by David Nees
“Ah, Doreen, I can’t get anything over on you, can I? This will take a little while, if I’m not getting paid.”
“How long is a little while?”
“Give me a week or two.”
“Do it in a week, and I’ll put in a good word for you with Samantha, our receptionist.”
“Oh, god, she’s so hot. You’ll you do that for me?”
“If I do, can you behave and not make me look bad? I have to work with her.”
“If it results in a date, I’ll be on my best behavior. Hell, I’ll even shower and change my underwear.”
“That’s more than I want to know, Larry. Call me when you get something and I’ll meet you somewhere away from the offices.” She hung up.
Chapter 19
The next week Tommy was back in his own apartment, still sore, but functioning. He had gone back to work. He had to remind himself to just focus on his job, his business. Maybe nothing else would happen. Then he received Dan’s phone in the mail. Two days later it rang.
“Dan, is that you?” Tommy asked when he answered.
“Yeah. How you doing?”
“I’m okay, where are you? Are you back in town?”
“No, I’m in the Midwest at the moment. “
“You sure? What are you up to?”
“I’ve been moving around. Sometimes I’ll stop and work in a kitchen somewhere. Not sure what else to do at the moment.”
“Maybe you should open a restaurant somewhere, get a new start. You know how the business works.”
“I don’t think I have the heart for it right now.”
“You got to get on with your life. That may sound hard, but life goes on and you need to move on.”
“So you think I shouldn’t come back? The few friends I have are back in Brooklyn.”
“There’s some dangerous people here in Brooklyn as well. They’re worried about you coming back. Some of them think you’ve already come back. There were some shootings and robberies—”
“They think I did them? So now I’m supposed to hide from the guys who killed Rita?” Dan’s voice cracked. Tommy could hear the anger, how raw his wounds still were.
“I don’t mean it like that, but you have to move on sometime.”
“Maybe I should come back and take care of that business before I move on.”
“Dan, don’t…please. There are some bad guys, dangerous guys who are on the alert. They think you’re already back. Hell, from what I’ve heard happen, it sounds like you’re back to me as well.”
“So is Joey the one making threats?”
“Joey’s dangerous now, don’t think he isn’t. He’s got some dangerous people around him—more power, and it shows. You don’t want to fuck with him or his associates, a lot of people could get killed.”
“A lot being them. I don’t plan on getting killed.”
“Dan, you could get me killed…and Doreen. She’s back and we’re seeing each other.”
“Doreen’s back?” Dan feigned surprise. “And you’re going out? I’m happy for you. Love blossoms from a high school friendship, like something out of a sappy movie.”
“Don’t joke. Joey had me beat up and threatened to kill me and Doreen if I don’t let him know when you contact me. Dan, I’m stuck in the middle, and me and Doreen could get killed if you come back and start a war.” He went on to describe his beating from Frank and Joey. “So I got to relay this conversation to Joey, if I want to protect myself and Doreen.”
Dan was silent. His brain raced. Things had moved faster than he expected. Now I have to figure out how to protect Tommy and Doreen. He thought hard about his next move. I have to cut him off…so completely that Joey thinks there’s no leverage there.
Finally he spoke. “Tommy, go fuck yourself. You pay your protection money like a good boy, you counsel me in my grief and convince me to leave town, all for your mob masters. You’re nothing but a dog that comes when they call, just so they’ll leave you alone to fix cars. And now you tell me I’m supposed to stay away from my home because you’ll get hurt? To hell with you…and Doreen. I’m not responsible for your safety. Take this phone I sent you and throw it away. I won’t be calling you anymore. I may come back and I may not, but that’s my decision. I won’t make it because Joey’s got you scared shitless. And if I do, I won’t be stopping in to visit.”
With that he hung up. Dan turned aside, his face grimacing in an attempt to not cry. It was hard to cut off his best friend like that, but it was his only hope to protect him. Still got to do what I came to do. He hoped Tommy could navigate this mess because Dan was going to make one. He didn’t throw the phone away and he hoped Tommy wouldn’t either.
Later that day Tommy called Joey to let him know about the conversation.
“I don’t believe him. These heists were his doing. None of the other gangs would invade our territory like that.”
“Joey, I don’t know what goes on in your world. I’m just passing on the info, like you asked. He told me to fuck off. He thinks I’m your errand boy, trying to get him to stay away and not cause trouble. Right now he doesn’t give a shit about me…or anyone else.”
“Maybe that’s reason enough for him to move on, since he’s broken with you,” Joey said.
“Maybe…I hope so. I did what you asked. If he calls me again, I’ll let you know, but he ain’t listening to me. Now please leave me alone.”
“I’ll leave you alone when I want to. You still do what I tell you.”
“I told you I will. I’m not being smart. I’ll let you know, but I don’t think I’m going to hear from him anytime soon.”
“Long as you do what I tell you,” Joey said, getting in the last word.
Larry called Doreen later that week. “Got some info for you.”
“Let’s meet at Serendipity. It’s on 54th between Madison and Park, say 4 p.m.?”
“Pretty far from your offices, why so circumspect?”
