25

he had been collecting the money from the protection schemes on a regular basis. They were good earners, routinely paying me while I dealt with their problems.

(Won $3000)

My no-show job as assistant manager for Nova Daria Airlines' International Cargo Storage Department has always funneled all of my illegal money back to me. The IRS has always been very straightforward with its policies. It didn't matter where you earned the money, as long as you declared your income and paid your taxes.

I had been late on my taxes before and the IRS left me alone, so why would I start paying now?

Just because I was getting older didn't mean I was slowing down.

Okay, maybe I was slowing down a bit. I didn't lift as much as I did when I was younger and I had to keep my heart rate a little lower, but I was still in good shape.

(Athletics +20)

I was still taking a variety of drugs every day. Other seniors did this too, and while some of mine were prescribed too, many of them weren't. I was starting to look a lot older than my age, but I didn't feel it. I had the energy of a twenty year old! It allowed me to do even more with my free time. I was hooked almost the entire time!

(Athletics +5 and Streetwise +5)

he wasn't going to become that awkward old-timer who could barely see over the steering wheel as they drove a huge car boat. I drove fast and I drove confidently.

(Cars +20)

I couldn't help but notice police and FBI agents everywhere I looked. They were sitting in their unmarked cars and their barely disguised flower company vans were permanently parked outside my small apartment. Even though I owed $17,240 in tribute, I considered bribing more police since I had $7,000 in cash.

With my line of work, it was impossible not to come to the attention of the authorities. Without any police on my payroll, I didn't have anyone trying to help me from the inside.

I looked forward to the day when I could retire and the honor would be sent my way without the stress of winning. But for now, Don Harcourt demanded his money.

it was time to pay the piper. I could tell Don Harcourt's patience was at an end. He wanted his $10,240. My team was winning, so the question was, where was the money? Rumors that I was hiding were starting to circulate. They didn't crash. My bedroom door opened and Don Harcourt walked in with Freddie, Jimmy and Lisa. Taylor started to say something, but Freddie put a finger to her lips. I told Taylor to give us some privacy and she left the room. I honestly had no money to give so I knew I was in trouble.

"Leandro Paulino Silveira, I'm sorry it came to this. Do you have anything else to give?"

I said, "Take what you need."

"That's not personal," Don Harcourt said with a shrug. "That's business."

I lay on the bed as Freddie pointed his gun at me. I watched helplessly as Jimmy and Lisa ransacked my house. His search didn't result in any money, but that still wasn't enough.

My .44 Magnum sold for $1,000. They wouldn't leave me defenseless. They gave me a cheap Cobra .380 semiautomatic, one of the cheapest guns you could get.

"I'm sorry it got to this point," Don Harcourt said before he and the others left.

It wasn't just the money, it was that they thought I was withholding tribute and cheating the family.

(Lost all respect and relationship with Don Harcourt -20)

Next chapter

I couldn't forget the way Four Fingers and the others treated me. Dangerous thoughts crossed my mind.

it wouldn't be easy. There were always people wanting to kill the head of the family. My biggest advantage was the fact that I was a caporegime. Hopefully I could catch him off guard.

he knew the code for the alarm on his door and I knew where he kept his spare key. I came in one night while he was taking a shower. I held him under the soapy water until he stopped thrashing and then left him there.

With Don Harcourt gone, I knew the Life Sketch Family would be in tatters as they struggled to fill the void. I had no illusions of taking his place as boss. I didn't have the respect of the rest of the family to do that. But with Four Fingers out of the picture, I might have a chance to escape life.

"And now I'm here," I told the bartender.

Music from the jukebox played in the background as cigarette smoke billowed from the ceiling. The seedy, dimly lit bar was dirty and the tables were sticky with spilled drinks. I finished my drink as the bartender smiled good-naturedly at me. He didn't believe a word I had just told him. This was the only reason I felt comfortable talking to him, that and the fact that so many years had passed that I felt the Life Sketch Family was no longer looking for me. Not to say they wouldn't kill me in a second if they found me. Maybe I was just drunk and stupid.

"That's some history," the bartender said in a polite tone.

I burst out laughing, breaking the tension and making him think it had all been a big joke. Still laughing, I left some money on the bar and headed home.