“Well… yeah. I guess so.”
“. . . So he’d have free rein to run the operation the way he saw fit. No staff forced on him or policies to follow?”
“No. I’d have to at least assign him a couple bodyguards. Anybody running a Mob operation has got to have a couple of the Family’s boys to be sure nothing happens to him.”
Aahz scowled. “But he’s already got…”
“How about Guido and Nunzio?” I managed, through gritted teeth.
Abruptly the grip on my shoulder vanished.
“Those losers?” Don Bruce frowned. “I was going to have a severe talk with them after this disaster, but if you want ’em, they’re yours.”
“. . . But since you’re the one insisting on them, they don’t show up on our overhead. Right?” Aahz said firmly.
I leaned back, working my shoulder covertly, and tried to ignore the horrified stares my friends were exchanging. I didn’t know for sure what Aahz was up to, but knew better than to get in his way when he smelled money.
I could only cross my fingers and hope that he knew what he was doing … for a change.
Chapter Twenty-One:
“Stayin’ alive! Stayin alive!”
– V. DRACULA
THE representatives of the Bazaar Merchants didn’t look happy, but then Deveels never do when they’re parting with money.
“Thank you gentlemen,” Aahz beamed, rubbing his hands together gleefully over the substantial pile of gold on the table.
“You’re sure the Mob is gone?” the head spokesman asked, looking plaintively at the gold.
“Positive. We’ve broken their reign of terror and sent them packing.”
The Deveel nodded.
“Good. Now that that’s settled, we’ll be going.”