I grimaced at that and thought of Aibhilin. I gritted my teeth. For a moment I wanted back on the job and to get in there to bust some heads.
“This is probably a Chinese triad with stowaways from Taiwan we figure. We’re getting really close to busting it wide open.”
“I sure hope so brick. Guys like this you’ve gotta crack wide open. Really split them up,” I said.
“Yeah knuckles, they’re gonna get some of this limey juice here. It’s gonna burn them like acid. I’m telling you. Those fuckers are gonna beg for death like it was a pensionable retirement,” said Mick.
“That’s why I fucking love you limey. You’re old school police. Too few left.”
“Yeah but limey here is under wraps. Can’t have lads like him fancy free and footloose roaming the street like a vigilante. The good people might not like it. Neither will the bad people which is a shame. Problem Sid, as you know, is these times have changed. Almost cost you your job doing old school police work. There’s rules now. Not that that’s always bad. But sometimes we’ve got to stretch the rules with some of these creeps. Limey here is good at that. But only those who are deserving, right limey?’
He nodded his head. “Fucking rights.” And then he kissed his mug and drank some beer. Mopped his mouth with a napkin and drank some more.
I understood the need to leash rogue cops. But sometimes, when you’ve seen the injustice system out there. Well, then you appreciate a cop out there kicking some ass and handing out street justice. Needed to be watched and curtailed. But just every so often it was a breath of fresh air. Maybe you don’t understand that if you haven’t mixed with the vilest of humanity. When you haven’t walked the streets with the most grotesque vermin, maybe you wouldn’t understand.
We all nodded. Sure, bad cops needed to be removed. But there was a difference between a bad cop and a just cop with a bad attitude towards evil. Anyway, I’m digressing. Thinking about the worst of humanity will do that. Leave a bad taste in your mouth. Kinda like that acid in the back of the throat after you’ve vomited.
Anastasia came by with a wooden bowl of shelled peanuts. Beer peanuts or honey roasted or something like that. They were good whatever they were.
“For my boys,” she said. And she was right. All of us here could’ve been young enough to be her boys. She went off to chat with some other cops. Young guys, probably just come off shift on the street. Got that marine cut that’s all the rage with the younger street cops now. Stick out like a throbbing thumb in or out of uniform. But that’s eagerness for you. You need eager lads to fill a thankless job.
“Anthony here,” said John through a mouthful of peanuts, “had a visit with our old friend Versace. Went to enjoy some fine Italian pasta at the Trat this afternoon. Isn’t that right?”
“Is so,” I said. “He sends his best to the LAPD. Was asking about contributing to the benevolent fund.” Versace was the nickname Organized Crime had for Gianni Mancini on account of his fine taste in clothes.
“Fuck off,” said Mick. “He didn’t say anything like that.”
None of us said anything to that. It wasn’t a question. And Mick had a tendency to state the obvious. John looked over at me and tucked himself into the corner of the booth.
“So how did it go?” he asked.
“It was really good. They make a great gnocchi. I’d recommend it.”
“Sure,” he said, “only you know we aren’t going to go to places like that without asking questions or carrying a warrant. That’s the luxury you have now being a civilian.”
Everybody was a civilian who wasn’t a cop. Even though I’d given the better part of fifteen years to the service I was nothing more than a civilian now. That smarted.
“Yes I guess I am between two streams. Straddling the stream of good and the murky waters of evil. But you know it isn’t always that straight forward.”
I grabbed a fistful of nuts and chewed them solemnly. Mick was studying his beer. Wondering if he needed to add or subtract from it. He wasn’t that good with math. Vic was chewing peanuts and John was looking at me over a sip of beer.
“So, seriously Anthony, how did it go?” he asked again.
“It was good, like I said. The gnocchi was great and he wouldn’t let me pay for it, so I left the waitress a big tip. He told me how he didn’t figure I’d be the kind to be a cop. And he had a point. Maybe I’m not. Maybe that’s why I left. Not cut from the right cloth.”
“You’re beating around the bush with me. I want to know how it really went with him. About the stuff with the kid and the murder. I want the nuts and bolts Anthony. Don’t be holding out on me.”
