by Harper W.
“This town!” Ron didn’t like the tingling in his body.
Chapter 5 : You Look Different
Jerry got into his patrol car with two cups of coffee, “Here, be careful, its hot.”
Sam, sitting at the wheel, in his police uniform took the coffee from Jerry. It was a regular evening with nothing significant going on. “Hey, I forgot to ask,” Sam turned to Jerry, “How did Pamela’s exam go?”
Jerry chuckled, “What do you think man? Woman aced it.”
“Good for her!” Sam cheered.
“Calling all units! There is a disturbance by the lake drive. A resident has reported some suspicious looking men.” the female voice came from the radio.
“Hey Angie!” Jerry talked into the radio, “Sam and I are on it. We are close to the area. Over.”
“Alright, Jerry.” Angie replied from the radio.
Sam started the car as Jerry placed the radio back. “When are you going to ask her out?” Jerry teased Sam, “You know she likes you.”
“All in good time, Jerry.” Sam said with a smile on his face. “All in a good time.
The police car stopped outside the Lake Drive. Jerry and Sam looked at a house that seemed to be empty. “This is the address, yeah?” Jerry asked while Sam checked in the system. “Yup.” he looked at the house, “I always thought this house was empty.”
“Well then maybe its a ghost. Come on.” Jerry got out of the car. Sam followed.
“Hello! Its Springfield PD. Anybody home?” Jerry knocked on the door and waited for a response. Nothing.
Sam and Jerry looked at each other and then went to the back of the house. Sam examined the door knob. While the whole door was dusty, the knob was shining clean, “Somebody has been here recently.” he said.
Showing Jerry the door knob, Sam looked around. “It could the kids, trying to get inside the house.” Jerry said, “Come lets ask the ones who reported this disturbance.” Jerry made air quotes while saying the word disturbance.
As they both crossed the road, a noise caught their attention. A glass shattered inside the empty house. Jerry and Sam froze and looked at each other. “Oh it definitely came from the house.”
Quickly, both of them reached the house and pulled out their guns and flashlights. Jerry signalled Sam to go around.
Sam walked to the back door and they both observed the house for a while.
“Anybody inside?” he cried calling out to the home in front of him.
BAM! — A gunshot rocked the neighbourhood. It was from the front of the house. As Sam ran to the front, he heard another gunshot, followed by two more.
“Sam, take cover!” Jerry cried as he saw Sam coming to the front. Sam realized that Jerry himself was behind his car and so he jumped into a bush in the dark. Two more gunshots were fired from the house of the window. “Son of a..!” Jerry fired back.
Two shadows jumped out from the side of the house and ran straight towards the bush, Sam was hiding in. Jerry fired back and a cried was heard from inside. “I think I got one!” he exclaimed.
The shadows approached him and Sam lunged out from the bush, tackling one of them into the ground. “Shit!!” Dave yelled as Sam tackled him into the ground. Sam held his gun at Dave’s face. “Stay down.”
“Back off!” Sam could feel the coldness of a metal on the back of his neck, “Get off, asshole!” the voice seemed familiar.
Dave snatched the gun from Sam and pushed him away. Sam slowly got up and turned to face the man who had his gun pulled on him.
A tall, dark face waited him. As their eyes met, both of them were in for a shock.
“Sammy?” Ron asked holding his gun at his brother. “Is this you?”
“Ron!” Sam could only say his name.
“You know this cop?” Dave was excited, “I was about to shoot him.” he chuckled.
“NO!” Ron turned to Dave as shocked as he was. “You look … different.” Ron said, slowly backing away from Sam. He was not holding his gun at him anymore. Dave dropped Sam’s fun at a distance from him and ran away, “Come on Man!” he said.
“Sammy!” a smile appeared on Ron’s face as he got into his car and drove away.
“Sam, I got one in the house.” Jerry called for Same standing over the dead body inside the house.
Sam stood like a statue staring at the car driving away.
