Post by amlapilusa on Oct 21, 2008 16:38:36 GMT -4
Firestorm
Chapter 19
Luigi straightened his vest and marched through his house, his courage at his decision to save his friend’s brother riding strong in his body, pushing his back straight and keeping his head high. He marched to the door, and as soon as he opened it, felt his resolve disintegrate, as he looked into the strong faces of the two Barkley brothers. Their intense gaze bore into him….maybe through him…..he coughed as he tried to hide his unease.
“Ah, yes, my good friends, please come in,” Luigi offered, as he held the front door open wide. His face blushed, as the two men came in, knowing he was in for a small fight for his actions. “Please, sit down, yes? I will have Zina bring in some coffee, something to eat.”
Nick held up his hand. “No, we really can’t….don’t have the time. We really just need the information from Isaacs.”
Jarrod put a thumb in his vest pocket and an arm around Luigi’s shoulders. “I know this is not considered hospitable from your point of view, Luigi, but time is of the essence.”
“You sent your telegram, yes?”
Nick nodded. “Yes, we sent a telegram to both our mother and our uncle in Denver.”
“Ah, Zio, good, good.” Luigi fidgeted under Jarrod’s light embrace, moving away as he contemplated how to break his news.
“And you went to the bank?”
Jarrod looked at Nick, his eyebrows rising in question. “Yes, we went to the bank, and have the money ready.”
“Good, good, si, si.” Luigi began pacing, as he bit his thumbnail. “You have everything set then.”
Nick shook his head and was about to do his usual blustering, when Jarrod took a few steps to stand in between the tall rancher and the short Sicilian. “Okay, Luigi, what’s going on? Why the twenty questions?”
“Venti domande?” Luigi shrugged. “I didn’t ask that many, only a few.”
Jarrod smiled. “It’s a figure of speech. Now tell us what’s going on here. You’re obviously nervous about something.”
Luigi smiled as she walked to the other side of the settee, out of line of Nick’s long arm. “Well, I have something to tell you….something that I did (Luigi used his hands as he spoke, putting them out in front of him and moving them to the left at the same time he shrugged his shoulders)….and something that I didn’t do.” (He moved his hands to the right, and shrugged again)
Nick looked over at Jarrod, this time the rancher’s arms sat heavily on his hips, his fists already working hard. “Can you tell us a bit more information, please?” Nick wanted to explode at the waste of time already….if he had his way, he would have been meeting with Tom Isaacs in a secret location, not back at Luigi’s house, trying to pry information from the stubborn little man.
“It’s like this.” Luigi began slow, and then his words sped up in time with hands and flailing arms. “I was going to go to Tom Isaacs Agency, but then decided that I would use my favor to help find your brother. This favor is something very special, and it is only given out and redeemed by the Don himself.”
Jarrod had trouble following Luigi’s broken English, but when he heard ‘Don’, his ears pricked up….his blue eyes opened wide.
“Don!” Nick exploded. “You went to a Don!? Which one?”
Luigi came around the settee, his hands helping him talk. “Don Capriccio, the Godfather here in San Francisco.”
Jarrod sat down heavily on a chair. “Oh, my God.”
To both Luigi and Jarrod’s surprise, Nick started to laugh. “I don’t believe it! We have the Mafia looking for Heath!”
“Shh! Shh!” Luigi hurried to Nick’s side and used his hands to signal silence. “Don Capriccio’s men are in the kitchen now, waiting to meet you.”
“Luigi, you were supposed to go to the Isaac’s agency…..this….this isn’t going to work.”
“Oh, hell, yes it will, Jarrod! These people are known to find a needle in a haystack….you can’t hide from the Family…..they can find anybody!”
Luigi beamed, surprised and relieved that he had an unlikely advocate for his actions in Nick. “Si, si, they will you’re your fratello, uh, Heath….and take care of that horrible man at the same time.”
“NO! Absolutely not!” Jarrod’s brow furrowed in anger. “We didn’t make that kind of deal….we don’t have the right to just ‘take care’ of people!”
“Jarrod,” Nick came over to his agitated brother, and put a reassuring hand around well dressed shoulders. “Jarrod, take it easy….we need to find Heath, fast….I’ve told you what I’ve felt, you know, the message from little brother….and if these people can help us get him, then I say we go for it.”
