316
Sarcasm Is Costly
THE NEW JERSEY TURNPIKE, ELEVEN YEARS EARLIER
After spending an hour in a car with Tanner without either of them saying a word, Pullo decided to break the silence.
“I guess neither one of us is big on small talk, hmm?”
Tanner glanced over at Pullo and smiled. “You’ve been with Giacconi a long time?”
“I was born into it, and Sam came up with my grandfather.”
“I hear you. The family business sort of thing.”
“And what about you, you come up in one of the families?”
“I’m not Italian.”
“No? Too bad.”
“What’s our first move when we reach Wilmington?”
“We’ll get rooms in a motel that takes cash. The guy that spotted Conti says the place is a dump, but the owner minds his own business and doesn’t ask any questions.”
“I assume the motel is close to where this guy spotted Conti?”
“Yeah, Rossetti said that Conti was on foot, so that sounds like he lives in the area. With a little luck, we’ll spot him quick and be back in New York by tomorrow night.”
Tanner took a piece of paper out of his pocket and studied it. It was a blown-up picture of Carlo Conti’s New York State driver’s license photo. It showed a man with mean eyes scowling at the camera.
“His license says that he’s six-foot-six and two-eighty. I hope you brought a cannon along.”
Pullo laughed. “The bigger they are…”
“…the harder they fall,” Tanner finished, and then he and Pullo lapsed back into silence.
The motel in Wilmington turned out to be not only a dump, but also a marketplace. Tanner spotted drug dealing and prostitution going on.
“Lovely,” Pullo said, as he looked around.
The motel sat off Route 2 and its parking lot had weeds growing through its numerous cracks. The building was U-shaped, with the office on the left side of the U, while sixteen small rooms wrapped around to the other side, two of which had broken windows, while the one across from the office on the other side of the U had a man standing guard.
“He’s got a gun under that jacket,” Tanner said.
Pullo nodded. “And there’s a knife stuck down his right boot.”
Tanner took a second look, and this time he spotted the tip of a knife handle. Pullo had good eyes.
“Joe, this is your party, but personally, I wouldn’t flash Conti’s photo around.”
“Because it’s his turf and someone might tell him about us and warn him, right?”
“Yeah.”
“This isn’t my first day on the job, Tanner.”
“I can see that, and I think Giacconi wasted money sending me down here.”
“He looks out for me, and Conti is a mean bastard. It won’t hurt to have you watch my back.”
“I’ll earn my money, don’t worry.”
They entered the motel office and could smell marijuana in the air. There was a fat man with thinning hair seated behind the counter. He had his eyes closed tight and looked to be having a fit of some type.
When the small blonde stood up from behind the counter, she looked at Pullo and Tanner with dead eyes.
“You want me to suck these guys off too, Mr. Hellman?”
“What?” the man at the counter said, then he looked over and saw Tanner and Pullo. “Who are you?”
“Customers,” Pullo said. “Give us rooms.”
The blonde walked out from behind the counter as Hellman zipped up. When she reached Tanner, she gazed up at him. She was on the wrong side of forty and looked even older.
“I’m in Room 4, and it’s fifty bucks for the full ride.”
“I’ll remember that,” Tanner said.
“Get on out of here now, Carol,” Hellman told the woman. Hellman was fat, going bald, and had beady green eyes that stared out from a face of thick jowls.
Carol opened the door, as across the way three men in business suits pulled up in a red convertible. One of the men handed the big man guarding the door a wad of money, and he opened the door to the room for them to enter. The room was Number 16.
Tanner looked at Pullo. “What do you suppose is going on over there?”
“I don’t know; maybe the girl in that room is even hotter than Carol here.”
Carol looked back at Pullo with narrowed eyes. “I understand sarcasm.”
“I meant no offense,” Pullo said.
“Um-hmm, it’s fifty for your friend; for you, seventy-five.”
Pullo ignored her and moved closer to the counter. “I want two rooms as far away from everyone else as you can make them.”
Hellman’s smile was completely without warmth. “Eighty a night each, and that’s cash.”
Pullo laid money on the counter and received two keys, real keys.
“I guess you haven’t upgraded to electronic locks yet, hmm?”
“What are those?”
“Never mind.”
“Hey boys, if you want anything I can get it for you, you know, and I’m not talking about Carol. There’s better pussy than that here.”
Tanner pointed across the lot. “What’s going on over there?”
“That’s private business, but like I said, I can get anything.”
“We’ll let you know,” Pullo said.
Minutes later, they had opened the doors and were looking in at their rooms.
Tanner made an observation. “I’ve slept in abandoned buildings that had more class.”
“Think of it as an incentive. The sooner we ice Carlo Conti, the sooner we get out of here.”
“All right, then let’s start looking after we unpack.”
“Sounds good to me, Tanner.”
“But first we eat.”
Pullo grinned. “Are you sure you’re not Italian?”
317
Testing 1, 2, 3
Sophia placed her hands on Sammy’s chest to push him away but did so only after the kiss had lasted several seconds.
“Don’t do that again; I’m with Tanner.”
