Hooligans

I took a chart out of my briefcase and pinned it on the wall.

CINCINNATI TRIAD

“There it is,” I said. “The Cincinnati Triad. Anybody thinks they came here for their health should g

back to school.”

No grumbling this time. I had their attention.

I started down the list while I was still ahead, beginning with Franco, once the consigliere, the legal

brains, for Skeet, and until a few hours ago, godfather to the Triad.

“Tagliani was a classic Mafioso,” I said “His religion was family, friends, and hick everybody else;

Tagliani?s three daughters are all married to family capi. The Triad?s respected in La Cosa Nostra.

Nobody messes with them. At least nobody has until now.

“Stinetto was Franco?s executioner, the official enforcer for the outfit, and Tagliani?s bodyguard. One

of the few people Tagliani trusted. All the other capi were under Stinetto?s direct command. Stinetto

was an old-timer. He made his bones in the fifties, about the time Buggsy Siegel bought his. So what

I?m saying, they were both tough old pros. Taking them out together like that was ingenious and

gutsy.”

Dutch jumped in at this point. “Whoever pulled this off poisoned two guard dogs and got past three

armed guards. Nobody laid an eye on him or them.”

There was another face that was not on Dutch?s board: Leo Costello, Mr. Clean, the consigliere of the

outfit, summa cum laude graduate of Chicago Law School, mid-to late thirties, married to Tagliani?s

daughter Maria.

“Costello was a major in Nam,” I said. “Adjutant general?s office. He never saw combat, spent most

of his time preparing court-martial cases. The man won?t touch a gun, doesn?t even hunt. He prefers

the country club set to his own family.”

“Mazzola put us on to him,” said Charlie One Ear. “Him and his friend.

“Lou Cohen?” I asked.

“The same,” said Flowers.. „Neither one of them changed their names.”

“That sounds like him,” I said. “Costello avoids as much contact as possible with the rest of the mob.

He doesn?t have any shooters around him. And Cohen is a quiet, reclusive accountant. The money

brains and the bagman for the outfit. The Lepers?ve been trying to burn Cohen for at least ten years.

Zip. But Costello may have to show his colors now.”

“How come?” asked Zapata.