Christmas Eve day 2 pm
When they reached the city limits, Leon put a call in to his security team. His man, John answered the call.
“I need everyone you can round up tonight,” Leon told him. “We have two people to find before anyone can kill them.”
“Can you share anymore details?” John asked.
“Not over the phone. We’ll be at the house in twenty minutes,” Leon assured him.
“I’ll be here,” John replied.
Eighteen minutes later, the car swung into the drive. When it stopped at the front door, both Leon and Calderone got out and walked together toward the front door.
John was there waiting for them with several of the other security officers.
They all followed Leon into the conference room and waited as he turned to address them.
Leon appeared a bit nervous as he addressed his men, rubbing his hands together, he began to tell them about the last few days, “Gentlemen, a very long time ago, I met a woman who became very important to my world. We spent many months together and then one day, she was suddenly gone with no word. I searched for this woman for a very long time but I could never find her. Tonight I found out why.” Leon swallowed hard but pushed on, “As you know, Siobhan McCrary ruled the gang that she set up Liam Carrack to front. They ran the city for a number of years but as you all know, we and the Sinner’s put them down pretty much before the battle for Boston began. What I also found out tonight was the fact that Siobhan kidnapped Evelyn all those years ago. I also found out that Evelyn was carrying my child and gave birth to my daughter on Christmas.” Now, he began to pace as he continued speaking, “I want both of them found and brought back here to me. I know it’s a long shot but I have to find them. I also know I have no reason to trust Siobhan’s word for anything. She told me she did this this because I killed someone she loved a long time ago but I don’t remember this man at all.”
“That man wouldn’t be Richard Waylon would it?” John asked offhandedly.
Leon snapped his head around to stare at him. “That’s exactly who he is, how did you know?”
John grimaced. “Because that bastard left Boston a long time ago but I heard from sources he may be on his way back here.”
“He wouldn’t dare, unless he’s really stupid.” Leon shook his head. “Siobhan would have killed him on sight, doesn’t he know her at all?” He looked over at John. “Where is Liam now?”
“Down in the cells, him and his point men are your guests,” John told him with a hard look on his face.
“Go and question him as to where his mother stashed Evelyn and if he knows where my daughter is. From what I understand, she’s still here in Boston. Siobhan always knew where every one of the players in her little game was. She also told me that Evelyn would be killed if her men did not get a call from her. If that is true, we need to find Evelyn quickly.”
Less than an hour later, John came back upstairs and he was wiping his wet hands on a towel. He joined Calderone and Leon in the study where both men were having a quiet drink.
Leon got up, poured another and handed it to him. Leaning against the corner of the desk he asked, “Did he know anything?”
John poured the shot of liquor down his throat and as he swallowed it, he stared at Leon. “Oh yeah, they actually knew quite a bit. Liam didn’t want to tell us anything but when his man Douglas started giving us information Liam spilled enough to show just how long this game had been playing out.”
“What does that mean?” Leon frowned.
“This man Richard Waylon? He’s a real sleaze bag. Liam told us he played up to his mother only for the money she would give him. He claims he tried to warn his mom but she didn’t want to hear it. He also told us she warned Richard not to cheat her or she would cut his balls off. But Richard didn’t listen. When she caught him in bed with another woman, she made him watch and she murdered the woman he was with.” Shaking his head, he then told him, “Liam said Richard then told his mother about running afoul of you. He told her that the woman he was with was one of your collectors and she just fucked up badly by killing her. He gave her a song and dance about owing you millions and now, he would have to pay it all back at once, instead of just owing you the interest payment. Liam said his mother believed every word he told her. So she got the money together and the last thing she saw of him was when he went to make the payment to you. When Richard never came back to her, she blamed you for his disappearance and began to watch your operation. When she saw Evelyn, she took her without knowing what the hell she was going to do with her. It was only after Evelyn told her about the baby that she decided to keep her and the baby alive. Siobhan often told him that she didn’t know why she kept her alive this long.” John paused and shook his head. “When your daughter was seventeen, Siobhan threw her out but told her if she went to you she would kill her mother. She was watched for a number of years but they lost her about five years ago. Liam claims they don’t know where she might be now.”
“Do you believe him?” Calderone asked.
“Hell no. That little bastard, Liam knows exactly where she is. We were given about three different addresses for where they were holding Evelyn. Personally, I don’t think we’ll find her in any of the three places they said.”
“Any idea where we can find her?” Leon asked, knowing John was very effective in his job.
“Maybe.” John nodded.
“What makes you think she isn’t at any of the three places?” Calderone asked.
John turned his head to look at Calderone. “Because I know for sure those are houses that shelters Siobhan’s men. They want us to go in there and get our asses kicked or maybe even get ourselves taken out.”
“How do you know that?” Leon asked.