“Just being careful. See you then.”
When they got together, Larry handed Doreen a folder.
Joey worked for a company called Eastside Trucking, with offices in Brooklyn. He was a union manager and was paid a lot of money. The company was owned by another firm, Eastside Investments, which Larry traced back to Vincent Salvatore.
“Vincent’s a Capo for Carmine Gianelli, Silvio Palma’s underboss. This guy Joey is pretty far down the ladder, but he’s fully connected. You mess with him and you get the whole Salvatore crew after you.”
“What about this guy Frank? You find anything out about him?”
“Not much. There’s word of a Frank who works directly for Vincent, but he’s not involved in any of the connected businesses. If this guy is the Frank you’re talking about, he’s more of an enforcer, a killer. He’s a big guy, physically powerful. He’s a fancy dresser, but word is he makes people disappear. My contacts didn’t want to talk about him at all.”
“Larry, this helps.”
“You in trouble? You don’t want to mess with the mob at this level, Doreen. It’s not good for your health or your career.”
“Yeah, I know. I’m just trying to help someone navigate some dangerous waters without getting hurt.”
“Well, keep yourself out of it. That’s my advice. Use your research skills for nailing those corporate fucks. It’s safer and there’s more money in it.”
“Thank you for that career advice. I don’t know what I’d do without your counsel, Mr. Moore.”
“Happy to help…now about Samantha—”
“I had to help her remember you. Apparently you haven’t made much of an impression during your infrequent visits. But she thought you were pretty good looking…she has no taste. Anyway I think you’re good to try for a date. Just remember to be a gentleman and don’t make me regret helping you with your social life.”
“You’re a sweetheart. Let me know if I can help any more on this.”
Chapter 20
“Doreen, I want you to keep this.�
�� Tommy handed her the cell phone Dan had sent him. They were at her apartment after dinner out together.
What’s this?” she asked.
“It’s a phone Dan sent me. He called me on it.” Tommy related the conversation.
“I know he sounded like he was writing you off. Do you really think he meant what he said?” Doreen asked.
“I’m not sure. Sometimes I think he really does believe I’m a lap dog for Joey. Other times I think he said that to protect me. Not sure how much good that’ll do, though.”
“Well, I think he’s trying to protect you. Don’t you think you should keep the phone?”
“No. If you’re right and Dan calls when Joey’s around, the shit will really hit the fan. I don’t want any part of that.”
Doreen looked thoughtful. “I guess you’re right. I’ll take the phone and keep it in my apartment. No way Joey will find it here. I may even try to call him myself.”
“Jesus, Doreen! Don’t go getting things more screwed up than they are already. Just leave it alone. I’ve got you too far into this already.”
“Don’t go telling me what I can and can’t do. I’m involved and want all the information possible to help us. Tommy, listen to me.” She grabbed his face in her hands. “I want to help us out. You understand what I’m saying?”
Tommy looked at her and shook his head. “Don’t go getting all mysterious on me. I’m not in the mood for guessing games.”
Doreen smiled and put her arms around him. “What I mean, Sherlock, is that I love you and we’re in this together. Is that clear enough for you?”
Tommy just stood there, his eyes opened wide, staring at her face up close to his.
“Well, cat got your tongue? A girl offers herself to you and you just stare at her?”
“Doreen, wow, I didn’t expect that. I mean we’ve had a great time together. I know I’ve enjoyed it, but I thought this might be just a fling for you.”
Now Doreen got a serious look in her eyes. “It’s not a fling for me. I’ve thought about it for some time. I want to share more than just some sexy weekends together.”
“But you belong to a different world than me,” Tommy started to protest.
“I can move easily between those worlds…and my heart isn’t in that world, just my head. I like it. I like the battles and the victories—fits my combative nature—but it isn’t where I want to plant my heart.” She paused. “So, what about you?”
“I don’t know what to say—”
“Better say something, big boy.”
Tommy simply grabbed her and gave her a long, deep kiss. “Is this a good answer? I think I love you. I know that sounds weird, but I’ve never been in love. Been in lust a bunch, but this feels different. I held off working this out because I thought you weren’t going to stay around for long. You don’t think you’ll get bored?”
“Not if you play your cards right, I won’t.” Doreen put Dan’s phone down as she and Tommy kissed their way into her bedroom.
The next day, after Tommy returned to his apartment, Doreen called Dan.
“I told you not to call me,” Dan said when he picked up the phone.
“You didn’t tell me that. Don’t you hang up, Dan, I want to talk to you.”
“Doreen? What are you doing with this phone? Did Tommy give it to you? That dumbass, he’s going to get you hurt.”
“Don’t talk about Tommy that way, this is my call. The phone is safer with me than with Tommy, and right now I need some answers.”
“No you don’t. Why the hell are you involved anyway?”
“Are you stupid? Tommy and I are seeing one another.”
“How the hell would I know?”
“Well, you know what Joey did to Tommy. I’m sure he told you about me, and Joey also knows about Tommy and me.”
Silence.
“Yeah, Tommy told me,” Dan finally said. “Things are going to get hotter. I’m sorry that you and Tommy are in the middle.”
