Authors: Simon Duringer
“Okay, I understand. Thanks for the advice, Tony”
replied Jack and slowly replaced the handset.
Jack made a few more calls before pouring himself some bourbon. He sat at his desk in his large leather upholstered chair, from where the fate of many a gangster had been decided. He weighed up the options.
Meanwhile, Stephan was sitting downstairs in the casino restaurant tucking into a freshly caught lobster, his mind cleared of all that had been troubling him for some months. He felt relaxed and was enjoying his meal. Normally, he wouldn’t eat alone, but he understood that Jack was sorting out his problems so he would comply. As it drew towards 10:00 p.m. he called over the maître de.
“I’m going to retire to the bar. Don Giordano will be joining me. Would you organise the appropriate drinks, please?”
The maître de nodded and replied,
“Of course, sir.”
Stephan sauntered through to the bar. Various people stopped to greet him on the way. He was well known in Chicago and one of the few favourites tipped to take over the whole organisation one day. At 10:10 p.m. the Don arrived in sombre mood. He dismissed his minders at the door. This was
his
territory. Stephan rose to greet his uncle.
“Don, it is good to see you,”
he said.
“Where is Jack?” was his only response.
“He asked me to tell you the problem is being taken care of and he will join us shortly,” said Stephan, at which moment Jack himself entered the bar. “Ah, in fact, here he is already, Don.”
The Don looked around to see Jack strolling in, his arms outstretched with a welcoming smile.
“Don Giordano
… it’s good to see you,” he said warmly embracing the Don.
“You too, my son,”
replied the Don.
Stephan, as with other members of the family, had to get used to the familiar greeting that the Don and Jack shared; a unique greeting that wasn’t given to any other member of the family.
“I have made arrangements. The problem will be sorted this evening. You have my word,” whispered Jack.
“I have come to rely on you these past five years, Jack. I thank you,” replied the Don sincerely.
The drinks were quick to arrive. The finest cognac available in America and an array of fat Cuban cigars were laid out on a wooden platter for their consumption. The Don had fought tooth and nail for years to ensure that his family would receive the best of everything, and felt no guilt at reaping his just desserts. For the next hour, three of the most feared men in Chicago, sat and spoke about everything from business to baseball, the only indication of their position in society being that of the refreshments lavished upon them. Interestingly, Stephan seemed to do most of the talking as the other two sat and laughed at his anecdotes, until eventually the conversation ran dry and a natural pause signified it was time to leave. The Don was the first to rise and the other two obediently followed suit.
“Jack, come and see me sometime tomorrow. There’s something I wish to discuss with you,” he said.
“Of course, Don,” he replied.
“Stephan come here,” The Don said playfully. “I have enjoyed this evening very much,” he said and, holding the sides of Stephan’s head in his hands, he kissed him hard.
“Stephan, I’m going to Ritzy’s Nightclub with Vinny. Would you like to join us?” asked Jack. “Vinny’s got a few dames lined up,”
he added.
“Yeah okay, why not?” he replied.
Stephan walked with Jack to the waiting car and the Don gave a glancing wave from the rear seat of his limousine as his own car rolled passed them.
Both Stephan and Jack stood outside the well-lit entrance of the casino as their car pulled up. Vinny was in the driver’s seat. He wound down the window.
“Come on, Jack. We’re late,” he shouted impatiently.
“Okay. Do you think we can fix Stephan up too?” asked Jack.
Vinny winked at Stephan.
“No problem.”
They got into the car and Vinny drove off, heading towards the city.
“Oh shit!”
said Jack, his eyes rolling. “Vinny, can we detour to the dock warehouse? I’ve got to pick something up for the Don.”
“Jesus Jack, give me a break, I don’t want to keep the girls waiting,” replied a frustrated Vinny.
“Don’t worry, it’ll only take a minute.”
“Okay… Okay…” Vinny looked to Stephan in the rear view mirror. “Stephan, how do you want your woman tonight?” he chuckled, picking up his mobile phone.
“Blonde and ripe as a vine,” said Stephan trying to picture his ideal woman.
Vinny dialed the number to Ritzy’s and waited for a reply.
“Hey, George. It’s Vinny, can you add an extra woman in tonight?” he asked. There was a pause. “Yeah, that’s right we’ll be a bit late. Blonde and ripe as a vine. Okay, cheers.”
He hung up. “The orders in, you got Diane. She’s a peach!” laughed Vinny as they approached the warehouse.
As the car pulled up alongside the entrance, Jack was the first to get out. Not wishing to hold up their evening, he hurried over to the door and fumbled with some keys. Vinny heard him curse as he tried to make contact with the lock.
“Stephan, bring me a torch,” Jack shouted over to the car.
“It’s in the boot,” said Vinny, shutting off the engine and passing Stephan the keys.
Stephan took the keys and got out of the car. He walked around to the rear and saw Jack looking over his shoulder towards him.
