CHAPTER 178 Unexpected Calls

*Liam*

I was standing alone on the sidewalk along Main Street, basking under the radiance of the morning sun, while quietly supervising the fleet of parade floats participating in this year's 'Best Honey Bee Float' competition. Many of the townsfolk were beginning to gather, excitedly anticipating the start of the parade.

To the delight of the crowd, the New Salem High Marching Band entertained them by playing several of their songs. Alongside them, dancing to the beat, the majorettes, dressed in their colorful uniforms, twirled their yellow and black batons and tossed them high into the sky, capturing the attention of the young children.

"Mayor Cohen, there's a problem with Miss Honey Bee's float," I heard the parade's organizer say as he dashed toward me. "Her backdrop fell. We need some time to prop it back up."

"Take all the time you need," I replied, glancing at my watch. It was twenty-five minutes to ten. "I think the townsfolk will understand if we start a bit late. Just make sure everything is perfect." He nodded gratefully and ran back towards Miss Honey Bee's float at the end of the lineup.

I let out a sigh of relief, lucky to have arrived on time. If it weren't for Dan's early morning phone call, I would have been undesirably late, causing the people to think that I was only able to do my job as mayor with the help of my father. I have never missed the start of a parade, even when I was just a little boy.

With my father gone, I needed to prove to the townsfolk, now more than ever, that I was just as responsible as he was. There was no room for mistakes.

I checked my watch again, wondering where Dan was with my coffee. Although I was curious as to why he called, I was running late. So, instead of talking on the phone, I instructed him to meet me at Main Street and to bring me breakfast.

"Black coffee with one sugar and a shot of cream just how you like it," a flamboyant voice said behind me. I turned around and found Dan juggling several cups of coffee on a takeaway coffee tray on top of a box of pastries. He was wearing a pastel yellow long sleeved shirt, its sleeves rolled up to his elbows, khaki dress pants and a simple black fedora hat on the top of his head, completing his *honey bee* look. "Nice suit, Liam, but to the trained eye that's charcoal gray, not black. Although, the gold yellow of your tie and accessories do make it look black." I scowled and grabbed the disposable cup of coffee nearest me.

"Dan, I need the town's auditor not the town's fashion guru," I muttered before taking a sip of my coffee. "It took you a while to get here. What was the hold up?"

"Long line at Bo's Cafe," Dan answered before taking a sip from his cup. He smacked his lips and purred. "Mmmmm...thank God for Bo. He undeniably serves the best coffee in all of New Salem and the croissants his cafe bakes are heaven. The bread literally melts in your mouth. Luckily, I called before I went to his cafe and he had a box reserved for me to pick up." He winked at me, then his eyes moved to survey the crowd. "Where in the world is Jack? He told me to grab him coffee since he's already here."

"He's probably making sure his men have barricaded the parade route from incoming traffic," I answered, sighing. "You know, this will be the first parade I've attended without Cris by my side. Remember when we were kids, we used to climb that tree over there to get a better view?" Dan lowered his eyes, then nodded his head sorrowfully.

"I still can't wrap my head around the fact Cris committed suicide. It's sad we're one man short," he admitted, his voice full of grief.

"Cris isn't dead," I scoffed. "That prick would rather sacrifice his own wife just to save his own skin. I'm actually pissed at him for leaving me to deal with this whole celebration. All this should've been him."

"There's no reason for Cris to fake his death," Dan argued. " Liam, I know you're upset-"

"You can't kill someone who's already perceived as dead, Dan," I cut him off. "Sooner or later, whoever is hunting Cris down will give up and assume, just like the police, that his corpse is at the bottom of Elk's Cliff. There is no way for any of us to confirm Cris' body is down there, so without a body, we can all assume Cris is alive. Take it from me, he'll show up when he feels it's safe. Anyway, enough about Cris. Let's get down to business. What is it you wanted to talk about?" Dan suddenly leaned over, positioning his mouth near my ear. Whatever it was, he didn't want people to overhear.

