Hidden Witness Read online

“Come on then I will drop you off,” Mickey stated.

  “Mario, I’ll talk to you later.”

  “Alright, bye.”

  Mario continued on with the game.

  I ran down the stairs, said good bye to Aunt Josey, then out the door with uncle Mickey.

  “Dillon, I need to run by one of my gaming spots on our way to your house.”

  “Uncle Mickey, doesn’t Lou handle pick-ups for you?”

  He glanced at me then returned his eyes onto the dark road.

  “Yeah, but something fishy is going on there. I think if I show up, I’ll get them back in line.”

  “Yeah, makes sense Uncle Mick,” I smirked.

  I should have used the bathroom before I left, but I figured we don’t live too far, so I could wait until I got home.

  Uncle Mickey parked in the alley close to a large garbage can. He checked the chamber of his Glock then placed it back in the waist band of his slacks under his button-down dress shirt and brown leather jacket.

  “You know where the heat is right?”

  “Of course.”

  “Good, keep the engine running.”

  I nodded yes, Uncle Mickey exited the car.

  I changed the radio station, hummed along to a song I liked.

  I glanced at my watch, noticing fifteen minutes had passed. This wasn’t the first time I’d gone on pick-ups with Uncle Mickey, usually they are five to ten minutes tops.

  I couldn’t hold it anymore. Slipping the gun out the glove compartment, I slid it down my back into my waist band under my wool coat, then jumped out of the car. I stood on the side of the garbage can.

  Finally, I felt some relief as my eyes closed.

  ‘Pop! Pop!’

  My body jerked from the noise. Quickly, I straightened my clothes, retrieving the gun from my waist band.

  I stood with my back close to the wall, gun pointing forward, waiting to shoot.

  I heard voices.

  “Looks like he was alone. No one is in the car.”

  “Good Leech, get rid of the car. We will take care of the package, drop it by Draper Look out.”

  “On it boss.”

  I was beside myself Lorenzo (Leech) Fenoglio and Filippo Bertozzi killed my uncle. I needed to get out of there. Slowly, I moved along the wall, trying to make it down the alley. I heard thunder then rain began pouring from the sky. I needed to get out of there before they moved the car. It was silent, I took that time to run.

  “Hey! Get back here!” Filippo yelled.

  I turned aiming my weapon, and fired off two rounds. Filippo stared at me aiming his weapon, toward me. The bullet from my gun hit Leech, he crashed to the ground. Filippo fired a shot at me missing as I darted around the corner.

  “Mom, I don’t know if I killed Leech or not.”

  Dillon dropped his face in his hands sobbing.

  I wrapped him in my arms holding him tight.

  “Mom, they killed Uncle Mickey. This is bad. They could put me away for life if I killed Leech.”

  FRANCINE

  “Your father will never let that happen. If anything, there will be a war.”

  I stood recalling what a war meant; death. Women and children are supposed to be off limits. Even if the bosses say they are off limits men play dirty regardless.

  “I don’t want to do this, but you’ve got to disappear. If you don’t there will be a war. I know someone who wants out of the life. We can do this.” I kneeled before Dillon holding his hands in mine.

  “I’ll do whatever I have to do to ensure you are safe.”

  “Mom, that means I have to die in order to keep all the secrets buried.”

  I cried profusely, suddenly sick with grief having to loss my son in such an abrupt manner.

  “In order for our plan to work we would have to move quick. I’ll have Anthony meet us in the pool house. You’ll stay at Aunt Ava’s until tomorrow night, while we get the plan in place.”

  Dillon nodded his head.

  I called Anthony Sergio’s nephew, he agreed to meet us.

  Sergio called to see how we were doing. He was away on business in Las Vegas working on a business deal to buy land for a casino. If Sergio was home he would be relaxing with me, it would have been impossible to keep this information from him.

  Anthony entered the pool house.

  I ran over embracing him.

  “Francine, what’s wrong?”

  His eyes widened as he pulled me back to stare into my face.

  “You better sit down.”

