Page 77 of Perfect Vengeance

“Did you read the transcript from yesterday?” He already knew Morrison had. The team monitoring the bug in Psycho’s house had informed Jack that his SAC had pretty much danced a freaking jig when he’d read it.

“I did.”

“Then you know it’s gold.” Pure gold. As in 24-karat. When he’d told Gina they’d been getting useful intel from the bug, he’d been downplaying it in a big, big way. Since then, they’d gotten even more critical information. Now they not only knew the Commission was set to meet five days from now—this Saturday—but they knew its location. Cottekill, New York, about two hours north of the city. A criminal enterprise meeting of this magnitude hadn’t taken place since 1957, and Morrison knew it.

“Yeah, I know, dammit!” his boss boomed, but his voice had lost some of its pissed-off edge.

Morrison would forgive him this transgression because he knew Jack got it done. Based on the transcripts, his boss also knew if they busted up the Commission meeting, they’d net some heavy Mafia players, including a few wanted for murder here in the US and in Italy. If that happened, Morrison would move to the short list for the next FBI directorship. All Jack had to do was let his boss vent.

“When this case is over, we will discuss this again!”

The call ended and Jack let out a heavy breath.

“Was that your boss?” Gina asked.

“Yeah.” He guided the SUV from the curb, heading north on Broadway.

“Are you in the doghouse?”

He grunted. “When am I not?”

“Are you ever going to tell him what my friends and I did and what happened last night?”

“No,” he answered without hesitation. If Morrison ever discovered what she’d seen in Tino’s house, she’d never be safe. The FBI would move heaven and earth to get her testimony before a jury, even if it meant forcing her into witness protection. Before last week, he would have too. Now, he couldn’t. She’d finally found a family—her friends. WITSEC would take that from her, and she’d have to start over somewhere far away. Without me. The selfish part of him couldn’t stomach that either.

“Thank you,” she said softly, momentarily resting her hand on his shoulder. “By the way, I still haven’t heard from Maria Falzone.”

“I don’t think you ever will.” As much as he wanted Tino’s wife to get free of the bastard, he didn’t think the woman would call. Good thing because he didn’t want Gina anywhere near that situation.

“I hope you’re wrong,” she said wistfully. “You should have seen her. He’d beaten her. Badly.”

Jack didn’t doubt that. Tino beating his wife was an extension of the sadistic monster lurking beneath those silk suits. “If she does reach out to you, call me right away. I don’t want you meeting with her alone.”

His cell phone rang again. Kyle. Jack wasn’t exactly in the mood to talk to his family right now, not with everything else on his mind. Starting with putting together the biggest ops plan of his career.

“Are you going to answer that?” she asked when the phone had rung three times.

He really did need to stay in touch more with his brothers. With the cast on his hand, he fumbled with the phone, nearly dropping it. “Kyle, what’s up?”

“You missed Sunday dinner,” Kyle growled. “Again.”

He grimaced. Anger from his SAC he could take, but from his brother…that sucked. “Yeah, well, a lot happened last night that I couldn’t get out of.”

“Did you take care of everything last night, then?” Kyle’s tone was matter of fact, but Jack had a bad feeling.

“Yeah.” He narrowed his eyes. “Why?”

“I read your draft ops plan,” Kyle said. “Seems like it’s almost done.”

“Yeah,” he repeated, narrowing his eyes even more. Instinct told him he wasn’t going to like where this call was going.

“Well, good. We postponed dinner last night because Deke and I couldn’t make it. It’s tonight.”

“Shit,” Jack muttered.

“Dammit, Jack! Get your head out of your ass and get it to Ma’s. Dinner’s at six. For chrissake, be there.” Kyle hung up.

He groaned as he set the phone in the console. Glancing at Gina, he caught her slightly amused expression. “Heard that, huh?”