With This Ring

By

Retta Michaels

Preface

Dear Reader,

In a lot of my writing, I've never felt the need to write a preface. With this story, I want you to know what to expect. For me, the story is a mixture of a whole lot of truth and a whole lot of fiction.

For me to explain it, I must sit and tell you what my conceptual plans were for the novel

IN LIFE, we are not given a set list of directions and plans how to complete it. Some people don't like the unknown, so they don't take any foreign steps into different territories. With others, they know no structure.

Rather than having a nameless character out there who could sue the fuck out of me for even inferring they're a member of the mafia, I chose to go personal and use my own name. It's a lot less messy and a lot more friendly for my lawyer.

I am not a member of the mafia. I will not say I do not know a lot of the family members from several cities, but I am not a member myself.

I will state at one time I was with a man named Gino who headed a crime family. He's since passed and this story has been released with permission and editing done by his son who is still a dear friend of mine. (Thanks Dave.)

The names I've used in the story besides my own are ficticious. The names have been changed to protect everyone. Where names weren't important, I have not used them.

I have given enough references to who the person is so if you can read between the lines, you can see who they are. With that said, I will not say more about the characters.

The story is made up. It is totally ficticious. None of the incidents happened, and nothing of the sort ever occurred. If you choose to believe it did happen, and if you choose to believe it's true, then that's on you. I will state now if I receive an email asking me if such and such part is true, I'll be polite and refer you to the Preface and leave it at that.

The reason I'm writing this preface is because I want people to know when I write, I write fiction with an air of the style of writing used by the National Enquirer or the Sun. There's an air of truth in there someplace, but it's actually fiction. If you choose to believe it's truth, then do so...I've got about twenty acres of swamp land I'll sell you and someplace on that land is a complimentary Iphone. If you can find it, it's yours.

With that said, I'll now state the characters of this story will probably be used time and time again. I think I've found a niche in this style of writing. I'll tell you now, it's done in the style of Mack Bolan “The Executioner”, James Bond, or Scarface.

“With This Ring” is the first book of the saga. It shows how someone can go from leading a normal life wanting to lead a normal life to being thrown into a complex cast of characters which require him to be more and more of what he doesn't want to be.

I hope you enjoy the story.

Now I lay me down to sleep and Steve came in. He was all grins and said, “We saw Randy making out!”

“Cool. What did you think?”

“Oh man! It was the best ever. If I had the money, I'd take me some helicopter classes.”

“Do you want one?”

“No, because if I told you I did, you'd buy one.”

“That one there's yours when they trade it in which isn't going to be much longer. Don't worry about the maintenance of it because apparently, I have enough money in some trust in Kansas City to take care of those needs.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah, as long as you were gone, I told him you probably loved it.”

“I wanted to stay up there and see if he scored, but we finally had to come back due to fuel.”

“Damn the luck.”

“He takes forever to get to business.”

“Lucky her.”

“Lucky him! It wasn't all him that was doing things.”

“Did you see any bad guys?” I said sliding over to him and unbuttoning his shirt.

“We saw a lot of suspect activity. Did you know we have a lot of little critters out there in those woods?”

“I'm surprise anything could live with those snakes.”

“Me too, but I can see how they can see a long ways really fast.”

“Yes, those choppers come in good for finding kids lost at night as well as runners. They think they can burrow down and little do they know their heat signature gives them away.”

“That's what's exciting. The potential for uses with the Sheriff's department is amazing.”

“If worse comes to worse, you can learn to fly the thing and lease yourself out as both traffic and police reporter for Savannah, Charleston, and the county here.”

“Yeah, but I'll tell you now that JT would be dangerous with that thing.”

“I imagine he's never been up in one otherwise he'd have one.”

“Yeah, you said I'd love it and man, my adrenaline is going!”

“I've got a trick question, what's the hardest thing to get used to after you landed.”

“The difference between night vision and normal. I took off those goggles and it was like reality reached out and poked me in both eyes at the same time.”

“Yeah, it's amazing isn't it how accustomed to it you get.”

“Oh man, we saw heat signatures on from cars.”

“How many pot plantations did you see?”

“None, he said it was probably too early in the growing season.”

“Probably, but when you see one, you're going to be amazed at the heat signature it gives off. It's hotter than an engine.”

“Man, I want to go back up!”

“We'll arrange one for later next week. I want to get your mom up with Dave. It will be rather romantic for him to take her out viewing the sights.”

“She'd love it. Were the guys settling in for the night over at the other house?”

“Yeah, you'd be amazed at the security personnel we have around here.”

“You saw some?”

“Yeah.”

“Ok, I'll ask you a question and you tell me if you know.”

“Ok.”

“How many rock stars do you have around here?”

“None that I know of, why?”

“Those personnel were probably either guarding grow houses, or meth labs....it's bound to be drug related because most people who hire security don't have them out.”

“What do they do?”

“You could lease out your chopper or you could get night vision scopes or binoculars. It's a whole lot safer because as you saw, cold blooded animals don't register and walking around here could get all sorts of problems.”

“I never thought of that. We'll have to investigate.”

“He's got it recorded on computer. He didn't say anything to you, I imagine, because he's probably not been told that's what we're looking for, but on that joystick of his is a button where he records not only what you saw, but the GPS coordinates of that location right on the information that goes to the computer. Did he circle around it?”

“Yeah, one place he went around four times!”

“I bet they're cooking up meth there. He was probably recording and taking air samples. Did you hear a sound like an air canister behind you going shoop shoop like one of those vacuums canisters at the bank?”

“Yeah.”

“That's what he was doing. I bet you'll be told tomorrow you've got a major meth lab that's cooking. Do you remember a hot spot in that house where it looked to be a huge furnace?”

“No, I was paying attention to the guys. They were walking around with rifles.”

“I bet if we go take a look at the computer download of that, you'll see at least one 55 gallon barrel glowing if not more.”

“The shoop shoop was them taking air samples?”

