by David Nees
Frank nodded. He would get Joey focused. Delicacy wasn’t in Frank’s repertoire, but he could improvise. Things getting hot meant things getting hot for Joey, if not Vincent. Frank didn’t plan to be a part of that. He figured it wouldn’t be long before Vincent would want him to take Joey out. That would be enjoyable.
Chapter 27
“Gas company.” Dan held up an ID card. “We had a report on a gas leak so I’ve got to check with all the tenants to see if they’ve noticed anything.”
Dan knew where the high stakes card games were held. It was pretty common knowledge in the neighborhood. What he didn’t know was how much protection was assigned to the games. So far Dan had been focused on the street action. He guessed no one thought the games might be targeted. He needed to strike before anyone considered that possibility. But first there was some research to do.
He had been an old man and a musician, a vaguely threatening man with a big nose, and a blonde, long-haired surfer type. Now he needed another look. He would be a gas utility inspector. He had acquired the uniform some weeks earlier. It would give him entrance to the building and a reason to survey the tenants so he could find the right apartment. Along with the gas uniform, he would have a mustache and slicked back black hair and glasses.
Thursday afternoon Dan drove to the apartment building. He grabbed his clipboard and entered the apartment, stopping to knock at the first door. A woman from inside called out.
“No. We got no leaks. There’s no smell.”
“So I can complete my report, who am I talking to?” Dan asked. The woman gave him her name and he thanked her and moved down the hall. This would take some time.
Two hours later he had gone through the building. Now from the third floor he started back down, hitting all the doors where no one had answered. In the rear of the building, on the first floor, a man answered his knock.
“Who’s there?”
“I’m from the gas company. We had a report of a gas leak and so I’ve got to talk to all the tenants to check if they’ve smelled anything unusual, either in their apartment or the hallways.”
“You running a scam?” came the reply.
“No sir, just doing my job. Gas leaks can be dangerous. Can’t be too safe.”
The door opened and a thick, burly man stood there with a scowl on his face. “Lemme see your ID. This sounds like a scam.”
Dan showed him his ID, still looped around his neck on its lanyard. The man scowled at it while Dan quickly scanned the room. He could just see the edge of a round table that was placed in the center of the living room.
Another man came around the corner. “What’s up?”
Pulling the badge back Dan said, “So you haven’t smelled any odd odors?”
“No. Just you.” He laughed along with the man in the hall.
It was time to go. “Thanks for your trouble. I’m sorry I bothered you. You can’t be too careful with gas leaks.” And with that he turned and headed down the hall.
“Hey! What do we do if we smell something odd?” the man called out after him.
“Just call 9-1-1. They’ll send us back out,” Dan replied as he kept walking.
“If Smitty starts farting, we’ll threaten to call 9-1-1 on him,” the other guy said to his partner. They both laughed and closed the door.
Dan got in the van and drove off to a side street to get ready.
Two for protection. Another to tend bar and maybe a dealer unless one of those monkeys deals the cards. I got three or four to deal with, max.
His challenge was to not have everyone run for the door when he broke in. He had to quickly get control over the group. He put his 9mm with its suppressor in a shoulder holster. It was loaded with sub-sonic rounds. If he had to use it the shots would not be heard in the next apartment.
He kept the gas company uniform on, but attached a button camera attached to the front of his jacket. Later, in the early evening, he entered the apartment building and knocked on the door.
“Who’s there?” came the response as someone looked through the peep hole.
“It’s me, the guy from the gas company. I didn’t get you to sign off on my inspection sheet. My supervisor said I have to come back and get a signature.”
“Go away. I told you we didn’t have a leak.”
“I know, but my boss is all over me on this. Help me out. I just need you signature and then I can call it a day.”
“I told you, go away.”
“Come on. Help me out. I got a date tonight. It’ll only take you a second and then I’m outta here. My boss wants to cover his ass and I gotta get this done before I can get off.”
“Hold on,” came the reply as the locks were released.
When the door opened, Dan lunged forward with his 9mm out. He shoved it in the man’s chest and pushed him backwards into the hallway. As the man backed up, trying to get his balance, Dan tripped him and shoved him hard to the floor.
“What’s going on?” called the dealer.
“Everyone freeze!” Dan shouted. “Get on the floor!” he yelled to the bartender. “No one move.”
The men at the table were looking at him wide eyed. The dealer pushed back from the table and reached around to his back. As he pulled out his pistol, Dan shot him. The bullet hit him square in the chest.
He immediately turned his pistol to the doorman on the floor, who thought better than to try for his gun and spread out his hands out away from his body where he lay on the floor. Dan motioned to the bartender to crawl over into his line of sight.
“You,” Dan shouted to the smallest guy at the table. “Come over here.”
The man got up and nervously walked over to Dan. “Go grab the gym bag and bring it inside. Then close and lock the door. If you try to leave, I’ll shoot you dead before you take two steps.” He did as he was told.
“Now, get the plastic cuffs out.” Dan instructed the man to cuff the doorman and bartender.
When they were secured, he directed the group, “Everyone, take out your cell phones. Don’t pretend you don’t have one. Hold out and I’ll shoot you.” All the phones came out.
