Free The Scorpion's Tale by Wayne Block

found himself spending most of his time traveling to New York
and Las Vegas, leaving little time or energy to maintain his
prestigious society relationships. He began frequenting gambling
tables and Vegas strip-clubs, and started to drink intemperately.
His transformation was rapid, culminating in his firm firing him.
Although his partners loved the money he brought to the firm, they
couldn’t stomach the negative publicity that Charlie had been
generating. They could no longer tolerate the unwanted attention he
garnered from federal and state authorities. Furthermore, his
corporate clients, who viewed themselves as cleaner criminals, did
not want their attorney putting them on hold to take a call from
men with names like Sammy “the Widow-Maker” Scarlatti.
    Five minutes after checking in, Steven sat at
the Hilton’s bar, sipping a Bloody Mary. The concierge came over
holding an envelope.
    “Mr. Capresi?”
    “Yes,” Steven answered, looking up from his
newspaper.
    “A gentleman delivered this letter a few
minutes ago. You weren’t in your room, so I took the liberty of
bringing it to you.”
    Steven pulled two dollars from his shirt
pocket. “Thank you.” He read the note:
    Welcome to Chicago, Mr. Capresi. I’ve made an
8:00 dinner reservation at Gibson’s Steakhouse on the corner of
State and Rush. Give the maitre’d your name and he will escort you
to my table. See you then. Charlie P.
    Steven folded the paper and glanced at his
watch. As he walked away he threw the crumpled note in a lobby
receptacle.
     
    -------------------
     
    At a few minutes to eight, Steven entered
Gibson’s Steakhouse and was directed to a booth in the corner of
the main dining room where Charlie P. was sitting. Two martini
glasses, one empty, one full, were sitting on the table in front of
him. Across the table was a glass containing a dark, amber-colored
liquid with several ice cubes.
    “Have a seat Steven. It’s very nice to meet
you. I took the liberty of ordering your drink–Johnnie Walker Red,
on the rocks– as well as dinner. I hope you don’t mind.”
    Steven smiled appreciatively and nodded
toward his drink. “I see you’ve already got some intel.”
    Charlie P. was exactly what Nick had
described, except more impressive. His hair, buzz-cut short, gave
his head a platinum sheen. He was impeccably dressed in an elegant
black suit and a crisp white shirt, with a gray and silver striped
tie, and a matching silk handkerchief peeking out from his upper
suit pocket.
    “May I call you Charlie or do you prefer
Charlie P.?”
    “My friends call me Charlie.”
    “I’m honored,” Steven replied.
    “I’ve been a lifelong friend of Alberto and
Pierro, may he rest in peace. I’ve had people drop me like a bad
habit, but Alberto and Pierro never faltered; they were there in
good times and in bad.” Charlie paused and scratched his eyebrow.
“I’ve known politicians, athletes, celebrities; and yet, Alberto
and Pierro, infamously categorized as “mobsters,” are two of the
most honorable men I have ever met.”
    “They have always been true to their
friends.”
    Charlie smiled. “That’s why I am here.
Alberto loves you. You would never remember me, but I met you when
you were young and hanging around with Nick. You were a likeable
kid.”
    Their conversation was suddenly interrupted
as a woman stumbled into their table. Steven’s eyes met her
unusual, silver-blue eyes and he stood to help her. He immediately
thought of Amanda’s angelic eyes, a color he had never seen before
until now. After an awkward apology Steven sat and watched the
woman proceed to her table.
    “As I said,” Charlie continued, “I don’t
expect you to remember me. There were a lot of people coming and
going through your neighborhood in those days. I knew your father.
You remind me a lot of him.”
    Steven turned pale.
    “What’s the matter? You look like you’ve seen
a ghost.”
    “How could you have known my father? He was
in the food