“Yeah, they can take air samples and tell before the chemist knows what he's got just from what's coming off of it. Were there more in the area?”

“I know there were several houses in that neighborhood who all had guards.”

“Then it's someone who got in on the ground floor and built those houses for that purpose. You're going to be amazed at what you'll find in those places. They pour concrete and as it bubbles over, it will eat the concrete up. You'll have a beautiful house sitting on gravel for a foundation because they've chewed it up so bad.”

“That's crazy.”

“They don't care. The profit is in making the stuff, not in that house.”

“We'll have to do something about that.”

“They will, but you're going to have to give the go ahead. Just remember, everyone and I mean everyone from those guys outside to the chemist inside is going to prison. There are no plea bargains in this deal. Those guys know what they're there for, so they're just as guilty.”

“I'll get that done.”

“You need to watch what you promise. If someone is paying off the prosecutor or the judge, they're not going to want to do that. Dave will most certainly talk to them and get them on the straight and narrow, but expect double crosses and expect fast retribution.”

“What do you mean?”

“Those guys are going to be blackmailed to doing what we ask. What's going to be hard for them is those charges are going to come down and when it comes to court, you're going to have the one paying people off in that room and Dave and yourself in that room. As soon as the double cross happens, Dave will probably hit a button on his fob that lets our guys know and continue sitting like a poker player watching the judge because if it's the judge who got paid, then he'll look towards the one that paid him.”

“I never thought of that.”

“As soon as that happens, I can guarantee you the man's face will be put into the database because outside there's going to be a news camera from some fictitious television station shoving a camera in that man's face asking him what he thought of the court proceedings as an average citizen. What they'll be doing is getting a voice print and all the information they can about the guy. If he refuses to speak, you'll probably be asked to detain him for 24 hours without bail.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, it's not fair in this game. You'll learn there are tricks up everyone's sleeves, so you're going to have to do some yourself.”

“I didn't know.”

“Yeah, but advantage we have is we know who they are. We know where they are, and we'll know from license and fingerprint information more about them than their own guys because you'll probably be asked to get a DNA sample from either hair, or bodily fluids.”

“Man, you guys want a lot of information.”

“Honey, look at it this way. Dave's already been told there is Miami, Jacksonville, and some others here. Charleston is so out of their league with what they faced, they gave him the territory and wished him luck.”

“Oh man, I can tell why.”

“I'll tell you something else. When those houses go down, you're going to see a lot of people scurrying like rats to attempt to go into the business. They've got people hooked on the stuff and they've got demand to be met. The guy who is over them isn't going to ask questions as to why it was caught, he's going to demand to know why he's not getting money.”

“They're that way?”

“Yeah, that business is ruthless. That's why Dave's not in it. That's why Gino pulled out of it. Besides, the CIA has people all over those organizations. He's rather make money by lending it out to corporations and make it through profits.”

“So they own a lot of companies.”

“Companies and a port. Just consider this. You probably flew in a helicopter made by their company. When we go to San Diego, you'll probably fly in a jet made by their company. I already know when we go to Vegas, we've got a suite in a casino owned by their company.”

“That's big business.”

“Yeah, and getting bigger all the time.”

“And you can run the thing.” he said sounding amazed.

“Tonight, I got caught back up to speed because now that I've shown my face, the guys are going to talk and they'll be expecting me to go to some meetings and be indoctrinated.”

“What does that mean?”

“Ok, when a family's leader passes away, all the other families meet in a location which is always changing. Until three hours before they meet, no one knows where it's going to be, but what they know is a meeting is taking place on that day. What Dave will probably do is he'll probably throw a luncheon and invite everyone. What they'll know is they're going to have an indoctrination. What happens is they all get together and they all decide if it's good for the families as a whole to allow that person to run that family. I know I'm already accepted because of a business decision I made that was one of the best in this family's history. It got accredited to me and those guys are still blown away by it. It's being viewed as big as the street fights of New York, the unionization of truckers, and the decision to put them into Las Vegas.”

“Man, what was it?”

“I can't say, but Gino had a decision to make and he thought I'd keep my mouth shut when he threw the question at me. A certain huge company owed him lots of money. I mean huge amounts. They missed payments and they missed payments and finally, he had to make the decision of what to do. They came to his office and he told them the amount they owed was equal to the amount of nearly a third of the company.

They threw it out there he could have stock to that amount if he'd take it. I'll tell you now, he was in a spot because if he didn't, he was screwed, but if he did, it was a gamble of whether they'd actually do it. He threw the question at me and I told him to take the stock. Right after that, they released another model of a plane....oops, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that....and it really brought the company back. The stock went from eight dollars a share to sixty. His gamble made us the wealthiest family in one full swoop.”

“You're telling me...”

“That a manufacturer's primary stock holder is the Kansas City family. Yes.”

“I bet those guys are really pissed.”

“They have no choice. From what I understand, Dave's held onto the stock and from those dividends, he's built hotels in Vegas...well Gino bought the land, but until tonight, Dave thought Gino was stupid for doing it. Tonight I told him was the vision was in Gino's decision and now Dave's seeing his dad in a whole new light.”

He reached over and kissed me. “I'm proud of you and I never even knew.”

“Well, it's scary because to be indoctrinated, I have to go to this meeting and they'll have to put the matter up before everyone. Now, I've done other things like that which by not knowing, I put myself in a position of being seen as the new kid on the block and Gino handed over the reins.”

“What do you mean?”

“When we have a trial in our family, this is the way it goes. The boss is up there and he's the judge. He also asks questions so it's not thought anyone else is speaking bad about them. The boss knows all the evidence it took to get this man to trial and he uses it. He'll play taped recordings where the man's name was brought up, he'll play video, and he'll also have direct testimony. If a witness refuses to testify, he dies...there's no guessing he'll do it tomorrow. It's viewed as disrespect. Now, the way it goes is punishment is going to be one of three things....either it will be death, or it will be life with demotion in the ranks, or it will be innosence.”

“Why not jail time?”