Turning to the man who locked the door he said, “Collect those phones and bring them over here. I want to see them turned off in front of me.” The man did as he was told.
“Now gentlemen, we’re all players, I see. So you know that you win some, you lose some. This as your ‘lose some’ night. Here’s what you’re gonna do. Take out all your money and wallets and put them on the table. Little man here is going to collect it all and stuff it in the bag. I’m going to check for holdouts personally. If you’ve left something off the table, I’ll put a bullet in your ass and you can explain that to your wife.”
“You’ll never get away with this,” the doorman said from the floor.
“I’ll take my chances,” Dan replied.
“There’s some important people here. You don’t know what you’re getting into,” one of the players chimed in.
“Shut up,” said another.
“Important people…like important enough to not want their name and picture broadcast to the public? That kind of important?”
“You dumbass,” the other man said through clenched teeth.
“I have your IDs. I’ll be able to figure out who all of you are. I think that maybe you don’t want this incident publicized, so you should just behave and keep your mouths shut.”
Everyone was glaring at Dan. They were over the shock and now getting furious at the prospects of damaging publicity. Next Dan frisked each player, turning their pockets inside out. Then he had each one remove their pants and shoes. The gym bag was now full of money, including the crew’s “bank” money used to float players who had run out. Dan had one of the players stuff all the pants and shoes into a large garbage bag he had brought with him.
“Here’s what’s going to happen. I’m going to leave with the money and your clothes. I’ll leave the clothes at the back of the alley. I think you should cut Mr.
Doorman here loose and he can retrieve the bundle. The wallets will be sent to Mr. Salvatore at the Sicilian Gardens. I keep any cash I find. If you behave, no one gets hurt, and you can call it a bad night.”
“And you won’t publicize this?” one of the players asked.
“I’m not sure. Depends on how you behave and what might be in it for me.”
“So you’re blackmailing us? That’s a federal crime.”
“Just thinking about the possibilities, seeing as I’m probably dealing with some important people here.”
“The Feds are going to get in on this,” the same man continued.
“Only if you want them to. I’m going now. If anyone pops their head out or tries to follow me, they’ll get shot. And no one gets their pants back. And I’ll probably be pissed enough to send all your IDs to the press.”
He checked the plastic cuffs on the two men and left the apartment. It would take at least five minutes to cut the men free with only a kitchen knife available. He would be long gone by then.
Later that night, back in his apartment, Dan went through the money—ninety-eight thousand dollars, counting Vincent’s bank money. The wallets showed that he had hit the jackpot. They included a union boss, Brooklyn council member, a prominent businessman, someone from the state’s attorney general office, the Director of Transportation, and a Housing Authority board member. This would create some serious trouble for Vincent.
The next day Dan packaged up the wallets, a DVD copy of the card game participants, one of his pre-paid cell phones and a note. “Call me on this phone. We can discuss how you get the original video.”
Chapter 28
Vincent was fuming. Everyone was keeping clear. He had told Joey to get his ass down to the Gardens. Joey was worried. His only protection was that he and Frank were working together.
For two days Vincent had been fielding angry phone calls from the six men at the card game. The heat was on. Someone had even called Carmine Gianelli who was now not so polite, telling Vincent over the phone to take care of this problem in a hurry or face consequences.
“Who in my crew’s gonna find this punk?” Vincent shouted. No one dared to answer. “Is he a ghost? He got some kinda supernatural powers that none of you can track him down? He can just make fools of us?” The questions flew in anger and no one answered.
As Vincent raged, one of his guys stepped up and handed him a package.
“What’s this?”
“I dunno boss. It came in the mail and it’s addressed to you. No return address.”
“I can see that,” Vincent growled. “Here,” he handed the box to Joey. “Take it out back and open it. If it’s a bomb I hope it blows your fucking head off.”
Joey reluctantly took the package and stared at it, holding it gingerly away from his body. He started breathing hard and his hands began to shake.
“Stop looking at it and get your ass outside and open it,” Vincent commanded.
Joey gently carried it out back. He kept staring at it for some time, not sure how to proceed. One of the men peeked out of the door and shouted at him, “Open the fucking box and bring it back in here, Vincent’s waiting.”
With a deep breath, Joey carefully sliced the tape on the edges and gently pried the lid open. He sighed as nothing exploded. Inside were wallets, a DVD, a note and a cell phone. He quickly brought the package back in to Vincent.
Vincent was slightly calmer, having scared the hell out of Joey. As he looked through the contents his face went from some relief to consternation and then to anger. After reading the note, he had everyone clear out except for Frank, Joey and three other crew bosses.
“Get me a DVD player,” he ordered.
The DVD was edited. It showed someone entering the apartment and getting everyone under control. The scene of the dealer getting shot was deleted.
It focused on each of the players. They were clearly identifiable and there was no doubt that they were gambling; the money could be seen on the table. The doorman, handcuffed on the floor, was easily identifiable. He could tie Vincent to the players. That fact was not good for any of the parties.
