To Nick

This is my first submission in this category. It's pretty long, but being a letter, it didn't make sense to split it. Self edited, so blame me for all the errors.

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Sean MCDOUGAL

October 5, 2021

Dominic Vitale

Tri-States Import

14 Aspen Dr. North Caldwell, NJ

Dear Nick,

I suppose this letter will come as a surprise, since I've been dead for a bit now. But I knew what was coming, so I had time to take care of a few things. This is the last item.

I'm writing for three reasons: to let you know what happened and why, to discuss my family, and to ask for a favor. Obviously I can't return the favor, but I hope the information in this letter will persuade you to go along with it.

So, on to the first topic -- what happened. For this to make sense, I'll need to cover some history, but I'll try to be brief.

We go way back. I still remember meeting you for the first time back in middle school. At the time, I had no idea why those three guys backed off so quickly when you showed up. They had really been giving me a hard time, and I thought I was in for a beating. But they literally disappeared like morning mist in the sun the minute you got involved.

I didn't realize you had become my protector, as I thought you were just my friend. In fact I thought you were my best friend all through school, until I met Kelly, and you were demoted to number two. Later on, I realized, that you recognized my talent with numbers, and set up the situation so I would feel indebted to you. Of course it worked, I've been loyal to you ever since.

After high school, Kelly and I went off to college, and you stayed home and went to work in the family business. At the time, all I knew was that your family had an import/export business. To this day, I'm not sure whether studying Accounting and gaining a CPA was your idea or mine. But when I graduated with honors and got certified, you were quick to offer me a position with your family's business. And of course I was very comfortable working for my best friend, so I accept it without reservation.

Interestingly, Kelly was less than than enthusiastic about my going to work for you than I was. I guess she knew something about your family business, but she never shared that with me. Or, maybe that was her last effort at loyalty to her husband -- I'll never know.

You actually handled me very well. I worked for you for years, never realizing what the family business was really all about. You got me involved in activities that slowly implicated me in various crimes without my ever realizing. Again, Kelly was reticent and on several occasions cautioned me to be careful, whatever the heck that meant.

When I finally found out what was going on, and what you were doing, I was quite mad at you. It was obvious that you didn't trust me, and your approach was to try and get me in so deep that I couldn't refuse to participate, and certainly couldn't just walk away. That pissed me off, because you were my best friend. I would've gone along with whatever you proposed, short of killing people, which I'm sure you would never have asked me to do.

In any case, it all eventually came out. I saw what was going on with that one warehouse in Newark, and realized that what you were importing wasn't particularly legal. You seem very pleased, when I came to you and explained what I knew, and that I didn't have any problems with it. Later I realized, that I had been very close to death at that moment. While I thought of you as my friend, I'm pretty sure you just considered me a valuable, but replaceable, employee.

Anyway, once we had cleared that hurdle, life got very good. My salary went up quite a bit, and you seemed much more comfortable around me. It seems having to withhold information from me was difficult for you, since you wanted me to be very involved in the financial side of your business. I guess eventually, I became something like chief financial officer or controller or something for your business. It was a very profitable time for all of us, and Kelly and I had our children at the time, I never understood why Kelly insisted on Italian names. Our first born Sally for Salvatore, Gio for Giovanni, and Val for Valentina. It was only later that it occurred to me that Salvatore and Giovanni are your father and uncle, and Valentina was your favorite grandmother. I guess you cut me some slack by not naming one of them Nick.

Which takes me to the second topic, my family. I know we're not done with the first topic, but I'll get right back to it. But you should know, that I was aware after the fact that you took Kelly while I was away on my internship after my junior year in college. In fact, looking back on it, I realized exactly when it happened. I talk to Kelly on the phone almost every day. At first she talked so much about how helpful and kind you were. Then she didn't talk about you nearly as much for a couple weeks. Finally there were three calls where she could barely talk. She was clearly upset, but wouldn't say a word about what it was. I'm sure that's the first time you fucked her. Or more likely the first 10 times you fucked her. I get it, she's great looking, and you were used to taking what you wanted. I'm sure you never considered me for a second.

