by Nees, David
“Okay.”
“Where’s your husband. You said you got one.”
Ruth hesitated again. “He’s…he’s away right now.”
Gino leaned towards her. “Away, where?”
“I…I…don’t know. He said he had to go do something special for the city.”
“Who’d he talk to? Where does he work?”
“I don’t know. I don’t understand how things work here. It’s all so crazy!” she burst into tears. Jennifer and Tom got up and put their arms around their mother.
“Don’t make her cry,” Tom said.
Gino smiled, but it didn’t have any warmth. “Pretty tough, ain’t you? You gonna beat me up?”
“Just leave us alone, we haven’t done anything to you,” Jennifer said. “If you want to know more, ask Jason.”
“I will smart girl. But right now, I’m asking your mother.” He looked at Ruth. “What’s your name?”
She looked up. “Ruth.”
“Okay Ruth. Now tell me again, where your husband went. I can always take Jennifer outside and ask her personally.”
He could see Ruth shudder.
“You leave her alone,” Tom said. His voice quivered as he spoke.
“Ernie’s been taken away. Jason comes by to see how he can help us. He’s being nice. Is that a crime now?”
“While the cat’s away, the mouse comes over to play, that it?”
Ruth shook her head. “That’s not it at all. Maybe you don’t know what it’s like to be nice to someone.”
“What did you talk about that was so important he came here before checking in with his crew?”
“I told you he was just checking up on us.”
“I’m not buying that.”
He grabbed Jennifer by the arm. She screamed. Tom jumped up and ran at him, but Gino flung his arm out and smacked him, knocking him to the floor.
“Stop, don’t hurt my family!” Ruth shouted.
Gino stood up, dragging Jennifer with him. Tom got up off the floor, glaring at Gino.
“Don’t come at me again, boy, or I’ll hit you with my fist and break your jaw.”
“Let her go!” Ruth demanded.
“I’m taking her with me and we’re gonna talk about what went on here unless you tell me.”
“No, don’t. I’ll tell you,” Ruth said.
Gino stood there with Jennifer. “I’m waiting.”
“Jason came by to warn us that people, people like you might come around and try to harm us, separate us. He said he’d take us somewhere safe and then try to get Ernie released. Then we could all leave town together. He said, with Ernie in trouble, I wasn’t safe and there was no future for us in Charlotte.”
“What a crock. And you believed him?”
“Why wouldn’t we? He’s helped us and now you’ve come around. Seems like that proves what he said.”
“He’s trying to get you alone, for himself. Not sure I understand why he’d want a built-in family, but he’s weird.”
Ruth kept her mouth shut.
“When’s he coming to take you away and rescue you like some hero?”
“Tomorrow night.”
“Maybe I’ll take the girl downstairs and ask her the same question. I can be pretty persuasive. If don’t like her answer, you might not see her again.” Gino paused as he watched Ruth tremble. “You want to change your answer or should I check it out with the girl here?”
“He’s coming tonight,” Ruth said in a whisper. “Now please leave us alone.”
Gino let Jennifer go and she ran to the other side of the table.
“I’ll leave you alone…for now. You’ve been very helpful.”
He turned and left the apartment.
Chapter 26
___________________________________
G ino returned to the bar where Tony had his table. He sat down with a thud.
“I found out something about Jason today.”
Tony looked at him with an exasperated expression.
“You still going on about that? I told you to knock it off and concentrate on collecting.”
“I’m doing that. But I followed him today. Saw him heading to another part of town. Turns out he’s meeting with a woman and her two kids. She says he’s coming back tonight to help her hide or get out of town. The woman’s got a husband that must have been arrested. He’s working on the coal gang.”
“Jason’s about to be put in charge of the coal gang. So what if he wants to help her out? Maybe her husband can help us out. You know Jason tries the soft approach with people. It’s what Joe and Big Al want as well.”
“I can do soft, but most of the people I collect from understand hard better. They don’t fool around and they don’t give me any trouble.”
Tony sighed. “Gino, let it go. Jesus, you’re like a dog gnawing on a dry bone.”
“I don’t mean no disrespect, but I think you’re being blind to Jason. He’s conned you into thinking he’s so great, you don’t see how things don’t add up with him.”
Tony stood up. Gino looked at him.
“Stand up,” Tony said.
When Gino was standing, Tony poked a finger in his chest. “Don’t ever accuse me of being blind. I’ll take you out. I’ve covered for you in the past and will in the future when you fuck up, but you don’t accuse me of that. You understand? You work for me and I expect you to do what I say. You start undermining me and you’ll have a short life.”
His finger punctuated each sentence.
Gino put up his hands and stepped back.
“Okay, okay, boss. I didn’t mean anything by it. I’m just concerned that’s all.”
“Gino, you meant something by it. I’m not stupid. And if you ever talk like that again…” He left the rest of his sentence unfinished.
“I’m sorry, boss. I won’t talk about him anymore. But the woman said he was going to take them away, somewhere safe, tonight.”
“If it makes you feel better, follow them and report back to me. After that I don’t want to hear another thing about your suspicions. Got it?”
