MANCINI
“Found him! It’s definitely him, but the age doesn’t add up. I’ll have to call in some favors.”
“How do you know for sure?”
“Little fucker caught me trying to get in. Not many people in the world could do that.”
“Yeah, except the ten-year-old downstairs.” Lyon is such an ass.
“Nia is different, Colt; she’s level ten, same as the kid.” I rubbed my hands together with glee.
When I’d dropped the name Russo the first time the whole team had been digging, that’s how I knew the grown man we’d found that the plane led back to could not be the one I was looking for. “Hey, your boy is connected,” Connor called out from across the room.
“Connected?” I walked over to look over his shoulder.
“Yeah, and so is his dad, but there’s nothing really to go on, just wild speculation from the feds, that’s all.”
“Let me see, Draco Russo, father of three, his father, father of two.” I read down a bit further to scour what little information I that was there.
“Draco’s brother’s a doctor and again, wrong age. The father’s from out of New York, that’s good.” I walked back to my desk to grab my phone. The name didn’t sound familiar though I know quite a few made men in the city, but I knew someone who just might since he’s always got his nose in someone else’s shit, and he started his racket in NYC.
“Uncle Mallory, I have a question. Do you know the Russos outta New York?”
“Hello to you too! Fucking kids today, no respect.”
“Hi, Uncle Mal, shoot anyone lately?”
“You on a secure, you dumb hump?”
“Russo Uncle Mallory, does the name ring a bell?”
“Russo, Russo. I think I knew the old man a while ago, did some business in New York. Why?”
“I’m looking for someone, but I think it might be the grandson.”
“I don’t know much about that; I think the son is trying to go legit like that other boy you got over there.”
“What boy? How do you know who I have on my island?”
“Boy, please! Speaking of which, your mother is about to have a fit. She said she hasn’t seen her granddaughter in quite some time.”
“Well, there was a pandemic, and you know, a lockdown. Besides, she gets video calls and FaceTimes and whatnot every day, so I don’t see what the problem is.”
“Boy, do you hear yourself? Your mother’s Italian, what video calls? What the fuck?”
“I didn’t call you for this. Do you know anyone that might know the family?”
“Why don’t you call Andros?”
“Oh yeah, I didn’t think of him because he doesn’t live in the city.”
“Close enough. Listen Hanky, since you’re going to New York anyway, you take that kid to see her grandmother soon because my sister is making me nuts.”
“I talk to my mother every day. She hasn’t brought it up.”
“Boy, she’s your mother, but she’s my sister. Do as you’re told. I gotta go because these grandkids are trying to destroy the fuck outta my house.” He hung up.
Andros, yeah, he might know something. It’s been a minute, though, plus I was planning to hit him up for something else in the not-too-distant future. Oh well, can’t let this kid slip through our fingers. “Okay, so I’m pretty sure it’s not this Draco guy; it looks like it might be the son. Let’s find out everything we can about him. You’re gonna have to go deep because they’re buried. No online presence so far.”
“On it!” Rang out around the room, and Track was looking like he had a new purpose. I pressed a button and gave myself away. “Nia, did you get that?” Shit! Lyon was already shaking his head because I’d just given away the fact that I was the one who’d given the girls access to the room again. I can’t help it; they’re just so fucking good.
“Why don’t you go downstairs with the girls, Hanky?” He didn’t even have the decency to look up from what he was doing while he insulted me.
“How did you know he called me that?”
“He always calls you that. So, are you filtering anything those kids are picking up? Cause if the feds show up because Mengele did some shit, I’m not in it.”
“Of course, there’s a filter; certain words just don’t go through. I know what I’m doing. When we’re dealing with heavier stuff, of course, I cut them off.”
“Um-huh, I said all I have to say about it, you keep fucking around with Mengele, and her posse don’t come crying to me when that shit bites you in the ass.” I ignored his grumpiness and picked up the phone to call an old friend.
“Hey, Andros, Mancini here; what do you know about the Russos out of New Hampshire?”
“Draco? He’s good people. Stayed in New York for a while but then moved his whole family up there; why? what’s going on with him?”