The Lullaby had finally started working.
He clenched his jaw and hurried down to the garage to his car.
He jumped into the driver’s side and tore out of the garage, down the long driveway and onto the main road. He needed to make another collection run, but more importantly he needed answers. He needed to know where the chips were going to fall, because if he chose the wrong side, he’d get them both killed.
But if he did nothing, Ariana would slip away from him forever. He’d never seen a girl come off of Lullaby. She could have such a dependence on the drug she’d go through painful withdrawals. Or she wouldn’t be able to ever get off of it completely.
By the time he pulled into the lot behind the warehouse, his chest was nestled nicely in a fucking vise. He didn’t have time for politics, but it was the only way he could see to get clear of this whole fucking mess.
He tucked his pistol into the back of his pants, just to be safe, and cut the engine. Nicky was waiting for him just inside the warehouse door.
“I wasn’t expecting you till this afternoon.” Nicky slapped Costello on the back and walked with him to the back office.
“I needed a break this morning from the House.” Costello laughed and followed Nicky. “Been a lot of bullshit going on over there. Rumors. Just annoying shit.”
“Oh, yeah?” Nicky asked as he walked over to the filing cabinet to get the same bag out as usual. “I was wondering when it would reach over there.”
“Guess it finally did.” Costello took the bag, putting it on the desk and unzipping it. “Good amount this time.” He nodded with satisfaction. He couldn’t give two fucks how much cash was bundled up in the damn bag. What he wanted, came in words not paper. “Johnny’s unhappy, it’s messing up the schedules. It’s just a lot of stress.”
It was a gamble. A huge risk, laying it out that way. If Nicky didn’t know anything, Costello could be starting up shit he couldn’t back up. Or if Nicky was still completely loyal to Frank, suspicions could start running in Costello’s direction.
Nicky licked his lips; his eyes wandering to the door.
“It’s like that?” he asked.
Costello forced a blank expression. “Yeah. Get the feeling something’s brewing, you know. Just wish I knew what so I could get ready. If the brothers are going to fight, I want to get on the right side of that, you know what I mean?” He zipped the bag back up.
Nicky stared at him again for a long moment.
“What?” Costello put his hands out and threw some suspicion into his tone. “Why you looking at me like that? What’s going on?”
Nicky waved his hands in a downward fashion. “Quiet. Keep it down.” He walked to the door and shut it. “I got some new kids working the pallets in the back. They don’t need to hear this.”
“Hear what? Nicky, you’re spooking me. What’s going on?”
Nicky looked ready to spill, his lips were twitching to tell him everything.
“Okay.” Nicky made his decision. “But you didn’t hear any of this from me, understand?”
“Yeah, yeah. Of course,” Costello assured him.
“Johnny’s had enough of playing second son to Frank.” He leaned forward toward Costello. “He’s making a play for the seat.”
Costello stood speechless for a long moment. He’d already suspected; the news wasn’t a shock. Yet somehow it still left him a bit numb. Johnny was going to tear the family in two if he made a move for Frank’s seat.
“He have approval from the committee?” Costello asked, still feeling out the information.
“I don’t know. All I know, is he’s going to take a shot at it. He’s got Marco’s backing and of course their cousin, what’s her name…Nancy.”
“Nancy has no authority,” Costello replied.
“Ah, she has her father’s vote. She may not get a stake in the business, and has to live off Frank’s handouts, but she gets her father’s vote when it comes to big shifts in the business. Johnny’s got her behind him. That’s two of the three family votes.”
Costello let out a low whistle.
“So, they just take a vote and that’s it?”
Nicky laughed. “Of course not. Frank’s not gonna just hand over the keys to the kingdom and ride off on his horse. I’m not sure of the details, but soon.”
“And you don’t have an opinion on it?” Costello felt him out.
Nicky shook his head. “I don’t give a rats ass who’s on top, so long as my cut keeps coming in. Not like either of us are ever getting a seat at that table anyway. We’re not Romero blood.”
He had that right. Carlos Romero had felt guilty enough to give Costello a place to lay his head and a job to feed himself, but that had been all he’d been handed. And no matter how much he worked, he’d never see the top of the Romero chain. He simply had the wrong bloodline.