“Hello.”
“Manny, it’s Nicky. We okay to talk?”
“Jesus Christ, ghosts of Christmas past and all that shit. Yeah, we’re okay; I get the place swept all the time. How’s it going?”
“Good. I need a favor, though, and I figured—”
“Yeah, I know. I owe you. What do you need?”
“I’d rather talk about it in person.”
A long pause followed. Too long.
“I’m not going to do anything,” I said. “If I wanted to, there would have been no phone call.”
“Yeah, all right. So where are you? I’ll meet you somewhere.”
“I’m outside your door. Why don’t I come inside.”
The blinds cracked, then the door popped open. Manny damn near filled the opening. “How the fuck do you know where I live?”
I smiled. “I know where everybody lives. You should know that.”
He stepped aside, letting me in, then poked his head out and looked down the street.
“I’m alone.”
“So what’s going on? What the hell you doin’ back in the city?”
“Guess you didn’t hear. Bugs got stabbed.”
His hands flew in the air. “Hold on, Nicky. I had nothin’ to do with it.”
“Relax. I know it wasn’t you. He’s after some nutcase serial killer. Mazzetti figures him for doing Bugs.”
Manny’s eyes shifted to a spot behind me. The floor creaked at the same time. I dropped to the floor, pivoted and swept the legs out from under a guy a couple of feet from me. I had my gun pointed at Manny before I got back to my feet.
Manny had his hands raised in the air. “Hold up, Nicky. Goddamn, it’s just Giorgio.”
I looked down to see Manny’s right-hand man, Giorgio, getting to his feet.
“Damn near killed me you stupid fuck.”
“Sorry, Giorgio. I’m a little nervous.”
“Put that gun away. You make me fuckin’ nervous.” Manny lowered his hands, and shrugged. “You want espresso?”
I grabbed a chair and pulled it to where I had a good view of both doors. “I could use some.”
“Bugs all right?”
“Don’t know yet. He’s pretty bad.”
Manny spooned the espresso into a pot on the stove. I was glad to see he still made it the old way. Weren’t many people left who kept to tradition. I had always been fond of espresso. Of course, that might have had something to do with Mamma Rosa giving Tony and me coffee in our bottles at two-years old.
“What the fuck is wrong with people nowadays, Nicky? Nobody’s got respect.”
I nodded, knowing Manny would continue.
“I mean, you don’t pop a good cop like Bugs no matter what he did. He’s got a job to do, just like you and me. If he beats you at it, you tip your hat and do the time. You don’t pop him.”
“That’s the way I see it.”
“I hear you settled down. Got a family and a good job.”
“You hear a lot way up here in Brooklyn.”
“Yeah, well you know…some people make it their business to know where you are and what you’re doing.” He set the espresso cups on the table and poured one for me and Giorgio, then brought his from the stove. “Sugar?”
“This is fine,” I said, and took a sip. “Are you one of those curious people?”
“Not me.”
“Dominic?”
“You know Dominic. He’s old school. He was the one vote against you when that shit happened with Tito.”
“Just one?”
“You know I was with you. You did me a favor.”
“I guess Dominic hasn’t forgotten.”
“A hundred-year-old revenge still has its baby teeth.” Manny let his words sink in, then, “That’s an old Italian proverb. Some people still believe in it. Dominic Mangini lives by it.”
I had figured as much. “Remember that favor you said you owed me? I’m here to call it in.”
The chair groaned as Manny shifted in his seat. “I thought you were just here to see Bugs.”
“Somebody damn near killed Bugs. He might die.” I slugged down the last gulp of espresso, and stared at Manny. “He’s gonna have to pay for that.”
“You should let the cops handle this,” Manny said.
“We’ll see.”
“If this guy turns up dead, the press is gonna think the cops killed him for what he did to Bugs. And then they’re gonna look real hard to find out who killed the guy. See what I mean?”
“Let’s get back to Dominic,” I said. “Anything you can do to smooth things over for me?”