Gino nodded and left the bar.
The same afternoon Jason went over to visit Frank Russo. He handed him all the scrip currency he had accumulated working for the mob.
“Frank, load me up with as much ham and sausages as this will purchase. I want the sausage that has been cooked. Not the ones that need cooking.”
Frank looked at the pile of money. “What’s going on? This is a lot of money. It’ll buy a lot of meat.”
“Stocking up. You put the meat aside, in a sack for me.”
“You’re not going to take it with you?”
“No. I need to pick it up tonight, after you close. I’ll be by late in the evening.”
Frank thought for a moment. “For you, I can leave it in the back room. I’ll leave one of the windows unlocked. You can open it and climb in to get your sack. But you know this is a very odd request. What’re you up to?”
Jason shook his head. “No need for you to know. But if this is enough money, with what you already saved, you should consider leaving right away.”
“What’s going to happen? My business is going well, especially the cart sales in the downtown area, thanks to you. Is all this going to come to an end?”
“I don’t know. But it’s going to get unsettled soon. That’s as much as I’m sure of.”
Frank shook his head. “I don’t understand, but I’ll have the sack ready for you.”
“Thanks. And if I don’t see you again, good luck and be careful.”
Jason left before Frank could ask any more questions.
That night he finished his own packing. He hung his working suit neatly in the closet. An ironic gesture to his undercover work. He was now dressed in his travel gear. Jeans, dark shirt, sweater, and water proof jacket along with sturdy hiking boots. He took out his 9mm and checked the gun carefully. It was clean and oiled. He loaded two extra magazines and put them in his jacket pocket. Th
en he screwed a suppressor onto his pistol. The extra length made the gun awkward. It was a necessary price to pay but a stealthy weapon was what he needed tonight. He pushed the gun into his jacket. It rested uncomfortably there. Can’t stuff it in my pack, though. I might need it.
It was midnight when Jason descended the stairs. He opened the front door and went out into the night. He was changing from undercover sleuth to, what, assassin? He had been called to fight and kill before in defense of himself, his family and his town. Now events seemed to be forcing him to do it again. The realization weighed heavily on him. There seemed to be no way out of the cycle of violence he found himself in.
It would be complicated. The mob would soon be looking for him. Still he wished there was another way to neutralize the threats that arose besides killing. In the end, it didn’t matter. If this was the field of action, Jason knew it well, probably better than his opponents.
Gino crouched in the shadows. He was cold, stiff, and angry. Tony’s dressing down hadn’t helped. Now it looked like Jason was leaving. To meet the woman? He’d find out and he’d show Tony that he wasn’t wrong. Then there’d be a reckoning. Vincent would see Gino’s instincts were right. Maybe he’d make Gino the head of the crew.
He carefully followed Jason. When they came to Frank Russo’s store, Jason went around to the back. Gino took up a position a half-block away and watched. Jason tested a couple of windows and found one unlocked. He opened it. After putting his backpack down, he climbed through the window and disappeared. What the fuck? Robbing the sausage maker? That didn’t make sense. Gino kept watching.
In a moment a sack was tossed out of the window and Jason quickly followed. He looked around and after putting on his pack, he picked up the sack and headed down the alley. Gino stood up and followed.
Jason knocked softly at the apartment door.
“Who’s there?” a voice asked.
“Jason.”
The door swung open and he stepped in.
“Everyone ready to go?”
Ruth and the kids nodded. They were all dressed as Jason had instructed. Their faces reflected a mixture of anxiety and hope. Tom looked excited. Maybe he thinks this is a big adventure. It was, but one far more dangerous than the boy could imagine.
“I’m going to take you to a hiding place where you can be safe. It may take me a couple of days to get Ernie free. You’ll have to be patient and wait there.”
Ruth held out her hand to stop him. “Someone came here today. After you left. He asked why you were here. He made me tell him that you were coming to take us to a safe place tonight.”
Jason stared at her. “You told him that?”
Ruth shrank back. “I had to. He threatened Jennifer.”
“Damn.” Jason’s face darkened. “He’ll try to follow us.” He thought for a moment, then shook his head. “Doesn’t matter. We still have to go. We’ll try to lose whoever it is on the way.”
He led them out of the door and down the stairs.
Gino watched. As he expected, Jason emerged with the woman and kids. Where’s he going with them? Tony’s idea that Jason could be just helping the family, didn’t fit well with him taking them off in the middle of the night. Hiding them? Why?
He began to follow as Jason led the family though the streets. They went past a burned-out transformer station and then followed the edge of the power lines north, heading out of the city. They crossed a freeway and started up the green area surrounding Stewart Creek. The riparian green space made a convenient pathway with screening from the nearby streets.
Gino was uncomfortable. He was dressed for the city, slacks, dress shirt and shoes with a long overcoat to protect against the night.
His shoes quickly got wet and his feet cold. Fucking Boy Scout. Where the hell’s he taking them? In spite of his discomfort, Gino resolved to carry on. He had his .45 caliber handgun. He needed to get something solid on Jason so he could take him down. If he got cold, it would be worth it to nail the SOB.
