The Chainmakers (32 page)

'And the genuine businesses Paolo? Were they started with honest money?' Anna asked.

Paolo flushed. 'I do not expect someone like you to understand Anna. It is a family thing. I cannot allow you to speak ill of my uncle. He has been very good to me.'

Anna was silent, and after a moment Paolo spoke again. 'My father was killed by a rival group in Rome. He was strangled with piano wire and left hanging on the gate at the front of our house. I was only six but I can still remember the horror of it. My uncle Vittorio took me and my sisters away to live with him. He cared for us all, and he put me through Language school and University. He loved us Anna, and I love him.'

'I understand your loyalty Paolo,' Anna said quietly, horrified at this revelation. 'But I can never understand why you choose such a life, when you could live honestly. It seems we must agree to differ.' She leaned across the desk. 'Tell me one thing. Was it on your orders that we were never approached before, to pay protection money?'

Paolo looked away. 'I've told you to leave everything to me, there is no need to go into this.'

'Was it Paolo? Were we under your protection and didn't even know it?'

Paolo sighed. 'I asked my uncle to make sure that your businesses were let alone. He agreed.'

'Why? Why did he agree?'

'Because I asked him. Why else?'

'I see. You allowed us to trade in peace for all these years. Thanks Paolo,' Anna said bitterly.

'Don't be silly. It's not like that.'

'Isn't it? Isn't it? Do you know what a fool I feel?' Anna cried. 'All these years Clancy and I have been congratulating ourselves on how clever we were to build such a good business, and now I find out we were successful only because you allowed us to be.'

'It's not like that at all, your business acumen is obvious, it's never been in question and you know it.' Paolo said. 'You're just upset about Clancy.'

Anna's eyes blazed. 'Yes, I am! And you're right about the business. Clancy and I do have business acumen, and we've worked hard to build something to be proud of. I'm damned if any tin pot gangster is going to help himself to a slice of it.' She pulled on her gloves. 'Paolo, I came here to beg you to tell me where and how to pay the money. I see now that Clancy was right, he said we mustn't pay a penny. I'd sooner close the whole lot down than give in to those bullies.' She stood up. 'I wish I didn't have to rely on you Paolo, but I do. I don't know how you can stop them but... but I'm grateful to you, for Clancy's sake.' Her lip trembled. 'He insisted the shop was closed until he was better, in case they came back. For the first few days, when he was so ill, I didn't understand what had happened. I only got the full story yesterday when he came home from hospital. I thought... I thought if Peters found the shop closed he might come to the house...'

Paolo came around his desk and gripped her shoulders firmly. 'What is this? Where is my strong, brave Anna?' He kissed her forehead gently. 'Leave everything to me. I promise you will have no more trouble. Best not to let Clancy know you came here.'

Anna looked uncomfortable. 'Alright.' At the door she stopped. 'Paolo, the roses you send me every year on my birthday... They are lovely, but... perhaps you should not send any more.'

Paolo's smile lit up his handsome face. 'Clancy is jealous?'

'No of course not. But perhaps it is not a good idea.'

'I think it is a good idea.' He took her hand and raised it to his lips gently. 'I shall always send you roses Anna, every year on your birthday until the day I die. Remember Anna, we are best friends. Always.'

Anna looked into the smiling eyes and could not help but respond. 'I remember Paolo. Best friends.'

~

When Paolo returned to his office, after escorting Anna down stairs and out through the laundry, he found Vittorio waiting.

‘You heard?’ Paolo asked.

‘Yes.’

‘You didn’t have to listen.’ Paolo said shortly. Vittorio sat down at his nephew’s desk. ‘If you didn’t want me to hear, you shouldn’t have bundled me out of sight next door when your unexpected visitor arrived.’ He took a cigar from his top pocket and bit off the end. ‘You could have allowed me to pay my respects to Mrs Sullivan and then make my apologies and leave. You create your own problems if you attempt to hide me.’ He struck a match. ‘Slow to change am I?’ he asked.

‘I said nothing I haven’t said to your face plenty of times,’ Paolo said, reddening.

‘I think you did. One or two things,’ Vittorio said. He puffed slowly at the cigar. ‘You know nephew, we have had so many arguments about business lately, that I was beginning to believe you had forgotten your roots, forgotten what we were all about. I was wrong.’ He looked at Paolo, and a slow smile spread over his face, and for once it reached his eyes. ‘Yes, I’m glad to say I was wrong. You’ll be alright.’

Paolo leaned across the desk. ‘Why didn’t you tell me you were having problems, that someone was trying to muscle in?’

‘You’re always telling me you don’t want to know about the rackets. Anyway, I wasn’t having problems. Nothing I can’t handle.’

‘They’re not Capone’s men?’

‘Heavens no! Capone and I have an agreement. He doesn’t want my bit of territory, he’s got his hands full already. No, these are a new group in from Chicago, big on muscle and low on brains.’

‘And you’re sure they are not a problem?’

‘Of course not. It’s just unfortunate they picked on the Sullivan’s deli as one of their first attempts.’ Vittorio took a long pull at his cigar. ‘You want me to deal with them?’

