House initiates not one but two plots in this chapter.

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Chapter 113.

As I talked to Julio and realized he hadn't learned anything to incriminate Carlo Molino, a new plan formed in my mind. The only way to prove Molino's role in everything was to bring him to New Jersey and face him directly. "Is there any chance that Carlo is planning a trip here in the near future?"

Julio shrugged. "I don't think so, but I don't know anything about his plans. He does have businesses here, like the car shop."

"If you sent him a message, telling him that you'll need his help if you're going to get revenge for him against the Locarnos, would he come?"

Julio scratched his ear. "He'd probably send Giancarlo."

"Who's that?"

"His right hand man." Julio's mouth twisted into a grimace. "I guess here you'd call him the muscle."

I looked at Wilson to see whether he was paying attention to the conversation. He was riveted.

"Doesn't Molino ever come here to inspect his interests?" I asked.

"Maybe once a year. No more than that. He has too many other businesses back in Palermo."

I remembered something else that I'd wanted to ask him about. This was the perfect time. "If Francesca fled to the states, why is there a picture of her on the wall of one of her husband's auto shops? I understand she was friendly with the manager."

Julio shook his head. "Not the shop where I worked."

"No, the other one. That's where Ricky saw her." I watched his face.

His dark eyes narrowed. "You're sure?"

"The picture of her is still there."

"How do you know what she looks like?" He sighed deeply. "Looked, I mean. Sometimes I still have a hard time believing she's gone."

"There was a picture of her in your apartment. A woman in a wedding gown."

"Yes, that was my cousin."

"You can come with us to the shop in Trenton, but I'm sure the woman in the picture there was the same one."

He shook his head, as if to force what I'd told him to make more sense. Compressing his lips, he swallowed. "So you want me to lure Carlo to New Jersey."

I nodded. "He still wants you to complete the mission he sent you on, doesn't he?" That was clear from the messages that were on his answering machine when he was in the hospital.

"Yes. I don't know how I can, though. I mean, how could I hurt anyone in Tina's family?"

"Especially now that you know they weren't responsible for Francesca's death."

He nodded slowly, looking down at the tops of his leather loafers.

"Perhaps you can tell him you don't know which of the Locarnos to target." Wilson threw in his two cents. That's about all his idea was worth.

"No, he already told me to go after Ricky and Marcello."

"Both? Whatever happened to 'an eye for an eye'?" I asked.

"Carlo's Sicilian." Julio snickered. "He tends to go overboard."

"There has to be something that will lure him here." I leaned against the wall, tapping my cane on the floor. "Besides Francesca, what else does he care about?"

"His empire, all the businesses he controls."

I nodded. "So if something happened to the car shops, he'd come to investigate?"

"I guess. If he didn't trust one of his people here to take care of it." Julio tapped a pen on the desk. "But what could happen to them? It would have to be major."

"Maybe a problem with the laws of New Jersey, or maybe a series of robberies." Wilson nodded. "I agree it'll have to be something major."

"What's the worse thing that could happen at a place like that?" I challenged.

Julio didn't hesitate. "A fire."

"That's probably true, but it's also dangerous. Someone could get hurt." Leave it to Wilson to worry about that.

"What if he found out that someone was embezzling from him?"

"You're going to frame someone?" Wilson's eyes narrowed.

"Carlo always said that he never wanted to hear that he was losing business to someone else."

"Who are his competitors in this area?" I wondered aloud.

But none of us knew. It would take some research. I was sure we'd eventually find someone, but we didn't have that kind of time. "OK, how would you like to go into the auto detailing business?"

"Me?" Julio pointed to his chest as his forehead creased.

"You've had some experience, but no, I think it'll have to be in another name. Molino won't be threatened if he thinks you're behind it. We're going to need some help with this, and I think I know exactly who would be the perfect person."

"Who?"

"Ricky Locarno."

I knew exactly when light dawned for Julio. A grin spread across his face. "It's even logical for a former racer to open a performance shop. And I bet he knows of the perfect properties to set one up."

"The only hitch will be to convince him to do it." I drummed my fingers on the desk.

Wilson stood straighter and motioned downward with his palms. "Whoa. Is he actually going to open a shop or are you going to plant stories that he's planning to?" He had a point, one worth considering.

So I considered it. "We have to make it look real, even if it doesn't happen."

"And for that we'll need Ricky's cooperation. I think Tina can help." Julio smiled at the thought.

"But would she be willing to?" I asked.

Julio grinned. I'd never seen such a wolfish look on his face. So, things were heating up between them, and why not? They were both young, good-looking and bright. "I think I can talk her into it."

Luca returned from wherever he'd been, cutting our conversation short.

"I'll call you once I've talked to Tina," Julio said.

Wilson and I nodded and left. We had a plan to lure Molino to the states, but it needed some details ironed out. It was as much as I could hope for.

Bertoli caught us before we left. "Did you and Julio have a good conversation?"

"Yes we did."

"Thanks again for lunch." Wilson was always more polite than I was. "We have to go back to the hospital."

"Of course. I hope to see you both again soon." He held the door open for us and we left.

"Do you really think your plan will work?" he asked as we drove back to PPTH.

"Oh, ye of little faith."

"It depends on the cooperation of too many people."

"The Locarnos will go along with it." I grinned at him. "I've got a secret weapon."

"You do?"

I wasn't ready to share it with him, but it was enough to convince me this would happen. "Trust me."

"When have I heard that before?"

"Haven't I always been right."

"Well, most of the time." We'd reached the hospital but didn't even make it to our offices before we were accosted by she who thinks she's the boss of me.

"Where have the two of you been?"

Wilson immediately returned her serious look. "Why? Is there some kind of crisis?"

"Well, no," Cuddy admitted. "But you two are the only ones I could vent to. There's been an attempt at a hostile takeover of the hospital."

"You've got an entire board to share this with. Why us?" I pushed past her to the elevator.

"House, this is serious."

I pressed the button and turned to face her while I waited for the elevator. "And?"

"The board won't be able to come up with a way to get around this, but you can."

"I don't know what you think I can do."

"You can talk to your girlfriend."

"What does Jess have to do with it?" Now I was really confused.

"It's her damn father who's trying to take over this place."

I kept my mouth and eyes from betraying my surprise, but Wilson wasn't as good an actor. "What does Peter Giordano know about running a hospital?"

"Exactly. That's my point." She stood there, hands on hips, waiting for me to speak.

"Relax. I think it's part of his plan to convince his daughters that he's a good guy." To me that seemed the most logical motivation behind this sudden move.

"After all he's done to them in the past?" Wilson frowned. "It would take more than running a hospital to do that."

"But if it's a hospital where you and I work, and he knows that his daughters are dating us, or at least that Jess and I are together..."

"It'll depend on what he has in mind for the hospital." Wilson's narrowed eyes showed he wasn't convinced.

"Why don't we ask him?" I grinned as wolfishly as I could, taking out my phone and calling the man.

He picked up on the second ring. "Hello?"

"Mr. Giordano, I understand you're interested in investing in the hospital where I work."

"Word gets around fast in this town." His tone was strangely neutral.

"I hope this means I have my job for life."

I think that took him by surprise, although I had no idea what he expected me to say. His voice sounded more tentative when he finally spoke. "I understand you're one of the best doctors there. Your skill and ability to bring in patients is an asset to the hospital."

"You'll tell the administrator that, won't you?" I looked at Cuddy who watched me with a frown on her face. "She doesn't always appreciate my abilities."

"If I'm successful in my bid, I will definitely have a word or two with Dr. Cuddy."

"I'll hold you to that."