I sipped some beer and looked him in the eye.
“I don’t think he did it. Not his style and too little interest in it. Besides, he wouldn’t have a chance of getting the money.”
“Unless he botched it up and went to threaten the old man but he wouldn’t give in, so it got out of hand.”
“Yeah, looks good on paper, but I think you’re just trying to throw me a red herring there Johnny. You know as well as I do that Gianni is nothing if not discreet in his business. That’s why nobody has ever made anything stick on him. Anyway, who’s blowing hot air now? I spoke to him and asked him to lay off the kid. Just like that. He was good about it. Said he would do it as a favor to me.”
“Yeah right. A favor. I can just imagine. You gonna start feeding him little tidbits that we send your way?”
I looked at John with a raised eyebrow. It was a hairy eyeball. I didn’t like what he was suggesting.
“Come on John. Don’t even play with me like that. We go back years. That’s bullshit, not even funny.”
He nodded, drank some beer and asked me to continue.
“I told him I was working on the kid, hoping to give him a chance to come clean and get some semblance of his life back. Help him to get on the straight and narrow. He thought I was foolish. Maybe I am. Maybe I believe in the milk of human kindness. Maybe that hadn’t been beaten out of me from the years on the job. Anyway, I told him if the young guy wasn’t good for it then he could have back at him. I wouldn’t be interested one way or the other. He thought that was fair enough. So he went with it. As a favor to me. I don’t owe him anything. I asked him too if he had killed the old man. He said no. Straight out, right to my face. I don’t think he’d shit me about something like that. It’s not his style. Said he’d just leaned on the kid a bit. Wanted to see if he could get his five hundred back quick. That’s all. Said the old man was always asking him for more, didn’t want to spend his own money. Said the old lady wouldn’t like that. Gianni said he’d been good for it before. Said he was still ahead even if he had to write this off. Not a big deal. Small potatoes.”
“Fuck, how come he tells you all this stuff and not us?” asked Mick.
“Because I ask nice.” I said.
“And also because he’s not a cop anymore,” said Vic. “That gives him a little bit of street cred. See, he can’t use any of what he gets on account that it’s what those educated lawyers call hearsay. You hear it say but you can’t be certain it’s true. Not in a court.”
“Thanks brick for that court one oh one bullshit. I know it okay,” said Mick.
“I’m just saying,” said Vic. Mick flipped him the bird and Vic went to catch it but he was too slow. Mick was a fast, wiry guy. Hard to pin down.
“You know the thing about Versace,” I said looking at John, “is he’s old school mob. He’s got integrity and honor and loyalty. You’ve got to admire that. You put his fabric of integrity around some of our boys and we’d all be better off. And you know it too John.”
I drank my beer and watched a couple of officers in uniform come through and do a stroll of the bar. It was a recommended routine patrol. But I know why they chose this one. Came to chat with their pals. Didn’t feel so self-conscious in that uniform. Not with some of the bars and their drunk ignorant patrons. They were a mixed couple. Male and female. He was of average h
eight and she was probably a deck of cards above five feet. She was Latino and he was African American. A good looking couple. Young and fresh faced. He had a big smile that opened up this face. An easy going nature. They were joking around with some of the younger crowd.
“That’s Matt Stone,” John said to me tossing his head at the young black cop. “He’s only been in a couple of years and already he’s looking to get into homicide. A little premature but sure is eager. He’s been bending my ear about his career for a couple of months now. I think he could do it, but he needs many more years on the job.”
John took another mouthful of nuts and spoke to me through it. I didn’t get it. I looked at Mick.
“He’s what you’d call cloaked in that fabric of integrity you were going on about earlier. At least so far as a guy can tell.”
I smiled at Mick. He grinned at me. Integrity, he said, cloaked in integrity.
“I don’t reckon the cloak of integrity is as good as Kevlar,” said Mick. Vic laughed at that one. He liked it too.
“Yeah, you’re probably right,” I said, “but I bet it’ll keep you warmer during those frosty nights of interviews by Internal Affairs.”
