Dirty Trouble (26 page)

He landed backward and stayed on the ground for a second or two. I wasn’t fooled with the ploy. If I ventured near, I’d be in a precarious situation. Not me, nuh uh.

When Tony crawled to his feet I saw his bloody and bruised face was twisted in rage. Again, I stood my ground, not realizing a third party had entered the scene. Tony didn’t know it either as he charged me head on. I was just too pigheaded to run, so I danced in place.

I was backing up as fast as I could but realized it was too late. There was no time to strike a worthy blow before he brought me down again, flat on my back. His tackle left me breathless enough to give him the advantage. Tony raised his fist to hit me. In one brief second things changed. He straddled my thrashing body ready to do me grave harm and suddenly he was yanked up in the air like a marionette on strings.

It was more than I could comprehend.
What the hell just happened?
I lay still for a moment and listened, gulping in deep breaths of air. A heavy thud sounded as he hit the ground with a bellow of pain, followed by a string of curses.

I lifted my head, Tony lay flat on his stomach while Aaron twisted his arm backwards, toward his neck. With brute strength Aaron hauled him off the ground, pushing him toward the lane. Jonah stood at the end of Livvy’s gravesite. He grasped Tony by the arm when Aaron handed him over. Tony ceased to struggle once the two men entered the scene. I guessed he knew when to quit. With a backward glance, Jonah saluted me before he dragged Tony off to who knows where.

Dirt and dried grass covered my clothing. My sweater was all stretched out of shape. I must be a sight, I thought, as I brushed the worst of the debris off my clothes. I promised Marcus I’d stay out of trouble, too. Now I’d be in for it. I sighed and ran my hands through my hair, pulling it back into some sort of order – hoping it wasn’t too bad.

Mumbling about the inconsiderate actions of some people, I whispered an apology to Aunt Livvy. Aaron approached me, his face an unreadable mask. Hastily I glanced away and continued dusting off my clothes.

“You just can’t stay out of trouble, can you? Are you hurt, Vinnie?” He glanced at my bedraggled clothes. He tilted my chin and looked at my face.

“No, I’m not,” I lied. “As for the scuffle, Tony fared poorly, didn’t he?” I spoke with a smirk while tears threatened to overflow. I blinked hard to push them back before they could trail down my undoubtedly filthy face.

This stoic attitude of mine must have been too much for Aaron to handle, and he grinned and nodded.

“Yeah, you were great, Vinnie. Have you thought of taking up boxing?” He chuckled and shook his head. “There was some street fighting in there, though.” A muscular arm slung around my shoulder as he drew me to him. He smelled good, like the outdoors and aftershave. I leaned into him for strength. We headed toward the lane, his arm still holding me close.

“How did you know where to find me?” I asked.

“Jonah and I were at the deli. Lola said she’d heard Tony mention that he’d kept an eye on your place all day. He and his cronies were having coffee while Tony bragged about how he’d get even with you. I called the house and got no answer, then remembered you were planning a trip to Livvy’s grave.”

“You arrived just in time. I had the upper hand for a brief period, but it didn’t last long. Thanks for the rescue.”

Instantly, I became folded into a strong pair of arms and hugged so tight I thought I’d break. Enjoying the moment, I still stepped back before it could get serious. A smile tugged at his lips, and I responded to it with one of my own. I couldn’t lead this man on. It just wasn’t right.

“Lola was the real help. If she hadn’t been such a fountain of information, we might not have gotten to you.”

“What else has Lola been informative about?” I asked.
Did he know my dad called in mob-related favors? Was he aware that the guys on the Hill outside En Croute were friends of my father? Was I just jumping to conclusions again?
Yeah, undoubtedly.

“She mentioned that your father would never have anything to do with the mob. She insists that he was strict with you and Giovanni. You and your twin must have been hell on wheels, huh? I need to meet this twin,” he said with a chuckle.

“My father was tough on us and stricter than most parents, even in our extended family. He was determined we’d never have anything to do with guys named ‘Joey Bag O’ Donuts’ or people like that. We gave Dad a run for his money and had some scrapes with the men in blue. Nothing serious, mind you, but we’re law-abiding citizens now.”

