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He’s a great leader. I would say he could be world-class. And he has many of the qualities of a fine general. But as a businessman? He would be bored to death on the first morning. By the end of the week he would be setting fire to things just so he could see something happen.
Whatever Jerry’s game is here, I am certain that it’s not whatever he’s telling Alessio it is, and it’s definitely got nothing at all to do with what he’s telling me. It looks to me like he’s working for a total takeover of the whole Pacific Northwest region.
From the darkness, one more possibility pokes out its ugly head; what if Alessio really is all in on that with Jerry?
However much I love this house, I’m starting to hate all the empty spaces.
I can’t stand to call Jerry. i know that if I speak to him, voice to voice, I’ll lose it.
Instead, I send him a text.
I’m ready.
Meet me in the roof garden of Sun-a-do at 5 this afternoon.
To drive the point I send another text straight after .
I’ll have you cleared for admission as my guest
CHAPTER FORTY
At the Sun-a-do entrance foyer, I learn that Jerry has already arrived with his party. I didn’t clear him to bring a party. Still, what’s done is done. Anyway, I made a few invitations of my own.
Up on the roof garden, Jerry stands holding an Old Fashioned, at the very back of the formal planting boxes in a pin-striped, double-breasted suit. He has two goons with him.
Since he arrived early, I guess it’s just as well as he’d have had nobody else to talk to. At my instruction — my word still means something here — access to the roof garden is restricted to a list of people who I named.
Tai and Waya escort and accompany me in, one either side. Bruno and Carlo follow on about two minutes after. Behind them are three distinguished representatives of the Twelve Tribes Council of Elders.
Jerry watches as all of us walk the length of the gardens between through the shady avenue of trees and shrubs and between the beautiful ferns. He nods to Waya and to Tai, and to each of the elders. They’ve obviously met. I’m guessing he came early to schmooze before we got here.
When I’m about ten feet from him, with no other greeting and without extending a hand to me, or to anyone else, Jerry simply says, “Alessio isn’t with you?”
I might have expected him to be with Jerry but no matter. Since Jerry clearly left his manners behind, I see no reason to embarrass him by displaying mine and I don’t answer.
After an odd, wooden moment of awkward quiet, Jerry says, “Well, it doesn’t matter. We can do what there is to be done without him. There’s no need to delay for him.”
I cock my head, “Isn’t he the man you plan to crown as emperor of the whole of the newly franchised Pacific Northwest region?”
Jerry turns a palm up as he shrugs…
“Well…” and his mouth wrinkles.
I take a step forward. “How does that work, by the way, all the franchising? All the people who are about to become made guys, to they get a ribbon or a scroll or something? Is there going to be a ceremony? A mass ‘made’-in?
He can’t keep a chuckle from ratting in his chest.
“In time…” he says. “Look, what matters what we’re here for.” He’s looking at Waya and Tai as he says, “This is progress. Today marks a transition of power. A giant leap, from the old to the new.”
His chest swells as he looks around with his chin high. “Here, today, in this beautiful garden, this is where we will step from the past, into the future.”
“Jerry does love the sound of his own voice.”
Alessio speaks into my ear.
“Glad you made it,” I tell him, dryly. “Although Jerry didn’t seem too concerned about whether you were here or not.”
Alessio’s eyes narrow.
