While the room was reacting to what was sure to be the death of Joe Alanbeck, and while Joe himself was falling out of his chair, still holding his neck, still struggling to live, Mick was grabbing the hair of Betty Alanbeck, slinging her head backwards, and putting the blade against her neck too. “You lie to me, motherfucker,” he said with eyes as cold as ice, “and you’ll join your husband in hell. Who paid you to target my wife? When did they pay you? And why did they pay you?”
Betty was crying. She was horrified. Mick could see in her stricken blue eyes that she had no idea who she was dealing with. “Are you going to kill me too even if I tell?” she asked with fear scratching her throat.
“Maybe,” Mick said. “But if your ass refuse to talk, ain’t no maybe about it. I will kill you.” Mick jerked her head harder. “Now answer my questions. Who, when, and why?”
“I don’t know his real name, but I knew him as Fog Henry.”
Joey looked at his father. The name didn’t ring a bell to Joey, but he could tell it rang a bell to his father.
“Go on,” Mick said to Betty.
“He contacted us a couple weeks ago. We used to do work for him.”
“What kind of work?” Joey asked.
Danny and Angelo looked at Joey as if he was crazy. Nobody interfered with boss’s questioning like that.
But Mick didn’t flinch. Other than himself, he felt as if Joey was the only one with balls in the room right now. He was the only one who saw these two hustlers for what they truly were: the enemy. “Answer the question,” he said to Betty.
“They wanted us to do what we do. The same thing we did with your wife. We got certain people to rear end us on certain quiet roads, and they were waiting to ambush them. Only this time, with your wife, it was supposed to be a test run.”
Joey frowned. “What the fuck does that mean?” he asked. Angelo and Danny glanced at each other. Who did this upstart punk think he was? But Joey knew who he was. He was the kid trying with all he had to get back on his father’s good side. And Mick the Tick, Joey was certain, only responded to strength. “What kind of test run?”
“A test run,” Betty said a little testily. “To get the layout.”
“To see how quickly I responded?” Mick asked.
“Right,” Betty said. “And to see if your wife was shrewd enough to recognize what was happening to her by calling you.”
Mick stood erect, removing the blade from her throat. It was becoming a little clearer to him now. “How much?” he asked her.
Betty knew she was about to answer the last question. Possibly the last words she’d ever speak on the face of this earth. Joe was down, and had stopped struggling and just died, and she knew she could be next. If she wasn’t smart. But she was. “I know who the big man is,” she said. “Forget that chump change Fog paid us. I know who Fog was working for. But you’ve got to free me first. You’ve got to let me go. And then I’ll tell.”
Mick gave her a hard look. “You’re trying to wheel and deal with me?” he asked her. “The woman who put my wife in danger is trying to negotiate her release?”
“I have the information you need,” Betty pleaded with Mick.
Danny and Angelo were stunned by the way she had changed. Gone was that golly gee, woe is me attitude. She was now as street as they were.
“I can get you where you need to go,” Betty continued. “Fog Henry is just a go-between. Why waste your time searching for that loser, when I know who the big man is?”
Mick pulled out a handkerchief and wiped his switchblade clean. Then he closed it up.
Betty felt as if she was finally getting somewhere. “I can take you straight to him,” she pleaded. “I know the big man. Just spare my life, and I’ll do that for you. I know who the big man is.”
Just as Joey and Mick’s men felt that Betty was getting somewhere too, Mick pulled out his revolver and shot her through the forehead. Killing her on the spot. Even Joey was shocked by that. They all looked at Mick.
“But boss,” Angelo said, “she knew who the ringleader was. Why would you kill her when she knows who he is?”
“Because I know who he is too,” Mick said. Then he frowned. “And who the fuck are you to question me? Your ass was ready to put her fucking face on Mount fucking Rushmore! You were ready to enshrine her in some good woman hall of fame, and you’re questioning me?”
Joey grinned. Mick settled back down. “Clean this shit up and meet me at the airport. Contact my pilot.”
“Yes, sir, boss,” Angelo said nervously.
“Where to tell him we’re going?” Danny asked with equally unhinged nerves.