  I paced back and forth as I revealed the nights events.

  Anthony was pissed. He wanted to kill Leech Fenoglio and Filippo Bertozzi.

  “Unfortunately, because Dillon saw them, they are staying low. They wouldn’t be stupid enough to come to the bosses’ house.”

  His words cut me like a knife. I pretended as if everything was normal. I knew my husband was a made man, but he failed to tell me he took over his father’s business and was now the boss. I wanted to crawl into a closet, ball up, and cry about my new tragic life. Losing my son, finding out my brother- in- law is dead, and my husband is the boss was fucked up.

  “What do you need from me Fran?”

  I turned to him. “I need you and Dillon to fake your deaths. You said you wanted out. Here is the perfect opportunity to get out. You’re only twenty-one, this gives you the opportunity to start your life over. No more being a hit man for the Magarelli family.”

  I glanced back at Dillon. He didn’t flinch which told me he knew more than he should at his age. I felt I was doing the right thing. Brushing my hand over my stomach, I knew I needed to protect this new life growing inside me too. I haven’t even told Sergio we are having another baby. I planned to tell him Sunday. I recently went to the doctor learning I am two months pregnant.

  Tony leaned forward cupping his hands together pondering on what I said.

  His blue eyes flashed up at mine. “I will do it. I know just the way. When is Sergio coming back?”

  “He’ll be back Sunday.”

  “With the snowfall coming Saturday this should be doable. Be sure to tell Sergio, Mickey dropped off Dillon. That way it will appear Dillon didn’t know anything. Francine a week from today if Mickeys body hasn’t turned up, go into the city, use a pay phone, leave an anonymous tip. Tell them you saw a body floating at Draper Lake.”

  “Ok.” I wrung my hands together.

  “I will pay for all expenses out of my own personal account. I had my trust fund money before I met Sergio. And don’t worry I have more than enough to cover the cost. Anthony, drop Dillon off at my sister Ava’s house. You can pick him up tomorrow.”

  “Dillon, go pack an overnight bag, Anthony ordered.

  “Ok.”

  My son was scared and sad. I was sad too, but I tried hard not to show it. Appearing strong was best for both of us. I don’t want to lose my son. However, I don’t want a war.

  I pulled Dillon into my arms. Everything was happening so fast. I didn’t have time to wrap my mind around all that was happening. I needed to hold my son in my arms for the last time. I prayed I would see him again someday.

  CHAPTER THREE

  TONY

  FLASHBACK

  A way out, is all I wanted. I was raised in the mob. The mob was my life. My father was a made man who died when I was thirteen. A restaurant my father frequented was overcome by gunfire. The men my uncles tortured after that disaster claimed they were after little Johnny who stole from them.

  Johnny wasn’t a part of our family he was part of the Esposito family. He frequented the restaurant. He was a young hot head, who was always getting into shit. My father, was in the wrong place at the wrong time. When you take a hit out on a person; you fuckin better have a plan! I always perform clean hits. To tell my uncles it was a mistake you killed their brother, wasn’t going to cut it.

  Those fucking bastards took out the entire restaurant store front. They killed Johnny, my father, and innocent women a
nd children. There’s no reason to kill innocent people. My uncles killed those pieces of shit, Marty and Anton Rossi. They were never seen nor heard from again.

  They are either sleeping with the fishes or buried under one of the newer developments in downtown Newark. My uncles would never tell me exactly how they were dealt with, they said, “Don’t worry about it. Your father would be proud.”

  I am the oldest of my siblings. Federico Kirkland Magarelli’s is four years younger than me and Cristina Aria Magarelli’s is the baby, she is six years younger. My mother Gena loved my father Anthony Sr. with every fiber of her being. When he died, my mother was never the same.

  My grandfather was understanding when she said she was moving to Colorado. She wanted to get away. New Jersey wasn’t the same without my father, she said. My mother, brother, and sister moved away two years ago. I stayed behind living in our family home. Because we are Magarelli’s we lived well. I’ll miss my family’s mansion. I always dreamed of living in California. I’m tired of the fuckin snow. Whatever I do next in my life it will be my decision.

