Ties That Bind (11 page)

“Knowing everyone else's.”

Jimmie smiled. “Knowing everyone's darkest secrets, hm?  That makes you invaluable to a lot of people then.”

“You mean dangerous,” he corrected. “I'm dangerous to a lot of people. That doesn't make me invaluable.”

“So I'm walking around with a guy with a big target on his head. Good to know.”

“Not any bigger than yours,” Mitch countered. “But isn't that my job?  Making sure they miss and hit me instead of you?”

Jimmie shrugged rather than respond. No, that wasn't why he wanted Mitch around but it wouldn't do him any good to say that out loud. Truth was, he was finding Mitch increasingly entertaining as the weeks wore on and it felt good to have someone that knew how to handle himself rather than having to worry if they were going to screw him over all the time. And, until tonight, he'd never seen a single break in the calm demeanor Mitch projected to the world. “You know my resources are available to you whenever you want. If you ever need anything, don't bother to ask. Just send the boys wherever you need them to be.”

Mitch tilted his head Jimmie's direction, filled with curiosity. Even Sonny expected answers when Mitch called in a favor. He couldn't imagine Jimmie would be different, especially considering the short time they had known one another. Even more bewildering was that Jimmie had somehow picked up in the atmosphere that something was wrong. He could deny it, of course, but there seemed no point. So, instead, he nodded his thanks. “Appreciated but this isn't something that requires an army of hired hands.”

Jimmie hesitated but only for a brief second. “Then how about mine?  Whatever you need, we'll take care of it together.”

“Thank you, again, but really I just need a few days off for some personal business. Considering the current circumstances that's impossible so it will just have to hold.”

“You sure?”

Mitch swallowed the drink in his hand and gave Jimmie a brief smile. “It's held for a decade. Another few months won't make a damn bit of difference.”

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Mitch's eyes roamed over the guests, his unconscious noting something out of place that he couldn't quite register. Beside him, a blond chattered mindlessly to Jimmie but a quick glance told him Jimmie was as preoccupied as he was.

“Where's Ashli?” he murmured and Jimmie nodded toward the edge of the room where she was leading a man down toward the private elevators.

He surveyed him, taking in any potential dangers in her latest conquest. He seemed harmless, nondescript even. He was dressed in a suit albeit not a high dollar one. A tie just a touch beneath obviousness so he wouldn't stand out in a crowd where he obviously felt uncomfortable. But it was the beads of sweat, the way the man repeated glanced over his shoulder and toward the front door that told Mitch something wasn't right. No family would be stupid enough to try a hit here in the Vinettis own hotel, they'd never make it out alive. Which meant there was only one thing he could be and Mitch's stomach burned with fury as he realized what was about to happen.

He waved to Teddy just as he began a quick pace toward Ashli. He could feel Jimmie stepping in line beside him. Jimmie had felt it too...the edge in the air indicating something wasn't right. He just didn't have the knowledge that Mitch had to be able to figure it out.

“Teddy, get to the front door. Accept the warrant, we've got nothing to hide.” He stopped mid-stride, realizing he was ordering around one of Jimmie's employees. “Sorry, Jimmie-”

But Jimmie waved him off. “Go.”

When they reached Ashli, she was giggling like a teenager, draping herself against the guy. Mitch didn't hesitate before wrenching her away. “Get in the elevator.”

“Mitch-” she looked torn between anger and fear.

It was impossible to control his fury. He wasn't so much angry with her as he was the IOC. That they would drop in on Vinetti without giving him a heads up. Hell, he'd met with Mike mere hours ago. They'd had plenty of time to pass the word but had chosen not to. Sure, the search of Sonny's place meant they were next – everyone knew that – but he didn't like being blind-sided by anyone. Unable to control the rage, his fist plowed into the nondescript guy she was with. Before he could lift him off the floor to hit him again, a flurry of Vinetti security was surrounding them and taking him on themselves. He whirled on Ashli, his eyes daring her to argue as he punched the elevator back open again and, placing his hand on her waist, shoved her into the car. Jimmie, one hand in his pocket, leaned against the car as the doors slid shut, waiting for answers. Instead, Mitch towered above Ashli, making her back into a corner as far away from him as possible.

