Murder Takes Time (35 page)

“I had no choice. Do you know what they pay teachers—especially in Catholic schools?” She shook her head. “A single person can’t live on that.”

“We’ll get your money, and combined with mine, plus what the two of us make, we’ll be all right.” I drove in silence for a while, but then I couldn’t stand it. “Gina, you’ve been scared ever since I met you. Why don’t we put this to bed?”

“Meaning what?”

“You said you have the gun Tito gave Carlo?”

“It’s in the safe deposit with the money.”

“Let’s turn it in.”

Her head shook so hard I thought her neck would break. “No way. No goddamn way.”

“I know a detective in New York who can help.”

“I told Tito if he gave me the money I’d forget him.”

“The only way to stop Tito is to put him away. If he’s gone, nobody will be after you.”

“What about you?”

I thought for a minute. Didn’t want to lie to her, but… “They’d probably even forget me. The only one I offended was Tito, so I doubt anyone else is going to risk it.”

For maybe half an hour we drove in silence, then she shook her head. “I can’t do it, Nicky. I
won’t
do it.”

“No problem. I’ll take care of it.”

She laughed, then when it hit her what I was saying, she hit me. “Bullshit. You’re not doing that. No way I’m letting you go after Tito.”

“If he’s gone, we’re safe. It’s the only thing that makes sense.”

“I’ll leave if you do. I’ll flat out leave.” She rolled the window down, then up again. “Goddamnit, Nicky, I love you, but I’ll leave your ass if you try it.”

I kept silent after that. We didn’t bring up the subject of Tito that night, or the next day, but there was tension between us. About halfway home on Sunday, she blurted out, “All right. You win. Call your friend, and I’ll turn in the gun.” She only waited a second, then added, “But I’m not testifying; in fact, I don’t even want to meet him.”

I felt relieved for the first time in days. “Don’t worry. You won’t have to meet him or anyone else.”

“God, I hope so. Could this really be over?”

“You bet it could. Hell, it
is
over.”

A
FTER WE GOT HOME,
Gina was in a great mood, and I planned on keeping it that way. I called Bugs three times in the first two days but never got an answer. “I’ll get him tomorrow night,” I said, “no matter how many times I have to call.”

The next day, I went to work with a new sense of happiness. This was as good as life got. When I came home, Gina was sitting at the kitchen table with a letter in front of her. I saw the stern look before I recognized the torn corner of the envelope. An awful feeling grew inside me. Gina was holding the letter from Angie. As I approached, she waved it at me.

“What’s this?”

“Nothing.”

“
Nothing?
” There was venom in her voice. She could do that when she got angry. Especially when she was jealous.

I tried to be understanding. “It’s an old letter, Gina.”

“How old?”

“When I was in prison, back when I was maybe nineteen.”

She scoffed, turning her head. “It’s
nothing
, but you kept it all this time?”

I stared, resolve growing firmer. “It’s a memory—that’s all.”

She lowered her head and read part of the letter aloud. “‘Find me, please? No matter where I am, Nicky, Find me.’” Her voice was poison.

I reached for it, but she drew back, gripping it with both hands as if she would tear it.

I grabbed her. “You touch that and…”

“And what? You’ll kill me? Is that what you were going to say?” She yanked her arm away.

“No. It’s just—”

“Just what?”

I stared at her, but without hatred, and probably without enough love. “It’s a letter from a girl I knew a long time ago.” My head lowered again. “I’ve been a coward. Afraid to throw it away. So it sat in my briefcase, reminding me of my cowardice.” A tear came to my eyes. “It reminds me that Nicky the Rat ain’t shit.” With that, I went to the bedroom and flopped on the bed.

She didn’t come to me that night. When I got up in the morning, the letter was back where it belonged. I wanted to burn it. Shred it. What was I doing with my life? It had been so long since I felt anything.

Then came Gina.
I now had a life with a woman I loved…and I was going to let an old letter and a woman who didn’t give two shits about me ruin it?
Come on, Nicky.

I left without seeing Gina, but when I got home she was there, happy as a lark and acting as if nothing had happened. I went to her, took her beautiful face in my hands and kissed her softly. “I love you.”

“Nicky, I—”

I shook my head. “No. I love
you
, Mrs. Krasner.” I took out the letter and tore it up in front of her.

She tried stopping me. “You don’t have to do that.”

“I want to. It’s long past time for it.”

She kissed me again then laughed. “That’s a horrible name you picked out.
Krasner,
for God’s sake.”

I kissed her again. “If it’s your name, I’ll take it.”

She pushed me back. “I don’t know if I feel the same,
Richie.
”

I hugged her and squeezed. I thought about the letter Pops had left. About how much he had loved Sister Thomas, but how he had grown to love my mother. That struck a chord. I think Gina was like that. I
did
love her. Really did. And nothing was going to break us apart.

I headed toward the kitchen. “What’s for dinner?”

“Whatever you make,” she said. “And remember, you have to get hold of your friend Bugs tonight.”

CHAPTER 54

LATE-NIGHT CALL

9 Months Ago

F
rankie trudged up the steps, worn out from another long day dealing with frustrating people and even worse cases. He opened the door to the apartment, lighting a cigarette before he hit the kitchen. He felt sorry for Paulie, was worried about Nicky, and disgusted with Tony. Maybe he felt sorry for himself too. Tired of living the life he did.

A bottle of water accompanied him to the chair, where he sat in silence, pondering his situation. Pretty soon he fell asleep, not waking up until the phone rang. He looked at the clock—1:00 AM.
Who the fuck is calling this late?

“Hello.”

“Bugs?”

“Nicky. Is this you?”

“It’s me.”

