Claire shrugged. ‘He figured you needed a change, honey. He knows I have lots of nice friends here in L.A., and he thought you’d enjoy meeting some of them.’
‘Why didn’t he tell me?’
Claire put her arm across Mary Ann’s shoulders. ‘Enzio told me one of your best qualities is that you don’t ask a lot of silly questions.’ She narrowed her eyes. ‘You’re a very pretty girl, but that hairstyle will have to go.’
‘Enzio likes my hair this way,’ Mary Ann said stubbornly.
‘Get used to it, kitten. Enzio won’t be around for a while.’
‘What about my things? My clothes and jewelry? My fur coats?’
‘Don’t worry about them,’ Claire replied easily. ‘Enzio’s having them sent. Be a good girl and cooperate with me—that way everything’s gonna turn out okay.’
Dumb as she was, Mary Ann was slowly beginning to realize all was not well.
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
Shifty Fly saw Angelo safely aboard the big jumbo jet bound for New York. ‘Don’t think it hasn’t been fun, Yank,’ he sneered.
‘Listen, man,’ Angelo said. ‘Why are you so uptight? I understand you’ve got your job to do. Only thing is, you’re not too good at it.’
Shifty Fly glared at him. He’d had a right dressing down from Eddie Ferrantino for allowing Angelo to give him the slip.
‘Don’t wait around on my account,’ Angelo continued. ‘I’m not going anywhere.’ Leaning back in his seat, he shut his eyes, hoping that by the time he opened them Shifty Fly would be gone. He was.
The day had been a fuck-up. Screaming from every direction. Enzio in New York. Eddie Ferrantino in London. Christ knows what he was supposed to have done. Free, white, and over twenty-one, he’d shacked up with a broad and not told anyone where he was. Terrible thing. A crime.
‘Would you like to order a drink, sir?’ asked the stewardess. She was pretty in a plastic, groomed sort of way.
Normally he would have imagined screwing her, but his head was so full of other things he hardly noticed her. ‘Just a Coke,’ he said.
The two seats beside him were empty, and that pleased him. Later he hoped to be able to lie down and sleep. He needed the rest.
He was apprehensive about seeing his father. Enzio was sure to scream about the way he looked. He hadn’t even had time to get his hair trimmed, and it was now as long and thick as a rock star’s.
If only he could tell Enzio Bassalino to go fuck himself. But he couldn’t. He knew he couldn’t. Yet he wasn’t sure why he couldn’t.
As the big jet taxied down the runway Angelo allowed himself to think about Rio. She was some woman, the sort of woman who would stand up to someone like Enzio. One thing about Rio Java. She was an original. She did her own thing.
On the other hand, she was a sadistic bitch. And he wasn’t happy about her hyping his drink and involving him in her orgy with her own personal band of perverts. Just whom exactly did she think she was dealing with? He wasn’t some schmuck off the street.
He wondered if she would call him. His fast departure for New York had to surprise her. Maybe she would think he was running away. From what? He had nothing to run from. So some guy had made it with him. Big fucking deal. Most men had at least one homosexual experience in their lives.
But when he thought about it his skin began to crawl, his stomach to churn, and a helpless excitement crept through his body. Deep down he knew, although he wouldn’t admit it, that it was something he would want to try again.
* * *
Lara went to Kennedy Airport to meet Prince Alfredo Masserini. She had called him, told him she needed him, and although he was in the middle of a backgammon tournament in Gstaad, he had promised to fly to her side at once.
She’d decided to meet his plane because she had to keep occupied. Too much thinking was driving her crazy. Nick Bassalino was on her mind with a vengeance, and she didn’t know how to forget him.
Prince Alfredo should be able to make her forget.
Sure, a mocking inner voice told her.
At the airport she bumped straight into Nick.
They stared at each other for a moment of complete surprise, then Lara smiled the hurt out of her eyes and extended a hand for her customary European handshake. ‘Are you returning to Los Angeles?’ she asked politely, silently adding, and April?
‘No.’ He shook his head. ‘My brother’s coming in from London. I’m meeting him. What are you doing here?’