“I told you never again. Never.”

“Mitch, no, I-”

“Do you think I'm an idiot?  Teddy's down accepting the warrants as we speak.”

Ashli shook her head, realization dawning. “No, no. I had no idea-”

“Fuck whoever you want, Ashli, but I told you not to ever bring a fed into this building again. I will not be a part-”

“Mitch, I swear!  God, I swear!  He asked me to dance. That's it!  Other than you and Jimmie he was the only guy willing to dance with me all night.”

“And that wasn't enough to give you pause?” Jimmie asked, eyeing them both. “Who else would be stupid enough to try and make a move on you with both of us present?”

“Have you ever considered that someone might not give a shit and might actually find me attractive?” she hissed. “I'm not a damn doll you can put up in a display case, Jimmie.”

Mitch growled. “This isn't about you!  For chrissakes, Ashli, you sit behind a fucking desk all day and deal with accounts. It's not you who's in jeopardy by bringing feds in here and you damn well know it. Probation for doctoring accounts isn't shit.”

“Mitch, please-”

He stormed off the elevator as soon as the doors slid open, not caring if either of them followed. He couldn't deal with this. He'd been straddling these two worlds for years now. Giving the IOC only the needed information and no details about how he went about getting them was what had kept him above reproach. If the IOC didn't know what he engaged in then they could hold nothing over his head. It was what made him different than every other agent they had. There was no way he was going to let his own life be put in jeopardy because she let his actions slip in the bedroom and the news got back to the IOC. He wouldn't allow them to have some illegal deed hanging over his head so they could order him around like a damn puppet.

She reached for him but he was faster...his hands locking her in place against the wall, a vase crashing to the floor and shattering beside them. But he only held her there long enough to get attention before setting her loose. His voice, when he finally spoke, was a low, bitter, command. “Start acting like a Vinetti or get the fuck out.”

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

“You told her not to bring feds here?” Jimmie asked, offering Mitch a glass of water as he sank down onto the couch.

“I can fight outside forces,” Mitch murmured. “I don't stand a chance fighting inside ones.”

Jimmie nodded. “So that's it, then. What sets you off. I've wondered. Being unable to control a situation.”

Mitch winced. It was a direct hit. He prided himself on hiding his emotions from everyone – IOC and mafia alike. It kept him alive. That he'd allowed Jimmie an opening as large as this one was hard to swallow. Maybe he was getting too old for this, too complacent after years of safety. He dragged a hand through his hair. “I need outta here.”

“Sounds wonderful,” Jimmie grinned. “But have you forgotten there's a hundred feds going through every room of this place?”

“Yeah and until they have something they can't arrest us.” He stood up and grabbed his jacket. He wanted to be alone but figured Jimmie needed an escape as much as he did right now. “You coming?”

“Where to?”

“We'll figure it out when we get there.”

Less than a half hour later, the two men were several glasses down when Teddy stormed into the aging Italian eatery with his hand perched on his gun.

“Twenty minutes?  Fall asleep on the job or something?”  Mitch asked.

“The GPS server on the car when down,” Teddy said, waving at the crew he'd brought with him to fan out around the restaurant.

“We disabled it,” Jimmie offered and then tipped a bottle of whiskey Teddy's direction. “Join us?”

“No, sir, I can't-”

“If I know you, you brought no less than nine guys with you. I think we're safe.”

“Eleven,” Teddy nodded and took a seat at their table.

“How'd you find us?” Jimmie asked as he poured him a drink.

