by Bobby Dennis
It was New Years Eve and Don Paschal sat in the living room of the suite he had rented at the Hyatt Regency in Jacksonville. He had four bodyguards and was leery of dealing with Sal Torronelli, who was due at any minute. He knew he could never trust a man who would conspire to kill his own brother.
There was a knock at the door and one of the bodyguards went to the peep hole, turned to the Don, and said. “They’re here!”
“Well let them in and stay on your toes, this could be a trap!” The body guard opened the door and Sal stepped in with Joe Green. The bodyguard frisked them and they came to the Don. “Have a seat.” Don Paschal said.
The men sat and Don Paschal looked at Sal, and said. “Let’s get the show on the road. You said you had a proposition for me?”
Sal nodded his head, then said. “That’s true. You want to take over the South and I’m the man to give you what you want, on the condition that Jacksonville is mine!”
“I see,” the Don said. “And what’s to stop you from going back on your word once this is done?”
“A desire for a good working relationship with your family.” Sal replied.
The Don laughed, then said. “Greed is one of my greatest fears. Not for me, but for those who work with me. You are a very ambitious man Sal and in time you may begin to eye my position. So far the South is open and you Torronellis control most of the eastern seaboard from here to Miami. You mean you’re willing to relinquish all of that, for one city?”
“Damn right I am, if the one city is this one.” Sal said.
“You know our alliance would signal the demise of Carlo?” “That’s a sacrifice I’m willing to make.” Sal said.
“Alright then. I guess we got a deal.” the Don said. “Leave the details to me and I’ll contact you after the deed is done!”
Sal and Joe Green rose, shook the Don’s hand and left.
* “It can’t get back that we had our hands in this.” Sal said to Joe. “Don’t change anything, but whatever you do stay away from Carlo, since we don’t know when Locata will strike.”
Joe nodded his head and the men got in their car and drove off.
*
“You know why I sent you away to college, right?” Carlo asked Frankie.
“I’ve got an idea.” Frankie answered.
“One day you will sit in my place.” Carlo said. “The
old way of doing things is over. Times change and this thing of ours has to change with the times. That’s one thing I learned from Raven. The government is getting better at what they do, so we have to get better too. The way to do that is thru education and legit enterprises. You’ll make your bones soon and then you’ll officially be in. Being my son opens a lot of doors, but expectations will be high. Remember the only expectations you have to live up to are your own. Not mine, your mother’s, or anyone else. I sent you out of state for a reason, but I expect you to transfer to a college in town to get your degree. I’ll need you here with me!”
“Pappa, there something I wanted to say about the school issue.”
“What is it?” Carlo asked.
“I already transferred to Jacksonville University for the spring semester.!”
“You what?” Carlo asked.
“Already transferred,” Frankie said. “I anticipated you needing me, plus Jimmy was going thru a lot of changes up North.”
“What kind of changes?” Carlo asked concerned.
“He was left with a lot of free time and you know how he is.” Frankie said.
“Well, I guess the girls up there will miss you huh?” Carlo said. “We’ll get to work after the New Year. No need to wait around.”
“I’m glad you’re not angry I made a decision of that magnitude without consulting you.” said Frankie.
Carlo looked at his eldest son and was filled with pride. He knew Frankie would do him proud. “I respect your wishes son. I’ve raised you to be a responsible man and you’re a man now. It’s time you made your own decisions!”
Frankie hugged his father. Carlo broke the embrace and reached for a decanter filled with an amber colored liquid. He grabbed two glass, gave one to Frankie, then filled them. He looked in his son’s eyes, held up his glass to toast, and said. “To the future!”
* * * * It was getting to be around dusk when Bishop pulled up in front of the Johnsons house, and blew his horn. The front door opened and Anna’s brother Bopete, stepped out.
Bopete was a jet black man, with smooth shiny skin. He was classically handsome, his long black hair was processed and whipped up into a glistening duck tail. He wore a sharp silvery grey, silk and wool suit, shined cap-toe shoes and he held a black fedora clasped in his right hand. He smiled and there was a glint from the weak sunlight off of his gold tooth. He walked over to Bishop’s side of the car, and asked. “You the nigga seein Anna Mae?”
