Tony waved to the players, "You guys can go back to practicing."
The hockey players watched for a moment and then a few of them began to skate around, playing with the puck, still keeping an eye on the six men climbing up the aisle towards Rocco and Tony.
Tony got up and slipped in front of Rocco, talking in a quiet voice, "Why don't you join us after they're up there?"
Rocco just sat there as Tony headed up the stairs.
The six men reached Rocco and one of them patted him on the shoulder as he went by, "You just keep your seat and everything will be fine, pal."
Rocco kept a neutral face, looking down at the players who were skating in slow circles and watching. He waited until he could hear the men were walking along the upper concrete aisle before he stood up and slowly climbed the stairs. Reaching the top, he saw the men disappear into the room Tony was using as his office. Walking lightly as he approached the still-open door, he heard Tony ask how much money they wanted. He pulled a weapon from under his jacket and stepped into the room.
The leader started talking to Tony, who was standing behind a desk.
Rocco closed the door hard behind him and stepped up behind the pack of men.
The leader spun around along with the other men. One of them growled at Rocco, "I thought we told you to stay put out there?"
Rocco waggled a finger up near his ear, "Hard of hearing."
The man drew a fist back as he stepped forward...and stopped dead in his tracks–
Rocco's Colt semiautomatic was against his forehead.
Tony swiftly stepped around the desk and placed his Beretta 1915 semiautomatic pistol against the back of the leader's head.
The other four men backed away to the right, towards the far wall, with their hands up.
Rocco looked into his man's eyes, "Why don't you join your friends over there, pal?"
The man barely moved his head as he nodded, Then he took a slow step back before swiveling on his boots and moving fast to join the other men standing against the wall.
Tony pressed the barrel a little harder against the leader's skull, "I just got this new pistol, Rocco. I think I'd like to try it out."
Rocco shrugged, "Suits me. Just try not to spray blood on me." He backed up a step.
"H-hold on guys," the leader said. "Let's not do anything hasty. Let's talk about this–"
"What's your name?" Rocco asked him.
"W-why?"
Rocco just stared.
"College. Eddie College."
"That sounds like a limey's name," Tony asked. "You a limey? Guineas like killing limeys."
"Yeah, I heard that somewhere," Rocco said.
The fear was very evident in Eddie College's eyes. He was expecting a bullet to come crashing through his brain at any moment.
Tony glanced across at the other five men, "I think we got enough of those old wood barrels for these guys. We could sink the bodies in Burlington Bay."
Rocco was silent for a minute, "No. That's a waste of good barrels. I say we just put them in burlap sacks and weigh them down–"
"Look, fellows–"
"Did I ask you to talk?" Tony pressed the gun harder against the leader's skull.
The man shook his head no.
Tony waited another moment and then pushed Eddie's head forward, "Get over there with your friends."
The leader moved quickly and joined the other men back against the wall, lifting his hands up.
"On your knees," Tony ordered. "All of you."
The men hesitated, fear registering across their face.
Tony gestured with his Beretta.
The men they complied, sinking to their knees, obviously shaking.
Rocco stepped over beside Tony, his gun hanging at his side, "The only reason you're not dead is because we've been where you are. We realize what you're doing is just business. But you're interfering in our business now, so here's what's going to happen. You're going to give this place a wide, wide berth. That goes for all employees, players, anyone connected to us. You understand me?"
The men nodded.
"If any one of you think he's going to come back at us to get revenge, you better come hard. Because the next time...these two guineas will kill you. Do I make myself clear?"
The men nodded again.
Tony stepped back to his desk, his gun still pointing at the men.
Rocco walked over and stood near Tony, allowing access to the exit.
Tony lowered his weapon, "Now that we understand each other, I would suggest you leave while you still can."
The men scrambled for the door, slamming it open hard against the cement block wall. Their footsteps echoed off the cement walls as they ran down for the stairs.
Tony grinned as he headed for the open door with Rocco, "That was fun. We should do it more often."
