The Legacy (19 page)

No, thanks.

The man behind the desk lit a cigarette, then nodded at the others crowded in the doorway. Frankie and Sal, go get things ready, he ordered. Make sure the employees are out of there.

Cole felt perspiration beginning to build beneath his clothes as he watched Frankie and Sal disappear.

The man behind the desk took a long drag from the cigarette, then exhaled. My names Mad Dog.

Probably, Cole speculated, because of a very rotten disposition. Hello, Mr. Dog, he answered.

Mad Dog snickered. Youre not going to be quite so cocky in a little while. You owe us a lot of money, Cole.

Which I intend to pay you very soon.

Almost a hundred and fifty thousand dollars, including interest, Mad Dog continued.

Cole performed several quick calculations. I guess it wouldnt do any good to point out that the interest rate youre charging me violates every usury statute on the books.

Mad Dog smiled. No, it wouldnt.

I didnt think so. Cole cleared his throat. Look, I can put together twenty-five thousand dollars by this time tomorrow.

Dont lie to me.

Cole glanced up. Huh?

Youve got two hundred and twelve dollars in your only account at Citibank and your credit cards are all but maxed out, Mad Dog said. The monthly after-tax amount of your salary wouldnt keep me in cigarettes for a week, and I dont believe anyone is going to lend you a dime.

Well

We need to work out a payment schedule, Mad Dog declared.

Frankie leaned into the office. Everythings ready.

Mad Dog didnt take his eyes from Cole. And we need to make you understand that were serious.

I know youre

Mad Dog held up his hand. I want you to follow these gentlemen.

Cole glanced up at Frankie, then at Sal, who was looking over Frankies shoulder, then back at Mad Dog. Look, I

Before he could finish, Cole felt himself being lifted from the chair. Then he was in the hallway again, being hustled forward. He knew they had no intention of killing him, but he also knew that whatever Frankie and Sal had prepared was going to involve pain.

A left turn, a right, another right and the group moved into a large deserted shop area, its walls lined with tools. The men thrust Cole into a chair against the cinderblock wall, grabbed his right wrist, handcuffed it to a ring bolted to the wall a foot above his head, then locked his left wrist beneath a curved metal latch bolted onto a table next to the chair. The latch fit so snugly over his wrist that Cole could barely move his hand. He gazed down at his fingers. He had a good idea of what was coming, and the thought of it almost made him physically ill.

Mad Dog sat down in a chair facing Cole. He took another drag from the cigarette and smiled. Now it gets real.

I can get the money. Cole tried to remain calm, but perspiration was pouring down his face. I get my bonus in January, only six weeks from now. He saw Frankie taking down a huge pair of bolt cutters from the wall. Im not kidding! His heart was suddenly racing.

I cant wait six weeks, Mad Dog replied.

Frankie moved to the table, took the little finger of Coles left hand in his meaty paw and snapped it hard, straight away from the wrist. Pain shot up Coles arm as the finger went numb, and he bit down on his lower lip to keep from screaming.

Mad Dog nodded at Coles finger, now sticking out from his hand at a strange angle. We do that for two reasons, he said, as if he were a professor of medicine guiding a group of interns through a tricky procedure. It makes cutting it off easier, because now you cant move it around. And now its numb, so you wont feel as much pain when it comes off.

Thanks a lot.

Mad Dog nodded at Frankie. Cole, the arrangement will be ten thousand dollars a month for the next three years. No more, no less. Do you understand?

Yes.

Frankie took Coles finger and slipped it between the bolt cutters sharp blades.

Today we are going to remove the finger that Frankie has inserted in the bolt cutters. Miss a payment, Mad Dog warned, and well take off the little finger on your right hand. Miss another one, you lose the thumb on your left hand. You get the picture, dont you?

Unfortunately.

Mad Dog took one last drag from the cigarette, dropped it to the floor and stamped it out. He smiled as he blew the smoke into Coles face.

Cole stared at the mobster. This was one of those times in life where you just had to suck up your fear and get through a horrible situation the best you could. What the hell are you waiting for? he asked as he drew a deep breath and clenched his teeth.

Tough guy, huh? The mans smile disappeared. Tell you what. Well cut off two fingers today. Then well see how tough you are.

Put down the bolt cutters.

The mobsters whipped around.

Bennett Smith stood in the shop doorway aiming his .44 directly at Mad Dog. Im a federal agent, he said calmly. That man you have handcuffed to the wall is being sought by the Department of Justice as a potential witness with respect to a high-profile case which has absolutely nothing to do with any of you or any operations with which you may be involved. And I personally dont care what youre involved in. Do you understand what Ive just said?

Frankie reached for his gun. Bennett smoothly turned the .44 on the man, squeezed the trigger and nailed him through the wrist. Frankie dropped to his knees and his.38 flew through the air, clattering against the far wall.

You stupid sonofabitch! Mad Dog snarled at Frankie, who was writhing on the floor, clutching his wrist.

Any more of that and Ill start shooting at everybody! Bennett yelled. And well see whos standing at the end. Sal backed up against the wall, hands raised, as Bennett aimed at him. Then Ill rip this damn warehouse apart and take the temperature of the goods I find, Bennett yelled even louder. My guess is, theyll all be hot.

Theres no reason for any of that, Mad Dog assured Bennett quickly. For all he knew, the guy with the blond hair had nothing to do with the federal government. But there could be an army of federal agents outside the warehouse, too, and he wasnt going to take that chance. You can have him. Mad Dog snapped his fingers at Sal. Unlock him.

Seconds later Cole was free from the latch and the handcuffs.

Get over here! Bennett ordered.

