we should celebrate.’
Raymond replaced the ice pack and closed his eyes. ‘The problems haven’t
been about the business side. That’s all been going like clockwork. It’s
these unexpected snafus, like Franconi and now Kevin Marshall.’ Raymond
was loath to explain about Cindy Carlson. In fact, he’d been trying to
avoid even thinking about the girl himself.
‘Why are you still worried about Franconi?’ Darlene asked. ‘That problem
has been taken care of.’
‘Listen,’ Raymond said, trying to be patient, ‘maybe it would be best if
you go watch some TV and let me suffer in peace.’
‘How about some toast or a little cereal?’ Darlene asked.
‘Leave me alone!’ Raymond shouted. He’d sat up suddenly and was
clutching his ice pack in his hand. His eyes were bulging and his face
was flushed.
‘Okay, I can tell when I’m not wanted,’ Darlene pouted. As she was
leaving the room, the phone rang. She looked back at Raymond. ‘Want me
to get it?’ she asked.
Raymond nodded and told her to take the call in the study. He also said
that if the call was for him, she should be vague about where he was,
since he wasn’t up to talking with anyone.
Darlene reversed her direction and disappeared into the study. Raymond
breathed a sigh of relief and put the ice pack back on his head. Lying
back, he tried to relax. He was just getting comfortable when Darlene
returned.
‘It’s the intercom, not the phone,’ she said. ‘There’s a man downstairs
who wants to see you. His name is Franco Ponti, and he said it was
important. I told him that I’d see if you were here. What do you want me
to say?’
Raymond sat back up with a new jolt of anxiety. For a moment, he
couldn’t place the name, but he didn’t like the sound of it. Then it hit
him. It was one of Vinnie Dominick’s men who’d accompanied the mobster
to the apartment the previous morning.
‘Well?’ Darlene questioned.
Raymond swallowed loudly. ‘I’ll talk to him.’ Raymond reached behind the
couch and picked up the telephone extension. He tried to sound
authoritative when he said hello.
‘Howdy, Doc,’ Franco said. ‘I was going to be disappointed if you hadn’t
been at home.’
‘I’m about to go to bed,’ Raymond said. ‘It’s rather late for you to be
calling.’
‘My apologies for the hour,’ Franco said. ‘But Angelo Facciolo and I
have something we’d like to show you.’
‘Why don’t we do this tomorrow?’ Raymond said. ‘Say between nine and
ten.’
‘It can’t wait,’ Franco said. ‘Come on, Doc! Don’t give us a hard time.
It’s Vinnie Dominick’s express wish that you become intimately
acquainted with our services.’
Raymond struggled to come up with an excuse to avoid going downstairs.
But given his headache, nothing came to mind.
‘Two minutes,’ Franco said. ‘That’s all I’m asking.’
‘I’m awfully tired,’ Raymond said. ‘I’m afraid . . .’
‘Hold on, Doc,’ Franco said. ‘Listen, I have to insist you come down
here or you’re going to be very sorry. I hope I’m making myself clear.’
‘All right,’ Raymond said, recognizing the inevitable. He was not naive
enough to believe that Vinnie Dominick and his people made idle threats.
‘I’ll be right down.’
Raymond went to the hall closet and got his coat.
Darlene was amazed. ‘You’re going out?’
‘It appears that I don’t have a lot of choice,’ Raymond said. ‘I suppose
I should be happy they’re not demanding to come inside.’
As Raymond descended in the elevator, he tried to calm himself, but it
was difficult since his headache had only gotten worse. This unexpected,
unwanted visit was just the kind of turn that was making his life
miserable. He had no idea what these people wanted to show him, although
he guessed it had something to do with how they were going to deal with
Cindy Carlson.
‘Good evening, Doc,’ Franco said as Raymond appeared. ‘Sorry to trouble
you.’
‘Let’s just make this short,’ Raymond said, sounding more confident than
he felt.
‘It will be short and sweet, trust me,’ Franco said. ‘If you don’t
mind.’ He pointed up the street where the Ford sedan had been pulled to