As they walked down the stairs, heading calmly for their seats, they could hear the receding echo of the running boot steps as the shakedown gang headed for the arena's front doors. The players were standing still on the ice surface, watching Rocco and Tony with a mixture of puzzlement, respect, and fear.
Chapter 73
Giachetti's Café
ROCCO SAT NURSING A COFFEE early the next morning in the café. The sun was barely up but there were already nine other people sitting inside having eggs, toast, and coffee. Mr. and Mrs. Giachetti were bubbling with enthusiasm at how well business was going. The light chatter in the café was interrupted when a car slid to a sideways stop in front of the building. Someone was complaining about these fast new machines and the wild drivers as the driver jumped out, left the door open and ran for the entrance. Rocco's back stiffened when he realized it was Gianni Reppucci and he looked to be in a panic.
The little bell over the door rang sharply as Gianni ran inside and scanned the crowd.
Rocco was sliding out of the booth when Gianni spotted him.
"It's Tony. He's been shot."
Rocco heard the gasps from the crowd and Rosa Giachetti cried out.
Gianni jerked a thumb over his shoulder towards the car in the street, "C'mon. They took him to St. Joseph's Hospital."
Rocco bolted out the door, right behind Gianni, "How bad is it?"
"I'm not sure but it sounded bad." Gianni jumped into his car as Rocco headed for the passenger side.
Rocco was barely inside when Gianni slammed down on the gas, spinning the wheels and pushing the car sideways as they roared away.
"The coppers knocked on Maria's door and took her down to the hospital," Gianni explained as he took the corner in a sliding turn. "Besha's with her right now. That's who called me."
"Did the coppers say who did it?"
"Besha didn't say," Gianni replied as he accelerated down the road.
THE TRIP SEEMED TO take hours as both men fretted and worried about their friend.
Gianni left the car sitting cross-ways in a parking spot as they both jumped out and ran for the main entrance.
The receptionist directed them to the operating rooms on the far side of the hospital.
Rocco and Gianni threaded their frantic way through the line of doctors, nurses, and patients calmly moving through the hallways. The heavy smell of antiseptic mingled with the aroma of bad hospital food as they passed a small cafeteria area. Reaching the cross hallway they were told to look for, they skidded to a stop.
"Which way?" Rocco asked as he looked for wall signs.
Gianni pointed to a large crowd of people, a number of them coppers in uniform, talking at the far end of the corridor, "That must be where he is."
They took off running again. Their footsteps echoed off the walls and two burly coppers turned at the sound, stepped in front of them and blocked their way.
Rocco and Gianni slid to a stop.
One of the coppers spoke with an Australian accent, "Sorry, mate, but that's far enough."
A tall man with a red handlebar mustache and wearing a fancy copper's uniform stepped between the two coppe
rs. His manner was imperious as his eyes scanned their working man's clothing, "I'm Hamilton Chief Constable Denton Wherley. Who are you men?"
"Gianni Reppucci."
"Rocco DeLuca."
"Wherley ran a finger along his mustache, "Ah, the notorious Mr. DeLuca. You have quite a reputation in the North End, Mr. DeLuca. It's a shame when good army discipline doesn't stick and create good moral fiber in those that return."
Rocco narrowed his eyes and clenched his fists but held himself under control.
Wherley waited, took a step forward and asked in a very deliberate manner, "Can I ask where you were at 5:45 AM this morning?"
"Why?"
Wherley put his hands behind his back and raised himself on his tip-toes for a moment, "Are you refusing to answer the question, Mr. DeLuca? Perhaps you have something to hide–?"
"Do you really believe I would shoot my friend?"
Wherley shrugged in a sneering way, "I wouldn't put it past a person like you. A falling out happens often in the lower classes. Now answer the question. Where were you?"
Rocco felt a burn inside at the class remark and fought to keep himself under control, "I was just leaving my house about then, heading for Giachetti's Café. They open at six and I was there–"
"Can someone testify to that matter in court?"