“Because it’s my job to know anything in this town that threatens your safety. I take that job seriously. My men have eyes and ears all over Boston and some places beyond. But I think I know where they’ve been keeping her. We’ve been watching this house just outside of town. We have followed Liam there on many occasions but we could never get close enough to the house to find out what or who was inside. They have armed guards walking the grounds at all hours day and night.”
Leon looked over at Calderone. “Do you suppose that is where they have her?”
“There is only one way to find out, I suppose.” Calderone shrugged.
John looked at both Vincinti men. “Whatever way that might be, it isn’t going to be either of you two going there. Me and my men will check it out. There are people on the streets that would love to see you both with a bullet in your head and I’m not gonna let that happen. We got most of Siobhan’s gang but not all of them. The factions in the city are still running a bit wild today, so allow us to go in and get her out in safety.” He shrugged. “Unless you want to risk getting shot?” he stared at both men with a hard glint in his eyes. Then I think I’m wasting my time here and that would disappoint me very much. I’ve followed you for a number of years now and never thought you were stupid men before.”
Leon just glared at him and raised an eyebrow. “Don’t push this young man. I can take criticism only so far.”
John grinned. “I know. But know you know I’m right. Besides, a smaller group can get through without being noticed. I want you and Calderone to stay here. If your woman is there, we’ll find her and bring her back to you.”
Leon walked over to where John was standing and grabbed his shirt, “You find her and you bring her here to me, do you understand?”
John looked him in the eyes and said simply, “I understand boss.”
Leon and Calderone watched as John left the room. They walked to the door to see John and his team of four and disappear into the sunshine of the midmorning.
Leon ran his hands through his hair and walked back to the bar to pour himself a shot of whiskey. He tipped the liquor down his throat and then threw the glass against the wall. The shattering glass echoed in the silent room.
Calderone turned to study his father for a moment then he began clapping his hands.
Leon snapped his head around and glared at his son.
“What do you find so damn amusing?” he snarled.
“I finally lived long enough to see the great Leon Vincinti so worked up, he can be ruffled.” He smirked. “It’s good to finally see you’re a human being, Dad.”
Leon snarled. “I’ve always been human, son.”
“I’ve been wondering about that for years. Nothing ever seemed to upset you until now.”
Leon tipped his head back and admitted. “When I lost Evelyn all those years ago, I closed most people out. I never wanted to feel that loss again. First your mother, then Evelyn, it was just too much. I’ve really only ever loved those two women in my seventy plus year on this earth. And while a man has certain needs, most of my lovers were there with no feelings to get in the way. It was just a release a man needs from time to time. They knew where I stood every time, but that didn’t mean I didn’t miss the closeness between a man and a woman.” He shrugged, “I loved your mother dearly and deeply, so please don’t get me wrong. But when I met Evelyn, I finally found someone I could just be myself with. She accepted me warts and all.”
“Did she know what you do for a living?” Calderone asked curiously.
Leon nodded. “That’s what I meant by saying warts and all. She was shocked at first if I must tell the truth of the matter. In fact, she almost broke it off right then and there, then after several days, she accepted it and me. She told me she only wanted to love one man and I was that one man. She’d said she couldn’t help it… that she couldn’t give up what we had. She also told me if I ever cheated on her and killed the feelings I had for her that she would walk out of my life forever.”
Calderone shook his head slowly. “From what I can remember of her, she would have too.”
Leon smiled softly. “Yes, she would have and I would have been left with nothing worth living for. I’m not a stupid man son, so that was why when she disappeared…I just couldn’t understand what I’d done wrong. Now I find out her disappearance wasn’t her idea and I want to hurt Siobhan all over again.”
“You could never hurt a woman dad and we both know that,” Calderone chided him.
“I always thought so, but I crossed that line when I called the Cutter in, didn’t I?” Leon lamented. “I stood there with no feeling in my heart as I watched what he did to her. She bled and I didn’t care one way or the other. I listened to her screams of pain and blocked them out.”
“She didn’t deserve your compassion dad.” Calderone sighed. “With some people, you can’t show mercy. She certainly never had mercy for her fellow human beings. Look what she did to you.”
Leon paused and thought about his son’s words then about what they learned from the men in the cells. “I want to find out more about this Richard Waylon. Where did he go all those years ago? He lied to Siobhan and took her money. Where did he go and what did he do with all the money? Is he Liam’s father or just another man in her life?”
“If he was Liam’s father why would he carry the Carrack name?” “Dig into her past and let’s see what we can find,” Leon suggested. “She hid behind anonymity for a long time. Running the largest gang in this city and no one ever knew it. She played a hard game …” he paused. “Even up to the end. I never saw a person take so much torture and not give it all up. Damn, what a hard woman she was and with no heart at all. But she had a shit ton of secrets and now….I think her secrets need to be known.” He shrugged. “At least, I need to know them.”