“Are you telling me that you felt nothing just then?”
They were at the rear of Laurel’s clinic, inside her office. The door was open, but Sophia felt as if the walls were closing in on her.
“I like you, Sammy. You know that, but I don’t cheat.”
“You’re cheating yourself. Listen, I don’t know Tanner, but if he cared for you, he would have called you while he was away. Instead, all you got was silence.”
“I told you, Tanner is different.”
Sammy took her in his arms. “You tell me to leave you alone and I’ll never bother you again. I swear it.”
Sophia stared into Sammy’s eyes, and found that she had lost her voice.
When Laurel cleared her throat, Sophia and Sammy looked at the doorway and saw her standing there, along with Tanner and Pullo.
“This is the second time I’ve found you in this kid’s arms, Sophia. Is there something you want to tell me?”
Sammy released her and spoke to Tanner. “We’ve gotten to know each other while you were gone, Tanner. And I’ll tell you right now, I want to be with her.”
“And what do you want, Sophia?”
Sophia looked at Tanner, then Sammy, and then back at Tanner.
“I want to go home, and I want you to come with me.”
“Let’s go,” Tanner said.
Sammy let out a great sigh. “Sophia?”
“Goodnight, Sammy.”
Tanner told Laurel and Pullo goodbye, and then left with Sophia.
“Sammy,” Pullo said softly, and when Sammy met his eyes, he saw the hurt in them. “Let her go, kid. Sophia’s made her choice.”
“I’m not sure I can do that, Uncle Joe.”
“You love her, don’t you?” Laurel said.
Sammy didn’t answer her but looked at Pullo instead. “I need something to do, or I’ll go nuts.”
“I�
��ve got just the thing,” Pullo said.
A short time later, Pullo and Sammy were pushing Anton ahead of them in a secluded area near the east bank of the Harlem River. Anton’s wrists were bound behind his back, and he was begging for his life.
“Aw c’mon, man, I told you everything I know. It wasn’t my idea to torch the club; it was Krupin’s. He’s the boss and I had to do what the boss wanted, ya know?”
Pullo took out a gun and handed it to Sammy. “This is one of the men that tried to fry us. He passed along some info that was useful, but I’ll leave it up to you if he should die or not.”
Sammy looked down at the gun in his hand. “I’ve never killed anyone before.”
“I know that, Sammy. And if you can’t pull the trigger, you can’t. Not everyone can, and come what may, kid… you know I’ll still love you.”
After saying those words, Pullo stepped back a few feet, leaving Sammy alone with Anton.
“Hey! Hey dude, you don’t have to shoot me. You let me go and I swear you’ll never see my ass—”
Sammy pointed the gun at Anton’s chest and pulled the trigger three times. Nothing happened.
Anton laughed. “Oh man, oh you guys were just fucking with me, huh? That’s cool. I—”
The sound of five shots filled the air as Pullo fired into Anton’s midsection. Anton fell backwards into a patch of weeds, let out a wheezing sigh, and stopped moving.
Sammy spun around and gawked at Pullo. Afterwards, he checked the gun he’d been given and discovered that it held no rounds.
“What the hell?”
“Not here,” Pullo said, and moved back toward the car. As they walked, Pullo removed the magazine from the gun he used on Anton, along with its chambered round. With the gun empty, he turned and flung it into the river.
Once they were safely away from the scene, Pullo pulled to the curb.
“I didn’t want that piece of shit back there to be the man you made your bones on. Still, I had to know if you could pull the trigger.”
Sammy studied Pullo’s face. “You’ve got somebody else in mind, don’t you?”
“Yeah, and Sammy, it’s Bobby Volks.”
“The sonofabitch who killed my father?”
“Yeah, it turns out he’s been down in Tennessee.”
“Tennessee? When do I leave?”
“Soon, but you’re not going alone.”
“You’re coming with me?”
“No.”
“Then who am I going with?”
“Tanner.”
“Yes, Sophia?”
“I never slept with Sammy.”
“I believe you.”
“You don’t sound like you care one way or the other.”
“I don’t own you.”
They were in Sophia’s car with Tanner driving. Tanner had been quiet after leaving the clinic, and Sophia had mistaken it for anger or jealousy. After concluding that she was wrong, she grew angry herself.
“What am I to you, Tanner?”
“I don’t know what you mean.”
“Pull the damn car over.”
Tanner did as she said, and Sophia turned in her seat and stared at him. “Why didn’t you call me while you were gone?”
“Most of the time I was gone I didn’t know if I’d make it back, and on the trip home, I just figured I’d wait to see you in person.”
“You love Laurel?”
Tanner sighed. “Yes, but we’re over and we’ve been over for a long time.”
“Do you love me?”
Tanner reached across and stroked her cheek. “I have feelings for you, yes, but Sophia, if you’re looking for a husband, I’m not the type.”
“I just need to know that I’m more than a piece of ass to you.”
Tanner leaned over and kissed her. When they separated, he smiled.
“Of course you’re more than a piece of ass; you’ve got a great rack too.”
Sophia punched him in the stomach. “You’re such an asshole.”