After that summer things went back to normal, sort of. Kelly was never quite as loving and enthusiastic after that. I guess you had actually taken her from me. Nevertheless, I think she loved me a bit, and realized that you would never settle for just one woman. Plus, she really wanted kids, and I'm sure she could see that you would never be a loving father. I'm not saying that you were ever abusive to your children, but you just didn't care about them. And 'my kids' would be no different. So Kelly stayed with me, and pretended that I was her love. I was actually fooled for quite a while, until Sally was born. It was obvious that Kelly and I could never have produced that child. She talked about Black Irish and that sort of thing, and I pretended to go along with it. See the thing is, I really loved her. I was never gonna leave her, and I suppose you knew that.

Which brings me back to what happened. The beginning was when the money disappeared from that Caymans account. I remember telling you about it, and while I was in the meeting, realizing that I was one of only three possible culprits. I told you who the other two were, and agreed to go stay at the Hilton Head resort until you figure things out. I didn't really want to leave Kelly and the kids in your care. But I actually realize now that you were holding them as hostages to ensure my compliance.

It was sort of a double edge sword for you to send Moira with me. On the one hand, she was gorgeous, and obviously willing. Of course I was never going to do anything about it, because I love my wife. Sure I knew Kelly was probably fucking you that very day, but that didn't mean I was going to. I know that just makes me seem weak in your eyes.

But on the other hand, I realized that Moira was my jailer and potentially my executioner. I don't know if she would've actually pulled the trigger, but I could easily certainly imagine her handing me a drink, and then waking up in the trunk of a car waiting for the driver to stop, hand me a shovel, and say 'Start digging.'

The important thing about the Caymans money was, as I'm sure you realized, that I could've tried to flee instead of coming to see you. Of course that would've made me look guilty, but there was a good chance you'd think I was guilty anyway. But you knew about my getaway plans. I made sure you did. After all I arranged everything through your guys. I knew they'd report to you, and I wanted them to. I wasn't trying to prepare to abandon you or even worse, betray you. It was an effort to protect my family in case your protection failed. Face it, yours is not the safest profession. Besides the possibility of you being 'removed', there was also the possibility that despite our efforts, law-enforcement got to you.

So I went to Hilton Head and waited. I'm a terrible golfer, as you well know. And every night I said goodnight to Moira and wondered if I would wake up in the morning. Also, 3 weeks without talking to the kids really sucked. I wasn't at all sad not to talk to Kelly. The couple of times I spoke to her when she was with you were very painful for me. I certainly didn't want to repeat that.

Despite all that, I actually had a pretty good time. I took the approach to golf where, instead of counting my strokes, I counted my good strokes. At the end of the first week, my best score was six. Meaning I hit six balls where I expected to. By the end of the third week, my best score was 19. Meaning I was averaging more than one good stroke per hole. I'm not suggesting I ever would've become a good golfer, but at least I got to where I could enjoy the game. As far as the impending death thing, I pretty quickly I realized there was nothing I could do one way or the other. You were going to figure out who had stolen the money, or you were going to have me killed. And since you had no interest in having me be involved in the investigation, there was literally nothing I could do. I guess it's like people who live in California, knowing an earthquake will come eventually, but ignoring the possibility in the meantime.

After you settled that, and Tommy 'retired', I returned, and it was business as usual. Except it wasn't, there was something wrong with Kelly. I don't know if she had finally fallen completely in love with you, and was miserable to be with me. Or if she had regrets, or fears? I just don't know. But things were never the same for us again. Hell, maybe she knew Moira went with me and assumed the worst, although that seems a bit hypocritical. Once I was back, business was great, but at home, it was like I was the brother that Kelly disliked the least.

What you don't know, is that I didn't believe that Tommy was the culprit. Especially when I heard that you found records of the transactions and the information for both the sending and receiving accounts all together in one envelope in the safe. Right there in his office? Just didn't make sense to me. The evidence was too pat.

