“You have the right to remain silent,” Nick said. “Forever.”
Chapter 41
The line of parked limos stretched over the horizon down Pinewood Lane adjacent to the cemetery. In a black-clad semicircle, three hundred friends and family members stood around the casket that held Don Silkari. The casket was draped with an American flag. A priest in a dark silk robe recited nuances of distinction fit for a war hero. A distinction Silk had earned. Behind the priest were enough flowers to fill an Olympic swimming pool.
Nick stood front and center, Julie clutching his left hand, his cousin Tommy to his right. Tommy still wore a large, flesh-tone bandage across his cheek, while just a trace of gauze wrap could be detected under Julie’s black hat. The remainder of the front row consisted of stern-looking men with practiced steely glares. Occasionally one of them would glance over at Sal Demenci, who stood to the right of Tommy Bracco. Sal was holding it together, but as the ceremony progressed, so did his temper. He kept looking at the priest as if he were speaking a foreign language. He’d shake his head and stare out over the casket, seeming to be searching for an answer.
As the casket was lowered into the ground, the men formed a line and one by one they dropped playing cards, dice, and other paraphernalia into the grave. The most common item dropped was a single bullet that was palmed just before it left the donor’s hand to remain with Silk for eternity. Apparently, Silk’s sleight of hand act was more popular than he suspected.
Matt and Jennifer Steele dropped flowers into the opening, while Julie passed by the coffin and broke down. She caught up with Silk’s mother and the two of them shared a convulsive hug.
When it was his turn, Nick looked down at the box and tried to come to terms with his judgment. He felt the need to pray and purge his soul, full of remorse. It seemed like just last week they were teenagers and Silk was showing Nick and Tommy how to sneak into Pimlico Race Track from the backside stables. The three of them risking capture so they could save two bucks for the daily double. He whispered, “Forgive me, Silk.”
Nick reached into his back pocket and slid out a folded copy of that day’s Racing Form. He held it over the grave and was about to drop it when he felt an arm drape around his shoulder and a second Racing Form appeared next to his. He looked up to see Tommy duplicating Nick’s ritual. Tommy winked at him. They both looked down and let go of the Forms at the same time.
Tommy probably sensed Nick’s composure about to get away from him, so he patted his cousin’s back and encouraged him to move on and allow the line of mourners to progress.
As the ceremony wound down, the crowd spread out in different directions, heading toward their cars or limos, shaking their heads.
Matt took Julie’s arm and directed her toward an open limo door where Jennifer Steele waited for her. He looked over at Nick and gave a silent nod.
Nick then nodded to Sal Demenci and the two men headed for a separate limo. A group of Sal’s men fell into step behind them. As they approached the limo, a large man pulled open the back door and Sal offered Nick the honors. Nick slid down the long bench seat and watched Sal do the same directly across from him. Tommy sat next to Sal and chewed on a red toothpick. It only took a few seconds for the rest of the seats to fill up. The door closed and the silence began. Nick hadn’t smoked a cigarette in fifteen years, yet he craved one right now.
Sal broke the silence. “So, how was dinner at the White House?”
“Yeah,” Nick said, “it was good. Julie’s still buzzing over it.”
“Good, good,” Sal said, his hands clasped over his stomach.
More silence.
Finally, Tommy said, “Look, Nicky, you gonna tell us what happened?”
Nick knew he should tell them the story. So he did. Everything. Even the part about him sending Silk into an ambush. When he was done, his elbows were on his knees and his head was down. He could hear Sal sigh.
“Of all people,” Sal said. “You’re the one.”
Nick stared at his shoes.
“You’re the one who insults Silk,” Sal said.
Nick looked up.
Sal sat upright with his arms folded. He turned to Tommy next to him. “You buying it?”
Tommy shook his head. “Nah.”
“What are you talking about?” Nick said. “Those are the facts.”
Sal flipped his index finger back and forth between Tommy and Nick. “You two grew up the Three Musketeers with Silk. Was there ever a time one of you pulled the wool over Silk’s eyes? Ever?”
Nick made eye contact with his cousin. Without either of them saying a word, Sal had made his point.
Sal leaned forward now and was only inches from Nick’s face. “I’m gonna tell you something, Silk not only knew it was an ambush, he walked into the damn thing just awkward enough to be taken lightly. If he didn’t, that Kharrazi character would’ve picked him off with a night scope and Silk wouldn’t be able to plant that chip thing. He knew exactly what the fuck he was doing.”
Sal leaned back to murmurs of support from his crew.
“C’mon, Nicky,” Tommy said, disappointed. “You know better than that, huh?”
Nick was beginning to understand it now. If Silk was simply ambushed, it makes him look slow, which is not exactly how these guys want him remembered. Neither did Nick.
“There is one other thing,” Nick said, and he went on to tell them Silk’s last words, that Nick should track Kharrazi down if he screwed up.
This opened up a chorus of, “See that?” and “Exactly what Sal’s trying to say.”
Nick was actually beginning to feel better. This was worth twenty sessions with Dr. Morgan. He was at Silk’s funeral and was finding himself almost happy. Talking with Sal was practically cathartic. Why did he suddenly feel so blissful? Maybe it was the relief of confessing his sins. Maybe it was the document he had tucked in his jacket pocket. Maybe it was the fact that they were right. Silk could be many things, but slow wasn’t one of them.
“Does your boss know you’re telling us all of this?” Tommy said.
“I don’t have a boss right now,” Nick said. “I resigned from the Bureau yesterday.”
“You shittin’ me?” Tommy said.
“Nope.”
“What’re you gonna do?”
“I’m looking for a place up in the mountains. I think Julie and I are going to take it easy for a while. Get rid of some stress.”
“Good for you,” Sal said. “I always thought you were wound up a little tight. You’re doing the right thing.” He paused and thought for a moment. “So, we all square with the Feds?” He looked out the window at Silk’s grave, “I mean, we pay enough of a price for them?”
Nick glanced at each man, one by one. When he got to Sal, he said, “You overpaid.”
“Ain’t that the truth,” Sal grunted.
Nick reached into his inside jacket pocket and came out with a black leather case. It was a document holder the size of a large checkbook. The case gleamed in his hand and Nick could smell the fresh leather.
“What ya got there?” Tommy pointed his toothpick.
Nick handed the leather case to Sal, then watched.
Sal’s face brightened as he reviewed the document inside.
Nick waited to let the concept sink in before he hit him with it. Finally, after a minute, Sal looked up at Nick. “What does this mean exactly?”
“It means you’ve been selected to be an Honorary Consulate of the United States of America.”
Sal smiled and held up the shiny leather case to give everyone a good look. When they were all done gawking at the official document inside, Sal looked back at Nick, “Okay? What exactly does a, uh, Consulate do?”
“Well, technically, he would look after American commercial interests in foreign countries.”