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“Yes. He’s been informed.” Her voice sounds suddenly sad and far away.
I release a deep breath, unsure of what the Matriarch of the Barone family wants from me. “I’m so sorry.”
“Don’t be,” she says pragmatically. “Matteo wants to see Valentino. He’s been slipping in and out of a coma, but whenever he comes awake, it’s the first thing he asks for. He’s been awake for a few hours now, and the only person he asks for is Valentino.”
“Okay,” I say cautiously. “Have you told him?”
Nonna Isadora huffs impatiently. “I haven’t. During his last visit here, he told Matteo he never wanted to set eyes on him ever again.” There’s an edge of bitterness in her voice, but she quickly masks it. “In such matters the Godfather’s word is final.’
My heart hurts for the family, and I wonder why Valentino would do that. Matteo is his cousin. Why wouldn’t he feel amodicum of pity for him? What could Matteo have done that was so disrespectful?
“Matteo may die at any moment, so this may as well be his dying wish.”
“Oh,” I gulp.
“Can you talk to him?” Nonna Isadora asks quietly.
I sit up so straight my back cracks. “I don’t know that I have any power to make Valentino change his mind.”
There’s a long silence on the other end of the line. “He’ll listen to you.”
I’m not entirely convinced, but I don’t tell Nonna Isadora that. As much as she’s trying to be strong, she’s a grieving grandmother who is hurting badly for her grandson. Still, I’m not sure I’m the one who can convince Valentino to see Matteo. If she feels she cannot change his mind, what makes her think I can?
“Can you please do that for me?” she begs softly. There’s a hope in her voice that I can’t bring myself to squash. I swallow the refusal and doubt in my throat.
“Yes. Yes, of course.”
“Thank you,” she says, and her voice breaks.
Then the line goes dead.
Chapter Thirty-Four
VALENTINO
Sal doesn’t know yet that Vinny has betrayed him, but knowing how sly Vinny is, like The Penguin, he’ll know just how to manipulate Sal into thinking he did it for him. Sal doesn’t have much choice though. Without Vinny’s connection to the unlimited pockets of the money men, Sal knows he is nothing. Besides, once the other bosses smell the scent of money, Sal will have no choice but to step back and take his cut like everyone else.
After John Gotti’s downfall, everyone knows the heyday of a clique of mob bosses running the show is gone forever. War between the families is no longer even possible. Everyone will end up poorer or behind bars for life. Now they have to scurry around at night like rats and scrounge around for what they can when they can.
“You’ve been quiet ever since you arrived?” Federico notes, pausing his restless pacing to look at me speculatively.
I slide a glance at him. “Is thinking a foreign concept to you?”
He turns away from me and continues to pace.
I swivel my chair towards Vance, who is behind me. “Call Joseph Catalano.”
At my order, Roberto, who has been quiet this entire time, sits up. “Catalano? Why?”
“Yes. It’s time to light a fire under Vinny’s ass. He’ll know the clock is ticking and he better get going. Otherwise, all the sweetest biggest cherries will be gone.”
Federico and Roberto exchange glances before nodding at me. “When Vinny hears that you’re talking to the head of the Catalano family, he’ll assume you’ve started making deals with all the other bosses.”
“Yes,” I respond. Vance is beside me, his hand over the mouthpiece of the phone. “Joseph Catalano is on the phone.”
“Joseph.”
“Valentino,” he sounds drowsy.