The Dogfather

protect each other because in some ways they see each other as one and the same, and for the same reason, they’ll watch out for me. But they’re malamutes. They’re never going to act like mastiffs or Dobermans or shepherds... or even like Anthony. Almost all the time, they love everyone, and they don’t pretend otherwise.”
    “So Joey’s here with two big dogs. These dogs, they look tough. And they’re acting nice to Joey. And you don’t know them and maybe you don’t know Joey. And you see Joey and the dogs. What’re you going to think?” Carla answered. “Jesus! That they’re Joey’s dogs.”
    “If you’re a stranger,” I said, “you assume they’d defend him. Dogs this big and this tough can take bullets and keep going. And there are two dogs.”
    “This name I been hunting for,” Guarini said. “It’s the name of someone who knows something about dogs.”
    “It’d’ve been just like Blackie Lanigan to throw the dogs a bone,” Favuzza said.
    “How would he have known they weren’t Joey’s? How would he have known about my dogs?” I asked. “My particular dogs. I know this breed pretty well. Not every malamute is like mine. But every malamute has powerful jaws. I wouldn’t take a chance with a malamute I didn’t know.”
    “What else?” Guarini asked.
    “Food,” I answered. “Beef bones would be worth a try with most dogs and most breeds, but with Rowdy and Kimi, the bones were a guarantee of quiet, happy dogs.”
    “This name I been looking for,” Guarini said, “I put the word out that I wanted the name. What I wanted was, I wanted to be wrong. I didn’t want it to be one of the family. I didn’t want it to be the name of one of you.”
     

CHAPTER 29
     
    Never take the word of a Mob boss. What Guarini staged wasn’t a reenactment of Joey Cortiniglia’s murder but a lineup of suspects before the only eyewitnesses to the crime, namely, Rowdy and Kimi. As a dog professional, I must comment that Guarini did an admirable job of seeing the killing from the dogs’ point of view. He ignored the shooting to focus exclusively on the delectable beef bones that had been presented to my ever-ravenous dogs.
    “We’re going to reenact a little something here,” said Guarini, referring, as I’ve just explained, to the dog-memorable event of the night Joey was slain rather than to the shooting itself. “Miss Winter here and me and Frey are over in front of the mall, and Zap, you, you’re driving around like I told you.” Guarini stared at Zap. “Maybe you are. We’re going to find out.” Pointing at Zap, Guarini said, “You knew what Joey was delivering to me. Did you get greedy? And with Joey out of the way, there’s more room for you to move up in the business. So, you see this van here? You’re going to move ten feet in front of it. Turn your back to it. And stay there.”
    Zap obeyed. “Move to the right,” Guarini directed.
    “That’s your left, you moron,” Favuzza said. “Anyways it was Blackie Lanigan.”
    Ignoring him, Guarini turned to the monster twins, Tommy and Timmy Bellano. “You two. Same applies to you. Greed’s an awful thing. And like Miss Winter just said about her dogs, there are two of you. You’re out patrolling the perimeter.” Guarini swung his walking stick in an arc. “Maybe. Go stand next to Zap. Stand just like him.”
    When the Bellanos had taken their places in line, Guarini turned to Al Favuzza. “Joey, he loves you like a brother, Al. He respects you. He knows he’s not as smart as you. For you, it’s easy. Joey trusts you. He does anything you tell him to do. I don't know what could’ve made you betray Joey. But you’re walking around keeping an eye out. You’re right nearby.” Guarini pointed to Zap and the twins. “Get in line, Al.” And Al did.
    Guarini’s manner changed when he addressed Carla. With a courtly tip of his hat, he said, “Carla, my dear.”
    “Me?” Carla said. “Me?” In my ears, but probably not in Guarini’s, she sounded startlingly like Miss Piggy: Mot?
    “You got a taste for the finer things,” Guarini said.
    From the lineup, his back still turned, Favuzza butted in. “Yeah, Carla, you’re doing okay for yourself. Better than you’d ever would’ve done with Joey.”
    “Shut up, you goddamned vampire!” she shrieked. “I didn’t know these dogs.”
    “You sure as shit knew they weren’t Joey’s, you cock-sucking little bitch,” Al replied.
    Guarini listened to the