A couple of days after the excursion to Wisconsin, Vincent walks out his front door, intending to take care of some things at his new office. He sees Mikey approaching. Mikey greets his pal and nods his head slowly up and down. The message is delivered: It’s done. A certain someone won’t be heard from anymore. Mikey continues down the street.
With the new information, Vincent decides this is a good time to go see Johnny V. The office errands will have to wait. So, he walks to The Patio, where he encounters Bruno Spolleto. Bruno tells Vincent that Johnny won’t arrive until later in the day.
“Something I can help with?” asks Bruno.
“Nah, I have to talk to the boss myself, but thanks.”
Vincent turns and walks the three blocks to the grocery store. He kisses Rina.
“I’m glad you stopped by,” she says. “I spoke with Paulie last night, and he asked if you can call him soon. He sounded good and upbeat. He’s hoping to come home for the holidays, and we can all be together again!”
“I’ll call him tonight. I’m sure he just wants to brag about all the shoplifters he arrested,” Vincent jokes. Rina clicks her tongue in amusement. Before he can finish asking if Tony is in, she points toward the loading dock.
Tony sees Vincent approach and he frowns. He wants to tell Vincent about Carmine but he’s not yet ready to do so.
“Hey, Papa. You got a minute?”
“What about?”
“Shoes told me that when I got my license, I should tell him. He said that he wants me to meet some people. What should I do?”
Tony looks out over the store and thinks about this. “C’mon,” he says, pointing down the alley.
Shoes isn’t at the barber shop. They turn around and walk back to the store.
“Okay, go look for him later,” Tony says. “Find out what he wants but come to me before you do anything. I want to talk to him first.”
Tony turns and walks back to the loading area and talks to a driver. Apparently, Vincent is dismissed. He sighs and walks back home.
His mother is waiting for him on her couch.
“Hey, Ma. I’m heading to the office. I’m just picking up some paperwork I forgot I need.”
“Sit down for a minute, honey. I want to talk to you about something,” she says, with a worried look on her face.
“What’s wrong, Ma?
Teri rubs her eyes, then leans forward and takes Vincent’s hands in hers.
“Rina is sick. Neither she nor her father will tell you this, but I think you should know.”
“How bad is it, Ma?”
“We don’t know for sure. She will not tell Paulie nor will her father. You must keep this between you and me for now. Promise me you will not tell Paulie until I tell you it’s okay to. Promise me!”
“Yeah, sure. Okay, Ma, but… never mind. I promise.”
“Good, now go get things done. Everyone is counting on you, so make me proud.”
They embrace. Vincent walks out to his car. Time to deal with the telephone lines.
After spending a few hours in his office, Vincent drives back to the Neighborhood. Johnny V is not at The Patio, so Vincent walks to the social club. Inside, Bruno immediately gestures for him to go to the office.
Johnny looks upset. He gestures for Vincent to sit down, then he leans forward on his desk, waiting for Vincent to speak.
“The guy who gave up the coin score became a big problem.”
Bruno sits down in the chair next to Vincent. His hulking presence is enough to make anyone nervous.
“So, we took care of it,” Vincent continues. “Out of respect, I am telling you this, so that there is no misunderstanding. I got some names from Bruno and I asked them for a favor, one that I knew I would have to pay back. Our friends up in Milwaukee agreed to babysit this guy, while I took care of some business. I did not know what would happen up there or I would have told you in advance.”
Johnny V takes this in information, sensing Vincent has more to say. “And?” he asks.
“And…” Vincent continues, “soon after I concluded my business, it became clear that one last loose end needed to be tied up—so to speak.”
Johnny glances at Bruno who nods. He sits back in his chair and stares at Vincent.
“That’s it.”
“Do the Wisconsin guys know about your decision regarding the loose end?” asks Johnny.
“No.”
A knowing smile appears on Johnny’s face and he looks up at the ceiling, as if to speak to an unknown listener.
“Well, I have a philosophy: A rat is a rat. Now get out of here and go earn, private dick. And go see Shoes. He has something for you.”
Vincent walks out with the weight of the world off his shoulders. He doesn’t feel any sympathy for Stanley. In fact, his only concern was this meeting, and now it’s behind him. He walks over to the beef stand, sees Mikey, and waves him over.
“Okay, it’s done. I saw the boss. Tell Angelo.” Mikey nods and walks off.
At Ali Baba’s, Vincent orders a beef and sausage combo and sits down to eat. Angelo and Mikey did not tell him what action they took, and they never will. Not a chance. His mind wanders to the stamp collection stored in his bedroom closet. In the next day or two, he’ll open a safety deposit box at the bank. But he has to think first. He finishes his meal and buys a second beef and sausage for his mother before walking home to call Paulie.
He drops off the sandwich at the beauty salon, but his mother is busy dyeing the hair of a middle-aged client. Teri nods to him, thank you, and he waves back.
“Oh, so handsome, Teri,” says the lady, a little too hungrily. Vincent blushes as he walks out.
Back at home, he calls Paulie as he pages through the stamp collection in his lap.
“Hey, Vincent. You seen my mother and Papa Tony? Are they okay? I talked to Ma, and she said she’s fine. But I got a feeling all is not well.”
“Yeah, she’s good, and so is the old grouch.” My first lie to my brother—fuck! Vincent thinks. “As it happens, your mother asked me today to call you. What’s up? Did you get another boy scout badge, or are you going to a jamboree?”
“I need to get your take on something,” Paulie says, dead serious.
Vincent listens as Paulie tells him everything about the case and Baranson.
“So, you think this guy is dirty?”
“I don’t know, but he looked very nervous when Anton told him to get the informant ready.”
“Maybe he’s just incompetent or whatever. But your theory makes more sense.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, if I had that large of an operation, I would always wonder if the ‘G’ had any knowledge of my doings. What could be better than an inside source?”
This is what Paulie has been thinking as well. But what Vincent says next catches Paulie by surprise.
“Based on what you told me, though, there is no fucking informant. Everything Baranson says the informant told him—that’s what Mendoza told Baranson.”
Not for the first time, Paulie marvels at Vincent’s unique perception of things, his logical way of working things out.
“Thanks, ‘Cenzo’”
“Does this mean I get a merit badge?”
“Fuck you very much,” says Paul, as he hangs up.