Leon sat back in the chair behind his desk and swallowed a sip of his whiskey then grabbed his lit cigar out of the ashtray and took a deep drag. He drew the smoke into his lungs and when he blew it out of his mouth, he tapped a number he knew well enough.
Calderone sat patiently, knowing how his father worked and he couldn’t wait to hear this.
When Luther answered his call, Leon said his name softly. “Luther, this is Leon.”
There was a hesitation on Luther’s end before he answered, “Leon, this is a surprise. What can I do for you?”
“Now I know you know that Siobhan’s gang is done for in this town, correct?”
“Yeah, I heard about that. We didn’t have anything to do with her or the attempted takedown, you know that,” Luther added.
“Oh yeah, I know that. Very wise on your part.” Leon told him as he took a drag of his cigar. “I can also tell you that Siobhan is dead. I have Liam and his lieutenants in my cells for the moment.”
“I’m glad to hear that too. That woman was just plain crazy.”
“Yes, she was.” Leon agreed. “But it seems she still had a plan B in case her plan A went south. She had a sleeper cell waiting in the shadows. She stole my woman a very long time ago and has held her hostage all these years. What I didn’t know until a day ago was that my woman gave birth to my child while she was in Siobhan’s care.”
Luther was silent for a long moment. “She kept your child from you all this time?” he asked with an edge to his voice.
“Yes, she did. She only told me about my child moments before she died.”
“May I ask how she died?” Luther wanted to know.
“I brought in a master of pain. She deserved only the best. Her screams will have to last me a lifetime.”
To Luther, his words brought no happiness, only dread. “What do you need us to do?” he asked.
“Just don’t help her men,” Leon warned. “I have asked the Sinner’s to help me dig these men out of the shadows. We may have the Sin’s Bastards coming to help us as well. My men will join in for the search and I’m hoping that we can find and stop these men without disrupting and anyone’s business ventures.”
“Now why would I help someone who could tear my city apart?” Luther chided him. “Siobhan would have run us all out of this town and you know it. You have given us a fair deal here, you let us run a good business and don’t stick your nose in our lives.”
Leon went on, “I respect that you stepped back and allowed us to take that trash down. I’m calling the other factions in the city and if anyone helps these men hide, I will crush the ones responsible. Her men have threatened me and mine and this is unacceptable to me. Do you hear what I’m saying?”
“I do hear you, my friend. You will have no opposition from me or mine,” Luther assured him.
“Good, I consider this town my home and I have a vested interest in everything that happens here. I mind my business and I appreciate everyone else who does the same. I watch over things here and only step in when it’s necessary.”
“I hear you.” Luther heard the words Leon wasn’t saying as well as the one he said aloud. “If you need any help in hunting down the riffraff let us know. This is a threat to us as well.”
Leon hung up and sat back to finish is cigar. He narrowed his eyes and stared out into space.
Calderone tapped his shoulder.
Leon startled.
“Are you finished?” he asked his dad.
“Yeah, for now I am.”
Calderone folded his arms over his chest. “So tell me something, what do you think of Meena?”
Leon grinned. “I think life is actually gonna change for the better with those two around.”
“It will be three if you think we can add Willow into the family,” Calderone stated. “I’m going to marry that woman.”
“Well it’s about fucking time boy.” Leon nodded as he blew a smoke ring into the air. “You can either have the entire left wing or build your own house on the estate. You would be safer here than anywhere else.”
“I’m sure the left wing will be just fine.” Calderone agreed. “If Meena works with dogs as well, maybe she and Willow can work together.”
“That would be fine with me.” Leon got to his feet. “Great in fact. I hope you don’t mind if Evelyn and I get married finally. Its only thirty years past due.”
“Oh yeah, it is but that wasn’t your fault or hers,” Calderone reminded him. “We also have to introduce them to Peaches and her MC family.”
Leon ran his hands over his face. “Well, I tend to get ahead of myself at times. Let’s face one thing at a time son. One thing at a time.”
When they got back to the kitchen the women were laughing and joking with one another and John was sitting at the table watching over them.