Bishop pushed open his door and stepped out. “Is there a problem brother?” Bishop asked. “I’m Bishop Kane. I live a few doors down with my folks, ask around about us!”
“I did.” Bopete said smiling and extending his hand. “Ty told me you gonna get him a part time job. I was wondering if you could get me some work. I’m down at the paper mill and I make good dough, but I ain’t no nine to five type nigga, if you know what I mean!”
Bishop looked at him and knew he was a hustler. “Come to my house tonight at about 11:30. I got some family you should meet.”
Bopete turned and walked back to the house. He stopped at the door, and said over his shoulder. “By the way, my pa wants to meet you!”
Bishop walked to the passenger side and helped Anna out. Anna wasn’t used to the way Bishop treated her. It never occurred to her that a man could be so considerate. She had stars in her eyes and was hoping the day would never end.
He escorted her to the door and she walked thru. She reached back and grabbed his hand and pulled him inside. It seemed like her whole family was there.
He stopped, then said. “Hello, I’m Bishop Kane!” Anna’s father stepped forward and extended his hand, then said. “I’ve heard good things about your family. I’ve also heard that you’re a fine young man, though a hell raiser. What are your intentions with my daughter?”
“I don’t know yet, we’ve only just met. I won’t disrespect her, you or your family and I’ll protect her with my life. I’ll try to show her things she’s never seen. Take her to places I think she will like to go. Give her things I’d like to see her with and enjoy the time I’m allowed to be with her.” Bishop said.
Bopete looked at Bishop from across the room and thought, “this is a smart young nigga. I got to get to know him.”
Bishop’s little speech had touched Anna deeply and she fought to contain the tears that welled in her eyes.
Esther looked at Merlie and saw the wishful look in her eyes and thought. “Poor Merlie.” She done gave her heart to a man who she could never have. Anna would get Bishop, she could hear it in the tone of his voice, when he spoke about her.
Anna introduced Bishop to her brothers. It became a family joke to address him by his whole name, as if it were one name, Bishop Kane.
* * * * Carlo, Sophia, Frankie, Donnatella, Baron, Lois, Grandma Celia, as she was now called since Baron’s daughter was also named Celia. Will and Lavern, Ransom and Emma, Blake and Laine, Trace and Myra, Drake and Lisa and several more Kanes. Bishop had invited the Johnsons and introduced them to the family.
Jimmy Lewis was there with a pretty light skinned woman named Irene, who he had met when they came back home.
At the stroke of midnight the champagne was popped, and the party began in Ernest. It was late when they stopped, but tomorrow Frankie was having a party at the Torronelli Estate.
* CHAPTER # 29 *
Frankie’s party was a success and he worked closely with Carlo for the next few months. He was like a sponge, he absorbed all of the information his father gave him and even came up with a few solutions to on going problems.
Bishop and Anna started a
heavy romance that could only end at the alter. He dropped Cat and the other women he messed around with to concentrate on Anna. He had never met anyone so innocent. He showered her with gifts and they grew together.
On New Years night Bishop introduced Bopete to his father. Bopete was soon selling and using heroin. He was a ladies man, and that’s what killed him. He had hooked up with a young lady named Ida Mae Wells. She was a pretty red girl of 18 years. Bopete was also sleeping with Ida Mae’s mother, Norma, who was fine herself. Ida Mae killed Bopete when she found out.
In July of 1959 Carlo, Frankie, James and Guido were at the docks. Carlo was there with Ransom and Baron.
“I don’t know who it was that dropped a dime on the shipment, but I plan to find out!” Carlo said angrily. “It’s never happened before, cause they’re paid to see that it doesn’t!”
“It’s done now,” Ransom said. “What we should do is find out who would alert the federal government. That could mean real trouble for us!”
“Yeah it could,” Carlo admitted. “Get the word out to your people that we’re paying for information!”
