Driver

Driver - Chapter 9

The registration papers in the car gave Danny the name of the man that Bernie Roth was meeting. But Bernie himself was somehow still unreachable for our driver. Danny still did not have way of contacting him. He searched the glove box again and found some food coupons. They belonged to a small eating joint by the name of Nino's. Danny figured Nino must own the place and he could have a talk with him over phone if not in person because of the minor misunderstanding of a million dollars.

From a phone booth Danny called the number on the coupons. The phone rang on the other end but no one picked up—it was still early in the morning maybe they had not opened for business yet. He dialed the number again. This time a voice answered on the other end and replied in broken English that Nino's was not open. The voice said that he would have to call back after eleven.

"I could do that," said Danny, "but it's possible your boss won't be happy when he finds out you've kept me waiting. I would also suggest that you pass me along to someone whose English is a little better."

A new voice came on the phone, "How can I be of service sir?"

"I have come in possession of something that does not belong to me."

"And what would that be sir?"

"About a million dollars."

"Please hold sir."

Within moments another voice came on the phone. This one was heavy.

"Nino here, who's calling. I am told you have something of mine."

"So I have reason to believe,” spat out Danny.

"Yea, well lots of people have stuff of mine. I got a lot of stuff. What was your name again?"

"I never told you my name. It doesn't matter anyway."

"I don't need any more names either. So what's the deal here?"

"Recently I had some business with a man who had come from you."

"And?" asked the voice on the other end growing increasingly impatient.

"What I wanted to let you know is that he won't be doing any more business. Not with me, not with you. Neither will Sherry and Tony. Or those two gentlemen who had paid us a visit at Motel 6."

The phone went silent for some time and Danny could hear the man on the other end of the line breathing.

"What are you some kind of fuckin army?"

"I drive. That's what I do. That's all I do."

"Yeah, well I got to tell you you’re driving me insane is what you’re doing. Sometimes you give your customers a little extra value for the money, if you know what I mean."

"You and me, guys like us we're professionals. We need to stick to the deals we make. That's the way it works, if it's going to work at all," came the response from Danny.

"My old man used to say the same thing."

"I haven't counted but Sherry told me there's around a million dollars in the bag."

"There damn better well be. And you're telling me this because?"

"Because it's your money and it's your bag. Say the words and both will be at your doorstep within the hour."

"Wait a minute, you're telling me you want to return my money?" asked Nino surprisingly.

"Yes. That's correct"

"You're not very good at this are you?"

"At what I do, I am the best. This is not what I do."

"I can live with that. So what do you get out of it?"

"Just that—out of it. Once the money's in your hands, we're even. You forget Tony, Sherry, Logan, the two guys at the motel, everything. You forget we ever had this conversation. No one steps up to me a week from now or a month from now, with your regards."

"What if I refuse?" enquired Nino wanting to see how this driver responds to a threat.

"Why would you refuse? You have nothing to lose and a million dollars to gain."

"Good point."

"So we have a deal then?"

"We have a deal" admitted Nino.

"Within the hour?"

"Make it tomorrow. I'll collect it personally."

"Right. Just remember what your old man said," said Danny as he hanged the phone.

***

Nino hung up the phone and shook his head. This driver was creating more troubles for him than he'd wanted. He picked up the phone again and dialed a number, "Bernie, its Nino here."

"Yea, what do you got to tell me now?"

"The driver, he called."

"What do you mean he called? Didn’t we take him out already?"

"No, as it turn out he's quite the nut. Killed the two men we sent over."

"I see. What did he say to you?"

"Says he wants to return the money and call it even."

"Your driver's a real piece of work you know that, Nino"

"I know, I know. I have set up a meeting tomorrow to collect the money."

"Nino you fool what good is the money to you when you're dead? The mob finds out you're behind that store job they're gonna send someone to have a talk with you and I have a feeling it will be the last talk you'll ever have."

"We gotta take out the driver tonight Bernie. And make sure no one finds out about the million he’s holding onto."

"Okay, this time I’ll send someone over who’ll make our little driver regret the day he was born. Never missed a target before, all this will be over by tomorrow morning."

"Thanks Bernie, I don't know what else to say to you."

"Thank me tomorrow after we wrap up every loose end."

Nino hung the phone.

***

The first light of dawn hit Danny’s window at six am. He watched as the world around the city came back to life after the long night. Danny had not slept for a single minute; the thought of him meeting the man responsible for setting up the job that killed nearly everyone involved in it was too difficult to push into a corner of his head. As the sun climbed further up he saw the warehouse near the port emerge, the city loomed behind it in the distance with cargo ships coming hard into port.  Cars started moving around with their human freight pulling away from the calm streets onto the chaotic city traffic.

 He turned back to see his room. No phone service here, nothing much of any value. He never figured he would have to leave this place behind and start from scratch at some other quite place. Couch, bed and chairs came with the rent. Clothes, razor, money and other essentials waited in a duffel bag by the door. Just as a good car waited in the parking lot.

The TV, he’d found sitting beside garbage bags at curbside when he put out his own glasses, dishes and other goods for pickup. “Why not?” he thought. Ten-inch screen, and pretty much banged to hell, but it worked without him having to spend a single dime on buying a television to kill his time when he was not working. So now he was watching a nature program in which four or five coyotes were chasing a jackrabbit. The dogs were relaying: one would chase the rabbit a while, then another would take over. If only the rabbit had someone to switch places with him; if only for a small time.

Sooner or later they’d come after him, of course. Only a matter of time. Nino had known that all along. They both had. The rest was no more than dancing, fancy footwork and misdirection. No way they were going to just let this lie. Danny poured the last of his morning coffee into his cup. He expected guests soon, no doubt about it. “Maybe I should grab some rest before they show up”, he thought as he switched off his television and began to wonder how long the rabbit could outrun the dogs.