My Best Enemy
Chapter 1: The New Gang in Town
“Listen up people,” Sergeant Roberts yelled at the handful of cops inside the briefing room, “Our town is being infested with these mobsters. They think its easy to take over a town with peace loving folks going about their own business, but we are not going to let it happen.” he finished his lines with a fist over the dais.
Jerry and Sam looked at him while sitting in the audience. “Jerry here..” Sergeant Roberts said, “Got one of them bastards last night. Good Job Jerry!”
The whole room clapped to cheer for Jerry, except Sam, who was lost in his own thoughts. Though listening to the claps and cheer, he came back to the reality.
“I am recommending you for a medal, Jerry.” Roberts was really proud of his small unit. “Ah it was nothing, really, Sarge!” Jerry was blushing like a teenage girl.
“Oh no! You deserve it buddy.” Roberts got a little serious, “They shot at you, which means they attacked us. And we are not going to take it sitting back down. Going by the drugs we found in that house, there is a possible drug infestation at our hands.”
“Hey Martha!” Roberts said to a lady cop in her forties sitting at the back, “Would you kindly turn the projector on? Please.”
Martha nodded with a smile and turned the projector on. A picture of Emilio Fersko was on the screen. Roberts started his commentary, “I got in touch with our neighbouring town PDs and got this information. The man Jerry shot,” Roberts turned back at Jerry as if he had offended him, “while defending himself of course!” Jerry shrugged his shoulders as if saying, “its okay” — “That man was a known henchman for this man, Emilio Fe.. Fer..sko. Fersko.” Roberts read the name from his dais in two tries. He was the leader of a crime family. You know old italian style mobs.”
“Like those movies, Sarge?” Martha was excited.
“Yeah!” Roberts replied, “Just like that. Sadly, Emilio died a few days ago. Rival gangs killed him and so his little brother Alfeo took the charge.” Alfeo’s picture was on the screen. “Now! Emilio was an old fashioned man, simple really. But his brother as I was told, wants to expand the business. And maybe that is why these people are in our town.”
The picture again changed and Ron was on the screen, sending a tingling down Sam’s spine.
“This here, is Ronald Jackson.” Roberts looked at Sam this time, “A key member of the Fersko Crime family. He does most of their dirty work.”
“What kind of dirty work?” Sam asked Roberts, trying to hide his anxiety.
“Oh you know, the usual,” Roberts adjusted his pants by his waist while thinking, “killing the rivals, beating people, and now managing the drug business. I have been told, once he also handled the prostitution segment of the Fersko family.”
Sam’s ear turned red hearing all this. “Well! Now we know they are here, and we are going to stop them.” Roberts said with a confident smile, “Martha would you please turn this things off?”
Martha again smiled and turned the projector off. “Thank you!” Roberts said to Martha and then looked at the cops in the room, “So that is all folks. Lets catch these bad guys.” Roberts exited the room with a smile. Jerry realized Sam was lost in his thoughts again. “What happened to you?” he asked. Sam looked up, finding Jerry looking at him in a weird manner, “Oh nothing. Just these guys. I never thought we would have anything like this in our town.” He stood up.
“Well, they say there is first time for everything.” Jerry said, “I shot a guy last night.” he was looking in Sam’s eyes.
Sam remembered Ron’s face from last night staring at him.
“Dad! I am home.” Sam said while locking the door behind him. Pepper came running to him, trying to jump over Sam’s shoulder, “Hey girl! Where is Dad?”
“Good evening Officer!” Chris came out form his room, smiling at his son, “How was the day?”
Sam took off his jacket and hat, “Well, we may have a mob trying to set shop in our town.” Chris was surprised, “Wow! Never thought that could happen here.”
“Well” Sam said pausing for a moment, “There is a first time for everything.”
“What is up with you, Sammy?” Chris asked, pinning his eyes on Sam’s face.
“What?” Sam was startled by this question.
“You look worried. What is it?” Chris asked.
“I don’t know Dad.” Sam said trying to hide his face with his hands, “I am really tired. Jerry shot a man last night who tried to kill him. I guess this is all too new for me. I can’t imagine killing a single person.”
