Chapter Two
Pound for Pound
Pound for Pound
It wasn’t Virgil’s snoring that kept Harmony awake every night. Although it startled him the first few nights he’d moved in with the man, it was tolerable. What really made his heart pound every evening, as he lay in bed staring at the ceiling, was the sinking feeling of guilt and suspicion. Long hours, he would stay awake, waiting desperately for Bruce to call with something. A job for him, an invitation for lunch, or even so much as a comforting reassurance that he was safe.
Four days had gone by since Harmony had sold his apartment and taken up residence with Virgil on the advice of Bruce. Five since Ralph of the Marizzi payroll had been bludgeoned into the ground with a lead pipe. Even though Virgil’s dark bruise was almost healed, and all traces of the fight had evaporated, Harmony had been hearing Bruce’s words all week. The warning about how they might come and try to find him. That was what he was deathly afraid of.
Every night, Harmony slept with his gun under his pillow, in case the apartment door ever came slamming open, and men in fifty-dollar suits came to capture or kill him. He was frightened even further when a newspaper article came out one morning about a ransacking of the apartment building he had only just vacated; hit the hardest was Apartment 14G, the one he used to live in.
On the tenth day of his residence with Virgil, Harmony finally cracked under the stress and asked Virgil what was going to happen.
“Okay Virgil, what the hell is going on? Are Ralph’s employers going to come after us?” Harmony slammed his fist down on the table, making both of their coffee mugs rattle.
“I’ll be honest kid, I don’t know.” Virgil took another sip of his drink, not looking up from the morning Times copy. “They’ve already gone to your old place, so they’ll either give up or go after Bruce and I next.”
“Do they know that which of us hit him?” Harmony asked, leaning closer to Virgil who seemed uninterested.
“No way they could have. We were all there at the same time, so the best they can do is guess.”
“But what if they-” Harmony was interrupted by a knock at the apartment door. He instantly got up and reached for his gun in his jacket pocket, but relaxed when he heard Bruce’s voice.
“Harmony, Virgil! Come on out, Gonzaga is ready to meet with us at his house!” Even with the door closed, they could hear the urgency in his voice easily.
In just a few short moments, they were following Bruce down the hallway, and out the lobby door of the apartment complex Virgil lived in. It was several blocks away from where Harmony had previously stayed, but he still felt far too close to the crime scene.
After they got in the red Lincoln that Bruce drove, Harmony placed his pistol on the backseat next to him, for easy access in case he needed it, even though he hadn’t needed it in all the time he owned it.
“So where exactly are we going?” Harmony asked again. “We’re going to a meeting with Gonzaga Rotunno, one of Ottavio Rotunno’s five children. He oversees all operations on Manhattan,” Bruce explained.
“He lives on a hilltop estate with his wife. Emilio Rotunno, the eldest of the Rotunno children, lives there as well in the second house. He works alongside his brother.” Virgil took the liberty of turning to face Harmony from the passenger seat as he explained everything.
“And they have three more siblings?” Harmony asked.
“Natalia, Estella, and Liliana, the three daughters,” Bruce said with a chuckle. “They live with their father still, and they’re about your age. Every so often, they visit their elder brothers. Be careful around them, Harmony. Those three Italian girls tend to be very…powerful in their own way.”
Harmony shifted uncomfortably in his seat, trying to adjust to the new tone of the conversation. Thankfully, Virgil spoke again to cut through the thick air. “We’re heading northward; the Rotunno brothers’ estate is just across from the shipping warehouse,” he said, nudging Bruce’s elbow as it rested on the console between the seats.
Harmony wasn’t sure what the gesture was about, but Bruce then came to a red light on one of the busiest intersections around Central Park, and made a right turn. He then made another random right turn at the next intersection. He and Virgil were silent, but Harmony kept looking around to see what they were doing.
After two left turns, and another right turn with no rhyme or reason, Harmony had to ask what they were doing. “Okay, I know this isn’t the way to the shipping warehouse, why are we making all these turns?”
“Because that blue Dodge has been following us for the past five minutes,” Virgil told him without looking back.
Harmony was just about to look back, but he noticed the car did the turning for him, right over the median of the road! Bruce casually threw the wheel to the left, driving over the grass island and onto the other side of the street. He stepped on the gas, and as they accelerated away, Harmony did manage to glimpse a dark blue Dodge screeching to a halt just where they had lost their tail.
