Albany Park (42 page)

Howie was brought in by a young, linebacker-sized cop with a half-inch blonde buzz cut. He directed Howie to the chair and nodded to Shirley.

“Remember, no touching or anything,” he said and then stationed himself at the window just outside the room.

Howie tried to hide his face but Shirley saw that there were big, dark circles under his eyes and that he needed a shave.

“Are you alright?” she asked softly.

He looked down, pausing and then finally saying, “Look, they set me up. I’ll get outta this.”

“Not according to your pal Sal, that sleazy bastard.”

“Whadda you mean; didn’t you see him?”

“Yeah, I saw him and all he wanted to do was put his filthy hands all over me and complain that you owed him ninety-thousand dollars.”

Howie slammed a fist on the table.“That son of a bitch! I’ll talk to Sam; he’ll straighten him out. And by the way, how did you get in here? They told me only lawyers could see me until they decided if I could get out on bail or be remanded.”

He chuckled when she told him.

“Enough about me Howie, what happened?”

“Don’t worry, it’s bullshit. A little Spic set me up, tryin’ to cut a deal for himself”

Lowering her voice and leaning closer she hissed, “don’t give me that, this is serious and you know it. I’m scared. I’ve been working my butt off and finally got something going in real estate and now you’re name is going to be all over the news and my reputation will go up in flames.”

Holding up his hands defensively he glared back, “look Shirley, I’ll handle this and Sal too. I got a good lawyer. He knows the right people.”

“Cut it out Howie,” she said gritting her teeth. “I know this is serious and is about drugs. I didn’t think you were that stupid. I knew that something like this would happen someday and I don’t know what to do. Thank God David isn’t here.

“Hey it was just a misunderstanding and nothing major. This guy needed some dough and I was trying to help him out. Sam Petrillo will have me outta here in a few days.”

Straightening, Shirley’s face hardened, her lips were drawn into a tight line. Exhaling she said, “why Howie, why? I’ve always tried to go along with you, but this is bad. I don’t know what to do. Sal scares me and I know it’ll hurt my business. I thought about using my maiden name when I started in real estate, but I knew you would have been pissed and now? What’ll I do?”

“Goddammit, let me think, I been in scrapes before and I always got out. Go home, I’ll take care of it. Just trust me and don’t breathe a word to David.”

His shoulders slumping he looked up into her eyes and started to reach out for her and then seeing the guard looking, quickly pulled his hands back.

Seeing his gesture she reached to touch his hand and the guard banged on the window, frightening her. She looked up and saw the guard shake his head.

They both pulled back.

“What about Jack Brown?” she asked folding her hands on the table. “I remember when we saw him that time at Jai Alia, he’s important and must know someone. He seemed nice and didn’t you say he liked you? Won’t he help?”

“Hell, he won’t get involved. In fact, I hope he doesn’t find out that you even mentioned his name.”

“What about the money, Howie? Where are we gonna get it? And what does Sam say, are you gonna beat this? Sal says no.”

Before he could respond, the policeman came in to escort Howie back to his cell.

At the door he called out, “Get in touch with Sam Petrillo again, be sure to tell him where I’m at and make sure he knows I wanta see him right away. And don’t talk to anyone else, I’ll be out in a few days.”

At a pay phone in the vestibule leading to the street, she called Sam Petrillo and told him what Howie had said.. Then she asked for the name and address of Jack Brown’s company.

He raised his voice when she told him she was calling from the police station and told her not to get hysterical, but then reluctantly gave her the information. “Now go home and don’t talk to anyone, I’ll take care of Howie. And don’t do anything foolish, especially with Jack Brown.

Chapter 26
 

Financial Enterprises Ltd. was headquartered in Boca Raton in a modern, two-story building near the ocean. Shirley pulled into the company’s long curved driveway dotted with tall palms uniformly trimmed with clusters of smaller decorative bushes and shrubbery surrounded by large arrangements of colorful flowers. She drove slowly past the neat landscaping punctuated by white curbs in the parking lot.

