The Family Business 3 (The Family Business #3)(37)

When she squeezed my hand, I quickly turned away. This time the tears fell freely, and there was nothing I could do about it.





Vegas





23


“You ready for another game, O.G.?” one of the young bucks on the handball court boldly challenged. There was nothing like being out in the fresh air, playing a little handball. I loved watching basketball, baseball, and football, but when it came to actually playing a sport, I’d take handball any day. I guess it was a New York thing, or perhaps the lone wolf in me.

“I’d love to stay and kick your ass, young brother, but I’m late for an appointment. You brothers be strong.” I gave each one of them some dap before walking to my car to retrieve Bonnie and Clyde. Once I had them holstered in, I put on a jacket and headed into the brownstone across from the park. Hopefully I hadn’t taken too long or moved too quickly. Neither would be a good option.

The building had three floors, with two apartments on each floor. Surveying the doors for a telltale sign, I kept moving from the first floor. Running up the stairs, I spotted what I’d been looking for: an apartment with an Italian flag sticker on it. I definitely had the right place.

Reaching into my holster, I pulled out Clyde. It wasn’t always the case, but sometimes bigger was better, and I was most definitely looking to make an impression. Taking a deep breath, I ran at that door and slammed my right foot into it, knocking the door right off the hinges.

“Damn, they just don’t make doors like they used to, do they?” I said, stepping into the studio apartment.

“What the f*ck?” The big, hairy naked bastard on the bed jumped up, reaching for his pants, which probably contained a gun. He froze when he saw Clyde aimed at his head. I took a few steps closer to the bed, watching his eyes light up with terror as he recognized my face. “Oh, shit. Vegas! You’re out!”

“That’s right, Johnny. I’m out.” I grabbed a chair, pulling it up next to the bed, then motioned to the cocaine on the table. “You still f*cking with that shit, I see.”

“Just a little here and there.” Johnny Calzone was a mid-level Mafioso for the Genovese crime family. He specialized in street level gun sales. Rumor had it that a quarter of the guns on New York City’s streets came through his hands at one time or another.

“Where’s my money, Johnny?” I eased his pants closer to me with my foot, just in case.

“What m–money, Vegas?” he stuttered.

I glanced over at Terri Russo, the bleach blonde wife of Genovese capo “No-Nose” Frank Russo. She pulled the sheet up above her breasts. Johnny had a bad cocaine habit, and an even worse habit of f*cking his boss’s wife and daughter. He’d been doing both since before I went away. How the hell he’d kept this secret from his boss for all these years was a mystery to me.

I took out my phone and snapped a quick series of pictures of the happy couple. Terri, a feisty, big-titty woman, looked like she wanted to jump up and snatch the phone out of my hands, but her obvious fear of Clyde kept her at bay.

“The money for the key of coke I gave you before I got locked up.” I snapped a couple more pictures, this time pulling back the sheets so their naked bodies were exposed. Terri tried to cover herself again, but when I pointed Clyde at her head, she backed the f*ck up.

“Man, Vegas, I paid you for that dope. Don’t you remember?”

“No, I don’t remember shit, but that’s okay.” I lowered Clyde, placing him back in his holster, then took a good look at my phone. “You know, these iPhones really do take great pictures.” I turned the phone so they could see a full-screen shot of their naked bodies, side by side.

“You motherf*cker!” Mrs. Russo grabbed the lamp off the nightstand and raised it up like she was about to throw it at me.

“No, Terri!” Johnny screamed, wrestling the lamp out of her hands.

“Smart move, Johnny. Now, about my money . . . I guess I’ll just take the matter up with her husband. He still has the same cell number, right? Maybe I should just text him.”

Terri looked at Johnny with fear in her eyes. “Do something! Give him his money or kick his ass, but do something.”

“Well, he’s not gonna kick my ass,” I said with a laugh.

“I don’t have that kind of money, Terri,” Johnny said, on the verge of whining. She looked totally disgusted with him.

“Hmm, now, that’s a problem, because I need my money. Maybe I should just send these pictures to Frank. I’m sure he’ll pay me to find out where these pictures came from.” I lifted my thumb to start writing a text, and before I could press the first letter, Johnny was begging.

“Come on, Vegas. How long we known each other? You know I’m good for it. Matter of fact, I’m more valuable to you alive than dead. You know that.”

I scratched my head. “Look, I’m not a totally unreasonable guy. Maybe we can make a trade.”

“A trade? A trade sounds good. What kind of trade?” He turned to Terri, looking hopeful. She rolled her eyes and turned away from him.

“An informational trade,” I said. “Rumor has it that you supply the Islamic Black Panther Party with guns.”

“Well, you know you shouldn’t believe everything you hear,” he replied, but his face told the truth. Johnny did way too much coke to be able to hide his thoughts.