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Two months ago.
Santino's was a nice little Italian place in the Near West suburb of Oak Park. Joey Amato's great grandmother, on his mother's side, opened the place on Grand Avenue way back in 1934. It had been in her family ever since. But Joey had no interest in the family business. Any family business. But he had been coming here since he was a kid, and when he got an unexpected phone call asking to meet in a public place, Santino's was the first place that came to mind.
"The usual, Joey?" His cousin, Annie, asked.
"Pasta primavera," he smiled, handing the menu back to the waitress he'd known since before she was born.
He memorized the menu a long time ago and tried pretty much everything on it, but the primavera was his favorite. It tasted the exact same way his mother and her mother before her made it. That's why he loved this place. It always felt like home.
Joey checked his phone. 6:45 pm. His guest was late. Frustrating. Joey unlocked his phone and went to Facebook. He wasn't much of a social media guy, but with nothing else to do, he decided to waste some time. Might as well see what the rest of the family was up to. Facebook was an easy way to check on his nieces and nephews without getting too involved. He clicked like on a few photos and thought about reading a few articles that showed up on his newsfeed, but there was no way he could focus. Not with what waited for him.
"So, what's good here?"
Joey looked up and found an Asian-American man with a blue button-down shirt and tie.
"You must be Agent Nashida.” The FBI agent smiled in a manner that scared Joey. As much as he didn’t like the family business, he learned a long time ago never to trust anyone with a badge; especially a federal badge.
"Please have a seat," is what Joey uttered, but please go away was what he meant.
Nashida pulled up a seat and grabbed the menu. "How's the baked ziti?"
"Pretty good."
Nashida scanned the menu. "I haven't had pasta fagioli in a long time.”
"It's pretty good too."
"Hmmm."
Joey motioned for his cousin, Claire to come over and take this man's order. He wanted to get this over with as soon as possible.
"Hi," the perky waitress said, "what can I get you?"
"Hmmm, I think I'll listen to your cousin here and go with the pasta fagioli."
Claire looked back over to Joey, unsure of what their guest meant. Joey nodded.
The smiling Nashida said, "I'm really looking forward to this soup."
"Agent Nashida, I'm here, what do you need from me?"
"Why, Joey, you look nervous. I always thought guys in the family business knew how to show some composure around the Feds."
"I'm not in the family business, nor have I ever been."
"But what about your little brother, Tino?"
Joey rolled his eyes. This again?
"I love my little brother, but Anthony and I aren't the same person, Mr. Nashida."
"You are not. You, sir, always walk the straight and narrow. You've got a clean record, but what about Janice?"
Janice and Joey had been a couple for twenty years, married for the past fifteen. She had nothing to do with the family business. Never had and never will.
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"Seriously? You don't know about the thirty grand your wife embezzled from Intotech?"
Intotech was the computer company both of the Amatos worked for when they met. Joey left five years ago to work for Sears, while Janice stayed. This was the first time Joey had ever heard anything about any embezzlement, especially when it came to Janice.
"I've got no idea what you're talking about."
"I'm not sure if I believe you. Fortunately, ten agents have your wife in federal custody."
"What!" Joey stood up from the table.
"Now, now," Nashida lowered his hands to try and settle his new friend. "Please sit down. I'm here to make a deal with you."
Joey squinted and lowered himself back into his seat.
"Thirty thousand dollars isn't that much money. I mean, I can understand a grieving mother making some poor decisions. That being said, I'm not sure how your wife will handle federal prison," Andrew Nashida said.
"Why are you doing this to me?"
"The Bureau needs a favor."
"A favor?” Joey shook his head. “You sound like my old man.”
Nashida chuckled. "We can clean the slate with Janice and take care of another little problem of yours, if you're interested."
"What?"
"I'm talking about Parker Cassata, Mr. Amato."