Outside on the prison yard, sweat glistened Ricardo Minelli. He was in the middle of a vigorous set of up-downs when an officer approched him, and informed him his attorney was up front waiting to see him. He put on his shirt and jogged inside to take a quick shower; Ricardo had been anticipting this visit for quite some time.
After getting cleaned and presentable, Ricardo was escorted to a part of the facility the inmates werent allowed. The husky guard opened the door, removed the cuffs from Ricardo’s wrist then stepped to the side, letting him enter.
Eddie Pallete stood with grace when his client walked into the small room. He and Ricardo exchanged a firm handshake before they sat on opposite sides of a stainless steel table; a table less comfortable than it looked.
Ricardo regarded Eddie’s five hundred dollar suit and his silver cuff links, which twinkled under the right luminence. ” You look nice, Eddie.”
Eddie smiled modestly as he adjusted his lapels with a hint of self assurance. ” I try.” he said. ” So, hows it going, Richie; How they treating you in here?”
Ricardo scoffed. ” Eddie, lets just say I can’t wait for this to be over.”
Ricardo had went from dining at five-star establishments, and lounging on comfortable mattresses, to having to force down servings o slop and sleeping on mats three inches thick. He went from giving the orders, to being subjected to follow them…or else. But it was either that, or an imaginable six year bid; which was what the judge couldve given him hadnt Eddie developed such a benefical plea deal. Ricardo and his crime family were involved in some many illegal activites he knew he should be put under the jail. And as if Eddie could read his mind, he began to express to him how he felt, that he should be more cautious once he was released.
” I gotta warn you, Richie,” Eddie glanced over at the door, where he knew the CO stood behind on guard. Before continuing, he lowered his voice a tad. ” these federal pigs have got a hard-n for the Menelli Family. And if they could make anything stick on you, or your brother, trust me when I say you’ll be hand delivered another indicment in pretty gift wrapping.”
Ricardo nodded. He knew what Eddie spoke was the truth. But then, after tinking of his older brother, Joey, he smiled. ” Speaking of Joey, whats he been up to these days?”
Eddie leaned back in his seat, and tried to chase the most proper approach to honesty.
He exhaled. ” Joeys, uh…Joey.”
Ricardo read between the lines. His brother Joey was the hothead out the clan, and wanted to live up to the Menelli name as the tough, take-no-crap wise guy; even if those inherited traits had repeatedly proved to be bad for business.
Eddie filled Ricardo in on the last incident. Joey had assaulted a man, who was hired to remodel and furnish GILIAS- the ritzy resturant they planned to open in the near future. The place was named after their late mother, who’d passed some years back. And according to Eddie, Joey had flew off the handle after the two had a disagreement on what was paid for and what the contractor claimed wasnt.
Eddie lookd down at his expensive Mavado. hey’d been conversing for almost ten mintues and had to cut their meeting short, for the commute back to San Antonio wasnt a short one. And besides, he wasnt paid an additional ten grand to simply come and provide Ricardo with company and convesation. He was given that money because he had a job to do; to give Ricardo something very important. He grabbed up his briefcase, placed it infront of him, then opened it.
Ricardo watched him withdraw some paperwork, which appeared to be about several hundred pages thick. Eddie slid it towards him with a satisfied expression.
” For you,” he said. ” Something yor brother and father wants you to have. Be sure not to have that placed in the wrong hands. If only you knew how much it took to put that there together.”
Ricardo’s gaze dropped to the thick manila, and stayed there for a second before looking up back at his plum shaped confident. And as he spoke, he reached out and brought the legal documents closer. ” No need to worry,” he said. ” Im not showing this anymore.”

Eddie gestured that their business had reached its end. ” Well,” he scooted away from the table. ” I guess that concludes my business here.”
Eddie closed the breifcase, then stood. After shaking Ricardo’ hand goodbye he turned to the door, but before rapping to gain the guards attention, Eddie Pallette and Ricardo Menelli shared a look they only knew the meaning.
” We’re all set, sir, thank you.” Eddie stood at the doorway and watched the corretion officer handle his pal out in shackles.
And as Ricardo was whisked away, leaving the scent of his body oil lingering in the room, Eddie called out to him.
” Now Mr. Menelli, you be sure to review those transcripts very carfully, and please, like I said: dont hesitate to contact me with any questions.”
Nonchalantly, Eddie’s eyes motioned to the papers.
Ricardo held the documents tighter and smiled farwell. And with each step closer to his unit, Ricardo Menelli grew more and more anxious to find solitude; for he was certain, that what he had in his hands, was going to make his obligations of maintaining order, from a prison cell, a whole lot easier.

But if only he could forsee the problems to come.

To be continued…

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