Mick was surprised that he still didn’t get the connection. “New York,” he said as if it was a foregone conclusion. “Where the hell else?”
Then Mick looked one more time at the downed couple, and walked out of the door.
“You heard my father,” Joey said, looking at Mick’s two embarrassed men. “Don’t fuck that up too.”
And then Joey, no longer looking like the fool kid they took him for, walked out too.
Once Mick and Joey were back in the limousine, with Joey sitting close beside his father, Mick slouched down.
Joey could tell he was tired, like this shit was getting to him. But he had questions he needed answers to. “Who’s Fog Henry, Dad?” he asked him.
“It’s Frog Henry,” Mick said.
Joey smiled. “You mean she said his name wrong?”
“That’s why I knew her ass didn’t know who was pulling the strings. She was full of shit.”
“But you know who’s pulling the strings, I’ll bet,” Joey said. Mick didn’t respond. “So who’s Frog Henry anyway?” Joey asked, still dying to have his questions answered.
But Mick didn’t bother to answer. He had too many questions of his own.
Joey knew he couldn’t push it. It had to be enough that he was at least at his father’s side. He was at least getting out of the dog house. So he shut up too. And then, as the limo began to drive off, the phone rang.
Mick saw that it was his secretary calling. He pressed the intercom button. “Have they arrived?”
“Yes, sir,” she said.
“Is Gloria there yet?”
“Yes, sir, she’s here.”
“Tell her to handle it. Tell her to listen to what they have to say and to make no promises. I’ve got to make a quick trip to New York.”
“New York, sir?”
“Tell her to call me if they make an offer.”
“Yes, sir,” Blair said. “But the main reason I’m phoning, sir, isn’t about the Argentine group. It’s because of the breaking news.”
Mick frowned. “What breaking news?”
“It’s a story coming up on the twelve o’ clock newscast. The anchor just teased it. Apparently it’s a story about your wife and sexual harassment, sir.”
Joey looked at Mick. Mick was puzzled himself. Why in the world would that foolishness Roz had with Chad Dawkins in New York be breaking news here in Philly?
Mick ended the call and turned on the limo’s television. He grabbed the remote and changed the channel to Action News, the local ABC affiliate. It was still on commercial break, but then, as Blair had said, the anchor returned with a story about Roz.
“As we mentioned before the break,” the anchor said, “the wife of Mick Sinatra, the CEO of Sinatra Industries, has been accused of sexually harassing her male employees.”
Even Joey was shocked. “What?” he asked, sitting up straight.
Mick, however, remained slouched in his seat, staring at the television set.
The anchor turned the story over to the reporter in the field. The reporter, a young white guy, was standing in front of Roz’s office building. “I’m here in front of the Graham Agency, Paige,” the reporter said, “where just within the last few minutes we received word that a press conference will be held tomorrow afternoon to discuss what three male employees calls a systemic pattern of sexual harassment
against them by their boss, Rosalind Graham-Sinatra. These employees, all talent agents with Mrs. Sinatra’s company, are said to be fed up with their treatment and that a lawsuit will be filed.”
“But that’s not all,” the reporter continued. “Mrs. Sinatra was a defendant in a similar lawsuit in the past, when she ran an actor’s studio in New York City. She was then accused of sexually harassing one of her students. She was exonerated in that matter, but it still could present some serious problems for her in this case. We reached out to her office for comment, but our attempt was unsuccessful. We will reach out to Sinatra Industries and Mick Sinatra specifically for comment as well. This story continues to break, Paige, and Action News will stay on top of it. Will Harrison reporting. Back to you.”
Mick continued to stare at the television screen, even as the newscast moved on to other stories. Joey continued to stare at his father.
“Call your brother,” Mick said to him. “Tell him to meet me at Rosalind’s office.”
“Yes, sir,” Joey said as he quickly pulled out his cell phone, and did as he was told.
Mick pressed the intercom button and instructed his driver, who thought they were heading to SI, to take him to Rosalind.
CHAPTER TEN
Teddy Sinatra sat at the back table in the quiet restaurant and watched as Cathleen Thomas and Chad Dawkins walked in.
“You’re late,” Teddy said as soon as they sat down.
