Checking his reflection in the mirror, Tony grimaced at the feeling of déjà vu. He promised himself when he got home he wasn't wearing a suit for at least a week. Casual would be the order of the day.
He straightened his cuffs. The emerald green of his silk shirt was a striking contrast to the dove gray Armani suit coat and pants. Tony had packed the outfit on Abby's recommendation.
"It's a power suit for you, Tony," she'd told him with authority. She'd even picked out the matching gray tie with green stripes.
He could feel Gibbs watching him. Tony turned and offered the older man a smile. "I'm okay."
Gibbs nodded even though he didn't look like he actually believed Tony. The fact that he hadn't slept well and refused breakfast weren't helping his case, Tony was sure. But the thought of eating now just made his stomach clench. Better to go without than puke at an inopportune moment.
Tony's eye darted toward the door when he heard a soft knock. He glanced at his watch. "That's probably Vinnie."
"I'll get it." Gibbs made a stay motion with one hand.
Tony shot a look of fond exasperation at Gibbs' back. It wasn't like he couldn't take care of himself. He had been doing it for years. Still…Tony couldn't deny the warm rush it gave him every time Gibbs made it obvious he was looking out for him.
Gibbs checked the peep hole and then opened the door, keeping it between him and whoever was outside. Tony knew Gibbs stance was not a real indication of danger on the other side of the door. It was habit; just like their carrying their guns at all times.
Vinnie nodded to Gibbs as he walked in. Tony whistled as he looked over his long time friend. "Nice."
Vinnie grinned and did a little pirouette, showing off his deep blue suit. The color complimented his dark hair and light olive complexion his mother's Italian heritage had given to him. And it had obviously been tailored to fit.
"If you'd worn that yesterday, they wouldn't have thought you were scum," Tony pointed out with a small laugh.
Vinnie frowned. "Common courtesy should not be dependant on what one is wearing."
"Your mother told you that."
"She did." Vinnie smiled brightly before pointing a finger at Tony. "Doesn't make it any less true."
True or not, Tony knew appearances mattered. It was the reason he was wearing the Armani today. It was likely the main reason Vinnie was in Saint Laurent when any other suit would have worked. Even Gibbs had opted for the Pierre Cardin suit Tony had talked him into buying. The basic black was too good a look for Gibbs for Tony to let him pass on it. It had been worth listening to him bitch for an hour about the cost just to see him in it.
"You ready?" Vinnie asked quietly, golden brown eyes studying him closely.
"Not really." Tony shook his head. "But it's not like I have a choice."
"Sure you do." Vinnie countered, expression serious. "I am your official representative. I could legally do this without you."
Tony was tempted by the offer but shook his head. "Wouldn't send you into the lion's den alone."
Vinnie pulled him into a quick hug. "And you aren't going alone either."
"Thanks." Tony whispered. It wasn't like he had ever thought he was alone, but it was nice to have confirmation just the same.
"Hey…I've been waiting for years to get a glimpse of your messed up family." Vinne stepped back, grinning. "They should make mine look positively ordinary."
Tony laughed. "I don't think that's possible."
"You only say that because you've met my family." Vinnie looked at Gibbs who had moved to stand next to Tony. "You ready for this, Jethro?"
Gibbs nodded. "I am."
"Good." Vinnie raised a hand. "Couple of ground rules before we go." He gave both of them a pointed look. "Once we are in that room, I do all the talking. If there is something that needs said, I'll be the one to say it. You keep your mouths shut until I tell you otherwise. Capisci?"
Tony felt Gibbs stiffen, and he didn't even have to look at the older man to know what his expression would be. Gibbs was far more used to giving orders than taking them, but that didn't mean he couldn't let someone else be in charge when necessary. The former Marine nodded, accepting Vinnie's restriction.
"This is going to be like playing poker." Vinnie reached out and straightened Tony's already perfectly straight tie. "They only need to know what we want them to know, when we want them to know it, and not one second before."
