MURDER TAKES TIME

Chapter 37

 

An Unexpected Call

 

Brooklyn—2 Years Ago

The Fed-Ex truck took a right on Sixth Street and pulled up to #115. It was a big, three-story house built in the early part of the century. The driver jumped out, envelope in hand, and walked up the steps to the front door. Manny Rosso stepped out of the house and onto the stoop. 

“Package for Mr. Martelli,” the driver said.

Manny accepted the envelope, examined it as if it might be a bomb, then inked his name on the delivery slip before disappearing into the house. “Tito.” His voice echoed off the hardwood floors. The kitchen was in the back, and it had a huge eating area surrounded by bay windows. 

Tito sipped cappuccino while he read the paper. It was well past the acceptable hour for cappuccino—at least, that’s what his father would have said, adhering to old Italian traditions—but Tito had grown to like it at any time of day, particularly late morning. 

“Coming in,” Manny said. 

Tito held out his hand without looking up. “What have we got, Manny?”

“Fed-Ex package.”

“Who sent it?”

Manny squinted as he tried to read the handwriting. “Says Giuseppe…something. Can’t make it out.”

Tito turned to look at him, brow furrowed. “Don’t know any Giuseppe. Open it.”

Manny unzipped the package, reached inside and pulled out a small box and an envelope, which he handed to Tito. Tito looked up at Manny, a question on his face, then he opened the envelope and read the letter:

Mr. Martelli:

You probably don’t remember me, but we met many times before. You used to come to my house as an honored guest of my father. You used to share his coffee and his wine. And you ate my mother’s cooking. Thank the good Lord she died before she saw what happened. But enough of that. I am sure you will be happy to know that you made my father’s life miserable. He cursed you with his last breath. So, yes, Carlo is dead, and you are happy. The problem is, Mr. Martelli, with a few of those breaths before he died, he told me everything. He gave me the gun you used to kill Danny Zenkowski. The gun my father never disposed of. The one with your prints on it.

I am tired of hiding. Tired of looking over my shoulder and wondering when one of your goons will show up and kill me. I want $400,000. And I want it in small, untraceable bills with non-sequential serial numbers. If I find tracers, or dyes, or anything fishy about the transaction—or if I even think I’m being watched, I’ll go to the FBI. I’m sure they will find my story interesting. But if you keep your end of the deal, I will disappear, and you will never hear from me again.

Inside the box is a throwaway cell phone. In three days, at precisely ten in the morning, I will call and tell you where to take the money.

 

Gina

PS. Don’t even think about stalling or telling me you don’t have the cash. I know you do. Three days. 10:00 AM.

 

Tito threw the box across the room, then walked about the kitchen, kicking things. “Find this bitch, Manny. Somebody better find her.”

Manny held out the Fed-Ex slip. “Says it came from Baltimore. Maybe Fifth Street, but I can’t tell. The ink’s smeared.”

Tito yanked it from him, staring at it. “Who can read that? I don’t know how they let it pass.”

“It’s a package, boss. They can’t look at the address on every one of them.”

Tito reached for his drink. “We gotta find her.”

Manny set the box on the counter, opened it and removed the phone, tucking it into his pocket. “I’ll see what I can do with this. Put our guy on it.”

#

Three days later, with no clue where the girl was, Tito waited for the call. The phone rang at 10:00 AM, just like Gina said it would. He grabbed it. “Hello?”

“Have you got it?”

He waited a long time, as if he didn’t want to answer. She waited. “Yeah, I got it.”

“Good. Write this down. I want it Fed-Exed to this address.”

“Whoa. Are you nuts? Fed-Ex this much money?”

“That’s right, Tito. Fed-Ex it. Now I’m going to give you the address.” She waited for him to acknowledge, and when he did, she continued. “Send it to me at 1817 Fifth Street in Baltimore.” She gave him the zip and a phone number, then said, “Make sure it’s marked for 10:30 AM delivery, and make sure that “signature required” is checked.” She again waited for him to confirm, then, “If there is any hint of me being watched, or followed, or if there are any tracers in the money, I’ll go to the Feds.” 

“It’ll be there.”

“Good, and in case you try something…I have help on this. Don’t think of sending your goons.”

“Don’t worry. You’ll get it.”

“Just remember. Nobody watching, Tito.”

“Yeah, yeah. Live a good life, Gina.” I’m gonna cut your heart out.

Tito turned to Manny. “Get our best men on this. Stake out that address. Tell them to follow her, or whoever gets the money.” He punched the wall, several times, hard. Tito had not clawed his way to the top to let some broad cut his legs out from under him. 

Tito turned to Manny again, voice raised even more. “If she spots them, they’re dead. I’ll kill them myself.”

“Got it,” Manny said.