Her phone buzzed again on the old Formica tabletop and her melodic ringtone, a bubbly digital rendition of a catchy pop song from years ago, sounded completely out of place in the gloomy kitchen. Alessia glanced up at her mother, the old woman was staring at her with her dark, unblinking gaze.

  They both knew at once who it was, it couldn’t be anyone else. Everyone that knew her was staying well clear of Alessia now that she was so caught up in the worst crisis for La Famiglia in decades.

  She reached for the phone while trying to maintain the faint hope that this nightmare might soon be over but she had her doubts. Fausto had escorted Nonna Conti home a few hours ago in his freshly washed and gleaming SUV and he had left Anthony out front in another black SUV after he had escorted her mother to the door.

  A window repair company had come earlier and replaced the old-fashioned single-pane glass in the windows that Alanah had shot up and a group of cleaners had done their best to restore the sidewalk and street out front to a pristine condition.

  The message was clear, old Nonna Conti was in the family’s good books once again. What had Alessia worried was what was it exactly that her mother had done for La Famiglia in order to win their trust and favour once again?

  Maybe it was nothing and Fausto just wanted to keep her away from the salvation of Father Alfredo so that he could end this problem but she doubted that very much. Her mother had that little gleam in her eye which meant that she was planning something once again.

  So much for her salvation, her unending penance to God. That hadn’t lasted even a week and now she was back to her old ways.

  This wasn’t the worst of it. The old woman looked like she had regained some of her strength, vigour and the possibility of her living in the house with her for years to come had Alessia reeling from fear and loathing.

  Alessia answered on the third ring and the voice on the other end got right to the point. It was Alanah and she gave Alessia detailed instructions on when they would meet, who could be there and what would happen if she or Fausto tried to play any games.

  As Alessia listened she shook her head slowly from side to side. It just gets worse and worse she thought, Fausto is going to really be upset when he hears this or perhaps, he expected this, but she doubted that was the case.

  After she finished with Alanah, she called Fausto who answered halfway through the first ring.

  “Well, go on mia cara. What have they planned for us now?”

  “They want to meet tomorrow morning. Just me and my mother are to come. They don’t want anyone else, just us and she said that they will be watching.”

  There was silence on the other end of the line. Alessia could imagine Fausto staring straight ahead and thinking about what he had just heard. At least he wasn’t here where he could stare directly at her, just her mother doing that was bad enough.

  Alessia took his silence as encouragement to continue so she went on.

  “Mom and me are to take the first train headed to Medford Tufts from North Station at exactly ten in the morning. We are supposed to be alone and then she will contact me after that. That’s all that she said.”

  Alessia paused and swallowed and went on.

  “Well no, she also said that this is the one and only chance that we have to make this right or they will soak that stupid little dog in gasoline and burn down Don Luca’s house with it.”

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  Fausto gave a little laugh. “She still wants to spit fire does she? All the more fitting then when she finally gets burned…and she will get burned. You just can’t fly this close to the sun and not get burned my dear. It’s no matter, she has made a mistake you see. She can’t call you while you are on the subway so that means that she will be on that train.”

  “I will make sure that many other people will be on that train as well then. Long before you or your mother ever get on it.”

  Fausto waited for a moment and then continued. “I need to speak with your boy Silvio and that other little boy that is always with him. Have them come see me right away at the back of Peron’s shop. I’ll be waiting for them.”

  Alessia put down the phone with a sick feeling to her stomach. Now Silvio is involved again. What can I do, this is all because of him and now he is just as stuck as the rest of us. For a fleeting moment Alessia allowed herself to imagine the freedom she and Silvio would have if only they could just drive away and never come back to this neighbourhood ever again.

  She sighed and got up, feeling the ever-present gaze of her mother upon her as she went down the hall to send Silvio on his way. To exactly what she was not sure but if it involved Fausto it would not be anything good at all.

  Jim and Paul were standing in Paul’s front yard. Randy, Alanah and Amos had been sent inside to double check their gear, their weapons and their devices. It was going to be Randy and Alanah that would be doing all of the work, Paul wasn’t even sure if it made sense for Amos to carry weapons anymore but Alanah was certain that if he was told to shoot someone, then he would do it. “and he won’t miss the bastards either.” had been her assurance that had convinced Paul to agree with her.

  Jim was holding Pearl tucked in the crook of his right arm with his hand splayed out underneath and holding the dog’s fluffy white chest. He and the little white dog had gotten along very well over the past week and she did not seem to miss her old life at all.

  Paul had lowered his voice and was going over the details with Jim once again. “At the end of all of this Jim, I expect that I am going to need you to contact some friends of mine. Not really friends but people I worked with. I’ve written them a long letter and it is in the top drawer of my desk in the dining room. It’s the only envelope in there.”

  Paul reached out and put his hand on Jim’s shoulder while Pearl cocked her head and decided at the last moment not to bark at Paul. “Jim, I need you to promise me that you will do this for me. There are two names and numbers on that envelope. After tomorrow you call them and tell them both to come here and read the envelope.”

  “Jesus Paul, what the hell do you think is going to happen tomorrow?” if you’re so sure that you’re gonna die then why the hell are you allowin’ Alanah and Amos to go with you?”

  Paul shook his head. “I’m not worried about death Jim. Look, you need to trust me. I got us this far. I will get those two past this and I will get Amos back. I need you to trust me.”

  Jim stared hard at Paul and put his left hand protectively over Pearl, he could sense her tensing up and getting ready to bark.

  “Jim, just remember. Tomorrow, top drawer, call em’ both and give em’ the letter. No more discussion now bout this, I need to rest up and think.”

  Silvio pushed through the front door of the barber shop and stepped inside with Pietro timidly following behind. The old barber Peron was sitting on a small stool next to the old-fashioned barber chair reading a newspaper. Two large unsmiling men in blazers and dark jeans with large gold chains resting in between the lapels were standing at the back of the shop.

  After sizing up Silvio and Pietro the larger man on the right opened up the door set into the back wall and motioned them through. This was the place, Silvio knew it well. All the boys in the neighbourhood did. They all shared the stories about men meeting their fate in the back room and being rolled up in a carpet and taken away for a one-way ocean voyage.

  It was such a fantastic and terrifying way to deal with enemies. The stories had been fun to share and embellish before but now, to be in the very room where it had all happened, Silvio was certain that he and Pietro would be next.

  Fausto must have sensed this as he let his eyes linger first on Pietro and then Silvio. The moment stretched on and on until Fausto finally allowed a small smile and began speaking.

  “Boys, welcome. Normally I don’t have people so young as yourselves back here but I am in need of help. Your help actually and I was quite hopeful that you would agree to do something for me.

  Silvio allowed himself a small breath as he fought to keep control of both his bladder and his knees. He nodded to Fausto and then fearing that this would be not enough he managed to speak directly to Fausto. “Yes Signore, anything, please just tell us what we can do.”

  “Wonderful!” Fausto clasped his hands together and leaned forward. “It is a small thing but first you must look the part and Signor Peron has been waiting patiently so back to the front and when he is done you must come back and see me and I will tell you what I need you to do.”