The Past Never Stays Where It Should
Chapter One
It was almost 7pm when Danny entered his girlfriend, Carmela's, building. As he put his key in the door of her penthouse apartment the events of the day replayed in his head. One sentence had been bouncing around his brain since it had left Sonny Sassone's mouth:
"He knows all about us and we know all about him."
Danny had managed to avoid Mac and Stella for the rest of the shift but they were going to want answers in the morning.
Danny entered the apartment to hear music coming from the kitchen. His sombre face brightened when he saw Carmela swinging her hips and miming along with the CD while stirring a pot on the stove.
"Hey baby!" the short brunette grinned when she spotted him leaning against the doorframe with his hands in his trouser pockets.
"Hey. Havin' fun?" he asked with a weak smile.
"Always", her grin grew, "Dinner'll be ready in 10."
"Okay. I'm just gonna jump in the shower", he said before jogging up the stairs.
Ten minutes later and Danny returned downstairs dressed in loose fitting jeans and a white short-sleeved t-shirt. He stopped at the kitchen door again and watched Carmela as she continued to bounce around to the music. He smiled as he took her in. Her black tank top sat just above her bejewelled bellybutton and her low slung khaki cargo pants revealed the rose tattoo on her left hip. Her curly chocolate brown hair was pulled away from her face in a messy bun with shorter strands framing her face. The only jewellery she wore was her father's silver St. Christopher chain and the silver promise ring that Danny had given her in high school was on her right ring finger. He entered the kitchen just as Carmela was serving the food and they ate dinner together.
During dinner Carmela noticed something wasn't right about Danny but she decided to let it go. Sometimes he had a hard day at work; it couldn't be easy having to deal with the things he saw on a daily basis. All she could do was make sure he kept his mind off of it when he was at home.
Later that night Carmela lay on the sofa with her head on Danny's lap. A Yankees game was on the TV but neither of them were paying much attention to it. Danny ran his fingers through Carmela's silky hair.
"Do you remember Sonny Sassone?" he asked.
Carmela shot up, "From the Tanglewood Boys?" she asked, uneasily.
"Yeah", Danny replied, not meeting her green eyes with his blue ones.
"Of course I remember him. Why?"
"He was responsible for the murder of a wannabe last night." Danny sighed as he stood up.
"Was it your case? Did he see you?" Carmela asked, becoming more and more anxious.
"Mac and Stella investigated it. Sonny didn't see me but he knows I work with them. He told Mac that he should ask me about the odds on him getting sent down and that I knew all about them and they knew all about me", Danny finished with a sigh.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Carmela asked.
"I have no idea", Danny said as he sat back down on the sofa and put his head in his hands, "I've not spoken to Mac or Stella since but they're gonna want answers in the morning."
"Why don't you just tell Mac what happened. He might be able to help."
Danny looked at her, "What am I gonna say? By the way Mac everything I said yesterday was a lie, I really was involved with the gang I told you I had nothing to do with?"
"Explain it to him. He might understand", she pleaded.
"No way Carmela. Mac handpicked me for his team. I can't just tell him I lied to his face about something as huge as this", he raised his voice slightly.
"What are you gonna do then Danny? Let the Tanglewood Boys into our lives again?" Carmela stood up, "You know we can't do that."
"I don't know what to do Carmela!" he said loudly.
"Tell Mac. He'll listen – "
"No. I can't do that. He'll never trust me again!" he yelled, something Danny had never done in all the years he and Carmela had been together.
"So you'd prefer a bullet in your head?" Carmela almost whispered, her voice dripping in hurt. She ran up the stairs and slammed the bedroom door behind her.