Lawson stared at his phone, eyes wide. Seventy-five percent wealth loss. The Bonanno family had already lost more than half its fortune.
Even with the other crews nibbling at their territory lately, this kind of hit didn't make sense. Something was seriously fucked.
He felt that pain right in his chest. That was his money now.
Well, technically Sofia's. But Sofia's money was his money. No debate.
Still, the Payday app wouldn't have thrown in that bonus condition if the lost cash couldn't be clawed back somehow.
He was just about to buy intel and figure out the leak when Black Sonny walked up.
"Mr. Lawson, everything's set downstairs. Ready to start the questioning?"
Sonny got close and caught a heavy whiff of Sofia's expensive perfume still clinging to Lawson's collar. He definitely hadn't smelled that when they shook hands earlier. Sonny's face twisted for half a second, but he kept his mouth shut.
Lawson was too busy worrying about the family's bleeding bank account to notice.
"Yeah, let's do it."
"Mr. Lawson, who do you want first?"
Lawson thought for a second. Start simple.
"Alberto Bruno. Let's warm up with him."
Sonny led the way down to a basement room that used to be for storage. Now it was a proper interrogation setup—concrete walls, steel table bolted to the floor, and a digital camcorder already rolling on a tripod. Sonny didn't half-ass this shit.
Rafferty brought Alberto in, hands cuffed behind his back.
Sonny glanced at Lawson. "You want first crack at him?"
Lawson shook his head. He wasn't trying to play tough guy in the torture room. Sonny had real experience—look how fast he broke David Abbott and the others.
"I'll watch and learn, Sonny. You're the pro here."
Sonny nodded, rolled his shoulders, and walked behind Alberto.
"Bruno, we used to be cool. Too bad you picked the wrong side. Now talk."
Alberto tried the cooperative route. "Sonny, ask me anything. I'll tell you everything. Just give me a chance at leniency from the family."
Sonny wasn't buying the act. He slammed Alberto's face into the table.
BANG.
Alberto's forehead split open and started swelling purple. The guy saw stars.
Lawson frowned. Hitting the head first just made the subject dizzy. Future pain wouldn't land right.
Sonny leaned in. "Start talking, Bruno."
Alberto looked up, blood trickling down his face, voice shaky. "I'll talk! I'll talk! I just want the family to go easy on me!"
"Leniency ain't my call. My job is to squeeze every drop out of you, however I gotta do it."
Sonny pulled a knife and stabbed it between Alberto's fingers, pinning his hand to the table.
Alberto flinched hard. He'd done the exact same move to other guys back in the day and laughed while they pissed themselves. Now he was the one on the chopping block.
"I'll tell you everything! Everything!"
He spilled. Of course he painted himself as the innocent middleman who just followed orders. Every bit of dirt got dumped on Francis. Classic rat move.
Sonny recorded it all on the camcorder. When Alberto finally shut up, Sonny looked at Lawson.
"Anything you want to ask him, Mr. Lawson?"
"Kill the camera. What I'm about to ask stays off the record."
Sonny gave Rafferty a nod. The camera went dark.
"You two, step outside."
Sonny hesitated, then pulled Rafferty out and closed the door.
Lawson dragged a chair over, sat right in front of Alberto, and tossed him a 15-cent cigarette. He lit his own with the nuclear lighter, then slid the lighter across the table.
Alberto lit up fast. The nicotine hit and the pain in his head faded like magic.
Lawson switched on his multi-function recorder pen.
"Mr. Bruno, the next questions are important. Think before you answer."
Alberto blew out a smoke ring, looking tired. "How careful do I need to be? Is this gonna keep me alive?"
After helping murder over a dozen capos, Alberto knew his odds were dogshit. Those dead guys had families, soldiers, cousins. Nobody was dying on the hill for him.
"I can't promise you live," Lawson said calmly. "But I can make sure the time you've got left is comfortable."
Alberto was quiet for a beat, then nodded. "Ask."
"Was Francis Ricci working with Antonio Costa?"
"I never saw them meet face-to-face, but I overheard Francis on the phone with him a few times. Definitely some kind of deal. I don't know the details."
Lawson nodded. So Antonio was dirty too. Good to know, but he wasn't touching that right now. Letting Antonio and Felice keep tearing each other apart served Sofia perfectly. Taking Antonio out early would just hand the whole family to Felice on a silver platter.