“Odd place for a meeting,” Chad said. “We had to drive damn near an hour out of Philly to get here.”
Teddy looked at him hard. “And you are?” he asked.
“He’s the guy I told you about,” Cathleen said. “Chad Dawkins. He’s the one who showed up and caused Roz to run out of Akon’s in a panic.”
Chad smiled. “I wouldn’t say she was in a panic, but she was certainly spooked. And I still ask the question. Why so far away?”
“Philly is Mick’s town,” Cathleen said to Chad. “Too many prying eyes. Too many stooges ready to run and tell the boss. Teddy knows what he’s doing.”
“I sure hope so,” Chad said, far less confidently than Cathleen.
“But I don’t know why you’re so worried,” Cathleen said to Teddy. “I agree with Chad about that. You’re Mick’s right hand man, not to mention his son. Why would you think those flunkies would tell on you?”
“I’m his right hand man, but I’m not his number one enforcer,” Teddy pointed out. “Not yet. He relies on me when it comes to the small stuff, yeah, he does. But Danny Padrone and Angelo Jovanni are the first guys he turns to when it’s super serious. I’m just one of his men then.”
“Oh, yeah, that’s right,” Cathleen said. “I forgot about Danny. I heard how Mick trusts Danny.”
“Who’s Danny?” Chad asked.
Teddy frowned. “None of your fucking business. What are you worrying about that for? Why are you even here? Why am I wasting my time with your ass?”
“Because he knows things, Teddy,” Cathleen said. “That’s why I wanted you to meet with us. After Roz ran out of Akon’s, and yes in a panic like I said, me and Hillary invited him over to our table.”
“Yeah, so?” Teddy asked.
Cathleen smiled. “He told us why she was so stricken. Once upon a time, Roz had sexually harassed him so badly that he had to bring a lawsuit against her ass.”
This did intrigue Teddy. “A lawsuit?”
Chad smiled. “I didn’t win it. She had a better lawyer. But yeah. It was that serious.”
“But that’s not all he knows,” Cathleen said. She was anxious to tell it, but she wanted that arrogant Teddy Sinatra to pry it out of her. But Teddy being Teddy, Teddy being Mick’s son through and through, didn’t say a word.
Cathleen gave in. “Guess who Roz’s lawyer was?” she asked.
“Who?” Teddy asked.
Cathleen sat erect. “Alphonse Zanetti.”
Teddy was surprised. “Al Zanetti? Dad’s ex-lawyer?”
“That’s right,” Cathleen said with a big smile. “He wasn’t the lawyer of record, of course. He hired some flunky and stayed behind the scenes. But he made all the decisions. Word back then was that Al was dating Roz. They hooked up just after Mick fired him. And get this, Teddy: Roz hooked up with your father a couple years after that.”
Teddy frowned. “How the fuck is that a big deal? Two years is a long time.”
“Yeah, but not for a guy like Alphonse,” Cathleen said. “You remember how he was. Always plotting and planning. Methodical as they come.”
“So you think Roz hooking up with Dad was a planned event?” Teddy asked.
“I think it was planned Zanetti-style, yes I do,” Cathleen said proudly. “I believe that so-called accidental meeting at that theater was thought out to the last detail.”
Teddy stared at Cathleen. “Like it was planned all along?”
“Like she set him up,” Cathleen said. “Who better than Al Zanetti to know about Mick’s taste in women? He was real close to your father. The only reason he wasn’t killed after he disappointed Mick, was because Mick cared about his ass. But how better to keep his hand on the pulse of Mick’s business interests than to have his hand on Mick’s woman?”
Teddy leaned back.
“They were certainly close,” Chad said. “And Cathleen’s right about them going together. I can remember my lawyer telling me that word around New York was that Zanetti was banging his client. I asked if that was an ethics violation, and my lawyer said yes. But he said Zanetti was mob, so nobody wanted to turn him in.”
“You get that, Teddy?” Cathleen asked. “Al was mob. Which means, after Mick dumped him, he took up with another syndicate.”
“But who?” Teddy asked.
“How should I know?” Cathleen responded. “But it had to be powerful to think this far ahead. I mean, think about it, Teddy. All of Mick’s problems with his men didn’t start until he hooked up with Roz. Nobody was two-timing Mick the Tick. Nobody was stealing his cargo or messing with him the way they are now. It all started when he hooked up with Roz.”
