Elizabeth Street - Laurie Fabiano [146]
“Leo, I give you a job, and it’s not enough that you fuck it up so bad. Who’s Edwin Reese, Leo?
“Lupo, I got your share right here!” sputtered Leo, trying to break free of Tommaso the Bull’s grip on him.
“Leo, you do a couple of kidnappings and you think you’re a big man. You move in on election money.”
“I told you, Lupo, I got the money for you.”
“I don’t like not knowing things, Leo.”
“Lupo, I was doing you a favor…”
“You’re trading on my name, Leo. Do you think those politicians would have anything to do with you if you weren’t working for Lupo?”
“Of course not, Lupo. Lupo, tell Tommaso to let me go and I’ll show you the money.”
Lupo nodded to Tommaso, who kept his eye on Leo as he went to his jacket.
Pulling out an envelope, he handed it to Lupo. “Here. There’s sixteen hundred dollars in ransom money. And Lupo, that family didn’t have a stack of money somewhere. I found out they’re waiting for another payment. Because of me, we got that much,” bragged Leo. “And here,” he continued, taking out another envelope from his jacket, “seven hundred dollars for getting out the vote.”
Lupo took the money from the envelopes and fanned it in front of his face. “You know, Leo, that’s lots of exposure for a little over two grand. Sloppy, very sloppy.”
“Lupo, I know things didn’t go perfect. But you gave me two idiot greenhorns!”
“I want you to return the kid. Deliver a letter right away telling them the girl will be back within the week. After you deliver her, tell the Gallucci brothers to clean the place out. No clues. Give them this,” Lupo peeled off bills totaling three hundred dollars, “and tell them to go to Chicago. I never want to see them again.”
“With pleasure,” smirked Leo.
“I’ll settle with you when the kid is returned. Now get out of here.”
When Leo left, Lupo gave orders to Tommaso. “When the kid’s returned, make sure it’s common knowledge that Leo did the job, and then make him disappear for good.”
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 2, 1909
The note was slipped under their door while they were sleeping.
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 3, 1909
“A week! Why a week?” questioned Giovanna of Inzerillo in his back room.
“You’re a formidable foe, signora. They have to be sure that they won’t be ambushed by the police or greeted with one of your curses.”
“If they are playing with me, signore, even your family will not be safe.”
“Enough with the threats, signora. I give you my word that your daughter will be returned within the week.”
“Your word.” Giovanna stopped herself from spitting.
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 4, 1909
Scratching the scab of the L, Angelina watched the blood trickle down her leg. She scratched off another scab and watched that rivulet join in with the first at her ankle. Stretching out her other leg, she scratched scabs off her thighs and held imaginary races to see which line of blood would reach the floor first.
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 5, 1909
Two days of waiting felt like two years. Baby Anthony was held so tightly that he was nearly crushed. Giovanna began to believe that perhaps Saint Anthony did send her this child, because he was the only thing keeping her from shooting Inzerillo.
When another note came, Giovanna’s disappointment was crushing, but at least it had a specific direction.
MONDAY, DECEMBER 6, 1909
The bell tinkled when she walked into Donatello’s store, minutes after it opened.
“May I help you?” asked the woman clerk.
“Yes, I need a coat for a four-year-old girl.”
“These here should all be around the right size with plenty of room for growth.”
Thinking of the red shawl she wore the first time she delivered ransom money, Giovanna’s eyes scanned the little wool coats and seized on a bright red one.
“Can I see that one, please?” she pointed. The color would make it easier to spot Angelina on the street, or to find the little imposter in her daughter’s coat.
“Yes, this is the one,” she announced to the clerk. “I’ll pay for it now, but it’s a gift for my cousin’s daughter. He’ll come get it. His name is Ricco.”
“No problem, signora. I’ll have it ready for him.”
TUESDAY, DECEMBER