Skipper
Part One
by
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The first attempt to get back at the FBI agent was a failure. With that attempt over the godfather brought his two underlings back to Chicago. Lou thought that interfering in Agent Micovich’s life wasn’t worth the hassle. Reluctantly, the godfather decided she was a tough cookie. Boris and Lou totally agreed with the godfather. The idea of screwing with the female agent was put on the shelf. The godfather simply shrugged his shoulders. The godfather says, “Wasting time on a dame like her isn’t worth the trouble. Someday I’ll meet her face to face and then we’ll see who wins. Right now we have a bigger problem. Somebody is building a casino in Northern Ohio.” Boris asks, “What’s the problem, Boss? I like casino gambling. I wished they had a casino in Ohio.” Scolding him, the godfather answers, “Listen, doofus, legal gambling is bad news; this will eat into our own numbers game. If Ohio gets a casino we lose, Boris. But, maybe we can horn in on the building project. We’ll get some of our people in there to shake things up.” Lou asks, “What do you want us to do, boss? “Find out who this chump is. He’s rising on the radar screen. The local boys in Cleveland tell me his name is Palmino Franco. That sounds Sicilian, so he can’t be all that bad.” The godfather had plenty of connections with political friends. The trouble for him was that the politicians weren’t about to take the wrong political stand. They were afraid the casino issue was building favorable support. The godfather says, “My cousin, Sal Cambello, lives in Fairport Harbor, Ohio. Maybe he knows something. Go back to Lake County, Ohio. Painesville is where you’re needed, but stay away from the bitch, that FBI agent. She’s trouble.” Boris asks, “What do you want us to do, boss?” “There’s a rally, a casino rally going on there. Nose around, you know. Find out what’s going on with the casino. I need to verify my next move which won’t be pretty,” says the godfather. Lou asks, “Are you getting mad, boss?” “Yes! Find this woman, Brenda Clark. I have a friend that says she’s been to Columbus to cause trouble for the syndicate.” A plan was needed to stop the developer. Franco was moving too fast. Brenda Clark became the target of a conspiracy. The great fight on New Street was the talk of the town. Inside a little town like Fairport Harbor, this was big news. Two female FBI agents put the boots to a couple of kidnappers which created a swirl of gossip. Everyone in the area fell in love with Monica and Paula. While they wished to be obscure, their actions in a small town made them local heroines. Their boss, Cliff Moses, found the details of the harbor town arrests on his desk after returning from his European vacation. As he read the first of three reports, one of which was Monica and Paula’s account of their ordeal, he hummed a few bars of Indian folk lore music to calm him down. He was kept out of the loop by the agents. The second report sent his blood pressure up a notch. A past experience, in what turned out to be a messy problem, was returning. Reading the third report, he found that an informer on the street has been saying the syndicate wants to dirty the water in Lake County because of the casino issue. Illegal gambling was a known commodity in Ohio and Lake County had their little card games in various neighborhoods. That was a matter for the local sheriff. It wasn’t big enough to warrant FBI attention. However, casino politics were changing the game. A casino feud among entrepreneurs was becoming a controversy. What blew Moses’ mind was one name on the second report. The casino subject contained a watch list with none other than Richard Stern’s name in bold print. It took a while to get over the nightmares of Stern’s FBI involvement. Seeing his name, Moses could only think the worst. Some Cleveland and Columbus politicians made the list. New names included, Palmino Franco, Brenda Clark, besides Stern. Also flagged was a Cleveland bookie, Fishy Workman and Chicago’s, John Paul Beach, alias, the Beaner and Lou Looma. Looma was known as ‘the Banker.’ Last on the list was Mickie, the Angel, Copko. The angel could count cards. No casino in Vegas would let him play blackjack. These guys were professional gamblers. Moses remembered Fishy’s name. Running a criminal check, he found some information on the man. In Reno Fishy with his wife, Peggy worked both sides of the high stakes tables. His current status was listed as a dealer in Las Vegas while his wife was still listed as living in Reno. Fishy turned informer for the FBI. His record was polished by the Justice Department because he was a protected witness. Moses’ eyes bugged out again when he read Richard Stern was employed by the Royal Flush Casino Corporation. The report read that the syndicate was moving people into the area from Chicago to cause a disturbance at the casino rallies. Agents Bill Wright and Ron Roman were deployed on two cases so Moses reluctantly picked Paula and Monica to do some surveillance work. With Stern’s name out there Moses didn’t want Monica somehow tying up with Stern. The job fit Monica and Paula’s expertise, so Moses felt ok using his female agents. After reading the reports, Supervisor Moses allowed them to verbally refresh his mind. Starting from the fire bombing of Doug Patterson’s house, the two agents outlined their work. “Ladies, you’re taking a page out of Roman and Wright’s detective work. They do their best to hide adventures. Try not to follow their example to the letter. Your story has a happy ending. Maud and his wife are headed back to prison. We like happy endings around here.” Paula and Monica were quick to accept Moses’ advice. Moses laid out two packet of information regarding casino rallies. Moses says, “Information on my desk points to Chicago mobsters coming to Cleveland and Painesville. Seems they don’t like Ohio winning a seat in the casino business. Monica, your previous investigations turned up some political shenanigans in Chicago and Cleveland. You upset parts of the syndicate’s organization. I believe the bookies are worried about a legal casino coming to Ohio. Politicians and casinos are in the news which leads me to your next assignment. Read about the casino rallies; get out in the field and review the area. See who is showing up at the rallies. The syndicate could be arranging a hit. Take plenty of pictures at the rallies. If it’s an evil branch growing, identify it and snip it before it festers.” “We’re on it already, boss.” “Good. I’m going to have both of you together, like two sisters, participating at a casino rally. Enjoy Cleveland and Painesville but don’t pull a Roman and Wright investigation. I don’t like gunfire and I don’t want to be the last to know what’s happening,” said Moses. Collectively, they walked out of Moses’ office. Moses watched as the agent’s strutted away. He had an uneasy feeling regarding the mafia group. If a godfather was moving people into the Cleveland and Columbus area, trouble was brewing.