“We can’t take the law into our own hands.”
Luigi came up to them, his hands on his cheeks. “Sono così spiacente….perdonilo prego.” (I’m so sorry….please forgive me.) “I used my favor that Don Capriccio gave me so that your brother could be found as soon as possible. They will only do what you tell them….if you do not want Trey, uh, packaged, they won’t do it. I promise you.” He crossed his heart, and smiled. “Antonio Capriccio is a good man.”
Jarrod scoffed. “A good man who has men killed on his whims.”
“Jarrod! For God’s sake, let up a bit, huh? If they can help find Heath, let them help us! We have no leads,” Nick used his right hand to start counting fingers on his left one, “we have no clues, we have nothing.”
Luigi’s face fell into a frown. “He is a good man, Jarrod…..I have never known him to do somebody wrong who hasn’t done wrong to him first.”
Jarrod sighed as he quickly contemplated their options, which amounted to zero. “Okay, okay….so let’s meet these men and set up some ground rules.”
Luigi smiled and patted both men on their backs as they began to walk towards the kitchen. Right before they entered, Luigi stopped short and turned to face the two Barkley brothers. He pinched his fingers together as he began to talk. “Uh, there is one more, teensy little thing that I must ask of you, now that you have accepted Don Capriccio’s help.”
“And what is that, my friend?”
Luigi swallowed. “He wants to meet fratello Heath and your family after this whole thing is over.”
Nick smiled and hit Jarrod on the shoulder. “He probably wants to shake the hand of a legitimate businessman.”
Luigi nodded, his smile low. “He didn’t say why, just that he wanted to meet your family.”
Jarrod felt himself burn inside…..he didn’t like being used, not one little bit….but, if a little discomfort could go in favor of saving Heath…..then he could do it.
“Alright, Luigi….if Don Capriccio’s men help us find Heath, we’ll meet with him.”
Jarrod looked at Nick and shook his head. “Somehow, this whole thing seems to get worse and worse each minute.”
They entered the kitchen, sending four well dressed men instantly to their feet, each putting their hand on their pistols. They relaxed in seconds upon seeing Luigi’s smiling face. “Ah, yes, please, sit down again…finish eating.”
“Jarrod! Nicolo!” Vincenzina turned from the sink and wiped her hands on her apron. “How good to see you again! Please…sit….eat!”
“My wife,” Luigi smiled as he gently pushed Vincenzina into the parlor. “It is time for men talk now. Leave us, please.”
Vincenzina smiled and nodded. “I’ll be back though. Luigi, make sure they have another serving.”
“Yes, yes, okay.”
Luigi turned to the six men who stood before him, each one towering over his shortened stature. “Signor Jarrod Barkley, Signor Nicolo Barkley, please meet Don Capriccio’s men…. Michaele, Paolo, Massimo, and Stanley.” Each one leaned over to shake each brother’s hand, before sitting down again and resuming their meal.
Michaele wiped his mouth on his napkin and with a small hand gesture, indicated for the Barkley’s to sit. “Please, sit. Join us.”
Jarrod and Nick each took a seat, and waited for the lead man to begin speaking. “We understand that your little brother has been kidnapped….yes?”
Jarrod nodded. “Yes, that’s right.”
“Come se dice? Quanto vecchio è?” (How do you say it ? How old is he?) Michaele took a sip of wine, savoring the fine flavor.
Nick jumped in. “Nineteen.”
“Not so little, eh?”
“He is to me.” Nick’s hard gaze bore into Michaele, causing the young Sicilian to smile.
“What does he look like?”
Jarrod cleared his throat. “Blond hair, blue eyes…..about 5 feet 10 or 11 inches….broad shoulders…..slim.”
Michaele nodded. He leaned over to Paolo who sat next to him and made a comment, which caused his companion to nod his head.
“Dei contrassegni sul suo corpo?” (Any marks on his body?) Michaele asked, his face deadpan.
“I don’t understand,” Nick replied, his brow furrowed in confusion.
Luigi jumped in. “Are there any marks on his body that will help them identify your brother…..a scar, cut, birthmark.”
Nick looked at Jarrod, his face paling a bit, but decided that it was a piece of information that the Mafia could care less about. “He has a back full of whip marks. You can’t miss them if his shirt is off.”