Mick pretended to shiver. “Yeah those fucking frosty nights alright. I’ve had my share of them. Bad guys just don’t appreciate old fashioned police work anymore. Always bitching and whining about their rights being violated. Hard to please them nowadays.”
Vic laughed again. “Ain’t that the truth,” he said.
“It’s a sorry state this business we’re in,” said John. “Used to be a time when victims were coddled. Now it’s the perps that are getting the touchy-feely treatment.”
There were nods all around. A bunch of bobble heads on the back of a cruiser. I couldn’t argue with them. They had a point. And I didn’t feel like arguing anyway. I was here as a guest really. This wasn’t my place anymore. I might still be stained a pale blue but I wasn’t newly painted. That blue line can be a thin fickle thread and I didn’t hang from it anymore. I chewed on some nuts and drank some beer. Poured myself a refill and did the same for the rest.
“Can you do me a favor John?” I asked. He was still tucked into the corner. I had my elbows on the table and my hands cradling the not so cold beer.
“What is it buddy?”
“Well this Ernst thing. I was talking to Versace about it and any possibilities. He told me that Max used to visit these hookers who worked with an outfit called Angels from Heaven. Actually there is one in particular he was especially fond of. Her name is Leaf Shivers.” Grins from Vic and Mick. “But that settled down and then he started to go with this other hooker Ruby Red.”
They couldn’t help themselves. They let out a bubble of laughter and popped it over the table. Then it went quiet.
“You know about these people?” I asked Vic and Mick, looking at Mick.
“Nah,” he said. “Small time stuff. If they’re with a licensed agency we don’t usually hassle them until we get reason or interest to do so. I’ve heard of Angels from Heaven. Very discreet joint. Cute names. I bet I could get Leaf to shiver.”
He elbowed a chuckle out of Vic but it was heavy and forced and fell flat on the table. A dead duck. I looked at John again.
“Help a brother out?” I asked.
“Anything to get you off my back Sid,” he said. “I know this place well. They have a gal there goes by the name of Suc Mie Ding. Really worth every penny.”
Everybody liked that one too. Laughter like a little leprechaun danced around the table then got tired and vanished. I had to laugh too. Was a good one.
“I’m telling Jennifer. I’m going to tell her about this guy I know Max, Max Pleasure.”
That one didn’t go over as well. But I got a polite smile from John.
“I’ll look into it,” he said. “Why the interest?”
“Apparently Max liked it rough with this Leaf I guess. Or that’s what he went to Angels for. Seems to me like it could have been a bit of an S and M thing with him. Twisted fucker, but nothing surprises me anymore. He was a big tipper and who knows after months of pillow talk what was said to this Leaf chick to make her think maybe he was going to make a decent woman out of her. He’d been seeing her around a year or so I was told. Jealousy is a powerful motive.”
“Sure can be,” he said.
“Yeah. It’s a sad thing. People just can’t get along anymore. Used to be a time when a guy could slap his wife and they’d make up after. Now she takes the knife and cuts his balls off.” That was Mick. His tongue was looser now. He says things when he’s full of piss and beer. John slapped a polite smile on his face but it fell off. Vic took a swig and I ate some nuts. Anastasia came by with a new bowl of nuts. Damn they were good.
“Need another pitcher?” she asked. And for some reason I imagined Frank winding up and throwing us a curve ball of beer.
“As long as the well isn’t dry Ana we’ll take another,” said John.
“Never runs out for you boys. I keep a secret stash just for you.”
Then she touched my forearm. I was looking at my beer and thinking of Frank winding up like Jim Palmer. I was swirling the beer in my glass I could hear the crowd going nuts.
“It’s good to see you again Anthony. You must come by more often. We like to see you around here. Like old times.”
I looked up at her. There was earnestness written in her eyes.
“Yeah sure. Just like old times,” I said. “It’s good to be back. To see you and Frank again.” She smiled and went off to see Frank about that pitcher of beer.
“Jesus, I don’t know if I’m going to be able to keep up with you guys and this drinking game you’ve got going,” I said.
