Who is Lou Sciortino? by Ottavio Cappellani Page A

Mimmo is perfectly happy to pay protection. As long as he’s left alone. Do we understand each other?”
    Tano coughs.
    â€œSo, do we understand each other?”
    Tano coughs.
    Uncle Mimmo looks at him.
    â€œCosimo…” Tano says.
    â€œOh, yes, minchia, right.” He starts counting again, and puts down another fifteen ten-euro bills. “Same thing for the bar opposite, Cosimo, remember that, Co-si-mo. Next month you can go directly to him, I’ll warn him in advance.”
    Lou looks at the money and nods. He takes the cash and the photo and the knife, and puts them all in his pocket.
    â€œSo, we done here or what?” Uncle Mimmo says.
    Lou nods.
    â€œCould you use a crossbow? I’ll give it to you, I don’t need it anymore.”
    Lou looks at him and says, “Thanks a lot, just wrap it up for me.”

IN THE LOBBY OF THE HOTEL, DON GIORGINO IS SLURPING AN ORZATA
    In the lobby of the hotel, Don Giorgino is slurping an orzata. From time to time he adjusts his round sunglasses. Every time he takes a slurp he leans on his cane, and when he puts down the glass his frail hand shakes. His two foot soldiers, his picciotti, make sure he doesn’t spill the orzata.
    â€œWhere’s Vicienzo?” he asks.
    The two picciotti look at each other. “Don Giorgino, we found out Vicienzo was a rat, don’t you remember?”
    Don Giorgino Favarotta nods. “Are we taking care of his family?”
    The two picciotti look at each other. Vicienzo was known as Vicienzo Scannafamigghia, “Vicienzo Who Killed His Family,” because at the age of thirteen he stabbed his father, mother, and brother in the stomach. He never married and in later life was alone in the world. “Of course, Don Giorgino, don’t worry.”
    Don Giorgino nods, picks up the orzata, and slurps it. His hand shakes as he puts down the glass.
    The two picciotti lean forward, their eyes on the glass. It didn’t spill this time, either.
    Don Giorgino leans with both his hands on the cane he’s holding tight between his legs.
    *   *   *
    â€™Nzino parks in front of the Central Palace Hotel on Via Etnea, near the Bellini Gardens. It’s a pedestrian zone, but Sal Scali’s Mercedes is allowed to park there. He gets out, goes the long way around the car, and opens the door for Uncle Sal.
    Uncle Sal gets out, buttons up his jacket, puts on his sunglasses, and walks into the hotel.
    When you’ve got an appointment with a big shot, it’s good manners to come alone, without your picciotti.
    And Uncle Sal is indebted to Don Giorgino Favarotta.
    *   *   *
    It was Don Giorgino Favarotta, who was born in Trapani but moved to Catania when he was a child, who first suggested to Uncle Sal that he decapitate Alfio, and who subsequently supported him as a candidate when the Vaccalluzzos, whom Uncle Sal’s predecessor Mimmo Asciolla answered to, demanded an explanation. Don Giorgino intervened and the Vaccalluzzos had to back off. The fact was, Don Giorgino liked Sal Scali. A few years back, in a youthful fit of anger, Don Giorgino had had Natale Impellizzeri from Marzamemi killed because of a supposed slight, without taking into account the Impellizzeris’ connections with the Guarreras of Pozzallo, and the Guarreras’ connections with the Gullottas of San Vito lo Capo. For this reason, Carmine Gullotta had sentenced Giorgino Favarotta to death.
    And it was Sal Scali, still very young at the time, who straightened things out.
    In Naples, Uncle Sal had met Ciro La Bruna, who was really a top-class greaseball, being related to the americani. Ciro La Bruna sent a message to Carmine Gullotta that the La Brunas had “done away with” Natale Impellizzeri because he was fucking with the Secondigliano Alliance. Carmine Gullotta made inquiries and sent a message to Ciro La Bruna informing him that Natale Impellizzeri didn’t even know what