“Hey Jimmy. I haven’t heard from you in a while. What’s up? How are things going?” Zoe quickly said after answering the call.

Jimmy laughed. “Thanks Zoe. I needed that laugh. “Things are looking up after making a career decision that has put me in lower management even though it meant doing something I didn’t want to do.”

“That’s great!” Zoe replied. “Going to tell me about it?”

“Eh, maybe some other time,” Jimmy hedged.

“Ok… Are you calling so we can go celebrate your promotion?” Zoe asked.

“No, but maybe we can celebrate after things settle down in a few days,” Jimmy replied.

“Alright. I’ll hold you to that,” Zoe said. “So, why did you call?”

“I understand that you paid off your debt earlier today,” Jimmy said instead of answering his cousin’s question.

“I did! It feels great too,” Zoe happily replied. She sent the 10K Jimmy had loaned her back to his account. “Speaking of debts, I just sent your account the ten grand you had loaned me back.”

“Zoe, you don’t have to do that,” Jimmy protested.

“Sure, I do. Now I’m completely debt free,” Zoe said. “I know you understand how good that feels too.”

“Yeah, I do,” Jimmy replied. “That gives us another reason to celebrate eventually.”

“Yeah, it does,” Zoe agreed.

“Anyway, I want you to stay away from the family from now on. Me getting into lower management was part of a larger change in management,” Jimmy said seriously.

“What do you mean?” Zoe asked.

“Tommy has taken over.”

“What? How?” Zoe asked.

“He had the backing of several of the younger guys and let’s just say the takeover was done in the traditional way,” Jimmy answered.

Zoe wasn’t stupid. She could tell from his tone of voice that Jimmy had taken part in the takeover, especially since he had said he had done something he hadn’t wanted to do earlier. Zoe had read up on the mafia and watched a few documentaries after taking the loan from Nucky. She knew the “traditional way” involved murder.

“Jimmy, what have you done?”

“Just what I had to do,” her cousin answered. “Just stay away from the Capone family or as Tommy is most likely to start calling it, the Romano family from now on. If Cartier gives you any runs for us, don’t accept them. Tommy has said he’ll leave you alone, but I don’t trust that he will.”

“That’s not much of a worry. Henri has all but frozen me out,” Zoe replied.

“Why would he do that?” Jimmy asked changing the subject from his situation. Zoe grinned and allowed the subject change. She told him about what had been happening at Cartier. She also told him about the possibility of getting hired by Hayabusa Transportation too. “If these other guys are willing to pay you a lot more, then go for it.”

“Maybe. Tony advised me to go into business for myself,” Zoe replied. “Akane, one of Hayabusa’s couriers also mentioned going independent.”

“Being your own boss has its perks,” Jimmy said. “I’ll gladly give you the ten grand back, so you can buy the license.”

“I don’t even know how much a courier license would cost,” Zoe muttered.

“Well, look into it,” Jimmy urged.

“I’ll think about it.”

“Zoe, you just admitted you’re on the outs with your boss and you don’t seem to keen on signing on with the Japanese outfit, so that leaves you going independent, trying to find another outfit to sign on with, or getting a totally new job,” Jimmy explained. Zoe started to argue, but Jimmy beat her with his next argument. “Talk to other couriers about their companies and any independents you can find. Then make an informed decision. Your savings won’t last forever.”

“When did you become reasonable?” Zoe asked giving her cousin a smile.

“Always have been,” Jimmy replied. “You just haven’t been around me enough to see it.”

“Need I remind you of your career path?” Zoe teased.

“Nope. I reasoned my path was the quickest and easiest way to make a lot of money and I was correct. But to advance in the ranks always meant doing questionable things that on reflection weren’t nearly as hard to do as I imagined.”

“Jimmy, that’s not good,” Zoe seriously told him.

“Probably not, but that’s on me,” Jimmy replied shrugging his shoulders. “Anyway, I’m going to go and visit a few clubs tonight. Tommy wants to move our headquarters to a nightclub since they suit him better than a restaurant.”

“Ugh. Let me know which one you guys pick out so I can avoid it,” Zoe replied. She knew Jimmy didn’t want her going with him, so didn’t ask.

“I will,” Jimmy promised.

“And Jimmy?”

“Yeah?”

“Be careful and stop doing stupid things,” Zoe said.

“I’ll try,” Jimmy replied. “See you around.”

“Bye,” Zoe said as he disconnected the call. She then said to herself, “He can be so freaking stupid sometimes.”

Still, he had given her valuable information that she could potentially sell as well as something to research and think about. First a little research needed to be done and then a call needed to be made.

*

“Hi Claire!” Zoe cheerfully greeted Doc Brown a couple hours later. There hadn’t been any rumors on the net about Capone, but that wouldn’t last much longer. Zoe still had prime inside information.

“Zoe, it’s almost closing time. This better be important,” Claire replied. “And I mean that you need surgery important.”

“No, it’s nothing like that,” Zoe said in a more serious tone.

“Then I’m hanging up,” Claire said. “I’m hungry and Zane is cooking tonight.”

“I have some information I think you’ll really want to hear,” Zoe replied. “It concerns Capone.”

“I’m listening.”

“First, do you buy information?”

“Sometimes. Not everyone does things out of the good of their hearts,” Claire answered. “Hang on and let me secure this connection.”

“Ok.”

“Alright, we’re secure,” Claire said a moment later.

“I’ll sell you this valuable information for a favor to be named at a later date,” Zoe said.

“That’s very vague,” Claire said. “Do you mind if I bring Zane into the call?”

“No, I don’t mind. I know a favor is vague, but think you’ll agree this info is worth more than a favor,” Zoe replied.

“Depends on the favor,” Zane said joining the call. “Tell us the info and then we’ll decide if it’s worth an unnamed favor.”

“How about you agree to a named favor, and I spill the beans?” Zoe countered.

“What’s the favor?” Claire asked before Zane could say anything else.

“More courier work for me with recommendations to others,” Zoe said.

“Done,” Zane quickly replied.

“I wasn’t finished,” Zoe said shaking her head.

“Fine,” Claire and Zane said together.

“I also want you to promise these secretive friends of yours will leave my cousin out of things if they ever move on his outfit,” Zoe said.

“We might not be able to promise that” Zane said. “Like if he’s murdered or raped someone, that’s not something we could overlook.”

“So, this information has something to do with the Capone family?” Claire asked. Zoe nodded yes. “Alright. We’ll promise to try to keep Jimmy out of anything in addition to the courier work and recommendations. How’s that?”

“I can agree to that if you’ll agree to making sure Aunt Anne is provided for if anything happens to Jimmy.”

Claire and Zane exchanged a look.

“Is this that bad?” Claire asked.

“Could be,” Zoe admitted.

“You know Anne and Jimmy aren’t really blood relations, right?” Zane asked.

Zoe glared at him. “Yes! But they’re still family!”

“Alright. I apologize,” Zane replied.

“We’ll agree to your terms,” Claire said before Zoe could say anything else to Zane. She knew her husband was truly sorry for the question, but Zoe didn’t look convinced. “Now, spill.”

“Tommy Romano and a few others took over the Capone family today in what Jimmy said was a traditional manner,” Zoe simply replied.

“Yeah, that’s worth the favors,” Zane said.

“Why, don’t you tell us everything your cousin told you,” Claire said.

“He didn’t say much but ok,” Zoe replied.