La Donna

Three

I stared at my sorry reflection. My black eye had turned purple and my bruises were all different colors. My midsection was still sore from being kicked in and coughing only amplified the pain. I tried hiding my injuries with cosmetics, but it was no use. There's not enough face powder in the world to cover a swollen cheek.
I ran my hands over my blouse and saw Adam standing in the doorway behind me.

"Who did that to you?" He stepped foward.
"Adam, you can't stay here." I avoided the subject.
"Answer me, dammit! Who did that to you?!" He yelled.
"Go home to Baltimore!" I turned on my heels and held his cheeks in my hands. "I need you to stay away from the city for a while. I don't know how long, but it's better this way." Tears fell from my eyes the longer I looked at him. "Now, I've gotta go away for a bit," I dropped my hands from his face and took off my engagement ring. "And you can't contact me. You can't call or write. I am so sorry it has to be this way, but I have no choice." I placed the ring in his hand, grabbed my coat, and walked out.

[...]

"I'll send one of my guys into the bathroom at D'Este's to plant the gun underneath the sink. Once you get there, take a seat at the table, wait ten minutes, ask to excuse yourself, then go into the bathroom, grab the gun, walk out calmly and shoot both of them twice. After you've shot them, drop the gun and walk out. Don't make eye-contact with anyone, but don't run with your head up your dress either." Enzo briefed me on what course of action I was supposed to take tonight. "There'll be a car waiting for you three blocks away in an alley to take you to the airport." He continued.
"I'll bring gloves in my handbag to avoid leaving fingerprints." I noted.
"Good girl." Mancini took a beat and gave me a hug. "You're gonna do good tonight. You're doing your part in the family, Bennie." He kissed my cheek before walking me out to the car.
I can't say I was nervous to carry out this hit because I genuinely wasn't. I knew that this was something that had to be done. Langan and Arezzo weren't going to be a problem anymore. And like Enzo said, I'm doing my part in the family.

[...]

I stepped inside D'Este's restaurant to see Officer Langan and Phil Arezzo already sitting in a corner booth. They were already sharing a bottle of wine over some bread and murmured conversation. The moment they took note of my presence, they stood up. Langan was quick to let out a heavy sigh before speaking.

"I'm sorry, Vicari, but I have to frisk you." He stated. I chose a good night to wear trousers. I begrudgingly complied to his pat-down. The policeman placed his right hand on the inside of my pant leg and I sneered at him.
"Watch it, Langan. I'm an honest woman." I made a loose threat.
"Yeah, sure you are." He scoffed and completed the body check not long after. We sat down at the table and a waiter came over with a starter salad.

"Now, Benedetta, Bennie," Phil changed his tone from formal to familiar and I was so ready to end him. "I mean no disrespect to your father at all. In fact, I give you my sincerest sympathies for what happened. He's in my prayers, truly." He continued. "In all honesty, I never pegged him to be so underhanded like that. Sending Grazio into spy on me and my plans after your father rejected them." The drug dealer placed a bit of salad on the plate in front of him. "So I can't say that he didn't get what was coming to him. And hey, we all must meet our maker some time. Some of us sooner than others."

How appropriate.

"I'm surprised you haven't bothered to take a look at me. Your man over here did this to my face." I pointed at my black eye. "It'd be a shame if that bit of information got out into the papers. A police officer who's not doing his job, taking bribes from a family and breaking bread with a man of your standing." I shook my head. "I have a few friends who would kill to run that story." I watched the color in Langan's face drain a bit.
"Surely, that's not necessary, Bennie." The officer tried to lighten the mood because he knew I was serious. I paused for a moment and decided now was the time to act.
"If you would please excuse me, I have to use the ladies' room." I noted while grabbing my handbag.
"Handbag stays on the table." Arezzo pointed at the purse in my hand.
I sauntered around the corner and into the women's restroom. I checked the stall to make sure I was alone and then once I knew I was good; I used my scarf as a barrier between my fingerprints and the gun Mancini had planted for me. Through the cashmire, I felt around under the sink, got the gun, and slowly walked out of the bathroom.
Langan looked up from his plate of salad and bread to see me lingering in the corridor.