"I got some rather unexpected phone calls this early morning. I'll start with some good news," he whispered. "Norma Martin has finally popped up." I chuckled. That was indeed a bit of good news.

I gestured to Dan to follow me to the nearby trash bin for some privacy. "What did she want?" I asked once we were away from the crowd.

"Money in exchange for some valuable information. She sounded so distraught, I offered to double the amount she initially requested, hoping if I sweeten the deal, she would immediately disclose her location. And I wasn't wrong. She was so happy at my proposition, she revealed her location without even thinking twice. Of course, I lied when I promised her I wouldn't tell you where she was." He chuckled at her naiveté.

Well, as my father would always say, "*Never underestimate the power of stupidity*."

"They're in Fargo." Dan pulled out a small sheet of paper from his pocket and handed it to me. The Sheriff will definitely be pleased to know that one of our problems was solved.

"Thanks, Dan. I'll give this note to the Sheriff once I see him," I said, grinning from ear to ear. "Now tell me, what information did Norma give you?"

"She informed me Doña Veronica's consigliere is here in North Dakota. She overheard a conversation between her ex-husband and an underboss of the organization. To her understanding, the Consigliere is in town to speak with you," Dan explained. Unfortunately, I couldn't help, but notice the anxiousness in his voice.

This was definitely a shakedown. Doña Veronica knew the huge profit the business was generating compared to the small share I offered to give her. Considering the capital she invested was already paid in full, I believed it was only fair that I and the townsfolk took most of the profit since we did all the dirty work.

But of course, she wasn't going to agree to my terms. Thus, it would be in her best interests if she took the business from me.

"Do you know who this Consigliere is?" I asked, crossing my fingers Dan would say he was as dumb as Pete.

"Yes, I do," he answered, nodding his head. "His name is Vicente Lorenzo Ortiz, a cousin and confidant of Veronica's. He's around the Sheriff's age, maybe older, charming and well-spoken. As consigliere to Veronica Ortiz, he functions as her consultant, assistant, representative and, when deemed necessary, her adujicator. In short, he is whatever Veronica needs him to be. I met him when I was inducted as a soldier. He served as Doña Ortiz's substitute because she was a no-show at the time."

I rolled my eyes. I didn't care about the organization's traditions. I wanted to know exactly why this man was coming to New Salem to meet with me.

*Was he here to kill me*?

"You said he adujicates for Veronica. Does that mean he can decide whether or not I live or die?" I asked nonchalantly, pretending I wasn't at all concerned about my safety. Dan needn't know that I felt uneasy. "Can he... kill me where I stand?" Dan slapped me playfully on the arm.

"Of course not, silly. He would have to ask Doña Veronica to sanction the hit first," Dan answered, chuckling as if I told him a joke. "No need to worry, Liam. The Consigliere is here to negotiate. Killing the last of the Cohens will not sit well with the *El Consejo Superior*, The High Council. I know the members of the Council hold your family in high regard." I sighed in relief. This Consigliere was the least of my worries.

"Good to know the Consigliere is here to negotiate. I'll offer Veronica a bigger share of the profits, so she can get off my back and leave me-"

"About that, Liam, I think the Consigliere isn't here about money," Dan interjected. "Norma overheard her ex-husband say the Consigliere is here to mediate a truce. Once everything has been settled and Pete comes back home to New Salem, she head Thomas say he believes he will be able to come back and resume his duties as if nothing ever happened."

I ran my fingers through my hair, frustrated. I didn't want those bastards here, especially Pete. New Salem was better off without him.

I just couldn't understand how Veronica could put up with someone like Pete. Sure, blood is thicker than water, but family like Pete is someone you can do without.

While Dan watched the crowd and sipped his coffee, I thought long and hard for a plan and then it hit me...

I could have Pete arrested for drug possession or worse... indicate his involvement in the Highland Oaks massacre. He could continue to play the underboss while incarcerated at Lake Haven Correctional Facility. I'd talk with the warden and tell him to provide Pete with certain privileges. Pete would be entitled to do whatever he wanted and have whatever he wanted, just as long as he stays locked up.