“Where the hell are you? Where did you go?”

“I’m okay.”

“Okay? You had me worried to death, you prick. It’s been six months. Maybe more.”

“Sorry, Bugs. But listen. I need help.”

“Anything, name it.”

“I’m with a girl, and she’s in trouble.”

“What can I do?”

“Good old Bugs. You don’t even ask what I want, and you’re ready to help.”

“Friendship and honor, remember?”

“I always remember. Not many others do, though.” A slight pause, then, “Tito’s after her, Bugs. Tried killing her already.”

“Martelli?”

“Yeah.”

“Did you call the FBI? You know—”

“She doesn’t want that; besides, she has evidence that could put Tito away. This could be big for you. Bust Tito, and it makes a mark for your career.”

Bust Tito, and it puts a mark on my chest.

Frankie lit a smoke. “You know I don’t give a shit about that, but I
am
worried about you. If Tito’s after her, and if you’re protecting her, that means he’s after you.”

“Yeah, well, there’s more to it than I’m saying, but he’d like to have both of us, which is why we aren’t coming in.”

Frankie sucked hard on the cigarette, draining the life out of it.

“Still straining those smokes, huh?”

“Fuck you. But, yeah, I am. What do you mean, not coming in? Why did you call?”

“Like I said, she’s got evidence that could put Tito away. Murder. You want it or not?”

“What’s in it for you?”

“Getting him off her ass. Way I figure it, if he’s gone, nobody else will bother with her.”

Silence followed, then, “Where do we meet? Where are you?”

“No need for you to know that. And no need to meet. I’ll mail you the evidence and a statement. Do what you can with it.”

“Be better to have a live person.”

“Yeah, well, guess you’ll have to do without.”

“When can I expect it?”

“Within the week,” Nicky said. “Give me your address.”

“A week? Going somewhere else to mail it?”

Laughter, then, “Always said you were smart. Not as smart as The Brain, but smart.”

Bugs gave him the address, then said good night. “Take care, Nicky. I’ve got your back.”

“Me too, Bugs. Me too.”

No sooner had he hung up than Bugs thought of all the questions he hadn’t asked. Was this evidence Tito-specific, or would it affect his crew? Nicky didn’t say, and Bugs wondered if Tony or Paulie might get hurt. Some smart detective he was. He checked the caller ID but it had been blocked.

Now what? Why didn’t I ask Nicky what the evidence was? Shit, for that matter, why didn’t I ask Nicky about a lot of things?

T
HE NEXT MORNING
F
RANKIE
went to work as normal, then slipped out to the coffee shop down the street. He called Tony from the pay phone by the rest rooms, then ordered a plain coffee, took a booth, and waited. It didn’t take Tony long to get there.

Tony walked in, spotted Bugs and headed towards him, stopping to order coffee. He slid into the seat opposite Bugs. “What’s going on? Why the sudden meet?”

“Where’s Nicky?”

Tony raised his eyebrows. “How the hell do I know?”

“I know your friends in Brooklyn are looking for him.”

“No surprise there.”

Bugs leaned in close. “What I need is the truth. Why is Tito after Nicky and the girl?”

Tony sighed and ordered a drink. “She’s got something on Tito. I don’t know what, so don’t ask, but then she blackmailed him. And I mean big.” Tony took a sip of his drink. “Tito went nuts when she did that.” He looked around. “Here’s where it gets dicey, Bugs. You’re not going to like hearing this, but he hired somebody to do Nicky and her both.”

“What?”

“I swear on my mother’s eyes. Nicky took her on the run.”

Bugs leaned back and drained his coffee. “Fuck.”

“Yeah, fuck is right. Tito’s gonna kill both of them if he ever finds them. And there’s nothing I can do about it. That’s why I’ve been trying to find Nicky, to get word to him.”

Bugs sucked on a dry smoke, then ordered another coffee. Instinct warned him to keep quiet, but friendship told him differently. “If I were you, I’d distance myself from Tito.” He took a drink of water, rattled the ice in his glass, then continued. “I’m only here because of old times. No matter what, I don’t want to see you and Suit go to prison. Tito’s going down.”

Tony looked at him, suspicion evident in his narrowed eyes. “What’s this about? You talk to Nicky?”

“Why would you ask that? Why bring up Nicky if you don’t know anything?”

“Whoa, Bugs. Don’t get nervous. Just a guess, that’s all. Anyway, I appreciate the heads-up, but there’s no need to worry. Whatever you people are after Tito for, it can’t touch me.”

Frankie gave Tony his investigative stare. “You sure?”

“Absolutely positive,” Tony said, and smiled. “Me and Paulie are clean.” He laughed. “Maybe not
clean
, but clean enough.”

Tony picked up his coffee cup as if it were a drink to toast with. “Friendship and honor.”

“Friendship and honor,” Bugs said, and tapped his cup against Tony’s.

B
UGS AND
T
ONY LEFT
together then parted ways. By the time Tony hit the end of the block, he was on the phone. “Bobby, get our phone company guy. Tell him to get records of Frankie Donovan’s calls in the past few days. I want names if we can get them, but mostly I want locations. Got that?”

“Got it.”

Tony gave him Bugs’ phone number then hung up. Nicky had to have called him, and once he found out where Nicky had called from, it wouldn’t be hard to find him. All the way home, Tony worried, regretting his life and the choices he’d made. He felt sure there was some parable about a man who dug a hole too deep and couldn’t get himself out, but for the life of him he couldn’t think of it. And his life might depend on remembering that solution. If ever he needed Sister Thomas’ help, it was now. The hole he’d dug was so deep he couldn’t see the top.

CHAPTER 55