The Italian Connection

Both sets of my grandparents came from Italy. They don't whack people. There are no goodfellas, wise guys, godfathers or dons in our family. We talk about Italian art and architecture. We sing Italian songs. I can honestly say there were times when I was also offended by these stereotypical depictions of Italian-Americans. Yes, Italian-Americans, like every other ethnic group that came to the United States, Italians have contributed great things to our society. Perhaps there are too many good things to mention.

For certain, it's uncomfortable to think about the Italian mob connection. But it's there people; it's part of our history and there's nothing we can do to change that. This is 1968. No one likes to be seen as "two dimensional" and unfortunately, audience members don't often give a great deal of thought to what they are watching at home or in a movie theater. I feel the best way I can counteract these stereotypes is to be a productive citizen of this country. I am a second generation New York City Police officer.

Jimmy is the oldest Ventura sibling. He is tall, dark and handsome at 6 foot 2 inches. Getting up at 5 A.M. Jimmy runs five miles, like the post office, rain, sleet, or sun. He takes classes at John Jay, but hits the gym before class so he can tone. His body is rock hard like Michelangelo's David. Working evenings, didn't give Jimmy much time for a girl friend or social life outside of family or guys at the station. He missed Mona. She understood his goals. That's how they went from boyfriend - girlfriend in high school, to best friends in college.

Examining the unopened letter, Jimmy noted the Italian stationery - and the lack of postage. There was no return address, but he had a pretty good idea who sent the letter. Who did she get to deliver it? That guy she married was definitely connected!

Mona was smart. She majored in business accounting at Baruch College. Then she did something really stupid; she went to work for Tabacchi. Something happened... in less than a year she was married, and on her way to Italy with her mother. Her mother was really sick, Tabacchi paid for the best health care in the States, then in Italy. That seems like a strangely huge benefit. Mona knew too much about Tabacchi's business. He made her mother a hostage, but the poor woman died not long ago. There was nothing to whole Mona any longer. That's when the letters started coming.

"Hi captain, got a minute." "Sure what you got for me?" "Another letter came today; she's ready to make her move. Tabacchi's going to Singapore on business. She's not going. Hopefully, not too many guards will be left to watch her." "How's she getting these letters to you? There's no postage." "Someone's making the drop for her. Don't know how?" "Ok I'll pass this on to the FBI. You want in on the operation?" "Yep, sure!"

The consortium was truly a multi-ethnic organization with contacts from many different backgrounds, and countries. The consortium bolstered its power through several different schemes, one of which was by 'restarting' and taking a dominant role in the global drug smuggling trade. Like other forms of international trade, the opium/heroin trade was seriously interrupted by the disruptions of World War II. The organization wanted to remedy that interruption and cash in on this most lucrative of businesses. Mona knew all about the business! She was Tabacchi's accountant.

"Office Ventura, this is Agent Owens with the FBI. You'll be working with him on the Task Force - code name: Jason, who was a ancient Greek mythological figure, famous as the leader of the Argonauts and their quest for the Golden Fleece," announced the captain. "We're after the Golden Fleece, and the lady is going to lead us to it." "How ya doing, Agent," Jimmy asked sizing up the guy. "Hi, so you know the contact. Know her well," Owens asked looking Jimmy up and down. "Well enough." "So how'd she get connected?" "She's not connected. Her husband is," Jimmy answered thinking this guy is an idiot. "Right...ok," as the two men walked into the briefing room. The broken coffee pot and stack of cups were on the counter. Coffee rings still on the table of the break room. "I don't want to take any chances of being over heard. We'll talk in here." The captain continues, "FBI is the lead agency on this. Ventura you report to Owens. Things are already in motion. The woman and baby were smuggled out of the compound in a delivery truck. Interpol set up a variety of airport connections and identity changes for her. We won't know until the last minute what name she's traveling under. An agency with broad international reach has agreed to escort her safely to U.S. soil. She should be arriving shortly. When she arrives we complete the cover story. I turn the briefing over to Agent Owens."