“Marizzi?” Harmony asked tentatively.
“More than likely,” Bruce and Virgil replied simultaneously.
*****
The car ride was silent up until the opening of the doors as they parked at the top of the long driveway in between the two large houses on the hill. The houses looked similar, except the one on the left had a large patio and garden out front.
“We have to go speak with Emilio briefly, so go on and knock on Gonzaga’s door. Tell him who you are, and he’ll know you’re with us,” Bruce ordered, locking the car door with the key. “His house is the one on the left.”
Bruce and Virgil went to the house on the right, while Harmony walked over to the patio and knocked on the door of the opposite house. The door was polished oak, and looked very upscale and fancy, like the wicker chairs and table just to his left.
After a few seconds, his presence was noticed, and the door was answered by a beautiful young woman. “Hello?” She raised her perfectly plucked eyebrows and seemed to grow much more interested when she actually saw him. “What can I do for you?” She asked with an attractive smile.
“Oh, I’m here to see Gonzaga Rotunno. I’m Harmony, Bruce Pikerson’s runner,” he explained, tipping his fedora to her in greeting.
The girl’s eyes dropped to the ground and she sighed, almost as if his business were a drag. “Ah, you’re the one he’s been expecting. Well, just go on up the stairs, and he’ll be in his office. First door on the right,” she explained.
Harmony nodded his head to her and ventured inside to the staircase at the back of the large foyer. Everywhere he looked, the wooden walls were adorned with beautiful paintings in bronze frames. A willow tree here, the city skyline there, a lakeside log cabin in between them, he was amazed by all the wonderful colors and shades.
After ascending the luxuriously carpeted stairs and coming to the upper floor, he noticed that here, there weren’t any paintings. In their place, was an extensive collection of tapestries. Gonzaga Rotunno was obviously an art aficionado.
Harmony knocked on the first door he came to at the right of the stairs, and a voice that didn’t sound Italian by any means beckoned him to come in. He entered, and saw a man who looked a little younger than Bruce sitting at an elaborate wooden desk, and the girl who opened the door for him on the couch in front of it.
“Ah, hello there!” The man said jovially, waving Harmony over. He offered his hand to shake with a warm and welcoming smile. “You must be Bruce’s apprentice, am I correct?”
“Yes sir, I’m Harmony. And you are Gonzaga Rotunno?” Harmony asked, returning the handshake.
“The one and only, my boy,” he said, sitting back down in his leather chair. “And this is my lovely sister, Estella.” He gestured toward the girl on the couch, who blushed and fluttered her fingers in a small wave as Harmony nodded to her.
“Ah yes, I think we’ve met already,” Harmony said.
“Really? I would have remembered someone so handsome,” Estella said with a giggle.
“But, didn’t you open the door for me?” Harmony asked, raising an eyebrow in confusion.
“Oh, you must have seen Natalia!” Gonzaga chuckled. “She was downstairs a moment ago.”
“So they’re twins?”
“Two of triplets, actually. Liliana is painting outside at the moment. They’re such gifted artists; they painted all of the pictures hanging in this house!” Gonzaga commented on the artwork, and Estella seemed to sit up straighter with pride.
Harmony took a deep breath, suddenly a little uncomfortable. So the Rotunno sisters were three, admittedly very attractive triplets? He hoped he didn’t ever mix them up, especially if he was going to be acquainted with them. He didn’t know himself quite well enough to understand why he was making such an effort to seem professional around Estella now.
“Anyway, I believe we have some things to discuss concerning your alignment with the family, but shall we go and have lunch first? My brother Emilio has invited us all over to his side of the hill; his wife is such a wonderful cook.” Gonzaga stood, and Harmony and Estella followed him downstairs and across to the other house. Gonzaga unlocked the door with a key, and they all walked into the kitchen.
Another man, who looked a few years older than Gonzaga sat at the head of the table, counting out the silverware. Harmony took this to be Emilio. Bruce and Virgil sat to his right, and they waved to Harmony as they entered.
“Welcome, welcome!” Emilio said, adjusting his black suit jacket and tie so that they might be a little neater. He had a full head of luscious brown hair, like his brother, and the same brown eyes. If not for being a little taller and thinner with a narrower face, he would have looked almost exactly like his younger brother.
“Good to see you, Emilio!” Estella said, rushing up to her brother to hug him.
