Dirty Deeds (12 page)

I called Marisa, who seemed happy to hear my voice. Or she had information she couldn’t wait to tell me.

“I have some information,” she said.

“Shoot,” I said. I walked around the outside of Madison Square Garden, trying to keep to the crowds. It was easy to lose yourself with so many different people mashed together on the sidewalk. I also had no real plan for what I was going to do next. I wanted to get to Will Black but if they followed me right to him I’d give it all away.

“I have eyes on Will Black. I’ve been trying to call you for the last two hours,” Marisa said.

“I was hanging out with Keane.”

“Is that a good thing?”

I filled her in as quickly as possible on our conversation, stopping briefly to order two hot dogs and a can of Coke from a street vendor. I loved hot dogs and pretzels in Manhattan.

“So you already know the body from the trunk was an FBI agent,” Marisa said.

“Way ahead of you.”

“Then you also know he has definite ties to Chenzo?”

“Who doesn’t at this point?” I asked around a mouthful of hot dog. Have I already mentioned how delicious these are?

“Don’t get snarky with me, boss. I’m on your side. Not many people are today, remember?”

I sighed. “Yeah. I remember. Tell me where Will Black is. I’m sick of reacting to everything around me. I need to start acting before The Family, the FBI, someone killing people around me and a really bad driving company gets to me.

My face still hurt where Keane had sucker-punched me and I bought another can of Coke to press against my face and keep the swelling down.

Marisa gave me the address, which was just a train platform where he was panhandling for beer money. Did this guy understand who was after him?

I hailed another cab and when two guys in black suits did the same from down the block I knew I’d been spotted. I climbed into the cab and told the driver to drive as fast as he could around the block, slow enough so I could jump out, and drive to Brooklyn as fast as possible. I handed him a hundred dollar bill, showing him a second one. “I’ll leave this one on the seat. Got it? There are bad men following me. If they know I’m not in your cab they’ll probably kill you.”

“Get out,” he said.

I shook my head. “Too late, buddy. This has been set into motion the second I got into the backseat. If you don’t hurry the cab they’re now in will catch up and they’ll start shooting. I hope you don’t have a family waiting at home.”

I knew I was being a jerk and this guy wasn’t in any real danger. Well, if the thugs behind me were mobsters and not FBI, he might be. Those kinds of guys don’t really like to leave witnesses.

“You need to drive,” I said and pulled a third hundred. “This is all I have. You drive to Brooklyn and get away. Trust me.”

He stomped on the gas and cut off another cab, which honked the horn. Cabbie gave him the finger like it was his fault and took off, swerving in and out of traffic.

“They’re following,” he shouted, his voice hitching.

“Then lose them.”

Hadn’t I just told Marisa I was going to act instead of react? I was still moving along while outside forces controlled my every move. This was getting old. I was getting old.

At the next light he drove into the intersection even though he had a red light, missed hitting a car by inches, and got into the wrong lane and blew through another red light, turning a corner.

“I lost them,” he shouted triumphantly.

“Don’t get too cocky. They’re professionals. They’ll find you,” I said. “Slow down.”

He pulled to the curb and I jumped out, not bothering to waste time with a long thank you or further instructions. He either made it or he didn’t. He knew nothing about me and I’d be long gone.

There was a little boutique and I ran inside, smiling as I turned to look at the junk they were selling in the window. I stepped back so it wasn’t obvious from the street I was in here.

A yellow cab went by. Followed by about six dozen more. I had no idea where the bad guys were now. I knew my guy had taken off and I felt sorry for scaring him so much.

I was hoping it was a bumbling FBI cover and once they found his cab empty they’d call their backup to find me. I didn’t want to think of The Family members getting their hands on the poor guy. The less people getting hurt because of me the better.

Normally I’d call Marisa to call for a driver so I could escape, but I felt like I no longer had the option. I didn’t know who I could trust. Between the FBI and The Family infiltrating everything in New York, I’d need to flush all my contacts and start over.