Vinnie patted Tony's jacket, smoothing out non-existent wrinkles. Tony stifled the urge to giggle when Vinnie neatly stepped in front of Gibbs, adjusting his tie and smoothing his jacket as well. That Gibbs allowed it was something else Tony found both surprising and amusing. He never thought he'd see that in a million years. But then Vinnie's ability to face down practically anyone and act as if getting his way was a foregone conclusion was one of the reasons he made such a damn good attorney in the first place.
"No losing your temper and going off half cocked…either of you." Vinnie looked at Tony before once more making eye contact with Gibbs. "I know it will be tempting… believe me, I know, but I need you to let do my job. Killing anyone will make that harder to do. Not impossible mind you, but definitely harder. And I'd rather do this the easy way."
"Not impossible?" Gibbs asked, raising an eyebrow, a smile lurking in his eyes.
"Definition of justifiable homicide is a little looser these days." Vinnie winked at him. "But I'd still rather not have to defend you in court. In my line of work, I prefer the bloodshed to be metaphorical, not something I actually need a mop and bucket to clean up."
"What if I just maim?" Gibbs' grin was feral. "And don't spill any blood?"
"Maiming…bloodless…" Vinnie made a show of thinking about it, eyes sparkling. "Definitely easier to work out. Just try and save that for when there are fewer witnesses."
"Do not encourage him." Tony smiled in spite of himself feeling more relaxed than he had before Vinnie's arrival.
Vinnie grinned. "We ready then?"
Gibbs nodded firmly. "Let's do this."
Tony could feel his expression morphing into his game face. It felt odd to wear it outside of work. And he would have felt self-conscious if he hadn't seen Vinnie and Gibbs doing the same thing. In Vinnie's case that meant he looked friendly enough but not someone who would be easily swayed. Gibbs just looked like pissing him off would be a really bad idea—it was the face he usually had on when going into an interrogation.
The valet must have been keeping an eye out for Vinnie because they didn't have to wait long for a midnight blue BMW to be brought around. Of his frat brothers, Vinnie was the only one who placed the same emphasis on having a car with style that Tony did. Vinnie had been just as heartbroken as Tony was when his classic car was totaled.
Tony elected to sit in the back. There was less leg room, but he wasn't going to fight Gibbs for the front seat. And he wanted a little space to himself. While he appreciated Gibbs' being nearby, he wasn't used to the near constant attention he'd been getting for the past few days.
Tony leaned back and closed his eyes. He tried to imagine inhaling the silence, absorbing it and letting it settle into his bones. He pictured exhaling his insecurities, worries and fears so all that was left behind was quiet confidence. He used to do this sort of meditation before joining NCIS, back when he went undercover for more than a few days at a time or he wasn't sure he could rely on his back up if a situation got hairy.
Tony didn't open his eyes until Vinnie parked the car. Vinnie probably thought he was sleeping, but Gibbs always seemed to know when he meditating. Tony wasn't sure he wanted to know how Gibbs knew.
Tony glanced around. He didn't recognize the location, but he hadn't really expected to. Until Vinnie mentioned Joseph Litiz yesterday, Tony had never heard of the man.
Vinnie's BMW looked right at home with the Lincolns and Cadillacs filling the lot. The custom color was the only thing that made the Beamer stand out, which was likely one reason Vinnie had selected it.
Tony got out of the car. He kept pace with Gibbs as they went up the stairs to the front door, letting Vinnie lead. It was a huge relief to know he didn't actually have to do anything. This was Vinnie's show.
Tony suppressed the urge to roll his eyes at the opulence of the front entry. Everything from the furniture to the lighting had obviously been done with the intent to impress Litiz's clients with his success. It was a not so subtle way of saying he was worth the small fortune he was charging for his services.
They stopped in front of the receptionist. She appeared to be closer to Gibbs' age than Tony's and smiled at them.
"May I help you?"
"We're here for the DiNozzo will reading," Vinnie told her.
She nodded, flipping through a small sheaf of papers in front of her. "And you are?"
"Attorney Shaunassey and my associate Gibbs." Vinnie waved a hand toward Tony. "We are representing Anthony DiNozzo Jr."