So I thought about it and realized it was a frame-up. I tried to talk to you about it, but could never reach you.

After it was over, I had the bank in the Caymans send me the exact online transcript of the transfer out. And I discovered that the transfer was bogus. The recipient account was at a small bank in Langenthal, Switzerland. That would require at least 6 hops each way, probably several more than that. But the responses were coming in less than 10 milliseconds, some in less than 2 mSecs. The only way it could be that quick was if they were talking to a system very nearby, probably on the same local network.

So the money never went to the account Tommy was supposed to own in Switzerland. But if Tommy wasn't the culprit, and I wasn't, that only left Robbie. I know, he's your cousin, and you two were raised like brothers after his mother died and Uncle Gio couldn't handle raising him alone. And then after whatever happened that got Gio sent off to Detroit, he became an official member of your family. But he was always jealous of you. I know you both got treated the same -- Hell, you both got beat the same when you fucked up. Still, you were the son and he was the nephew. And while Uncle Gio was exiled, your dad was in tight with Uncle Art.

Plus, I suspect your feelings for him aren't that different from my feelings for you. You looked up to him, and when you were very young he protected you. I think to the extent that you had one, you would call him your best friend, and I think you counted on his loyalty.

Think about our relationship, and then try to put him in your shoes and you in mine. I'll tell you one thing, he'll do anything he can to get Kelly. Not because of her, but because he knows you crave her. Perhaps that's why you wanted to take her from me so badly? Nah, you just took her because you could.

It's too bad you kept me out of the investigation-- I figured it out in 2 days, although it took me a week to get that transcript. I didn't really like Tommy, but he shouldn't have been done for that.

Which brings us to last month. More money gone, and this time I'm the only suspect. Even worse, the missing money caused an operation to go south -- an operation that I had told you was a bad idea and opposed vigorously. Problem is, I didn't take the money. I suppose Robbie did, although I was too busy doing other things to investigate. I was pretty sure you'd shut me out away, discover that I was the only one who could've done it, and send Moira. I guess I took the coward's way out. I ran, knowing that the first jump would keep me ahead of you for about a week. You'd know where I was going, so there would be no escape. But it bought me this week.

Remember the beginning of the letter, when I said I want to talk about my family, and ask you a favor? I suggested I would give you information that might predispose you to grant my favor? Well here's my side that bargain.

I have several atlases in my library at home. Look through them all until you find one that has a couple sheets of paper in front of the map of Namibia. If for some reason you can't do that, there's another copy of the pages in the safe deposit box that Kelly knows about. I just figured you might not want to involve her, so I left the copy at home.

The pages are just nonsense words. But if you select the letters that correspond to the prime numbers between two and 59, over and over, you'll receive the instructions on how to access a set of books which cross-references deposits to Robbie's accounts with funds that have gone missing over the years. It's been a lucrative business for him, 40k here 60k there, eventually you're talking about some real money. Nothing compared to the 3 1/2 mill he took out of the Caymans, or what he just grabbed, but he has about a million five in the accounts I've captured. Of course I may not have found them all.

Anyway, pick the second letter, the third letter, the fifth letter, the seventh letter, the 11th letter... and eventually, the 53rd letter, and the 59th, and then starting counting again with the 60th letter, pick the second letter and so on. Don't count the spaces, don't count punctuation, only count letters and numbers. Of course the result will be a bunch of letters and numbers with no spaces, but you'll figure it out. And to help, the first four words are 'My good friend Dominic'. The pages are numbered -- be sure to work them in the correct order.

I know, it'll be tedious -- imagine what it was like to make it.

Assuming you're quick, you may get most of the money back and most of the Caymans money as well. Sorry it was Robbie, and sorry I couldn't save Tommy, or myself for that matter.

Now, about my family. I guess it would be easy to say they're really your family, but you know that's not true. You've never been there for those kids, not more than 'Hi, I brought the kids Christmas presents'.

