“I don’t hide from anybody, but there’s something I want to discuss.”
“What’s that?”
“First, how long are you going to be in here?”
“The docs want me to stay for a few days, but I’m bored out of my mind in here already.”
“I hear you, but it sounds like you’re lucky to be alive.”
“Tanner could have easily killed me with the shotgun he had, but instead, he shot me with a pistol.”
“Why?”
“We’re friends.”
“Hell, with friends like him...”
“Yeah,”
“Listen up. Richards hired Lars Gruber to take out Tanner, but I’m not convinced he’s up to it.”
Pullo sighed.
“That’s a toss-up; Gruber’s the best, at least he was. I think Tanner is going for that title.”
“If Tanner kills Gruber, I’ll be next in line, and I don’t want to die.”
“Richards will never cancel the contract on Tanner, and I don’t think Richards would care if you were out of the picture too.”
“I know that, Joe, and I’ve got a plan. Is there any way to contact Tanner?”
“He’s made contact with me before, but I don’t know how to reach him.”
“Shit. I need to contact him, see if he’ll deal.”
“What do you have to offer?”
“I’ll make sure he gets to Richards. That bastard is hunkered down in the country at his mansion.”
“Tanner might take that deal, if I vouched for you, but you’d have to give your word not to touch him. At least for that one time,”
“I’d do it.”
“Even though he killed your Uncle Al?”
“Yeah, because that hit was ordered by Richards. This whole mess lands at his feet.”
“Let me think about it, maybe something will come to mind. I guess I know Tanner better than anyone, if that’s even his real name.”
Johnny patted Joe on his good shoulder and headed towards the door.
“You know, Gino Maggio is one floor below you. He lost part of his right arm last night.”
“Damn. Was it Tanner?”
“Yeah, but get this, Tanner tied off the wound with his belt. The docs say it saved Gino’s life.”
“I can see that. Tanner likes Gino.”
Johnny R made a gesture towards heaven with his hands.
“Marone! If you and Gino are examples of what he does to people he likes, God help those he hates. See ya around, Joe.”
Pullo said goodbye and then stared at the wall while he thought about Tanner.
When he recalled something from years ago, he made a call.
“Hello?”
“Laurel Ivy, how are you, honey? This is Joe Pullo again.”
CHAPTER 49 - O Romeo, Romeo
As the sun sank below the horizon, Lars Gruber gave instructions to the street soldiers gathered inside Johnny’s strip club.
They were all men that the arrogant German gazed upon with contempt.
What a motley looking crew.
Merle and Earl were towards the front. They were dressed in bulletproof vests, which they wore under hoodies, and were carrying guns in hip holsters. Of the eighty-one men present, they were two of only six given vests.
Gruber’s trap relied on Tanner being able to enter the club, so that Gruber himself could kill him. To that end, he was going to lure Tanner in by understating their manpower. Merle and Earl would guard one end of the alleyway behind the club, while Mario, along with Carl the bartender, manned the other end.
Carl had been drafted because he knew Tanner on sight. However, he was even less of a street soldier than Merle and Earl were, and looked to be on the verge of fainting as he sweated through his clothing.
Frank Richards was counting heavily on Johnny Rossetti being Tanner’s next target, and so he gave the green light to Lars Gruber’s plan.
For the next few nights, they would essentially control the city blocks surrounding the strip club, although to the uninitiated, nothing would look any different.
Most of the men would be scattered away from the club in doorways and cars, awaiting the sound of gunfire. Once they heard it, the entire area surrounding the club would be shut down and no one would be allowed to leave until they were checked out.
To accomplish this, they had help from the cops, their cops, the ones they had owned for years. They had also stolen two work trucks from the gas company and dressed several men in coveralls and hardhats.
At the sound of gunfire, these trucks would block off the street leading to the club and tell anyone who asked that there was a gas leak.
They also had a van standing by, along with a freshly dug grave, and once Gruber killed Tanner, the corpse would be taken away within minutes.
Gruber’s assessment of a motley crew wasn’t far from the mark, because Tanner had single-handedly killed or wounded the best men Johnny had, and so the word went out for replacements and a variety of would-be tough guys showed up.
Several of the men in the club appeared to be street punks looking to make a reputation.
One in particular, was a guy in a leather vest who wore a black bolo tie with a silver clasp in the shape of an R. His spiky hair was dyed a white-blond and he had full-sleeve tattoos on both arms. He seemed to be dancing to music no one else could hear, and was annoying not only the other men, but also Gruber.
He popped his gum loudly and asked yet another question. He was no kid, but a man who had apparently never grown up.
“Those dudes with the vests, man, you’re just using them as like... what do they call it, sacrificial sheep? I mean, you trying to get those dudes whacked or what?”
Gruber’s face reddened as several men in the crowd mumbled their agreement with the punk’s assessment, Merle and Earl among them, who were assigned to the east end of the alley. Other than a full on frontal assault, the east end of the alley was the most likely place for Tanner to enter from.
Gruber raised his hands to indicate he wanted silence and the gathering quieted down.
“The positions at the alley entrances and the front door are most vulnerable, yes, but that is why these men were supplied with vests.”
