As the man took aim, Tanner whipped out his gun and shot the man twice in the chest. The man fell, and his three friends turned on Tanner, but Tanner was already firing on them and hit a second man in the leg, which caused the thug to fall to the ground and lose his weapon.
Of the two men left, one went down from a fatal shot to the neck delivered by the club’s wounded bouncer. Upon seeing this, the last man grabbed up his friend with the wounded leg and dragged him back toward their car, where a driver waited behind the wheel. The car sped off just as two more bouncers ran out of the club.
The wounded bouncer shouted to his partners. “Don’t shoot the blond dude; he saved my ass.”
Tanner approached the group slowly, with his gun held loose at his side, and one of the bouncers pointed at him.
“Yeah, that’s Romeo; he was here last week when Tanner got wasted.”
The wounded bouncer spoke again. “You saved me, dude. The fuckers were about to shoot me again.”
Tanner answered as Romeo. “Man, I just came here to look at some ass and have a drink, and that’s when everything went all World War III and shit.”
The wounded bouncer had been hit in the side. The wound was dripping blood, but didn’t look to be serious, as the bullet had passed through one of the man’s love handles.
When the senior bouncer told one of the other men to take the wounded man to see a doctor, Tanner figured they were probably talking about Laurel Ivy. He smiled as he realized it would interrupt her date with Pullo.
“Romeo?”
His name was called by the senior bouncer, a man named Bull who was nearly the size of his namesake and had a scar on his left cheek.
“Yeah, boss?” Tanner said.
“Hear those sirens? That means it’s time for you to hide. Go inside and stay in the office. I’m sure Johnny will want to talk to you.”
“Him and the cops both.”
“No, we’ll make a few calls and keep the club out of this. Now give me your gun and I’ll hide it with the others.”
After taking Tanner’s gun, Bull reached down and pulled the masks off the dead men. When he pulled the mask off the man Tanner had killed, he straightened abruptly.
“Son of a bitch, that’s Sammy Vega. He’s a member of the Calvino Family.”
Tanner stared down at the man. He thought he had stopped a robbery, but it appeared he might have interrupted something more serious.
Bull handed him the masks and tossed his head toward the door. “Get inside and wait in the office.”
Tanner did as he was told and found the club looking normal, as music blared, and men hooted at near-naked women.
Outside, the shots had seemed like thunder, but apparently, they couldn’t compete with the throb of the music and the raucous crowd.
Carl was behind the bar, but he paid no attention to Tanner because he was busy mixing drinks.
Tanner went inside the office, hid the bloody masks in the base of a fake plant that was sitting in a corner, and took a seat on the sofa to think.
He thought he had stopped a heist, but he had stopped an act of aggression by The Calvino Crime Family, a Family whose Underboss had been Jackie Verona. With Verona gone, someone was looking to take over, and that someone was making a move on the Giacconi Family while they were still weakened from their war with him.
Tanner smirked. It was a smart move, start a war, which would be blamed on the Calvino’s boss, Vic Conti, only Tanner had never heard Conti described as a warmonger.
With Jackie Verona missing and assumed dead, someone else in The Calvino Family was making a power grab, and only days before the upcoming council meeting, a bold move. They wouldn’t be very happy with Romeo when they learned he had interfered.
Tanner touched the R clasp hanging from the bolo tie.
“Romeo, I think you stumbled into a mess.”
Johnny returned to the club around midnight, after the police had left and the bodies had been toted away.
Tanner was sitting in the office with Bull, who had brought him his weapon, along with a beer and cheeseburger from the bar. When Johnny walked in, Bull stood and told him what had happened, including the fact that one of the dead men was from the Calvino Family.
Johnny shook his head. “Saul Adamo must be crazy if he thinks he can just roll in and take our territory away.”
“I thought Conti ran the Calvinos?” Bull said.
“He does, but I’ve been told that Adamo is making moves now that Jackie has disappeared.”
“Maybe he’s crazy like a fox,” Bull said. “We have lost a lot of men lately thanks to that bastard Tanner.”
“I’ll call Joe Pullo and bring him up to speed. I’ll also call Vic Conti and see what he says about this.”
“Adamo will think twice now before trying anything again,” Bull said.
“How’s Tony doing, Bull?”
“He just called, said he’ll be fine, but Doc Ivy told him to rest for a couple of days.”
Johnny smiled at Romeo. “You did us a solid, and thanks to you they never entered the club. Not only would they have robbed us, but they might have hurt a customer.”
“I just came here for a drink and to look at some ass, but I’m ready for trouble when it comes, you know?”
“Where are you from?”
“LA, but I got family here, over in Jersey.”
“Do you need me, boss?” Bull asked.
“No, you go back into the club, and that was good work tonight.”
Bull nodded toward Romeo. “We had help, and if he wasn’t so small, I’d put him on my crew.”
“Yo, I ain’t no elephant like you, but I’m big where it counts.”
Bull laughed. “See ya around, Romeo.”
When Bull left, Johnny grabbed the chair from behind the desk and rolled it around to the other side of the coffee table to sit across from Romeo, who was seated on the sofa.