She looked up from where she was scanning a short list. Reading upside down, Tony saw it was the same list Vinnie had with him yesterday. At least there shouldn't be any surprises.
She frowned. "I wasn't aware Mr. DiNozzo would have more than one legal representative."
"I wasn't aware there would be a restriction on my client having all the representation he felt necessary," Vinnie told her with a smile.
Tony knew Vinnie had purposefully phrased his statement to make it sound as though she were trying to deny him a right to counsel. His friend had always been good at subtle implications…and not so subtle when the situation called for it.
Vinnie looked pointedly at his watch while the receptionist struggled to figure out how to respond to him. "The reading is scheduled to begin soon." He smiled politely at her again. "We really don't want to be the ones to delay the proceedings. Everyone else is present, yes?"
"Yes." She cleared her throat, standing. "If you'll follow me."
"Certainly." Vinnie's smile warmed considerably, and she blushed in response.
Gibbs rolled his eyes. Personally, Tony thought his boss could learn a thing or two about taking a soft approach to getting what he wanted. But then the hard line way Gibbs did things got results too…he just usually left more pissed off people in his wake than Vinnie did.
The receptionist led them to what Tony assumed was a boardroom. The heavy, solid core doors with brass knobs looked too pompous to be anything else. That and if every one on the list brought at least one attorney, a boardroom would be the only place big enough to house them all.
She knocked once before opening the door. "Anthony DiNozzo Jr., Sir and his representatives."
"Send them in, Carol."
She opened the door wider in an obvious invitation. Vinnie dipped his head, thanking her. Tony did likewise, giving her a small smile. Gibbs just strode into the room.
A man who looked to be a little younger than Ducky approached them. He ignored Gibbs and Vinnie both, holding out a hand to Tony. "I'm Joseph Litiz, your father's attorney."
Tony shook his hand as a matter of form. "Tony DiNozzo." He gestured toward Vinnie and Gibbs. "And my representatives. Gibbs and Shaunassey."
"Call me Vinnie, please." Vinnie smiled, holding out his hand. Litiz shook it, eyeing the younger man as though trying to place him.
"You're with the Carterson firm?"
"I am."
Litiz nodded, looking impressed. And well he should, Tony thought. The Carterson firm had made a name for itself in New York City.
Litiz raised an eyebrow, adjusting his nez pierce glasses. "I wasn't aware they handled civil matters."
"On occasion we do….for the right client." Vinnie smiled, not quite baring his teeth but there was definitely an edge to his expression.
Carterson was better known for its criminal work and represented several big name clients often working closely with the district attorney's office. Tony knew this sort of civil thing wasn't Vinnie's specialty. But he wanted someone he trusted to navigate his minefield of a family, and knew his friend wouldn't leave him wanting.
Mr. Litiz nodded, stepping back. He offered his hand to Gibbs. Gibbs ignored him, blue eyes scanning the room and people already seated at the table.
Gibbs stepped forward to one of the open chairs and pulled it out. He looked at Tony. Tony bit the inside of his cheek to keep from saying the first thing that came to mind. Teasing Gibbs now wasn't a good idea, certainly not in front of this audience.
Instead, he simply sat down. Gibbs sat at his left, Vinnie took a seat on his right. They pulled their chairs back up to the table in unison.
Tony hadn't overlooked that Gibbs' seat put him directly across the table from Gabriel. He was sure that was deliberate. The narrowed eyed gaze that Gibbs locked on Gabriel signaled the former Marine's willingness to continue yesterday's confrontation. Tony was amused to see his uncle shift uneasily under the weight of Gibbs' stare.
The man on Gabriel's left looked vaguely familiar to Tony. He couldn't place him, but figured it was safe to assume he was Gabriel's attorney. He was probably someone Tony had encountered as some family gathering he'd been forced to attend as a child.
Next to him sat Gabriel's oldest son, Carmen. Like his younger brother, Danny, Carmen looked a lot like his father. Carmen was only two years older than Tony, but if he hadn't known that Tony would have put him closer to ten years older. The premature gray at his temples and lines of stress aged him considerably. Seeing him made Tony very glad he he'd never wanted to be involved with the family business.