“That’s already been done. So I’ll give you a call as soon as I hear something or ride to see you!” Ransom said.
The men embraced then Carlo, Frankie, James and Guido left. As was their custom, the Kanes had four cars on Carlo, until he arrived at his next destination. James drove while Frankie and Carlo sat in the back and Guido up front. They were in the warehouse district by the docks when suddenly a big truck swerved in front of them. James spun the wheel to avoid a collision and the big car slewed sideways and came to a shuddering halt.
The truck was a big flatbed with canvass roof and sides. The canvas sides dropped down and four men appeared with Tommy guns and opened fire.
Carlo and Frankie had been tossed to the side and into the well of the backseat. The rounds ripped into the passenger side of the car.
Guido’s head exploded and sprayed a pink and grayish foam of blood into the cramped space. The bullets striking Guido saved James, who opened his door and rolled out. He pulled the pistol from his shoulder Holster just as the back door opened. Carlo and Frankie scrambled out both with guns in their hands. James rose to fire and a flurry of rounds zipped thru the shattered window and smashed into his chest. He was thrown back, his weapon discharged and he crashed to the ground with blood spurting from multiple wounds.
Carlo hurried to the rear of the car, peeped over and saw the men paid him no mind. He rose and holding his pistol with two hands, rapidly squeezing off round after round.
One of the gunmen was punched sideways by his slug. Another doubled over, his gun firing harmlessly into the ground as the slug burrowed thru his stomach.
One of the gunmen spun toward Carlo and fired, just as Frankie stood and emptied his weapon in the two remaining gunners. Gunfire erupted from the other side of the truck as two cars squealed to a stop.
Soon automatic weapons fire filled the air. The whole incident lasted maybe a minute before complete silence reigned.
Frankie looked around frantically for his father, then he saw him sprawled on his back at the rear of the car. He rushed to him and dropped to his knees, then pulled his father to his chest oblivious to the blood that spurted from his father’s chest. “Dad!….Dad!….,don’t you die on me damn it!” He cried out.
Carlo’s eyes fluttered open and he looked up at his son. He coughed and blood trickled from the corner of his mouth. “Don’t bring Gianni in, make him go to law school. Take care of your mother and tell her I love her!”
His body was wracked by coughing and his mouth sputtered out bloody foam. He reached up and clasped Frankie’s hand, his strength ebbing away. “Sal‘s, behind….this! Remember I love you, you’re the future!”
He squeezed Frankie’s hand a final time, shuddered, exhaled a bloody mist, then was still.
Frankie looked into his father’s wide staring eyes and saw them go dim.
Bobby and Sha, dragged a man from the back of the truck. It was the one Carlo shot in the gut. Frankie closed his father’s eyes, gently laid him down, then rose and walked to where the man writhed in pain on the ground.
“Who sent you?” Frankie asked ominously.
The man never even looked up, as the pain rocketed thru him.
Frankie went down to one knee and thrust his hand into the man’s wound and squeezed it viciously. The man screamed in agony as Frankie viciously probed in the wound.
“Who sent you damn it?” Frankie screamed.
“Don Paschal,” the man whispered thru blood filled lips.
“Who?” Frankie asked again.
“Paschal Locata!” the man screamed as Frankie twisted his shredded stomach.
Frankie rose to his feet, and said. “Leave him!” He walked to where his father lay and gently lifted him and walked to where Sha stood next to a big Sedan. He lay his father gently on the back seat and stood there. L.J, Jack Lee and Spencer got James’s body and placed it in the back of the car. Then they covered Guido’s shattered head and put him in a car and drove off.
* * * * Bobby drove to Ransom’s place of business, rushed in and told Ransom what had happened. Ransom raced out as fast as his aged body would allow. He saw Carlo’s body in the back seat and tears flowed from his eyes. He looked at Frankie and saw the anger simmering in his vivid blue eyes. Ransom made the necessary arrangements, then they took the three bodies to a mortuary that they knew and left them.
Ransom had all the men gather at a warehouse in town.
