Harmony (13 page)

Milo glanced around. Two men who worked for Madden approached. “I need you to get your things. I brought Belle to sing the rest of the night. You head home. Gather as much as you can and then go to Paulette’s. She’s waitin’ for you.”

“
No. Dammit this is insane. Just tell me the truth.”

Milo grabbed her by both hands. “Do you understand that these men are dangerous? I know you went to see Madame today. Now I hear people think you know something around the missing booze that belongs to Romano.”

“
I don’t.”

“
Willie does. Turns out the booze he’d sold to Red Hot’s don’t belong to Mickey Collins but to Vinnie Romano, and he wants it back. Grease Man and Madame are pissed because they’ve paid for a delivery and got nothing, so they hunting him too. Looking to cash in on Willie’s troubles. Everyone’s looking for Willie.”

Harmony’s stomach dropped. “Sweet merciful God. Willie? They’ll kill him. Won’t they?”

“
Trust me Mony. Leave now, and together we can figure out how we can help him. Go.”

Milo released her. She’d never seen him frightened, even with the constant burden of walking the criminal line. Tonight he looked scared.

“
Paulette will take you some place safe. I think I know where to find Willie. I’ll bring him to you.”

“
Madden’s on the warpath tonight. Did he approve of Belle singing for me? Does Fletch know you making this switch?”

“
I’ll make up an excuse. Belle got talent to get the crowd going so Madden will be cool. But you need to go.”

He walked off and she was left to watch him from the wings. There was nothing more she could do or say. Harmony pressed her fingers to her temples and tried to calm herself. Several girls passed and asked if she was okay. She managed a weak smile and dashed for her changing room. She shared it with the two other starlets performing that week but tonight it was hers alone. And when she opened the doors the most colorful sight greeted her. The place looked as if Eden had exploded in it. Flowers in all kinds of colors were stuffed in vases. She checked them one by one unsure of who they were sent to or from. She located a card and paused over the scribbling.

I expect to see you soon. Our business isn’t done.

Vinnie

The door opened. A tall black clad figure, with the front of his fedora pulled so low to his face she saw little of his eyes, walked in. But his intense stare was felt in the silent way he stood before her. She recognized him.

“
Mr. Madden don’t allow us to have visitors honey, if you wait after my show we can talk.”

The stranger reached behind him and engaged the lock with a soft click. With a slow deliberate hand he removed his hat and a sly smile eased across his lips. His teeth, even and white, were a stark contrast over his deep olive skin. “Name’s Luigi but most call me Leftie ma’am, forgive the intrusion, however, this won’t wait...” There was a hint of mockery in the forced politeness within his voice.

He had thick dark glossy hair smoothed back from his face. Hard angles defined his handsomeness, and his eyes looked cool as black ice. “Now that we’ve had proper introduction, pack your things. You’re going for a ride.”

“
I remember you.” Harmony dropped her hands to her hips and held to her courage. She wore her show dress, a firebomb red clingy number with a low-cut front bodice and long hem with splits up to mid thigh on both sides. She glistened like rubies when the light hit her curves, and she knew it. She noticed how his gaze often lowered to her breasts. “You’re that guy from earlier right?” She released a soft chuckle. “If I knew you wanted an autograph I wouldn’t have been so rude. Thing is suga, I’m just taking a quick break. The boys are waiting on me. I’m not leaving in the middle of my show.”

The humor around the man’s eyes and mouth faded. She felt her skin prickle with goose bumps, and the air chill around her. She hadn’t much use for white men in the past. Besides Vinnie Romano she’d never, ever, ever, spent time alone with one. Now she remembered why. His forced respect was more of a game to him than anything. Like most white men he had an air of entitlement, and her blatant defiance challenged it on many levels. She had to think of something quick to diffuse the irritation flaring between them both. With less sass in her voice she spoke to him clearly. “Vinnie, wants to see me? Okay. I understand. Why don’t you wait out back while I change? I can’t go to him dressed like this now can I? Tell you what I’ll do. I’ll meet you in a few minutes. A quick change and we’re on our way.”

He didn’t respond.

Harmony took a brave step toward him. She saw his gaze drop to her hips when she did so. She almost rolled her eyes at how predictable this one here was. “Aww c’mon suga. Give me a minute please.”

The stranger situated his hat on his head. “Either you pack something or I’ll drag you out as you are. This is happening toots. Decide. We do this the hard way or not?”

If she screamed for help it would worsen matters. Madden would gladly hand her over to end the drama. He’d probably punish Milo and Fletch for ruining the night. And if she went with this man to Vinnie Romano what then? Milo said Romano believed Willie stole from him. Did he think the night they shared had been a setup? She was trapped.

The man before her looked as if he would enjoy forcing her to do his will. Harmony nodded she would obey. She quickly gathered her street clothes (two dresses) into her cloth bag. With her back to him her gaze fell on her half eaten dinner. A knife lay across a sandwich glistening up at her. She leaned forward as if reaching for the scarf on the chair next to the plate and discreetly slipped the knife under her hand. “I guess Vinnie’s a bit impatient tonight huh?” She said, placing the knife in her cloth bag. She turned with an innocent smile. “All done.”

The guy hadn’t moved a step.

“
Okay, take me to Mr. Romano.”

He opened the door and held it for her to walk out. She followed him to the back doors and passed some of the kitchen staff. Many eyes trailed her, both from black and white faces, but she ignored the questions in their stares. She kept her hand in the cloth bag and on the knife.