One seat away from Carmen sat another cousin. This one was from his mother's side and Tony really knew him only by name, Andrew Parducci. According to Andrea, Tony's father had been grooming Andrew to take his place within the company. The man gave Tony a smug, dismissive glance. Tony returned the look with a smirk of his own, green eyes hard and calculating as they measured the younger man. If Andrew thought he'd taken something away from Tony he was sadly mistaken.
The seat Gibbs selected put him between Tony and the other members of his family sitting on the same side of the table, and ensured an open seat between them as well. His Aunt Anna and Maria sat next to one another. Tony assumed the unfamiliar severe looking woman in a sharp looking pinstripe navy blue suit on their far right was their attorney. Probably from the usual firm the family used.
Across the table from Vinnie sat Tony's step mother, Monique. Her attorney was a young man that would have looked right at home on the cover of GQ. Assuming his step mother was still acting true to form, she'd picked him more for his appearance than skill or knowledge. That didn't preclude him from being capable, but Tony was fairly confident the guy was more interested in sleeping with Monique than anything else.
At the far end of the table sat a lovely young woman Tony assumed was Sandra DuPre. She was the only one who looked obviously uncomfortable, her fingers playing with the bracelet on her right wrist. Long artificial nails were painted a blood red that clashed slightly with her tight burgundy blouse.
She certainly fit his father's type when it came to mistresses: barely legal age, blonde, and beautiful. It wouldn't have surprised Tony at all if she mentioned working in a strip club at one point. Those had been trolling grounds for his father for years.
She sent an anxious glance toward Gabriel. Tony wondered if his uncle had said something to scare her. Knowing him, it was certainly possible.
Litiz sat down at the head of the table. He tapped a sheaf of papers against the polished wood, unnecessarily evening out the already ordered stack. "Since everyone is present, if there are no objections, I'd like to begin."
Tony wasn't surprised no one objected. He was fairly confident the others didn't want to be here any more than he did…not really. They wanted their piece of the pie but didn't care to linger over the formality. In some ways Tony was honestly surprised they hadn't tried to schedule reading the will before the funeral. But then appearances and form counted. And Litiz looked to be old school enough to not permit the reading to take place before his client had been properly buried.
Tony wasn't surprised that the will addressed business matters first. The company was a dominating force in his father's life. It was of primary concern to at least Gabriel, Maria, Carmen and Andrew. Tony doubted Anna, Sandra or Monique actually cared any more than he did, except for what money it might give them.
"With regard to my shares in DiNozzo Enterprises, to my brother, Gabriel, I bequeath—"
Tony tuned out the number of shares and what not related to the company. He couldn't care less. Watching Gabriel's face he knew his uncle was pleased with what he was getting….at least until he heard what Maria was being given.
When Michael DiNozzo had stepped down as company president he'd essentially given three of his four children equal shares in the company. They each held 22%, with various board members holding the remaining interest. What Tony's father had given Maria essentially gave her controlling interest, by only 2%, but it would still be enough for her to call the shots from here on out---assuming she had allies on the board, and Tony knew she had those already well in hand. The remaining shares were divided among Carmen and Andrew, enough to make them full fledged members of the board, but not enough to really give them the sort of clout either one had obviously been expecting.
Tony could see Gibbs watching Gabriel and Maria, Carmen and Andrew. He could probably tell which one of them was about to lose control. If it were just him and Vinnie in the room, Tony might have offered odds and taken a bet on it.
Tony's money would be on Andrew. The younger man had the least experience, and looked the most shocked by the news. Tony sighed silently disappointed for having called it wrong when it was Carmen spoke first.
"That can't be right." Carmen hissed, his expression outraged.
"I assure you, Mr. DiNozzo, this is was my client clearly stipulated—"
"Bull--"
"Carmen." The sharp reprimand came not from Gabriel but Anna. She took him down several pegs with just a measuring look from her hazel eyes. A formidable woman in her own right, Tony thought, feeling more respect for her than he had in years. She had to have had some serious strength of character to have defied her father's wishes and run off to live in Italy. "Before you begin your protests it would be best to allow Mr. Litiz to finish reading the rest of the will."