Luigi intook his breath as he leaned forward. “Mama mia….what happened?”
“The war, Luigi.” Jarrod’s voice was soft.
Michaele looked at the two brothers before him and knew the anguish they were feeling….he remembered very well the day his own father was killed in front of his mother and siblings by a rival family….and as eldest son, he vowed that nobody would hurt anybody in his family again.
Nick then pointed to his neck. “Trey tried to strangle him a few months ago, leaving a mark on his throat that resembles the side of a ring.”
“Ach! That boy is nothing but trouble!”
The men finished their meal, each wiping their mouth on a napkin, and sat quietly while Michaele continued to lead the discussion.
“Where was he last seen?”
“At my apartment, Nob Hill.”
“He was drugged and carried out to a carriage waiting on the street.” Nick’s voice was steel, even though he kept it low.
Michaele continued to listen, nodding his head occasionally. “Is this Trey from San Francisco?”
Jarrod shook his head. “No, the last that we knew, he was living in Strawberry, but came to Stockton seeking out Heath.”
Michaele was a dark haired man, his wavy hair a testament to his mother’s side of the family, who came from Naples. His serious face was a product of his upbringing, living under a father who was a made man. His perfect Roman nose accentuated his handsome features…..especially through dark brown eyes that scrutinized and sized people up instantly.
He looked at Jarrod and saw what most people did….a man of privilege, power and intelligence. His features showed off expensive grooming and fine clothes….a man who knew his place and was comfortable in it.
Michaele studied Nick and saw what most people did not see….a passionate man who had a loud voice but a strong heart….it was this man that Michaele did not wish to cross…..he wondered if in a fist fight, if he would be able to take the powerful rancher.
“Why did he want to see his cousin?”
Nick scoffed. “He wanted money from him, and when he didn’t get it, he tried to kill Heath.”
Michael nodded as Stanley leaned over and whispered a few words. “Do you know if he knows anybody in San Francisco?”
Jarrod and Nick shook their heads. “We don’t know.”
“Will you excuse us for just a moment?” All four men stood up and went to a corner of the kitchen, where they talked softly in their native tongues, pushing around ideas of where a man could possibly be hidden, and yet still nearby.
Luigi came over to the brothers. “See? All is going to work….they know this city like you wouldn’t believe….and they know so many people….a blond haired boy cannot be hidden for very long without somebody telling something.”
Nick watched the interplay between the men with interest….it was obvious that Michaele was the leader, and that Stanley was the lowest man…..but between Paolo and Massimo, Nick tried to figure out who was in second place.
“You sound so sure,” Jarrod commented.
“Oh, I am! I am! That’s why I went to Don Capriccio…..fratello Heath will not be missing for much longer.”
The four men came back to stand in front of Jarrod and Nick, who stood in courtesy to talk with the men. “We have a few ideas of where he can be. We will check them out and come back to you.”
“No way!” Nick barked. “I’m goin’ with you! I will not sit still while my little brother is being tortured, or worse….somewhere out there! Not another night! No way!” Nick stood his ground, his hands on his hips, his feet slightly apart.
Michaele smile was small, but there nonetheless. “It’s not usually our way…”
“I don’t care what ‘your way’ is! That’s my brother!” Nick didn’t back down.
Luigi stood off to the side, his face mixed with worry and wonder….Nicolo didn’t seem afraid of these men….he felt a rush of admiration for the leather-clad cowboy.
Michaele listened for a few moments, and then nodded his head. “Okay, you and Massimo can check out the mountain cabins. I will stay here with Luigi and Jarrod, as our home base. Paolo and Stanley will go to the docks. They will check out the abandoned basements there, as well as several warehouses.”
Nick smiled a bit, and mumbled, “well okay.” He turned to Jarrod, and saw blue eyes filled with worry. “Now, don’t start with that, Jarrod….I have to go….I can’t leave him out there alone anymore.” He paused as he lowered his gaze, his fists opening in closing in a rhythmic anger. “It’s eatin’ me up inside.”
“I know, Nick, it’s just that I….” Jarrod paused and bit the inside of his mouth….he ached to go with Nick, but knew that someone had to stay behind to wait for any further communications from Trey….and wait for their mother. “What am I going to tell Mother when she gets here tomorrow?”
“Tell her I’m bringing Heath home.”
TBC