“So you’ve been back already? These robberies, this killing, it’s your work?”
“Doreen, I’ve got nothing to say about anything that’s going on there, so don’t ask.”
“But you’re planning more things to happen—bad things.”
Dan didn’t answer.
“Dan, this isn’t going to end well…for any of us.”
“I’m not thinking about where it ends.”
“But it’s going to ruin our lives. Do you think Rita would want that?”
“Rita stood up to these thugs with me. She wasn’t afraid of a fight, she wouldn’t be intimidated.”
“So you have to get revenge? Even at our expense?”
His anger now rising, Dan almost shouted, “What do you know about this? My world was taken away. You know what that’s like? I’ve got no one now.”
Doreen was silent for a while. “I can’t know what you feel, but you’re going to get us, your friends, killed.”
Dan was now pacing his apartment. If she only knew I’m here in Queens. Why the fuck did she have to pick now to come back?
“Dan, I’m serious about Tommy. I’m going to marry him, but he doesn’t know it yet…and don’t you tell him.”
Dan smiled in spite of himself. “Bad timing.”
“Yeah, real bad timing. You get your revenge and Tommy and me get our lives blown up.”
She sounded angry now. Dan could hear a toughness in her voice.
“You think this over carefully, Dan. You start down this path, you’ll get us killed.”
Dan stopped pacing at the anger in her voice. “You two need to get out of there right now.”
“How do we do that? Just walk away from our jobs? Tommy can’t close the repair shop just like that. We’re supposed to tear up our lives so you can go on a killing spree?”
“I didn’t say I was.”
“You didn’t have to.”
“I’m not going to argue with you and I’m not promising anything. If I come back to my home town, which is something I think I should be able to do, things are gonna, get nasty and it may not be my fault. You better get away for a while.”
“So you can start shooting people? You’re thinking crazy.”
“Damn it, Doreen. I didn’t say that. Just my being back could put you in danger. That’s how fucked this is. They kill my wife and child and then my friends could get killed just because I want to live back in my neighborhood? I can’t live with that.”
“So the answer is to kill them?”
“If I have to. You better get away before the shit hits the fan.” With that Dan hung up.
Doreen sat there. He was not going to stop. Part of her understood it and part of her was in a rage about it. He was about to mess up both her and Tommy’s lives.
Chapter 21
The firm where Doreen was employed specialized in corporate litigation. She worked in discovery as a researcher and legal aide, arranging and managing the information on lawsuits and preparing the background material for the attorneys. Much of the work was high profile, they were an expensive firm, and it was due in large part to her work behind the scenes that they enjoyed front page success. She was precise, tenacious and smart.
Within days of accepting the position, her boss said he had some work to do in the Atlanta office and suggested she might want to spend a month down there. Doreen initially begged off. She had just moved to New York City and needed to get settled in before running off around the country.
After Dan had hung up Doreen sat and stared at her phone. She finally picked it up and called her boss.
“Andy, Doreen. I want to ask you about that work in Atlanta. You still need someone to go down there?”
“As a matter of fact we do. You change your mind?”
“Yes. I’ve got things under control here at home—all moved in—and I could do that work for you.”
“When do you want to leave?”
“Soon. I can let you know in two days, is that okay with you?”
“That’s fine. Thanks. I won’t forget this.”
“I’m glad to help,” Doreen said with a smile.
Next she called Tommy. “We need to get away.”
“Yeah, I’ve been thinking the same thing, but how? I can’t just shut the business down and expect to come back and pick it up with no problems.”
“I talked to Dan. I think he’s coming back, if he hasn’t already. And he’s going to go to war with Vincent’s crew. We’re going to be caught in the middle and we don’t want to be there.”
“Doreen, you should go away…or move into Manhattan for a while.”
“And leave you here to get whacked by Joey and that Frank? We have to go away together. Dan isn’t going to stop for us.”
“I talked to Emilio about running the shop for a while if I took a vacation.”
“What did he say?”
“I offered him twice his normal pay, so he’d like to do it, but he knows about Joey and all this crap going on and he’s worried about his family. He doesn’t want to catch Joey’s attention.”
“Tommy, how much do you take in a week at the shop?”
“What’s that got to do with all of this?”
“I’ve got an idea. Just tell me.”
“I’m not selling out if that’s where you’re going.”
“Nothing like that. Just give me an estimate.”
“I gross a little more than half a million a year, so that’s about ten thousand a week. ’Course I net a lot less.”
“How much do you think your net is?”
“It maybe averages out to around twelve hundred a week. Like I said, I ain’t exactly rolling in the dough. What you see is what you get.”
“I’ll take it, Tommy. You have other qualities besides a fat paycheck.”
“So what’s your plan if it isn’t me losing my business?”
“Let me make some calls and I’ll get back to you.”
Doreen set it up with Dan. He would put fifteen hundred a week into an account Doreen would set up, a grand for Tommy and five hundred for Emilio to keep him from going to another shop. Next she called Tommy and told him to shut down the shop, they were going to leave town in two days.