Frank Zafiro: Blood on Blood

I watched him go, disinterested. My thoughts were on the diamonds. I pushed my contempt for Jerzy, the burning hatred I had for Gar and the pain in my face and ribs to the edges of my mind and focused.

Gar was no fool. He had a wily street sense to him and a desperate edge in everything he did. He would have hidden the diamonds someplace smart. Like this safe deposit box. So did he have another one somewhere?

I didn’t think so. Gar didn’t trust anyone, especially institutions. And he knew the cops would do a bank search and get warrants for any boxes he had. It wasn’t like banking in Switzerland or the islands. They’d find it.

Unless he used a false name.

I thought about that idea, but eventually dropped it. Gar was smart enough to use a fake name but it went against his nature. Everything he did was loud, designed to show the world how cagey he was, how tough. Even his crimes were visible to the neighborhood. He found a way to make it known to the people while keeping the police and their probable cause at bay. Another one of his talents.

What about hiding the earrings with a person? A woman, maybe.

That made me think of Ania. Reflexively, I took out my cell phone and almost flipped it open to call her. But I hesitated. I had to finish this first. Besides, without the earrings, Jerzy had no reason to worry about her talking to the police or anyone else.

Hell, she didn’t strike me as the kind of woman who would wilt under a little investigative pressure, anyway. But her kind was rare, man or woman. And I doubted Gar had a woman he trusted that much. Like I said, he didn’t trust anyone. He didn’t love anyone.

Except…

Holy shit.

I shook my head slightly as the thought struck me. A moment later, it was still there and became almost a certainty.

Of course.

Why hadn’t I thought of this before?

I hustled out of the bank and waved down a taxi. The first one blew past me, but the next one stopped. Before I got in, I glanced down two blocks toward Picco’s. A couple of marked police cruisers were still in front of the place, but no one seemed interested in me.

I slid into the back seat and closed the door.

“Where to, mister?”

“Saint Anthony’s,” I said.

Jerzy

When I come out of the bank, I’m royally pissed off. I just stand there for a second trying to settle the hell down, then I lean against the polished marble wall and light up a smoke.

The old bastard. The son of a bitch I always tried to impress, always tried to make proud, he’d managed to really screw us over. Well, screwed me over, because Hero in there wasn’t ever going to get those earrings, anyway.

A cop siren chirps twice, real short like they do to get somebody’s attention, and then whoops again a third time. It was on my right, down the street, and I look down in the direction of Picco’s. There was still two patrol cars down there with a small huddle of people and gawkers standing around.

There are three cops, hands on hips, talking to each other and not having a fucking clue as to what the hell happened. Well, I won’t be going back in there anytime soon. It helps my mood a little when I think about Kiwi, or Kiki, or whatever the hell that skank’s name was. I hope that bitch is still laid out. Speaking of that, I’m a little banged up myself after me and Mick got into it. My right hand hurts like a mother after popping him so hard and I’m pretty sure my jaw is fucked up a little.

I take a last drag and toss it. One thing for sure, though. I know Mick is worse off than me. He ain’t feeling too fucking fresh right now.

So yeah, I’m screwed on the earrings, but I got a bucket of cash from Patrik waiting at the hotel and a smoking hot blonde that will follow me wherever the hell I go. And we’re definitely going. Somewhere. Like tomorrow. California for a while maybe. Florida, maybe. Hell I don’t really know where and really don’t care.

I head to the car, which is only about six cars down. As I’m going, I keep an eye on Picco’s but the sidewalk is crowded and I’m not really worried about it. I get in, start the car and almost put the car in gear but then I figure I’ll call Ania first just to check in and tell her I’m on my way.

I punch in her number and she answers on the second ring.

“Hey, babe.”

“Hey, I’ve been waiting for you to call, hoping you would.” She sounds scared but relieved. “Did…did you get the jewelry or whatever it was you told me about last night?”

“No, but it don’t matter.”

“Was there trouble? Jerzy, are you alright? Are you okay?” She sounds like she’s on the verge of getting all hinky again.

“No trouble, babe. Just didn’t work out. I got a boatload of money at the Hilton for us, though. We’re outta here. Kissing this fucking town goodbye just like we talked about. How’s that sound?”

“Like a dream, Jerzy.” There was a pause on her end. Then, “I need you here, baby.”

“On my way. We’ll check out of that dump as soon as I get there.”

“Hurry okay? I want you here with me and I want this over.”

“It will be. We’ll stay at the Hilton tonight then catch a flight, first class, in the morning. Or maybe we play it tricky and drive out. Make it look like we flew somewhere. We’re golden either way, Ania. Just me and you, somewhere warm, huh?”

“You’re all I’ve ever wanted since we met. Hurry, Jerzy.”

“Think about where you want to go. I will too, then we’ll decide.”

“I love you, Jerzy.”

I look at the phone for a second and I’m feeling like a kid again. Like I feel all the time with her. I knew she was trouble from the start but I also knew I didn’t care. This is what I need right now and it feels good.

I put the phone away, slide some shades on and put the Lincoln in reverse. After I look behind me and back up a little, I look forward while I’m cranking the wheel to ease out of the parking spot.

Straight ahead, I just happen to glance at the Bank again and here comes Hero out of the front door. I see him real clear and it’s all like slow motion or something. The people on the sidewalk just seem to part so I can see him. Like he’s the only guy standing there. Almost like this was meant to be for some reason. There’s a voice in my head saying I’m supposed to be seeing him right now, right here.

Something is up here. I can see it, I can feel it. I know it.

He just stands there for a second. Then he grimaces a little and puts a hand to his side. There is something in his face though, his eyes. Something urgent. He starts waving at a taxi and it blows right by him. His hand goes to his side again but his eyes are big and he’s definitely excited about something.

A car honks behind me, but that’s nothing new in this town and nobody pays any attention, including me. The car is waiting for me to pull out of the space so he can park. Well, fuck you, your ass can wait because I got something going on here. Don’t know what it is, but it’s something.

Hero starts waving again like a crazy fucker and steps off the curb, right in front of another cab.

The light up the block changes though and traffic slows anyway. The taxi stops for the traffic as much as it does for him but Mick throws the door open and hops in.

The taxi jerks forward, stops and goes again, brake lights going on and off. The cab driver is trying to wedge himself between cars and cheat up in traffic the way they do.

What the fuck is going on here? I knew he was thinking about something up in that viewing room. Then he comes busting ass out here and all but dives into a cab.

It takes me about two seconds to decide what I’m going to do. The asshole behind me that’s honking and waiting for the space is giving me a good block. He’s giving me an opening to just pull right out onto the street and I take it. There are three cars between me and Mick’s cab. The light changes and the traffic crawls forward.