‘Uh… I have friends arriving from Europe.’ She didn’t know why she hadn’t said my fiancé, Prince Alfredo Masserini, a Roman prince, not a miserable half-breed Yankee Italian like you.
Twenty-four hours previously they had been in bed together. Now they stood like polite strangers.
Nick peered at his watch. Lara glanced around in the faint hope she might bump into someone else she knew. Someone who could rescue her.
‘I guess I’d better check on the plane, see if it’s on time,’ he said. ‘What flight are you meeting? Give me the number and I’ll check that out, too.’
She handed him a piece of paper with scribbled details.
‘Wait here,’ he commanded.
As soon as he’d gone she had an insane desire to run. How childish. Wrapping her lynx coat tightly around her, she stood her ground.
He returned shortly. As he approached she noticed women watching him. He was the sort of man you looked at twice. You almost recognized him. Was he an actor, a singer?
‘We’re meeting the same plane,’ he announced. ‘Delayed two hours. Want to go to the airport motel, and make crazy, incredible love?’ He was smiling slightly. A joke?
She smiled back, coldly. It was a joke she didn’t appreciate. ‘I don’t think so.’
‘Pity.’ He was in control. ‘You look very beautiful, like you’ve done very beautiful things lately.’
‘How’s April?’ she asked, briskly changing the subject.
‘Great,’ he lied. ‘Everything’s fine. She understands it was nothing but gossip.’
‘Only it wasn’t,’ Lara pointed out.
He laughed uneasily. ‘Yeah, sure. You know that and I know that, but we aren’t telling, are we?’
She enjoyed the moment, mocking him with her green eyes. ‘Aren’t we?’
He gripped her firmly by the arm. ‘I’m buying you a drink,’ he announced. ‘We can’t just stand here for two hours.’
‘I’m going back to the city,’ she said crisply. ‘I’ve decided not to wait.’ Damn Alfredo for making the connection that put him on the same plane as Nick’s brother.
‘Then you’ve got time for a drink first.’
She wanted to say no, turn and run, get out of his life. But her body begged to stay next to his, and her body wouldn’t move.
Taking her arm, he led her to a nearby bar and sat her in a corner booth. She ordered champagne and orange juice. The cocktail waitress looked at her as if she was some kind of nut and then turned her attention to Nick, giving him a suggestive wink.
‘I probably won’t be able to get back to the Coast for a couple more days,’ he remarked, ‘so if you’re going to be around, maybe we could—’
‘Maybe we could what?’ she interrupted icily. ‘Have a few more secret interludes? A little bit of fun on the side that April won’t find out about?’
‘You didn’t object yesterday.’
‘Yesterday I had no idea you were going to turn to jelly as soon as you saw our names together in a newspaper.’
‘I told you the truth about me and April. I haven’t been keeping secrets. But that doesn’t change the way you turn me on. You know you turn me on. And it’s the same for you, isn’t it?’ He took her hand in his and held it tightly. ‘We’ve got something goin’ together, so don’t fight it, lady. Just relax.’
How easy to agree with him. Two or three more days of incredible sex. And then what?
‘You meet your friends,’ he was saying, I’ll meet my brother, we’ll get that o
ver with, and then later I’ll come by your apartment. Nobody has to know, only you and me. This way we’re all winners. What do you say?’
Her mind was racing. Nick Bassalino needed to be taught a lesson; he was too sure of himself by far.
She hesitated for only a moment.
‘C’mon, Lara,’ he urged. ‘Do you have a spare key to your apartment?’
Revenge was sweet. ‘Yes, as a matter of fact I do,’ she said, fumbling in her purse.
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
It wasn’t fair to blame Beth, Frank reasoned. It wasn’t her fault Anna Maria had caught them together. Beth was a good kid, genuinely sweet and concerned. He’d called her a whore. She was probably destroyed. He regretted his phone call telling her to get out. It was stupid. He needed her now, more than ever. The children needed her. How many girls like Beth were there around? Not many, he could vouch for that. The day of the innocent girl was over. They were all hookers and hustlers out for what they could get.
