Tax Cut Read Online Free Page B

nuthin’!” the second killer retorted.
    “Why are they saying ‘mafia’? There should have been no evidence.”
    “Did they say the Righetti family? I didn’t hear Righetti family. They didn’t say which mafia at all, as a matter of fact. And technically, those with the last name Righetti didn’t kill Vinny anyway. We did.”
    “Well, you did.”
    “And you think you weren’t an accompl ice? Let me tell you something – there ain’t no way to tell who fired that gun. If I go down, you’re coming with me.”
    “ Thought you told me to relax, that they don’t know anything.”
    “I did. But if you go running your mouth to anybody, and I mean anybody, you’re going to be sorry that you did.”
    “I ain’t talking to no one.”
    “And you better not. So help me God, if I found out you’re talkin’…”
    “I said, I ain’t talkin ’.”
    “Al l right, then, we have an understanding.”
     
    * * *
     
    On Monday morning, President Coglione called me promptly at nine.
    “Good morning, Chelsey. This is Marc Coglione from Coral Beach. I hope your dinner at Federici’s was nice.”
    “Oh , hello, President Coglione. It was very nice,” I lied.
    “Please, call me Marc. I wanted to invite you to Wednesday night’s board of trustees meeting, where we will swear you in as municipal clerk. That is, of course, if you are willing to accept the position.”
    I tried not to let my voice get too high due to the excitement. I wanted to jump through the phone and hug him. We negotiated for a salary that I thought was fair and I told him I’d see him on Wednesday night. He asked me to start work the following Monday, and I happily agreed. I was about to burst with the good news, so I called a few people to tell them about it…Kathy Norcia, my parents, and Kris. My parents said they would be attending Coral Beach’s meeting on Wednesday to witness my swearing in. Kris said he would take me out on a “real” first date to celebrate. Kathy was thrilled for me.
    Once again, I found myself in my closet , going through clothes that would look professional for the big meeting on Wednesday. I hadn’t felt so happy in a very long time…too long to remember, in fact. I could barely sit still until Wednesday came along. And when Wednesday did come along, I could barely sit still through the meeting. My excitement and my nerves were getting the better of me. Mandy was acting up, so I decided to leave her home with my dad, while my mother and I drove over to Coral Beach’s village hall.
    Coral Beach’s municipal building was miniscule, which is typical for a small shore community. It was located mid-block on Main Street. It looked more like a private home than an office building. A ranch on steroids, perhaps, since it was situated atop supports meant to keep the floodwaters out. It had beige vinyl siding with a slate gable roof. A small plaque out front said “Village of Coral Beach, c. 1899.” We took the stairs up to the decorative glass doors with white wood trim and then proceeded down the hallway, following the blue directional signs to the boardroom. We took our seats in the room, and noticed that not many residents had arrived.
    Marc called the meeting to order. I noticed his gray roots peeking through his dye job in the fluorescent lighting. I thought he’d look better if he had a professional colorist take care of his hair. I shook my head and thought, Stop being so shallow, Chelsey! Winifred was draped over the dais with her nose in the air, similar to how she portrayed herself during the interview. A very short skirt was the most notable part of her ensemble. Too short by most standards of professional attire. The other members of the board seemed normal. Aspen was decent-looking and dressed in a nice suit. John and Jamie wore casual clothing and looked like happy-go-lucky people.
    As the agenda moved along at a snail’s pace, my mother warned me to stop biting my fingernails. I was so nervous; I