"Sir, we have been living with the Russo family and their ideas for many years now. We are the last hold outs. I refuse to give in to his extortion and the threats he uses to enforce it. If you walk around the business here, you will see owners who are missing fingers. One has no hand." Placido gestured toward Pietro and Giovanni where they sat along the bar.

"My wife's brothers run a delivery business from a warehouse close to Fulton Market. They know. My grandsons are strong men. They will not marry because of fear for their future families. Sal's daughters are under constant guard. Ricky has threatened to take them. One moment of carelessness and we will lose them to Russo and his sons."

The IRS investigator sat at one of the tables in the tavern. Monday night was always quiet, rarely more than family inside. His silvery gray suit was wrinkled as if he slept in it, and his hair messy with unruly curls. Red highlights shone from it as he ran his left hand through it again.

"I have no doubt the Russo organization noted my arrival. Tell them I am a rich cousin. The plan is to ask for a week to get what you owe together. I will provide the money and we will follow whoever collects it. The FBI will help us there. You have provided me with the first concrete proof of their operation. Russo is clever and careful. Pietro there did us a huge favor. My thanks. A foolish stunt, so we will be very careful from here on."

The two sharp eyed men sitting beside him nodded. The shorter one continued with the next steps of the plan. "We have men watching the alley behind Fulton Market. Clever to disguise the doors like that. Even the door they use to move people in and out is painted to blend right into the wall. At first glance it is solid. We have men embedded in Fulton's now, gathering information about Russo's routines. How many son's does he have? And this Luca is the enforcer? Ricky does what?"

"Ricky is the messenger and the kidnapper. He takes owners to Luca. They come back minus a finger, or with broken a broken kneecap as Harry has already told you," Placido answered. "Luca orders death, Ricky delivers. His eyes have no soul."

"Is there proof?" The third man asked.

"Only if you consider the delivery of concrete through the front doors of the same warehouse. There is a nightclub there. We believe there are many bodies buried under the fresh floor they are putting in behind the kitchen. The girls who dance there, are forced to services male customers if you understand what I mean?" All three of their visitors nodded before he continued.

"Some of them are the daughters of families who live here and tried to say no to Paulo and his demands for payment for protection from the rest of the family. They are ruthless!" Salvatore stood to pace along the length of the bar. "And my girls are only twelve. They threaten to take them if we do not pay."

"We will put an end to this. I understand you would like to know who we are, but I am Enrico Pucci from San Francisco from this moment forward. I won't reveal who my helpers are." He nodded toward the other two men with him. "It is better to keep them unknown. If you are asked, they are my security. It helps to solidify the illusion of my wealth. Salvatore, when Ricky comes back, give him everything in the cash register, as you have for the last few nights. I hope you have recorded the amounts?"

"Gaia is taking care of our accounting for the moment. She has the numbers." Sal pointed toward the back corner where she sat with an open ledger. "She has them for you."

"We know her and her husband Harry already. Brave man, that one." Enrico said. "You have good friends, Placido. We will bring this to an end. Eduardo Russo has met his match."

"Don't trust the local police," Antonio spoke up. "We know there are cops on the take there."

"Understood and expected. There is no other way the Mafia can survive as well as the Russo's have for this long without someone on the inside. It goes further than that from what we know from our last shut down of a gangster like Eduardo Russo. Likely city officials and a judge or two as well."

"Well then Enrico, you are welcome here at any time. We'll feed you like the family you are now. Make yourself at home whenever you need to." Placido walked over and offered him his hand.

Enrico shook it firmly. "Pleased to help you cousin." He rose. "Now to the bank to make arrangements."

His companions stood. The taller one went to Gaia, and she handed him a sheet with a column of numbers and dates on it. He folded it in three, like a letter and tucked inside his jacket. "Keep those numbers coming, my dear. We'll match them with records we recover from Russo once we arrest them."

She nodded. "For your information. I have a second copy of these in the family safety deposit box at their bank. Just in case."

"Smart. I doubt we will need them, but good know." He extended his hand to shake hers.

Enrico strode through the door to the main dining room. He nodded as he passed Harry where he served a family of four at one of the five occupied tables. There was a dynamo packed in his tiny frame.