“Sit down, son!” Chris said with a loving voice, “I think I know what is happening with you.”
“You do?” Sam was surprised. “Yes, the first time, I saw a man getting shot, I was flustered.” Chris shook his head like shaking off a bad memory out of his brain, “Man, no training ever prepares you for that.” Suddenly, Chris got lost in his own thoughts, “Seeing death all around you, including your friends..” Sam looked at his father. “Man, thats horrible!” Sam could see the horror on his father’s face.
Chris realized what he was doing to Sam and so he shook himself up and with a cheerful voice, he asked, “So, you want some coffee?”
Chapter 2 : Hello Strangers
Ron and Dave were sitting in the back of the car while two other men drove them. “Did he recognize you?” Dave asked Ron.
“Oh yes.” Ron replied, “He knew it was me. He said my name.” he chuckled remembering the night. Dave looked at Ron’s face that was beaming with joy, “I never thought he would look so good. You know, he was so scrawny when he was little. There was this fat bully named Matt..” Ron’s expressions changed for a moment, “he used to beat Sammy up all the fucking time.” Ron smiled again, “But look at him now. He could make minced meat out of that fatty now, I am sure.”
“You are going to meet him?” Dave asked.
“What?” Ron was astounded at this dumb question, “Hell No! I am going to ask Alfeo to send me somewhere else. This will get complicated for me.”
“Hey Ron, there is a police car following us.” the driver said.
Ron and Dave looked back and saw a police car driving behind him at a steady pace. Driving for a few minutes, the gang checked if the police car would pass them, but it maintained its distance.
“You know what, pull over.” Ron asked the driver while looking back.
As the car pulled over, the police car also stopped. For almost half a minute, nobody in each car moved a muscle. Though they all were looking at each other.
“Damnit! Here goes nothing.” said Jerry and opened the door of his car. He was in plain clothes and not in his uniform. As he got out of the car, he waved his hand to the car in front of him.
“What is he doing?” Dave said seeing Jerry. Soon, Jerry was standing by the passenger seat in the front. He bent down to see the faces of everyone in the car. “Hello Strangers!” he said with a funny voice, “My name is Jerry and I am the deputy in this town.”
“Hello Deputy!” said Dave with a funny smile, “Is there a problem?”
“Oh nothing serious, guys.” Jerry took a long pause, thinking hard in choosing his next words. Finally, he spoke after finding everyone in the car staring at him, “You see, its a small town and everybody here knows everybody. But I…” Jerry looked at all of them again, “don’t know anybody.. in this car.” Jerry was trying to read all their faces, but was having a hard time to read what they might be thinking, “And I have been seeing you in my town for a few days now. What is your business here?” He asked very bluntly.
The passengers in the car, exchanged looks with each other. Nobody was expecting Jerry to be so blunt and simple. In the moment of silence, the driver’s fingers reached the stock of his shotgun by the door, quietly. Ron was seeing this, “Deputy!” he said while placing his hand gently over the driver’s shoulder signalling him to remain calm, “Its a free country, isn’t it? Then is is necessary for a man to have a business.. to visit the places he wants to see??”
“Not really!” Jerry replied, “But what is life without a purpose, yeah?” He smiled looking at Ron, “And so .. what is yours Mister…”
The driver’s grip tightened on the shotgun stock. Jerry notices the anxiety on his face and a line of sweat rolled down on his forehead. Ron and Dave noticed the perspiration on Jerry’s face and they could also see the driver getting ready to dislodge the shotgun from its hiding spot.
Jerry’s hand was now reaching the back of his jacket, “Is there going to be any complication, Mister?” he asked purposefully, with his face covered in sweat.
For a few seconds, everybody in the car felt the chilled air of that thrilling anxiety. Everybody in the car could see how nervous Jerry was, but that man was putting a brave face out in front of these strangers. He earned some respect right there in that moment.
But this was all for nothing. Realizing that, Ron looked down in exasperation for a moment and then looked straight into Jerry’s eyes, “No officer! We don’t want any trouble.” his hand tightened on the shoulder of the driver.
