Mick Sinatra: The Harder They Fall

by Mallory Monroe

  An SUV was waiting for them when Mick arrived. All four men got into the SUV. Mick got on the front passenger seat beside the driver. Angelo, Danny, and Joey got in back.

  “Found him?” Mick asked.

  “Yes, sir,” the driver said. “He’s in the barbershop.”

  “Any armor behind him?”

  “We counted three, sir. There could be another one more undercover, maybe outside, but we doubt it. Frog ain’t got that kind of reach.”

  “But Lenny does,” Mick said. “I want four extra men outside just in case.”

  But Mick’s heart was heavy. When Teddy was with him on these kind of excursions, he knew he had the best man for the job. He knew Teddy was badass enough to handle it. But Joey? He wasn’t experienced enough. He couldn’t put his child at risk. “Joey,” he said, “get out. You’re staying with the plane.”

  Joey couldn’t believe it. “But why, Dad?” He was crestfallen. “Don’t do this to me!”

  Mick turned around quickly and gave his son a look that scared even an old school thug like Angelo Jovanni. It scared Joey too, but he held his father’s stare. And Mick saw something different in Joey’s eyes. He wasn’t badass like Teddy. He wasn’t ruthless like his old man. But he was hungry like a lion. The way Mick used to be. The way Teddy used to be. He needed risk to stay alive. That was why he was always doing that risky, stupid shit. He needed the rush.

  Mick turned back around. “Get three men to keep a watch outside,” he said to his driver. “Joey will be the fourth man.”

  The driver, Angelo, and Danny all were shocked. “Yes, sir,” the driver said as he got on the phone and drove them away.

  Joey was inwardly smiling, and taking happy peeps at his father, as they rode.

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  “I’d give it six months,” Frog Henry Camino said to his barber. “Not even that.”

  “He says he’s turning over a new leaf,” the barber said as he cut Frog’s hair.

  “He says that every time he gets a new bitch in his bed. I’ll give it six months.”

  Frog was leaned back, relaxed, enjoying his afternoon. His two bodyguards were the only other people in the shop, and they were both preoccupied: one was reading the newspaper, another one was reading the news on his IPhone.

  When the barbershop door opened, and Danny Padrone and Angelo Jovanni walked in, Frog’s outward demeanor didn’t change. But inwardly he was shocked. “Well if it ain’t the Sinatra twins,” he said as the men walked in. His own bodyguards didn’t make any moves, but they were on guard when they heard the name Sinatra.

  “What’s up, Frog?” Danny asked. “Long time, no see.”

  “What brings you two flunkies to the Big Apple? This is my neck of the woods. I own this.”

  “Yeah, right,” Angelo said. “And I’m the Godfather. Where you’ve been hiding yourself, Frog?”

  “Who says I’ve been hiding? Where you’ve been hiding, Angelo. That’s the question. Where the hell have you been?”

  “Same place you’ve been,” Angelo said. “Hiding out.”

  “What’s with this guy?” Frog asked his barber. “Tell this jerk I’ve been all over this fine city. Tell this jerk I don’t have any reason to hide out.”

  “He’s been all over this city,” his barber said. “He has no reason to hide out.”

  “Yeah, sure,” Angelo said. “My mistake.”

  “So Danny,” Frog said, “what brings Mick’s right hand man to my territory? Why’s he sending you two clowns to scope out my territory?”

  Then the door opened again. As soon as Frog saw that long, white coat, his heart began to have palpitations. His bodyguards, as soon as they saw the coat too, began pulling out their guns. Their every intention was to shoot first and ask questions later. Mick the Tick wasn’t walking up in Shaw’s Barbershop for the hell of it.

  But before they could fire a shot, Danny and Angelo had already drawn their weapons and both bodyguards were shot multiple times. Both were killed. The barber, terrified, threw his hands in the air, even as one of his hands still held that razor. Frog, stunned, looked at Mick.

  “What you wanna do that for?” he asked him. “I have no beef with you, Micky. What’s up with that?”

  Mick walked up to Frog. He wasn’t interested in being cute with him. He wasn’t interested in being coy.