“It’s not a game,” said Vic. “It’s strictly business.” Smiles were passed around like an alms basket.
“Well in that case,” I said, “I’m all business tonight.”
“Hey Sid, about this Leaf Shivers. I’ll see what I can do for you. I’ll probably have something for you by late morning. I’ll let you know,” said John.
“I could use an address too,” I said. “Maybe I’ll pop by in the afternoon and see what’s shaking.” Mick laughed a little at that like a far off thunderstorm. I loved a good audience.
“See what’s shaking. Maybe something’ll fall from her tree. I bet these ladies probably work nights pretty consistently. But that’s just me guessing again.”
“Good guess,” said Vic. “You should buy a lottery ticket with hunches like that.”
“I do,” I said. “It’s my dirty little secret. I’ve got this swanky pad down in Malibu on the beach just next to Halle. You should pop by sometime. We’ll have some cervezas. A little champagne and oysters. And maybe just for you some Angels from Heaven.”
Mick liked that one too. He elbowed Vic and laughed until Anastasia came back with the beer. The pitcher licked at the table and left some there. Ana cleaned it up and Mick grabbed the pitcher and poured himself another. For a light weight he could hold down his liquor. He offered us all more. None of us had the heart to refuse.
“So what else are you up to tomorrow?” asked John making peanut butter with his mouth. Loose lips sink ships I thought. Or dribble out chewed nuts. Why’d the guy have to do that I had no idea. Probably because he was one of three sheets here swaying in the wind.
“I’m going to see this A-List actress name of Jade Sky for coffee in the morning.”
“Fuck off, you’re making this shit up,” said Mick. “Jade Sky, Ruby Red and Leaf Shivers. This tosser is having us on I reckon.”
I raised my eyebrows and looked at him through the closed end of the mug. The open end spilling it’s guts to me. Through yellow beer.
“Nah, I couldn’t make stuff like this up wanker,” I said. He lifted his mug and clinked my glass. Cheers, he said. He was inebriated. Tough word to say when you’re, well, inebriated.
John, still tucked into the corner of the booth trying to keep it from falling on top of him str
addled his arm along the top. A hairy tree limb. His fingers twigs tapping out a jig.
“So who is this Jade Sky?” he asked.
“She’s this actress Max was banging. She figured it would be the fast track to stardom. You know how it is. Anyway wasn’t so. She flipped out apparently and started leaving some angry messages on the answering machine for him. Vanessa tells me they were pleading and then threatening. Sounds like a real wing nut, problem is the Ernst’s never saved any of these or got a case going on it. Thought it was fairly harmless. Turns out might not have been.”
“Well done. But how did you ingratiate yourself into meeting this A-list actor?” John asked.
“Well first of all she’s not really A-list. You wouldn’t know her. I don’t know her from anything I’ve seen. A-List Actors is the agency she’s with. Anyway the names McIver, Frank McIver. That’s how she’s going to meet me. I’ve got this movie I’m doing that will really launch her career. I guess reality has been confounded by hope and optimism.”
“You fucker,” said Mick. “The real Frank McIver.”
“You should be careful,” offered Vic. “You could get into trouble impersonating a well known producer like that. If word gets out he could hall your ass into court and you’ll be forwarding him every scrap of gumshoe dollars you can scrape together from here until the grave.”
“Very upsetting Vic. I think I’ll pack the whole thing in. Appreciate the thought though.”
“I’m just saying,” he said.
“I know. But it worked like a charm. I’m not worried about it. A, this Frank isn’t going to worry about a B-list actress named Jade and B, he’s probably got bigger things to worry about. Don’t be sore ‘cos I lied to her. You cops don’t have a monopoly on that.”
“On what?” asked John.
“A monopoly on lying,” I said. “Besides I’m working for Universal allegedly anyway. I’m tight with the head honchos. Or so I’ll say if I need to. We’re all on the same team Hollywood and me. Just trying to figure out who’s who in the zoo. Sometimes you’ve got to lie to find out the truth.”
Anthony Carrick Hardboiled Murder Mysteries: Box Set (Books 1 - 3) Page 19
