My retort, “He’s not going to take over. I promise that. I’ll stop it somehow.”
Marge exclaimed, “Damn it Jack, you’re not in this alone. We’re standing with you. We’re a team around here. You may be the captain, but we’re a team and we’ll face this together.”
“Speaking of Moe, where is he? I didn’t see him when I came in. He go home?”
Marge scoffed again, “Go home? Far from it. He went down to the marina to talk to Justin.”
“Talk to Justin? What about? Do you know?”
“Yeah, this whole mess with Bracchi. He said he and Justin would come up with some way to deal with it.”
Just what I need. Unfortunately, Justin’s tactics are probably more deadly than I had in mind. I need to get this under control before it gets away from me and we all end up in jail, or dead. I said, “When Moe gets back, the three of us should sit down and talk about this whole mess. Between us we’ll come up with some type of strategy.” At least maybe I can keep Moe and, by extension, Justin under control that way.
“Sounds like a good idea. I don’t think he’ll be gone long, he didn’t even know if Justin would be at the boat. Once he decided this whole inspection thing was another problem caused by Bracchi he just needed to be doing something. You know, come up with a way to strike back.”
“That’s what I’m afraid of Marge. Moe and Justin coming up with a counter attack. I’m afraid things will just escalate.”
Marge shook her head, “I hear you Jack, but you need to keep us in the loop if you don’t want people going off on their own to fight back.”
“Fair enough, as soon as Moe gets back we’ll sit down and talk.”
I had just walked down the hall and back into the bar when Moe and Justin came in through the back door. I could immediately tell from Moe’s body language that he was agitated. Justin was his usual stoic self.
I walked up to them, but before I could say anything Moe demanded, “Boss we need to talk.” He was forceful enough about it that a couple of people sitting at the bar turned and looked at the three of us.
I replied calmly, “My sentiments exactly Moe. Let’s get Marge and go upstairs to my apartment. Not room in the office for the four of us and a little too noisy here.” With that I turned and started back toward the office.
A couple of minutes later, the four of us were seated around my dining table upstairs.
CHAPTER THIRTY
Since Marge had designated me captain of this little team, I took the lead and opened with a quick rundown on the history of our encounters with Bracchi. Marge didn’t seem the least surprised when I mentioned Moe’s veiled threats to Bracchi and Justin’s support during the encounter. Obviously, Moe had already shared that information with her. Even more surprising was the fact that Justin didn’t react at hearing my statement about his participation. Either he knew that Marge already knew or, as is so often the case, he was just playing his cards close to the vest.
I shared the results of my meeting with Lieutenant Kaur and PJ’s suggestion that I tape Bracchi on my own. Moe again expressed his skepticism about the potential for success of that approach. Again, neither Marge nor Justin, gave the slightest indication that they were hearing information for the first time. I was beginning to feel that the team had been having regular meetings to exchange information without me.
When I got to my meeting with Mancuso, everyone reacted. First Marge exclaimed, “Jack, I swear that’s the craziest thing you’ve ever done. You could’ve been killed.”
Moe snorted in his low bellow, “What, one gangster’s not enough? You’ve got to try to involve another?”
Justin didn’t say a word, he just shook his head back and forth as if he couldn’t believe what he was hearing.
I attempted to defend myself, “Look Moe, I listened to what you said about guys like Bracchi only understanding force, and I was just looking for some type of force that would have credibility with him.”
Moe’s dark eyes glowed, “Don’t lay your foolish idea off on me. I never said anything about bringing another gangster into the mix.”
I held my hands up in surrender, “Look, it was probably a bad idea.” Everyone continued to glare at me, “Okay, it was definitely a bad idea. It doesn’t really matter since Mancuso wouldn’t even admit knowing who Bracchi is much less say he could help.” At that point I decided there was no reason to mention having drinks with Elena. I just didn’t think it would contribute anything positive to my team’s confidence in their captain.
Attempting to move the conversation away from my meeting with Mancuso I said, “And now we have this food service inspection tonight. Are we really certain Bracchi is the source of the complaint? Could it be someone else who has a beef with us?” Turning to Moe, “Have you needed to toss anyone out lately, Moe?”
Moe rubbed his hand across his bald scalp and shook his head, “No, not recently. In fact, I can’t remember the last time . . . no I take that back, a couple of weeks ago I had to suggest that Tom Palmer leave.” Turning toward Justin, “you know him Justin, he works at the marina. He was getting both drunk and loud so I suggested he go home. He didn’t really give me any trouble and came in a couple of days later and apologized.”
I turned to Marge, “Anyone we’ve had business issues with lately who might be trying to cause us grief?”
Marge shook her head, “Certainly no one I can think of. Business has been picking up, but I can’t see any of our competitors thinking of us as a significant threat.”
Justin’s gray eyes were locked on me. I said, “Okay. In the absence of anything to the contrary, it leaves us only one conclusion, this was probably another jab by Bracchi.” I found myself unconsciously rubbing my ribs at my own mention of the word jab.
Moe said, “This guy’s not going away without a fight. So how do we fight him?”
