “Unfortunately, passion never lasts. When I married Nando’s father, Moralis, he was the most passionate man I had ever met. I couldn’t breathe when I was with him. I found myself thinking about him day and night.”
“That’s how I felt with Michael,” Dani sighed, putting down the weights and moving over to the treadmill.
“I hardly think it’s the same,” Gemini replied. “After all, you were only with Michael for—what?—one day, one night?”
“I know, but I’ve never had feelings like that before or since,” Dani said dreamily. “And the way he made love . . .”
“It was your first time,” Gemini pointed out. “You were hardly in a position to know whether he was a great lover or a bad one.”
“He was great,” Dani said, remembering every detail.
“Here’s what you need to do,” Gemini said. “Date a few different men, get some perspective.”
Dani shook her head. “I’d feel I was being unfaithful to Dean.”
“Unfaithful!” Gemini exclaimed. “You didn’t even accept his ring.”
“That’s true, only I can’t see other men, it wouldn’t seem right.”
“Then you’d better marry Dean,” Gemini said, exasperated. “That’s my advice.”
A few days later Dani met with the lawyer Dean had recommended. Gemini accompanied her for moral support. The lawyer’s name was Morgan Spelling Jones, and he was a flamboyant character. In his mid-fifties, he had a florid complexion, a hearty laugh, and big, smooth, well-manicured hands. A Texan with an extremely loud voice, he wore a ten-gallon cowboy hat with an off-white business suit and tooled-leather boots. The look was eccentric, to say the least.
“This must be my lucky day,” he said, beaming at the two women as they came into his office. “The Lord surely smiled at me this morning to have two such beauties enter my domain.”
“Ms. Castle is here about her divorce,” Gemini said, settling into a chair opposite his desk and crossing her long legs.
“And Ms. Castle will get her divorce,” Morgan said, his eyes lingering on Gemini’s legs. “That’s if I have anything to do with it.”
“Dean King recommended that I see you,” Dani said, sitting down in the chair next to Gemini.
“He did indeed, and he spoke very highly of you, little lady. Now,” he said, picking up an expensive gold pen from his massive leather-topped desk and holding it over a yellow legal pad. “I suggest you give me all the nasty details.”
“What did you think of him?” Gemini asked the moment they left his office.
“He seems quite interesting,” Dani replied.
“Interesting, or capable?”
“Both.”
“Hmm . . .” Gemini said. “Don’t you think that the combination of the cowboy hat and the boots lent him a certain . . . sensuality?”
Dani giggled. “You’re kidding?”
“No,” Gemini said, with a half smile. “I like a man who has . . . quirks.”
Gemini liked him so much that they began dating, and within six weeks they were married. It was quite a rapid courtship—and one that Dani felt very much part of, since she was responsible for them meeting.
Dean flew in for the wedding, which took place at Morgan’s large ranch a few miles outside of town.
It turned out that Morgan Spelling Jones was rich, very rich indeed. A successful lawyer, he’d also inherited an old-money fortune from his late parents. Gemini had not known this. She’d fallen in love with his style and couldn’t care less that he was almost thirty years her senior. She did care about Nando, and fortunately he and Morgan hit it off, which was great for Dani, because it meant that Vincent got to spend time at the ranch too—riding horses, swimming, and playing lots of outdoor games. He and Nando were inseparable.
The only downside was that being out of town at Morgan’s ranch reminded Dani of her childhood and Dashell. How lucky she was to have escaped. What would her future have held if she hadn’t?
Sometimes she wondered. There were many nights she still experienced frighteningly vivid nightmares. And often she thought about going back and searching for her mother’s grave.
She always decided that, no, it would not be a healthy thing to do. The past was just that. Letting go was the true freedom.
“It’s your turn next,” Gemini whispered to Dani at the wedding. “If I can take this step, so can you.”
Dean was pushing. She was still hesitant.
“Sleep with him, at least,” Gemini urged. “See if you are compatible in bed.”
Was that what she was supposed to do?
Yes. Because that’s what everyone else did.
