"I sent them away. Do you still remember how to sail?"

"I still remember."

They hoisted the sail and sheeted in for a starboard tack, and ten minutes later the Paloma Blanca Paloma Blanca was heading through the harbor toward the open sea. For the first half hour they were busy navigating, but there was not a moment when they were not acutely aware of each other. The tension kept mounting, and they both knew that what was going to happen was inevitable. was heading through the harbor toward the open sea. For the first half hour they were busy navigating, but there was not a moment when they were not acutely aware of each other. The tension kept mounting, and they both knew that what was going to happen was inevitable.

When they finally cleared the harbor and were sailing into the moonlit Pacific, Adam moved to Jennifer's side and put his arms around her.

They made love on the deck under the stars, with the soft, fragrant breeze cooling their naked bodies.

The past and the future were swept away and there was only the present holding the two of them together in its swiftly fleeting moments. For Jennifer knew that this night in Adam's arms was not a beginning; it was an ending. There was no way to bridge the worlds that separated them. They had traveled too far from each other and there was no road back. Not now, not ever. She would always have a part of Adam in Joshua, and that would be enough for her, would have to be enough for her.

This night would have to last her the rest of her life.

They lay there together, listening to the gentle susurration of the sea against the boat.

Adam said, "Tomorrow-"

"Don't talk," Jennifer whispered. "Just love me, Adam."

She covered his lips with small kisses and fluttered her fingers delicately along the strong, lean lines of his body. She moved her hands down in slow circles until she found him, and her fingers began to stroke him.

"Oh G.o.d, Jennifer," Adam whispered, and his mouth began to move slowly down her naked body.

46.

"The c.o.c.ksucker kept givin' me the malocchio malocchio," little Salvator Fiore was complaining, "so I finally hadda burn 'im."

Nick Vito laughed, for anyone who was stupid enough to fool around with the Little Flower had to be out to lunch. Nick Vito was enjoying himself in the farmhouse kitchen with Salvatore Fiore and Joseph Colella, talking over old times, waiting for the conference in the living room to end. The midget and the giant were his best friends. They had gone through the fire together. Nick Vito looked at the two men and thought happily, They're like my brothers. They're like my brothers.

"How's your cousin Pete?" Nick asked the giant Colella.

"He did cancer and he's under the hammer, but he's gonna be okay."

"He's beautiful."

"Yeah. Pete's good people; he's just had a little bad luck. He was back-up man on a bank job, but it wasn't his stick, and the f.u.c.kin' cops tagged him and put him away. He did hard time. The hacks tried to turn him around but they was spinnin' their wheels."

"h.e.l.l, yes. Pete's got cla.s.s."

"Yeah. He always went for big bucks, big broads and big cars."

From the living room there came the sound of raised, angry voices. They listened a moment.

"Sounds like Colfax has a bug up his a.s.s."

Thomas Colfax and Michael Moretti were alone in the room, discussing a large gambling operation that the Family was about to start in the Bahamas. Michael had put Jennifer in charge of making the business arrangements.

"You can't do it, Mike," Colfax protested. "I know all the boys down there. She doesn't. You must let me handle it." He knew he was talking too loudly, but he was unable to control himself.

"Too late," Michael said.

"I don't trust the girl. Neither did Tony."

"Tony's not with us anymore." Michael's voice was dangerously quiet.

Thomas Colfax knew that this was the moment to back down. "Sure, Mike. All I'm saying is that I think the girl's a mistake. I grant you she's smart, but I'm warning you, before she's through she could send us all away."

It was Thomas Colfax whom Michael was concerned about. The Warner Crime Commission investigation was in full swing. When they reached Colfax, how long would the old man stand up to them before he cracked? He knew more about the Family than Jennifer Parker could ever know. Colfax was the one who could destroy them all, and Michael did not trust him.

Thomas Colfax was saying, "Send her away for awhile. Just until this investigation cools down. She's a woman. If they start putting pressure on her, she'll talk."

