Read Online Home Goes The Warrior by Jeff Noonan - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Jeff Noonan
Ads: Link
godfather. The movies finally got something right!” Big Tony obviously didn’t like the comparison, even though everyone else at the table started laughing along with Maggie.
“That movie was crap!” But when Lee and Maggie kept laughing, even he had to grin.
The big man named Joe spoke up then. “Boss, we have to get going. Meeting is in fifteen minutes, and you know how Carlo is about being on time.”
“Yeah, Okay” Anthony glanced at his watch, looking thoughtful. “Lee, I’ll call you tomorrow morning, and we can set something up for dinner. I’m leaving the next morning, so it has to be tomorrow, if you can make it?” The last was almost an afterthought.
Lee answered, “We planned to be here two or three days. Dinner sounds good to me.”
With that, the three big men left the table, leaving Lee and Maggie staring at one another over their drinks. “Wow!” That was all that Lee could think of to say.
Maggie wasn’t as speechless. “Mr. Raines, exactly who in the fuck are you? One of the biggest mafia people in the world is your godfather? Who in the fuck are you and why haven’t you told me about this?” Lee’ mouth dropped open for the second time. Maggie never used that language. He tried to think of an answer, but Maggie was faster than he was. “I want the whole story and I want it now.”
Lee pulled himself together enough to reply, “Whoa, Maggie. I don’t have a lot of answers. This whole godfather thing was news to me.” He stopped for a moment, then went on, “I knew that my father did some work for Tony. Legal work - Dad was a lawyer. My mother was always on Dad’s case about Tony and his buddies. I remember her saying that she wanted those guys out of her life, but Dad would always talk about how they couldn’t just ignore the kids they were raised with.It was something they fought about all the time. As a kid, it didn’t seem like a big deal to me. Just a normal part of life.” He stopped and took a drink. Maggie was studying his face as if she had never seen it before. Nervously, he continued.
“I remember seeing Tony at the house a lot when I was just a little boy, but not much after that. When my folks died, there was some talk about the mob and that stuff. I remember that there were some people at the funeral that my Uncle Mike didn’t want there. But I just left after that, and I never thought twice about them until I got these orders to go back to Philly. Now the past is back, and I don’t know what to make of it any more than you do. That’s pretty much the whole story, as far as I know. I didn’t tell you about it before because it didn’t mean anything to me. But now that I’m going back to Philly, I have to confess that I didn’t tell you because I didn’t want to worry you.”
Maggie was honestly disturbed by what she had heard. She nodded her understanding, but still had nothing to say. Lee started with, “Maggie,”
But she stopped him. “Please Lee. I need to think for a minute.”
Lee nodded and held his comments. They both took drinks, and Lee signaled to the waiter for a second round. The waiter, still very respectful, brought them immediately, telling Lee, “The drinks are on the house today.” Lee thanked him and handed him a five-dollar tip. The waiter left, smiling.
Maggie didn’t say anything until the waiter was out of earshot. “Darn, there are some benefits to being the friends of a Mafia Don after all, eh?” She smiled at the thought. “But seriously, Lee, what happens if you have to cross swords with the mob in your new job? Have you thought about that?”
His answer was slow and thoughtful. “Yeah, but not enough to have made any kind of a plan. I can only take it one day at a time and see what unfolds. If worst comes to worst, I have the FBI and the whole Navy behind me. But somehow, I just don’t see it happening. I dunno why. I just don’t.”
It was Maggie’s turn to be thoughtful. After a long pause while she
“That movie was crap!” But when Lee and Maggie kept laughing, even he had to grin.
The big man named Joe spoke up then. “Boss, we have to get going. Meeting is in fifteen minutes, and you know how Carlo is about being on time.”
“Yeah, Okay” Anthony glanced at his watch, looking thoughtful. “Lee, I’ll call you tomorrow morning, and we can set something up for dinner. I’m leaving the next morning, so it has to be tomorrow, if you can make it?” The last was almost an afterthought.
Lee answered, “We planned to be here two or three days. Dinner sounds good to me.”
With that, the three big men left the table, leaving Lee and Maggie staring at one another over their drinks. “Wow!” That was all that Lee could think of to say.
Maggie wasn’t as speechless. “Mr. Raines, exactly who in the fuck are you? One of the biggest mafia people in the world is your godfather? Who in the fuck are you and why haven’t you told me about this?” Lee’ mouth dropped open for the second time. Maggie never used that language. He tried to think of an answer, but Maggie was faster than he was. “I want the whole story and I want it now.”
Lee pulled himself together enough to reply, “Whoa, Maggie. I don’t have a lot of answers. This whole godfather thing was news to me.” He stopped for a moment, then went on, “I knew that my father did some work for Tony. Legal work - Dad was a lawyer. My mother was always on Dad’s case about Tony and his buddies. I remember her saying that she wanted those guys out of her life, but Dad would always talk about how they couldn’t just ignore the kids they were raised with.It was something they fought about all the time. As a kid, it didn’t seem like a big deal to me. Just a normal part of life.” He stopped and took a drink. Maggie was studying his face as if she had never seen it before. Nervously, he continued.
“I remember seeing Tony at the house a lot when I was just a little boy, but not much after that. When my folks died, there was some talk about the mob and that stuff. I remember that there were some people at the funeral that my Uncle Mike didn’t want there. But I just left after that, and I never thought twice about them until I got these orders to go back to Philly. Now the past is back, and I don’t know what to make of it any more than you do. That’s pretty much the whole story, as far as I know. I didn’t tell you about it before because it didn’t mean anything to me. But now that I’m going back to Philly, I have to confess that I didn’t tell you because I didn’t want to worry you.”
Maggie was honestly disturbed by what she had heard. She nodded her understanding, but still had nothing to say. Lee started with, “Maggie,”
But she stopped him. “Please Lee. I need to think for a minute.”
Lee nodded and held his comments. They both took drinks, and Lee signaled to the waiter for a second round. The waiter, still very respectful, brought them immediately, telling Lee, “The drinks are on the house today.” Lee thanked him and handed him a five-dollar tip. The waiter left, smiling.
Maggie didn’t say anything until the waiter was out of earshot. “Darn, there are some benefits to being the friends of a Mafia Don after all, eh?” She smiled at the thought. “But seriously, Lee, what happens if you have to cross swords with the mob in your new job? Have you thought about that?”
His answer was slow and thoughtful. “Yeah, but not enough to have made any kind of a plan. I can only take it one day at a time and see what unfolds. If worst comes to worst, I have the FBI and the whole Navy behind me. But somehow, I just don’t see it happening. I dunno why. I just don’t.”
It was Maggie’s turn to be thoughtful. After a long pause while she
Similar Books