“Can I drive now?”
“Yes, take me home.”
They were back in traffic when Sophia asked her next question.
“Exactly what went on with you and Sara Blake?”
“We made peace, and for real this time.”
“She’s a crazy bitch, but she is good-looking. Just how friendly did you two get?”
“We slept together twice.”
“What?”
Tanner grinned. “I’ll tell you the whole story, after.”
Sophia smiled. “Oh, you think that’s going to happen tonight, do you?”
“I live in hope.”
“Dream on. And the first thing I’m going to do is take a shower. My hair smells like smoke from that damn fire.”
“That was a very close call, wasn’t it?”
“If Sammy hadn’t known about that tunnel…” Sophia said, and then trailed off as a shiver passed through her.
“I guess that means I owe the kid one for saving you.”
“If anything had happened between us, would you have hurt him?”
“I’m not the jealous type.”
“That’s good to know,” Sophia said.
Tanner stared over at her, but Sophia had turned away.
318
Travel Plans
The following morning, Sammy arrived at Laurel’s place and parked across the street, inside the underground parking garage.
As he emerged from the darkness of the garage, he saw that there were men guarding the brick townhouse. They were three of the men who had been at the club the night before, including Big Ralphie. After climbing up the stone steps, Sammy was greeted by all three men with smiles. They thanked him once again for saving their lives during the fire of the night before.
Once inside, Sammy found that Merle and Earl were there. He had only seen the brothers wearing suits and chauffeur caps and was surprised to see them in jeans and T-shirts.
Pullo sat across from them at the kitchen table, while reading the newspaper, and after letting Sammy inside, Laurel had gone upstairs.
Sammy smiled at Merle and Earl. “What’s with the long faces, guys?”
“That fire damaged the limo; it was just the paint job and tires, but now we’ve got nothin’ to do.”
“I think Uncle Joe has plans for you. Right, Uncle Joe?”
Pullo lowered the newspaper. “What plans?”
“Tennessee, you said you were sending someone with me.”
“These two?”
Merle smiled. “I’ll go. Earl and me love Tennessee; it’s almost like bein’ home in Arkansas.”
Pullo shook his head. “I had someone else in mind, Sammy.”
“Who?”
“Tanner.”
“What?”
“You couldn’t ask for better backup, but first I have to see if he’ll do it.”
“I don’t need Tanner to hold my hand, Uncle Joe.”
The doorbell rang, and Merle and Earl went to answer it. Pullo folded the newspaper up and leaned toward Sammy.
“I believe you can handle yourself, but Bobby Volks is serious business. I’d feel better if you had Tanner backing you up.”
“Why him?”
“There’s no one better, but like I said, I still have to ask him.”
“I don’t like it.”
“You don’t have to,” Pullo said.
Tanner walked into the kitchen with Sophia at his side. Sammy took one look at them and excused himself.
“I’ll be in the living room.”
Tanner watched him go, then turned to look at Pullo. “You said you had something to ask me?”
“Yeah, but do you two want coffee?”
“No thanks, we’re going to lunch when we leave here,” Sophia said, then she pointed toward the hall. “Is Laurel here?”
“She’s upstairs, go on up.”
“All right.”
After Sophia left, Pullo asked Tanner if he’d back up Sammy.
“If we find Volks, will the kid pull the trigger?”
“Yeah, I gave him a little test last night on Anton and he passed. He also hates Bobby Volks.”
“That’s right, Volks killed his father.”
“Yeah, so it’s personal. I know it’s not your normal thing, playing backup, but I’m hoping you’ll say yes.”
“Why not just send me alone? If what I heard about him was true, Volks was a handful. There’s always the chance the kid won’t make it back.”
“He needs this, Tanner. Plus, if he makes his bones on Volks it’ll give him a rep, you know?”
Tanner smiled. “You’re grooming the kid, aren’t you?”
“I won’t live forever, and he is Sam’s grandson.”
“He means a lot to you?”
“Yeah, like blood.”
“I’m in. And I won’t interfere unless it looks like the kid is in trouble.”
“His name is Sammy.”
“Right, Sammy. Sammy who wants my girl.”
“Is that going to be a problem for you?”
“Yeah, I think it is, but not the way you mean.”
“I don’t get you?”
“I think Sophia wants him too.”
“Oh.”
“Yeah.”
Upstairs, Sophia lay back across the bed and spoke to Laurel, who was seated at a vanity table and applying red polish to her nails.
“I don’t know what to do.”
“I thought you chose Tanner?”
“I did, but I can’t get Sammy out of my mind.”
“I can’t tell you what to do, but I will say that Tanner is not likely to ever settle down.”
“He said as much last night, so it’s not like he’s stringing me along. But Sammy, why does he have to be so damn young?”
“That’s not a bad thing, is it?”
“Maybe not now, but what happens when I’m fifty and he’s still in his thirties?”
Laurel grinned. “I see you’ve given this some thought.”
“What should I do?”
“Follow your heart.”
“That’s no help.”
The Tanner Series - Books 1-11: Tanner - The hit man with a heart Page 101