Vincent looked at the phone then put it aside along with the note. He gave the box with the wallets in it to Joey. “Get on the phone and call these guys. Let them know we have their wallets. Don’t go giving that message to any receptionist or secretary. You got to speak to each guy. You can’t leave a message. Can you do that without fucking it up?”
Joey nodded and took the box. Everyone left the room. Vincent just stared at the phone for some moments before picking it up. On the speed dial there was one number. He pressed it.
A man answered on the third ring. “Nice of you to call.”
“Who’s this?” Vincent asked.
“I’m the guy you need to settle accounts with.”
“You’re the guy who knocked off my card game. You’re the guy who’s been knocking off my runners. I’m going to find you and kill you.” Vincent was working himself into a rage.
“Stay calm, Vincent,” the voice replied. “We have business to work out.”
“We got nothing to work out except that I want my money back and I want you out of town.”
“I can always call Carmine and do my business with him.”
Vincent paused. He didn’t need Carmine to get any further into this. Things were already looking bad for him. Plus, he had to figure out how to get this guy stopped.
“You’re Dan, aren’t you?” he finally asked.
“Doesn’t matter who I am,” came the reply.
“Yeah, but you’re him, right? You’re taking revenge for the fire in your restaurant. We can work this out. I didn’t call for that and no one knew your wife was in there.”
There was a long silence on the other end.
“We’ll work this out, one way or another. Here’s where we start. You’ve seen the video. It’s not good news for anyone, you included, if it goes public. There’s six of those guys there. I figure keeping them anonymous is worth about fifty grand a piece. That comes to three hundred grand for the original video, no copies kept by me.”
“Three hundred grand? You fucking kidding me? You knock my guys off, steal my money, rob my game and then want me to pay you three hundred grand for a video? You’re crazy.”
“You don’t want to pay, I’ll check in with Carmine and then send it to the media if neither of you are smart enough to keep this under cover. I assume you cleaned up the apartment because you wouldn’t want the cops looking too close into your games. All your scams are up for a close inspection if you’re not careful.”
“You punk,” Vincent shouted, “you think you can come into my territory and shake me down? I’ll find you and I’ll kill you.”
“You haven’t yet, and this is about to get nastier. I don’t think Carmine will like what’s coming next. You’ve got an hour to think about it. I don’t hear from you in an hour, I call Carmine.” The phone went dead.
Dan’s phone rang an hour later.
“What’s the deal?” Vincent said when Dan answered.
“Three hundred grand in cash. Joey delivers the bag.” Dan went on to describe how the delivery would take place.
“So you get the money and I have to wait for the video to come in the mail? That don’t work for me.” Vincent said. “We got to make an exchange, money for video.”
“Yeah, and I get killed. No, we do it my way, I don’t trust you. I’ll be watching the drop. You don’t call the shots, I do.”
“How do I know you just won’t rip me off for the money?”
“You don’t. But I trust you less than you trust me. Ask your card buddies if they want to fuss about the details…or do they just want this to go away?”
Chapter 29
Two days later Dan was hiding on the second floor of an abandoned warehouse near the water front. He had positioned a table in the middle of the main floor and given instructions to Vincent to empty the bag of money on the table and leave. Dan
figured there would be an attempt to take him out at some point in the exchange. He just had to make it happen so that he could control the outcome.
Joey entered at the appointed time and placed the bag on the table. After looking around and not seeing anyone, as instructed, he turned it over and dumped the bills on the table. Then he took the empty bag and left the warehouse.
Dan watched the car drive away. He sat at the window, watching. He could see no one on the street. Where will they come after me? He planned to leave from the back of the building but there was no assurance Vincent wouldn’t have people waiting on all sides of the building. This time he was not in disguise. Underneath his jacket though, he wore a bullet proof vest. He carried a .223 Ruger Tactical carbine and his Colt 1911 .45 semi-automatic on his belt. He had a back pack for the money and extra magazines for both the Ruger and the Colt. If there was going to be a shootout, he would need a large amount of fire power and that meant enough ammo to beat back Vincent’s men.
He watched the street. His sniper training took over. Even in this urban setting the rules still applied. Don’t move until you are sure of remaining concealed. Locate your opponent. The one who locates the enemy first usually prevails in the fire fight. The trouble now was the enemy would know his position after he retrieved the money.
He crept to the rear of the warehouse and carefully looked out at the other buildings nearby. Most were abandoned. He studied them. If I can locate them, I can even the odds. Even nightfall would not hurt his situation.
Dan was facing south. The afternoon sun was now to the southwest. On the east side of the warehouse, he saw a flash of reflected light. Someone’s in those windows. One shooter was placed to the east. He would be shooting into the sun and not be effective. Where are the others? They must have other shooters and men at the street level.
Then a thought occurred to Dan. The buildings were heated by steam. There must be steam tunnels connecting the buildings, servicing the different warehouses. Why didn’t I think of that before? He quietly descended the stairs, stuffed the money in his back pack, he then explored the main floor, looking for stairs or a ladder going down to a basement. If he could find a tunnel and go through it to the next warehouse, he would emerge from the building with the advantage of surprise.