The blond punk adjusted his mirrored sunglasses and let out a laugh.
“Them vests ain’t gonna do shit for a head shot, yo!”
The crowd laughed, save for those wearing the vests, and Carl the bartender stumbled over to a stool, while feeling the need to sit before his knees gave out.
Gruber pointed at the mouthy punk.
“What’s your name?”
“They call me Romeo, because I’m lucky with the ladies. By the way, where’s all the bitches?”
“The strip club is closed, Mr. Romeo, but you are lucky.”
“Why’s that?”
Gruber smiled. It was a nice smile, and for more than a few, it had been their last sight on earth.
“We have one more vest left in the office. You’ll be joining these two brothers here on the east end of the alley.”
“Yo, that’s bullshit, man!”
Gruber removed his silenced gun from the custom-made holster on his hip and held it loosely.
“Take it or leave it.”
The punk sulked, but he stayed quiet.
“All right, now that we have settled that, everyone get into their positions, and remember, only these six—” Gruber smiled. “Only these seven men with vests stay near the club, the rest of you will be staying back, and when the shooting starts, you’re to get into your designated positions and keep anyone from leaving the area. That way, if Tanner attempts to flee, he’ll be trapped and I’ll finish him off.”
He gazed down at the men he had picked to guard the front door.
“If you hear trouble coming from the alleyway, ignore it and stay at your post. It could just be a diversion. I will handle the alley and the club alone. Now, everyone get going.”
***
Sara park
ed her car five blocks from Johnny’s club and began walking there on foot. Her head still hurt from Tanner’s assault, but the dizziness had abated, and if she walked slowly, she didn’t weave.
Without knowing it, she passed by over a dozen men waiting to pounce on Tanner if he happened their way. And when she neared the strip club, she walked down a side street and huddled in the doorway of an abandoned factory, where she had difficulty finding a place to stand because of all the empty liquor bottles and trash in the shallow alcove.
The smell of urine was present as well, but Sara stayed, because from where she was standing, she could see the gate set in the fence, the fence at the east end of the alley that ran behind the club. A spot she also believed Tanner might pick as a point of entry.
Reaching into her purse, Sara removed her gun and hoped for a chance at getting revenge.
***
On the other side of the gate, Merle and Earl found themselves standing in the well-lighted alley with Romeo, who insisted on showing the brothers his quick draw technique, as he drew and holstered his gun like a Wild West gunslinger.
“I ain’t afraid of Tanner. Shit, let him come. I could use the reward money.”
Merle spoke to Romeo as he looked about, his eyes searching up, down, left and right for signs of trouble.
“Tanner is no joke, dude. We met him in Vegas and he almost killed us.”
“Yeah, well, no offense, but you ain’t me,” Romeo said, as he danced to a tune only he heard.
Earl kicked a portable toilet that sat against the chain link fence. There was a thick padlock securing the door.
“They dropped this thing here and then forgot to take the damn lock off.”
Romeo stopped dancing in place and ran back towards the club.
“I’ll go see if Gruber has the key.”
As Romeo neared the rear door of the club, he hollered to Gruber.
“Yo, Mr. G, we need the key for the portable shitter you had placed out here.”
There was silence for several seconds, but then the door opened slowly. Along with new lighting, Gruber had Mario place convex mirrors on poles in the alley, so that he could see in either direction without exposing himself to a line of fire. To the west, the alley curved towards the avenue, while eastward, it stayed straight and dead-ended across from the rear of a warehouse.
The warehouse was made of red brick and had no windows at the rear. Inside, were two men hiding in the shadows, just in case Tanner sought to use the building’s roof as a shooting post.
Gruber checked the mirrors and when he saw Romeo standing alone, he peeked his head out.
“What are you talking about?”
Romeo pointed back the way he came, where Merle and Earl were.
“The portable shitter down there, it’s locked. You got the key?”
Gruber squinted as he considered Romeo’s words. He then disappeared back inside, only to return wearing his own vest and carrying a silenced pistol.
“Come with me, and for once, keep your mouth shut.”
Romeo looked down at the gun in Gruber’s hand and nodded.
Gruber moved down the alley at a steady pace and as he neared their position, he waved Merle and Earl towards him.
“Come here, men, we have to talk strategy.”
The brothers approached warily, as they too stared at the gun in Gruber’s hand.
When they were standing a foot in front of him, Gruber charged past them while firing shot after shot into the portable toilet. The Clap, Clap, Clap, Clap, Clap, Clap of his silenced shots making no more noise than a cough.
Gruber shot high and low, but seldom in the middle and after emptying one clip, he reloaded in a blur of skilled motion and fired again.
After reloading once more, he approached the shredded plastic box at an angle, while walking sideways, his gun held at the ready. When he saw the lock on the door, he grabbed it with his bare hand and gave it a hard tug, causing it to come loose from the door. The lock had been cut and then glued back together.
Gruber ripped open the door and a bloody figure clad in black fell to the concrete of the alley. It had been a man and he too had a vest, but it gave the man no protection against the numerous head and leg wounds acquired from Gruber’s shots.