She parked and looked toward the entranceway, taking in the very light beige building with its massive tinted windows. A dark shake roof with overhanging eaves added to majestic setting in the late afternoon sun, giving the combination of colors and architectural design an understated elegance.

She sat for several minutes trying to work up the courage to go in. Finally, touching her hair lightly and checking her makeup in the mirror she got out. Entering the office, she couldn’t help being impressed with the finery of the surroundings. Pale walls with interesting works of art, beautiful landscapes and picturesque scenes from all over the world in dark wood and antique gold frames added to the rich appearance. She approached the slim, gray-haired receptionist seated at a shiny dark wood L-shaped desk and told her that she was Mrs. Rabin to see Mr.Brown.

The woman glanced at an appointment calendar and looked up. “I’m sorry, but I don’t see you on our list.”

“Just tell him I want to see him. My husband works for one of your companies.”

“I’m sorry, Mr. Brown only sees people by appointment; you’ll have to leave. And besides, he’s already left for the day.” She nodded in dismissal and then turned back to her typewriter.

Shirley scowled and then moved to her left so that she was standing in front of the typewriter. When the woman looked up, Shirley glared at her, saying in a stern voice, “Look, I know he’s here; there’s a black Mercedes in the parking space with his name on it and I want to see him.”

“Please, madam, if you don’t leave, I will have to call security,” the gray-haired receptionist answered, raising her voice so that the women in the office behind her looked up to see what was causing the disturbance.

To the right, the door to a private office opened and Shirley saw a broad-shouldered man of medium height with dark wavy hair and a trace of white in his sideburns, wearing a well tailored black blazer and charcoal slacks. He was escorting a tall man with a briefcase out, Shirley recognized him from the Jai Alai Stadium.

“Mr. Brown,” she called out, waving so he could see her.

“Don’t pay any attention to her, Mr. Brown,” the receptionist said, standing up and moving between him and Shirley. “She doesn’t have an appointment and I already told her you wouldn’t see her.”

Stepping into the outer office he smiled at Shirley and then turned to the receptionist, saying, “It’s alright Sandra.”

“What can I do for you?” he said, walking toward her and taking her hand as his visitor continued toward the exit.

“I’m Shirley Rabin, Howie’s wife, she said softly.

“Jack Brown,” he answered and led her to the office he had just exited. The office was large with a big rectangular desk of dark wood that was clear except for in and out trays, a silver pen stand and a desk pad. Behind it was a low matching cabinet with two photographs; one of two young girls and another of an attractive blonde woman. On the wall behind his desk was a large photo of the exterior of the building they were in. Long cream colored silk drapes framed the windows off to the side.

He turned to face her. “Howie Rabin, the name is familiar and I seem to remember seeing you somewhere before.”

“We’ve never met, but I was with my husband one night a few years back at the Dania Jai Alai when you had a meeting with Howie and Sal Farina. I saw you there.”

“Oh, I do remember you now, and yes, I remember your husband, too,” he said, smiling. Almost as an afterthought, he added, “I always remember ladies when they’re as attractive as you.”

Shirley smiled looking down at the plush beige carpet.

“Don’t be embarrassed, I meant it as a compliment and I’m sure no lady minds a compliment,” he said, seating her on a cream colored linen sofa across from the desk and settling in a matching chair to the left of a coffee table in front of the couch.

“Now, what can I do for you?”

“Mr.Brown,” Shirley began speaking softly, hesitating and then looking straight at him, finding a more even tone. “I’m reluctant to discuss my problems with my family, much less a stranger, but I’m asking you for help because my husband works for your company and was arrested last night. I’ve just returned from talking with him and he claims it is all a mistake. Something about a Hispanic man needing money, setting him up with the police to be arrested for a drug deal to avoid being arrested himself. I’ve also talked with the man Howie works with and his lawyer Sam Petrillo and they don’t seem anxious to help.”

Brown made a slight negative move with his chin, without saying anything.

Running her tongue over her teeth, she waited and then continued.

“My husband has told me that you are an important business man, who knows how to get things done. I hope I’m doing the right thing by coming here. We need help. Howie won’t like that I’m here, but I don’t know where to turn and I’m worried. I don’t want him to go to jail. He owes a lot of money and I’ve been threatened if he doesn’t pay up.”

