Victor's, Mafia Family Series 3

Victor’s,

Mafia

Family

Series 3

Janet Enos

AuthorHouse™

1663 Liberty Drive

Bloomington, IN 47403

www.authorhouse.com

Phone: 1-800-839-8640

© 2011 by Janet Enos. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

First published by AuthorHouse 08/22/2011

ISBN: 978-1-4634-3876-0 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4634-3875-3 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-4634-3874-6 (ebk)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2011913180

Printed in the United States of America

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

This book is printed on acid-free paper.

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Disclaimer

I want to take a moment to inform the readers and public that the characters in this story are not real. If any of the names listed as characters match any of those in the world, it is purely coincidental. This novel is purely fiction and is meant to be for reading enjoyment only.

Contents

Acknowledgment

Previously

Time

Unexpected

Troubled

A New Arrival

Many Hours Later

Like New

Morning Report

A Nursery

Hurray!

Uneasiness

Searching

Update

Dinner

Waiting

Meeting

The Big Day

Mourning

A Visit

Tension

Appointment

Plans

Ongoing Investigating

Bad News

Sad Time

Timing

Funeral

Waiting

Dusting

Worried

War

Two Months

Homework

Connection

Getting Old

New Direction

American Embassy

Dropped

Network

Meeting

New Beginnings

Office

The Apartment

Down To Business

Fall

Acknowledgment

I wish to take this moment to thank my editors, Barbara Bell and Martha Enos, for additional editing.

A big thanks, to the countless readers who have read Series 1& 2. Thanks to all those who have taken the time to call, write or visit me, about my novels. Their push for Series 3, inspires me!

Finally, I wish to thank the people at Authorhouse, for assisting me with the process.

Previously

If you are a new reader to this series and have not read the previous two novels, it will be difficult to understand this story, for it was written in a progressive manner.

If you are a returning reader and have read the two previous novels, I remind you that it has been an extra year in my getting this third novel completed. Depending on your recollection, this may flow well, otherwise it may flow better by returning to the previous novels and refreshing your memory.

I apologize for the delay in getting this novel completed.

Enjoy!

Time

It is afternoon and many weeks later. The weather is cold and brutal as the wind taps against the window panes. The sun is shining but produces little warmth within the rays that flow into the study while Victor sits at his desk pondering. He feels a chill and shivers. The ocean can be so peaceful and relaxing, yet so demanding of its shores. Still, he loves living near the water’s beauty, regardless of the season.

Jennifer’s things have arrived from America. They are about two months late but at least they have finally arrived. Jerome helped Victor carry her safe down to the basement earlier in the day as Jennifer spends most of her time unpacking the smaller boxes; she wants to unpack the larger boxes last. She is due to have the baby soon and is scheduled to have a cesarean operation in two weeks. This procedure will provide the best protection for the baby and mother. Victor, pondering at his desk, hopes all will go well. Still, it would be nice to know if we are having a girl or a boy. I must admit, Jen is getting very snappy lately and sleeps much longer then before. She tires easily, which wears me out. She is as big as a house. He laughs at his runaway thoughts. Well, not this house.

School is going well for the girls, which is good. Every evening, Victor spends one hour reading to the children. One day he will read a story to them in English, then next day he will read it to them in Italian. He tries to pick up books that are the same in both languages so the children can learn to talk and read bilingually. He feels it is working out quite well.

As he sits, listening to the wind, he wonders what Jon is doing. Where he is. Why he did this horrible thing to Stacey. Lorenzo’s private investigator did not find any traces of Jon in Bermuda. It has been too long he feared, before they realized he was not six feet under. His trail has run cold. Jon has had much time to move around and change his identity, living on the money he took from Victor. He muses. But I do not care about the money. I am bothered by the betrayal of my best friend. No doubt, the same betrayal he most likely felt from me, for having given his wife two children. But did he eventually find out that Brian was not my child? Did he ask me that one last time, as part of a plan to flush out his wife’s new lover? Was I a pawn in his game when he met me at the bar? So many unanswered questions keep flowing through his mind as he waits for some news of Jon’s whereabouts.

The wind slaps the house hard. Victor is startled by the noise, then returns to his worries. Perhaps I got what I deserved. I should have said no to Stacey’s first request. My desire to help Jon was their destruction. Victor then plays the devil’s advocate like he usually does. Perhaps? Perhaps not! He scratches his head. They were headed down a dead end street anyway. Jon was so angry all the time and had hit Stacey. I wonder how I would feel if Jen had done this to me? Would I do the same? I don’t know what I would do! Why do I rack my brain with questions that will never be answered? I must stop tormenting myself. Still, I wonder where Jon could have gone. Where has he escaped to? He repositions himself in his chair. Maybe the police will find him. Perhaps they have a lead. Lieutenant Simones did say he would keep in touch with me; after he had questioned me again about the coroner’s findings. I think he was as surprised as I to find that the deceased was not Jon. I should call him to see if they have identified the body yet. I wonder who he was? If I knew him from somewhere we all frequented? I wonder how Stacey first met him and why she continued to do so. He nods his head. Yes, I should call the Lieutenant tomorrow.

As he sits in his chair chasing thoughts, he continues to look out the window at the ocean’s turbulence, he hears a knock on the door.

Yes. He says.

The door opens and Jen slowly walks into the room closing the door behind her. She walks to the chairs in front of his desk and takes one by the arm then drags it to the atrium door. She sits in the chair looking out at the ocean in the same manner that Victor is sitting. She sighs but says nothing.

Well? He says to her.