“We know who had Carlo hit. We got a name, but what we don’t have is a location.” Ransom said. “Find out where we can find this man. When we find him, his entire male line is to be cut off!”
Frankie stood up, looked at the men gathered, and said. “My father told me that my uncle Sal was involved. He said it right before he died!”
“Let’s go get him.” Baron said. “I bet we’ll find out where Locata is then!
“We got to plan this right, because we don’t want it getting back to the mob that we’re involved.” Ransom said. “We’ve got to snatch Sal and get the information. Then we’ll strike against Locata. We take Sal tonight before word of Carlo’s death gets out.
“I want Sal!” Frankie said. “I know where he is now!”
Bishop stepped up beside Frankie, and said. “I’m gonna go with him!”
Baron looked at his son and saw Lil Will, B.J, Adam, Tre, who was L.J and Rose’s son. Jacky, who was Jack Lee and Louise’s son and Spence, who was Spencer and Liza’s son. They moved beside the two young men.
Jimmy walked up, and said. “They killed my pa too!”
Ransom looked at the young men and knew that they were the future. “Go get him!” was all he said.
* * * * Sal, Joe Green, Paul Castle and Vinnie Deleoni were all at a warehouse they had on the eastside of town. They all sat in the office.
“When do you think Locata is gonna take care of his end?” Joe Green asked.
“I don’t know!” Sal said. “It’s been six months since we talked to him and I don’t know if he’s gonna do it!”
“Oh, he’ll do it.” said Paul Castle. “I’ve heard about him and his word is good!”
* Sal had four foot soldiers as look outs and they were less than vigilant. They never saw the nine masked men until it was too late. The men didn’t kill the lookouts, but they did render them unconscious and tied them up.
Bishop left Jacky, Spence, Tre and Adam in their place as they cautiously approached the warehouse. They easily gained entrance and moved toward the office where the four men sat talking.
Frankie crept silently to the door with Bishop and Jimmy at his side. They stopped at the door and could hear muffled voices inside. Frankie looked at the two men then signaled Lil Will and B.J to watch their backs. Both of the young men nodded and took up defensive positions.
Frankie looked at Bishop and nodded, then turned the door knob and flung the door open. Bishop and Jimmy rushed in,
their Sub Thompson’s panning the room.
Frankie stepped thru the door shouting, “Don’t fuckin move! Not a muscle!”
“Holy shit!” Sal shouted almost tumbling backward in his chair.
The four men threw their hands into the air and Sal said. “You guys are making a big mistake here! Don’t you know who we are?”
Frankie walked to where Sal sat and viciously clubbed him in the face with the .45 automatic he held, then he said. “Yeah we know who you are, a bunch of fuckin snakes!”
Bishop used his heel to close the door.
Sal shook his big head and tried to stop the blood that freely flowed from the gash in his cheek. “There’s not much money here, but get what there is and make sure you hide good!”
“You think we want money, you shit?” Frankie said angrily. His body vibrating with controlled fury.
Sal’s head snapped up and he squinted his eyes, because the voice sounded sort of like Carlo’s.
Frankie snatched the mask from his face and the four men recoiled in shock.
“Frankie,” Joe Green uttered.
“That’s right, Frankie.” said Frankie. “Papa dead, so is James, and Guido. Paschal Locata had them killed!”
Bishop and Jimmy removed their mask. And Vinnie Deleoni said. “You brought niggers in on this?”
Bishop swung his Tommy Gun toward Vinnie and squeezed off a quick burst. Vinnie was lifted from his chair as the big slugs impacted with his chest and face. Blood and gore sprayed in the small room as Vinnie’s bullet riddled body crashed to the floor.
“Are you fuckin crazy?” shouted Joe Green. “Vinnie was a made man!”
Jimmy, who had maintained his composure. Lost it and hosed Joe with a burst from his gun that nearly decapitated him. Blood gushed from the severed arteries in his neck as his body was tossed sideways into the wall. Where he slowly slid down and lay in a crumpled heap at the base of the blood smeared wall.
