Tommy Cortex: Dead Men Can't Pay, part 3

Now, I was talking to someone at Titan the other night, Percy I believe, and he asked if I had my own crew. I told him I did, but I liked to handle as much as I could personally. I'm a 'hands-on' kind of boss. Yeah, Tony's solid. I couldn't really run the business half as easily as I do without him, but he's not creative, and he doesn't think quickly. Luckily for all concerned, he knows his limitations, so he calls me when he wants to double-check something. Let me give an example. Keep your shirt on, I'm going somewhere with this, all right?

About ten weeks ago, I get a call from Tony one morning while I was getting dressed. He never calls just to chitchat, so I took it. As usual, he sounded glum. "Hey, Tommy. Got a sec?" I stared into the closet for a moment, and decided on the navy blue Caraceni suit. Two button, worsted wool, very comfortable. I took it out, laying it on the bed. "Just getting dressed, Tony. What's up?"

"Well, boss, remember Pete Traugott?"

Of course I did. "Yeah, German guy, brown hair, missing two fingers on his left hand. Used to run guns for Verandi over on Nerva, went independent last year. He's into us for about sixty grand, started last month, right?"

There was a pause. "How the hell do you do that, boss?" I grinned, slipping on a white dress shirt. "Trade secret, Tony. What's up with Traugott?"

"Oh. Yeah. Uh, he came to see me. Said he wouldn't be able to make all of his payment this week. I kinda wanted to let it slide, if it's ok with you."

"What's he paying?"

"Twenty-five hundred a week. Covers the principal and interest. He says he can do the interest, but not the whole salami."

"What happened?"

"His place caught fire, lost a third of his product. He says he'll probably be good for the whole payment next week. Probably."

I considered. "He's solid, let's give him a break. Tell him not to sweat this week, or the next. If he can't get back on track after that, then he's got us as partners until he can."

"Feeling generous, boss?"

I put my cell on speaker, so I could finish tying my tie. "I want him to remember this. I got plans that might involve him, and this ought to make him nice and cooperative."

"'Kay, Tommy. I'll let 'im know."
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See? Tony knows to check in if he's got a question. And it worked out, Traugott came through, been paying the full amount ever since. So, I got to thinking about him after I talked to Percy, so I gave him a call to see if he'd be interested in branching out into Martial....with me backing him. He picked up on the second ring. A night owl, like me.

"Hello?"

"Pete, Tommy here. You busy?"

"No, not too busy to talk to y-....hold on, someone's ringing my doorbell. Let me tell them to fuck off."

I waited, and heard a door open. Suddenly Pete yelled something in German, I couldn't tell what. Then I heard two soft noises I DID know. Silenced gunshots. Shit. Then I heard a loud thud, like something heavy hitting the floor.

"Pete? PETE??? Answer me, goddammit! You there??"

Silence.
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"One in the head, one in the chest, Tommy. Whoever's doing this, wanted to make sure.", Tony grumbled on the other end. I said some things in Italian that don't bear repeating, y'know? Then, "And you said his stock's been stolen, right?"

"Yeah, boss. We're out that money."

"Fuck. All right, get your ass home. Nothing else you can do there. We'll talk tomorrow."

"Sure, Tommy."

I hung up, and swore some more. I'd called my biggest customers, and warned them, but it looks like I was still behind the eight-ball here. I flipped open my laptop, and turned it on. Time to call in reinforcements. I fired up my email client and started typing.
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From: afriendofours318@anon.net
Subject: Re: Your offer the other night
Att: knockknock.rar

Dear L,
Hey, sorry it's taken me til now to get in touch with you. I've been paying catch-up to this prick, and losing. I just lost another debtor. Same MO, killed at his home, at the door. Two shots, silenced handgun. His whole stock gone, so I can't recoup the loss. No one heard anything, saw anything, or knows anything. I could really use some help here. I'm attaching an encrypted file with all the details.

I won't forget this. You ask anyone who's dealt with me, they'll tell you. I always make good on my debts.

Sincerely,
TC