He wanted Beth back. But how was he supposed to find her when he couldn’t even remember which employment agency had sent her? He had all of them checked out, but none of them seemed to remember her. At her interview she’d brought references. References he hadn’t bothered to check, because he’d liked her at first glance. Now he found himself in the frustrating position of not knowing where she was, or any more about her than that her name was Beth.
He put people in charge of tracking her down, knowing she would have to register with the employment agencies if she wanted another job. Meanwhile, because of his own stupidity, he could only sit and wait. And sitting and waiting meant thinking, and he did not like the thoughts that crowded his head. So he drank, and drinking meant a sweet oblivion that only hit him after a full bottle of Scotch, and being drunk meant he couldn’t work.
Enzio gave strict orders to Segal and Golli not to let Frank out of their sight, and to keep him at home. There would be time enough after the funeral to pull Frank back into shape.
In the meantime Enzio took over. First he met with an old friend, Stefano Crown. Stefano was sympathetic; he too was having trouble with new organizations trying to muscle in.
‘What’s your solution?’ Enzio asked.
Stefano Crown shrugged. He was younger than Enzio by fifteen years and still kept complete control of his business empire. ‘Maybe I give ’em a piece of action, bring some of ’em in,’ he said.
Enzio spat his disgust on the floor. He’d experienced trouble with Stefano Crown before. The prick was getting soft. ‘You give ’em some, they want more. You give ’em more, they want it all.’
‘I run legitimate businesses,’ Stefano said, stroking his chin. ‘Last week they blew up two of my supermarkets. Whaddaya think that means? I can’t have the ordinary jerks too shit-scared to drag their asses to work in the mornings. Last week thirty-three of my employees quit—thirty-three. Word gets around. Soon I’ll have ’em all takin’ off. Then what’ll I do, when there’s no one to run the beauty parlors, garages, supermarkets, huh, Enzio, my friend?’
Enzio spat again. All Stefano Crown was concerned about was his legitimate front. Fuck that. Things were so different from the old days.
‘You go with ’em, you get no help from me,’ he said roughly. ‘I have other plans, better plans.’
Stefano shook his head. ‘I don’t want no more trouble. I can’t afford it. I’m a man who pays my taxes. A businessman. What does Frank want to do?’
‘Frank,’ Enzio sighed. ‘Frank has other things on his mind. You heard about Anna Maria?’
Stefano nodded. ‘Shockin’ tragedy. I feel for you an’ the family,’
‘The funeral’s tomorrow. It would be a sign of respect if you attended.’
‘Of course I’ll be there.’ Stefano extended his hand. ‘No hard feelings, Enzio?’
‘Not at all,’ Enzio replied evenly. ‘You do it your way. I do it mine.’
* * *
Later that day Stefano Crown was shot in the head as he was about to enter an apartment building on Riverside Drive.
‘It’s a terrible thing when a man can no longer move freely in this city,’ Enzio said with feeling when he heard.
Alio Marcusi, who was with him at the time, merely nodded.
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
‘Hey, Angelo baby, you’re looking good, really good, brother.’
Angelo and Nick hugged tightly, genuinely pleased to see each other.
Angelo scratched his beard ruefully. ‘I guess the old man’s going to pop a few buttons when he gets a load of this.’
‘Well, you are a bit hairy,’ Nick admitted, ‘but nothing that a good barber can’t take care of.’
‘Forget it,’ Angelo said quickly. ‘I like it. It stays.’
‘Sure,’ Nick agreed. ‘I’m not the one that has to kiss you.’
Angelo looked at him sharply. Was there a snide meaning to that remark?
‘How was the flight?’ Nick asked cheerfully. Bumping into Lara had made him feel great. ‘Were the stewardesses pretty? Word filters back you were quite a stud in London, but then you always were a horny little bastard.’
‘You and me, bro,’ Angelo said with a wide grin.
‘Hey,’ Nick reminded him, ‘remember the time you were shacking up with that hot starlet—the one with the pink Cadillac—and her boyfriend beat the shit out of you?’
‘Yeah. How could I forget?’
‘Trouble with you is you always got caught. A boyfriend here, a husband there. I’m amazed you survived, asshole!’
Angelo nodded his agreement.
