MURDER TAKES TIME

Chapter 17-A New Direction

Wilmington—19 Years Ago

After the night we made love, Angela and I were inseparable. I had sampled the forbidden fruit, but there was no way I was telling the guys about it. They would spread the news, then I would have to kick their asses. It was better to keep it quiet. Let someone else have the glory of being “first.” 

Soon afterwards, I stopped hanging out with the guys and did everything with Angie. I left Tony, Bugs, Suit, and the rest of them to fend for themselves, though I saw Tony every day at his house and we got together when we worked Doggs’ games. Things were different with Tony, though. He had been messing with drugs, and it showed. 

One day when I came into Tony’s house, Rosa and Angie were in the kitchen. Mamma Rosa had the wooden spoon in her hand, waving it like a conductor’s baton as she talked to Angie. She held that spoon so much that sometimes she reminded me of Sister Thomas, who was never without her pointer or yardstick. 

“Taste that again,” Mamma Rosa said to Angie. “Is it right?”

“Tastes good. Not as good as last time, but—”

Rosa administered a loving pat to the back of Angie’s butt with her spoon. “That’s what’s wrong with young girls. Not as good as last time means not good at all.” She rinsed the spoon, stirred the sauce, put the spoon to her lips and tasted. Her eyes squinted as she sampled it. “Nicky, come taste this.”

I smiled at Angie, then took the spoon and tasted the sauce. “I think it’s perfect.”

Rosa threw her hands up in the air. “Perfetto. Of course it’s perfect. You are young and in love.” She shook her head as she stirred. “How am I going to teach Angie if you don’t help me?” She wagged the spoon in my direction. “Just remember, you might be tasting this sauce for a long time. Don’t be telling her little love lies.”  

Angie and I were still laughing when Tony came into the kitchen. “Nicky. How did I know I’d find you here? I was hoping to get a minute with my own mother, but I guess that’s out of the question when you and Angie are around.” 

I laughed, but it was fake. There was something in his voice, and more importantly in his eyes, when he said that. “Guess you’ll have to get a new mom,” I said, trying for levity.

Before anything serious happened, Mamma Rosa whacked both of us with the spoon. “There’s plenty of me to go around, boys.” She pulled us to her and hugged us, like she did when we were little. I thought right then that no matter how old I got, or how much trouble I was in, a hug from Mamma Rosa would make things okay.

Tony laughed—a real one this time—and threw a punch. 

I kicked at him. He dodged, threw a spoon at me. “Hey, Rat, it’s Saturday night. Come out with us. We’re working a game.”

I wanted to say no, but Angie signaled for me to go. “Sounds good. I’ll get dressed.”  

“Better hurry, Nicky,” Rosa said, then smacked Tony with her spoon. “If you don’t want another one, get ready to go,” Mamma Rosa said. She stared at him over her glasses with that look of hers that brooked no argument. 

#

We got to the smoke shop in half an hour. While waiting for the game to start, Tony and I swept the floor. 

Doggs came up to us. “You boys are getting a little old to be working the games, aren’t you?”

Tony shrugged. “We doing something wrong?”

“Nothing wrong, but there’s a new crop of brats waiting to take your place.” Doggs looked around the room. “Besides, I got things you can do to make more money.”