Part 11 (1/2)
Tommy Lapizzi was still half-asleep when Big Tony and Sonny climbed into the back of the limousine. He had been Big Tony's driver for the past two years and was hoping to become a soldier before too long. He hated days like this when he had to get up before the chickens. Fortunately, for him, he only did this two to three times a week when the Boss and Sonny made their warehouse rounds. He raised the gla.s.s part.i.tion as he drove the car down the driveway. Although he was an a.s.sociate, he still was not privy to the business dealings going on in the backseat.
Big Tony lit his morning cigar. ”How much you say he's in for?”
”Twenty Gs,” Sonny answered.
”I think it's time you and the boys have a little talk with Richie.”
Rheyna and Annie had risen early and set out for their morning walk along the beach. She was surprised to see that Caroline was still sleeping when they returned.
Annie finished her breakfast and then took her place at Rheyna's feet while she read the newspaper, or so Rheyna thought. She glanced up to see Annie standing eye level with Caroline's face, her tail wagging back and forth.
”No, Annie,” was all Rheyna managed to get out before Annie licked Caroline across the face. Caroline's eyes fluttered open, and she smiled.
Annie took this as an invitation. She stood up with her front legs on the couch and hovered above Caroline. Most people would have pushed her away, but not Caroline. To Annie's delight, Caroline grabbed her with both hands and leaned up to plant a kiss on the tip of her nose.
”And good morning to you, too, Miss Annie,” she said, swinging her legs around to sit up on the couch. She ran her fingers through her hair and looked up to see Rheyna watching her.
”Would you like that cup of coffee now?” Rheyna asked.
”I would love a cup and maybe a couple of aspirins, too, please.”
Rheyna poured her a cup and handed it to her before going into the bathroom to retrieve the aspirins.
Caroline took the pills, tossed her head back, and swallowed them. ”Thank you,” she said, her cheeks turning red. ”I'm a little embarra.s.sed. I don't usually drink that much.”
”You were a good girl,” Rheyna a.s.sured her.
”Are you sure?”
”Scout's honor,” she said with a wink, holding up two fingers.
”That's too bad,” Caroline said.
She's flirting with me, Rheyna thought, and this time, there was no mistaking the twinkle in Caroline's eyes.
Caroline picked her shoes up off the floor. ”d.a.m.n. If my dad finds out, he'll make Joey drive me everywhere again.”
”Who's Joey?”
”He's my driver.”
”You have a driver?”
Caroline finished tying the laces on her shoes and stood up. ”Yes, and I'm not supposed to go anywhere without him, except when I'm at Haven.”
Rheyna tried to picture Joey. ”I don't think I've met him.”
”Yeah, you did. He was one of the guys who searched you when you came to the house.”
Rheyna thought back to the two heavily armed guards and wondered which one of them was Joey.
Caroline grabbed her keys off the coffee table. ”I've got to get going. I still have to shower and get to Haven. When's Annie's next appointment?” she asked.
”Next Tuesday.”
”Depending on how well her leg's healing, we might be able to take that cast off earlier than we originally thought.”
”That would be great,” Rheyna said as she followed her out to her car.
Caroline opened the car door and slid behind the wheel. She rolled the window down. ”It's usually not that quick for most. In Annie's case, she was extremely lucky, and her breaks were clean.” She started up the car. ”I guess I'll see you two this weekend.” Caroline smiled at the surprised look on Rheyna's face. ”Don't worry, I wasn't so drunk that I didn't remember our boating date,” she said with a laugh.
”I wasn't thinking that at all,” Rheyna lied.
”What were you thinking, then?” she asked.
”I was thinking that I'd like for you to tell Terasa that I'll drop the photos off tomorrow.”
Caroline grinned at Rheyna as she backed the car out of the drive.
Big Tony watched the flurry of activity going on inside the Baysh.o.r.e warehouse. Two large forklift tow-motors took turns unloading pallets of boxes from the tractor-trailer sitting against the dock door.
Sonny motioned for him to come over to a table where several men were busy opening large boxes and repacking them into smaller ones. Using his pocketknife, Sonny sliced the lid open on one of the small boxes and pulled out a six-inch ceramic owl. He handed the figurine to Big Tony. Big Tony turned the little figurine around in his hand. It looked like a tacky little ”Made in China” knickknack that could be found at a local flea market for a buck or two. Big Tony ran his thumb over the owl's eyes-the gla.s.s b.a.l.l.s were gone-replaced with diamonds.
He nodded his head in approval. ”Very nice,” he said, handing the owl back to the worker to be repackaged.
He and Sonny walked toward the office on the far side of the warehouse. A short, bald man sporting a black goatee came out from behind the desk to greet them. He grinned at the men.
”So what'ya think, Tony? Nice, huh?” he asked.
Big Tony patted him on the back. ”Yeah, Charlie, they're real nice and definitely one of your best ideas yet.”
Sonny dropped down on the seat near the door and lit a cigarette.
Charlie looked at Sonny and shook his head. ”Man, those cancer sticks're gonna kill ya.”
Sonny took a long drag from the cigarette and smiled. ”If I could only be so f.u.c.kin' lucky.”
Big Tony stepped around the desk and sat down in Charlie's chair. He looked through the paperwork. ”What's our take?” he asked, looking at Charlie.
Charlie twisted his goatee hairs between his finger and thumb and calculated the numbers in his head. ”After L.A., I'd say about 2.5 mil.”