Nick grabbed his arm. ‘Come on, let’s get moving. Enzio’s waiting to see you. By the way, take no notice of the armed escort. He’s got some crazy idea we make good targets.’
Angelo glanced around, observing two men close by. The bodyguard contingent. They followed Angelo and Nick out to the car and got in the front.
Nick took no notice of them, but Angelo couldn’t help feeling uncomfortable. He preferred Shifty Fly to a couple of anonymous hoods who looked ready to pump a bullet into anyone.
‘So what’s goin’ on?’ Angelo questioned as soon as they were safely in the car. ‘Why was I dragged back here so fast?’
Nick stared out the window, his expression serious. ‘You heard about Anna Maria?’
‘No, what? Did she have the baby? What is it this time?’
‘She’s dead,’ Nick said stonily. ‘She fell down the stairs at the house.’
‘What?’ Angelo screwed up his face in disbelief. ‘Fell down the stairs? Are you shittin’ me?’
Nick shrugged.
‘Hey, did Frank beat up on her? Did that lousy son of a bitch—’
‘Shut up.’ Nick nodded toward the men in the front seat. ‘We’ll talk about it later, in private.’
‘Jesus!’ Angelo exclaimed. ‘I always liked Anna Maria. What do you think really went on?’
‘Accidents happen,’ Nick said noncommitally.
‘Yeah, especially around Frank.’
* * *
Enzio waited at Frank’s house. Frank was in the kitchen holding on to a bottle of Scotch, with Golli and Segal close by.
Enzio sat with Alio in the living room. Two of his men were stationed near the back door, another two at the front, and a further couple of men were sitting in separate parked cars outside.
Enzio had decided he couldn’t be too careful. Especially now, with Stefano Crown’s son bent on revenge. The young blood seemed to think that Enzio was in some way responsible for his father’s death.
‘Nothing to do with me,’ Enzio proclaimed, hurt and angry that Georgi Crown should even suspect him. ‘It was those pieces of shit Stefano wanted to bring in as partners.’
Georgi Crown didn’t believe him. The Crowns had already opened negotiations with certain black groups, so it would hardly be to their advantage to put a bullet in Stefano Crown.
‘I think Georgi Crown needs a rest,’ Enzio remarked mildly to Alio. ‘
Arrange it. Oh, and also, my friend, please see that a wreath is sent to Stefano’s funeral on behalf of myself and my family.’
Enzio felt better than he had in years. Life in New York was fast and exhilarating. Miami was boring for a man who had always lived such an active life. Fuck all the Bassalino rivals. Enzio was giving them a taste of their own medicine.
* * *
After her drink with Nick, Lara returned to the city, confused, filled with mixed emotions, and furious with herself for having gotten mixed up in the whole bizarre business. She stopped by Cass’s apartment on the way.
‘You look lousy,’ Cass said bluntly.
‘I feel worse,’ Lara replied, fixing herself a drink.
‘You heard, then?’
‘Heard what?’
Cass brought her up to date on the Frank Bassalino story. ‘Beth’s gone back to the commune. She sounded pretty bad on the phone.’
‘I wish I’d seen her,’ Lara replied, wondering why Nick had not mentioned anything about his brother’s tragedy.
‘I thought we could visit her in a week or two.’
I’d like that. Just tell me when.’
Cass nodded. ‘I don’t know what’s happening with you and Nick, but I heard from Dukey, and he wants you all out. I think he’s right. It’s getting too crazy.’
Lara wasn’t really listening. ‘I can’t be involved anymore,’ she said, shaking her head.
‘I know,’ Cass agreed. ‘That’s what I just said. Let Dukey do it his way. I’m not sure what he has planned, but whatever it is, I don’t think it’s safe to be around the Bassalinos. I’m going to contact Rio and tell her.’
‘She’ll probably be arriving in New York at any moment. Nick was meeting his brother Angelo at the airport. He never mentioned a word about his sister-in-law.’ She laughed bitterly. ‘I guess it’s time for me to return to my former life. You know, fun and games with the jet set. Back to the high life. What do you think, Cass? Will I still fit in?’
‘If that’s what you want,’ Cass said evenly. ‘What happened with Nick Bassalino?’
‘Nothing important.’