Page 25 of Sexting the Don

A thought occurs to me, one only vaguely related to the matter at hand but one I want to know about, nonetheless.

I gesture toward the bar, and Sean nods.

“What’s the latest on Jimmy Charles?” I ask, stepping over to the bar to make his drink.

Sean chuckles darkly. “That lowlife piece of work? Why are you asking about a small fry like him?”

“I have my reasons.” I hand him his drink.

He shrugs. “He’s a shithead, through and through. The worst part of my job is dealing with guys like that. And the best part of yours is not having to.” He laughs, taking a sip of his drink. “Anyway, funny you should ask. He paid off a bit of what he owes today. Not nearly enough, but it’s something.”

I smirk, finding the irony almost too perfect. It’s almost certainly the money I gave Mandy this morning.

“Guess he found some generosity somewhere.”

Sean shakes his head. “Jimmy’s always been a slippery one. He always manages to get himself in deeper. If you ask me, he’s not cut out for our world. There's not a chance I’d ever convince him of that, though. Guys like him, they’ll bang their heads against the wall until they lose every last marble they got.” He takes another sip. “Anyway, he still owes me big.”

“Which means he owes me,” I add, my tone firm. “He doesn’t get to play games with my money.”

Sean nods in agreement. “His payment today barely touched the principal. Oh, and another thing, he’s been working for the Garadinos. They’re the ones feeding his habits, keeping him in debt.”

I narrow my eyes. “Seems like all my problems lead back to them these days. Are there still rumors about them moving in on our turf?”

Sean sighs, rubbing his chin. “Yeah, the whispers haven’t died down. They’re getting bolder, boss. We need to keep an eye onthem, especially if they’re behind Varela.”

I nod slowly, my mind racing through the implications. “We need to figure out what the Garadinos are planning and cut it off before it becomes a real problem.”

Sean’s eyes meet mine, a silent understanding passing between us.

“I’ll get my guys on it,” he says. “We’ll know their next move before they make it.”

“Anything else you learned about Jimmy?” I ask, the edge in my voice sharp.

Sean leans back, crossing his arms. “He’s a total lowlife, like I said. But I like to know about the guys who are in deep with me. The house is mortgaged to the hilt. They might lose it soon.”

I nod. “Not surprising.”

“His wife’s working multiple jobs, trying to keep them afloat,” Sean continues. “He treats her like shit. Same with the daughter.”

I grit my teeth, the anger bubbling up.

Sean shakes his head, his disgust evident. “It’s a wonder they’ve held on this long. But they’re running out of time. And options.”

“So, he’s desperate,” I muse. “Desperation makes people reckless. Dangerous.”

Sean nods. “Especially someone like Jimmy. He’s already a liability, and now he’s got nothing left to lose.”

“And the Garadinos are exploiting that,” I say, my mind working through the angles. “They see an opportunity.”

“They do,” Sean agrees. “And if they push him too far, he might do something stupid. More stupid than usual.”

“We need to use this. If Jimmy’s that far gone, he can be useful. But we need to control the situation.”

Sean’s eyes meet mine, a silent agreement. “We’ll keep him on a short leash. And we’ll find out exactly what the Garadinos are planning.”

“Good,” I say, a cold smile forming. “Let’s remind everyone who really controls this city.”

Sean smirks, leaning back in his chair. “I got to say, Jimmy’s got a hot daughter. She might be fun for a round.”

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