Paolo was looking at the ground. ‘Yes,’ he said, stony faced.

Vittorio heaved his bulk out of the chair. ‘Then it’s done, my boy,’ he said. ‘The old fashioned ways do come in useful sometimes, don’t they?’

~

Two days later Clancy was sitting up in bed reading the paper when he saw the photographs. After staring at them for a moment he dragged himself painfully across the bed and pulled the bell cord.

Anna answered it herself, still in her dressing robe. 'What is it dear? More toast?'

'Look at this,' Clancy said, pointing to the article. 'It's them. Anna, it's the men who beat me up.'

Anna took the paper, transfixed by the two faces which stared out at her. A fleshy looking dark man, and a thin faced man with shifty eyes. The caption said 'Two Men Found Shot,' and Anna read the short paragraph with mounting horror. It said the men had been identified as Joseph Peters and William Sedgewick, who had recently arrived in New York from Chicago. Two eyewitnesses described how the victims were gunned down by someone in a passing car, and the murders were attributed to rivalry by underworld gangs.

Anna sat down on the bed, trembling violently. 'How dreadful!' she said.

'Yes, I suppose it is, but I'll bet they asked for it,' Clancy said. 'Do you suppose Vittorio Vetti had something to do with it? They said they were taking over from him, it's obviously some kind of gangland
war ...'

'I don't know, and I don't want to hear about it.' Anna snapped. She picked up the paper and pulled out the page, tearing it into shreds and flinging it in the waste paper basket. 'I don't want to hear about it!' she said again, and burst into tears.

Clancy was all apologies. 'I'm sorry darlin', I shouldn't have showed it to you, I know you have been upset about all of this. I'm a thoughtless brute sometimes, so I am. Come and give me a kiss, but carefully, mind the bruises...'

Anna kissed him gently and assured him she was alright. She went into her dressing room and sat down before the mirror. Her face stared back at her, guilt ridden and red eyed. Was it her fault? In spite of what they had done to Clancy, and she hated them for that, they were dead, because she had asked Paolo for help. Perhaps it was not that, she reasoned, clutching at the thought. Perhaps Vetti had them killed because they were trying to take over his territory. Surely not, it was unthinkable. Not that nice man who had showed her his rose garden and talked about fragrance...

Lunch at the Plaza was always a treat, and Anna's spirits lifted as she was shown to her table and saw that Jennie had already arrived. They kissed, and Jennie handed Anna a menu. 'I've already chosen, I'm having the sole and the souffle,' she said.

Anna glanced at the menu, made up her mind quickly and ordered Bisque d'Etrilles to start. 'I'll have the souffle as well,' she informed the hovering waiter, 'And something to drink. What do you suggest?'

'We are recommending our freshly made lemon drink at lunch time Madam,' the waiter replied. 'It would be admirable with your choice of menu.'

Anna sighed. 'That will do.' As the waiter turned away she caught Jennie's eye and they both began to giggle. Anna pulled her face into a haughty expression in mock imitation of the waiter. 'We are recommending our freshly made lemon drink,' she mimicked, and collapsed into giggles again. 'Admirable indeed! Whatever they like to call it it's lemonade. It makes one feel like a child. Oh Jennie, I'd love a nice glass of Chablis with this lunch, or a dry Vouvray...'

'You won't get that at the Plaza,' Jennie said, still laughing. 'Oh Anna, it is good to see you. Did you enjoy your birthday?'

'Yes, although it's hard to believe I'm thirty three, and James is fourteen.' She smiled. 'Paolo's roses were beautiful, as usual, and Clancy and I took a trip to Boston. It was a surprise. I think he was trying to mend fences between us.'

'Are you still having problems?' Jennie's face was full of concern.

'Not really, no more than usual anyway. He's always felt strongly about law breaking, especially since he was beaten up a few years ago. It took him months to get over it. He still hasn't forgiven me for continuing to serve liquor in the restaurants. We had a blazing row about it.'

'I know. Paolo said he thought you were upset when he met you a few months ago.'

'Paolo has been marvellous.' Anna said. She leaned across the table and said in a low voice. 'He has seen to it that we get our supplies delivered each week with the laundry, and no-one is the wiser. Our regular customers have been coming to us for years, and I don't see why they should be deprived of a drink with their dinner just because the government has decided to go back to its Puritan roots.'

Jennie agreed. 'I can't imagine how they think Prohibition can work', she said. 'Already people are finding so many ways to get round it. I'm surprised Clancy can't see that.'

'Oh, he's against Prohibition,' Anna explained. 'When the Volstead Act was passed he was furious, he thinks it will lead to all kinds of trouble.'

The waiter arrived with the lemon drink in a glass jug. He poured it into their wine glasses, and as he drifted away Anna took a sip.

'Lemonade,' she said. 'They have added something...' She sipped again. 'A little ginger and mint I think, but it's still lemonade. Anyway, Clancy doesn't agree with Prohibition but says everyone should obey the law. He says you can't choose which laws to obey and ignore the others.'

'But it's such a stupid law.'