Anna had no interested in the company, but Tony's father had substantial personal assets. She was only keeping Carmen from doing anything until she knew what she might stand to lose.
Litiz cleared his throat. "If I may continue then?"
"You may." Anna tipped her head in a regal fashion.
Tony stifled the urge to roll his eyes, but traded an amused look with Vinnie. They'd both encountered people with an overblown sense of self importance before, but his family certainly was in a class all of their own.
To Tony's surprise, his father hadn't left Anna anything. Instead sizeable trust funds had been established for each of her children. She seemed pleased with that. Or at least, not unhappy.
More money was bequeathed in the form of trusts to Gabriel's other children. Tony wondered if Danny would be pleased to know his college education wouldn't cost him anything. Not that it was likely costing him anything now. Maybe he'd use the money to escape the clutches of his family, but Tony doubted that. He decided not to think about it.
Monique got the house on Long Island. She also got the vacation home in Hilton Head. And more than enough money to live on even if she didn't manage wisely, which she likely wouldn't.
She looked pleased, smiling like a cat that ate the canary, until Litiz got to what was being left to Sandra. It probably didn't help matters that his father had chosen to identify Sandra as his lover. No one ever said his father was ever tactful when it came to family.
Anthony DiNozzo Sr. left Sandra a million dollars. It was a pittance in comparison to what he'd given his siblings' children, but it was a not so subtle insult to his wife….and possibly to Sandra if her expression was anything to go by. She probably expected a much better pay off. Her fingers clenched into fists, but to her credit she kept her mouth shut.
"And finally to my children…"
Both Tony's eyebrows climbed upward. He could feel Vinnie and Gibbs both tense beside him. Children? As in plural? He wouldn't have put it passed his old man to have a bastard or two out there. The man slept with a lot of woman over the years, and Tony doubted it occurred to the arrogant son of a bitch to ever consider wearing a condom. For him to acknowledge another child now was…interesting.
It got even more interesting when reference was made the fact that Tony's brother or sister hadn't been born yet and the need for a paternity test to confirm the father. Monique wasn't pregnant. Tony was sure of that, which meant it had to be Sandra.
Virtually everyone reached the same conclusion at the same time, and they all turned to look at her. She lifted her chin, smirking at Monique and then giving Gabriel a sly, spiteful look. Tony was willing to bet she'd slept with him too based on that expression alone. She probably had before sleeping with Anthony, and mostly likely because Gabriel dumped her in his usual abrupt fashion. Why she would see that as getting even was anyone's guess. But her timing was impeccable. It had, after all, gotten her a seat at the table.
"Yeah, that's right." The sneer she sported made Tony wonder why he'd thought her attractive at all. "I'm pregnant with the old man's bastard."
"It does not appear my brother was confident your claim is entirely valid," Maria spoke quietly, arching one eyebrow. "The will bears a stipulation for proof."
"Oh it's his alright."
"No funds will be dispersed for the child's care to maturity or education until paternity is proven," Litiz said calmly. The amount mentioned to be given to this child was double what had been left to various nieces and nephews.
And was a damn sight more than Tony's father saw fit to leave him. $250,000 had obviously been intended as an insult. And it would have been in light of what everyone else had received…if Tony actually gave a damn about any of it.
Sandra's gaze narrowed as she looked at Litiz. "I will not endanger my child's life with any tests until after it's born."
"Yes, the child's health being your primary concern…and not the added clause that allows you to live in the Manhattan apartment receiving the best medical care until a test confirms the father." Monique's voice was dry and mocking, malice underlying every word.
The bickering escalated from there. For the most part Tony simply watched it all, letting them hurtle insults at one another, amazed on some level by how spiteful they were capable of being. It was…educational to say the least.
