“Don’t do that,” Vincenzo said.
“You’re telling me what to do?”
“I’m telling you not to destroy his camera.”
“It’s got fucking evidence on it of our shipment of coke.”
“Or it could have evidence as to who else has been leaking information to the cops,” Vincenzo said.
That’s what the Galizas were having to deal with right now. Their businesses throughout the city were being raided. Men and women were being arrested, and some of them were ending up in the river.
Most people were pointing at the Vitale family.
Vincenzo didn’t for a second believe it was another family getting the law involved. This was an inside job, and he had a feeling someone was trying for a takeover of Galiza’s place. If there was enough proof that Galiza wasn’t strong enough to hold the family together, then there would be a vote of no confidence and he would be removed from his spot.
Staring at one of Galiza’s sons, Vincenzo had a feeling it could be one of them.
“We don’t need whatever this fucking rat has to offer,” Galiza said.
“Then why bring us in?” Daniel asked, speaking up from his little corner. They had been called to come to the warehouse down at the docks. It was over a three-hour drive from the city, and Vincenzo hadn’t wanted to come here to deal with this shit, especially as he didn’t trust any of Galiza’s sons. They all had a potential motive for going after their father.
It’s why he didn’t trust them.
Any one of them could want their father’s place and in doing so, feed enough evidence to the cops to put pressure on their father. Of course, he didn’t have any proof.
“Who do you think you’re talking to, soldier?” The oldest Galiza glared at Daniel.
“Clearly, you want this fucker dead without talking.”
“We want him to talk.”
“Then hand over the camera. That’s part of him talking as well,” Daniel said.
“If we don’t have that camera, I’m not helping with this,” Vincenzo said.
“You’re a fucking minion, Barbato. You will do as you’re told.”
“I’m your father’s fucking minion, not yours. I don’t take orders from a baby.”
“That is quite enough,” the head Galiza said, entering the warehouse.
Vincenzo watched Galiza’s sons, waiting or trying to find a sign that they were guilty or shocked to see him. When he’d gotten the call to come to the docks, he’d called the head Galiza himself to find out the truth.
Galiza had been shocked to discover he was wanted at the docks and had agreed to be there at some point.
“Dad, what are you doing here?”
“You don’t think I know what goes down at my own dock? When my weapon is called to do business, I know what is going on. That is the camera he was using?”
“Yes, Dad, but we don’t—”
“Give it to fucking Daniel now. I’m tired of this bullshit. You want Vincenzo to do his job but take part of what he needs. Give him the fucking camera.”
The camera was thrown in Daniel’s direction.
Vincenzo watched as his guard caught it and smiled. It had been thrown in such a way that it could have been smashed.
“I used to play ball back in the day,” Daniel said.
Yeah, he was getting more and more convinced that one of these fuckers was behind the constant raids and law problems they were having.
He’d even gotten pulled over just the other day and had to give his license and registration. The cop had been shitting himself, but Vincenzo had known something was up then.
“Good, now, let’s see how a master handles something like this. You may take over, Vincenzo.”
The man in the chair whimpered. “Please, I don’t know anything.”
Moving away from his space, Vincenzo walked in front of the man.
“Do you know who I am?”
“You’re the mafia’s dog. Their weapon. You hurt everyone and everything.”
For a split second he thought about Arika. He didn’t know why she flashed in his mind. The morning after the night they shared together, as promised, he’d dropped her off at her apartment.
No kisses.
No goodbyes.
One night of smoking hot sex and that had been the end of it.
Pushing her to the back of his mind, he looked at the man sitting in front of him. Grabbing a chair, he heard someone sigh.
“He’s going to have some fun,” Daniel said.
Straddling the chair, Vincenzo looked at the guy. He didn’t even recognize him.
“You got any family?” Vincenzo asked.
“No. None.”
“Are you lying to me?”
“I’m a reporter. I don’t have family. It’s too dangerous.” He sobbed out the last part, clearly knowing he wasn’t going to leave this dock alive.
“So, are you going to tell me everything I need to know?”
“I don’t know anything. I promise.”
“But you came to this dock.” He reached into his jacket and looked at his wallet. “And you’re about six hours out of your way from where you live.” He threw his ID at him, then his credit cards. “Your life is nowhere near this dock, so you had to travel here.”