Manny shrugged. “Maybe. I don’t know. I’ll put in a word for you. I owe that much, but I can’t guarantee anything.”
“That’s all right. I’ll take care of it myself.”
“What, you going to see him? I think you’re better off leaving it be. Get your business done and be gone before he knows you’re here.”
I laughed. “He probably knows I’m here already.” I dropped my smile and looked at Manny. “And you know that.”
He shrugged his big shoulders again. “Yeah, guess so.”
I took the espresso cup to the sink and rinsed it. “Gotta go. Thanks for the espresso.”
“Just so you’ll know, Dominic has this guy named Fabrizio…”
“Yeah?”
“If Dominic decides to come after you, he’ll use Fabrizio. He’s good, Nicky. Real good.”
If Manny was warning me about Fabrizio that meant he thought Fabrizio was better than me. I didn’t like that.
“Thanks, Manny. I appreciate it.” I turned to Giorgio. “Sorry about the leg.”
“Nothin’ to it, Nicky. Be good, huh.”
***
Manny parted the blinds and watched Nicky walk down the sidewalk.
“Why did you tell him about Fabrizio?” Giorgio asked.
“Because I don’t like Fabrizio,” Manny said.
“But he works for Dominic.”
“You gotta learn, Giorgio. Things are good with Dominic, but you never know in this business, and Fabrizio is too dangerous to have looming as an enemy.”
Giorgio shook his head. “I don’t know, Boss. Nicky’s good, but I’ve seen Fabrizio work. Never seen nothing like him.”
Manny shrugged, picked up his phone and called Dominic. He answered right away. “Hey, Dom, it’s Manny. Yeah, thought you’d want to know…Nicky Fusco’s in town.”
“To see his friend?”
“So he says.”
“Grazie, Manny.”
“Prego.”
Manny turned to Giorgio, wearing a smile. “Nicky…Fabrizio…either way I’m happy.”
CHAPTER 36
A Visit with Kate
I stopped at the hospital on the way back, figuring I’d give Manny a chance to get hold of Dominic. Maybe if Dominic thought enough about it, he’d soften up. From what I’d heard of him I doubted it, but…maybe.
I parked and walked into the hospital alongside two uniforms. So many cops were coming in and out of here, it looked like a station house. They should have been out finding the guy who did it instead of visiting Bugs. I walked into the waiting room. Lou nodded to let me know he’d seen me, but I had to wait fifteen minutes for him to break free. When he finished with the last cop he stepped into the hall and started walking. I followed.
“Any news?” I asked.
“Nothing much. He’s still sedated with all that shit shoved down his throat.”
“No word on who did it?”
“Nothing.”
“Mazzetti, you have anything on the guy who did this?”
“No clue. I’m convinced it’s connected to the case we’re on, but…”
“But what?”
“I’m convinced it’s connected, but it doesn’t feel like the same killer. Why didn’t he use the same gun? Why use a knife, and one of Frankie’s knives to boot?”
“Other than speculation what do you have?”
“What the hell? You expect me to give you what I got? You think I’m gonna just give you my case file? Asshole. Besides, even if I wanted to, it’s locked up in my car, the pretty little silver Taurus parked across the street.”
“Thanks, Mazzetti. You’re okay.”
Lou grabbed my arm. “You didn’t let me finish.”
“Sorry, go on.”
“The pretty little silver Taurus…with the back door open so people don’t have to break into it.”
“I’d kiss you if I weren’t married.”
Lou grabbed my arm again. “If you get caught, I’ll say those files were stolen. It will be my word against yours.”
“No need to lie. If I get caught, I’ll say I stole them.”
Lou stared at me. “Maybe you are okay.”
“Do you have Kate’s number?”
He gave me her cell but said he thought she took the day off to be with Alex and that she’d be here soon.
“Maybe I’ll wait outside for her.”
“I don’t mind if you’re in the waiting room. Just don’t act like we’re buddies.”
