Page 63 of Renegade
She sighed. “I think it’s a great idea, so if you ever change your mind?—”
The front door opened, a lone man lumbered in. Heavyset, dressed in a decent suit, he stood there with his hands on his hips, like he owned the joint.
“Sorry, we’re closed,” called out a server.
“I’m a Santini,” barked the man. “Who’s in charge?”
Greystone walked out from behind the bar. “I am. Who’re you?”
“Willie Boy Santini. Who the hell are you and what the hell are you doing inmyrestaurant?”
As he made his way over, Greystone gave him the once-over. Up close, his Willie Boy looked like he’d had a rough life, or he’d done shit to take care of himself.
Mangy dog.
Greystone extended his hand. “Hey, cousin. Greystone Santini.”
Willie Boy’s eyes grew large, then he broke into a grin, his yellowed teeth in desperate need of a dentist.
As he pumped the hell out of Greystone’s hand, he exclaimed, “Cousin, hey! What a great surprise. You’ve been gone a while. I didn’t even recognize you.”
Greystone broke from Willie Boy’s incessant hand shaking. “You want somethin’ to drink?”
Minutes later, he and his cousin were sitting at a table, a bottle of top-shelf whiskey between them, but only Willie Boy was drinking it.
“Where’ve you been?” Willie Boy asked.
“Gone.”
Willie Boy laughed a little too hard. “Yeah, I know that. Whatcha been doing?”
“Livin’, same as you. Where you been?”
Greystone liked to conserve his words, keep his guard up. He’d learned early on that word vomiting worked to his disadvantage. Making the other guy talk was a power play, something he’d perfected over the years.
“This place was mine—I’d been running it for years—but afantasticopportunity came along in Las Vegas.” Willie Boy puffed out his chest. “Took advantage of it and had me a big, big win. Now, I’m back and ready to take over. Thanks for filling in.”
Greystone shook his head.
“I’ll dial that back,” Willie Boy said, before wiping his brow with his hand. “I am… er… I wanna pick up a shift.”
Clean yourself up, mutt.
Greystone handed him a napkin and Willie Boy soaked up the perspiration.
“Teddy’s runnin’ the restaurant now.”
“Yeah, so…” Willie Boy shifted in the chair, broke eye contact. “Teddy’s mad at me. We had a misunderstanding. Lulu got in the middle and messed up my relationship with him. We was fine, but now?—”
“Teddy,” was all Greystone said.
Willie Boy nodded like a bobblehead. “Family was everything to us. Do you remember our Saturday night dinners at G-ma and G-pa’s? Those were fun.”
They had been fun, but they were decades ago. He lived in the present and the night was getting away from him.
One of the servers stopped by. “I’m the last,” he said. “See you tomorrow.”
After the waiter left, Greystone stood. “I’m closin’ up.”
