MURDER TAKES TIME

Chapter 44

 

A New Assignment

 

Brooklyn—20 Months Ago

I got the call on my special cell phone, the one I would throw away after today’s meeting. Nobody knew where I lived. Nobody knew what I did except Manny, Tito, and Johnny Muck. Nobody but Tony and a few others knew I was even alive. That’s the way I liked it. It pissed Tito off that I wouldn’t tell him where I lived, but the last thing I wanted was Tito Martelli dropping in unexpectedly. If he came for a visit, he wouldn’t be bringing wine. 

I let the phone ring two more times. “Hello?”

“We need to talk.” 

“You know where the parking garage is on Seventh?”

“Yeah, sure.”

“Go park on any floor above the fifth, then take the elevator to the third. There will be a blue Camry near the elevator. Keys in the rear wheel, driver’s side. Instructions will be inside.”

“You keep getting more cautious.” Tito laughed after he said it. “I like that. Keeps both of us on our toes.”

“Glad you see it that way.”

“I need help.”

“Tell me when we meet.” 

#

I watched from inside a van I rented. Got there early to make sure Tito wasn’t followed. He got off the elevator and looked around until he spotted the Camry. I kept it in long-term parking for occasions like this. It was cheap enough for the security it provided. 

Tito got the keys, then opened the front door. He pulled out the envelope, read it, then threw it back on the seat, obviously cursing. It had instructed him to go back to the fifth floor. I wanted to see if anyone on this floor was watching or waiting for him to signal them. He locked the door, put the keys back and headed to the elevator, never even looking around. 

Good, he’s alone. 

As he was about to get in the elevator, I beeped the horn, pulled up to him.

“Jump in.”

Frustration showed. “What the hell, Nicky? You getting paranoid?” He got in the front seat. “Park this thing so we can talk.”

I pulled into an empty spot. “What do you need, Tito?”

“Special one. And she’s gotta go quick.”

“She?”

“She stole money from me.”

“Never killed a woman before. That’s against my rules.”

“Forget rules. Besides, she’s not a woman; she’s a thief.”

“Get Johnny. I don’t like it.”

“If I wanted Johnny, I wouldn’t be here. Get your head out of your ass. This is business.” Tito lit a smoke. Took a few drags. “Listen, this isn’t some goddamn mom with kids in little league. This is a hard-core, blackmailing thief who was smart enough to steal a couple hundred grand from us. She knew what she was buying into and she sure as shit knew the consequences.”

I sat silent, wondering if I could take out a woman. The money would help. It would be a nice addition to the nest egg I was building; besides, if she stole from the mob... 

“How much?”

“How much? Four hundred large.” 

“That’s a lot of money, Tito, but I meant how much for me?”