“That guy in the corner?” Teddy nodded to a shaky looking thug who kept glancing their way. “He owes you money. He called in to swear he was going to pay next week. You two must've scared the guy shitless showing up here.”

“Ashli?” Mitch asked. Now that his anger had been tempered by liquor he could risk worrying for her safety.

“Locked in her suite. I put two guys on her room but the feds are still swarming so no one's coming near the place.”

“Markesi?”

“Also locked in his suite. Grabbed a handful of the old goombahs from the party and they've got a poker game going. Last I checked he was winning.”

“What was the warrant for anyway?” Mitch asked and accepted the trademark yellow paper that Teddy pulled out of his pocket. He hesitated before reading it, raising it to Jimmie.

“My business is now yours. Let's hear it.”

“Death of Jeffrey Coppell.” Mitch raised an eyebrow expectantly. “Why would they think you have anything to do with that?”

“They arrested you for it,” Jimmie laughed. “Seems like you brought the warrants down this time around.”

“Nah, he was cleared,” Teddy interrupted. He nodded toward Jimmie. “You off Coppell and get Mitch on your payroll and now business is booming. Seems a logical train of thought to me.”

“Then they're idiots,” Jimmie murmured.

Mitch sank back in his chair. The IOC knew Jimmie had nothing to do with it which meant they were searching for something else. The question was what. “What'd they harass Sonny for?”

“Trafficking narcotics,” Jimmie offered snickering. “You'd think they could come up with something better than that, wouldn't you?”

“Pardon my question but isn't this why you had the security meeting tonight?  To figure out what the feds are up to?” Teddy asked, looking from one man to the other.

“Yeah, well,
la familia
doesn't need to know everything, do they?” Jimmie shook his head.

“And they're probably thinking the same thing,” Mitch grumbled. “Gino will be calling everyone to the table over this. Mark my words.”

“Palmese?” Teddy shook his head. “No way. He's all the way in Sicily. He won't care what happens on this side of the pond.”

Mitch didn't respond and dropped his eyes away from the piercing gaze Jimmie aimed his direction. He waved for another bottle and began pouring glasses for everyone as soon as it arrived.

It was Jimmie who finally broke the uneasy silence. “I figure Mitch is right. Palmese won't abide by dissension among the family. I'm surprised Coppell's death didn't spur a council meeting to begin with. Coppell's holdings just got absorbed into Terenari's without much protest.”

“Nicolai got Coppell's territory?” Mitch nearly choked. “No way in hell Gino approved that.”

“He must have-”

“No. No fucking way.” Mitch shook his head. “Gino wouldn't allow him an inch.”

Jimmie didn't ask what made Mitch so certain but shrugged instead. “Then he's taken it upon himself to claim it.”

“Nobody would be stupid enough to cross Palmese.”

“Nicolai would,” Mitch nodded solemnly. “He plays by a completely different set of rules and he was in Atlantic last night. If the feds know he's claiming Coppell's territory and then he appears on the east coast to solidify their opinion further-”

“Then the warrants on both Markesi and us make sense,” Jimmie nodded. “But how would they know...”

“Ashli,” Teddy offered, dropping his eyes from both men.

“Don't you dare-”

“Lay off, Jimmie,” Mitch interrupted. “He's not calling her a traitor. He's saying what we all already know. She can't keep her mouth shut when she's in the sack and we are getting to play cleanup for the aftermath. If we can't be honest at this table there's no point in being here.”

Although he continued to glare at Teddy, Jimmie nodded.

“Where's she getting the drugs?" Mitch glanced from one to the other.

“What?”

Mitch hesitated at the look on Jimmie's face. He didn't know...he really had no idea. “Are you fucking kidding me?” he hissed. “The moment she leaves the office she's high as a kite and you've never fucking noticed?”

Jimmie looked to Teddy for confirmation. It took several minutes before Teddy gathered the courage to respond.

“It's true. It's been going on for as long as I've worked here. Just alcohol at first then stronger stuff.”