“I’m glad to hear it. I believed Lola when she said those things. She’s an ardent defender of you, and your family, Vin. Quite a good friend you have there.”

Determined to move the subject off my family and the mob, I tossed my thanks out again. “I know, she’s the best. Thanks again for the help.”

“You did well to hold Tony at bay. When I took off at a run, Jonah wasn’t far behind. We weren’t sure what we’d find, if anything. I figured you wouldn’t take any crap from Tony this time.” He glanced down at me. “I’m glad you’re all right. Sometimes you scare me, you know?”

“That’s what Marcus says, too. I figure I’m damned lucky to have the two of you on my side.”

Lola was probably a wreck by now. We passed the library heading for The Salt & Pepper Deli nestled on the corner. My adrenalin had crashed, leaving my energy level nil. If I stopped walking and sat down, I knew I’d be finished. Sustenance, that’s what I needed. A sandwich maybe, one of the Lola-type sandwiches she offered. Ah food, the cure for everything.

The traffic light at the corner changed as we approached, and vehicles moved on. Only a short time before, the streets were packed with cars, trucks, motorcycles, and various other conveyances. The curbs were visible now, the street nearly deserted. The light changed to red but before we could step across the street, a grey Crown Victoria blocked our path.

The light bar straddling the roof flipped on and strobe lights flashed with intensity. The window descended as Marcus leaned toward us.

“You okay?”

I nodded.

“Go into the deli and I’ll meet you there.” He frowned at my disarray before he closed the window. The Crown Vic rolled around the corner, and the light bar went off.

We hustled across the street and entered the deli by means of the front door. Marcus entered through the opposite side of the building. Hands on his hips, he stared at me in silence for a moment while shaking his head. Unable to tear my eyes away from his stare, I stood transfixed.

“I heard you had a tussle. You don’t look too much the worse for wear.” Marcus grinned.

Nodding, I smiled back. He reached me in one quick stride and asked, “Are you sure you’re all right?” Warm knuckles ran along my cheek before he held my arms in a loose grasp. I nodded in assent.

Just then, Lola hustled in from the back room. Auburn hair sprung in wild profusion around her face instead of being tied back in the usual knot she styled when she cooked.

I whispered, “Yeah, I’m fine.” Gosh, no ranting or raving.
How did that happen?

Marcus chuckled when Lola stepped between us, brushed him aside, and gave me a hug. Lola was much shorter than me and over her head I caught the gleam of humor in Marcus’s eyes. He turned his attention to Aaron.

The two men walked away, mumbling to one another. I couldn’t make out what they said, but I didn’t care. Lola stepped away then requested coffee, tea, and sandwiches from the two wide-eyed teens behind the counter. She pointed me toward the sofa. I glanced around the empty deli.

Lola marched forward, ordering the two men who towered over her, to take seats as she hauled the overstuffed armchairs closer to the coffee table in front of the sofa. She set the tableau up for customers who simply wanted to relax, read the paper, and lounge around, like at home.

Everyone’s seating was arranged and the teens followed Lola’s orders. I escaped to the rest room to take stock of the damage to my person. The large carved mirror, suspended on the wall over the sink, showed the damage was minimal. A couple scratches to my dirt-smeared face and a bruise along the brow. Nothing major, thank God. I washed my face, ran fingers through my hair to organize my wild tresses, and then scoped out the knuckles on my right hand.

Across the top of my hand some skin had been scraped off. It stung when I held it under the running water. No other damage appeared on the surface. I couldn’t feel any broken bones as I flexed my fingers and fisted the hand. Nope, I was lucky and God watched over me. Why? I couldn’t say.

Back in the dining area, I burrowed into the soft cushions of the armchair to relax. The two men sipped steaming beverages and sucked down hefty sandwiches. Lola handed me a mug of Earl Grey tea. The aroma wafted from the cup into my nostrils. Immediately, calm descended. Nothing could relieve stress like a cup of tea. No wonder the British drank so much of it.

“You’ll press charges against Tony, I imagine?” Marcus asked with a raised brow. “You know you must take his threats seriously now, don’t you?”

I should have known that while there’d been no barking about the altercation, he would harangue me about the issue somehow. At some point.