Michael studied him and made his decision. "All right, Tom. Maybe you've got a point there. Jennifer may not be dangerous, but on the other hand, if she's not with us a hundred percent, why take unnecessary chances?"

"That's all I'm suggesting, Mike." Thomas Colfax rose from his chair, relieved. "You're doing the wise thing."

"I know." Michael turned toward the kitchen and yelled out, "Nick!"

A moment later Nick Vito appeared.

"Drive the consigliere consigliere back to New York, will you, Nick?" back to New York, will you, Nick?"

"Sure thing, boss."

"Oh. On the way I want you to stop and deliver a package for me." He turned to Thomas Colfax. "You don't mind?"

"Of course not, Mike." He was flushed with his victory.

Michael Moretti said to Nick Vito, "Come on. It's upstairs."

Nick followed Michael up to his bedroom. When they were inside, Michael closed the door.

"I'd like you to make a stop before you get out of New Jersey."

"Sure, boss."

"I want you to drop off some garbage." Nick Vito looked puzzled. "The consigliere consigliere," Michael explained.

"Oh. Okay. Whatever you say."

"Take him out to the dump. There won't be anyone around at this time of night."

Fifteen minutes later the limousine was headed for New York. Nick Vito was at the wheel, with Thomas Colfax in the pa.s.senger seat beside him.

"I'm glad Mike decided to sideline that b.i.t.c.h," Thomas Colfax said.

Nick glanced sideways at the unsuspecting lawyer seated beside him. "Uh-huh."

Thomas Colfax looked at the gold Baume & Mercier watch on his wrist. It was three o'clock in the morning, long past his bedtime. It had been a long day and he was tired. I'm getting too old for these battles I'm getting too old for these battles, he thought.

"How far out are we driving?"

"Not far," Nick mumbled.

Nick Vito's mind was in a turmoil. Killing was a part of his job and it was a part he enjoyed, because of the sense of power it gave him. Nick felt like a G.o.d when he killed; he was omnipotent. But tonight, he was bothered. He could not understand why he had been ordered to blow away Thomas Colfax. Colfax was the consigliere consigliere, the man everyone turned to when they were in trouble. Next to the G.o.dfather, the consigliere consigliere was the most important man in the Organization. He had kept Nick out of the slammer a dozen times. was the most important man in the Organization. He had kept Nick out of the slammer a dozen times.

s.h.i.t! Nick thought. Colfax was right. Mike should never have let a woman come into the business. Men thought with their brains. Women thought with their p.u.s.s.ies. Oh, how he'd love to get his hands on Jennifer Parker! He'd f.u.c.k her until she cried 'Uncle' and then Colfax was right. Mike should never have let a woman come into the business. Men thought with their brains. Women thought with their p.u.s.s.ies. Oh, how he'd love to get his hands on Jennifer Parker! He'd f.u.c.k her until she cried 'Uncle' and then- "Watch it! You're going off the road!"

"Sorry." Nick quickly steered the car back into his lane.

The dump was a short distance ahead. Nick could feel the perspiration popping out under his arms. He glanced over again at Thomas Colfax.

Snuffing him out would be a cinch. It would be like putting a baby to sleep but, G.o.dd.a.m.n it! it was the wrong baby! Someone was giving Mike a hand job. This was a sin. It was like murdering his old man.

He wished he could have talked it over with Salvatore and Joe. They could have told him what to do.

Nick could see the dump ahead to the right of the highway. His nerves began to tighten, just as they always did before a hit. He pressed his left arm against his side and felt the rea.s.suring bulk of the short-barreled .38 Smith & Wesson nestling there.

"I could use a good night's sleep," Thomas Colfax yawned.

"Yeah." He was going to get a long, long sleep.

The car was nearing the dump now. Nick checked the rearview mirror and scanned the road ahead. There were no cars in sight.

He put his foot on the brake suddenly and said, "G.o.dd.a.m.n it, it feels like I'm getting a flat."