They trudged on until they came to I85. After a few minutes of scanning the area, Jason led the family across the road. When they had disappeared into the woods Gino ran across the highway. Now he needed to catch up with them.
Gino ran through the woods until he came to a warehouse compound. It was old. The broken windows and grass growing through the blacktop spoke of years of neglect and disuse. He could see no figures moving beyond the compound. He’s hiding them in one of the warehouses. He moved forward, stopping at each row of buildings to listen and look. At the third row, he saw the figures enter one of the buildings. It would be pitch-black inside. Gino headed towards the door. A flash of a light confirmed that they went inside.
If he wanted to get closer, he’d have to go inside and navigate his way in the dark. There were few clouds scudding past in the cold wind. The moon was on the horizon. In a half-hour it might give him enough light to keep him from stumbling and giving himself away. He’d wait and watch. If Jason left, he would follow him. That seemed to be the best play. Whatever Jason had planned for the rest of the evening, Gino didn’t think it was to go back to his apartment. Something else was up, and it involved this family and the husband in the coal gang.
During the hike, Jason could see that Tom was excited with the adventure of it all. Unlike his sister and mother, he seemed to be enjoying the experience. The boy probably assumed Jason would rescue his father without any trouble and they would all go on another adventure together. Things were going to be more difficult than that, however.
Jason breathed a sigh of relief when they arrived at the warehouse with no one having seen them. They would be safe there. They had shelter from the wind and rain and enough clothes to make it through the cold nights in late November. He’d find a corner with no windows, most of which were broken, and have them make camp. They had water, food and shelter. Tomorrow he would head out to the coal gang to try to find their dad. After taking care of the family, he would go back to his original mission.
They’ll notice me missing tomorrow. By tomorrow night they’ll assume something is wrong. That’s when my cover gets blown. Jason went over the timeline of events in his mind. They’ll assume that I split and am heading back to Hillsboro. Roper might not be worried. He’s probably thinking he has overwhelming firepower. Hopefully it won’t cause him to accelerate his plans. He needed Roper to remain in the city for a few more days. It should take a week to get everyone organized.
Jason risked letting a thin shaft of light escape from his flashlight. He led the family up a set of stairs to a mezzanine. In one of the office sections he found a place at the far corner of the room. There were no windows, just the walls making a right angle. Jason pulled some desks over to keep out the drafts.
“This is where you’ll stay for a few more days while I go to get Ernie.”
“We just stay here?” Ruth asked.
“That’s right. You can’t go out. Go down to the main floor and go to the other side of the warehouse to do your business. But you can’t be seen so you must stay inside.”
“How long will it take to get Ernie? Is it far?”
“We’re halfway there now, so it won’t take me too long. Getting him freed is another story. That will be a challenge.”
“Can I help?” Tom asked.
Jason smiled in the dark.
“Yes, you stay here and keep a lookout for anyone. Freeing your dad is a job best done alone.”
Jason stopped talking. There was a scraping sound on the floor. Just for a moment. He shushed everyone and they listened. Jason’s ears tried to penetrate the surrounding dark, but no other sound came to him. After a few moments he spoke in a whisper.
“I thought I heard something, a scraping on the floor.”
“I heard it too,” Tom said.
“Me also,” his mother said.
Chapter 27
___________________________________
G ino froze. He had almost stumbled and fallen. Now he stood still; no mo
re sounds coming from him. He heard murmuring start up again. It came from above, on the mezzanine. Now footsteps sounded out. Someone was coming. There was no time to get back to the entrance. He was stuck in the building. The woman wouldn’t be coming, it had to be Jason. If he was discovered he’d have to get the jump on him. The man had already warned him to not mess around in his business. He’d have to try to take him down; there’d be no discussions.
If Jason was on the up and up, he’d welcome help in getting the husband freed to work with him. But why sneak around? Just tell Vincent or whoever that he needed this guy. No, Jason was up to no good and Gino had to stop him. He slipped his .45 out of its holster.
When he heard the footfalls on the stairs, Gino moved just behind where they joined the main floor. Between the faint moonlight and his eyes growing accustomed to the dark, he could see shadows now.
Jason reach the floor and started for the door. He’d gone two steps when he heard the click of a safety lever. He stopped.
“Just stand still,” Gino said. “I can see you well enough to kill you.”
“Gino. You followed me all the way out here?”
“I wanted to see what you’re up to. It sounds like it’s no good.”
“I’m just trying to help this family out.”
“Cut the crap. I talked to them earlier. If you’re helping them, helping to get the woman’s husband free, why not go to Vincent or Joe? You’re a big man now, got Joe’s ear. Going to run things for Joe. I’m sure he’d help you. Why sneak around?”
“Gino, you don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Don’t try to play me. I’m not an idiot. You can fool Tony, but not me. You’re gonna break this guy out. Why, I don’t know, but that ain’t something Joe would want to hear about, is it?”
“Gino, I swear you’ve got this all wrong.”
“Have I? Let’s go back upstairs and sit down with the rest of the family. We can talk about it. Then we’ll all go back to see Vincent tomorrow and you can explain everything to him.”