Sex was the big topic of conversation backstage—one girl had even slept with Frank Sinatra, making her the heroine of the week.
The truth was that sex didn’t interest Dani; she’d shut off that part of her life. Sex only led to trouble—she knew that only too well.
Morgan had spoken to Sam’s lawyer several times. “The man’s a shyster,” he informed Dani. “Sam has made no requests to see the boy. All he wants is money, moola, big bucks.”
“How much?” she asked, disappointed that Sam had sunk so low.
“They’re requesting alimony—and if not that, then a one-time payment of fifty thousand dollars.”
“Fifty thousand!” she said in amazement. “Where am I supposed to get that kind of money?”
“It’s not necessary to pay anything, Dani,” Morgan explained. “However, my dear, it is the only guaranteed way of permanently removing him from our list of annoyances.” A beat. “That, or we hire a hit man.”
“What?” she gasped, horrified.
“I jest, my dear, I jest.”
Dean came to the rescue. Without consulting her, he conferred with Morgan and paid the fifty thousand.
A week later she slept with him.
Sleeping with Dean wasn’t the worst thing in the world. He was kind and attentive, and took things slowly. But Dani could not get over the feeling that she was only doing this because he’d paid the money to make Sam go away.
She felt like a whore. A very highly paid whore, but a whore all the same.
Dean was ecstatic. “This definitely means we’re getting married,” he crowed, producing the ring again.
“It means we’re . . . we’re engaged,” she said, as he slipped the magnificent diamond on her finger.
“You will never regret this, my darling, never,” he assured her, beaming. “Whenever you can take a few days off, I’ll fly you and Vincent to Houston to see my house. It’ll be all yours to do whatever you like.”
“That’ll be great,” she said, already feeling pressured.
“Maybe you should quit your job,” he said. “After all, there’s no reason for you to work now that we’re together.”
“Yes, there is,” she said quickly. “I need my independence, Dean. One of these days I intend to pay back the money you gave Sam.”
“Think of it this way, Dani. When we’re married, my money is your money. So what difference does it make?”
“It makes a difference to me,” she said quietly. “This is a
debt I should be responsible for.”
“We’ll see,” he said, completely unconcerned about the money. “I’m planning our engagement party. Start making a list.”
She nodded, and decided that since this was obviously her future, she’d better start being happy about it.
Michael—1972
Scanning the newspapers, Michael had to work hard to find any mention of Roy’s demise. Finally, twenty-four hours later, he discovered a small item tucked away at the bottom of page three.
MAN SHOT IN CENTRAL PARK
ASSAILANT UNKNOWN
Just as he was about to read on, Beth walked into the kitchen on her way to the fashion institute. He quickly put down the newspaper and picked up his coffee.
“What’s our plan today?” she asked, dressed for action in tight black jeans, an off-the-shoulder peasant blouse, and backless high-heel mules.
“I gotta meeting this afternoon, after that I’m all yours.”
“Michael,” she said, tilting her head, a questioning look in her eyes, “what is it you do, exactly?”
“A little bit of this, a little bit of that,” he answered evasively, sipping his coffee.
It wasn’t the first time she’d tried to find out what he did. When they’d first gotten together she’d questioned him nonstop until he’d warned her to drop it. Early on he’d decided the less Beth knew about his business, the better. He especially didn’t want her knowing about Warner Carlysle and the investments—which were going so well that he soon might retire from Gus’s crew and concentrate on his own thing.
“That’s what you always say.”
“Believe me, you don’t wanna know—it’s boring.”
“As long as you bring home the money, I suppose I shouldn’t care,” she said, tossing back her long dark hair. “Although I’d hate it if you ever got arrested again. That must’ve been horrible.”
She’d obviously been getting an earful from Tina and Max, which he didn’t appreciate. “Where’s Madison?” he asked, changing the subject.
“Catherine took her to the park. We’re going to the zoo later. Why don’t you come?”
“I told you, I got a meeting,” he said, standing up and giving her a big hug, wrapping his arms around her slim body until she could barely breathe.