“Ah, you too, Estella. How is father doing?”
“Very well. He’s been very pleased with the work in the area lately. He says to keep doing a good job.”
Harmony noted that this family had no secrets, and all five of Mr. Rotunno’s children knew of his position. It was comforting to know that he wouldn’t have to hide anything.
After a few minutes Silvia and Patricia, the wives of the Rotunno men, had set a plate of ravioli in front of everyone at the table. Harmony found himself stealing glances at where the three sisters all sat together. He was looking for any telltale signs of difference to avoid the embarrassment of mixing them up, but they looked identical right down to their creamy skin and dark brown hair. He vowed silently that he would discover how they were different in the next few days.
“This is wonderful food, Mrs. Rotunno!” Harmony said after finishing half of his ravioli. “You’re an excellent cook.”
“Oh, well thank you very much young man!” Silvia said, taking her plate and her husband’s to the sink to rinse them off. “I learned a lot from Emilio’s father; he used to be a chef in Italy. Practically lived in the kitchen of his restaurant there.”
“I knew he got his people skills from somewhere,” Bruce joked, which drew a light laugh from all the others at the table.
Harmony was expecting them to talk business, but around the dinner table, it was mostly just small chat. They treated him as if he were already a member of the family, asking him what he had been up to lately, if Bruce and Virgil were treating him alright, and even about the budding possibility of his musical career. Harmony was especially happy to see Bruce back to his normal cheerful self, laughing at all the jokes and maintaining all his presence in the conversation. He’d been so serious lately about this whole joining-the-Rotunno-family business, but now that they were among allies, he seemed much more at ease.
The warm, home-style kitchen atmosphere was good ambiance for an excellent meal, and when the food was finished and Silvia and Patricia began washing everyone’s dishes, Emilio invited the rest of them up to his study for the real discussion.
The Rotunno brothers both sat at the desk, and Bruce and Virgil each sat in a leather armchair facing the green couch. Harmony sat on the couch, with Natalia and Liliana eagerly sitting on either side of him, and Estella on the floor at his feet.
“Well hello there, ladies,” Harmony chuckled as they all sat down. The three sisters giggled, and Natalia grabbed his right arm.
“Its not every day Gonzaga brings in someone our age. All these older men around gets so boring,” Natalia said.
“Well, if you four are quite done flirting, Harmony has come to talk business,” Emilio said with a laugh. “So Harmony, what work exactly have you done for Bruce in the past few years?”
“I’ve mostly moved cars and packages around the city to different people. I’m just a messenger I suppose,” he explained.
“Have you ever been stopped and questioned?”
“No.”
“And no tickets or bad run-ins with the police?”
“Not that I can remember,” Harmony said, getting the hint to lie when he saw Bruce raise his eyebrows.
“Ever been in any fights, or scuffles, or anything like that?” Gonzaga picked up after his brother.
“Um …” Harmony wasn’t sure if he should mention coming to Bruce’s aid and leave out the part about the officer, or just not say anything. Fortunately, he didn’t have to think long, because Bruce spoke for him.
“Actually, one time some punk did catch me off guard, and when I went down, Harmony showed him what-for. Virgil saw the whole thing; told me about it afterward.” Bruce winked, and Virgil nodded as Harmony looked over at them. They’d pulled a bit of a role-reversal in the story, but the part about Harmony coming to the aid was true at least.
The girls giggled, and Harmony blushed. He was glad for Bruce’s tossing an accolade his way, but the Rotunno sisters’ admiration and giddy behavior made him feel a little…off-balance.
“Principle, eloquence, and ready to defend his cause and friends,” Gonzaga summed up. “He’s a gem if I ever saw one, Emilio.”
“I agree,” Liliana chimed in with a wink.
“Well, is there anything further I need to do to prove myself before you take me on full time?” Harmony asked.
Emilio was about to respond, when there was a knock at the office door, and Gonzaga looked out the window to see who had arrived. Harmony stood up and looked out as well, and recognized the blue Dodge that had been following them earlier.
“Well, shit.” Gonzaga walked over to the back wall of the office and withdrew a small handgun from a compartment in a false book on the bookcase.
“Girls, why don’t you three go downstairs? We’ve got some more…shifty business to take care of.” Emilio waved his head toward the back corner, and they each gave Harmony a hug, and left through a concealed staircase. Harmony wondered for a moment why they hadn’t taken the regular exit, then decided it was probably because Emilio didn’t want his sisters to meet their new guests.