“The mafia doesn't run jails. If we did, we'd be running the biggest prison in the world. It's a whole lot more economical to just kill them, get the point made, and get on with business. Now, the way it goes is the person gets three lies to tell. When they lie the first time, their words get replayed and then the boss gets down and goes over and plays the evidence or testimony that makes the guy out to be a liar. After that testimony is given, he'll take a sledgehammer and he'll mash the guy's hand with it.

I'll tell you now, it's never the trigger finger hand. Then, he's told to tell the truth and he's asked more questions. If he lies again. The whole deal happens again and the boss will come down and cut the man's hand off with an axe. He'll be brought back around and given medical treatment and then told the next swing of the axe will be his skull.

The boss asks more questions and either he gets the guy to tell the truth or he gets the guy found guilty. Usually, it's both...They tell the truth and are found guilty. It's usually decided before the man's brought to trial.”

“So it's guilty until proven innocent.”

“No, that's the American legal system. In the family, it takes more than one witness to convict. It takes proof and it take reason. I'll tell you now, if you give reason why you whacked someone, you're set free. There are all sorts of reasons, but if you whacked someone because you found your old lady in bed with him, then I'll tell you now, you'll probably be sentenced to life with the bitch and excommunicated from the family. We'll watch and she'll be told she's sentenced to life with him too. If they divorce, the family will forcibly go get them and bring them to trial and either they can lose a hand or die. If one chooses death, both are killed.”

“MAN!”

“Honey, excommunication is worse than death in the family. You can have your daddy and brothers in a family and if you're excommunicated and they speak to you, you're all killed. They're not going to do it and you sure better not try because if you do, you'll die.

Now, there's one thing worse than excommunication and that's being stripped and excommunicated. What that means is you're stripped of all personal assets and then sent out. You're wife is taken away as are your kids. They're forbidden to even help you. We'll help them, but we're not going to feed them and see their food going into your mouth. IF that happens, they disappear and are sent to another city for a period of five years. You are watched and if you're seen asking or begging for handouts, you're brought back to trial and killed. Your wife will still be receiving her punishment.”

“So she gets punished?”

“Yes, what you should know is we have the best insurance plan in the world. If you get hurt, we support you until you die. All your medical needs are paid and your family is under your plan. Your kids go to college and we pay for it. If you die, your wife will have the same thing happen. If she violates that, then she's got to pay. She knows this or she's not allowed to be your wife. The days of the little lady sitting up on the stand testifying she didn't know are over. Every one of them knows and we've got tons of video taped statements which we'll gladly hand over to a prosecutor to perjure the bitch in a trial. The deal is she raises the family while he's away and she doesn't testify to what she's been told or sees. If she attempts to do so, I'll tell you now, she'll be found dead before she testifies. If they protect her, they can give her immunity, but they can't give her immunity from perjury so she better say she was a willing accomplice or we'll put a prosecutor in that will get those charges put on her and those perjury. She'll sit beside that man before we're through or she'll be dead.”

“So all these guys have families.”

“Dave told me these guys are single for the large part. He said these guys are most likely going to stay here and those protecting us are going to be put on the payroll to be your personal security when you're in the Governor's mansion.”

“Ok, how many do I have?”

“Six.”

“How many do you have?”

“Ten”

“Mom?”

“Four, but Dave has ten, so fourteen when they're out together.”

He smiled and said, “I like him, but I'm worried about this family stuff.”

“Don't be. As you can see, they left me out of it when I really should have been drug back in kicking and screaming. They didn't. They let me have my privacy even when I was beaten. When I called him and asked for help, you see how fast they responded. With a normal security agency, you'd have waited until Monday and then would have gotten it late next week. By then your funeral could have already been held.

You see how it is with your privacy and your job. Nothing gets done until you said you wanted help. You got it, so now we're going in that direction. I'll tell you now Dave isn't stopping until he's got you in the Governor's seat. Be prepared to get there.”

“What if he can't do it?”

“Honey, take a look at yourself. What information could be used to damage you? Now, do you think they have information which could damage them? Yes. I'll go ahead and answer it. I'll also tell you the way the game's played.

Since the other guy isn't a part of a family, he's viewed as free game. You're allowed to go out and run all the ads you want to and we'll supply information. Where his balls are in a ringer is he can't come back and say you're a part of a family and any information he gets on you will be so flawed he'll have a hell of a time getting anything harmful. By that time, those county politicians are going to be locked into support and lack of support for their own man. I'll tell you now, their party will wonder what's up with a Sheriff when their guy goes into a town and there's no police escort. They'll raise hell and they'll be told he forgot and was on the other side of the county. The second time it happens, the message is clear they've got a problem. If they attempt to do anything about it, the party leader will probably be brought to Dave and he'll either make the deal or be found cooking his own food on a tropical island someplace after the election.”

“They'd do that?”

“Dave's said he's going to get you there, you better damned well know he'll do it. The dirty tricks and the games that will get played behind the scenes so it doesn't look messy in front of the press is going to be amazing. I'll tell you now, it's been done before. I'll tell you it's been done so often you'll wonder when it wasn't. Between us, the list of Presidents who've been supported into office are terrible. Take a look at the car bombings and the turf wars. Why do you think a President didn't step in to stop them? He already knew what was happening and he already knew to stay out of it. BUT, if the side that supports him loses, you can best believe the other side's leader is going to be in front of a camera and going to trial. There, he will die in prison because they sure don't want him out.”

“So that could happen to you?”

“Honey, I know the game. I've been to prison. I'll tell you now that once they take me away from you, my world's over. What matters what happens to me after that. Just be good to the kids and raise them as we would have done.”

“Don't talk that way.”

“You need to know I'm in this 'til the end. You need to know I'll give you complete faithfulness, honesty, and loyalty. I have to talk this way because everything's a possibility. One thing I'll tell you is with Charleston backing out and letting Dave in, they'll clear the way and help to get you there.

