Gangsters
Part ten
The
room was dimly lit and smoky. Money was piled high in the middle. Kelley
snatched Giavanni off Scott's knee.
"How
many times have I told you!" she warned wagging her finger at him.
"But
darling he's so good at poker." Protested Scott. Kelley sighed.
"Scott
he's three." Scott followed his wife out of the room. The game was
dwindling. Diamond had left to check out business at one of the family's
speakeasies and Chris had disappeared to snatch a minute with Lissa. Fingers
glared at the young man in front of him. He hated Billy Luciano, his easy air of
confidence and the fact that Billy had gave him his nickname. Fingers looked
down at the stumps of his last two fingers on his right hand. The two fingers
that Billy had shot off six years ago. Typical of him to spoil his plans now. He
had to get rid of Billy Luciano. Fingers smiled coldly.
"I
hear Chris had a bit of trouble this morning." He said.
"Yeah."
Replied Billy.
"Well
you won't have that trouble." Remarked Fingers. Billy looked at him
sharply.
"What
do you mean by that?" he asked.
"For
a start your bride can't stand you," said Fingers nastily, smiling as he
noticed that the shot had gone home, "And secondly because I've had her
probably along with many others." Billy stiffened.
"What
do you mean by that?" he repeated.
"Linzi
Marchessi is nothing but a worthless whore." Sneered Fingers.
"Take
that back." Said Billy his voice dangerously low.
"Make
me." Challenged Fingers.
"Outside."
Said Billy. They bumped into Chris on their way out. Rey, who'd been in earshot,
repeated the conversation to him. Chris ran to get Scott.
Meanwhile
in the speak Diamond was listening, in horror, to a waitress tell him of a
conversation she'd overheard between Fingers Maloney and Joseph Getti, a porter
in a popular restaurant. He rushed home.
By
the time Scott and Chris got outside the two men were already coatless and
fighting. Minutes later Diamonds car screeched up. With barely a glance at the
two fighters he ran into the house. The commotion reached the women in the
kitchen.
"What
is going on out there?" said Kelley, still puzzled by Chris's abrupt
appearance and the fast disappearance of him and her husband.
"Let's
find out." Said Linzi. Linzi, Lissa, Kelley and Kim made their way to the
front of the house. Billy was getting the worst of the fight at that point. His
shirt was torn and he was bleeding from a shallow knife wound. Finger's nose was
streaming blood, as was the cut above his left eye. He swung wildly at Billy who
reeled into the watching crowd of men.
"Come
away Linzi." Said Kim. Linzi shook Kim's hand off her shoulder as she
stared aghast at the scene before her. Suddenly Gianni appeared on the doorstep,
Diamond still talking urgently in his ear.
"Stop."
He commanded. The two men stopped grappling and looked at him. Gianni approached
Fingers and kissed him full on the lips. Fingers stumbled back wide eyed.
"Why
Don Marchessi, why?" he stammered, white faced, "You've been like an
uncle to me." Gianni's only response was to place his hand on Billy's
shoulder. Fingers left at a run.
"See
to him." Said Gianni to Diamond without turning his head. Diamond nodded
and left.
Lissa
wandered into the kitchen.
"Where
has everyone gone?" she asked.
"Missing
Chris are you?" teased Linzi. Lissa blushed and smiled.
"They've
gone to one of the speaks downtown." Said Kim.
"Why?"
asked Lissa, "I thought they were playing poker." Kim shrugged.
"Best
not to ask those questions sometimes." She said. Linzi stood up.
"I'm
going to bed." She announced. Kim laid a hand on her shoulder.