“Do you always wear those mirrored sunglasses?”
“Yeah, it’s like, part of my look, you know?”
Johnny reached into his pocket and brought out a roll of cash. After counting out a thousand dollars, he laid it in front of Romeo.
“I’m putting you on the payroll, a thousand a week to start. What do you say?”
Tanner scooped up the money and shoved it in a side pocket.
“I’ll take this for what I did tonight, and if you need help, I’m here, but I stay my own man.”
“It can be cold out there on your own, Romeo.”
“Maybe man, but there ain’t no team in I.”
Johnny leaned back in his seat and thought for a moment, before straightening back up and speaking.
“I’ve got a special project for you.”
Uptown, Jake Garner sighed as he watched Mario leave the building where the FBI headquarters was housed. He and his new partner, Michelle Geary, had ridden down in the elevator with Mario, after hours of interrogation.
“That fat fuck gave us very little this time,” Geary said. “But by the time I’m through with him, he’ll be a star witness at Johnny Rossetti’s trial.”
“You set up his daughter, didn’t you?”
“Of course, the stupid girl was gullible, but we have her on video delivering drugs to a known dealer and that’s all that matters.”
Garner spoke through clenched teeth. “This isn’t how I work, Michelle, and I don’t think Marty will like it either.”
“You’re going to snitch to the boss about this, why? Mario Petrocelli will do whatever we want now. And once we wire him up, we’ll learn more in a week than we have in the last year.”
“Maybe so, but this isn’t right, and you know it. It’s why you kept me in the dark.”
“I get results, Jake, and you’ll profit by them as much as I will, partner. The Johnny Rossettis of the world don’t play by the rules, so why should we?”
“Because we’re supposed to be better than they are.”
“We are better, because we’re goi
ng to win and take them off the streets.”
Garner headed for the door. “I’m going home.”
“Do that and think about what I said. When we put Rossetti away, our careers will advance, count on it.”
Garner left the building and caught a cab. When he was halfway home, he checked his phone for messages and saw that Sara had left one asking to meet him for lunch at a midtown restaurant the next day.
He texted her back, agreeing to meet, then texted her sister, Jennifer.
He didn’t know what Sara wanted to see him about, but it was time she knew that he and her sister had gotten together, and also why. He sent one more text and wondered what Sara’s reaction would be once they all met.
“Not good,” he mumbled to himself.
Sara, his ex-partner, had shot him, and now Geary, his new partner, was trying to lead him down a dangerous path of backdoor justice.
Garner sighed and thought that maybe he should have been a doctor like his mother wanted him to be.
114
What You See Is What You Get
The following morning, Sara gave the limo parked at the curb a curious look, as she walked toward the storefront office of Street View, the weekly paper and daily blog that she owned.
She was carrying a cup of coffee, which she switched to her left hand in order to grab her keys to unlock the door, but before she could bring them out, her partners, Emily and Amy Sharpe, opened the door and greeted her with smiles.
“Good morning, Sara; you have a visitor,” Emily said.
Sara walked in and saw Johnny Rossetti seated on the sofa in the office’s reception area.
Johnny gave her a smile and Sara looked at Emily and Amy.
“Are you two okay?”
“Yes, he’s been a perfect gentleman,” Emily said.
Amy leaned in and whispered. “He might be a criminal, but if he were any hotter, I’d climb up into his lap.”
Sara smiled, then, whispered back. “He is sexy, isn’t he? He’s also just as dangerous.”
When Sara approached him, Johnny stood in greeting and offered his hand.
“Sara Blake, how are you?”
“I’m surprised by your presence here, that’s how I am.”
Johnny pointed toward her coffee cup. “I hope that doesn’t mean you’ve already eaten breakfast, have you?”
“Actually, no, just the coffee.”
“Good, I was hoping you would join me for a meal.”
“Why?”
Johnny shrugged. “Just talk.”
“We could do that here.”
“I’d rather talk in private.”
Sara studied him for several seconds, before turning and looking at Emily and Amy.
“I’m going for a ride with Mr. Rossetti. If I’m not back soon, call the police.”
Johnny laughed. “Very dramatic.”
Sara walked toward the door. “Let’s go.”
Five minutes later, they were in the rear parking lot of a McDonald’s and Johnny’s driver, Mario, was passing back a bag with breakfast sandwiches in it.
Sara shook her head. “This is your idea of taking me to breakfast?”
Johnny thanked Mario and raised the mirrored divider between the seats.
“As I said, I wanted to speak to you alone, and you did place me on a time limit.”
Sara took a bite of her breakfast sandwich and grinned.
“This is damn good, now what’s on your mind?”
“You, you’re on my mind.”
“In what way?”
“In more ways than one, but for now, I’ll just bring up business. That story you published about Frank Richards wasn’t the smartest thing you could have done.”
“Our lawyers assured us that we didn’t libel the man. My blog post only raised certain questions concerning him and MegaZenith.”
“Frank Richards is not a man you want to annoy.”
