“Gloria, I want you to call Mario and tell him to call the lieutenants to the house tonight. This is an or else call.”
“What?” Gloria’s grip on the tray faltered in her confusion. “Why?”
“Just do it. I’ve gotta go. Tell Dad I’ll see him later.”
“Go? Where are you going?”
But Chrissy was already out of the cafeteria hall and to the valet parking. While she waited for her car, she called Saks.
“Hey, babe,” he answered.
“Hi, honey,” she said. “Can you talk?”
“I’m at work. Can it wait until later?”
“Um, no. I just found out important information, and I need your help.”
“Hang on.” Saks’ muffled voice filtered through her phone.
“Come to the shop. Luke says it’s okay.”
Chrissy drove on autopilot all the way to Luke’s shop. Her head spun with the myriad problems in front of her. She and Saks, her sister and Mario, her grandfather’s fishing trip... and then there was James Pearson and her missing friend, Jessica. The only thing she could think to do at that moment was get to Saks as quickly as possible, so they could come up with a plan before things went haywire.
Saks was standing outside, already waiting for her when she pulled up. In a hurry she jumped from her car and raced over to where he was. Every second felt paramount in the race of whatever it was they were truly up against.
“Hi, babe,” he said. “What’s the 911?”
“It’s a mess, Saks. Grandpa took off, and expected Mario to help Dad while he’s in the hospital. But Dad isn’t letting him.”
The words came out with the speed of a locomotive, but Saks understood what she meant. “So, there are problems with the organization?”
“Yes. After Dad left him without work no one took in Mario, and you think they would, thinking they could score points with Grandpa.”
“That’s too bad for Mario.”
“No. That’s too bad for us. There’s no one running the ship. If one of the lieutenants decides this is an opportunity to make this into civil war, it could lead to a gang war—”
Saks took a deep breath. “I get it, sweetheart. What do you want me to do?”
“I want you to back me up when I talk to the lieutenants tonight.”
Saks stared at her shocked. “Not for nothing, babe, but how am I going to do that?”
Chrissy breathed in deep to steel herself. “As my fiancé and the heir apparent of the Serafini crime family.”
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Saks couldn’t have looked more shocked
. “Why would I do that?” His words came out in a surprised bark. Had he not been able to look Chrissy in the eye to see she’d meant every word of it, he would’ve thought it all a huge ruse.
Chrissy touched his cheek. “I’m sorry, Saks. So many things are going on. But my grandfather is off on one of his ‘fishing trips.’ Dad isn’t letting Mario help him run things, and you don’t know these guys like I do—”
“Whoa, sweetheart, slow down.”
But it didn’t seem like she could. “And Jessica isn’t answering the phone, and I can’t reach my boss.”
Saks put his hands on Chrissy’s shoulders. “Sorry, babe. I can see why this upsets you. But me showing up trying to tell them what to do will make things worse.”