“I’d be more comfortable outside. I’ll wait in the car.”
“The silver one?”
“Yeah, that one. No need to have those files go missing.”
“Lot of notes in there,” Lou said.
“I have a good memory.”
“So I heard. See you around.”
I walked out of the hospital, found Lou’s car and climbed in. The case files were on the floor. I told Lou I had a good memory, but he was right—there were a lot of notes in here. Rather than risk missing details, I took the folder to a copy shop and got what I needed. I didn’t need all the crap forms, just the meat. Afterward I replaced the folder in his car, and then I called Kate.
“Hello.”
“Kate Burns, please.”
“This is she. Who is this?”
“My name is Nicky Fusco, I’m—”
“I know who you are. I’m at the hospital. Can you call later?”
Judging from her tone, Kate didn’t much like me. “Sure,” I said and hung up. No sense in arguing on the phone.
I walked back to the hospital. Kate had gone in to see Bugs. A kid sat in the corner looking sad. I walked over, knelt beside him. “Are you Ace?”
He perked up. “You Mr. Rat?”
I tried not to laugh but couldn’t help it. Mr. Rat. “That’s me.” I held out my hand. “Nicky Fusco.”
He shook. “Alex Donovan. FD gave me his name.”
I liked the boy already. He was proud of getting Bugs’ name. “You want to go outside and talk for a minute?”
He followed me out. We found a bench to sit on under an old oak tree. There was even a breeze to keep us cool. I didn’t say anything for a minute, waiting to let Alex get comfortable. “You see your dad today?”
“Just for a minute.” He stared at the ground. “He can’t even talk.”
“He’ll get better,” I said, though I don’t know why I said it. It always seemed like the thing to do in hospitals, keep saying the person will get better. Say it enough and maybe it will come true. Like wishing on a star.
“That’s what Kate keeps saying too.”
“You feel up to answering a few questions for me?”
He looked up. “About that day, you mean?”
I nodded. “If you’re not up to it…”
“Is this gonna help you catch the guy?”
I looked around instinctively. “I’m not supposed to be looking for the guy, but since I know you can keep secrets, I’ll trust this to you. I am looking for the guy, and I’m gonna find him. So, yeah, this is to help FD.”
“Then I’m up to it. What do you need?”
“Tell me what happened that day.”
Alex filled me in on the details and on how CPS had come by the day before. “I was home by myself and heard a knock on the door. I was about to open it when I saw the handle turn. I knew that wasn’t right, so I hid under the bed like FD told me to if anything ever happened.”
“Did you see the guy? Was there one or two?”
“I didn’t see nobody. FD told me to get under the bed and cover up. Don’t look. That’s what I did.”
“What happened next?”
“The guy came inside. I heard him walking around. And I heard talking…but only one voice.”
“I don’t understand.”
“I mean, the guy was talking, but I don’t know if he was talking to himself or to somebody else.”
“Okay, then what?”
“It seemed like I was under there forever. It was hot, and the blanket was itching my face. Then I heard the door open again.” Alex looked at me with big sad eyes. “Is FD gonna be okay?”
“I don’t know yet, Alex. How about you tell me the rest of the story first.”
“Okay, so after the door opened again, I heard FD’s voice. He said, ‘Hey, Ace. You here?’ And then the other guy said ‘Nobody here but us.’”
“Nobody here but us? You’re sure that’s what he said?”
“Positive. Then I heard FD. He didn’t scream, but he kind of…I don’t know…grunted, I guess. And he said… ‘fuck.’”
Alex looked up at me. “Didn’t mean to curse, Rat.”
“That’s all right. I’ve said worse.” I rubbed his head. “Anything else you remember?”
He shook his head. “No…wait a minute. The guy was singing.”
“Singing? You sure?”
Alex popped off the bench like he’d discovered something important. “I’m positive. I know the song. It’s…”
“Something you listen to?”
“No. It’s FD’s…no, it’s one of Kate’s songs. She sings it when she’s happy. I can find it if you want.”
