Page 27 of Labria

I would vote for, kill him. But we weren’t voting, so I had to keep that to myself.

Nicco picked up his cell from his desk. He sent a text message to someone. Cenzo took a seat on the couch that faced the two chairs in front of Nicco’s desk. Nicco sat behind his desk and I went back to my gruff mafia position of standing behind him. There was more business to conduct.

Chapter Nine

LORDES

In seconds, the door opened and a trusted security guard ushered the next person into Nicco’s office. I had never seen this older, round little Italian guy before. The man removed his newsboy hat and held it in his chubby hands. The man slowly moved toward us. He was a stout older man in a cheap, modest suit. He had to be in his sixties. His deep-set eyes and prominent nose moved around the room, acknowledging all of us.

“Greetings, Paolo Carlito.” Nicco addressed the man I’d never seen before today.

The man cautiously walked deeper into the room and up to the desk. Nicco stood and held his hand across the table toward the man. As with most visitors, the old man took Nicco’s hand in his. Paolo kissed the top of the Don’s hand. This was a common ritual that I was still getting used to.

“Don Bregoli, thank you for seeing me.” Paolo’s voice was a bit shaky.

“Of course, please sit.”

Paolo did as he was told and sat down in the chair in front of Nicco’s desk. Nicco took his seat. I decided to ease up off my evil glare, since the man was clearly old and noticeably afraid. Cenzo was already staring at the man from the couch, so I felt I could chill.

“Paolo, how are the wife and kids?”

“Very well Don Bregoli.”

“What can I do for you?”

“My restaurant is having some difficulty.”

“Difficulty?” Nicco said what I was thinking.

“Yes, I don’t have enough money to pay my employees.”

“You are here for a loan?”

“No, it’s not, no, it’s just, it’s—” The man’s stuttering and trembling voice made it hard to understand what he was trying to convey.

“Paolo, please slow down. Speak freely.”

“No disrespect to you, Don Bregoli, but your uncle. He’s taking all my profits out of the register and the safe so often that my business isn’t making any money and I will have to shut my doors very soon.” Paolo bit at his bottom lip out of nervousness.

“My uncle, Gianni.”

“Yes, he would only take a little from time to time when he would dine at my restaurant. Now comes in all the time and he’s taking everything I have. The restaurant business is all I know. It’s all I have to feed my family. I did not want to tell you this. I come to you because I don’t know what else to do.”

“No, of course Paolo, you should come to me. The arrangement for protection you had with my father still stands. How much do you owe your employees?”

“Eduardo, $445, Cara Maria, $600, Michael $843—”

Nicco interrupted. “The total.”

“Oh yes, yes, I owe the employees $2,500.”

Nicco opened a drawer on the right side of his desk. He removed two stacks of bills and slapped them on the top of his desk. “Will four thousand be enough to get you back in operation?”

“Yes, Don Bregoli. It will help me pay my employees and keep my doors open.”

Nicco slid the two stacks across his desk toward Paolo. “Take this money and my apologies. I have not authorized anyone from my organization to take payments from you. You’ve paid your debt to my father years ago.”

“It was twenty-one years ago I pay your father all the money plus interest.”

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