  “I never thought I’d see you in a place like this,” Frog said as Mick approached him. “Long time, no see.”

  When Mick was in front of Frog, he spoke. “What was the reason?” he asked.

  “The reason?” Frog asked. “What are you talking? What reason?”

  But Mick didn’t respond. Frog knew full well what he was talking about. Frog knew full well Mick wasn’t going to play along. But his life was at stake. “I don’t know what anybody told you,” he said, “but they’re selling you lies.”

  “What was that test run about?” Mick asked him.

  Frog knew he had to give him something. To buy time if nothing else. His eyes darted back and forth as he charted his course. “They wanted to see your reaction time,” he said. “They wanted to see if your wife was sharp, or just another bimbo.”

  “They’re verdict?”

  “Good reaction time,” Frog said. “She’s sharp as a motherfuck,” he added. Then Frog looked at Mick, still charting his course. “Aren’t you going to ask me who they are?”

  Mick already knew. “I know who you work for. Like me, he only hires exclusives. I don’t need you to tell me shit about that.”

  “Then what do you need?” Frog asked. “Why are you here?”

  Mick was about to answer, but Frog jumped up, threw the barber in the line of fire as Danny and Angelo fired their weapons, and took off. The barber was stuck several times. He dropped dead. Then Danny and Angelo took off after Frog.

  Mick went outside. Joey hurried up to his father. “You okay?” he asked.

  “He took off out back. Go get him!”

  “Yes, sir,” Joey said and ran into the barbershop. Three men were dead, and he was amazed at the carnage, but he kept on running until he was running out of the back door.

  There were dilapidated buildings and alleys back there, and Joey outran Danny, who was running far faster than Angelo, in no time. Soon, he was right behind their target: Frog.

  By the time Mick had gotten in the SUV and his driver had driven him through the byways and alleyways, Joey had jumped on Frog’s back, knocked him down, and subdued him. Danny and Angelo made it over there, but they were bent over in exhaustion. Joey was grinning.

  “Slow bitch!” he said to Frog. But he could have just as well said it to Danny and Ang.

  Frog, too, was too exhausted to speak. He just laid there.

  “Get him,” Mick ordered. His men hoisted Frog to his feet.

  “What, boss?” Danny asked. “He’s going to take us to his leader?”

  “No,” Mick said. “He’s going to bring his leader to us.”

  The front gate gave him passage through, and Stu drove all the way up to the main house. It would be the first time he was invited to the Sinatra estate, and he was excited. But nervous too. He knew he had Roz’s confidence. But that husband of hers was another story.

  Roz opened the front door as Stu walked up to it.

  “Glad you could make it,” Roz said. “Come in.”

  Stu walked in.

  “Mick has me on lockdown until these allegations blow over,” Roz continued. “So I have to handle my business from home.”

  “I don’t think the public is going to fall for their story,” Stu said. “You’ve made a good name for yourself. You have an upstanding reputation. I think it’s a bunch of b.s. and the public will see right through it.”

  “I sure hope so,” Roz said as she began escorting him through the foyer and toward the downstairs. “But we’ve got to prepare for the fallout just in case.”

  “I agree,” Stu said as he followed Roz. “We’ve gotten more clients asking to c
ancel their contracts. They claim that moral turpitude clause applies to you too.”

  “And their right,” Roz said as she pushed open the office door downstairs and walked in. “That’s why I say let them go. When we land on our feet, they’ll want to come back.”

  “But will you take them back?” Stu asked.

  “Hell no,” Roz said, and Stu laughed.

  But it wasn’t a laughing matter anymore when, as soon as he walked into the downstairs office, Teddy Sinatra came up to him from behind and wrapped a rope around his neck.

  Stu fought for his life. He was devastated. But Teddy was too muscular and powerful for any fight worth fighting. Then Teddy let him go.

  Stu grabbed his neck and turned around, stunned. When he saw it was Mick’s oldest son, he looked at Roz. “What’s this about?” he nervously asked.

  “This meeting is all about you,” Roz said firmly.

