The rain fell pretty hard today, harder than it had for a while. The sky let out no sun between the dark clouds overseeing the city. Thunder roared, echoing, and sparks of lightning could be seen by those looking above. Outside the Lombardi Mansion a dozen men stood by in gray, and black suits as people entered with their heads held low.

Several days had passed since the news had been revealed that one of their own was no longer amongst them. His name: Timothy Richards or better known as Ricky. He was a close friend to many, but none closer than to the Don himself who viewed him a brother. He had always smiled, had always been the joker, yet the first to stand between anyone threatening another, no matter who they were. He was also the one deemed most likely to show up if you were in trouble. His loyalty showed no bounds. Ricky had no family of his own aside from a grandmother in her nineties who had somehow made it to the wake despite her health.

His body lay peacefully in an open casket within the living room. He was dressed in his father’s favorite brown suit with a black bow time. His brown hair even in death wavered across his forehead even though it had been repeatedly brushed back. A delighted smile caressed his lips. Not even death could take that joyful expression away. “Look at ‘em, smilin’ all smug like. Bet you anythin he’s just waitin for the moment to pop up, and scream ‘what’s with all the long faces?!” Damn I’d punch him hard, but I’d hug him tight,” Tony had said to Junior. He wiped his eyes, and smiled.

It had been described that after that Junior had caught sight of Laura, and walked off somewhere. No one had seen him for the past couple hours, and no one dared to look. Everyone knew that he was at one of his most vulnerable points right now, but they also knew better to let on. Junior had a thing about showing any signs of vulnerability, any signs that showed anything, but strength.

Joel stood by the bathroom door with his arms folded, and his head low, eyes closed. He was welcomed there because he was family, though that hadn’t gotten him passed without a few suspicious glances. Inside the door was locked, and blocked by a chair propped against it. Junior gazed into the mirror with his hands pressed against either side of the basin in front of him. His breathing was heavy, his face and hair were drenched with all of water, sweat, and tears.

Dear Abel,

I've been tracing Laura like you said and I can honestly say that
she is not to be trusted. She's been playing both sides. I caught her
passing on some of our goods to the Giordano's. I don't think she's
working for them, but she's not to much on our side either. She's
making her own personal profit from both sides. I also got evidence
that she is working with a Henry Martin a local FBI agent.

C.F. )&-@#-)%

I'm sure you'll know where to go from there. More than likely she'll be
able to figure out that I'm on to her.

It's been a pleasure working with you sir.

T. Ricky.

“Damn her!” He pulled his gun out, and with every bullet he had within its chamber he fired into the mirror. The glass shattered sending shards across the room. He let out a scream clutching his head, and slowly began curling up onto the floor. Blood oozed from his left arm where a long shard of glass had made its way in. Junior’s inner pain was so overwhelming that he was just about numb to the pain he would have been in.

“Abel?” Joel called turning towards the door. It was not the sound of the gun or the scream that triggered his response it was the silence that followed. He shook the door handle pressing his ear against the door. “Enough of this Abel! Open the door!” Your mother will kill me, if anything’s happened to you…. “Abel!”



Laura approached the casket trailing her hand down the side. She sighed wiping a tear from her eye. “You may not believe this, but I thought a great deal of you.” Her whole body shook as her hand covered her face. No one knew about the letter, and for the most part most remained to oblivious to even be suspicious of her. So for the ones who looked upon her all they saw was a disgruntled woman overborne with grief. Still there were some that had learned to distrust her.

At the sound of gunshots going off she removed herself from the viewing area.


[I'll add the Giordano's in my next post. ]