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About the Book
When boyfriend Bill Wright, an FBI Agent, was caught on camera kissing a younger woman, pregnant girlfriend, Agent Monica Micovich, blew a gasket. The agent’s scorn found the perfect mate. Stinging from a broken heart, she worked as if guided by Eliot Ness. Busting criminals was carried out in an emotional frenzy.
The godfather’s organization in Chicago, Detroit and Cleveland suffered serious damage at the work of Agent Micovich.
Agent Micovich swooped in to bust up racketeering, political malfeasance, and contract cheating. Politicians with ties to mobsters in Chicago, Detroit and Cleveland scurried for cover. So determined to alleviate the pain of a broken heart, Monica staged a full court press on the godfather’s illegal activity. As she closed in on sources of political corruption, the deviant politicians were forced to clam up. This harmed the godfather’s ability to learn the value of sealed bids on construction projects.
Her pregnancy didn’t slow the feisty agent. The strong willed marshal arts trained agent accumulated department accolades. Even her supervisor, Cliff Moses, tried to slow her down.
The mafia godfather, Julius Cambello, was growing restless. The problem with taming the spirited agent was worrisome. He didn’t want the entire FBI agency coming down on his businesses. If he ordered a counter-attack, it must look like an accident. A limited form of revenge was the godfather’s idea. An accident would slow the ambitious agent, maybe dampen her spirit. His business like instruction was to ‘make her pay a price.’
Agent Micovich refused to believe she could be the target of an underworld sting.
Ex-boyfriend Bill Wright kept out of the way. The playboy – chauvinist decided fooling around was justified because Monica wasn’t as attractive when pregnant and it wasn’t his child she was carrying. In a way double deception was being played since Monica was just looking for a suitable marry a stepfather. Still, the handsome agent could have been a perfect father.
Talk of a casino coming to Ohio was heating up in Columbus, Ohio. This created another problem for the godfather. He didn’t want legal gambling coming to Ohio unless he had a hand in the business. Legal gambling would cut into his syndicate’s profits. He needed his political friends to rule in his favor. Some political friends became increasingly alarmed when Agent Micovich started arresting colleagues.
Expressing displeasure, the godfather barks, "She’s still doing this. A pregnant woman is creating problems for the syndicate." The godfather had to be more forceful. Monica's child would have to be used to broker a deal.
The godfather had even more on his mind. Ohio politicians appeared ready to open casino gambling. He needs to either stop the people that are building the casino or take a piece of the action. A casino builder, Palmino Franco, is in the crosshairs. He’s protected, but Franco’s staff can be eliminated.
The festival heats up at the pro-casino rally. Agent Micovich and Agent Paula Gavalia watch as the crowd grows. Monica spies a past acquaintance. He’s the estranged father of her child. The evening could become a nightmare. To complicate matters, Richard Stern is with a friend, Brenda Clark. The stage is set. When Richard Stern and Agent Monica Micovich get together, love might be in the air, however, history says trouble.
About the Author
After writing three novels, I came to the divide in the road. I looked back at how far I traveled. I saw some mistakes. I learned what not to do. I saw where I was sidetracked. Suffering almost tortured by self-inflicted misery, I began to heal by writing the story. It was the first novel (Terror by Invasion) that saved my life. I was in a recovery ward when I wrote some of the story. The mistakes are still in the first book as a reminder of where I once was as a writer. My life was poisoned by alcohol abuse, but I found relief by writing. By the time I wrote the sequel (A Third Cell in America) and the trilogy (The Lore of Lake Erie) I recaptured my life. It is by the grace of God, who gave me strength, I continue. Two subjects that intrigued me are sports and casinos. We have some of the best sports teams in Ohio. In the summer Northern Ohio is a hot bed of baseball and softball tournament play. I live right next to Lake Erie. It’s a beautiful area. In 2008 I wrote to the governor of Ohio. I suggested Ohio add casinos to attract tourists. I asked in the letter; why can’t we have a casino right here? Build it in Lake County, Ohio. Build it right next to Lake Erie. Tourists will come by car and boaters from all over the Great Lakes will sail here to gamble. As of right now no casinos are located in Ohio. I believe change is coming. By writing this novel the politicians might open the door to casino gambling in Ohio. Summertime recreation is big business in Ohio. I have umpired many softball and hardball games. In addition I’m a referee in volleyball, track, basketball, wrestling, and soccer. I feel sports parks are becoming the best bet to keep America’s children physically fit. You'll see me out there with the kids. Officiating sports and writing are the two roads ahead. I'm blessed by God that I can recover and live to travel on both.