I was afraid to look at Justin for fear of what I might now see in his eyes. I remember the glow in his eyes the day Moe confronted Bracchi. I’m truly afraid Justin is just looking for an excuse to eliminate Bracchi. There is no doubt in my mind that, Mafia boss or not, Justin could make Bracchi disappear if he chose to. I want him to go away and quit trying to muscle in on Cap’s, but I can’t get myself to the point of condoning murder.
My anguish was relieved when Justin spoke for the first time, suggesting something less than murder or mayhem. He pursed his lips and said, “This stuff with deliveries and health inspections are really just nuisances. You guys are handling those kind of things without any real impact to Cap’s. Now granted, beating Jack up is more than a nuisance, but Jack weathered it and he didn’t shrink from Bracchi the next time he was in.” I couldn’t help but puff a little at that comment.
Justin continued, “Bracchi’s interest in Cap’s seems to have started on a whim. A chance meeting at the barber shop. Bracchi’s not really vested in this endeavor. His business is up north. He can only spend so much time down here before he’s going to begin having business problems up there. I suggest we harden his target and ride it out. I think he’ll lose interest and just go away.”
Marge cocked her head and asked, “What do you mean, harden his target?”
Justin looked at her, “Well, unfortunately I can’t think of any way to keep him from causing you business problems. There are just too many avenues of approach from a business perspective. You’ll just have to deal with those as they arise. So far you’ve been very successful. No reason to think that in the business world you won’t continue to fend him off. What we need to harden is his ability to intimidate us or cause actual physical harm like he did to Jack.”
Moe jumped in, “So what do we do? How do we harden Cap’s Place?”
Justin smiled, “We just need a bunch more of you.”
Moe’s retort, “Black guys?”
Justin’s smile broadened, “Not what I meant, although now that you mention it, that could present an interesting wrinkle to things. What I meant was, tough guys. Guys who aren’t in
timidated by Bracchi or his thugs. We flood Cap’s Place with guys who have the ability to make Bracchi and his posse feel very unwelcome whenever they stop by. No military can control territory without boots on the ground. If Bracchi, or his people, can’t come into Cap’s without encountering stiff resistance, I think it will hasten his losing interest in the place.”
We all sat quietly contemplating Justin’s suggestion. Finally, Moe spoke up, “I like the idea, but where do we find guys like that? We don’t want some motorcycle gang or something like that.”
Justin replied, “Leave that up to me. I can find plenty of guys that will do what’s needed but won’t cause even a ripple otherwise.”
Now everyone was looking at me. I didn’t know how good an idea I thought it was, but I knew I didn’t have any other ideas, so I said, “Let’s give it a try. We just need to be careful that these guys aren’t so confrontational that they scare customers away.”
Justin looked irritated for a fleeting second, but said, “Of course. For the most part these guys will be invisible to the patrons and if Bracchi gets pushy, people will be glad there is someone around to push back.”
I asked, “How soon do you think you can find some guys?”
Justin looked at his wristwatch, “Probably take a couple of hours to have three or four here.”
I stammered, “I was thinking days. That’s great. No sense in worrying about tonight as we’ll be closing in a couple of hours. How about tomorrow?”
Justin stood, “No problem. We’ll be here when you open.”
We all went back downstairs. The Friday crowd was starting to thin. Marge went home, Moe went into the kitchen, and Justin disappeared. I took my place at the end of the bar and wrapped my hands around a cold Landshark. I didn’t know if we were doing the right thing, but I did know we were doing something.
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
The jogger slowed from a sprint to a fast walk and looked at the vibrating phone. Answering abruptly, “What do you want? I’m busy, make it fast.”
The old man in a clipped growl, “Sometimes I think you forget who works for who. You’re so damn busy, I’ll be brief. Nothing’s happening. You don’t call. People are asking me why nothing’s happening. I don’t have anything to tell them. This is unacceptable. I’m going to give the assignment to someone else.”
“You’re not going to give the assignment to someone else and we both know it. This whole thing is too messy. You’re not going to make it any more chaotic by bringing in yet another operator. There’s way too much exposure already.”
The growl roared, “The only thing messy is that it’s not finished. Now finish the damn job.”
“It’ll be finished. There’s some organized crime clown flexing his muscle and I thought he might take care of things for us. He still might. If he doesn’t soon, I will.”
The old man’s growl settled into a low rumble, “Time frame. I need a time frame to give the people who are asking. What do I tell them? When will it be done?”
“Within the week. The bar owner will be dead within the week. One way or the other.”
“Damn well better.”
The cell phone went silent and the jogger’s pace returned to a sprint.
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
We opened at ten on Saturday, but I was running errands and didn’t get back until just after noon. We had a decent crowd for mid-day. As I came in the back door I looked around and immediately spotted Justin sitting on the bar stool next to the one I usually occupied. I dropped the box of supplies I’d spent the morning procuring for Juan off in the kitchen and climbed up onto my stool. My day brightened when I realized that Sissy was tending bar.
She made her way down to our end of the bar with the walk that can only be described as . . . well as Sissy. “Hi Jack, coffee or Landshark?”
“Oh, it’s been a jungle out there this morning. I’d better have a Landshark. How’s school?”
