Prince of Omerta

Book excerpt: Johnny Valenti is a hit man as well as a man committed to ethics. True, the standard he abides by is somewhat different from traditional ethics, yet he is a man of principle. His uncompromising commitment is to omertá - the code of silence. He believes when you are involved in murder, arson, extortion, and other such crimes, you keep your mouth shut, no matter what. So living up to his beliefs, Valenti takes the rap for a murder he did not commit, and serves eighteen years in prison. When he gets out, using his professional skills, he takes care of the rat that framed him. Finally free, he tries being a law abiding citizen but he simply can't cut it. He's had very little training, indeed none, on the right side of the law. Thus, he returns to his roots, working for a powerful organized crime family led by the brutal boss of bosses. He performs well, getting excellent job performance reviews, but as in most jobs, office politics is killing him - so to speak - and he clashes with the boss. Given his skills as one of the best in the murder-for-hire business, he smells that he may be the target of the boss of bosses, but Valenti turns the table on him. With the help of a mole in a special U.S. federal crime fighting unit, he outwits the boss, and devises an ingenious plan that assures he can live with his true love in anonymity and peace. He disappears leaving no forwarding address.