Day of Reckoning Read Online Free PDF Page A
Author: Jack Higgins
that. Let me explain. The ruling power in the Mafia, the Commission, right? It called a halt to mob killings in New York in 1992 because of the bad publicity.'
'So?'
'So they started again last year. Five stiffed in Palermo a month ago, three in New York, four in London. But it's all different, all back-room stuff you can't connect to them. They've gone legit. They don't figure in Forbes magazine, but they're easily the biggest company structure in Europe. The drug market in America is saturated, so they've moved to Eastern Europe and Russia, but now they do it behind an elaborate facade.'
'So what are you saying?' Blake asked.
'That the days of men in gold chains have gone. Now they wear good suits and sit next to you in the Four Seasons or the Piano Bar at the Dorchester in London. They are into construction, property development, leisure, TV. You name it, they do it.'
There was a pause. Blake said, 'So where did my wife fit in to all this?'
'As I indicated, these days the new image is everything. The most influential Mafia group right now is the Solazzo family. Don Marco is the old devil who runs things, but he has an extraordinary nephew named Jack Fox. Fox's mother was Don Marco's niece, so the good Jack is half and half, though he sounds very Anglo-Saxon. He was a young Marine in the Gulf, a decorated war hero, Harvard Law School, and now he's the respectable face of the Solazzos.'
'And how does this affect Katherine?'
'She managed to get into a relationship with Fox. She was intending to produce a devastating series, not only for Truth magazine but also for our TV side.' There was silence, then O'Dowd said, 'She wanted to get behind that acceptable face of the Mafia and expose it.'
'Which meant showing the reality behind Fox,' Parker said.
'And he couldn't have that.' Blake nodded. 'So now we know.' He stood up and said to O'Dowd, 'Play this down. Trust me. Give us time and you'll get the story Kate wanted.' He held out his hand. 'A bargain?'
'It sure as hell is.'
On the way downstairs, Parker's mobile rang. He answered and nodded. 'We'll be there.' He turned to Blake. 'Abruzzi. She's sorted out the videotapes. Wondered if you'd like a look.'
'Why not?' Blake said.
The study at Barrow Street was much more ordered now, the videotapes arranged neatly on the shelves.
Helen Abruzzi said, 'I've put the movies on the top two shelves, the language courses and self-help tapes on the bottom two shelves.' She turned to Blake. 'There is one that refers to you, sir. That's what I thought you'd want to know.'
Blake said, 'What do you mean?'
'The label says: Blake's parents.'
Blake was silent for a moment. 'My parents died when I was very young. I never knew them. And my wife knew that better than anyone. I'd appreciate you turning that tape on, Sergeant.'
He sat down, Parker stood behind him, and the screen flickered.
'This is just a fail-safe, Blake, my darling, in case anything goes wrong. As someone who was the pride of the FBI and whatever you get up to there at the White House, I know you'll find this one way or the other.' She smiled at him. 'These are bad people that I'm trying to expose, the Solazzo family. Don Marco's like Brando resurrected for Godfather IV, cold, calm, and businesslike, even while he seems like your favourite grandfather.'
'Jesus!' Harry Parker said.
'But Don Marco is old-school. Jack Fox is different. The genuine all-American hero and Wall Street golden boy. You'd think he was some Boston blue blood, but instead he's a cold-blooded psychopath, the worst of them all. Get in his way and you're dead. Well, I'm going to get him. Lull him to sleep with the first article, then wham! He'll never know what hit him.'
Blake hammered a clenched fist on a coffee table and Helen Abruzzi stopped the tape.
'What in the hell are you doing?'
'I'm giving you a chance to breathe deeply. I'm also finding you a drink. Trust me, Sir.'
Parker put a hand on his shoulder. 'She's right, Blake.' Helen
'So?'
'So they started again last year. Five stiffed in Palermo a month ago, three in New York, four in London. But it's all different, all back-room stuff you can't connect to them. They've gone legit. They don't figure in Forbes magazine, but they're easily the biggest company structure in Europe. The drug market in America is saturated, so they've moved to Eastern Europe and Russia, but now they do it behind an elaborate facade.'
'So what are you saying?' Blake asked.
'That the days of men in gold chains have gone. Now they wear good suits and sit next to you in the Four Seasons or the Piano Bar at the Dorchester in London. They are into construction, property development, leisure, TV. You name it, they do it.'
There was a pause. Blake said, 'So where did my wife fit in to all this?'
'As I indicated, these days the new image is everything. The most influential Mafia group right now is the Solazzo family. Don Marco is the old devil who runs things, but he has an extraordinary nephew named Jack Fox. Fox's mother was Don Marco's niece, so the good Jack is half and half, though he sounds very Anglo-Saxon. He was a young Marine in the Gulf, a decorated war hero, Harvard Law School, and now he's the respectable face of the Solazzos.'
'And how does this affect Katherine?'
'She managed to get into a relationship with Fox. She was intending to produce a devastating series, not only for Truth magazine but also for our TV side.' There was silence, then O'Dowd said, 'She wanted to get behind that acceptable face of the Mafia and expose it.'
'Which meant showing the reality behind Fox,' Parker said.
'And he couldn't have that.' Blake nodded. 'So now we know.' He stood up and said to O'Dowd, 'Play this down. Trust me. Give us time and you'll get the story Kate wanted.' He held out his hand. 'A bargain?'
'It sure as hell is.'
On the way downstairs, Parker's mobile rang. He answered and nodded. 'We'll be there.' He turned to Blake. 'Abruzzi. She's sorted out the videotapes. Wondered if you'd like a look.'
'Why not?' Blake said.
The study at Barrow Street was much more ordered now, the videotapes arranged neatly on the shelves.
Helen Abruzzi said, 'I've put the movies on the top two shelves, the language courses and self-help tapes on the bottom two shelves.' She turned to Blake. 'There is one that refers to you, sir. That's what I thought you'd want to know.'
Blake said, 'What do you mean?'
'The label says: Blake's parents.'
Blake was silent for a moment. 'My parents died when I was very young. I never knew them. And my wife knew that better than anyone. I'd appreciate you turning that tape on, Sergeant.'
He sat down, Parker stood behind him, and the screen flickered.
'This is just a fail-safe, Blake, my darling, in case anything goes wrong. As someone who was the pride of the FBI and whatever you get up to there at the White House, I know you'll find this one way or the other.' She smiled at him. 'These are bad people that I'm trying to expose, the Solazzo family. Don Marco's like Brando resurrected for Godfather IV, cold, calm, and businesslike, even while he seems like your favourite grandfather.'
'Jesus!' Harry Parker said.
'But Don Marco is old-school. Jack Fox is different. The genuine all-American hero and Wall Street golden boy. You'd think he was some Boston blue blood, but instead he's a cold-blooded psychopath, the worst of them all. Get in his way and you're dead. Well, I'm going to get him. Lull him to sleep with the first article, then wham! He'll never know what hit him.'
Blake hammered a clenched fist on a coffee table and Helen Abruzzi stopped the tape.
'What in the hell are you doing?'
'I'm giving you a chance to breathe deeply. I'm also finding you a drink. Trust me, Sir.'
Parker put a hand on his shoulder. 'She's right, Blake.' Helen