BELLA MAFIA by Lynda La Plante Read Free Book Online Page B

you?"
    It was not a request. Teresa put her cup down and beckoned to Rosa to go with her. Filippo closed the doors behind them while Graziella fussed with the tea tray.
    "Papa w-w-worried about this trial, Mama?" asked Constantino.
    Graziella nodded.
    "The papers in New York were full of it," Filippo said. "Mama, you okay?"
    Graziella was close to tears. She wanted to tell them there and then but could not bring herself to go against her husband's wishes. Constantino placed his hand on his brother's shoulder as a signal not to question her further.
    "Maybe we should talk about this with Papa. Mama must have a lot of things to do before dinner."
    With a grateful look, Graziella excused herself and left her sons together. Constantino walked slowly to the great stone fireplace and leaned against the mantel.
    Filippo shrugged. "So what was all that about? The way she acted I thought she wanted to talk to us—"
    Constantino gave his brother a guarded look. "Emilio, you wanna do me a favor? My cigars, I left 'em in my room. Get 'em for me, would you?"
    The young groom knew he was being asked to leave the brothers alone, and he obeyed without question.
    Constantino stood up and drew the curtains aside, looked out at the drive, the guards on duty at the gate. "What's going on? You think this trial business's getting to the old man? There're more guards out there than at the National Bank."
    "They get any of our guys?" asked Filippo.
    Constantino snorted. "They got the rubbish, small-timers. Cages are filled to breaking point with every bum in Sicily. Nice way of cleaning up the garbage."
    "Paul Carolla's no small fish."
    Constantino dropped his easy manner. "Eh, you think I don't know that? Word's out the bastard hired someone to hit the prison cleaner's nine-year-old kid. He put pressure on the guy, wanted him to take messages out; when he refused, his son's head was shot off. Did you read about it?"
    Filippo shook his head no.
    Constantino stared from the window, apparently in deep thought. "Papa organized this wedding in one hell of a hurry. Is there some reason? Rosa's not having a kid, is she?"
    Filippo sprang to his feet, his face twisted with anger, but Constantino soothed him. "Take it easy. . . . But you've got to admit it's a bad time for a wedding, unless that's the intention. We're all here, all under one roof; maybe he knows something we don't. You taken a look out there? Papa's hired what looks like an army to guard us. Maybe he's worried. I know he was blazing about Lenny Cavataio. The whole trial's ground to a halt."
    Filippo, calmer now, lit a cigarette. "Who's he?"
    "Cavataio, used to deal in junk for Paul Carolla."
    Filippo shrugged. He had never heard Cavataio's name. Constantino realized that the stories about his brother must be true; rumor had it that he was nothing but a front in New York, that their father had virtually maneuvered him out of the business. Now he wondered if the reason the marriage was taking place was that their father intended moving young Emilio up to look after New York. The wedding had been organized too fast. The question was why. But as always, the don had kept his plans to himself.
    Constantino kicked at the grate, his hands stuffed deep in his trouser pockets. "Papa's sold two companies without even discussing it with me. ... It has to have something to do with this Cavataio business."
    Filippo was more confused than ever. "You still haven't told me about Cavataio."
    "What've you got upstairs, a set of marbles? Lenny Cavataio was the guy who fed Michael the bad junk that killed him. Papa searched for him after Michael's murder. There was no trace of him, not till he surfaced in Atlantic City. Papa sent me over to get him."
    Filippo waited impatiently while Constantino puffed a cigar alight.
    "Lenny wanted to make a deal. He'd been hiding out in Canada for a decade, finally crawled out from the gutter to try and blackmail Carolla. He surfaced because he was broke, been pumping his