So let them go. I've got an uncle who lives in Seattle. He lives alone in a big house on the lake. It's a beautiful spot, and the kids will love it. Kelly can get away from you and have a real life. Let them go.

That's the favor I'm asking -- let them go.

Really, let them go. I've realized since the Caymans, that my loyalty to you was foolish. So I became disloyal in a way that I hope will help Kelly and the kids to be free from you. You may not know this, but there are a number of us in your world, who deal in numbers, assets and liabilities, balances and balances due. We're little and we're quiet, and we know fucking everything. We also know how unimportant we are to you, so we set up a 'mutual protection' network. Some of those friends are helping me.

Here's what I put in place. A few of my friends are watching. They expect to see certain things happen and if they don't, the FBI will get a bunch of information. There will be dates and times and places, and account numbers with balances and transactions in and out, with source and destination information. You do remember what they eventually put Al Capone in prison for, don't you?

Of course that threat will become stale fairly quickly. After all balances can be moved, transactions can be reversed or obfuscated, and the statute of limitations comes into play on a lot of it. But here's what doesn't get stale. Jimmy Santore. And then Little G. You think they'll ever let that go? And just for grins, what do you think Uncle Art will do when he learns Tommy got done for Robbie, and that I figured it out in two days, but you never talked to me even though I called you like ten times and said it was urgent.

Sure you could go preemptive against Jimmy's family. He only had three brothers and eight or 10 cousins. And G, he only had five brothers and four cousins. Might be kind of tough to take out Uncle Art though.

I have a great idea, let them go. Here's what my friends need to see. They need to see Kelly and the kids moved in with my uncle in two weeks. They need to see that you never come around. If they see your guys keeping an eye on her, or if your guys go in to put surveillance in her house, or you try to counter-surveil my friends, the packages get sent. Let them go, leave them alone, pretend they don't exist. Hell, you've always pretended that your kids didn't exist -- the only thing you'll really be missing is her pussy, well her ass, and mouth, and whatever else.

Kelly is getting a letter similar to this one (except the part about the account books). She knows what will happen if she doesn't move or comes back to you. There's plenty of money for her and the kids, and my uncle loves her and the kids. Plus it really is a great house in a nice neighborhood. So I'm pretty sure she'll go. I was quite direct in my letter to her. I explained the consequences to her once yours occurred. Specifically mentioning Robbie, but also Dwayne. You really should keep him away from humans. I get that he's a useful animal, but allowing him around Kelly and the kids is beyond negligent.

This isn't intended to be a life time separation, although I suppose it will be. But the kids will get similar though much tamer letters on Val's 18th birthday. At that time, if possible, and if they so choose, they may contact you, although you may not initiate contact in any way, either directly or through a third party.

Similarly, when Val leaves home, if possible, Kelly may choose to contact you. She will receive a letter explaining how she can arrange to 'turn off' her protection. Conversely, she could initiate contact with you without turning off protection, which would result in the packages being sent.

I said I suppose it will be a life-long separation because I don't think you'll be alive on Val's 18th b-day. First, there's a good chance you'll think you're smarter than me and try to hook up on the sly. You're not, and that'll be an expensive fuck.

But it's more likely that Uncle Art will figure out Tommy was clean. After all, moving on Robbie would be like confessing. But that means Robbie's got you, and he'll act when he thinks the time is right. You actually might have gotten away with something about Robbie messing with Kelly, but I've taken her off the board.

See, that's the thing, you can't fight what I've already done. I'm gone, You can't threaten me or coerce me or use threats against the kids to get me to reverse it -- I'm gone.

Let them go.

By the way, thanks for sending Moira to meet me in Seattle. We actually made up for what I missed out on in Hilton head. She's really something. In fact she's been kind enough to let me finish this letter so I can add these last few remarks.

It's actually sort of odd writing this. I know by the time you read it I'll be dead, and I'm pretty sure Moira will have something to do with it, but right now she's sitting naked in my lap, impaled, helping me enjoy my last ride.