I had time to kill so I wandered through the store since they sold a few gaudy clothing items on some circular racks in the center of the store. I was by no means a fashion plate but I couldn’t imagine anyone in their right mind buying anything here unless it was for a joke or a gag present.

A denim jacket with frayed sleeves and a panther stitched on the back caught my eye and made me laugh. It was so bad it was perfect, and would match my jean shorts. It was actually too big for me, which was amazing. I usually wear between an XL and a 3XL depending on where I’m staying and what great restaurants are in the area. This had to be a five extra large, and I had room.

I found a red baseball cap near the register, added two Snickers bars and a Coke. One thing I loved about New York is the fact you could find pretty much anything and everything if you looked, and not even looked hard. The best part was this outrageously bad outfit would help me blend right in, too. I picked up a pair of cheap women’s silver sunglasses, too. Might as well go all in.

By the time I paid for everything with cash and was back on the street, about a half an hour had passed. By now they might’ve run down the cab and he told them roughly where he’d dumped me. They hopefully wouldn’t think I’d still be hanging around shopping.

I got two blocks and saw the guys who’d followed me. They were at the end of the block, peeking into windows and looking pissed. I now took them for definite Chenzo goons and was annoyed the FBI and Chenzo guys looked so similar.

If I changed direction suddenly they’d notice it, so I kept walking, window shopping until I came to a pizza place and strolled inside. I got in line with everyone else and decided if I was going to hide anywhere it might as well be somewhere that smelled this delicious.

I’d eaten pizza in many cities across the country, and you couldn’t beat a real New York slice. Seriously. I always tell people, if they travel anywhere near this city, make a stop and have a slice or three.

I stared at the pizza in the display and was deciding what I wanted, making sure I kept my bottle of Coke hidden. Places frowned upon bringing outside food and drink in, which I understood. The candy bars were already in my pocket for future use.

I tilted my head and could see one of the goons stop in the open doorway and look at each person in turn. His gaze stopped at me, lingering too long, before he stepped outside and disappeared.

I was next in line so I ordered two pepperoni slices and bottled water. I figured if I had to run I didn’t want a fountain drink splashing around and I could stuff two slices in my mouth while I moved with ease. When you’ve eaten as much pizza as I have you get good at it.

Marisa once asked me what my dream woman would be like. I told her half-joking she would need to be able to drive a car and eat pizza at the same time.

I took a bite of the too-hot pizza, scalding the roof of my mouth, and stepped to the rear of the dining area, watching the door. I was three bites into my first slice when I saw one of the goons across the street watching the pizza place.

I’d been spotted, even in this ridiculous outfit.

I slipped into the bathroom, stuffing the rest of the first slice into my mouth, and threw the denim jacket and baseball cap into the trash can. I left the sunglasses on the sink and took a deep breath before folding the second slice of pizza and eating it as quickly as I could. I washed it down with half the bottle of water, trying to remain calm.

A splash of water on my face and I was ready. I left the bathroom, expecting to dodge a bullet, and headed for the kitchen.

“Can I help ya?” a young guy making a plate of delicious-looking baked ziti asked as I passed him.

“I’m good. Back door?”

He shook his head. “Go out the front, dude.”

“I need the back door. Now,” I said, pulling out my wallet. This day was getting way too expensive. I figured another hundred would keep this guy quiet for awhile.

He didn’t take the money, looking past me.

When he turned and left the kitchen quickly, I knew I was in trouble.

I was guessing the other goon was behind me, and when the gun was pressed to my back I can’t say I was surprised.

“Why are we playing hide and seek?” Keane asked and spun me around in the kitchen.

I noticed right away his pistol was still in his hand and his finger too close to the trigger.

“I didn’t realize you and I were playing,” I said.

Keane finally holstered the pistol and walked to the open doorway to the kitchen.

“We need to go. Chenzo’s men will see the cook running out and know there’s trouble.” Keane turned back to me and smiled. “I saved your life again. That’s got to be worth something, right?”

