Chapter 2: Eddie's Payment Plan

"Where is all the fcking money? Huh? Tell me you piece of sht!" Richie yelled.

Virgil swung the bat and hit Eddie a few more times.

"I don't know Richie I swear." Eddie cried out in pain.

"You lying son of a bitch!" Virgil shouted back.

Virgil grabbed Eddie by the throat and picked him up. He slammed Eddie against the counter and began choking Eddie with one hand as Eddie squirmed.

"Eddie, meet my new friend Virgil Tullio. Virgil doesn't like when people lie to us about money. All I have to do is give the word and he'll snap your neck like a twig." Richie said.

"Alright, alright, I'll talk." Eddie wheezed. "While you were gone, Dickie started collecting your weekly payments. He said not to tell you though because he'd kill me if I did. I got a few hundreds under the cash register, you can have them."

"Dickie? You pay me every week not Dickie understand? Otherwise I'll send Virgil to come rip out your throat." Richie ordered.

"Yeah Richie, I understand." Eddie replied.

Richie walked out of the barber shop followed by Virgil. They both climbed back in the car and Virgil asked, "Where to now?"

"Let's go to Shamus O'Doyle's bar. I have to meet with Luca and Luigi." Richie answered.

Virgil obeyed the order and began driving. Along the way, Richie stared out at the stores covered in a blanket of fresh snow as they whizzed by. He thought about how long it had been since he saw his daughter Amber. She was going to college in Italy and would be graduating soon with a Masters degree in Psychology. Virgil slowly stopped the car and parked in front of the bar. Richie exited along with Virgil and they sauntered inside the Irish pub.

"Look who it is, the boy wonder." Luca said holding his arms open.

Richie hugged him, "How you doing? It feels good to be out again."

"I'm good. It's been two years since I got out and ever since then I'm been making more money everyday." Luca answered with a chuckle.

"Who's your friend?" Luigi asked as Mickey Hamfists stood behind him.

"Oh, this is a friend of mine. Virgil Tullio. He's my new driver." Richie replied.

Virgil shook hands with Luca, Luigi, and Mickey Hamfists.

"Have you guys seen Dickie I need to talk to him about some business matters?" Richie questioned.

"He's down at the casino. I take it you heard the good news about him?" Luca responded.

"What good news?" Richie replied.

"Dickie got a bump while you were away. He's a captain now."