Louis swallowed hard. "I did respect him, but I can't... tell you anything. I... don't know shit."
I squeezed his neck again.
"Right. You have one chance to spill what you know, including the details regarding the hit on Francesca Alessandro's life. I'll know if you're lying. And if you do, there will be nothing to stop me from shoving your ugly ass in a brand spanking new concrete pad for one of my father's buildings. Do I make myself clear?"
Louis continued to cough, wheezing through clenched teeth. "I... don't..." Another round of coughing was followed by a deep inhale. "I know shit about Francesca. Who would want to hurt her? She's worth millions alive."
"Evidently she's worth more dead than alive. There has to be a reason why."
"Then you gotta ask her papa. He made a deal with the Massimos years ago. They run an empire together," he retorted. "However, Dante Massimo is a true monster. He doesn't believe in partnerships, but he does believe in revenge."
Monster. The world continued to be used. Revenge was typical of the lifestyle. Maybe we were all nothing more than primal beasts, wallowing in greed and the absolute need for power.
"Oh, I plan on it. Talk. Now!" I hissed my words, the sound booming in the room.
He finally appeared nervous, his face blooming into an ugly shade of crimson. "I was contacted by Dante a couple months ago. He had a deal for me, so he said, one I couldn't refuse."
His life had been threatened. Why would a powerful man like Dante Massimo bother with such a lowlife?
When he hesitated, all I had to do was walk closer. "Go on."
"He said that I could have the Cappalini business because your father was on a certain hit list. He also said that your father had created too many waves and had to be taken out. He knew I'd done great work and was the man for the task." This time, his strangled laugh was bitter.
I raised my fist.
"I'm serious! He said it was in motion and all I had to do was lay low, do my job." Louis was now almost whining.
The story was almost too incredible to be made up. There still had to be additional pieces to the riddle. "And?"
"Said that Vincenzo was going to marry Francesca, that it had been arranged and that would bring peace to the army of men the moment I took over as Don."
I laughed, shaking my head. "Bullshit. What was the reason given?"
"I didn't ask."
One of the soldiers lifted the chair, dropping it hard.
"I'm not lying! You have to believe me!" Now Louis was really whining.
"I don't have to believe anything. You're been undermining my father for years. That's the single fact I know at this point in time. What else were you supposed to do?" My father's idea of keeping his enemies close had failed.
"Nothing! I fuckin' swear to God. Just wait."
"What do you know about the assassin?"
I had no idea if the asshole knew anything, but it was worth asking.
He licked his lips again before attempting to talk, his mouth already swelling from the hard punches. "Not from here. Brought in from Italy. Dangerous fucker known as the Slayer."
I shot a look at Grinder, who lifted a single eyebrow.
At least some of the information received had been correct. "All right. What does your son know about the operation?"
A protective look crossed his face. Family was everything. I'd found his weakness. "I told him what was necessary. Only about the arrangement for the marriage and about making certain you remained busy. He's not interested in my business."
Vincenzo was a bottom feeder. Yeah, he enjoyed his glamorous life, but he'd give his right kidney to have all the power and glory he suspected my father had. I held my tongue for a few seconds, allowing the anger to release to a point. It was obvious to me that this jerk was a bit player. The Italians had come into the picture. "Why now?"
"That I don't know but from what we've heard, Dante Massimo is on his deathbed."
"Uh-huh. Not what I've heard." Although I hadn't heard enough to warrant any decision on my part.
Yet.
I walked away, needing space to think alone. I knew Grinder would follow.
"What do you want to do with him, boss?" Grinder asked quietly, keeping his eye on the prisoner.
"He's useless. More so than I imagined."
"I like the idea of the concrete." He laughed, shooting a glance in the old man's direction.
"We would start a street war at this point. I need the element of surprise and I must play this carefully."
"Then what are you considering?"
The question of the day. "I might have to make an unplanned trip." The decision was spur of the moment and extreme but confronting the Massimo family was the only method of obtaining correct information.
His eyes opened wide. "You sure that's wise?"