That would solve everything. Plus, I owed it to Joan to give her justice. She was my friend.

"So you're saying, this high ranking honcho is here in behalf of Pete and not the business?" I asked skeptically.

"Yes, Liam, that's what Norma implied," Dan replied impatiently.

"I see," I mumbled absentmindedly, as the plan came together in my head. I'll instruct the Sheriff to arrest all of Pete's known associates, including this so-called Consigliere, and name them as co-conspirators of the massacre. All I had to do was link them to the Martins and plant some evidence. "Has anyone confirmed the Consigliere's arrival?"

"Yes, someone has indeed confirmed, which leads me to my second unexpected phone call. I thought she called to ask me about Lisa, but I was completely wrong. Liam, did you know? And if you did know, why didn't you tell me?" Dan asked, looking at me as if I had betrayed him.

"I'm confused. What are you talking about, Dan?" I asked, puzzled at his insinuation. Dan raised an eyebrow, unconvinced.

"I'm talking about Mrs. Brent, Liam!" He muttered through clench teeth.

"Oh that..." I replied, nodding my head.

"You knew she's Doña Veronica's sister and you didn't tell me?!" He asked incredulously.

"Slow down. I only discovered that useful bit of information last Sunday night from one of my father's files and it was only confirmed by Lisa last Monday morning. By the way, she's her half-sister," I corrected him. "Mrs. Brent is Veronica's half-sister. From the file I read, the former godfather, the eldest brother, sent Mr. and Mrs. Brent here to New Salem. This was before Doña Veronica killed him after the mess he made. If I understood my father's handwritten notes correctly, it involved the Blood Disciples and one of the shipments of the Angels of Darkness." Dan noticeably winced as I mentioned the Blood Disciples, so named after the payment they exacted for any wrongdoing... blood.

"They say the Blood Disciples killed Pete's dad after Don Ortiz *threw him under the bus*, but why though? It seems a bit much for a shipment mix-up," Dan argued. "I still think it was Nikolai of the East Coast Grim Reapers. There has always been bad blood between the two organizations." I nodded in agreement. There was no love lost between the Angels of Darkness and the Grim Reapers.

I, for one, despised the Russian mafia. They were cruel and heartless as well as deceitful. In their attempt to imitate the meth we produced, they cooked one bad batch after the other, killing so many people in the process.

*The Russians were bad for business*.

"I'll have to take another look at Cynthia McDowell's file, but if Pete's father was half as crazy as Pete, Blood Disciples or not, whoever took him down was doing the world a huge *favor*," I asserted. "Anyway, back to Mrs. Brent. You said she confirmed the Consigliere is here?"

"Yes. She informed me he arrived from Texas and as of the moment, is accompanied by Pete and a Nestor Villegas," Dan said before finishing his coffee.

*Pete was here*. Good, it would be easy for the Sheriff to arrest him.

*But who the fuck was Nestor Villegas*? My brow furrowed as I tried to put a face to the name.

"Judging by that confused look on your face, you know as well as I do, there isn't anyone by that name living in New Salem," Dan stated. "It's possible that a somewhat high-ranking member of the organization was given that particular name when he was inducted into the organization."

I grabbed him by the shoulder. "She told you, didn't she? Who is he, Dan? Who is Pete's capo?!" He pulled away from me, annoyed at how harshly I had grabbed him.

"Sorry to burst your bubble, but no, she didn't tell me who Pete's capo is, Liam. But she did tell me the Consigliere will be here to watch the parade, then she asked if I knew how she could reach Noah. She's planning to have some renovations done to her house."

I angrily threw my empty cup into the trash bin. *Sonofabitch*!

Still no luck on Pete's capo and this uninvited guest picked the perfect time to come waltzing into my town.

*Well, I'll show him*.

I pulled out my phone from my pocket and dialed the Sheriff.

"Where are you?" I asked once he answered.

"Jack and I are near the floats supervising the K-9 unit. Why?"

"We have some planning to do."

The Joy of Revenge
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