Chapter 12: A Stacked DeckCHAPTER 12
A STACKED DECK
Wilmington—19 Years Ago
We were thirteen, and Doggs hired us to work a big game at the smoke shop. I put on my black pants, black socks, and pointed black shoes. I grabbed a pale green shirt from the closet and tucked it in, then tightened the belt till my gut damn near burst. I wore green more since meeting Angie. The guys teased me about it, but I defended my choice. I checked the mirror a few times more than necessary, combed my hair for the third time, then ran downstairs.
“Where you going, Nicky?” Pops was in his chair reading.
“Doggs is having a game. Wants us to work it.”
“Who’s ‘us’?”
“All of us—me, Tony, Frankie. Paulie Perlano, too.”
“Who?”
“You know Paulie. We call him The Suit.”
Pops never looked up from his book. “Y