The respect thing comes into play and on the stage of families, they're a baby brother whereas we're now a major league batter. They're going to do what it takes to get our favors and we'll repay in kind. It's happened time and time again and what you need to know is there's going to be a lot of showmanship I need to do.”

“What do you mean?”

“After you left, Dave had me talk to the guys. I gave a good performance and told them how proud I was of them and then Dave talked to them and gave them a story of something I'd said already of how we were better than your deputies. Your mama heard us and she was really chuckling.”

“What did you say to him about your guys being better than the deputies.”

“It's a loyalty thing. These guys will die for us. Will your deputies? No. They'll go into a gun situation, yes, but to take a bullet, they won't. Now, how many offered to go into that house to get rid of snakes?”

“None. That'd be stupid.”

“Not if I asked my guys. They'd suit up and then go in and tell your guys to shoot them as they came flying out the windows. It would have reaffirmed to our guys they were tougher and it would have shown your guys they were wusses.”

“They'd do that?”

“Honey, think about the word loyalty. Now, think about a limo driver who goes out and gets in a limo knowing he could most likely be blown to bits if he turns the key. He's loyal. He also knows we'll protect him in the best ways we can. When we go to the Kansas City house, you're going to see a garage that's blast proof under the mansion. That garage door is two inch thick solid tungston. You could aim a fifty caliber at it and it'd not enter. When that limo enters the garage, it's entering at a full run. It's not slowing and it's not stopping until it's inside. When it's inside, it's given the best it can receive and it's protected well from the house. It might have a bomb on it, but that house isn't coming down.”

“Man, they take it seriously.”

“Honey, it was serious business until we sprung that deal. Then we got everyone's respect. Now, we're the wealthiest and everyone knows it. When they need money, we're there. When we hit that status, I'll tell you now Gino took gambles that nearly bankrupted the family because of honor. He lent money he didn't have so as to get that continued respect. Now, those payments have come in and from what Dave said, the money is coming in so fast, he's having a hard time investing it all. I gave my opinion and to be really honest, that port is going to be a Godsend to him because it can take profits and will keep him from hiding them for a long while.”

“But it's going to be a money maker.”

“Yeah, that's the problem with being successful. It breeds more and more. I'll tell you now, when that comes up, your family will be wealthier then anyone in this part of the country. I've already sprung the deal of you with your carts and your mama with the tent city, but in this case it will be a mall.”

“What about JT?”

“JT is going to have warehouses. When a company imports, they'll unload at the docks and store the items in warehouses. It's a tax situation because they can store inventory without paying the taxes on items until they're taken from the property. When that happens, they pay taxes. A lot of companies use the area as distribution centers. The plus side of it is if JT has the property and the warehouses, he's paid rent on them. You'll see jobs there and you'll see a lot of dollars.”

“Why didn't you take that”

“Hon, think about it. The pie is big enough for everyone to get fat. I took what gives the most turnover. Those cargos are going to be moving in and out like never before.”

“Did you think about Randy on this?”

“Yes, why wouldn't I?”

“What's he going to do?”

“Ok, when they take a cargo off a ship, it can either go onto a truck, or a train. With it being your property, who do you think controls that trucking and railroad?”

“Dave?”

“No, you. So what I see is Randy having a few locomotives and about two hundred trucks and about that many trailers. He hired the guys and he moves them, stores them, or whatever, but each movement he gets paid.

We'll also get him tugs and he'll have control over parking those big ships there. Each one pays the port authority to do that, and there are pilots that do nothing but that.”

“Oh man.”

“Yeah, so he'll be happy and he'll wonder why we're being so nice, but to me, he's family.”

“What if he doesn't want it?”

“Then it'll probably go to you or Kevin.”

“Why Kevin?”

“Well, I'm not going to give it to a complete stranger!”

“Ok”

“What about my carts?”

“Dave said what they're going to be doing out there is they're going to be switching over to robotic carts. Apparently, with this cart, you put a bracelet on and as you walk, it follows you. When you go into a booth, it parks itself.”

“And everyone's honest with these things.”

“Honey, did I mention the thieves poles?”

“Yes.”

“No one wants to face that. Trust me.”

He chuckled and said, “The things you're doing with your hands there are getting me super horned.”

“I know. It was meant to be.”

“Well, you need to lay back because I'm going to be doing some things myself.”

We lay back and then proceeded in making blissful love to each other.

₀00₀

The next morning, we woke to the sound of a lot of voices and the smell of bacon frying. Steve moaned and rolled over and threw his arms around me. He kissed my forehead and said, “That chow trailer is here.”

“Yeah, we'll let the guys get fed and then get ours fresh.”

“What do you mean?”

“They cook all that stuff up and then they store it. It is heated, but the first batch is greasy as all get out. I wait and let the hogs get theirs and then get mine fresh from the grill.”

“You're an old hand at this.”

“No, I wish I could say I was, but what happened was they bought that trailer and they had to practice. So they had pancake breakfasts for whole neighborhoods. What we'd do was Chad and I would go there because he could knock back more food than anyone I'd ever seen. We thought we had to go early because of the crowd, but what we got instead was a trip to Walgreen's for Pepto and a large case of the trots from all the grease. Now I've learned and know.”

“I bet JT's down there in the thick of the things.”

“If he's smart, he'll be at Mabel's.”

“She charges him, so he'll be here because it's free.”

“Oh man, that kid needs forewarned. He'll be miserable.”

“What do you think they'll do first?”

“I think what they'll do is they'll walk with us and pick the boundaries of the yard and paint the line on the grass so we can get the snake barrier up. Then, they'll bring in a dozer and clear that pile over there and probably those buildings. While that's happening, They'll be down at the end of the road asphalting and bringing it up to the house.”

“All in one day!”

“There are a hundred guys. I imagine we'll be asked more questions of how we want things because not enough guys will be busy.”

“Well let's get up so no one thinks we're lazy.”

“I like it here with you. By the way <kiss kiss>, thanks for last night.”

“No, thank you.”

We lay there for about five more minutes in each other's arms and then I rolled up. “I've got to have a shower.”

