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"I know, but he’s falling apart"

"There’s nothing more I can do," Corrado insisted "And quite frankly, yourhi you to help him"

"I am" He shook his head Their definitions of help were vastly different "I’ hi hi him stand on his oo feet"

"But he’s not" She hesitated as if she weren’t sure what to say "There’s so on with hiht"

"Beco one of us," Corrado said quietly

"No, it’s hed with frustration "It’s hard to explain I don’t like the people he’s involved with Why can’t he ith you personally?"

Corrado let out an abrupt, bitter laugh "Have you forgotten what I do, Celia? Do you need ht it, but a look of disgust briefly passed over her face It twisted his sto to strike her that way

"The stealing is a lot safer than the rest," Corrado continued "And the kids he’s working with are harree with me, or even like it, but I hope you’d at least respect it Respect me"

"I do"

"Then drop it," he said "I’ Her lack of response told Corrado he had won that round, but he knew there would be more battles More requests, more denials, more conflicts His as just as deter," he said, hoping to change the subject as he headed for the kitchen He had been busy all night and hadn’t had ti?"

Celia scoffed "I’ back to bed If you want to eat, I’m sure you can help yourself You’ve never relied on anyone else before, remember, so why start now?"

18

We have a problem"

Corrado shook his head as he stood by theof his lawyer’s office "Don’t tell ood news"

"I do," Mr Borza said "Well, I did, but it see, Corrado turned to hi to be harder than his others to shake "Just be out with it"

"We got your arrest record thrown out since it would bias the jury All previous trials resulted in not guilty verdicts or dropped charges"

"That’s good," Corrado said "It’s progress"

"Yes," Mr Borza agreed "The prosecution’s barred fro any of it Your criminal record, on the other hand, is still in, but it’s squeaky clean"

"I know," Corrado said "What else?"

"The judge ruled the wiretaps at the club weren’t covered by the warrant, so those tapes are inad on the ones froraphs were thrown out, since they would unfairly incite the jury Being guilty under RICO is a far cry fro a cold-blooded ht "Anything else?"

"Tommy DiMica and Alfredo Millano are both off the witness list Seems Tommy recanted his story and now says he doesn’t even know you, and Alfredo was assaulted a few days ago in his jail cell He’s alive, but in no condition to testify"

Corrado nodded He knew those things already Tommy and Alfredo were both forainst the oath had to pay the price

"So what’s the proble apart"

"The problem is there’s a new name on the list"

Mr Borza picked up a piece of paper and held it out to him Corrado took it and scanned the list, the nae:

Vincenzo Ro as he stared at it, forcing himself not to react

"It’s possible they’re planning to subpoena him and he’ll just plead the fifth," Mr Borza continued

"Or he’s testifying against ain," Mr Borza said "I’m not certain, since I’m not on his case anymore I’ll request a deposition, of course, but in the o away permanently"

Corrado looked away from the paper and handed it back to the lawyer "No"

"No?"

"Letto theonce more "I’d rather you not breathe a word about it to anyone"

The loud shrieking echoed through the roo the alarm clock to silence it She was exhausted, her body weary, and entirely too coetting up A strange buzzing noiseenough to investigate She assumed it came from upstairs in Kelsey’s apartment, and if that was the case, she probably didn’t want to knohat it was

It stopped eventually and silence overtook the room The s jolted her awake Groaning, she hauled herself out of bed

"Wake up!" The thick door muffled Kelsey’s voice "I know you aren’t still in bed! Do you see the time? Up, up, up! Rise and shine!"