Leon and Calderone joined him.
Leon raised an eye at his security man. “What are they doing?” he asked.
“Having fun apparently,” John answered. Then he observed Leon and took a moment to gather his thoughts. “Your Evelyn took a bad situation and made what she could of it. If she suffered and I believe she did suffer at Siobhan’s hands, she did so to protect her child. She loves that girl and would do anything to see her safe. I also think she would do the same for you and Calderone as well. You, my friend, are a very lucky man.”
Leon stared at John for a moment then turned his head to study Evelyn and Meena. “Yes, I am. I do know that for a fact. But it isn’t her job to protect us, John. It is our job to protect her, to protect both of them from the threat building against us all.”
John smiled. “Again, you’re wisdom is right on the money.”
“Did you get the list from Anna?” Leon asked him.
John nodded as he handed the paper to him.
Leon scanned it. Then he lifted his eyes to and glared at him. “Are you fucking kidding me?” His hand slowly wrinkled the paper as he closed it into a fist.
“It makes sense if you think about it.” John nodded at the paper.
“I will crucify that little bastard,” Leon swore.
Hearing everything they just said, Calderone leaned over and pried the paper from his father’s hand. Reading the list, he found one name that he knew well. “They would need an impartial man to manage the money. It does make sense. But I think you’re right, he needs to be discovered for his treachery.”
The name they were all shocked about was a man who had pledged his allegiance to Leon many times. Mark Innes, the CEO of one of the richest banks on the east coast. Mark held the accounts of the Family in his bank.
Leon looked up at John and said, “Bring him here to me unharmed, along with the others. I want to talk to him myself.” He nodded. “I want you to give a copy of that list to Hawk of the Sinners. They will help you hunt these men down.”
John heard his tone and his heart grew heavy. Leon could tolerate a lot but one thing that always enraged him was betrayal. Mark Innes would beg for a quick death but Leon wouldn’t grant him his wish. John already knew this. Leon Vincinti was a kind hearted man, a fair one. John had worked for him for more than ten years, so he knew this. But don’t ever cross him or harm his people or his town. If you did… You were dead, even before you knew it. This CEO… he was now a dead man walking and he was entirely unaware of it at the present moment.
“I’m on this boss,” John announced as he got to his feet. He took the paper from Calderone and walked out the door.
Evelyn turned her head and watched him depart. Then she looked over at Leon and watched him watching her. She knew he wouldn’t like her asking questions about this subject so she didn’t say anything. Actually, she did not want to know. All she knew was he would keep her and Meena safe now.
Meena looked over at her mother then looked at Leon. She was wise enough not to say anything either.
Just then, a dog entered the kitchen.
Meena’s eyes grew huge in her face. She didn’t say or do anything as she watched the dog come closer.
“Stay very still until he smells you,” Calderone ordered in a low voice. “His name is Apollo. He’s one of my woman’s dogs.”
“Protection or service?” Meena asked.
“Mostly protection,” Calderone admitted.
Meena sank slowly to the floor on her knees and waited for Apollo to come closer.
Apollo hesitated then came forward and sniffed her. He first sniffed her hair then her face and the rest of her.
Meena slowly lifted her hand and allowed the dog to smell it before she scratched him behind the ears.
Apollo’s tail began to wag slowly.
Calderone was stunned. He was half afraid of Apollo, but he was Willow’s dog and up until now, he hadn’t shown any interest in anyone else in the house. His father’s men knew him well enough to leave the animal alone.
Meena turned her head slowly to look at her brother and smiled. “He’s beautiful and whoever trained him, trained him well.” She cocked her head. “You have a woman? Can I meet her someday?”
Calderone nodded. “Her name is Willow and she trains dogs for a living. I think the two of you will get along just fine.” Shaking his head, he told her, “She isn’t going to believe this happened.”
“Hey, he’s not so bad,” Meena complained. “If you respect him, he’ll respect you.”
Calderone simply nodded his head, still apparently surprised at the dog taking to her so quickly.
