Viper - Michael Morley [151]
‘They want to be seen,’ snapped Mazerelli. ‘They’ve been glued to us since Rocco’s. Waited outside the tailor’s until we came out.’
‘I’ll glue their heads to the top of their car, then they’ll be able to see.’
Mazerelli ignored the remark. ‘They want you to know that they’re going to breathe down your neck every minute of your day now.’ He checked the rear-view and could see the squad car had at least two officers in it. ‘They’ll turn up the pressure any chance they get. Hope you’ll crack, make a mistake.’
Valsi turned towards the consigliere. ‘I can’t even spell mistake, let alone make one.’
‘Seriously, Bruno, they’re going to be all over you. Pisano will have taps on your phones. They’ll have spooks with laser listening devices in every parked car you go past. You can trust no one.’
‘And you, Ricardo?’
Mazerelli pretended not to understand. ‘And me, what?’
Valsi smiled. ‘You know what I mean. Can I trust you? But you choose to avoid answering. That means you haven’t made your mind up yet. You’re not quite sure where the balance of power truly lies. You’re a cautious man, Ricardo. Maybe that makes you a good one to have around. Or maybe it makes you a danger – and one that should be quickly eliminated.’
Mazerelli swallowed. He knew Valsi was unarmed, but given his psychopathic tendencies anything was still possible. ‘Like I just said, you’re going to have to assume that the carabinieri are listening to everything you say, everywhere you say it. And that includes right here and right now. Those amateurs as you call them might be recording this conversation. This car might even be bugged.’
The Capo fell silent. The creepy lawyer was right. Pisano’s nose was up and he was sniffing for a bitch like a dog on heat. He found himself patting the headrest, searching the visors, the dashboard, the door frames, the floor carpets.
Mazerelli pulled out his portable electronic bug detector. ‘It’s been swept. This thing beeps if there are bugs within a mile. We’re safe.’ He pulled the Lexus into the avenue where his penthouse was. The squad car was still on their tail. ‘There’s a security expert I use for the apartment; I will get him to give you one of these hand-helds as well.’
‘Your place is safe to speak?’
‘Safe as can be. Besides, we do have client-lawyer privilege, but I need to talk to you about that.’
Valsi relaxed as they pulled up to the security gates of the apartment block. Mazerelli thumbed the remote to open the gates. He felt reassured by seeing Ivetta’s car parked outside on the street. He’d done a good job. Very soon he’d buy him a Ferrari or a Lamborghini.
The carabinieri patrol cruised level. Valsi leaned over and jammed down the horn on the Lexus. ‘Fuck you all!’ He flicked a finger at them as they carried on past. ‘Fucking amateurs,’ he said to a horrified Mazerelli.
The lawyer’s eyes widened. Not out of shock at Valsi’s outburst. But at the sight of the guns at his window.
Sal the Snake opened up with both Glocks.
Mazerelli and Valsi were dead before the gates had swung open. They were history long before the squad car screeched to a halt and jammed up the traffic as they tried to turn around.
Before he left, Sal pulled a third gun. The one Valsi had made fun of him with on his birthday. The bullet from the limited edition pearl-handled Ultimate Vaquero blew a hole right through the Capo’s viper tattoo and down through his heart.
104
Stazione dei carabinieri, Castello di Cisterna
The wall clock in the Interview Room made a deep bass clunk every time the minute hand moved on. It drummed several times before Gina Valsi gave up the name that everyone was waiting for.
‘Salvatore Giacomo.’
There. She’d said it. It was over.
Somehow she felt better. Maybe there was a way out after all. ‘He works for my father.’ Gina bit her lip and corrected herself. ‘Worked for my father.’
‘Tell me how.’ Jack’s voice was soft and sympathetic. ‘What did you say to him?’
Gina looked left and right across the room, like she was