He had expected some hostility, but thought it would be expressed in a more restrained way than this. Something led by the attorneys filled with legal threats and lawsuits. It was starting to make Tony feel decidedly uneasy. And judging by the way Vinnie was watching everyone, he was equally unnerved by the growing chaos.
Carmen snarled something at Andrew, and if looks could kill Andrew would have been a pile of ash. Andrew for his part was glaring daggers back at his cousin, hissing something equally hostile. Monique seemed ready to sharpen her nails on Sandra, referring to her as little more than a gold digging whore who wouldn't see a dime of DiNozzo money. Sandra for her part seemed equally willing to take her on telling her she was no better, spreading her legs for anything that moved. Anna watched it all with distain, probably wishing she'd stayed in Italy. Gabriel told Maria that she would never have control of the company. Maria shot back she'd been in control for years while her brothers indulged themselves with drugs, booze and women.
Gabriel stood up and Tony instinctively pushed his chair back, recognizing the rage he saw in his uncle's eyes and the danger it presented. It was then that Gibbs stood up and slammed both hands on the table, effectively silencing the entire room and drawing everyone's gaze to him as icy blue eyes pinned them in place.
"That is ENOUGH!"
"My colleague is right." Vinnie stood as well, laying a restraining hand on Gibbs' arm. "This legal proceeding degenerating into a circus and not something we, or our client, care to continue participating in."
Tony stood, moving to step behind Gibbs. He wasn't using Gibbs as a shield as much as he was taking his usual position, backing his boss' play. He kept a wary eye on everyone, hand not quite on his weapon but close to it.
"I'll leave my contact information with your secretary, Mr. Lititz. When you've managed to resolve this…this…" Vinnie looked around the room, disappointment and dismay dominating his expression, which Tony knew wasn't entirely for show. "This cluster fuck into something resembling an organized dissolution of property, just let me know."
They stepped back in obvious preparation to leave when Maria halted him with a simple request to wait.
"Ma'am?" Tony kept his tone polite, more than ready to just walk away.
Her gaze rested on Tony. "Anthony—"
"Tony," he corrected her sharply.
"Tony," she conceded with a nod. "You have voiced no objection to the will."
Tony arched an eyebrow. "Would you have heard me if I had?"
He shook his head, damn glad he'd walked away from these people years ago. "I don't have a dog in this fight. And honestly," he looked at each one, measuring them and dismissing each in turn, "I don't want one. If I never see any of you again, it'll be too damn soon." He looked at Litiz. "Mr. Shaunassey has full authority to speak on my behalf. Contact him if you need anything from me."
Maria started to ask another question but Gibbs neatly cut her off. "Direct contact from any of you with Tony DiNozzo will be considered a hostile action." Blue eyes snapped fire as they raked everyone in the room once more. "You can expect an appropriate response in that event."
"Is that a threat?" Gabriel asked defiantly.
"More like a promise."
Tony was impressed by how much malevolence Gibbs could inject into that simple statement. He managed not to smirk when he saw Gabriel discreetly rub his wrist. Checkmate.
He walked out of the room, and didn't look back. Gibbs and Vinnie flanked him. He paused only long enough for Vinnie to leave business card with the secretary.
Gibbs got in the back seat with him when they got to Vinnie's car. He offered Tony a piece of candy but his hands were shaking so badly he couldn't open it.
"Tony?"
"I'm okay." Tony handed the candy back to him. "Just—"
"I know." Gibbs nodded and opened the candy for him. Tony was grateful he didn't have to explain. Not eating breakfast, being so worried about this confrontation and then having it end in such an anticlimactic fashion left him reeling a bit in the aftermath.
"You want me to stop somewhere to get something to eat?" Vinnie asked, concerned eyes meeting his in the review mirror. He knew as well as Gibbs how Tony could get when he didn't eat.
"Would rather just have room service at the hotel." Tony preferred the privacy it afforded, especially after meeting with his family. They had use of the room until their flight out tonight. Not having to check out at noon was a concession the hotel had made in deference to the DiNozzo name. There was really no reason not to make the most of it. And they could debrief in private there.
"Hotel it is."
Author's Chapter Notes:
the reading of the will