The Wicked End

Frank sat on the balcony of his room and watched the first hint of sunrise blush the sky.
He had always liked this house, it had become his bolthole against a world that was usually out to kill him despite the wealth and power he had amassed since the day he took that beating. Sitting out here with his feet propped on the railing had become a habit that helped him think through his problems without disturbing his wife who slept peacefully behind him.
This new problem however was different, sleep had eluded him down to an old nagging feeling and he was fucking annoyed at both himself and whoever was out there killing in the name of someone who had been dead for over ten years. He had long since lost any sense of guilt over Angel or anything else he had done but he was damned if it was going to bring down everything he had worked for. So far Mikey and James had found nothing in Washington that would point in a direction to strike back and it bothered him.
Already there had been tentative requests from the FBI for interview opportunity and they were keeping such a tight lockdown on the crime scene that his boys hadn’t been able to get close. Frank knew that everyone was just waiting for the one mistake that would bring him down and a worried call from Ray had just added to the pressure.
“If they force a warrant for any of you I can’t intervene.”
“Ray, I wouldn’t expect you to and besides which we know that these killings had nothing to do with us.”
“But that senator…”
“But nothing. Even if they link him back to us there is nothing to make a warrant stick. Just try and make sure that anything we can use comes back to us, fuckers have nailed this down tight.”
James had already lent on his contacts amongst the Washington PD and so far nobody knew of the video they had received although the message was forming part of the most obvious leads. The link to the case of the sex starved doorman had already been made and Frank knew that talking to the law was inevitable, he just wanted it to be on his terms.
“It’s four thirty in the morning Frankie.”
A smile cracked his face as warm arms circled his neck and a familiar scent caused the pain in his head to momentarily be forgotten. Claire was well aware that he sat out here when shit was bothering him and in all honesty she had begun to worry.
“I didn’t want to wake you. Guess that failed huh ?”
“Yeah but at least this time you’re not butt naked and firing a shotgun at the pigeons.”
Frank chuckled despite himself at the memory. Half a bottle of bourbon and Gerard refusing to suck him off had lead to a tantrum that had woken up the entire house and made Mikey think they were under some kind of attack. By the time Claire had calmed him down and James had punched him in the face, the compound had been ready to start world war three.
“Never gonna live that down am I ?”
Claire curled into his lap, glad to see the boyish smile that had been missing from his face for the last few days. The revelations about his past hadn’t really surprised her, mafia men were not kittens and there were bound to be things he was not proud of. What scared her was knowing someone was out there trying to hurt him.
“No. I have the pictorial evidence to back it up. Now, what’s the plan to deal with this.”
“I don’t know what this is. I have been trying to think back to see if there is anyone who knew what happened back then and whether it would be in their interest to come after us.”
“Like who ?”
Frank kissed her shoulder, not wanting to talk about it but understanding her need to know just what they were facing. Gerard had spent the day looking for people who were still alive from the Deforio family to see if there was any of them that were in a position to hit back. It was no secret that the order to kill Angel had come from the old man himself and no secret who carried out the job. Frank still believed that someone was using a copycat to get to them.
“I have enough enemies, you know that. Plus it could be anyone of a thousand people that want Mikey dead.”
“And Ray ?”
“Ray just needs to hold firm and keep calm. This will be nothing to do with his presidency if we can squash it. Sooner rather than later.”
They both lapsed into silence, letting the warm breeze and increasing light wash over them. Gerard would be home soon, hopefully Mikey and James not long after. They would start shaking down the usual contacts and the list of people that Gee had been compiling. Frank would deal with the feds and law enforcement plus juggle the president and the Chinese and still be home for dinner. He snorted back a laugh.
“Just as I thought life was getting quieter.”
“You would hate quiet.”
Frank sighed and let his fingers drift along the edge of the robe Claire wore. There was nothing beneath and her skin was warm and soft. He rested his hand against her heart, reassured that the one good thing in his life was still there. She was content to hold him a little tighter and wonder just how did the sweet kid in the photo turn into a killer.
“I’m not proud of what I did, I want you to know that. She trusted me and I betrayed her just to get a little further ahead in this game. *
Claire kissed him gently before answering cautiously.
“Are you sure it isn’t her ?”
“Yes. We didn’t take any chances although we had to be as drunk as fuck to go through with it.”
“Then why is this coming back now ?”
Frank shook his head, hearing the phone in the bedroom start to ring. Neither of them wanted to move but a phone call this early was either bad news or one of the boys with something to go on. Hand in hand they went back inside, Claire sinking onto the bed as Frank sat next to her and picked up the phone. The number was one he knew well and there was something of a relief as he took the call.
“Hey baby, you nearly home ?”
Gerard’s giggle echoed in his ear as Claire visibly relaxed.
“Not yet but I have found out that your old friend Reardon is still alive and seems to have come into some money recently. He was also seen with a blonde at a bar downtown less than three weeks ago. When Mikes and James get home I think they need to go have a word.”
“Good, something to go on at last. Call your brother and get him on the next plane.”
Frank paced again, feeling better now that he had something to point his anger at and that it seemed they were still ahead of the cops. There would be some enjoyment in seeing his old enemy again, Frank had made sure to have the guy kneecapped as soon as they had taken over the running of the family and had made sure that he was watched ever since.
“I’ll be back in an hour or so. Get the bed warm for me ?”
“Cheeky little fuck, you better be on your knees when you come through that door.”
Frank grinned and hung up, pulling the covers back over Claire who had been unable to fight the urge to doze once she had seen that it was not more trouble back at their door. He decided that as sleep was not going to happen he may as well shower and dress, there was enough work to keep him going until everyone was back on home ground and they could plan their next move.
He tried not to think too much as the hot water washed some of the knots of pain from his back and neck. The familiar ink and bullet scars that littered his body were the marks of a criminal life well lived and he wondered if seeing forty and having a family were beyond his reach. Although they had talked about it bringing children into his world was something that scared him beyond belief. He had buried one woman he had loved and being reminded of his betrayal of another had made him even more certain that it was something he couldn’t do.
Claire was still sleeping as he headed downstairs, nodding to their bodyguard as he passed. Bob was blond and huge, more than often silent but had never let them down . Frank prized loyalty like that and had made sure the big man was well paid. The cook wouldn’t be on duty for another hour but there was a fresh supply of fruit and coffee that would do until then and Frank contented himself with that while working his way to his office and the familiar bank of paperwork that never seemed to go down.
It was another hour before the intercom buzzed and a worried voice from the front gate broke into his thoughts.
“Sorry to bother you sir but the FBI are here and demanding to see you.”
Frank smiled grimly to himself, not unexpected but somewhat annoying.
“Ok Joey, let them in and send them up. Could you call Mr Way and ask him to contact my lawyer ?”
“Yes sir Mr Iero.”
Frank stood and watched the car come slowly up the drive and park in front of the house. Four suited men, very obviously feds and very obviously dumb, got out of the car and shook themselves down. It never ceased to amaze him the amount of preening that these men seemed to want to do. He bet none of them would last five minutes with any of his boys. Wearily Frank padded out into the hallway and opened the front door.
“Frank Iero ? You’re under arrest for the murder of Senator Dean.”

Notes