The First Shoe Drops

Tommaso

I yawned and stretched back in my office chair. Just a few more loose ends to tie up, and I’d be done for the night. We’d been home for a couple of days now, and I promised Paige, even though I had to do a little work after dinner, that I’d finish up before bed, and we’d watch some movie she’d been talking about for weeks. I was excited. I just needed to be certain the New York job went all right. I rubbed my face and leaned back toward my computer.

My phone rang, and I grabbed it with a sigh. “Yes?”

“Tommaso,” Stan said. “I’m at Tony’s old stomping ground. You know those loiterers Teddy mentioned?”

I sat up. “Yeah?”

Someone yelped on the other end of the line.

“Get over here as soon as you can.” Stan hung up without another word.

“Motherfucker.” I dropped my phone onto my desk. Never any rest for the wicked, but I was starting to get too old for this shit.

No, I couldn’t think like that. I’d just gotten my own syndicate. I tightened my tie, pulled my favorite gun out of a des