“Let's take one together.”

“I need to get clothes.”

“They're in the closet.”

“When did you get them?”

“We landed and took them.”

“Did you get those camel colored lace up leather pants and that white pirates shirt?”

“Yeah, they're in there.”

“Ok”

I went over to get them out and then put the pants on.

“Would you lace me up?”

“Why'd the put the laces on the back?”

“So I'd have you help me lace them up.”

“What if you got to go to the bathroom?”

“By then, they'll be loose enough, I can slip them down.”

“I'm getting wood seeing you in these things.”

“That's why I got them. I knew I'd look good in them.”

“Damn, those guys are going to think you're hot.”

“That's the point. Last night was a first impression. Now I want them to see that I might be little, but I'm hot.”

“Why?”

“You're going to see demonstrations today of me showing them what I can do. They might think they got called in because I'm little and defenseless. If they do, then I'm fucked. Now's the time to have those guys thinking I can do a lot, but they're in here because what we're facing is tougher than us.”

“Why?”

“Honey, those guys, if you don't realize it, are a cunthair from mutiny at all times. Gino had to kill his right hand man in front of them. That was fifteen years ago. Since then, there's probably a faction of them out there that fantasize about being in the spot Dave's in, or I'm in fictitiously.

For me to hold my end of the bargain, I've got to get out there and strut. It's not Dave's job. They already have seen him demonstrate his effectiveness in this organization. Now it's my turn.”

“I'm not getting it. Didn't you demonstrate that when you were with Gino?”

'Yeah, but ask those guys how many of them remember Gino and they'll tell you they've been brought in since then. They've heard about me, but they've not seen me. Now they're looking at me and saying, “I thought he would be bigger, but he's tiny. What the fuck could he do to me?”

“Ok, so it's like the little kid on the block having to go out and beat up the bully.”

“Yeah, with you landing that copter at my house, it showed it's vulnerable. They know they're supposed to be here to reinforce it, but what if they choose to leave a space big enough to get in when it's time to revolt?”

“Honey, the guys are there.”

“Just the same. Dave got in there without anyone being there.”

“Really!”

“Yeah. He says the security system will stop 99% of the bad guys, but who do you think they're going to send to knock me off, an average Joe, or someone that will get the job done?”

“Don't be paranoid. You've got an army here, so don't fret.”

“Ok, but just the same....”

“Well, look at it this way, your security is going to be the best from now on.”

“That's what I'm worried about. If Dave has his way, he'll have surface to air missiles on the roof and where do you think my kids are going to want to be?...'OH Daddy, look at this! Whoosh!'”

He laughed and said, “I'll tell them, “Honey, Daddy doesn't want you playing with the missiles. Now be a good boy and go over and get that grenade launcher from your brother.”

We laughed and said, “We have to give them normal.”

“We'll try.”

We took our showers and the water ran hot.

“Either the guys haven't taken showers or that water heater has the biggest tank in the world.”

“No, we had to put a new one in and we used tankless.”

“Thank goodness.”

When we got out, we hugged and kissed again and he said, “I want Mom and JT to go up in it today.”

“Wait until tonight.”

“Why?”

“It looks totally different during the daylight. Whereas people aren't scared at night, they're scared during the daylight.”

“Do you think they'd mind if I went back up?”

“I'll take you. It would be good for the guys to be shown I can fly the thing.”

“You can fly it!”

“Honey, one thing Gino insisted was I learn everything and concentrate on being the best. You might let me go up alone first because I'll probably scare you to death.”

“Why?”

“Have you ever seen those acrobatic helicopter maneuvers?”

“Yeah.”

“That's my specialty. If Dave says that chopper is good, I'll find out.”

“Don't be tearing it up, that's mine!” He laughed and said, “I sound like a kid, don't I?”

“Yeah, but I like it. I won't tear it up, but I've got to make a point with the guys and then they'll know I'm not a puss.”

“Don't hurt yourself.”

“I won't.”

We went down and as soon as I got to the bottom step, a whistle rung out. I turned and it was JT. “Free grub, you better go get you some.”

“How much have you eaten already?”

“Three servings. I'm letting it settle and then I'm going to get more. The cook said polish dogs and grilled onions for lunch.”

I looked at Steve and smiled.

I turned to JT and said, “You're going to be so in love with that cook later. What's for supper?”

“Fried fish and chips.”

Steve busted out laughing and I said, “Let's go get our food.”

“Save me some!” called out JT.

Steve said, “When he can't pull himself out of the restroom, those words you said are going to come back to haunt him.”

“The cook is throwing everything greasy on the first day. He figures if he teaches them lessons, they'll not eat as much from then on out.”

“We'll probably need to stock up on toilet paper.”

“We'll get some.”

“We went through and I got sausage links and waffles.”

“You're not eating more?” asked the cook with the most sincerest of faces.

“Let me just say I know the game. These guy might not, but I'll be out here with you tomorrow and all the rest of them will be hobbling out with sore asses.”

He busted out laughing and said, “I wouldn't do that!”

“Yeah, tell someone else that. I'm the one that bought this buggy.”

“You're Rhette!”

“Yeah.”

“Oh man, thanks!”

“No problem. Thanks for getting it up here so fast.”

“Oh no problem. Anything for you.”

We sat in the breezeway with Rose and Dave. “Good Morning!”

“Hi” I said kissing her. I hugged Dave and said, “What's up today?”

“We need you guys to lay out the size of the yards and then we'll be getting those barriers up. I've got my guys coming in with trenchers and leather pants thick enough to not get them bit.”

“Ok. What we'll do to make it fast is we'll go out on a four wheeler paint the barriers.”

“I've decided to put that wrought iron up that you want, but what we'll do is we'll put in those stops out there so if anything big comes, they'll be lifted.”

“Ok. One thing I want to do is take the chopper up by myself.”

Dave smiled and me and said, “Bring it back in one piece.”

“You and he are just alike. He told me not to ruin his toy and you're telling me not to hurt it.”