Rocco gave him a hard look, "Testify? The Giachetti's were there as well as several other people who know me."
Wherley opened his mouth –
"And before that, he was screwing me at home in our bed."
Wherley and the two coppers blinked at the brazen comment from the female voice behind them.
Besha DeLuca stepped around the coppers, crossed her arms and glared at Wherley, "Do you want to see the evidence on the bedsheets?"
Wherley's face showed contempt as he looked at Besha.
Rocco had to suppress a smile.
After a brief staring match with Wherley, Besha grabbed Rocco's hand and motioned for Gianni to follow as she moved back around the coppers and headed for a door just down the hallway.
"How is he?" Rocco asked, fearing the answer.
"Yeah. Is he going to be okay?" Gianni asked.
Besha shook her head and spoke in a quiet voice, "We don't know yet. One of the nurses just came out and said the doctor would be out in a minute to talk to Maria. She's over here." Besha led them past a couple of coppers into a large waiting area. Maria Genovese was standing on the far side, crying into a handkerchief. Gianni's wife Andrea and Angelo Controni were standing with her.
Maria turned, "Oh, Rocco, I think they killed him."
Besha dropped Rocco's hand and wrapped her arms around Maria, "Now don't you think like that. The doctors here are excellent. He'll be fine, you'll see."
Rocco waited for a moment and then asked, "Anybody know what happened?"
Maria stepped back from Besha, jabbing the tears from her eyes with a handkerchief, "Tony left early this morning to go to the rink. He said he was picking someone up. When the coppers came they said he was shot in back of the arena, but that's all they said."
Another pair of coppers appeared in the hallway
Angelo Controni stepped over to Rocco and Gianni, glancing toward the coppers as he spoke in a low voice, "I overheard the coppers talking when I came in. It sounds like Tony and another guy were both shot outside the back door of the Barton Street arena."
Rocco glanced at the coppers as well, "Did you hear who this other guy is? Was he one of the players?"
Angelo screwed his face up as he thought, "Thompson?"
"Paulie Thompson?"
"Yeah, that's the name. The copper said his pops was coming in–"
"Mrs. Genovese?"
Everyone turned to see a doctor in a surgical outfit standing between a set of swinging doors on the far side of the waiting room. The surgical mask was bunched down around his neck as his eyes searched the room.
Maria rushed forward quickly, "That's me. How...?"
"I'm Doctor Carlson. I performed the surgery on Mr. Genovese. He was shot three times. One bullet collapsed a lung–"
Maria let out a cry and Besha wrapped her arms around her.
"One bullet went clean through his side and the other nicked the heart. He is a very lucky man. He'll be laid up for a couple of weeks and it will take some time to make a complete recovery–"
"Can I see him?" Maria asked.
Doctor Carlson nodded as he turned sideways and held the doors open, "Just for a moment. He just woke up from the anesthesia and he's still in the surgery while they ready a room–"
Maria darted through the double doors. The doctor followed behind her and the two disappeared as the double doors closed.
Besha went to Rocco and he wrapped his arms around her as she sobbed.
Everyone stood around waiting, relief evident in everyone's eyes.
Ten minutes later Maria stuck her head through the double doors. "Rocco," she said in a quiet voice, "Tony wants to see you. The doctor said just two minutes."
Rocco was surprised as he headed for the double doors.
Maria led him down a short hallway where she opened another set of double doors, "He wants to talk to you in private so I'll go back into the waiting room."
Rocco nodded as he slipped through the doors to find himself in a large surgical room, filled with various pieces of medical equipment. Several nurses were busy in one corner with something. On the far side, under very severe lights, a figure lay on a portable cot under a white sheet.
Tony's head turned slowly on the cot as he heard footsteps approaching, "Hey, Rocco." His voice was weak and groggy and his face was pale.
"Hey, pal. How are you feeling?"
