The Watchman of Ephraim (Book Club Edition) Read Online Free PDF Page A

brother-in-law to mutter in frustration.
    “… yeah, yeah, I know your type … my sister … my DEAD sister is your only type!”
    De Niro remained quiet. A moment later Ricci regretted what he said.
    “ I’m sorry Cris … it’s just …you shouldn’t be alone. For the boys, you shouldn’t be alone!”
    “ Don’t bring us into it, Uncle Mugs!” Richard shouted from the back seat.
    Ricci turned to face the boys.
    “ But wouldn’t you guys like to have a mommy?”
    “ We have a mommy!” Richard snapped, “She’s just sleeping, is all!”
    Ricci turned to see De Niro grinning. He threw his hands up in mock defeat.
    “ I give up. I think you’re all crazy!”
    De Niro adjusted his rear-view mirror so he could look right at Richard. The boy and his dad’s eyes met and De Niro winked at him bringing a smile to Richard’s face. De Niro reached over and patted his brother-in-law’s shoulder.
    “ You know, Mugs, I think Lauren was impressed when I told her you were a former SEAL.”
    Ricci was about to reply when he caught himself.
    To that, both boys and their dad laughed and after a moment, so did their uncle.
     

 
     
     
    Chapter 4
    Estancia De Niro (The De Niro Ranch)
    Henderson, Nevada
    12:30p.m., Saturday, May 14, 2011
     
    About a year after 9/11, De Niro decided he could no longer live back east. There were just too many memories of Lisa there. His wife was such a charismatic and social person that her presence and her absence seemed to permeate every facet of his existence – from their favorite restaurants and shops to just sitting on the front porch of their home. Their magnificent estate, their beautiful community, their friends and neighbors – none of it brought any joy to De Niro anymore. He knew he had to relocate, especially while Richard and Louis were still young, so he chose a place that made him happiest when he was a boy. His dad was a hard-working man that had only one vice – he liked to gamble. His old man told him though, that once he married his mom, he’d never gamble again unless he could do so with money they didn’t need – and then only in a place like Las Vegas, lest he’d be tempted all the time. So once a year, every year, his dad would take his mom and young Cris to Las Vegas. He couldn’t remember even one trip when he didn’t have the best time.
    When De Niro got older he continued to meet his parents out in Las Vegas during their annual jaunts. In fact, it was in Las Vegas during one of those trips that he introduced his parents to Lisa. She and he used to talk about moving there when they got older and the boys moved out. Even after her passing, that dream didn’t die in his mind. So one day, after praying for guidance, he just boarded his Global Aviation jet with his boys, flew to Las Vegas and never looked back.
    When they arrived, De Niro checked them into a suite at a resort then spent every day looking for property. It didn’t take long for several of the top real estate agents to get wind of his search. They each tried in vain to lure him to buy one of their exclusive “golf course” properties, where the estates abutted a picturesque hole of one of the private country club courses near the Strip, but De Niro had other plans. He finally settled on buying a 250,000-acre property southeast of the Strip. Most of the real estate agents thought he was crazy for selecting that parcel of land but it was exactly what he wanted. To the north, it offered a fabulous panorama of the entire Las Vegas valley. To the south there were miles of rough, rugged, hilly terrain, and to the west, magnificent views of the sunset. De Niro had constructed a sprawling hacienda-fortress complete with a 30,000 square-foot ranch-style home, modeled after the posh “estancia” ranch homes that he and Lisa loved so much in Argentina; a 4,000 square-foot guest house and 3,000 square-foot butler’s mansion; casita-sized abodes for the hacienda staff members and additional guests,