Gonzaga nodded to Bruce, who went and sat down behind the desk, out of view from the front of the room. Probably insurance, just in case the shit hit the fan.
“Come in!” Gonzaga called, when he and Emilio had taken their seats.
The four men who entered were all dressed in sleek black suits, with expensive-looking black shoes, polished to the point of shining in the lamplight. The man who sat down looked the eldest of them, at least forty years old, and he looked as composed and eloquent as if this were his office. The other three remained standing, and Gonzaga rose to his feet as well, not to be outdone.
“Don Marizzi,” he said with a respectful nod.
“And young Gonzaga Rotunno. Good to see you, son.” The face of the Marizzi family smiled as if they were old friends, and then returned his face to its serious state.
“Likewise, sir. I don’t believe you’ve met our newest friend,” he gestured toward Harmony, who tipped his hat. “This is Harmony. Harmony, this honorable man is Alberto Marizzi, the head of his family.”
“Well, it’s very nice to meet you, my boy.” Marizzi gave Harmony a firm handshake, and returned his eyes to the Rotunno brothers.
“So, what do we owe the presence of such a prestigious man?” Emilio asked, leaning forward in his chair.
“Well, my three personal assistants here,” he gestured to the large, shaven-head men standing around him, “have given me some unfortunate news. It appears that a few days ago, one of my runners was found in an alleyway along with an unconscious local policeman. He died the same night in the hospital, mortally wounded with the bloody pipe they found near him. Interesting enough, the scene was located right in the center of the Rotunno territory.”
Both Emilio and Gonzaga raised their eyebrows, seeming genuinely surprised at the news. “Well, we’re sorry to hear that,” Emilio said.
“I hope you can find someone to fill Ralph’s shoes,” Harmony added, to offer his own condolences.
Marizzi stood, one of his men opening the door for him as he turned. “Well, I’d be very grateful if you could let me know anything you find out about it. Oh, and I hope that bruise isn’t giving you too much trouble, Virgil. That is all.” With the last words spoken, the four of them exited, and no one spoke a word until they saw the blue Dodge start, and make its way down the hill.
“Dammit Harmony!” Virgil shouted, standing up from his seat and covering his face with his hand. The Rotunno brothers sighed, and Bruce stood up from his vantage point and returned to his chair.
“What? All I did was offer my condolences! It seemed like the polite thing to do.” Harmony was a little upset that his first business meeting was now turning into a criticism.
“Exactly, and you offered condolences for Ralph,” Gonzaga said. “Marizzi never mentioned the man’s name, so now he knows we knew about it. Which most likely means we were involved, especially when you imagine Virgil's bruise from a fight.”
Harmony’s heart deflated, especially when he looked over to Bruce for some compassion, and received only a disappointed shake of the head.
At this point, Natalia, Liliana, and Estella returned to the office, and reclaimed their spaces around Harmony. But not even three beautiful Italian girls could make him feel better at this moment.
“Don’t feel bad Harmony!” Natalia said, leaning her head on his shoulder.
“Isn’t there something he can do to make up for his mistake?” Liliana asked, looking to her brothers with hopeful eyes.
“There isn’t much room in this business for such careless errors.” Emilio leaned back in his chair. “I know that Bruce has much faith in you, but I think it would be in everyone’s best interest if you distanced yourself from the family for a while.”
“Wait, wait, please give me another chance! I promise, I can make up for this. Is there anything I can do for you?” Harmony looked over to Bruce again, hoping desperately for his mentor to bail him out.
“Maybe we aren’t in as bad as we think,” Bruce said to the brothers. He stood up, the cheerful vigor back in his eyes. “I know how Harmony can prove his use.”
“What do you have in mind Bruce? How can he do it?” Gonzaga seemed genuinely curious, where Emilio just sighed dismissively.
“By going on a job with Virgil, tonight. All we have to do is get Marizzi off our asses and get him to look somewhere else.” Bruce looked over at Harmony with the same confident smile he’d had on the park bench, years ago, and at Fredo’s Italian Bistro, when they celebrated his eighteenth birthday. “Are you up for it?”
Harmony stood up with a new determination beating in his heart. “Absolutely. We’ll match Marizzi pound for pound.”
Gender:
Points: 3196
Reviews: 94