“We really ought to get some sort of lighting installed out here,” he said and continued fumbling with the keys.
Stephan unlocked the boot. He didn’t hear Vinny get out of the car. He raised the lid and noticed the light didn’t come on. He resorted to stroking the inside with his hands but all he could feel was a plastic surface.
That’s odd,
he thought. He turned to call Jack, but Jack was already standing over him.
“Goodbye, Stephan, old friend,” he said quietly as he squeezed the trigger on his silenced revolver. A muted thud was the last noise Stephan would hear as the weapon exhaled a streak of smoke from its barrel. Jack watched as Stephan slumped forward, his torso finding the inside of the boot, his legs left draping over the rear bumper. He could never have known what hit him. Jack walked calmly to the passenger’s side and got into the car. Vinny wrestled Stephan’s legs securely into the boot before joining him.
He looked at Jack.
“I know that was hard for you, Jack. But, he was a bad apple, my friend.” He turned to the road and started to drive. “I’ll drop you at Ritzy’s and join you later.”
They were silent for a while before Jack turned to Vinny.
“Vinny, why the extra woman?” he asked.
“It put Stephan at ease for a minute and now they’ll put me at ease all night,” he laughed.
Jack couldn’t help but burst out laughing, as they travelled back into Chicago.
“You know the Don has a lot of respect for you, Jack?”
Jack looked across at Vinny, poker faced and focussing on the road, but said nothing.
“
I do too,”
Vinny continued. “I’ve got to ask though, why is it you’ve never taken Natasha out? I’ve seen the way you look at each other.”
Jack was quite surprised and replied,
“She sure is beautiful. I don’t think I could do her justice, though,” he replied curiously. “Besides, when we first met, you said, I’d do well to stay away.”
“Shit Jack. That was five years ago. I say that to everybody who asks who she is. I mean; she’s the Don’s pride and joy. All that he has left of his wife since those bastard Garcia’s took her away from us,” he snarled, recalling painful past events.
“I’m not sure I could be faithful while going out with the Don’s daughter,” he laughed.
“Shit, I think you would have to be faithful!” said Jack.
“You English guys really crack me up. You couldn’t take a mistress,” said Vinny. “That’s the Italian way!”
he added.
“So, what ever happened to loyalty?” asked Jack.
“The loyalty is for the Don,” Vinny replied sternly.
Vinny pulled up outside Ritzy’s and asked, “So, you gonna wait for me?”
“Yeah I’ll be around.” Jack was about to shut the door and he turned back. “By the way, who is my date?”
“George will set you straight, Jack,”
said Vinny. “Don’t worry.”
“Okay. I’ll see you later.”
Jack closed the door and walked towards the club. The two burly men at the entrance opened the door.
“Welcome, Mr Shaw.”
“
Thank you,” he replied and entered the club. There weren’t many places that Jack could go without being recognised in Chicago. Unfortunately, he couldn’t always remember other people’s names. Faces though, he never forgot.
He saw George talking to one of the customers at the bar. As he approached, George saw him and immediately said,
“Mr Shaw, welcome to Ritzy’s. Can I get you a drink.” he asked humbly.
“Sure… Bourbon,” answered Jack who felt he was being watched by the man George had been conversing with.
“Who’s that guy, George? I’ve not seen him here before.”
“That guy?” he replied looking over to a figure at the end of the bar, hunched on a stool. “He’s some small time crook, just out of the nick. Do you think you could find any work for him?”
“I’m here for pleasure, George. What’s his name?”
“Brett Smith. Should I send him over?”
“Get me every detail about him first. Perhaps I’ll see him later. Now back to business, who’s my girl tonight?” asked Jack.
“Over there, table fourteen.” He gestured to a dark corner of the club. “Natasha’s her name. You won’t be disappointed,” said George confidently.
“Okay. Send me over another bourbon and one of whatever she’s drinking,” he said looking to the table in the corner. All he could see was a pair of slender legs extended out of the side of the table cubicle, a wall concealing the rest of her.
Intrigued, he sauntered over towards the table.
“Jesus!” he exclaimed. “What are you doing here? Did Vinny put you up to this?”
“No, why? Are you disappointed?” replied Natasha, the Don’s daughter.
“No of course not, Natasha. But why are you here?”
“Papa thought you might need a friend tonight. I’ll leave if you want,” she said feeling offended at his reaction.
“Natasha, you shouldn’t be here. Come on, I’ll take you somewhere more appropriate for a drink,” he said holding his hand out to her.
“Okay. Where should we go?”
“We can go back to the casino and have fun being treated like royalty,” said Jack.
“Papa doesn’t allow me in the casinos,” she replied.
“But he allows you to roam strip joints?” Jack replied sarcastically. Looking to the heavens he added, “Only in America!”
Natasha giggled as she looked into his eyes the way she had a hundred times before. But, this evening, there was no chaperone, so she felt more relaxed behaving in the way she felt.
Vinny should be here but he’s not,
she thought.