“You know any of the words, or the words he was singing?”
“I remember because it’s the same part Kate sings. ‘It’s a Beautiful Morning.’ It’s an old song.”
I smiled. “I know exactly the song you’re talking about. Good job.”
“Does that help?”
I rubbed his head again. “It sure does.”
Alex laughed.
“What’s funny?”
“FD always rubs my hair the same way you did.”
Tears built in his eyes. He tried not looking at me but then he wrapped his arms around me and started bawling. “What’s gonna happen to me if FD dies?”
I patted his back. “He won’t die.”
“I should have done something. All I did was hide under the bed like a pussy.”
“There was nothing you could have done.”
“FD would have saved me.”
“And from what I heard, you saved him.” I knelt in front of him and held his face. I wiped his tears with a handkerchief and stared into his eyes. “If you hadn’t called 9-1-1, he’d be dead. And if you had tried to help him, you’d be dead too. Trust me. I know what I’m talking about.”
“Why did that guy do this to FD?”
I hugged him again. “I don’t know, but when I catch him, I’ll find out. I promise.”
From behind us I heard a panicked voice. “Alex!”
He looked over. “Kate, right here.”
She stormed over, a look in her eyes that was half panic and half rage. She grabbed Alex and yanked him to her side. For a moment I thought she was going to punch me.
“Who are you?”
I held out my hand. “Nicky Fusco.”
The look in her eyes shifted to fear. “You’re his friend from Wilmington?” Her eyes shifted left and right, but never once straight at me.
“We grew up together. Yeah.”
“Why are you here?” She seemed tentative, cautious.
“To see Bugs.”
She appeared to be shaking. She was definitely nervous. “What’s the matter?” I asked.
Her eyes finally met mine, and they locked there. She leaned down to Alex and whispered. “Go inside to Detective Mazzetti. Tell him where
I am. I’ll be there in a few minutes.” She waited for Alex to leave before going on. “I’ve seen your work. You scare me.”
“I don’t hurt innocent people.”
Kate looked at me, scowling. “I can’t trust a person who is capable of doing those things to anyone.”
I stared at Kate. She reminded me a little of Angie, maybe tougher—at least on the outside. New York did that to people. But inside, I suspected that Angie had her beat. Nobody was tougher than Angie when it came to holding her ground. I nodded. “I won’t argue with you.”
I knew I should let it go, but I couldn’t. Some people just didn’t understand. “Some days God doesn’t do His job. That’s when I take over.”
“And is this one of those days?” Her hands were resting on her hips, not unlike Angie did when she felt a little above herself.
“This is one of those days, Kate. Count on it.” I thought of what Alex said about the song. “Alex said there is a song you always sing. Maybe just the chorus.”
“I sing a lot of songs.”
“He said this one was when you were happy.”
She thought, then nodded. “Young Rascals. It’s a Beautiful Morning. Why are you asking me about a song?”
“Alex said the guy who did this to Bugs was singing it.”
“What a sick son of a bitch.” She shook her head. “How come Alex didn’t tell that to the cops?”
“I have a way of getting people to tell me things. Sometimes without torturing them.”
She stared, concern in her expression. “Why don’t you let the cops handle this? It’s their job.”
“Cops are good at some things—catching crooks, putting people in jail. But not at administering justice.” I patted Kate on the back and headed for my car. “Call me Michael the Archangel.”
The distance between us must have given her courage, or comfort. Before I reached the street I heard her yell, “Good luck, Michael.”
Bugs was right; Kate was a good person. I hoped things worked out for them.
CHAPTER 37
Run for Your Life
It had been two days since Detective Donovan was stabbed. No cops had busted down the killer’s door, or anyone else’s door, which meant that either Donovan was still out of it, or he didn’t recognize the person who attacked him. The cops were running all over town looking for the vicious person who attacked Donovan, so…the killer decided to give them a clue. He’d decide what the clue would be once he had prospects in sight.
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