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The gates to Sal’s home opened, the capo at the guard station attempted to wave at the boss, but Sal didn’t even look his way. He sped through that gate and didn’t stop speeding until he was slamming on brakes at his front door. He hopped out and ran inside.

He didn’t slow his roll until he saw Lucky coming out of the kitchen with a turkey sandwich in his hands. “What are you doing home?” he asked him.

“It’s teacher’s planning day. What are you doing home?” He wasn’t accustomed to either parent being home before dark.

“Your mother here?”

“Ma? This early? No. Why would she be here?”

Sal had to settle himself down. He went and plopped down on the sofa.

“And why are you shirtless? What happened, Daddy?”

“Nothing happened.”

Lucky was used to seeing his father in a suit and tie nearly every single day. “If nothing happened, why do you look so crazy?”

Sal sat there, trying to be calm, but then he leaned forward in agony and ran his hands through his hair. “I need to talk to Gemma.” Then he looked up at Lucky. “Did she call?”

Lucky was worried now for real when he saw the anguish in his father’s eyes. “No sir. Daddy, what’s happened?”

Sal snapped. “Didn’t I tell you nothing happened?” he yelled out at his son. Then he hopped up and began pacing the floor. Lucky just stood there confused.

Sal finally leaned against the wall. He knew he was scaring his young son. “Where’s Marie and the baby?”

“Marie’s at work, and the baby’s in the nursery with her nanny. Is Mom okay?”

Sal exhaled. He wanted to scream out no, she’s not okay ! And as usual it was all his fault. But he didn’t go there. “She’s okay,” he said. Then he folded his arms and attempted to smile. “What were you doing?”

“Playing video games in the game room.”

“Go back and do that,” Sal said.

“You sure everything’s alright?”

“I’m sure. Go on.”

But Lucky wasn’t at all convinced. “Don’t you have tracking devices on Ma’s car, and a security detail on her?” he asked his father.

“That’s none of your business. Go do what you were doing.”

Lucky knew something was wrong, but he also knew his father would handle whatever it was. He went back into the game room and closed the door.

As soon as he was out of sight, Sal quickly called Gemma’s phone again. He’d been calling her all the way home. But he got no answer. Again. And then he tried Trina’s phone. No answer there either.

Lucky was right. Sal did have tracking devices on Gemma’s car and a security detail parked at her car to clandestinely trail her whenever she got out of court.

But they had no idea that Trina had arrived, parked illegally up front the way she was prone to do, and that Gemma had left in Trina’s car.

There was no security on her and no tracking devices, and Trina wasn’t snitching.

And that was why Sal’s panic began to turn to desperation.

With nowhere else to turn, he called Reno.