Blood Street

Blood Street Chapter 9

Chapter IX

Enzo finished the escarole soup his wife Gina made for him. He brought his bowl to the sink and kissed her cheek. 

She smiled and kissed him back. 

He had not gone to his Center City office today, opting to handle business from home. It was past noon, and he only received one phone call from Vito Anastasia, also known as the Wiz. Vito got the nickname because he had an uncanny ability to add, subtract, multiply and divide numbers in his head. He was great at mathematical formulas and equations. In his mid-twenties, he looked barely out of high school. The kid was smart as hell. Enzo encouraged him to enroll in Villanova or Drexel to pursue a mathematics degree and then come back to work for him, but the Wiz wanted to be a part of the action. The problem was the kid didn't have the stones for this lifestyle. If the Wiz was forced to pull the trigger in a tight spot as Enzo had in the past, would he be able to do it? He doubted it. 

The Wiz called to let Enzo know he wouldn't be able to drive him tomorrow. Sophie needed him. Of late, she had been using him as a hacker to get into databases and decode information from corporate and government offices. 

He was about to go to his study, but before he entered, his four-year-old daughter Angela charged at him full speed. Just as she was about to collide with him, Enzo reached down, grabbed her by the waist and hoisted her in the air. He twirled her, and she squealed with laughter. This was their daily ritual. No matter what was going on, he always made time for Angela, seven-year-old Eddie and eleven-year-old Donna. He especially liked playing with Angela. She was headstrong and full of energy. 

Gina walked by and shook her head. "She's going to hurt herself one of these days." 

Enzo waved his hand. "You worry too much. Kids are resilient. They take a tumble and keep going. Right, sweetie?" 

Angela giggled. "Right, Dad." 

"It's my job to worry. Someone around here has to." 

Gina wore a severe frown. 

"What's wrong, baby?" Enzo asked. 

"Nothing." 

Enzo threw Angela in the air like a projectile and caught her before she splattered on the floor. Winded, he sat on the leather sofa. Angela ran outside to play on her swing set. 

Enzo accompanied Gina to the basement where she had some ironing to do. He put his arms around her waist, careful not to touch the iron. He kissed the back of her neck. "So what's the matter?" 

Gina sighed. "Donna's been asking a lot of questions lately." 

"Kids are naturally inquisitive. When I was her age, I wanted to know about everything." 

"I'm talking questions about what her father does. She knows that I don't work, so how does Daddy make money? I think some of her friends have planted ideas in her head." 

Enzo drew away from her. "I'm a businessman, plain and simple." 

"Not everybody sees it that way." 

"Let them think what they want." 

Gina frowned. "What happens when her friends start saying otherwise?" 

"I doubt they will. People don't know who I am. I'm invisible, like Average Joe Citizen. The media wants violence and bloodshed. I don't give that to them, so they ignore me." 

"Some people know who you are." 

Enzo shrugged. "Unless their parents are in law enforcement, I doubt it. If the time comes when more explanation is necessary, then we'll say that I operate in a slightly different manner than most businessmen."