Chapter 25
Note: This is a work of FICTION! Although the areas this story takes place in are real; all of the landscapes depicted, the people described, everything else this story uses to make it enjoyable reading for you are NOT REAL. As you read this story, try to remember:
This is a Novel
104. Hide in Plain Sight
Patty would not take no for an answer, she was going home. William agreed with her, and said he was going home also.
Michael realized he was zero for two in protecting them from harm, but still would not give in. He was ordering them back to the bunker under the Hudson River, as soon as William was well enough to travel. He was going to do this if he had to arrest them to accomplish it.
He had Harold and Callie to think of also. The answer for them was perfect. He was going to send them on their honeymoon to Antarctica. If he could not protect them there, he was going to quit his job, and take up golf, which he absolutely hated.
As soon as they were alone, Patty said to her father, "Dad, you know as well as I do that there is a leak in Michael's Bureau. I'd like your permission to leave tonight."
"Baby, I am fine, all they want me to do is rest up after all the tests they put me through. Do whatever you want to do, just stay safe. If you need me, I am a phone call away."
"Thank you dad, I have to make a phone call."
Patty speed dialed a number and the woman who answered the phone was out of breath.
"Rita, is he fucking you again?"
"Patty, is that you, if it is, no he's not fucking me, it's my turn to fuck him, and if I say so myself, I'm doing one hell of a job."
"That's fine, as long as you are at the Eastside Heliport by 8 o'clock tonight. If you're one minute late, you are going to mow the lawn, with a push mower."
"Now I'm sure it's you, Patricia, there is no one else who would say that to me, while I am in the middle of page 215. You would think you hadn't gotten laid in years."
"Rita, I'll have you know as soon as I got into double digits, he threw his back out, and was out of commission for three days."
"You shouldn't have rushed him. His mind may have said yes, but his body definitely was not ready for it."
"I know, but I found that out too late. Is your husband just lying there, waiting for you to continue?"
"Hell no, I'm still working on him."
"Girl, no wonder you are a great pilot; you are great at multitasking."
"Patty, if you think I'm good while I'm on top, you should see what I'm like when I'm on the bottom."
"You should make movies, you'd make a fortune."
"We do make movies, but they are for private entertainment only."
"Okay, you may continue, but don't be late. Stephano and I will be running from the FBI, again. They are not going to be happy with us, as usual."
"I am going to call you two "The Running Duo." You are either running from the bad guys, or running from the good guys. There is no happy medium for you two."
"We just want to go home. We have been away too long."
"Remember to keep your head down when you are approaching the helicopter. The blades will be turning, and I would hate to chop your head off before you get in."
"If you gave my head to Michael, he would put it on his desk as a trophy. His ulcer would go away, along with half of his problems."
*******
At 7:15 PM, Patty kissed her father, Jemma, and William Junior goodbye, and said loudly enough for the guards outside his room, "Dad, we're going to Mama Leone's for dinner; can we bring anything back for you?"
William laughed, "You can bring me back one of those four cheese pizzas that they are noted for."
Jemma yelled, "If you bring back that pizza I'll shove it down your throat while he watches."
Patty laughed at her sister. "I wonder if my babies will like it?"
Jemma screamed, "Get out of here, before I throw you out."
"Jemma, you are turning into a nagging wife. You are no fun at all."
"Out, Patty get out of this room." They hugged once more, and she led Stephano out of the room.
Instead of FBI agents guarding them, two of New York City's Finest were at William's door. Stephano looked at them and said, "If anything happens to him, not only will I have your badges, but the Chief of Police, and the Police Commissioner will lose their jobs."
The young patrol officer said, "Sir, we were told to guard Mrs. Valentino."
"Officer, at this moment, Mister Zabo is more important to those people then my wife is. He is the one they tried to kill. I will be guarding her with my life. We will be eating in Mama Leone's kitchen. We are friends of Rosa's, and no one will know we are there. Can we bring you back anything?"
The officers smiled, put in their order for dinner, and resumed their posts.
As they approached the elevators, Patty asked, "Who is Rosa?"
Stephano looked down at her, and said, "How the hell am I supposed to know."
They got in a cab, and headed for the Eastside helicopter terminal. Patty took out her cell phone, and ordered dinner for the police officers, Jemma, and her father. She knew her father was not going to be happy.
She ordered him a clear vegetable minestrone soup. Eggplant made with Bread Crumbs, extra virgin olive oil, garlic, cayenne pepper, and fresh thyme. As a side dish she ordered him Whole Wheat linguine, made the special way her mother made for him, minus the main ingredient. She had the chef put a 'Note' on top saying, "None of our ladies volunteered." He didn't know what it meant, but Patty was sure her father would know immediately.
Everything she ordered for him was good for his health and would help lower his cholesterol; everything but his desert. She refused to skimp on it. She got him what he loved the most: a double sized slice of Italian spiced rum cake, which she knew he would drool over, plus a carafe of Italian coffee. For all the sins she committed on his meal, she knew he would forgive her, because of this dessert.
*******
When the FBI team returned to relieve the police officers at the hospital, the officers told them that Stephano and Patty had gone out to dinner.
"Are you out of your fucking mind? You were tasked to guard her and no one else."
"Mister Valentino told us that Mister Zabo was now the target, not Mrs. Valentino. He was the one that was shot, not her. They were going to Mama Leone's for dinner."
"I'm sure you believed them."
As if it was preordained, Mama Leone's staff members walked down the hall bringing food to William's room. They gave each officer his own box, and proceeded into the room.
The FBI agents were right behind them, not taking a chance that they were anything but what they were supposed to be.
When they displayed William's food on his tray table, he was furious. "I am going to kill my daughter. She did this to me on purpose. She gave me a vegetarian meal. He laughed when he saw the note, on top of the linguine, but was still annoyed with her. You have a friend in your attempt to lower my cholesterol, but I have lost a daughter."