“Is that what this meeting is about? Richards sent you to warn me off?”
“Richards doesn’t know we’re meeting. This is me looking out for you.”
“Why?”
Johnny reached over and touched her on the cheek. “I like you, Sara, ex-Fed or not.”
“Thank you for the warning, but I can handle myself.”
Johnny lowered his hand from her face and gazed into her eyes.
“Go out with me tonight.”
“For what, Big Macs?”
Johnny laughed. “I was thinking of something a little fancier.”
She shook her head. “I’m not looking to date anyone, least of all a mobster.”
“Is that what you see when you look at me, a mobster?”
“That, and a man, a very handsome man.”
Johnny leaned in and they kissed, but Sara ended it quickly.
“I’d like to go back to my office now.”
Johnny sighed and hit a button on his armrest. He had to hit it twice, as Mario was lost in thoughts of concern over his FBI problems. After a moment passed, there was static, followed by the sound of Mario’s voice.
“What’s up, boss?”
“Take us back to Street View.”
“You got it.”
The intercom cut off with more static and Johnny looked over at Sara.
“If you ever change your mind, you know where to find me.”
“Yes, at your club, surrounded by naked women.”
“They’re not really naked, and it’s just a business to me.”
“I see, you prefer women who keep their clothes on?”
Johnny’s eyes flowed over her. “I didn’t say that.”
When they arrived back at Street View, Sara told Johnny to stay in the limo and that she would walk alone to the door.
“I hope to see you again, Sara.”
“You never know, Mr. Rossetti.”
“Call me Johnny.”
“All right, Johnny, and anytime you want to tell me what you know about Frank Richards, I’ll be ready to listen.”
“Well hell, we could do that over dinner.”
“Is that a bribe?”
“Not really, the safest thing for you would be to forget all about Frank Richards.”
All trace of good humor left Sara’s face.
“If what I believe is true, Richards ordered the hit that sent Tanner to kill someone I loved.”
After saying that, she watched Johnny closely, searching his eyes as she asked a question.
“Does the name Brian Ames mean anything to you?”
Johnny’s eyes shifted upwards and to the left, as he tried to recall the name.
“I never heard it before that I recall. Why? Is that the person you lost?”
“Yes.”
“So, this is all very personal for you?”
“Of course it is.”
“Be careful, Sara, Richards is a snake.”
“And you work with the man, so what’s that make you? Goodbye, Mr. Rossetti, and thank you for breakfast.”
Sara left the limo and marched toward her office, as Johnny watched her go. She was just about to close the door behind her when she saw Johnny leave the limo.
When he reached the door, she stepped back outside.
“Yes?”
“Al Trent, you want to talk to Al Trent. He could tell you things about Richards that no one else can.”
“Al Trent? Who is he?”
Johnny smiled. “He’s a nerdy little prick that used to be Richards’ right-hand man, that is, until he was arrested on two counts of murder.”
“He’s in prison?”
“No, he’s out on bail, but if I had to guess, he’ll either make a run for it soon, or try to cut a deal.”
“A deal that involves Frank Richards? You’re saying that Al Trent knows what skeletons are in Richards’ closet.”
Johnny wagged a finger. “I’ve said enough. Goodbye, Sara.”
He had reached the limo again, when she called his name.
“Johnny!”
&n
bsp; “Yeah?”
“Thank you.”
“You just be careful.”
She smiled. “Of snakes?”
“Uh-huh.”
“Maybe you’re not one of them after all.”
Johnny spread his arms. “What you see is what you get.”
He then climbed back into the limo and disappeared behind the tinted glass.
115
It’s Time To Get Back To Work
There was a meeting later that morning at the club, with all the Giacconi lieutenants in attendance. Johnny let them know that Joe Pullo was the new Underboss, while he had been demoted to Consigliere.
The news surprised no one, as it had leaked the previous day, but one of the senior men stood up and spoke to Pullo.
“I’ll follow you just like I followed Johnny, but from what I hear, this came down from Frank Richards, is that right?”
“It is,” Pullo said.
“Yeah, well pardon my French, but that’s bullshit. Who the fuck is Frank Richards to tell us how to run the Family?”
Johnny and Joe traded glances. This was exactly the sort of sentiment they wanted to hear, but for now, it had to be quelled. Johnny raised a hand to silence the men.
“We’re part of the Conglomerate and Frank Richards is high up in the organization, so that’s that. More importantly though, is what happened here last night.”
They then discussed the attack on the club the night before and the belief that someone in the Calvino Family might have been behind the attempt. The men agreed that they would keep an eye out and then they celebrated Pullo’s rise to power, while Johnny stayed in the office.
When the men left, Pullo joined Johnny. “I could get used to running things, everybody was kissing my ass.”
“Wait until we hold the formal announcement with the rest of the families, you’ve never seen so much ass kissing.”
“Saul Adamo will be there?” Pullo said.
“Probably.”
“Hmm, I say we bring more men than normal, just in case.”
“I’ll take care of it.”
The Tanner Series - Books 1-11: Tanner - The hit man with a heart Page 34