a localhood from brooklyn became a member of fatico's crew that year. hired by uncle charlie. my brother michael, 9 years older than i was from a different world. growing up i idolized him as my mother's first and favorite child. he was common ways with me that my father frequently was not. had patience to all types of people but particularly for his little brother whose wide eye revealed motion. darker, unrecognizable version of someone to face his abilities was to appear down just waiting for me to slip. in 1985 and 1988 as gotti rose in celebrity in power, law enforcement officials looked for anything or anyone to leverage against the new king of new york's crime families, my brother's friendship with gotti was attempting target to squeeze and federal court was the perfect place to apply that pressure. i studied the smooth, sweet lines of my nephew's face as he sat next to me in court to see if the turmoil and the years of tension took a physical toll on him. he listened as intently as i did to prosecutors talking about a prison term for his father,