"Like I drank a gallon of Glen Gael whiskey and then someone kicked me in the nuts."
Rocco couldn't help but laugh.
Tony's eyes took on a serious look, "It was dark, but I'm positive it was those six bozos we chased from the arena."
Rocco's face hardened.
"I told the coppers it was too dark to see who it was. I figured...we'd take care of it ourselves...."
Rocco nodded, "You get better and we'll take care of them. And this time, we put them in the bay."
Tony nodded. His eyes closed for a moment and then he opened them, "But...some thing's not right about the whole thing, Rocco."
"What do you mean?"
Licking his lips, Tony closed his eyes again for a moment, like he was trying to get his strength up to talk. He opened his eyes again and focused them on Rocco, "They shot the kid...Paulie Thompson? They shot him first, Rocco. They didn't go for me–"
"Maybe they weren't sure who was who in the darkness," Rocco reasoned.
Tony shook his head, "No. I know it sounds crackers but I'm sure...they went for him first...that let me get my gun out...I got a shot off...missed...but they plugged me and then beat it–"
A team of four nurses entered another door and one of them spoke sternly to Rocco, "Okay, I'll have to ask you to leave, sir. Mr. Genovese needs his rest and we have to move him to intensive care right now."
Tony slipped a hand out from under the blankets and held it out to Rocco.
Rocco gripped it, making eye contact and a pact to gain revenge.
The nurse slipped between Rocco and the bed, "Out. Please."
Rocco left the surgery and went back into the waiting room.
Maria turned to him, "He looks okay, right? He's gonna make it...?"
Rocco put his arms around her, "He's tough. He's going to be okay. Don't you worry."
Besha put a hand on Maria's shoulder, "And you don't worry about any of the bills. We'll take care of everything. Right, Rocco?"
Rocco's eyes were hard and firm as he looked into Besha's eyes and nodded once, "Yeah. We'll take care of everything."
Chapter 74
ROCCO CRUISED THE NEIGHBORHOODS around the Barton Street arena, looking for some sign of the six men. The workers at the arena only knew first names and they confirme
d that the gang had been shaking down Pops McMillan for protection money for two years. Rocco knew they would be working other businesses but he didn't want to approach anyone to get more information. In no way did he want to alert the men he was looking for them. Eventually, the men would get back to business taking money from their 'customers'.
The sun was just setting on the third day when Rocco spotted one of the men. The same brown flat cap, dark wool shirt, worn dungarees and work boots
The man walked confidently and with an exaggerated toughness along the plank sidewalk and stepped into a small general store.
Rocco pulled over to the other side of the street and waited.
Ten minutes later the man walked back outside, a grin on his face and counting a number of bills in his hand. He turned left as he stuck the bills into his pocket and took up his strut down the street again.
Rocco watched over the seat for a moment as the men strutted away down the wooden sidewalk. Then he started the car and made a U-turn, following slowly at a distance.
The man turned into an alleyway and disappeared.
Rocco kept driving and tried to see where he went. As he passed the entrance way, he spotted the man standing near a rain barrel, twenty feet inside the alley. He was taking a leak. Rocco quickly parked the car and headed for the alleyway, checking up and down the street as he walked quickly. There were a few people on the sidewalk further down but they weren't paying any attention to him. Lights were just coming on now in the surrounding buildings. Rocco pulled his weapon, keeping it close to his body to shield it from prying eyes. He then peeked around the corner of the building into the alley. The man was still standing by the rain barrel, looking down. Rocco stepped around and approached lightly as the man was pulling his zipper up.
The man turned around to leave the alleyway and froze. Rocco's handgun was pointed directly at his face and not more than two feet away.
"Remember me?" Rocco asked.
The man licked his lips.
"And do you remember my friend? The one who's lying in the hospital right now because you guys put bullets in him? What did I tell you I would do...?"
The man swallowed. His mouth was dry with fear and he struggled to talk, "It...it wasn't my idea...it was Eddie."
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