  Not sure why I trusted Francine with the truth about me wanting to get out of the life. There is something about her. She has a kind spirit. She listened. Besides I could tell she never wanted this life either. However, once she married Sergio she married the life too.

  Hearing the devastating news about my Uncle Mickey’s death made my blood boil. I wanted to take out the sons of bitches who did this. Unfortunately, those two motherfuckers are off limits; not to be touched. This was an agreement made between our grandfathers long ago. Killing Uncle Mickey crosses the line too. If my uncle Sergio found out he would order a hit on all of the men in their family. As much as I want revenge for my Uncles death, I need to take a step back and protect Dillon. It’s obvious our families’ agreement means nothing to them. There is supposed to be a sit down if you have a problem with a made man.

  My specialties are guns and explosives. Saturday night, I picked up Dillon from his Aunt Ava’s house in Philly. Driving back toward New Jersey there is a steep embankment on the side of the road. The road is still closed in that area. Construction workers are widening the road and building a guard rail. Because of the weather there are closed signs posted. I paid a friend who works at the construction site for that tidbit of information.

  The snow was really coming down Saturday night. I drove carefully, I didn’t want us to really get into a car accident.

  We arrived at the construction area around 8 p.m. Dillon was quiet the entire ride.

  I turned to Dillon. “Listen, what you and I are about to do is hard work. I need you to get your shit together. Help me load these two dead bodies into the car.”

  Dillon never looked at me. “Alright,” he replied.

  He climbed out of the car, placing his hood over his head.

  The road was dark. We walked over to the truck hidden in the bushes. All the items we needed for a new life were already in the truck. We left Dillon’s overnight bag in the car purposely. Not that it will ever be recovered.

  ~

  Last night I met up with Nadine. She attends Princeton University. For college credits she works in the morgue a few times a week. I told her I was leaving town and I wanted to see her before I left. I’ve never had a shortage of women until I met Nadine. The other women meant shit once she walked into my life.

  Her smile can brighten any room. Whenever I was in a bad mood Nadine made me feel better. Those corny ass jokes made me laugh every time. Nadine is the only woman I trust. Using her sexy curves, she’s managed to distract some dangerous men, I killed.

  She’s a hard-working woman. Nadine was paying to put herself through college. She wasn’t looking for a relationship, however, she and I met up a few times a week to kick it. Besides what did I look like trying to make her my woman, she had her head on straight. I didn’t want her losing focus of her dreams.

  I let Nadine in on part of the plan. She was more than willing to give me everything I needed. I gave her twenty thousand in cash from my personal stash. Nadine gave me her Ford Explorer and a couple of dead bodies. She said they were John Does who fit me and Dillon’s physical characteristics. I told her to remove the teeth from both bodies and dress them in some of me and Dillon’s clothes. The only thing Nadine asked for was a post card from anywhere, letting her know I was safe.

  Dillon and I carried each body slowly to my mustang, placing one body behind the steering wheel and the other in the passenger seat. I released the brake and placed the car in neutral.

  Dillon and I stood behind the car momentarily.

  “This is it Dillon. There’s no turning back.”

  “Yeah, I got it!” he snapped.

  I didn’t take his attitude personally. This kid was losing his whole life in one night.

  I placed my hand on his shoulder. “Come on let’s push the car toward the edge.”

  Dillon placed his hands on the trunk of the car ready to push.

  I opened the driver side door, keeping the steering

  wheel steady.

  “Ok Dillon, push!”

  It was slippery as shit the closer I moved to the edge. I slipped, falling against the ground right before the car went over the embankment. Dillon ran to my aid, helping me up. Holding the remote to the explosives in my hand, he and I stood close to the edge watching as the car crashed. The car exploded on impact. To ensure not one fragment of a body would be found, I pressed the bomb’s trigger, the car exploded again. Dillon and I were sent flying to the ground due to the large explosion. We gawked over the edge again, watching the car burn.