When Merle, Earl, and Romeo, gathered around Gruber, he holstered his weapon and gestured grandly at the corpse.
“Take a good look you worthless shits. There’s your bogeyman Tanner, and now you know why I’m the best.”
Romeo, who was actually Tanner in disguise, gazed down at the twice-killed corpse of Jackie Verona, and prepared to show Gruber the error of his ways.
CHAPTER 50 - Always the loner
Laurel Ivy took a seat by Joe Pullo’s hospital bed, after giving him a kiss on the cheek and checking out his wound.
“That looks like good work. Who’s your doctor?”
“You are, but the dude that sewed me up this time is named Patel. Don’t ask me the first name, I can’t pronounce it.”
“I’m glad you called. I was wondering how you were.”
“I called for a reason.”
Laurel sighed.
“I figured as much, but if this is about Tanner again. I still have no idea where he is.”
“And even if you did know, you wouldn’t tell me, right?”
“Yes,” Laurel said and then she gazed over her shoulder.
“It’s just you and me, Laurel, so don’t be nervous. Besides, I would never let anyone hurt you.”
“Why would you think I’d know where Tanner is?”
“There was a period of time there when I thought something was going on between you two, am I wrong?”
“Tanner said something to you?”
Pullo laughed, but then winced at the pain of his wound.
“Oh, that’s a good one, Tanner gossiping about his love life, no, he never said a thing, but like I said, I had a hunch.”
“It’s been over for a long time.”
“I understand that, honey, but here’s the thing, if, only if, you can somehow get a message to Tanner, do so. It could help him.”
“I thought you were trying to kill him?”
“I was, but that’s not what this is.”
“What’s the message?”
“Have him call me here.”
“That’s it?”
“That’s it.”
Laurel clasped her hands together in her lap and stared down at them as she thought things over.
“I wasn’t lying when I said that I don’t know where he is, but I might know someone that could reach him, and I’ll ask that person to pass along your message, all right?”
Pullo smiled.
“That’s great, baby,”
“If he calls...”
“Yeah?”
Laurel took in a deep breath and released it.
“Nevermind, if he wants to hear my voice or see me, he’ll call.”
“Being around Tanner isn’t the safest place to be right now, you know?”
“He’ll be all right, won’t he?”
“I don’t know, but if he calls me, maybe I can help.”
“Even though he tried to kill you?”
“He didn’t try to kill me; he just put me out of commission. Tanner never fails and I think there’s a German guy about to learn that the hard way.”
***
Laurel left the hospital and took a cab to Rafe’s hotel. When he opened the door and saw her standing there, shock lit his face.
“How did you know where to find me?”
“I’m nosey and I’m careful. I went through the pockets of your pants while I was treating your leg wound and I saw the keycard for this room.”
“Is there trouble?”
“No, but can I come in?”
Rafe let her into the room and she watched him walk.
“That limp seems better, how’s the leg?”
“It is better, and I’m good thanks to you, but what’s up?”
“I need to get in touch with Tanner.”
“I don’t know how to do that. He had asked me to help him tonight with this war he’s waging, but he called earlier and said he wouldn’t need me after all.”
“But he might call again?”
“Possibly, but I have no way to reach him and I’m headed home tomorrow,”
Laurel nibbled her bottom lip as she shook her head in frustration.
“Typical Tanner, always the loner,” Laurel said.
Rafe smiled.
“You sound like you’d like to keep him company.”
Laurel grinned back at him, but then she looked worried.
“I wonder why Tanner changed his plans.”
Rafe shrugged.
“I guess he came up with a better one.”
CHAPTER 51 - Tanner smiled
Tanner removed the bolo tie, even as his left foot came down on the back of Gruber’s knee, driving him to the ground. As he slipped the bolo over Gruber’s head with one hand, he disarmed him with the other.
Gruber reacted quickly as he tried to grab his gun, but only succeeded in knocking it to the ground. Meanwhile, the three fingers he managed to get between the bolo and his throat were being severed, and would soon fall to the ground.
The bolo was no mere tie, but a black garrote consisting of razor sharp wire at its middle, where it looped. Tanner forced a knee into Gruber’s back, as he gripped the silver R and pulled tight on the bolo’s ends and the garrote pierced its leather covering and sliced into Gruber’s neck.
Merle and Earl looked on with wide unbelieving eyes as “Romeo” brought death to Gruber. But when Gruber reached back and swiped desperately at Romeo’s face, dislodging the mirrored sunglasses, the brothers knew that they were looking into Tanner’s eyes.
They gaped at each other in stark disbelief, before looking down at Jackie Verona’s body in confusion, but then they gazed back up at Tanner, and knew it had all been a ruse.
Meanwhile, Gruber’s panicked eyes pleaded with the brothers, as he pointed at them, silently begging them to help. The begging ended along with his life, as a powerful spray of blood erupted from Gruber’s neck, and the German deflated like a defective blow-up doll.
Tanner’s eyes never left the Carter brothers, and he was ready to defend against them if needed, but Merle and Earl merely watched in fascination and horror.
The TANNER Series - Books 1-3 (Tanner Box Set) Page 27