“I took them seriously from the beginning. I just didn’t make a big deal out of it. Everyone else did that, remember?” I said with attitude. “It would have been counterproductive for all of us to act paranoid at the same time. So, I let you guys have a go at it first.” I raised my hands in a stop motion and smiled. “I know it’s unusual for me to behave that way, but I’m able to show some common sense now and again.”

Laughter met the statement, since we all knew that I tend to go off on a tangent at any given moment for no good reason. If I feel there’s been an injustice done to someone over something, then I have to know the whys and wherefors of it and make it right.

“Answer the question, Vinnie.”

Squinting, I stared at him. “I thought I did. I took it seriously. Do I need a lawyer to answer that question?” I smirked.

“No. Now answer the other question.” The soft voice belied the demand. “Will you press charges against him?”

“Indeed I will, Trooper Richmond. He will go straight to jail. He will not pass go, and he will not collect his two hundred Monopoly dollars, because he has violated his probation. It’s that plain and simple. I’m surprised you didn’t know that,” I answered with a short-lived, smug, superior attitude.

“I was aware of it. I wondered if you knew. You’ve tap danced around this guy since he first approached you outside the barbershop. I’ve known everything about his incarceration since Jonah called me that day. This guy took on a losing situation from the outset.” He grinned. “I also realized that you’d take as much of his crap as you could before he’d be on the receiving end of your temper.”

The three of us listened in silence as he rambled on. Then I grinned at him with a nod. “You’re right, of course.” I turned to Lola. “It’s late. Do you need help clearing up for tomorrow?” Anything to change the subject. I had all I could stand of Tony DeGreico.

She glanced at the wall clock. “I sure do. If you’d be good enough to straighten this room and wash the tables, then I’ll finish up in the kitchen.”

The teens left after serving us, and it was the least I could do to give this good friend a hand. She’d been part of my rescue today, and I would never forget it. I cleaned the tables with Aaron’s help after Marcus left for the barracks. The place shone as Lola emerged from the kitchen.

Lola set the alarm, locked the doors, and headed home. Aaron and I strode up the lamplit street toward the Colonial. The brisk evening air sent shivers along my body while long strips of my dark hair tickled my face. I caught it in a twist and tucked it under the neck of my sweater.

The town lay quiet as we made our way into the yard. It was good to be going home.

The house was shrouded in silent darkness beyond the reach of the streetlamp. After Aaron unlocked the outer door, he headed upstairs and I entered my own apartment. He reached the first landing and stopped. I waited in silence.

“Would you care for a glass of wine?”

“Sure, give me a chance to change my clothes. Then I’ll be up, okay?”

“Great, we need to talk,” he said and continued on his way.

Terrific, we needed to talk. Just what did we need to talk about? I wondered. If this were going to be a lecture, I wouldn’t stay long. If it were about him and me, then I definitely wouldn’t stay long. If this was just me jumping to conclusions again, well, I gave myself a mental head slap and changed my clothes.

Chapter 24

On the way home, I was cold from the wind whipping through my clothes and I was quick to change into something warm and comfortable once inside. Within minutes a lightweight sweatshirt smothered my body with such snuggly warmth that it curled my toes. Thick, hand-knit fuzzy socks covered my feet as I shuffled up the stairs to Aaron’s apartment. Flames fluttered in the fireplace, and the door stood open in welcome.

On the last step, before entering the apartment, I heard Grant’s deep, rich voice. He spoke to someone on the phone while he paced the kitchen. Being a curious creature, I sidled into the living room and listened while I leaned flat against the wall.

“Yes, I understand. ‘Take down’ at ten on Monday. I’ll be there.” He paused and then said, “No, she doesn’t know. I haven’t said a word.” Another pause and the floor creaked. The footsteps moved closer.
Was he coming toward me?

I hustled out the door to the first landing on silent feet. Cheerful-voiced, I called Aaron’s name and scrambled into the living room. Aaron’s long stride brought him into the room, the phone in his hand. His eyes narrowed as he stared at me with suspicion and then quickly turned away.

“I’ll see you then. Thanks for calling.” He disconnected the call, cradled the phone in a huge paw, and turned toward the kitchen. A moment later, he carried in a tray holding wine, cheese, and two goblets. Aaron’s smile welcomed me. His suspicions appeared tucked away as he slid the tray across the coffee table.