by K. T. Tomb
Patch noticed a light emanating from behind a thicket of trees. The glow was unexpected and even though every fiber of his being knew that he should avoid the source, curiosity got the best of him. He reached through the tangle of branches to reveal two over-sized men with shovels, who were digging furtively.
“What the hell?” he rhetorically whispered to his dog.
Chapter Two
Two Men on a Mission
The men in the woods looked like cartoon characters. Bruno was the taller of the two. His complexion was rough and his voice was even rougher. He was Italian which was not out of place for New York City; a stereotypical tough guy with a nose that had been broken several times and an overall look that told he’d had a tough life. He appeared to be in his fifties and it was obvious he didn’t intend to be seen because he was dressed in all black. Bruno was exhausted from digging so he leaned on his shovel.
“Do we have much more digging to do? I could use a beer and my back is killing me. I’m getting too old for this type of work. I should be lounging on the beach somewhere. Things surely haven’t turned out like I thought they would.”
Leonardo, or Lenny as they all called him, was more compact than his partner. He looked like a small tank and appeared as if he could lift a bus. Lenny had a scar over his left eye that looked like a chink in his armor adding to his tough-guy demeanor. He was intimidating; with fierce bulging eyes and a shaved head and could have been a prison escapee from the looks of him. He placed a flashlight in his mouth, which he gripped with his chipped teeth. He couldn’t make sense of it but he believed they were in the right place. He spoke to Bruno roughly.
“Quit your stupid dreaming about sipping piña coladas and dipping your toes in the ocean. If we go back to Gino and tell him we can’t find it, you will be going for a dip in the water all right – face down in the East River. Keep digging.” Lenny snapped.
Patch absently reached for Spike. His hand hit empty air. Spike was gone. With a panicked look, his eyes darted around searching for his dog. He breathed a sigh of relief when he spotted him squatting beside a tree. He heard a burst of air coming from the dog. Disgusted and slightly amused he spoke to the pooch.
“No more frozen treats for you. Don’t worry, Spike. My system is sensitive too.”
Spike shamefully hid his face between his paws and Patch turned back to the action. The men had disappeared with their shovels.
Patch instantly grew nervous, as everything around him went suddenly quiet. A crunch of leaves shattered the silence. The sound was coming from behind him and he quickly whipped around. From his crouched position, he looked up slowly. The two men were standing over him with their shovels in hand. Lenny and Bruno did not look happy. They were holding their spades like weapons now, not like digging implements as they had before.
Lenny was the first to speak. The veins next to his temples were throbbing. “What the hell do you think you’re doing here?” He spit when he spoke.
Patch stood up. Running for political office had prepared him for high-pressure situations.
“Calm down, guys. I’m just looking for my dog. Did any of you happen to see him?”
He cleared his throat and called out.
“Here, Spike.”
Bruno looked down at his shorter cohort and grinned menacingly.
“There ain’t no dog, Lenny. This dude was spying on us. He’s looking for you-know-what too. This wise guy thinks he’s gonna find it before we do.”
“Christ, don’t use my name. You might as well be sure to spell it out for him and give this guy my full address too. Stop talking about what we’re looking for.”
Lenny, who had revealed himself as the leader of the two-person gang, tried out his Ricky Ricardo voice.
“Mister, you got some splainin’ to do.”
A suspicious look appeared on Lenny’s face as he sensed that something was amiss. He reached out with his pudgy hand and yanked the Mets cap off Patch’s head. The men aimed their flashlights at his eyes, making the mayor blink.
“Holy shit!” Bruno exclaimed. “Lenny, it’s the mayor. I’ve seen him on TV.”
SMACK! Lenny hit Bruno upside the head.
“Quit using my name asshole. Holy God this is getting worse by the minute.”
Lenny took a moment to think. He knocked his own head as if he were hammering an idea together in his skull. He tossed his shovel at Patch and pulled a gun from his jacket.
“Start digging, Mayor.”
Patch nervously picked up the shovel. Suddenly the two men went from rag-tag thugs to deadly criminals.
“Um, what am I digging?”
“Your grave,” Lenny snickered.
As if on command, Spike flew out of the brush with his lips bared and fangs glistening. He chomped down on Lenny’s hand causing him to drop the gun. Bruno raised his shovel but he was unable to make contact with the dog. Patch was also holding a shovel and lowered it on Bruno’s skull. The tall man fell over. He touched his head, making sure it was still on his neck. He was dazed and tried to clear the cobwebs by shaking his assaulted noggin. Blood flew everywhere like water from a dog after a bath. Patch hit him again, delivering the knockout blow.
Spike was still gripping Lenny’s arm and though he fought furiously, he was unable to get loose until Patch called the dog off. He shook Bruno conscious and the men ran or rather limped away.
Patch and Spike were left bewildered.
“Good boy, Spike. I didn’t mean it about the ice cream. I foresee many cones in your future.”
Patch watched as the men disappeared, trying to gauge where they were heading. Patch stood up and asked. “What the hell were they looking for and what is going on here? There is something very suspicious going on in Central Park.”
Drums Along the Hudson
is available at:
Amazon Kindle * Amazon UK * Amazon AU
Return to the Table of Contents
About the author:
K.T. Tomb enjoys traveling the world when not writing adventure thrillers. She lives in Portland, OR. Please find her at:
Please visit her at www.kttomb.com.
Add her on Facebook.
Add her on Twitter.
Return to Table of Contents
