Chapter 37: The Turning Point: A Desperate Revelation
Amid the chaos and fear, a desperate cry pierced the air, echoing the sheer panic of the moment. Sally screamed, “Dave!!!!” as she looked down at the horrifying scene in front of her. Her voice was filled with terror, and her eyes widened in shock and disbelief. She couldn’t make sense of the horrific sight before her. This moment shook her to her very core, leaving her on the brink of either screaming again or succumbing to the overwhelming darkness that loomed over her.
When Sally looked at Alejandro, she felt a shiver of fear. His eyes were cold and unwelcoming, and it was clear he wouldn’t tolerate any defiance. In that moment, she understood that there was no room for compromise; Alejandro Gambino was the type of person who would not hesitate to harm her if she didn’t cooperate.
In a desperate plea, she implored, “Don’t drop me, Mr. Gambino.” Tears welled up in her eyes, their glistening trails reflecting the dim light around them. “I’ll tell you what you need to know.”
Alejandro, seemingly indifferent, flicked ashes off his cigarette and raised an eyebrow, a silent invitation to divulge the secrets she held. “Alright, what’s Dave’s real plan?”
Sally’s lips trembled as she began to speak, “I don’t know.”
Alejandro’s gaze shifted to Bruno, a silent signal that suggested actions might be taken. But before Bruno could make a move, Sally’s voice grew sharp and determined. “No, listen to me. Dave doesn’t have a plan. Our superior is the one with the plan. She’s the mastermind behind it all. Dave and I work for her. We were hired to relay any secret information to her and carry out specific missions.”
Alejandro’s interest was piqued. “Your superior? You mean the woman who wore a red dress this afternoon and met with Dave at Brandie Bar?”This content © Nôv/elDr(a)m/a.Org.
Sally was taken aback, her eyes widening in disbelief. “How did you know?”
Alejandro brushed off the question, urgency in his eyes as he saw the need for swift action. “Never mind how I know. Tell me what you know.”
Sally paused for a moment, collecting her thoughts. “Well, this is how the system works. That lady in the red dress works for a Mafia leader named Salvador Morello.”
At the mention of Salvador Morello’s name, Alejandro’s curiosity was fully ignited. He needed to clarify what he had just heard. “That lady works for Salvador Morello?”
“Yes,” Sally replied with a hint of fear in her voice. “She works for Salvador, the leader of the Morello family, who are the rivals of your family, the Gambinos.”
Alejandro was determined to get to the heart of the matter. “So, how is that lady in red connected to your boyfriend getting close to Marisa and drugging her?”
Sally took a deep breath, her voice trembling as she continued to unravel the intricate web of secrets. “The thing is, Salvador Morello, the main boss, is mysterious even to us. None of us has ever laid eyes on him in our entire lives. Salvador has three front men, two women, and one man. These front men are our superiors. They go around, hiring us for various clandestine tasks, and we get paid for it. The lady in the red dress is one of Salvador’s front men and our immediate superior. She’s the one who sent us to abduct Marisa.”
Alejandro’s piercing gaze remained fixed on Sally as he sought to unravel the intricate web of deceit and danger that had woven itself around them. “And why did the lady in red send you to abduct Marisa?” he questioned, his voice steady and unyielding.
“Like I said earlier,” Sally began, her voice trembling, “our superior is one of Salvador’s front men. She conducted research on you and discovered that you have a connection to Marisa. She’s been monitoring your every move and came to the conclusion that you seem to have an interest in her.”
Alejandro pressed further, “So?”
Sally continued with a sense of urgency, “So, she planned to use Marisa as a weapon to bring you down, making it easier for the Morello family to eliminate your family. She believed that once you were out of the picture, it would be a simpler task to dismantle the Gambino family. Marisa was to be the bait to lure you in because she noticed your interest in her.” Sally’s detailed explanation began to shed light on the sinister plot that had been hatched against him.
Alejandro’s lips curled into a mischievous smirk. “So, is this the tactic the Morello family wants to use to bring down the Gambino family?”
Sally hesitated for a moment before answering, “I… I think so.”
“Then I guess Salvador is nothing but an old fool after all,” Alejandro remarked, his smirk widening. The pieces of the puzzle were falling into place, and he was starting to see the bigger picture.
Alejandro probed further, determined to uncover the truth. “And speaking of Salvador, where is he?”
Sally’s reply was hesitant, “I… I don’t know.”
“You don’t know where Salvador is?” Alejandro questioned, clearly skeptical.