He laughed and said, “So you liked your ride?”

“Oh yeah, are you for real about letting me have it?”

“Yeah, anything Rhette wants.”

“We'll take it Dave.” I said, “What I'd like for you to do is take it up later with Rose.”

“We just got back from our ride. She loves it.”

“It's great, isn't it Mom?”

“It's delightful. He took us out over the water and up and down the coast. It's gorgeous.”

“Steve said there are some hot spots.”

“I've gotten the reports. Something's brewing.”

“How much?”

“Too much. What we suspect is the entire east coast could be provided for from that house.”

“There are several.”

“No, that's what's the problem. In a close proximity, there is a meth factory and then there's several other chemicals. What is bad is the air up there is toxic. How people live down closer to the ground has to be a big question. I'm betting they're sick or dying.”

Steve said, “I need to check to see who lives there.”

“I'm a step ahead. The good thing is there are eight houses. One of them is to house those guys. Three are the labs and the other four are from Miami. Those dumb fucks are so off into making their fortunes, they don't realize they're killing themselves. If we wait three months, they'll be dead, but what's bad is if the air switches around, we've got our judge right down the street. He's probably being paid by the guy, but he's probably not aware of the danger it's posing. Another thing is he's not aware of the toxic nature of the air around him.”

“He needs to be told.” Steve said in a near panic.

Dave smiled and said, “We're working on that. What you need to do is get him to speak to me when he's able.”

“Let me think. I could get him out today for a warrant.”

“Not good enough, it's got to be his family. With this, we're going to pull them in. We can't let them go back there. If he went to tell them, they could blow that whole neighborhood and I mean clear off the map.”

“Oh man.”

“Yeah. Now, what I propose is this because it's the safest measure we have.”

“What's that?”

“We blow it for them. Rather than having a ticking time bomb, we'll have them out of business and we've got the proof to send to Miami to tell them to take it somewhere else.”

“How many people would get hurt?”

“IF we time it right, we'll have no one but them hurt. We can do a pass and scan Monday morning and

pull anyone out that isn't gone. Most will be gone from the weekend and those who work will be gone to work. The kids will be at school, so that's the time to do it.”

Steve nodded and said, “You think strategically.”

“We've done things similar a time or a hundred.”

“In the low country here, I've not done but one drug arrest in the last sixteen years.”

“I can tell. Word's gotten out the Sheriff here isn't going to do anything. Now you've got all the guys coming in here and parking.”

Steve's feelings looked hurt. “I didn't know.”

“No, and it's not your fault. Think of it as a game of cops and robbers. Their job is to not get caught. Your job is to find them. If you don't know they're in the game, then how can you even begin to know where they are. If they keep it after you know, then you're as dirty as them.

Fortunately, it was found. Unfortunately, the report my guy gave me said you're really naïve to the goings on of the crime around here.”

“I've never faced this.”

“No, and the problem is the usual people who would call it to report it are the neighbors. Since all of those are profitting from the enterprise and willing to die to keep it a secret, you've not been alerted. Where you're big problem is, is that judge. The moment you would have attempted to get a warrant, he would have alerted them and by the time you got there, all you would have gotten is an empty house of where one of the drug labs were and not all of them. They would have came back in and opened up the other two and then took the house they're housing all their guys in and used it for the lab that got busted. You would have thought you got them and they'd be back in business in a week. With our plan, they all blow and you then have a platform to begin doing sweeps. The time delay we'll give them will have things back up to running where they decide to set up shop.”

“What happens if the next one is next to a grade school?”

“Not happening because where they choose is quiet neighborhoods. Rhette could have easily set up a house in his neighborhood and none would have been wiser. With a school or any populated area, the fumes coming off it would garner complaints.”

“Oh, well, let's do it Monday. I'll do what I can to pull some deputies from neighboring counties to go in and get people out. The guys I have who are dirty won't be alerting anyone.”

“Is there anyone in your department you know you can trust completely?”

“JT, that's it. Everyone else seems to be suspect.”

“When this happens, what you'll need to do is act totally surprised and call everyone in. I mean everyone...national guard, state, and all the local police forces you can get. I want that entire neighborhood canvassed and I want all the media in here to report it. We'll lay low. After all, we're construction crews. But by then, we'll have our judge in our hip pocket.”

“Is there anything in the journals you can use to get the prosecutor?”

“As we speak, I've got five people reading them. They're taking notes and they're using place markers to show me significant passages. What they'll also be doing is putting them on disks so we can have them in safe locations.”

I butted in and asked, “Have you got computer guys into the judge's computer and everyone else's?”

“Those guys are at work. Everything they do will be shown to me this afternoon. If they're still finding things, that will be in the report they make to me.” He paused and said, “I need my guys into your car and your car too, Steve.”

“What are you going to do to my car?” Steve said panicked.

“We're going to put homing devices. I'd like to give you a homing transmitter yourself so if you're taken, we'll know where you are with that chopper.”

“I'm up for it. Mom, you up for it?”

“What would they do?”

“They use a needle. What they do is deaden the area and then they put it in. You'll wear a Band-aid and then after an afternoon, you'll be fine.”

“Ok, does Rhette have one?”

“Rhette's got several. He broadcasts loud and clear wherever he is in the world.”

“OK, can you give Steve those?”

“If he wants them, yes.”

“Good. I think he'll be in the most danger if they're together.”

JT came over with another plate. Rose smiled at him and said, “Save room for lunch hon.”

“Oh, I am. The cook's really nice.”

Steve smiled like a Cheshire cat.

Dave stood up and said, “Let's go out and get those perimeter lines drawn.”

I stood up and Steve said, “Go ahead darling. You know where you want them.”

“Ok, you sure?”

“Yeah, I trust you know best.”

“Thanks love.”

When I walked away, I knew eyes were on me. Dave walked behind me about ten feet and when we got to the front yard, he said, “You've got about eight admirers.”

“Good. Any of them mine?”

“Two.”