  “Dillon, grab the push broom from the back seat.”

  He retrieved the broom. I used the back of the push broom to erase our shoe tracks. He and I were wearing powder blue carpet booties over our boots, so no one would be able to detect a possible foot print. Those fucking booties caused me to slip in the first place.

  I slid the rectangular broom backward until he and I were standing on the road. Luckily, the snow was coming down rapidly. The snow would cover our tracks anyways. Dillon and I walked back over to the truck, then drove off.

  We laid low for two weeks then made contact with the couple Francine asked to take in Dillon in Portland, Oregon.

  Dillon and I had new identities. I am Tony DeRosa and Dillon is now Jeffrey Westbrook.

  Dillon and I stepped into the couple’s home. They live about ten minutes away from the liquor store they own. Their house looks like one of those houses in the Good Housekeeping Magazines. Don’t judge, my mother kept those things lying around the house all the fucking time.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  TONY

  I extended my hand. “Hello, my name is Tony DeRosa.”

  “My name is Bob and this is my wife Ursula Newton,” they shook my hand respectively.

  “I’m going to take a look around before leaving my cousin Jeff with you.”

  “Of course,” Ursula stated.

  I glanced over at Dillon. “Take a load off.”

  He sat on the couch.

  After walking around the couple’s home rummaging through their personal belongings, I returned to the living room.

  “You both have a lovely home. Looks like Jeff is in good hands,” I smirked.

  “Can I talk to you both for a moment?”

  “Sure,” they responded.

  Dillon’s eyes were glued to the tv set.

  We stood in their kitchen. “Listen Jeff is my only family. My aunt is leaving him in your capable hands. I trust that neither of you would put Jeff in harm’s way. I want you to know I won’t be far away. When Dillon leaves for school in the mornings and if for some reason…” I stated extending my finger in their direction.

  “…I sense something isn’t right with him. I will be standing over your bed in the middle of the night. And trust me when I say I’m the last person you want standing over you in the middle of the night. Do I make myself clear?”

  Their faces turned pale
and eyes bulked out of their heads.

  “We understand!” Bob assured.

  I slammed my hand on Bob’s shoulder, holding a wide grin across my face.

  “I’ll get out of your hair.”

  I stepped over to Dillon, taking a seat on the sofa next to him. I leaned into his ear.

  “If you need me for anything call my cell phone anytime day or night. I will be here.” I gripped his shoulder.

  “Got it?”

  He smiled.

  “Alright.”

  Leaving Dillon was hard, he was just a boy. I had to believe all we’ve taught him over the years would help him to hold his own. I didn’t leave him empty handed. He has a Glock. If anyone learns we aren’t dead and comes after him, he’s to call me immediately. First and foremost, he is to defend himself. If anyone comes for me, they will be killed instantly. Dillon and I needed to remain dead.

  At a distance I kept watch over Dillon for a year. I lived in Portland for six months. Francine’s attorney flew to Portland, personally paying me $200k in cash on her behalf, for taking care of Dillon. She will wire money to a bank in the Caymans under me and Dillon’s fake names annually. Francine is a very wealthy woman without Sergio.

  The Newton family who is raising Dillon until he goes to college, would be paid monthly by Francine’s attorney. They would receive $100k once Dillon goes away to college.

  Feeling the heat from the sun against my skin every day in sunny California was a dream come true. I hated I waited a year to send Nadine the post card, but I wanted to wait until I felt things had died down back in Jersey.

  I missed holding Nadine in my arms at night. I never knew I was in love with her, until I couldn’t see her pretty brown face anymore.

  FLASHBACK

  I’ll never forget how Nadine and I first met. My friend Giovanni and I sat at our reserved table in VIP, along the balcony, on a Friday night. It was my Uncle Micks night club. It was the perfect spot. We could see the front door, dance floor, bar, and the door to the gaming room. Giovanni rambled about one of his women as my eyes scanned the club. A short beautiful mocha woman and her friend just sat at the bar. Her face lit up due to something her friend said. I was curious.