Chapter 5

"What do you mean he isn't answering? Call him again" Maria sighed to the boy who was probably around her age she had found to be in charge of this security shift.

They were in the entrance hall to the main house, Maria was dressed ready for tonight's meeting in a burgundy wrapped top over some figure-hugging black dress trousers. Killer heels, curled hair and red lipstick to exaggerate her Italian-American heritage were a must as well.

It had been very easy for Maria to get frustrated with being back home. She felt like she'd been placed into a time machine the moment she'd gotten settled with a coffee in the lounge with her mother. Her mother had arranged for a date for her tonight - a date! Maria had flown in to help out with her comatose father and their family business not be matched up with a suitor like this was the 1950's.

"Maria, you are 21 years old and if this past week has taught us nothing, it is surely that you may have to step into your fathers business until Tommy becomes 18" His mother had stated matter-of-factly.  "And if such a time comes, you having a husband to help lead the way would make everything much simpler". This simple sentence had thrown Maria into a fit of rage and a yelling match between the two LeTale women had ensued.

The climax of the argument had been that Maria had to go out, immediately, for Mafia business and Tony was late.

Tony wasn't late (Tony was never late) but Maria had slung these words out to help her, only to find for once in their lives they were unable to get ahold of him. Maria had stalked off for a glass of wine whilst two of the younger security members tried his phone again, and various others, wanting to defuse the unfamiliar female argument they found themselves entangled in.

Maria was just re-entering the room when she heard one of them mutter "Trig says he headed off to Mario's, no wonder we can't reach him" the smaller one had chuckled in response, not noticing the younger LeTale reappear.

"If I could get away with it, I would" the other had retorted and they both began to snigger.

"What, pray tell, is Mario's?" Maria asked with an arched eyebrow as both the younger men began to incoherently babble nervously.

***

Tony pulled up outside the LeTale estate, practically jogging inside.

"Status report? What's the issue?" Tony barked at the younger men as soon as he laid eyes on them.

"Miss LeTale told her mother you two were late for something, so we were instructed to track you down, Tony," one of them said quickly, sheepishly avoiding Tony's fierce gaze.

"You rang me urgently, to come here urgently because Miss LeTale wants to go on a field trip?" he asked them menacingly, taking a loaded step towards them when Maria appeared in the doorway.

"Sorry, Mr Calcolo, were you otherwise engaged?" she asked smoothly, raising an eyebrow as she walked past him towards the doorway. "It must be very punishing work over at Mario's" she muttered with a scoff as she walked herself over to his car, waiting for him to open the door.

If looks could kill, the two security men would be dead. 

"She overheard us just having a little joke, Tony" one of them muttered quickly, "Then she demanded to know what Mario's was and when we didn't explain it she threatened to go G****e it which we thought, well, that would be worse wouldn't it"

Letting out a low groan, Tony shook his head at them and walked off to open the car door for Maria, about to slide in the driver's side when Mrs LeTale appeared.

"Tony!" she called, his head jerking up to look at her. "Maria has a date tonight, at 7.30 pm, I trust you'll be home?"

Tony raised his eyebrow, a quick glance at Maria inside the car told him she was livid about this. "As you wish" he responded, clambering into the car and quickly driving off.

'A date, she's been here one night and she has a date!' he internally began to huff before noticing that Maria was watching him with a cold look on her face.

"Can I help you?" he asked in a temptingly, menacing voice.

"You couldn't come to get me because you were fucking some slut?" she sneered, the curse words sounding improper coming from her lips.

"Firstly, Mario's is a strip joint not a brothel, Maria, and secondly I'm not the one who made up a meeting to get away from their mummy," he said dryly, glancing over at her "you realise that if your mother thinks I'm unpunctual she'll be complaining about me? This is my job you know Maria, I'm not a babysitter. And don't curse, you're better than that" he muttered, turning towards the main town.