“Ok, you need to have everyone out when I get in that chopper.”

I led him over to the stable where the four wheelers were located.

“You sure you want to do that?”

“They don't know me. They know you, but now it's time to show them I'm not a little kid.”

“Ok. I thought about that, but I wasn't sure if you'd want to do it.”

“Think of how your dad would do things. Steve wasn't catching on because he's not been in anything like this before. After I explained, he understood.”

“He really wants the chopper, huh?”

“He loved it.”

“Rose did too. She and I talked this morning.”

“Did it go good?”

“Far better than I hoped.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, she's going to talk to the boys now. That's why I'm glad it's just us.”

“Good. Do you have the yard paint?”

“Yeah.”

“Ok, what I need you to do is ride this four wheeler out and go along that tree line out there by the beach. When you see me hold up my arm, that's where I want you to draw the line. Then, what we're going to do is we're going to measure from the fence line up here out to there and then we're going to double that length and that will be the back edge. We'll then put about five hundred feet out there for trees and on the other side of that will be where the land starts for the port.”

“He want it?”

“Yes, but he wants to go out there to be sure. After he sees it and hears it, he'll be on.”

“Rhette, she wants a quiet life. It seems you guys want a full life. Are you sure this is going to work?”

“Yeah. I'm sure. The only reservation is raising kids in the circus, but no child's life is ideal. We'll give them all we can and hopefully, you and she can balance things out. Are you up for that?”

“Completely. You don't know how completely.”

“Thinking about buying a ring 'completely', or you're surprised how fast you're settling down 'completely'.”

“Both. That's what's scaring me. For her, she's thought about things and she's decided she served her time with James and if anyone wants to judge her, then she feels they're not supportive of her, nor were they.”

“True. She tell you much about everything?”

“Not yet, but I feel there's quite a story to be told.”

“You'll wonder what kind of man he could have been. You'll be amazed at her strength.”

“I already know it's there. Do you remember a actress by the name of Barbara Stanwick?”

“No. What was she in?”

“Most recently? Oh man. I think she was on Knotts Landing in the 80's. I know she was in a western in the sixties.”

“My God, that was ten years before I was born.”

“She was a white headed sexy strong lady. She reminded me so much of my mama. Well, what's uncanny is I look at Rose and see her. I think that's what I love most about her. Her gentle strength isn't a sex kitten and it's not a bull dyke strong, but I think if she were put up against them, she'd come out on top.”

“Yeah, I really wish you were here yesterday when you saw her with that shotgun. I mean that woman stepped up to the plate and not once did she flinch. Afterwards, she complained about soreness, but that was a woman that lost her husband earlier in the day and then had her quiet times. What I've not seen is too many tears shed for him. I think they were all cried out twenty years ago.”

“You definitely sound like you don't like the husband.”

“Don't make me talk about him. I'll tell you this. I've been around a few of the characters in prison who have the same sort of personality and they're all sorts that get off on other people's pain. The one thing about it was he never hit her. He did everything else, but not that....or at least she's not said he has.”

“Rhette, the tone of your voice scares me. You hit that low tone when you're pissed and hating something. This tone you've got going on is pure seething anger.”

“Yeah. I think if I'd gotten to know the man, he would have feared me because I would have pulled all the stops out to play him to show him for what he was worth.”

“It wouldn't have changed things.”

“No, but he would have known it was a new day dawning and his darkness would have not lasted.”

“Maybe it's best for the timing.”

“Well, if you'd told me twenty years ago, you were going to be my father in law, I would have corrected you and told you I would be your step father. Isn't it funny how time changes things.”

He chuckled and said, “Not really. Sometimes it's sad.”

“True. One thing I think about with Gino is I think I could have really developed the love I knew I was capable of with him.”

“I think so too. I think Kevin was practice for this one. Steve looks at you and he really really loves you. What I like about him is he doesn't play like he knows everything. He knows this is our forte' because we've done it and he's content in letting us do it.”

“Let's make it our goal of not letting him down. We absolutely have to do this Monday without any casualties.”

“There are going to be casualties. I'll tell you that now. What there won't be are civilian casualties.

I want to send a message out via CNN to Miami not to come back. They're going to know it's us and they were told we'd be here and to pull back. They chose to play me for a fool and I'll deal with that when the time comes.”

“No. Let me.”

He looked at me and said, “Rhette, are you sure?”

“Dave, I've got his permission. He knows the stakes and I want them to know they dealt with you and you weren't to be played. Anything in the future needs to look like a boss ordered it because his most trusted wasn't respected.”

“You're damned right. Man you sound like my dad.”

“Yes and that's because he would be calling a strike down there at the same time the strike happens here just to bring it home to them.”

“Do you want to do that?”

“I want to send this message and then confront them in front of the families. I want the families to know little Gino is back and he's not going to take bullshit.

It's not that often we have those meetings, but after this place gets it's facelift, I want the first one to be here. We're not in here taking over Charleston and Charleston is going to be in there on my left hand. I want San Diego in there on my right. The thing I want is the place card for St. Louis to be across the table because I want him and Chicago side by side when I'm staring people down. Miami will have to wonder if he's on trial or if my point is showing those guys I'm meaning business.”

“Why?”

“Because our next drive into cleaning someplace out is going to be my home town. Both of those are in neck deep there and if they think I'm going to flinch, I want them to know we'll go to war before I back down.”

“Rhette, do you want that?”

“What do you have in the arsenal?”

“Enough.”

“Then I do. You need to know that strength is sometimes showing you're still strong. It's not meant to sit back and let others think you've gone soft.

Our family needs to know that and the rest of them need to know that. Miami should have learned that, but apparently they view us as gone flabby. They'll learn through my taking it seriously and showing up. It's going to really hit home to the rest of them how much I took it seriously to come out of hiding.”

He looked at me and said, “Rhette, I'm sorry I let you down.”

“Fuck that. You did what you had to do. Fortunately, I remember the old days and know what your daddy taught me.

