Read Last Rites for Free Online Page B

police attempted to offer Gigi a guaranteed position in the Massachusetts State Police force if he would cooperate and help link his friends to the armed robbery. He declined their offer immediately, knowing that age-old adage that a rat is the worst thing anyone could ever be, especially for someone from Revere.
    Gigi was introduced to organized crime almost by convenience. In Revere, wise guys are considered legitimate members of society. The citizens look out for them and protect them just as they would any member of their family. These mobsters had become an integral part of the social fabric, which helped make the city a unique place. These men of honor also bestowed certain benefits on the community, which made muggings, rapes and house break-ins almost nonexistent.
    Revere was originally run by a Jewish gangster named Lou Fox from 1947 until 1962. He was of medium height, well dressed and always very polite and respectable. Fox had an office in an insurance company on Shirley Avenue. He was close friends with Meyer Lansky and Joe Linsey; they had worked together as bootleggers during Prohibition. To the average citizen, he was a real estate speculator and philanthropist. But in reality, business owners paid Fox a percentage of their criminal earnings for the right to operate in Revere and guaranteed police protection. Fox had the essential cops and public officials in his pocket. There was only one rule: you couldn’t commit any robberies, burglaries or anything of that nature in Revere. Salvatore “Flungo” De Angelis was his bagman. Fox’s right-hand man was Morris Lynch, who took care of things when Fox was out of town or busy. Patriarca was a silent partner with Fox. He would pay Patriarca a percentage of the profits, and in return Fox was shown respect and he could go to Patriarca with any problems he may have had. When Fox died, Patriarca took the whole thing over.
    Along Broadway, legitimate businesses were being operated by mid- to high-level factions of the Patriarca family. On the south end of Broadway was the Speakeasy Pub, owned by Charlie Lightbody, whose brother-in-law was Sal De Angelis. Sal was allegedly a bookmaker and loan shark who used to operate out of the pub. Sal was married to Jerry Angiulo’s niece. Just a block or so up the street was Reardons Restaurant and Bar. This facility was owned and operated by the Reardon family. The current chief of Revere Police, Terrence Reardon, had to give up his silent partnership with his brother in the bar due to the bar’s less-than-stellar reputation. The bar was known to have illegal gaming machines and allegations that drug dealing were taking place inside. In fact, the Reardon family was related to Charles Stuart, who was accused of killing his wife and unborn baby and blaming the incident on an African American man. The bar has since been closed and seized by the IRS for back taxes. Farther down the street was Fat Richie, who ran a cab stand and trinket store filled with swag. Richie also used to cash checks for residents of the neighborhood and take 15 percent as his fee. Across from him was City Taxi, which was owned by Tony Defeo. Defeo was a bomber pilot in World War II and a close personal friend of Angiulo since they were kids growing up in the North End. The stand was originally a front for bookmaking, loan sharking and illegal gambling, until the cabs began bringing in more money than the illegal activities. Then there was Roy’s Coin Shop, another front for bookmaking and swag. Even certain members of the Revere Police force used to sell stolen merchandise and purchase it from Roy. Roy’s stepson, Joe Porter, went to school and hung around with Gigi and his family. On the northern end of Broadway was another cab stand owned by Fat Pat, another bookmaker, and farther down from him was the Pick and Save, which was owned and operated by Gigi’s brother Eddie during the 1990s. An unmarked FBI surveillance car would