"One more question—"
When Lawson stepped out of the room his face was stone. Sonny and Rafferty noticed immediately.
"Mr. Lawson, everything okay?"
"Just heard some bad news. Take Alberto away. We're moving on to Francis Ricci."
They swapped prisoners. Francis looked like hell but still had that smug consigliere smirk.
Sonny went straight for the opener—grabbed Francis by the hair and slammed his face into the table.
Francis didn't scream. He started laughing like a maniac.
"Hahahaha!"
"What the fuck are you laughing at, Ricci?" Sonny growled.
Francis laughed until he was gasping, then took another punch and finally calmed down.
"I was just thinking about you, Sonny. You were Old Martin's dog, now you're Sofia's new lapdog? And this Asian kid—since when do outsiders get to sit at the table with made men?"
Sonny's face went dark. Truth always cut deeper than lies.
"Looks like my fists aren't heavy enough. Let me loosen you up."
Sonny rolled up his sleeves. Lawson raised a hand.
"Easy, Sonny. Francis is still Mr. Bonanno's godson. Show a little respect."
Sonny backed off. Francis kept pushing.
"What, you taking orders from the Asian now too, Sonny?"
Sonny almost lost it. Rafferty had to grab him.
Lawson shot Sonny a warning look. "You need to step outside and cool off, Sonny?"
Sonny forced himself calm. He couldn't afford to piss off Lawson—Sofia trusted the guy completely.
From then on, Lawson ran the show.
"Mr. Ricci, you don't seem scared at all."
Francis smiled thinly. "Does being scared change anything?"
"Fair point." Lawson nodded. "So you've got an ace up your sleeve. You moved the family's liquid cash and some assets into your own name, didn't you? That's why you're so cocky."
The room went dead silent.
Sonny and Rafferty stared at Lawson like he'd grown a second head.
"Mr. Lawson… is that true?"
Rafferty looked sick. The old soldier was close to retirement. If the family was broke, his pension was gone.
Francis's smirk finally slipped. "Sofia told you?"
"Sofia doesn't know yet. I got it out of Alberto, then watched you act like you still had cards to play. Piece of cake."
Francis threw his head back and laughed—genuine, delighted laughter.
"You're right. I moved most of the family's ready cash and a big chunk of the assets into accounts only I control."
Rafferty lunged. Sonny had to wrap him up in a bear hug.
"You piece of shit! You know what you did?!"
"Rafferty, calm the fuck down!"
Sonny kept the older man pinned while Lawson stared Francis down.
"Laugh all you want, Ricci. You're never spending that money. What's the point of the big show?"
Francis's smile froze.
He knew Lawson was right. He was never walking out of here alive.
Francis glared, eyes burning. "Bring Sofia to me. Otherwise I'm not saying another word."
Lawson raised an eyebrow. The guy was getting bold.
"Sonny, Rafferty—go get the lady."
The two men traded a look and left.
Five minutes later Sofia walked in alone, elegant and calm.
"Lawson, what's going on?"
The second she appeared, Francis's face twisted—hate, lust, and something almost like heartbreak all at once.
Lawson caught every micro-expression. Well, well. The consigliere's a simp.
"Sofia, Francis wanted to see you."
Francis's eyes bulged. "You call her Sofia? Just Sofia?"
"Problem?"
Sofia walked straight behind Lawson's chair and rested her hands on his shoulders, pressing her body lightly against the back of his head like the world's most perfect pillow.
They'd agreed on the signal. First-name basis in front of outsiders meant their relationship was on the table.
Francis lost his mind. He thrashed against the restraints, screaming.
"I'll kill you! I'll fucking kill you!"
Lawson patted Sofia's hand, then stood and pulled out the Taser.
"Want another taste, Ricci? Last time you pissed yourself."
Francis went still. Nobody wanted round two with that thing.
"You'll never get the money unless you let me leave the country!"
Lawson gave him a long, cold stare, then smiled.
"Bring the lady in and let's finish this."
Payday App – The Godmother
[Wealth Loss: 75% → Recovery path unlocked]
[Family Unity: 71%]
[Time until Old Martin's death: 68 hours remaining]
Lawson leaned back in the chair, Sofia's hands still on his shoulders.
The real game was just getting started.