On my comment about the jungle Justin chuckled under his breath. Sissy replied, “School’s fine. I may have an opportunity for an internship this coming summer.”
Justin looked up from the Coke he was drinking and asked, “Really, where?”
“It would be in Atlanta. It’s a long shot right now. One of my profs has a deal with a large logistics company based outside of Atlanta. Every summer they take three or four students as interns. My prof says they usually take students who are closer to graduation, but he may be able to get me into the program. They provide housing and a decent wage for the summer. Would be a great opportunity. It’s really nice of him to help me.”
As she walked away to get my beer, Justin and I looked at each other and he muttered, “I’ll bet he’s really trying to help her.”
I replied, “Why is it that we think every man who offers to help Sissy has an ulterior motive?”
We said simultaneously, “Because they do.”
We both chuckled and I added, “Except us of course.”
Sissy set my beer down on the bar and asked, “What are you guys laughing about?”
Justin replied, “Nothing much, I was just recalling that ill fated trip I made to Publix when we were all staying up in Lighthouse Point.”
Sissy smiled, “I don’t know if the actual event was as funny as listening to you retell it.” With that she turned and went back to the other end of the bar to fill an order for Renee, who was waiting tables. We were both momentarily mesmerized just watching her walk.
I turned to Justin, “Any luck getting any of your guys here today?”
“No problem. Got four here until six when they’ll rotate with four others who’ll stay until close.”
“Really?” Looking around the bar I asked, “Who are they?”
Justin shrugged, “You tell me.”
I carefully studied everyone in the bar. Two muscular guys playing pool jumped right out at me. With deep ruddy tans, short hair, bushy beards and heavily tattooed arms, they looked like they’d just stepped out of a special forces movie, except that the deep creases around their eyes gave them the aura of the real thing. I nodded in their direction, “Those two guys for sure.”
“Yup, with those two, what you see is what you get.”
I didn’t ask what that meant, I thought this is probably another example of life around Justin where I’m better off not knowing all of the details.
He asked, “Can you find the other two?”
I scanned the bar again. This time I began eliminating people. First, I eliminated the regulars I had seen every day or so for the past year. Next, I eliminated people who looked vaguely familiar, thinking that they must have previously been in some time or another. I was left with six people. Two guys sitting at the bar who looked like they were probably weekend fishermen from the marina, two guys in flashy flowered shirts who looked like they had been up all night partying somewhere and stopped in for something to eat and one last drink before returning to their very angry wives, and a young guy and girl who, based on their attire, looked like they were on their way to the beach. I guessed that it was the two fishermen at the bar.
Justin shook his head, “Nope. Try again.”
I looked closer at the two guys in the flowered shirts and decided that maybe they weren’t as watery eyed as I had first thought. I cocked my head in their direction and said, “Must be those two. Are they sober?”
Justin shrugged his shoulders, “Don’t have any idea how sober they are. I’ve never seen them before.”
I muttered, “Damn,” and scanned the bar again. Finally, I said, “You’ve got me. I know it can’t be Ken and Barbie over there and I think I recognize everyone else.”
Justin took a sip of his Coke and replied causally, “Well Ken and Barbie, as you call them, are two of the most lethal operators I’ve ever known.”
I couldn’t believe my ears. They looked to be in their early twenties and really could have been Ken and Barbie models. They were the personification of the clean cut kids next door. I turned back to
Justin, “Really?”
“Really Jack. Things are not always as they appear.”
If there was one thing I was learning about Justin’s world it was that things are seldom as they appear. I asked, “Do you really think Bracchi would find them intimidating?”
“Not at all. They’re the rescue plan in case the two guys playing pool can’t handle things, or in case Bracchi’s guys escalate things with weapons. Ken and Barbie will eliminate any hostile forces before they see it coming.”
My fears were coming true. Justin’s plans included force and violence. Get real Jack. Bracchi and his thugs are violent people. You can’t threaten violence in return without the capability to deliver.
Justin broke into my thoughts with, “By the way Jack, if the situation should turn ugly, we’ll be taking your security camera recording disk with us when we leave.”
What could I say, I just nodded in the affirmative.
The afternoon passed without any sign of Bracchi or any of his thugs. Justin left and came back several times, going back and forth to the boat I presumed. I didn’t ask. I noticed that Ken and Barbie would individually leave for a few minutes at a time every hour or so. One of them was always in the bar and the one who left was only gone a few minutes at a time. I could only guess that it was to stretch their legs and get some fresh air. The big guys playing pool never left. A couple of fishermen challenged the table and the pool game became quite intense for a while. Justin’s guys didn’t lose a game. If they fight as well as they play pool, we’re in good hands.
I noticed that neither Justin nor any of his people were drinking alcohol. They were drinking an assortment of soft drinks. Justin seldom drank much so his adherence to soft drinks wasn’t that unusual, but it was obvious the people he had brought in also viewed their role as serious business. Reflecting on the situation, I decided it might serve me well to stay as clear headed as possible so I switched to coffee after my lunchtime Landshark.
Nimble Be Jack: A Jack Nolan Novel (The Cap's Place Series Book 2) Page 15