Neil Knight Private Dick

That'll Work

At 61 years old Tony Riganti had it all figured out.

Sure, the timing of his original plan was thrown off by that Boy Scout Malafronte, whom he had slotted in to take over the DAs office until he threw the hissy fit over the snitch program, but it was back on course now. At the end of this term he and the wife would head off to Cozumel to the house he'd had built for him over the past two years.

Fucking Idiot Sally thought the program was about catching criminals when it was really about building a retirement plan; one where not only Tony could live out his last years in luxury but where he could pass on the template to the next DA in line. And the thing is, it hadn't even been HIS plan. It was Campana's brainchild proposed to him back in 2002, when Tony was only the Senior Assistant District Attorney.

Santana was a fresh-faced attorney who'd just passed the bar and had been hired onto the District Attorney's office as more of a public relations stunt than anything else. You know, bad street thug makes good. Maybe encourage gang members to consider other avenues to personal success. More fanciful thinking by some progressive in the mayor's office.

"I wonder if you'd be open to an idea" Santana had asked him one Friday evening after the office was closing for the weekend.

"More of a proposal" he'd said.

Carlos then had suggested they grab a bite to eat at the El Borrego Sagrado Barbacoa Restaurant at 1307 South Main Street, about a five-minute drive from the office. Tony had agreed, as he was not only a big fan of Mexican barbacoa but was intrigued by what this young pup might have to say.

Now the American English word barbecue has its roots in the Caribbean Indian word barbacoa, but despite their common origins, Mexican barbacoa is a steaming/baking process while American barbecue is all about grilling.

Grilling simply exposes animal flesh to the heat of a coal or wood fire, where the barbacoa process requires the meat, usually lamb or mutton, to be wrapped in maguey leaves and placed inside a cast iron pot, on top of a grill over a small amount of liquid, which is topped with the stomach of the animal of choice stuffed with a mixture of herbs, spices, and chilis. The meats and organs are cooked overnight

When done, the meal is served in three stages; consommé made from the boiled down animal juices and water, tacos made from the baked internal organs and finally tacos made from the animal meat wrapped into soft corn tortillas.

El Borrego offered goat, beef, venison and chicken variations, as well as the choice of ordering meats wrapped in banana leaves instead of maguey.

When Carlos and Tony had entered the restaurant the sound and images of soccer filled the television screens, liberally hung about the establishment. The smell of barbacoa filled his nostrils, and he began to salivate on cue, as if Pavlov himself had been head chef.

The counterman had pointed at them and then to the far corner of the restaurant where another figure was seated, his back to them, the table covered with Mexican fare.

As they had approached the table Tony suggested to Carlos "Perhaps there's been a mistake."

"No" Carlos replied. "No ha habido ningún error."

And then the figure turned slightly, exposing the profile of a young Vincente Eduardo Fuentes, recently elevated as head of the Loper Gang, due to the untimely death of its previous leader.

"Gusto en conocerte Señor Assistant DA. Hola de nuevo Carlos" offered the new kingpin.

"Please, sit down" he continued. "Join me in a discussion."

And that's when Vinnie laid out the real program.

In two years, Tony would run for District Attorney and would win in a landslide, running on a 'law and order' platform. Vinnie would provide the names and locations of competing gang members, so Tony could look the part by cleaning up the streets. Carlos would assist on all prosecutions.

An offshore bank account would be set up into which monthly contributions would be made, managed by an LLC Vinnie would have set up, and would be transferred into Tony's name on the day of his retirement.

When Tony became District Attorney, he would name Carlos his Senior Assistant. They would institute the 'snitch program' which would allow Carlos to further prove his legal chops by putting away Vinnie's competition, while lowering the sentences for his cooperating members.

The DAs office would notify Vinnie, through Carlos, if the Sheriff's department was planning any kind of police action, so the Lopers could react appropriately.

And the Lopers would take over managing drug traffic, ensuring that street violence was reduced, mostly because competition would evaporate. Doing this would ensure that Tony would be re-elected until his sixty-fifth birthday.

"It's what they call a 'win-win', no?" asked Vinnie.

Tony simply sat. Here he was sitting at a table in a restaurant eating barbacoa with the head of the Lopers Gang, discussing fraudulently running for, and executing, the Office of the District Attorney of Santa Ana. And for what?

"About thirty million dollars by the time you're 65" said Vinnie, completing his thought.

"That'll work" Tony quickly responded, holding out his hand to the gang member.

"Do you like women Señor DA" asked Vinnie, subtly dropping the 'assistant' from his title. "We are only a few blocks away from the California Girls Club on North Harbor Boulevard."

"I have a reserved table there. It comes with... certain privileges."

"Well" answered Tony. "I appreciate the offer greatly, but there are some lines I just won't cross. I believe myself to be a man of strict morals."

"Yes. I can see that" said Vinnie as he rose from the table.

Turning to his left he instructed "Complete the details Carlos, and have our new friend sign the agreement."

And with that the gang leader left, followed soon after by the future District Attorney and his Senior Assistant.