He brought the car to a stop, opened the door and stepped out onto the road. He slipped the gun out of its holster and held it at his side. Then he moved around to the pa.s.senger side of the car and said, "Could you give me a hand?"

Thomas Colfax opened the door and stepped out. "I'm not very good at-" He saw the raised gun in Nick's hand and stopped. He tried to swallow. "W-What's the matter, Nick?" His voice cracked. "What have I done?"

That was the question that had been burning inside Nick Vito's mind all evening. Someone was running a game on Mike. Colfax was on their their side, he was one of them. When Nick's younger brother had gotten in trouble with the Feds, it had been Colfax who had stepped in and saved the boy. He had even gotten him a job. side, he was one of them. When Nick's younger brother had gotten in trouble with the Feds, it had been Colfax who had stepped in and saved the boy. He had even gotten him a job. I owe him, G.o.dd.a.m.n it I owe him, G.o.dd.a.m.n it, Nick thought.

He let his gun hand drop. "Honest to G.o.d, I don't know, Mr. Colfax. It ain't right."

Thomas Colfax looked at him a moment and sighed. "Do what you have to do, Nick."

"Jesus, I can't do this. You're my consigliere. consigliere."

"Mike will kill you if you let me go."

Nick knew that Colfax was telling the truth. Michael Moretti was not a man to tolerate disobedience. Nick thought of Tommy Angelo. Angelo had been the wheel man on a fur heist. Michael had ordered him to take the car they had used and have it crushed in a compactor in a New Jersey junkyard the Family owned. Tommy Angelo had been in a hurry to keep a date, so he had dumped the car on an East Side street, where investigators had found it. Angelo had disappeared the next day, and the story was that his body had been put in the trunk of an old Chevy and compacted. No one crossed Michael Moretti and lived. But there is a way But there is a way, Nick thought.

"Mike don't have to know it," Nick said. His usually slow brain was working rapidly, with an unnatural clarity. "Look," he said, "all you gotta do is blow the country. I'll tell Mike I buried you under the garbage so they'll never find you. You can hide out in South America or somewhere. You must have a little dough stashed away."

Thomas Colfax tried to keep the sudden hope out of his voice. "I have plenty, Nick. I'll give you whatever-"

Nick shook his head fiercely. "I ain't doin' this for money. I'm doin' it because"-How could he put it into words?-"I got respect respect for you. The only thing is, you gotta protect me. Can you catch a mornin' plane to South America?" for you. The only thing is, you gotta protect me. Can you catch a mornin' plane to South America?"

Thomas Colfax said, "No problem, Nick. Just drop me off at my house. My pa.s.sport's there."

Two hours later, Thomas Colfax was on an Eastern Airlines jet. It was bound for Washington, D.C.

47.

It was their last day in Acapulco, a perfect morning with warm, soft breezes playing melodies through the palm trees. The beach at La Concha was crowded with tourists greedily soaking up the sun before returning to the routine of their everyday lives.

Joshua came running up to the breakfast table wearing a bathing suit, his athletic little body fit and tan. Mrs. Mackey lumbered along behind him.

Joshua said, "I've had plenty of sufficient time to digest my food, Mom. Can I go water skiing now?"

"Joshua, you just finished eating."

"I have a very high metabolism rate," he explained earnestly. "I digest food fast."

Jennifer laughed. "All right. Have a good time."

"I will. Watch me, huh?"

Jennifer watched as Joshua raced along the pier to a waiting speedboat. She saw him engage the driver in earnest conversation, and then they both turned to look at Jennifer. She signaled an okay, and the driver nodded and Joshua began to put on water skis.

The motor boat roared into life and Jennifer looked up to see Joshua beginning to rise on his water skis.

Mrs. Mackey said proudly, "He's a natural athlete, isn't he?"

At that moment, Joshua turned to wave at Jennifer and lost his balance, falling against the pilings. Jennifer leaped to her feet and began racing toward the pier. An instant later, she saw Joshua's head appear above the surface of the water and he looked at her, grinning.