"Bene. Okay, so I know who's been taking the stock. I thought it was that one waitress, but I was wrong."
I watched as Tony cued up the surveillance video. On it, we watched as Leo, one of the bouncers, stepped behind the bar at closing. Everyone was focused on cleaning the club so no one paid him any attention.
"I wanted to be sure it wasn't an isolated incident before I brought it to you. Every night, since we put the camera in, he's been taking something."
"We'll make this simple for him. He can repay what he's taken and leave, quietly, or he goes to jail. Let’s get him in here.”
I sat at Carly’s desk while Tony went to get Leo. He’d been a problem for a while now. He was one of the bouncers that kept calling in. The other, Issac, was fired the previous week because it was discovered he was letting under-age girls in with the promise of a blowjob.
“You wanted to see me?”
Leo stood there like he didn’t have a care in the world. I was about to rain all over his parade.
“I did. I want to show you something.” I turned the computer around where it was frozen on him stealing a bottle of liquor.
“Fuck. I didn’t know there was a camera behind the bar.”
“That was the point. You see, we realized stock was going missing. At first we thought it was this waitress, what was her name Tony?”
“Pauline.”
“That’s right. Pauline. She’s been nipping a drink here and there, and she’ll be given a warning that if it continues she’s out of a job, but that didn’t add up to the amount of stock missing from the inventory. Since the cameras were put in, the only person who has been caught taking bottles is you.”
“Yeah, so? I took some bottles. So what? You come in here, make a bunch of changes, mostly benefiting the dancers, and then expect us to just suck it up? Issac was a good bouncer and you fired him. I figured, you deserved to pay for it by losing money.”
“You’re not very bright, are you, Leo? I fired him because he was letting minors in the club. That shit would get the club shut down, immediately. I don’t allow a liability to remain employed in one of my businesses. I was going to let you off easy. I was going to let you repay the full value of every bottle you stole, and walk away. You just blew that.”
I pulled out my phone and made a call. “Guido. I’ve got some trash for you to pick up here at the club. You know what to do.”
“What the fuck was that about?”
I smirked and I knew it was dark. “You stole from the wrong people, Leo. I’d tell you to enjoy your last night on earth, but it won’t be a fun time for you.”
Before he could say anything else, Tony knocked him out with the butt of his gun.
“Keep everyone out of this area until Guido comes to collect him. I need to get back home."
"You got it, Boss. Tell Carly hello for me."
“I will.” I was anxious to get back to the house. I needed to take Carly into my arms and know she really is safe.