Well, nothing! She returns. I just wanted to sit and watch the ocean but it is too cold outside. This way, we can watch it together, like we use to, but from inside.

Oh. I thought something was wrong. He replies.

No! She says.

They sit silently, watching the ocean waves crash onto the shore, slowly eroding the beach as they have done many times before. He reaches out for her hand as she gives it to him and smiles. After a while, he breaks the silence.

Jen, where do you think Jon might be?

She does not answer. He leans over and looks at her to find she is sleeping. He chuckles; leans back in his chair relaxing, closes his eyes and tries to rest. He tries, but cannot. How does she do that? I cannot get my mind to stop racing long enough to sleep.

Unexpected

It is early morning and Victor has finished reading the newspaper. He waits patiently for 9:00 a.m. to call the Lieutenant. He dials the number and the phone rings a number of times. Finally on the fifth ring, someone answers.

Hello! Victor says first from being so anxious.

Hello, Lieutenant Simones’ office. A female voice says.

Yes, is the Lieutenant in? He asks, as he calms himself.

One moment please. She replies, as the line is put on hold.

He waits a few minutes, getting impatient, then the line is picked up.

Simones. A deep voice says.

Yes, good morning Lieutenant. This is Victor Fandetti. How are you today?

Oh, Victor, good, good. What brings you to call?

I was wondering if you have discovered who the deceased was in Jon Valentino’s grave?

Simones starts to answer his question and then pauses, deciding Victor need not know. No! We have not found out who he is yet but we are working on it. We do think we have a lead on Jon though.

You do! Great! Where is he, if I may inquire?

Well, we got a tip that he was… well, living in New York.

What? Victor yelled not being able to control himself as he stood up at the news. New York! Why would he be there? Did he follow Jennifer around?

Simones replies. We are not sure, but we believe that perhaps he did follow the children.

Yes, yes, that would make sense, I guess? Do you know if he is still there?

No, we are still checking that lead. When we get more information, I will contact you. He then states, in a demanding tone. Likewise, if you hear of anything, I wish to be contacted as well!

Yes. Yes of course! Thank you! Victor replies.

Goodbye then. He says as he hangs up the phone before Victor could bid farewell.

New York! At last some news. Victor voices aloud to himself. If he followed Jen there, then I wonder if he followed Jen back here. Perhaps he is hiding somewhere in Sorrento, or a nearby village. Victor wonders. Is he watching us? As he hangs up the phone, Jennifer quickly enters the study with a look of horror on her face. She stops at his desk and breathes heavy; she takes a moment to catch her breath. With panic in her voice she says, Victor, my finger is swollen and I can’t get my rings off. I tried soap but I can’t get them off.

Let me see, as he takes her hand to look. Yes, your finger is too white. Let us go to the jeweler and see if he can get them off. I will get the car.

Victor quickly leaves the house and goes to the garage. He drives a car up to the house where Jennifer is now waiting for him on the front steps. Before he can get out of the car to get the door for her, she is in and closes it herself. He carefully but quickly drives to the jewelry shop in the villa where he had purchased the rings. He parks the car, gets out and goes around opening Jennifer’s door. He helps her up out of the seat and they walk to the store and enter. They are in luck; the same salesman who sold Victor the rings greets them, as they show him her dilemma.

He asks, did you try ice?

They look at each other with surprise, then both reply, no!

He looks her finger over and speaks. It is getting to be too long and the rings need to come off.

The salesman holds Jennifer’s hand and with a tool in his other hand he proceeds to cut her rings off. Jennifer, seeing this tool, quickly pulls her hand away and says, no!

Victor grabs her hand and places it back on the counter to let the man cut the rings. Victor looks at Jennifer and says, we can replace the rings, we cannot replace the finger.

The salesman again proceeds to cut the rings. It is a quick two snips. Then he takes two other tools and pulls the bands apart releasing the pressure off of Jennifer’s finger. He gently slides the rings up and off.

Tears start to flow down Jennifer’s cheeks.

We can fix them—like new! The salesman says to her sympathetically.

I am sorry! Jennifer says looking at Victor with tears filling her eyes.

It is okay. We saved the finger! He replies, with a chuckle and a small hug.

The salesman smiles, come back tomorrow, I will fix the rings to fit you again, like new!

They thank him for his help and proceed to leave the store while Jennifer wipes her face with her sleeve. As they exit and turn to walk back toward the car Sophia bumps into them on the busy street. It almost seemed coincidental.

Well, well, Victor. Hel-lo my sweet! She stands close to him, looking directly into his eyes with a gleam, completely ignoring Jennifer’s presence but purposely speaking in English so she could understand.

Victor is surprised to see her but manages to politely return, hello. Jennifer simply smiles but says nothing to her while rubbing her sore finger with her thumb.

Sophia eventually glances Jennifer’s way, then looks back at Victor, eyes fixed.

So I see that you are still with this tramp. Sophia says to him, then adds, why would you have her when I am much more beautiful? Look at her! Look at me! What is wrong with you? She demandingly asks. Are you desperate?

As Jennifer watches Victor, she sees him look Sophia up and down and then glance her way. He returns his eyes to Sophia. She is my wife! Replying with a touch of hatred in his voice for her comment.

Suddenly the conversation between them stops. Jennifer watches as though she were a pedestrian, just passing by the conversation on the busy street. She is shocked to have watched Victor look Sophia over and then glance at her the way he did. Jennifer wonders. She is so beautiful. Standing there tall and thin, with long flowing beautiful hair. She is really perfect.

Sophia then looks at Jennifer and says, "so