Theresa

By

Amye

I'm not naïve. I knew what I was doing. And I knew what the consequences could be. But the bitterness built up and I didn't care. At least that's what I told myself.

When Sal Colivito's men approached me to act as a lookout when they went after Vic Monte, I agreed. Of course, when your mother's life is being held out as the bait, it's hard to say no. However, they also told me that Monte had my baby brother killed and that he must be dealt with for over-stepping his bounds; well, I had no regret to being their lookout.

I didn't ask for all those people to come in. If I had my way, I'd have closed the restaurant. But I was told to keep business as usual so Mr. Monte wouldn't think anything was up.

Of course, cops would have to be two of those customers. If I didn't know better, I'll bet they heard that a hit was going down and set themselves in line for whatever went down. Why they'd want to protect a mob boss like Vic Monte is beyond me. But the blond one did say that everyone would be killed, so there were no witnesses. Except me, since I was considered ‘family'. So I guess they weren't just worried about Monte, but about everyone else too.

Sal's men didn't tell me they were gonna kill everyone else; but then again, then didn't tell me they weren't either.

And I couldn't let Jimmy die without trying something. The blond cop – Ken, he said he name was - told me he felt the same way. He couldn't let his partner die without doing something.

I've never seen anyone so focused and determined. Sometimes he pissed me off he was so damned focused on that partner of his. The one laying in my boss's office on the couch. Once he even ordered me to stay there with him – Dave was the guy's name – while the blond cop went back into the restaurant to deal with Jerky Joey and his compatriot.

I don't' know where Sal got these hitmen. Joey was off the wall. He could've been a poster child for hyperactivity. He was a perfect cut for the job, other than that. Didn't seem to care about much of anything. Had a meanness in him; a need to torment. Definitely the muscle.

Now Lockly, he surprised me. Very genteel and smart. What was he doing with Sal's crowd? He scared me more than Joey. It's the smart ones you have to watch out for. Eyes like a hawk. I was worried that he knew what I was up to. That I turned….

He was more than matched by Ken though. He's another one with those watching eyes. Always trying to keep one step ahead of the hitmen. Wasn't easy for Ken, though, especially when I wasn't much of a help initially.

But after Joey shot Jimmy, it hit me how real, how serious this was. I didn't want Jimmy to die, or anyone else.

Maybe Monte had my brother Tony killed, maybe not. But he's always been respected around the neighborhood, so Tony must've done something really wrong to cross Vic Monte.

Then again, maybe Sal was just using me to take out Monte personally.

When the FBI put me and my mother in the Witness Protection Program, I asked if they knew who was behind Tony's death, and they said they didn't know. I did get a personal ‘thank you' from the Police Commissioner for helping Ken, but it was kept private for my own safety.

Anyway, that wasn't my goal at first. Ken said I'd make a good policewoman; but I'm too selfish. I just wanted Jimmy to be okay. Just like he wanted Dave to be okay. I got the impression that if it was only him in that restaurant, he'd do his job to the best of his ability, but he wouldn't be as determined.

Too many choices. Tough choices. Everyone makes choices and we don't always see how those choices make a difference for someone else. I wonder what choice Ken would make do if someday it came down to his partner or an innocent bystander. Being a cop isn't easy, is it?