  “Me?” He was still holding his raw neck. “What have I done?”

  “I checked the background info on all three of my accusers,” Roz said. “I checked every single piece of information they put on those resumes. And guess what I realized?”

  Stu was more hesitant now. “What?” he finally asked.

  “I realized that all three of them listed different talent agencies they had worked for. And these were prominent agencies from here to California. That’s why I hired them. And they had the names of their various supervisors that Tee contacted. But it was handled brilliantly. Because my three accusers weren’t hired at the same time. One was hired one month. Then a second one a second month. Then the third one in month three. And each listed a different major agency, with a different supervisor.”

  “So what?” Stu asked.

  “But Roz found something strange when she looked even closer,” Teddy said.

  Stu turned to him. “What?”

  “I found that all three of my accusers,” Roz said, “listed the same phone number for the major agencies they worked for.”

  Stu’s heart dropped.

  “Each one of them listed a different major agency,” Roz said. “Each one of my accusers listed a different contact person at their various agencies. But they listed the exact same phone number. And when I researched that number, lo and behold I found out that you were its’ owner.”

  Stu began shaking his head. “You’ve got to believe me, Roz,” he begged. “I had nothing to do with those allegations.”

  “Who hired you?” Teddy asked.

  “I promise you,” Stu began, but Teddy punched him in the gut, causing him to bend over. “Who hired you, prick? I’m not playing with you!”

  “Roz!” Stu cried.

  Teddy was about to put the rope around his neck again.

  “Okay!” Stu yelled. “Al Zanetti,” he said quickly. “This guy named Alphonse Zanetti. He needed an inside guy, and he chose me. He paid me more money than I make in a year working for you. So are you going to condemn me because I took the money?” Tears were in Stu’s eyes. “I have a sick son at home. I needed the cash, Roz.”

  “That’s bull,” Roz said. “I checked your background too. You don’t have a son.”

  “But,” Stu said, realizing he was cooked. “Roz, please. Don’t let him do this. Roz, please!”

  Roz stared at him. She never counted him as a friend, but she never knew him to be an enemy either. But Mick had taught her well. If they’re not for you, they’re against you. Be as cut throat as they are or they’ll come back to cut your throat.

  Roz nodded to Teddy. As Stu begged for his life, Teddy placed the rope around Stu’s neck and pulled as hard as he could. Roz didn’t want to watch it. She wanted to turn away. But she knew she had to. This was on her. This was her call. Mick would beat her ass if she looked away. It was hers. She had to own it with all she had within her.

  Frog hurried to the door at the safe house he had planted himself in, looked through the peephole, and then quickly unlocked and opened the door. Two men, Lenny D’Amato and Al Zanetti, walked in.

  “This better be worth it,” Lenny said.

  “It’s bad, boss,” Frog said, quickly closing the door behind them.

  “What is it?” Al asked. “What’s so bad? It’s too fucking cold to be out in this weather.”

  “They came to see me,” Frog said.

  Lenny looked at Frog. “Who came to see you?”

  “Mick’s men,” Frog said.

  Both Lenny and Al were surprised. “When?” Al asked.

  “What did he want?” Lenny asked.

  “And Mick,” Frog said.

  Both men were now stunned. “Mick Sinatra came to see you?” Al asked nervously.

  “Yes!” Frog said. “I told you it was bad!”

  “Well what did he want?” Lenny asked.

  “He wanted to know if I had anything to do with his wife’s car accident.”

  “But why would he think you were involved in something like that?” Lenny asked. “Why would he think you of all people would have anything to do with it?”

  “How should I know?” Frog asked. “He was asking questions.”

  But Lenny knew better than that. He remembered how ruthless Mick the Tick could be. “Who talked?” he asked Frog.

  “Nobody talked!” Frog insisted. “He was just fishing. He was on a fishing expedition.”

  Lenny frowned. “What are you out of your fucking mind? Micky Sinatra don’t go on no gotdamn fishing expeditions! If he showed up it’s because he knows something.”

  “But how can he?” Al asked Lenny. “We were careful. We covered all our tracks. He could never put two and two together and come up with us!”

