Bronx Requiem(97)

“Yeah, I knew Big Ben. What’s he doing now?”

“Turned into a pastor. Has a storefront church.”

“God bless him.”

“If Derrick was doing three hundred K, Jackson’s whole operation could be in the millions. Be nice to get proof of that, but thanks to Packy’s kid we have something to go on.”

Beck nodded, adding the information Demarco gave him to what he had learned about Oswald Remsen’s prostitution business.

“Thanks. What else?”

Jonas Bolo spoke next.

“You asked us to track down a CO named Edward Remsen. He lives in the Norwood section of the Bronx. We made a few inquiries. He’s working today. His shift at Sing Sing ends at six. You want us to tail him from his job, we should leave now. Or, we can wait for him at his home address.”

Beck checked his watch. Nearly four o’clock. He assumed the last surviving Remsen might have already heard his father and brothers were missing. Once he found out they were dead, there was no telling what he would do.”

“Go now. You know where to pick him up in Ossining?”

Ricky spoke up. “Yeah, we know the lot where the COs park. Alex got the make and model of his car and his license plate. We should make it in time to catch him. Don’t worry, we’ll find him.”

“Okay. Call me as soon as you do. And stick with him.”

Without another word, both Bolo brothers stood and left.

Alex Liebowitz began talking next in a calm, methodical manner, which contrasted with his disheveled appearance. Alex looked like a Brooklyn hipster—thick black eyeglass frames, shirt untucked, cuffs unbuttoned, skinny jeans—but he had none of the verbal affectations that plagued his generation. He never said “like” or “sort of” or up-talked. He had a hard enough time speaking slowly and carefully with a mind that moved at warp speed.

There was a stack of pages in front of him.

“Okay, so those IDs Demarco e-mailed me—I verified all the names, two of the addresses didn’t match. Did a quick search for arrest records. They’re all in the system. Let me know if you want more.” He slid two pages to Beck.

“Next, here’s the information I got for Ricky and Jonas on Edward Remsen.” Alex slid two more pages toward Beck. “Home address, relatives, age, car registration, social security, credit history. No liens. No lawsuits. Not a deep dive. Again, let me know if you want more.”

Alex picked up another set of pages.

“I ran the names Jerome Watkins, Derrick Watkins, Eric Jackson, and Floyd Bondurant through three of the crime databases I can access. All of them are in the NYPD and FBI gang files. Bondurant and Jackson’s files go back to the mideighties. I can check more databases if you want me to, but bottom line, those guys are responsible for a lot of crime. If the Feds ever move on them and make a case, Jackson and Bondurant will go away for a long time.

“Last, here is all the information Walter brought in on the NYPD investigation into Paco Johnson’s murder. They wouldn’t let him make copies of anything so he took photos. I downloaded them and cleaned them up. He can tell you about it.”

Walter cleared his throat and leaned toward Beck.

“Alex helped me put together a summary page on top.” He waited for Beck to take a quick look at it. “Earlier today, I read through reports filed by Detectives Raymond Ippolito and John Palmer, and a page of notes about their meeting with an assistant district attorney named Frederick Wilson written by their supervisor, James Levitt. I’m not entirely sure Levitt intended for me to see his notes, but they were on the pile of documents he handed to me. As Alex said, I couldn’t make copies, but I guess Levitt figured an old civil servant like me wouldn’t know how to take pictures.

“Ippolito and Palmer were the two who interviewed me on the morning Packy was shot. Palmer seems to be the one writing all the reports.

“There’s also a ballistics report on the bullet and gun that killed Packy. And a preliminary report on the bullets that killed Derrick Watkins, but no match yet to a gun.”

“There’s also an initial CSU report and Palmer’s write-up on a shooting that took place on Hoe Avenue. Victims were Jerome Watkins and Tyrell Williams.”

Beck carefully checked the ballistics report on Packy while Walter continued.

“Of course, the detective’s reports aren’t up to date, but I had a chance to talk to Levitt after I went through everything. He supervises the precinct detective squad. As I said, they had a meeting at one o’clock with the assistant district attorney assigned to Packy’s case. Levitt confirmed his detectives have witnesses that will testify that James shot Derrick Watkins, and that Derrick Watkins shot Paco Johnson, which they claim is your motive for shooting Watkins.”

Beck asked, “Where’d they get these witnesses?”

“Levitt didn’t explain, but when he asked me to help locate Demarco and Manny, who are listed on my parole roster, I pushed him about the witnesses. He wrote their names on a Post-it. I stuck it on Palmer’s last report.”

Beck compared the names on the sticky note with Alex’s printout of the IDs they’d taken from the crew at Mount Hope Place.

Walter said, “I’m sorry to say, the assistant DA will be issuing arrest warrants very soon. Levitt wasn’t exactly forthcoming about when, but I’m guessing Monday, latest. They want to arrest you for the murder of Derrick Watkins. Ciro for the attempted murder of Detective John Palmer. Manny and Demarco for shooting Jerome Watkins and Tyrell Williams.”