Cole moved quickly across the floorstepping around Frankie, who was bleeding badlyuntil he was standing next to Bennett.

Let me see the guns! Bennett demanded.

The mobsters glanced at each other but didnt move.

Come on! One at a time, and take them out slowly.

Reluctantly, they removed their pistols from their shoulder holsters.

Throw them over here. Bennett pointed at the ground in front of his boots.

The men slid the guns across the smooth floor.

Now your cell phones.

The men removed cell phones from their pockets and slid the phones across the floor as well.

Get everything, Mr. Egan, Bennett instructed, acting as if they were not well acquainted. Put it all in that bag. Bennett pointed at a bag hanging from the wall.

Obediently Cole gathered the guns and the phones and placed them in the bag.

Put the bag outside the door.

Cole did as he was ordered, then returned to Bennetts side.

Now what seems to be the problem? Bennett asked.

I owe them some money, Cole answered quietly.

Gambling money?

Cole hesitated. Yes.

Just like your damn father, Bennett muttered under his breath.

Hey, I dont think thats

Shut up, Bennett growled. How much do you owe them?

Bennett was talking to him as if he were an immature adolescent, and it made Cole furious, as it had when his uncle had admonished him as a teenager. His uncle had no right to talk to him that way and neither did Bennett. Only a father had that right. I owe them plenty.

How much? Bennett yelled.

But for the second time in as many weeks Bennett was risking his own life to pry Cole out of a bad situation. Now was no time to be arrogant. A hundred and fifty thousand dollars, he admitted.

Jesus Christ, Bennett grumbled, shaking his head. Slowly he reached into his overcoat and produced a thick money clip. He tossed it at Mad Dog, who snagged it cleanly out of the air. Theres seven thousand dollars in that clip. I want your assurance that Mr. Egan will not be required to make another payment until the first of February. Not until hes had a chance to get that bonus I heard him telling you about. When he gets it, I want him to be able to pay off his entire debt in one lump sum. I dont want it stretching out. And there will be no more interest accrued between now and February. Do we have an understanding?

Yeah, Mad Dog agreed.

If I find out that our understanding has been violated, I will bring the federal government down on you as hard as I can. And Ill put it out on the street that youre my personal informant. Bennett pointed directly at Mad Dog. That you have been providing the government with information about your familys activities for several years.

Hey! The ploy worked perfectly. Mad Dogs fear was obvious and immediate. Dont start that!

If he isnt hassled, Bennett gestured at Cole, everything will be fine.

Mad Dog dropped the money clip in his shirt pocket. Like I said. No problem.

Good. Bennett glanced at Cole. Get outside. Bennett stalked to the far wall, ripped the rooms only phone off the wall, made certain it no longer worked and moved back to the doorway. He closed the door, locked it, jammed a thin piece of wood between the bottom of the door and the floor, picked up the bag full of guns and phones, then turned and began running. Come on, Cole.

Cole needed no urging. He sprinted after Bennett, who raced down a long hallwaypausing only long enough to hurl the bag of guns and phones behind several boxesthen burst through a metal door on the far side of the building from where the men had brought Cole. They jumped into Bennetts rented Ford Taurus parked just outside the door and peeled away. Not until they had crossed the Brooklyn Bridge and were back in Manhattan did they begin to breathe normally.

Finally Bennett pulled the car to a stop in front of a deli and jammed the gearshift into park. What the hell was that all about? Bennetts face and neck were bloodred, still flushed from the confrontation at the warehouse.

I told you, Cole said, rubbing his swollen little finger, I owe them gambling money.

Nothing else? Bennett was seething.

For the first time Cole caught a glimpse of a mercurial temper simmering just beneath Bennetts fair skin. No.

Bennett gazed at Cole, one eyebrow raised, as if he didnt believe what Cole had said.

I swear to you. An odd expression crossed Coles face. Oh, wait a minute. You thought all that was about the Dealey Tape.

Was it? Bennett wanted to know.

Christ, you thought they were trying to get it from me to keep it from becoming public. The realization set in.

Were they?

No!

If that tape became public, the Mafia would come under intense scrutiny, Bennett pointed out. You know as well as I do that the federal government would have to open up the investigation into the assassination all over again. The Mafia would certainly be one of the entities investigated. Federal agents would be crawling all over them again. The Mafia has done its best to maintain a low profile over the last few years.

That was true, Cole realized. Since John Gotti had been put away, the Mafia had gone quiet again.

The last thing Mafia bosses want is federal investigators back in their boxer shorts.

Cole shook his head. Look, I ran up a tab at one of their Brooklyn casinos. What happened back at the warehouse has nothing to do with the Dealey Tape.

Dont bet on it. Bennett set his jaw.

Youre crazy. I went to the casino on my own. Nobody took me to He stopped short. He was about to say that no one had taken him to the casino, but that wasnt entirely true. The corporate bond trader had steered him to the casino that night. But it was insane to think the whole thing had been prearranged, to think that Mad Dog and his crew had any idea the Dealey Tape even existed.

What were you going to say? Bennett demanded.

Nothing. There was no reason to bring up the fact that the trader had taken him to the Blue Moon. It would only arouse irrelevant suspicions. What in the hell were you doing out there anyway? Not that I wasnt glad to see you.

Bennett relaxed into the car seat. I told you. Your father was worried you might run into trouble after you went to that safe deposit box. I told him Id make sure you remained unharmed.

But I dont have the tape anymore. The guy with the scar got it. You know that.

I do, but maybe some people dont.

Cole stared at Bennett for a few seconds. What do you mean by that?

I think the woman you picked up at the Kro Bar drugged you. She probably went through your cabin after you passed out, searching your possessions.