Looking up, she watched Jack Brown as he listened patiently but showed no emotion. She could hardly believe that this very impressive looking man was an associate of her husband’s, especially after her encounter with Sal Farina. He was like no other friend of Howie she had ever met. Everything about him looked like elegance and class.

Seeing she was finished, he said in a soft business like voice looking directly into her eyes, “Mrs. Rabin, I don’t really know your husband, nor do I know the details of his arrest. From what you tell me, it seems that he works with one of the groups in which we have an investment.”

He stopped and waited to make sure she understood him and then continued. “As long as you’re here, however, maybe I can be of some assistance.”

“Why don’t you start by telling me what you know about what happened and about his past, has he ever been arrested before?”

“Well, to be honest, Howie kept me in the dark as much as he could. I do know that he was arrested in Chicago once or twice for gambling and one time for something about prostitution, but the cases were dismissed.”

“Anything else?”

“Here in Florida, I don’t really know. He was arrested once for something to do with prostitution and he paid a fine to get the charges dropped. And he didn’t come home for a few days about a year ago and refused to discuss where he was at the time. I thought he had been arrested then. I remember that his lawyer was with him when he returned and they talked privately for some time before he left. This time, Howie just called and told me to contact Sal Farina and Mr. Petrillo.”

Sitting back in his chair Brown nodded, and pursed his lips before speaking. Shirley anxiously leaned forward, impressed by his quiet, intelligent demeanor.

“Based on what you’ve told me, I personally find it hard to believe that anything he would have told you would make you think to contact me. Financial Enterprises is involved in several businesses. We do not have anything to do with drugs of any type. We are respected business people, primarily in commercial real estate and other investments.”

“He claims he was set up,” Shirley said with a catch in her voice and rummaging in her hand bag for a tissue. “Please, Mr.Brown, tell me you’ll help. I’m sure he wouldn’t do something stupid like dealing drugs. He’s too smart for that.”

“Did he say anything else?”

Looking down she sucked in her lower lip and dabbed at her eyes with a tissue. “I know he didn’t do it. He gambles and he thinks I don’t know about the prostitutes and the juice loans, but not this,” she cried. “Howie is no angel, but I know he didn’t do drugs.”

“Please Mrs. Rabin,” Brown said standing and shaking his head. “Why don’t you let me get more information and come back here tomorrow about the same time. We can talk then. Now” he said offering her his handkerchief, “please dry your eyes. C’mon, I’ll walk you to your car.”

Walking to the car, neither spoke until he shook her hand, saying, “Get a good night’s sleep, I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Returning to the office he picked up the phone and called his assistant Paul Freed into his office.

“What do you know about Howie Rabin and his arrest” he asked as Freed, a paunchy man in his late thirties with thinning hair, appeared in the doorway.

Adjusting his glasses as he came in and not bothering to sit, Freed answered slowly, “Not much, except I know you won’t like it. It seems he got set up by the cops and was caught trying to sell a large amount of cocaine in Miami. They were working with a Colombian informant, who’s a known drug dealer. I just found out this morning.”

Brown’s hand cupped his chin and he slowly shook his head.

Freed nodded, shifting from one leg to the other. “As soon as Rabin took the money and handed over a suitcase containing twenty kilos of coke, they grabbed him. I’m trying to find out how serious it is.”

“What can we do about it?”

“We’ll see if we can get him off easy or at least disassociate him from any connection to us. I’m meeting Sal Farina later at the motel where he has an office to find out more.”

“Paul, whatever happens, I want this thing to go away before the news guys connect him to us,” Brown said, a tense crease appearing in his brow. ”Do you understand?”

“Don’t worry, Mr. B, I’m on top of it. One thing you should know is that he is into Sal for ninety large, mostly from gambling. It seems that he can’t control himself when it comes to any kind of action. Other than that, he’s been a pretty good operator when it comes to juice, or the girls that he runs. I’ll find out more from Sal; he keeps a good tab on his guys.”