"Ok a little history. In America, the national crime syndicate modeled itself after the Rockefeller Standard Oil Corporation. The New York-based consortium spread its influence across the country, and eventually offshore. This organization was described as the Cosa Nostra, or the Italian-American mafia. Almost 100 alleged Cosa Nostra "godfathers" and rank-and-file mobsters were arrested today in an operation that smashed an attempt to reconstitute the crime syndicate's "high command". The Cosa Nostra assassinated the country's two most expert anti-mafia prosecutors and bombed targets on the mainland. The most senior mobster still at large is thought by investigators to be Vinnie Palermo, a close associate of Tabacchi. Palermo is from a province from which all the mafia's previous leaders have been recruited. It was widely believed that Cosa Nostra had been forced by rival Italian mafia groups to take a subsidiary role in the import of narcotics, and particularly cocaine..."

Jimmy didn't notice his father enter the room behind him. He turned when he heard the baby. She was just as he remembered, just little tired, may be stressed. "Hey, how are you and the baby?" He pulled out a chair, as she placed the basket on the table. "Hi, Jimmy. It's really good to see you. I missed talking with you." "Hate to break up this reunion," Owens interrupted, "but we got work to do. We are going to meet the U.S. Marshals, drive to the Ventura house and leave the baby. Mr. Ventura is going to brief his wife." "That's Sergeant Ventura," Papa corrected Owens. "Ok sergeant. Anyone else is out of the loop. Who's going to find the baby?" "My wife is going to find the baby when she comes home from the neighbor." "I am sending Det. Byrnes to investigate. He'll be told it's an abandon baby. Ok everyone let's get going." Well that was the plan.

Sophie found the baby before her mother. All the law enforcement, Mona, Jimmy and his father were outside when Sophie opened the door. When the baby cried they decided to alter the plan. Mama was with Mona when Mario called Mrs. Testagrossa. He never told Sophie their mother was already on her way. Everyone underestimated Sophie, amateur detective. When Sophie explained the scenario for her father, brother and Det. Byrnes so completely, she left them speechless. The men sat silently drinking their beers - Papa and Jimmy thinking, Mona's cover has to be very deep, so even Sophie can't find her.
Everything they said about that girl was so underrated Byrnes thought as he reached for another beer.

Recap from Sophie and the Baby: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1629473/sophie_and_the_baby.html?cat=44
Det. Byrnes became at regular at the house. He seemed to always arrive around dinner time to update the family on the search for Mona. Using Sophie's investigative techniques, the police concluded Mona was the mother. She traveled through several European and South Americans cities before arriving in the United States. Mona was running from her husband and his business partners, mostly the business partners. Mona heard the threats many times. "She knows a lot about your business - our business. Make sure she stays in her place or we'll put her in a place no one will find her." She arrived in NYC just before the baby was found by Sophie, probably coming right from the airport. That's where the trail goes cold. It's like she fell off the face of the earth. After three months, it was a cold case.

Three months was about how long it took for the FBI to track down the leads Mona gave them. The people her husband did business with in Europe were not very nice people. The FBI and Interpol were looking for leads for years. Mona was willing to go into witness protection provided she did not have to testify in person, and her baby found a good, safe home. She reenacted that rainy night all the time. Sophie was sitting at her desk overlooking the yard. Mona was waiting for Jimmy to come home. Already in the custody of the Marshals and FBI, they traveled in different car. She saw him at the station house. When she saw the light go on in the kitchen, she decided to ring the bell and leave the baby by the gate. She was happy it was Sophie that found the baby.

The government had to make it happen. The U.S. Marshals put the baby under surveillance. Mona got to see pictures of her often. Once she got to see Sophie and Wolf take Regina for a walk. It was like Sophie knew it was her in the van. Sophie stopped, smiled for no reason and took the baby out of the stroller to face the van. She put Regina back in the stroller and continued on her way, never looking at the van as it slowly drove pass. I won't tell the folks we're under surveillance. Don't want them to worry, Sophie and Jimmy sharing the same thought. Papa Ventura taught a course at the Police Academy on surveillance. The cadets were assigned to stakeout his house. If Sophie didn't ID them, they passed the course. There were a lot of repeats for that course.

Mama and Mrs. Testagrossa took two walks every day, up and down the block. The two women formed their own neighborhood watch, along with Lisa, Maria, Chris and the new neighbor, Mrs. Allen. Mama taught the ladies had to spot the surveillance teams - got to be able to tell the good guys from the bad...Mrs. Testagrossa was hiding in plain sight.