Chapter 16: Officer Chavez

Twenty years ago.

Falcone's hand slides a white envelope across the table. It's bursting with hundreds, on top of a book. Meeks takes it.

“I'm not sure, Mr. Falcone.”

Falcone raises an eyebrow. “Something on your mind?”

“I'm just not sure if I'm cut out for this anymore.”

“Linda, right? Woman problems.”

Falcone laughs and motions to his thugs standing nearby. They chuckle with him.

“Woman problems,” Falcone goes on. “He thinks he's the first.”

“She says she's gonna leave. We lost the baby.”

Falcone leans forward. He sighs with pity. He takes a few extra hundreds out of his wallet and sets them down for Meeks.

“You know, this kind of business, you're cut out for it pretty good. I saw it the first time you came in here, struttin' around. I said to myself, this kid's got a lot of potential.”

Meeks perks up a bit.

“I said this kid could be like a son to me. An honest to God son.”

Meeks lowers his head in shame.