Chapter 6

The cubicle that Lucky proudly called his office barely fit three people, which forced three men to stand outside while Ellis sat on an iron chair and Ezio and Lucky positioned themselves on the other side of the wooden table that looked like it could collapse at any moment. Lucky sat in his armchair that showed more foam than the black leather that once covered it completely. Striking a pose worthy of a boss, he looked at Ellis and revealed:

"Your brother owes $500,000."

"What?" Ellis exclaimed indignantly at Lucky's words. She hit her chest as she ranted at the Italian, "I came here and paid off my brother's entire debt. All the drugs he owed you, and you gave me your word that those $40,000 covered the police seizure."

"Yes, I remember, Miss Barker," confirmed Lucky, shifting in his chair.

"Your word no longer holds, is that it? You decide when and how much to charge? Today he owes $500,000, and tomorrow what will he owe?" Ellis asked, irritated.

"Miss Barker, my word is serious. He no longer owes me for the drugs," Lucky affirmed, annoyed at Ellis's audacity in questioning his word.

"So what is it now?" Ellis asked, frustrated to be back in that position.

"The players your brother stole from his game," Ezio answered in Lucky's place.

"No player was arrested. There was no harm to them," Ellis argued, looking at Ezio. She turned to Lucky and pleaded, "Tell him, Lucky."

"Your brother took nine players from the game I was coordinating," Lucky began, adjusting himself in the chair. "Vigorish of $55,000 each. Due to all the trouble caused, he generated interest of $5,000... Do the math, Miss Barker."

"That money is with the clients. The police didn't take anything!" Ellis exclaimed, nervously tucking her hair into a ponytail. "Lucky, you're charging my brother for money that wasn't even seized?"

"No," denied Ezio, drawing the young woman's attention once again. "Luciano isn't charging anything..."

"This debt isn't with me, Miss Barker," Lucky replied, rubbing his nose quickly with his hand. "As I said, I only coordinated the game, and with the situation your brother caused, he ended up alienating these players who are part of the select group of the wealthiest people in New York. And those players, Miss Barker, were not mine."

"And whose players were these?" asked Ellis, who then turned to Ezio and said, "Were they his?"

"Ezio is here representing the interests of the one who is collecting the debt from your brother," Lucky limited himself to saying to Ellis.

"Your brother owes us $500,000... and he needs to pay that amount," said Ezio, shaking his head from side to side. "One way or another."

"My brother can't afford that amount right now. He just got out of rehab. He's on probation, he can barely hold a job, Lucky!" Ellis said, looking at Lucky.

"Talk to me, Miss Barker," Ezio requested, approaching her.

"Excuse me, but Lucky is the boss here... The Capo, something like that, a mafia thing..." Ellis began to say, but stopped talking when she noticed the surprised look Ezio gave Lucky.

"Miss Barker, I am the Capo, and Lucky is lucky to be alive," Ezio revealed, looking at the young woman. "As is your brother. In fact, he is only alive because Don Vittorio allows it. And his generosity also allows you to pay off your brother's debt."

"I don't have that kind of money..." Ellis replied in a whisper.

"Mortgage your house," suggested Lucky, sympathizing with the sad expression on the young woman's face, which seemed like she was about to cry at any moment.

"It's not even close to that amount," explained Ellis, who now turned to Ezio. "Does your boss accept installment payments? Look, I work two jobs, I can mortgage my house and give you the rest in installments."

"Ah, Miss Barker, you are so generous..." said Ezio, laughing and looking at Lucky, who laughed in the direction of Ellis, who didn't understand anything.

After all, had Ezio agreed to the proposal or not? Did all that laughter mean that? Ellis even managed to smile, but then Ezio stopped laughing and turned to him with hatred in his eyes.

"You have 24 hours to pay $500,000, or your brother will be delivered in 500,000 pieces. Is that clear, Miss Barker?" Ezio said.

"And I said I can't afford it," retorted Ellis, annoyed.

"Then you'll be playing treasure hunt with your brother's remains," concluded Ezio.

"Well then," agreed Ellis as she stood up from her chair. She adjusted her coat, took two steps towards the door, and then turned around saying, "Tell your boss that if he doesn't want the police at his door within 24 hours, he better deliver my brother safe and sound."

"How?" questioned Ezio, not believing Ellis' words.

"That's right," reinforced Ellis, approaching the table. "I told you my brother is on probation, so the police are watching him. In fact, today the officer tried to contact him and was unsuccessful, and at this moment, the patrol he said he would send to my house must already be there waiting for me. I am absolutely convinced that this patrol must have already searched my house and are now wondering where the Barkers went. They will contact the officer who will undoubtedly search my brother's record and will arrive at this fifth-rate strip club and arrest Lucky, who is such a blabbermouth..."

"Hey!" exclaimed Lucky, indignant.

"And he will rat out each one of you," continued Ellis with her threat. "And I'm sure your boss wouldn't want to be arrested just because of an irresponsible boy."

"You don't know us, Miss Barker," said Ezio, clenching his jaw to restrain his words. "You don't know what we're capable of."

"No, your boss doesn't know what I'm capable of for my brother," retorted Ellis, pointing her finger at the Capo. "So deliver this message to your boss: if he really wants his money, he better contact me directly because I don't make deals with subordinates. I did it once, I won't make the same mistake again," concluded the young woman who stared at Lucky.

She turned towards the door and left, leaving the two men in silence.

"I said she was a handful," Lucky said, turning towards Ezio. "What now?"

"I'll pass on the message," Ezio replied, reaching into his inner pocket.

"And what about me?" Lucky asked. "Look, I did everything you asked... Are you going to talk to Rocco about me? Will you talk to him about making me an Associate, at least? I know you promised to waive my Pizzo for this week, but I think I deserve a little more."

"You know, Miss Barker said something that caught my attention," Ezio commented, placing a hand on Lucky's shoulder.

"What?" Lucky asked, looking at Ezio.

"You talk too much," Ezio replied, putting the gun to Lucky's forehead and pulling the trigger.

Luciano "Lucky" Conti's body fell onto the wooden table, which gave way, as Ezio dialed his phone. On the first ring, the call was answered, and he simply said:

"Rocco, she said to contact her directly to negotiate the debt."

"Alright. Thank you, Ezio, for your services," Rocco said on the other end of the line.

Rocco walked towards Vittorio's office, where he was enjoying his cigar. He entered, closed the door, and locked it, drawing the man's serious attention.

"What's going on?" Vittorio asked.

"Ezio said the young woman told you to contact her to negotiate the debt."

"Excellent, just as I thought it would be," Vittorio said before taking a puff and releasing the smoke into the air.

"What's the next step, Don Vittorio?" Rocco asked.

"To negotiate with Miss Barker... in person."