Page 35 of Tommy Gabrini: All Fall Down
The Chief ran his hand across his dark-brown face and nodded. He knew that incident alone was going to get his ass recalled. “Yes,” he said.
Tommy exhaled. He was sad and horrified for those poor students, but relieved beyond belief that it wasn’t his child. “How many hostages are there?”
“We believe upwards of twenty-three. Could be more, could be less. We haven’t been able to get any eyes in that classroom.”
“So what’s the strategy?”
“He’s already threatened to kill everybody in there if we make any more moves like the one we tried.”
Tommy was aghast. “My son threatened that?”
“Thomas Gabrini, Junior said that, yes,” said the chief. “Since there’s no way we can have anymore children losing their lives over this, the FBI has been called in to take over and they’re under pressure from their director who’s under pressure from the Attorney General to stop the bloodshed no matter what.”
“So it’s politics now,” said Tommy.
“Pure politics. They’re recommending we wait it out. We can’t agitate him, but we can tire him out. Once they get here they’ll assess the situation and then come up with a strategy that won’t involve any more loss of life.”
Tommy exhaled, opened his suitcoat, and placed his hands on his hips. “You’ve got to let me go in there, Ron.”
“No can do,” the chief said as he was shaking his head.
“My son is not going to shoot me.”
“Did you ever think he’d shoot his fellow students?”
Tommy still was in a state of disbelief concerning that. He would never believe it. “No.” He wanted to add because he didn’t do it, but he knew those cops had made up their minds. He just wanted his son safe and sound. “But he won’t shoot his father.”
“If, and this is a big if, but if I can convince the FBI to let one of the parents go in, it’ll have to be your wife.”
Tommy frowned. “My wife?”
“Yes, sir, your wife. Boys have anger issues with daddies whether you think yours do or not. But they tend to love their mothers. Especially black boys. If anybody can reach him, it’ll be his mother.”
But Tommy was adamant. “No way.”
“So you’re certain he won’t shoot you, but you’re afraid he’ll shoot his mother?”
“Hell no! I’m afraid one of your trigger-happy cops might shoot his mother. Hisblackmother! And I’m not putting her in that position. It’ll have to be me.”
Chief Browne exhaled. Be it far from him to argue with Tommy Gabrini. He knew about his mob boss brother Sal and his boss of all mob bosses Uncle Mick. He knew about Vegas strong man Reno Gabrini and his mob connections too. Not to mention Tommy’s own salacious background in his family syndicates. “The agent-in-charge is meeting with the mayor and governor right now at the state Capitol as we speak. Then he’ll make the hour drive and come and physically take over. I’ll run it by him then, but I make no promises.”
Tommy nodded. “Thanks.” Then his face looked anguished. “Do you have my son shooting those students on video?”
Another exhale from the chief. “I can’t give out that information.”
Tommy felt bad asking the question as if a small part of him believed it might be true. When he knew it couldn’t be true. It would kill Grace if it was true. Hell, it would kill him! “Understood,” he said, and left the room.
He went back to the side wall where Grace, Reno, and Trina were seated and waiting. He sat beside Grace. Reno and Trina leaned over to hear him.
“What did he say?” Reno asked.
“It’s wait and see for now on the orders of the FBI.”
“FBI,” said Reno with distaste in his mouth. “I’ll bet their asses will stand at attention when Hammer Reese gets here.”
Grace looked at Reno. “Hammer Reese is coming?”
“And Amelia too, yeah,” said Reno.