“But is there anything you need our help with?” he asked Jerry with a firm tone now.
“Just want to make sure that no trouble comes to my town.” Jerry said with his sweaty and brave face.
Admiring his courage, Ron looked at Jerry, “Well officer, if you dont have anything to charge us with, I believe we all will be on our marry way. Thank you.”
“Drive.” Ron said in a calm voice to his driver who started the engine. As the car started humming to the sound and vibration of its engine, Jerry moved aside, giving it a clear path. The driver released the clutch and the car drove away.
Jerry kept looking at the car without blinking or moving. As the car disappeared, he let out a big sigh, “Phew!” he wipes his sweat, “You stupid man, what were you thinking?” Jerry got back into his car and drove away.
Chapter 3 : The New Boss
“Why is it taking so long?” Luca asked with a commanding tone over the phone. “Well, there are some complications here Luca. Its not easy setting up shop in a new town where people keep poking around in other people’s business.” Ron said trying to hide his frustration, “Almost every house we set up shop in had the neighbours coming in with a freaking pie in their hands. PIE! Who brings pie to their neighbours now?”
“Oh I am sorry! Were you expecting some other house warming gifts from the neighbours?” Luca said with a sharp sarcasm, “Listen Asshole! You are there to build new stash-houses, not friendships.”
Ron wanted to shoot Luca through the phone, but technological restrictions and his loyalty to Fersko family prevented him, “It will take some time Luca. Tell Mr Fersko, not to worry.”
“Dad does not have time for all this petty shit, asshole! I am overlooking this part of the business now. You report .. to ME!”
Ron had millions of red ants biting him all over his body. “FUCK YOU!” he wanted to yell, but remained silent. “Where did you go, asshole?” Luca asked frustratingly. “Hello!”
“Yes, I understand.” said Ron with no intent to listen to Luca any further. “I will take care of it.” he banged the phone really hard. “I hate that man!” he said exhaling loudly.
“We have been buying several house in this city. For what? Won’t it be more convenient to stash our dope in the city where we sell it?” Dave tried to divert Ron’s attention.
“I don’t know,” Ron said, “It was Luca’s idea to keep the supply away from the operations. So that cops could never find any dope in Riversville.”
“So that means, we stock all o
ur supply here, and run the business in Riversville. And nobody could find our dope even if they want to in that city?” Dave confirmed with Ron.
“Thats right.” Ron said.
“But aren’t we creating more complications?” Dave was curious, “By doing this, we are making the police of two different cities come after us. This much dope cannot go unnoticed in a small town like this.”
Ron knew Dave was right, but he couldn’t do anything about it, “We don’t give the orders Dave. We just follow them.”
Ron sat in his chair and turned on the TV.
The phone rang in the hall of the safe-house in the morning. “Yeah!” Dave answered, and as he heard the voice from the other end, his eyes grew wider. “Alright!” he said and hung up.
“Ronny!” he yelled at the top of his voice.
“What?” Ron came to the stairs looking at Dave. “That asshole is here.” Dave said, “and he wants us to meet him.”
Ron wanted to scream, but he looked at the ceiling instead. “Lets go then.” he said and got ready.
Dave stopped the car by the side of the street and got out with Ron. “Here?” he looked around seeing the market and shops on the street, “he wants to make a stash house in the middle of .. this?”
Ron didn’t say anything and walked inside an empty shop with ‘TO LET’ banner.
“Hey Asshole!” Luca said with a smile and joy in his voice as he saw Ron come in, “Look I am doing your job for you.” he had his boys standing behind him looking grim as ever.
“I hate to piss on your parade Luca, but in case if you haven’t noticed, this place is in the middle of the market. What were you thinking?” Ron said in the angriest tone possible.
The boys looked at Luca for anybody who talks to Luca like that gets their necks broken. But they were also the fist hand witnesses of what Ron could do to a man. But to their surprise, Luca was in a good mood today, “Hiding in plain sight!” he said, “We setup a stash house here. Put up a shop in the front, maybe a bakery, to hide our business, and boom! We also have a legitimate business.”