  “He would if somebody talked,” Lenny said, looking at Frog again. “He would if somebody caved!”

  “I didn’t cave,” Frog insisted. “I didn’t talk!”

  “What about the scammers you hired?” Lenny asked. “Could they have talked?”

  Lenny, as usual, had hit the nail on the head. But Frog could never admit it. “No!” he insisted. “And say what? What are they gonna say? They don’t know what we’re up to.”

  “Yeah, but they know you,” Al said. “Micky came to you.” Then Al thought about it. “And he let you live?”

  “Because he knew I didn’t know anything!” Frog said. “I’m trying to tell you he’s fishing. Those two scammers who did the crash for cash are middle America people. Mick would never suspect them.”

  “Where are they now?” Lenny asked.

  Frog hadn’t heard from Joe and Betty Alanbeck since last night, when the accident occurred. But telling Lenny that would be his own end, and he knew it. “They’re back in Buffalo,” he said. “They did what I asked them to do. They reported back to me. And I paid them. Now they’re gone back to doing what they do.”

  Lenny let out a harsh exhale. Then he shook his head. “But I know Micky Sinatra. I know that motherfucker. He doesn’t drop by for the hell of it. He has to know something.”

  “But what can he know?” Al asked. “We were careful. We planned this shit to the last detail. Sinatra may be smart, I’ll give him that. But he’s not that smart. And he’s no gotdamn clairvoyant!”

  “Which brings me back to my point,” Lenny said, looking at Frog once again. “He knows something.” Then he nodded. “Get the scammers on the phone,” he said.

  Frog’s heart dropped. “The scammers?” he asked. “Why?”

  “Get them on the phone!” Lenny ordered. “You don’t question me! You just do it!”

  But Frog knew he couldn’t do that. The scammers were most likely dead. The scammers were most likely the very reason Mick the Tick showed up in New York today. “I lost their number,” he said.

  And it was then and only then that Lenny and Al were convinced. There had been a breach, and Frog had caused it. They stared at their subordinate.

  “I mean,” Frog said, backing up. He knew that look. “I can find it. I just got to get my phone. My new phone.”

  He turned to run,
which was always his natural instinct, but Lenny was too quick. He shot him in the back. Multiple times. By the time Frog fell, he was already dead.

  “Damn!” Lenny said. “Damn! Damn! Damn! How could he be that sloppy? How could he hire people Sinatra could so easily get a read on? They were supposed to be average joes. They were supposed to look so ordinary they wouldn’t have that con look anywhere near them!”

  “The question is,” Al asked, “how much does Micky know?”

  Then Al exhaled. “What else can he know?” he continued. “Frog didn’t even know what we were really up to. He thought we just wanted to see how Sinatra would respond if he thought his wife was at risk. Frog said he was quick about it, and his wife was no slouch either. But that’s all Frog knew.”

  “We’ve got to destroy him,” Lenny said. “That’s all I know. He killed my brother like he was discarded trash, but he gets to walk around like the prince of Philadelphia. I’ve been planning and plotting this shit for months. I finally get an angle. I finally realize what it’ll take to bring his ass down. You can’t go at Mick Sinatra with all guns blazing. He’ll just wait until you empty your bullets, and then start firing.”

  Al chuckled. “You know you’re right! Meanest bastard I’ve ever met.”

  “You have to chip away,” Lenny continued. “We were chipping away at that black chick he loves. First the car accident to see just how much he loves her by his reaction time.”

  “And then I got Chad Dawkins to show up and plant some lies about me and Mick’s old lady,” Al said.

  “We were chipping away. We were chipping away at the wife. There’s no way Mick could put all of that together with that car accident. And that car accident was all Frog knew about!”

  “But I knew Frog,” a voice suddenly said, and Lenny and Al both began shooting as they turned to the sound. They didn’t hesitate. They didn’t wait to see it to believe it. Because they knew who that voice belonged to. They shot and they shot at that backroom door. They were so terrified that they couldn’t bring themselves to stop shooting until they had emptied their ammunition.