One thing you saw him do was routinely work those muscles and flex them. We thought he was barbaric, but now I know he was doing it for a reason. We should have learned long before now.”

“You're right.”

“Fortunately, I've had you and what those guys don't have is two of them who learned standing there side by side. Most of them took out their partners because of bullshit and petty jealousies. We stand and the reason we're so strong is you've given me time to recoup and go out and learn lessons. What I want you to know is when we get done with this show of strength, I'm going to duck back in.”

“Me too.”

“Is Alex still around?”

“How the fuck do you remember him?”

“The man lusted for me as much as your dad did. He never said a thing, but the eyes I looked at that night were his. He gave a slight nod and that's when I brought down that axe.”

“I'll pull him off your guys.”

“Like hell you will. Where's he at?”

“Right now?”

“Yeah”

“He's over there.”

I turned around and there he stood. He smiled and I made a motion for him to come over.

“Alex!”

He came closer smiling. “Rhette, you're looking well.”

I kissed him on both cheeks and then hugged him warmly.

“Thank you. It's a pleasure to see you.”

He looked at Dave and I said, “If he tells you to get off my protection. You tell him you'll die first. I'll stand behind you. The one person I first thought of I'd like to have on my crew was you and your name just came up.”

“Ok, but I'm not supposed to be close.”

“Well don't fucking be a stranger. To me, you're a part of the old days. All the others don't remember, but sometimes we need history books to remind us. You spread that history. Ok?”

“I always do.”

“When you get a chance, meet Steve. You'll like him.”

“I doubt if I will, but I'm sure I'll like him as long as he treats you well.”

“He will. Well, we're going to go out there and do some work. If you go out there, be mindful of rattlesnakes. The fuckers are thick.”

“Ok, but don't be getting yourself into any jams, ok?”

“I try not.”

Dave started the four wheeler and said, “I'll be out there.”

“Ok, I'll hold up my arm.”

We walked together across the gravel.

“You look different.”

“I've had a lot of plastic surgery. I got the fuck beat out of me by a bunch of guys. What you see is a total make over.”

“Why haven't you sought security?”

“I wanted to go it alone and not owe anyone anything. Now I'm having to come out of the dark. For me to do that, we're going to be making some waves, or as Gino would say, “speaking a little louder to be heard.”

“I'm surprised you weren't at his funeral.”

“I was in prison.”

“What happened?”

“I never asked for help is what happened.”

“Well, you learned from a head strong man how to be head strong.”

“Yeah, but sometimes we need to show our weaknesses to be stronger.”

“You didn't learn that from Gino.”

“No, I learned that from prison....from a man you'll meet next week who is my ex. He'll be here getting together with Steve's brother. That man, Alex, I want double protection on.”

“Why, you don't trust him?”

“No. I love him that much. Just because we're split doesn't mean I don't love him. The way I see it is I growing to love Steve and when we're together, we'll have fourteen people in that group protecting us. For he and JT, they'll have eight. I want at least twelve.”

“You need to bring it up to Dave.”

“Well, I will, but I also want you to know things. I want you to be trusted and in a spot of learning to be able to step in.”

“Why?”

“Because you were there. You showed loyalty to me. You gave me strength at a time I needed it and I know you'll do it when this family needs you. The deal I'll make is I'll pull you up, but when my kids get older, you're to put a squad on them that will all die fighting for them.”

“You've got kids?”

“No, but we will have. When those happen, I'm sure we'll have a little Gino for certain. But if we don't, then the day will come I'll tell you to pull someone up. My advice is to do it like Dave and I are and do it tag team. Dave's not real happy now because he's just learned he's business, but I'm strength. When we go to meeting, I'll be calling in and asking for a hit against Miami and giving St. Louis and Chicago notice if they get in my way, I'll strike against them.”

“We've been peaceful.”

“For too long. Now they think we're weak. You think about that. We told Miami to get the fuck out of this area and they stayed. To them, they think we're not going to do anything. I'll tell you now that's about to cease.”

“Surprising, but I think it's warranted.”

“Yes, because if we don't, we're no more powerful than Charleston who just gave us this place. I'll tell you now, when I go in seeking permission, those motherfuckers are going to be scared because they know our budget can pull in a lot of ordinance and when we're done, we could own the entire Midwest. I'll tell you now, that's not happening. If it were a smaller territory, I'd do it in a heartbeat, but not with Memphis able to come up and gain ahold of St. Louis, I won't.”

“What if you put people in those cities?”

“Man, you're good. I'll think about it. You willing to go there if asked?”

“Yeah.”

“Ok, we'll give it consideration.”

“Rhette, be careful because you could end up being over all the families and that makes you king target.”

“I know that. What I need to do is get to know those people better. Gino entertained them. To me, it was like inviting a thug to the opera. Someone didn't fit and it was them.”

He laughed and said, “Your job is to tell them to buy a tux to play on your turf.”

“Well, my main job is getting Steve into the Governor's mansion. When that's accomplished, then I'll concern myself with getting myself thrown back into prison, but what we're going to need is a plan. St. Louis isn't strong at all and they spend their time riding Chicago's coat tails. We need to show Chicago they're a liability instead of strengthening them.”

“That's easy. They've got long memories. It was a Michaels who brought them their disgrace the last time.”

“Don't remind me. Gino didn't trust me completely because of that.”

“Your family?”

“Not that I know, but I doubt it. My bloodline is Italian.”

“I know that. You can tell and I think that's why you healed so nicely.”

Dave got to the point where I wanted him to be and he rode about thirty feet further before he stopped and looked back. He saw my arm was raised. He came riding back and Alex said, “Rhette, I'm going to slink back into the shadows. He's going to be irked enough we're speaking.”

“He got told last night that's how I want things. Tonight, we need to get all you guys together who are protecting me so I can lay out what I expect and won't accept.”

“They already know you're gay.”

“Any have a problem with it?”

“One sneered, but when he found out he'd get his head cracked over it, he got into line. I think two of them are.”

“Are you?”

&