Once they entered the alley a car awaited. She was forced inside. Her kidnapper joined her in the back seat. The driver drove off before the door closed. She rode silently, playing out her options. The stranger never glanced her way. He never spoke and the silence was the worst. She thought if she breathed wrong it could set off some deadly reaction. When they travelled north out of Harlem she realized they weren’t headed back to Vinnie’s place. The city disappeared behind them, a dark forested road awaited ahead.

“
Where, ah, where are we going?” she asked.

“
You’ll see soon enough.”

Harmony gripped the knife tighter. Lewis once told her a drive out to the country was a one-way trip. She’d be damned if she’d let it be so.

***

The shipyard, remote and eerily isolated despite it being only a few miles north of the harbor, was the best lead the men had. Romano understood why Mickey would choose this spot. Prohibition had bootleggers creatively handling the drops and storage of imports from the shores of Sicily, and as far as Ireland. Not that the cops wouldn’t hand over the product if it were seized, but that too could be costly for business. He’d received word Mickey Collins wanted a meeting in another hour. However, the messy matter of locating Mickey’s pirated stash would need to be done before any meeting occurred. He cast his gaze to the window as his car and those escorting him rode through the shipyard with the lights dimmed.

Antonio sat to his left fuming. His bloody nose had been tended to by Mabel. He wouldn’t allow a doctor to examine him. The evidence of their brawl was brutally evident. Purple and red bruises spread from his nostrils and extended to his swollen eyes.

The car stopped.

“
If this isn’t done tonight, I expect you to see it to the very end.” He cast his gaze over to Antonio. “You still want Harlem?”

The question took his little brother by surprise. Antonio tried to mask the interest in his eyes when he nodded his answer. Romano understood his brother’s need to be his own man. The others had overlooked Harlem, but since Madden opened The Cotton its allure had spiked the interest of a few.

“
Then earn it.”

Romano’s door opened. Jimmie held it for him. “Boss we should go in first. Make sure it’s the right drop spot…”

Gunfire exploded in the quiet night. Several windows from the warehouse lit with fiery blasts of bullets that rained down on Romano’s caravan. Jimmie was hit in the back. His eyes bulged as blood sprayed from his mouth. Antonio grabbed Vinnie back in the car. The others returned fire. But Antonio jumped to the front of the car. The windshield shattered. “Stay down Vinnie. We’ll get you out of here.”

Romano had no intention of staying down. He grabbed the Thompson submachine gun, what he and the boys called ‘the chopper’, from the bottom of the car and began to blast bullets in the direction of the fire-fight. His men would have to retreat. There was no advantage to claim. Romano however, wouldn’t relent no matter the mortal risk he placed himself in. Half of his body was out the window as he sprayed bullets in retaliation. He’d be damn if he did it crouched down like a coward.

The car swerved in a semi-circle and raced out of the open lot. Romano didn’t withdraw. He leaned out the car window with no regard to his own safety and fired until the gun clicked noisily emptying and he and his men were long away.

“
Fuck!” he shouted.

“
Mickey laid a trap. Oh shit! Oh shit! They got Jimmie.” Antonio half shouted, half whined. Romano breathed hard and heavy. He’d never forget the glazed look of shock and pending death in his friend’s eyes before he dropped. He shuddered with black rage.

“
How many cars behind us?” He asked Antonio, as he reloaded.

“
I counted about six when we drove out but I don’t know who was hit and who wasn’t.”

“
Head east. To the cabins in Woodbury. I need to see the men. Mickey Collins is a dead fucker. In fact every motherfucker he cares about is dead as well.”

In the country, at the dead of night, anything could happen. Harmony’s mind had played tricks on her since they dropped her off. She waited until her kidnappers left to venture out the front doors, and her heart sank. Dark black-forested acres of land surrounded the tiny cottage. A quarter of a mile up was a huge log house. She saw a car parked out front and wondered if Vinnie were held up there. Part of her wanted to march right up to the front door and demand he take her home. The smarter part of her prevailed and she went back inside.

The cold became too much. After an hour she searched the back and front porch for the woodshed. She found a measly supply and tied her showgirl dress up at the thighs to bring the logs in. She’d been to the country several times with Grams and knew how to start her own fire. Soon the heat blazing in the brick hearth warmed the chilly dread she felt herself wrapped in. For the remainder of the night she sat on the modest tan cloth sofa and stared at the fire, thinking of Willie and how terrified he must be.

Harmony heard cars. She jumped upright. Beams of light flooded the front window of the cottage.
Could the bastards who stole her away be returning?

The roar of the engines passing the cottage drew her. She remained closer to the shadows as she approached the window. When she eased aside the curtain she counted seven cars in total. Two of them had missing windshields.

“
What the hell is going on?” she said aloud.

The men parked and several got out. She watched as two men carried someone wounded from the car inside the other cabin as the others gathered around. It was too dark to make out one man over the other, but the way they circled she guessed Romano was among them. Now what should she do?

Harmony paced. Milo would be looking for her. Paulette probably alerted him when she never showed up. Neither would think to search for her here. And what of her brother? If she went missing Milo wouldn’t look for Willie, he’d waste energy on trying to rescue her, which most possibly would get them all killed. Harmony stopped pacing. The only way out of this mess would be through Romano. Though her first encounter with him had been unexpectedly nice, she had no delusions of his intentions now. She would have to fight and fight hard to survive. Harmony clenched the knife, sat, and waited.