“It would be but you’re the reason I keep getting into trouble this week,” I said.

“We need to go out the back door. Now,” Keane said.

“As soon as you answer a few questions,” I said. I still didn’t know which side Keane was on and why he was being so cryptic in every meeting we’d had lately. The guy had done a complete turnaround since Will Black/Little Chenzo had come to light.

I needed to know why.

Keane put a hand on his holster and frowned. “Come with me. I’ll fill you in on everything I can. I promise. We’re wasting time.”

I was about to stomp my foot like a child but someone yelled in the pizza place and I didn’t need to look back to see what was going on. The goons had figured it out and were heading in our direction.

Once again I was reacting, running out the back door because of things set into motion and out of my control. I was starting to rethink my career choices again.

Yes, like anyone else who’s been doing a job for a number of years, I sometimes wanted to stop being in this business. It had a certain stench to it. Even though I never killed a kid, the idea people thought I did was sick and twisted.

Even the constant travel for the sports card business was getting to me as I got older. Marisa kept telling me to stop doing the shows and just worry about the website and mail-order and I’d still be fine. The overhead for storage and shipping was more than enough, but traveling from city to city, shipping in my setups and cards and hotel rooms and food was an added cost. Sure, it was all write-offs when you came right down to it, and it helped me with my taxes and staying on the right side of the law, but it was getting to me. I was getting too old for any of this.

Like running. By the time we got to Keane’s car I was winded and slid into the backseat, where I closed my eyes and tried to catch my breath.

“With any luck we can get someplace safe,” Keane said as he started the car.

Right on cue the back window was shot out, glass dropping onto my body. I was lucky I wasn’t sitting up, or I might have a hole in my head.

Keane screamed in shock before recovering and taking off, the car scraping against the side of the building before he righted us and got onto the street.

I wisely stayed down and the sound of horns honking and tires spinning was enough to let me know to not move.

“At least I know another piece of the puzzle,” Keane yelled.

I rolled over onto my back, wiped glass shards from my body, and willed myself not to be curious and peek out the missing back window.

There was gunfire from behind us and Keane cut the steering wheel quickly, throwing me around and slamming my head against the car door.

“I don’t suppose you’d be interested in returning fire for us?” Keane asked.

I couldn’t tell if he was joking or not.

“Let me guess. . . your FBI buddies are now trying to kill us,” I said.

“That’s pretty much what’s going on right now. If I can lose them we can get to somewhere safe and put this all together,” Keane said.

I slid over but kept my head down, lining up so I could see him in profile.

“What do you have in mind?” I asked. I didn’t trust Reggie Keane right now. Too many things were happening too quickly and conveniently for this to be all coincidence. I’d keep my opinions to myself for the time being, though. I still needed to escape from whoever was trying to kill us and Keane was driving. I was going to keep my mouth shut and offer nothing, taking it all in.

“I’m guessing the FBI safe houses are all unsecured in the city and maybe New York State. We need to find somewhere safe to hole up until we figure out what’s going on,” Keane said.

And there it was.

He wanted me to help him by giving up part of how my operation worked. If I had a safe house somewhere in the area he wanted to go there. Was I being paranoid? Maybe. I didn’t want to find out the hard way I was following along with someone playing me. Keane and I had spent way too much time together lately.

“I know a place in New Jersey,” I said, regretting it immediately. If Keane was setting me up, making feel like I had to go with the flow and trust him, I might be opening up a big can of worms. If he knew what I was capable of he’d never underestimate me again, and he’d never let me be until he nailed me. Either as a straight-shooting FBI agent and upholder of the law, or as a Chenzo guy who wanted to help bring me down and get in the good graces of The Family.

Either way I was in deep trouble.

“Don’t you think Jersey is a little too close for comfort?” Keane asked.

“The last place Chenzo would think to look is in his backyard. But we can’t just go there. Can you drive towards Connecticut? If we can get as far as New Haven I can land us a new ride,” I said.

“How are you going to do that?”