That wasn’t completely true. Teddy knew his father had been having some problems before then. All mob bosses had loyalty issues. “But you’re right about one thing,” Teddy said. “Shit escalated when he hooked up with Roz.”
“Thank you!” Cathleen said as if she was being vindicated.
But then Teddy thought about something. “What about Hillary?” he asked.
“What about her?” Cathleen responded.
“She was at Akon’s when Chad showed up. She heard him tell about the sex harassment lawsuit.”
“Yeah, but that’s all she knows,” Cathleen said. “She never got into Mick’s underworld dealings the way I did. She was too busy trying to hoist that boy of hers onto Mick. When Chad mentioned Alphonse Zanetti, that name meant absolutely nothing to Hillary. I found out more details later, after Hill left. Chad and I had a longer conversation.”
“And you’re sure Hillary doesn’t suspect anything?” Teddy asked.
“I’m positive,” Cathleen assured him. “She doesn’t know a damn thing. She thinks my only interest is for Joey to get back on Mick’s good side so that he could feed us info.”
“We need that,” Teddy said. “We need to know what he’s up to. I’m not as much in Dad’s loop as people think. We’re close, but we ain’t that close. Not yet.”
“We’ll get all the info you need,” Cathleen said. “Joey’s doing all he can do. He thinks he’s just keeping his mother and his dead brother’s mother in the loop. He has no idea he’s a pawn in your takeover scheme. And I aim to keep it that way.”
“Make sure you do,” Teddy said. “When we strike, and we will, the fewer people who knows, the better the blindside.” Then he smiled. “And with Mick the Tick as the target? It’s got to be a hellava blindside.”
Chad wasn’t interested in revenge. He barely even knew these people. That wasn’t why he was there. He reached out his hand. “My pay, please
,” he said. “Cathleen promised me cash for my information.”
Teddy frowned. “Damn, you’re desperate. Nothing worse than a starving artist, and your thirst is real, my brother.” Then Teddy reached into his coat pocket and tossed an envelope across the table. “Don’t spend it all in one place.”
Chad moved to stand up.
“Keep your ass available,” Teddy said. “I may need you again.”
“I hear Mick Sinatra is a dangerous man,” Chad said. “I hope this money is worth it for a well-respected actor such as myself.”
“I’m paying you more than you made all year as an actor, and you know it,” Teddy said. “So don’t fuck with me. You know it’s worth it. Keep your mouth shut and your ass available.”
Chad smiled. “As long as you pay like this,” he said, “I’ll be available.” Then he left.
Teddy tossed an envelope to Cathleen too. He looked down her body. He remembered when his father used to fuck her, which meant she had to be good. “Are you desperate too?” he asked her.
She knew what he meant immediately. A woman like her got it from all sides because of whose woman she used to be. “Desperate?” she asked. “It depends on what I’m desperate for.”
“What about dick?” Teddy asked her bluntly. He wasn’t going to beg the bitch.
“That depends too,” Cathleen said. “Am I desperate for a dick like Mick’s?” She smiled. “Always. That craving never goes away. It’s the curse of being with a man like him. But am I desperate for a dick like yours?” She thought about it. “I could take it or leave it, to tell you the truth.”
Teddy wanted to kill her arrogant ass. But all things in time. “There’s a motel out back,” he said, “with an hourly rate. It’s call the Dungeon. Sleazy as sleazy can be.” Then he smiled. “But that never stopped you before, right? Wanna go down there and give it a go?”
Cathleen looked over Teddy’s body. He had his father’s good looks and was almost as big as his dad. Maybe he was as good as his dad in bed too. “You want to?” she asked.
Teddy couldn’t believe she would defame Joey that way. He couldn’t believe how low some of these bitches would go. That was why he was holding out for the right one. That was why he didn’t sleep around or string women along or keep a pile of chicks in his stable. He didn’t like wasting his time. “I’d rather put a dagger through my eyes,” he said to her, “than to touch your sleazy ass.”
Mick Sinatra: The Harder They Fall Page 9