“Yes… I mean, I don’t really know because he changes his location every day,” Sally replied, attempting to evade the truth.
“He’s been changing locations every day?” Alejandro sought confirmation.
“Yeah,” Sally confirmed. “I overheard my superior speaking on the phone with him yesterday, and he mentioned his next location.”
“What’s his next location, then?” Alejandro demanded to know.
Sally, realizing the gravity of the situation, relented, “Saint Patrick Catholic church on Broadway Street.”
“Saint Patrick Catholic church?” Alejandro repeated, as if to ensure he had heard correctly.
Sally nodded, “Yeah.”
“Why is he hiding out in a church?” Alejandro inquired, intrigued by this revelation.
Sally explained, “It’s a long story…”
Alejandro, impatient, interrupted, “Cut the story short!”
“Okay,” Sally complied. “According to my superior, Salvador is aware that you and your twin brother are looking for him for something he did to you years ago. So, he’s been disguising himself and changing locations every day. That’s the reason you haven’t caught him until today.”
Alejandro smirked wickedly as he contemplated the cunning of his adversary. “So, that old man’s been disguising himself and changing locations all these years.”
“Tomorrow, which is Sunday,” Sally added, “Salvador plans to disguise himself as a Reverend, and that’s why his next location is the Saint Patrick church on Broadway Street. He’s also using it as a way to keep tabs on you without your knowledge.”
Alejandro absorbed this crucial piece of information, realizing the gravity of the situation. The cat-and-mouse game had taken a dangerous turn, and Salvador Morello’s actions were becoming clearer.
Sally, her gaze momentarily drifting to the red-stained pond below, could not hide her fear. She turned her attention back to Alejandro and implored, “Now that I’ve told you everything I know, will you let me go?”
Alejandro rose to his feet, the sharp lines of his tailored suit enhancing his commanding presence. He took a moment to adjust his suit with precision, a sign of his meticulous nature. Then, he addressed Sally, who had a look of palpable anxiety written all over her face. She was teetering on the brink of life and death.
“I’ll let you go on one condition,” Alejandro declared, his voice unwavering.
Sally let out a deep breath, relief washing over her, but she remained on edge, acutely aware of the gravity of the situation.
Alejandro presented her with a choice, his tone deliberate and firm. “There are two options here. You can either choose to work for me and become my ally, or you can choose to be crocodile food.”
She didn’t hesitate, recognizing the stark contrast between the options. “I’ll work for you,” she replied with a sense of urgency.
A hidden grin played at the corners of Alejandro’s lips as he accepted her choice. He walked over to Bruno and whispered his instructions, keeping his voice low, “Lock her up. I won’t need her until I’m ready. She’s one of us now.”
Bruno, though not entirely comfortable with the decision, knew better than to question Alejandro’s judgment. “But boss, wouldn’t it be best if we dropped her-”
“I know,” Alejandro cut him off. “I’ve got plans for her. It’s not that I trust her. I don’t trust her, but I believe she’s willing to work for me. She seemed scared of the crocodiles. Let her live with that threat in mind. As long as she is haunted by the crocodiles, we can control her. Do as you’re told. No questions.”
Bruno nodded in acquiescence, his loyalty to Alejandro unwavering.
Alejandro strode away, leaving Bruno to handle Sally. He checked his wristwatch and noted that it was half past nine in the evening. With the newfound information, he felt confident that he and his twin brother were one step closer to fulfilling their longstanding vow: the assassination of Salvador Morello, their most formidable adversary.
Leaving the gruesome scene behind, Alejandro walked out of the clandestine empire and into the moonlit night. He made his way to the waiting Rolls Royce, where the chauffeur stood at attention, ready to assist. Alejandro stepped into the luxurious car, and the chauffeur dutifully opened the rear door for him.
Alejandro wasted no time and poured himself a shot of whiskey, the burning liquid cutting through the tension that hung in the air. His thoughts raced, driven by a sense of impending reckoning.
“We’re finally going to kill that old bastard tomorrow morning,” he thought, his determination unwavering as he took another sip of whiskey.
Interrupting his thoughts, Bruno opened the car door and took a seat beside him. “The boys will take care of Sally, boss,” Bruno assured him. “Should we head home?”
“No,” Alejandro replied without sparing him a glance. “To the hotel where Marisa is.”
With that, the Rolls Royce Silver Wraith roared to life, and it began its journey to Alejandro’s next destination. Tomorrow was a new day, and it held the promise of long-awaited vengeance against their most formidable foe.