I was never much of a scout. I'd always tie the wrong knot, touch the wrong leaves, get lost in the woods and draw skunks to the camp. Never one to really lead in any big way and I guess my life speaks to that now. I felt my luck trying to change, in a bad way – as usual.
In the beginning she wanted me gone but then forced me to stay. Downright confusing dames are. If they aren't damsels in distress then they're hard cases with guns and that doesn't seem right to me.
"You did promise."
"You did pull me back in."
"What are you doing?"
"Telling the story."
"Well make it clean and clear, will ya."
"You mean dry and boring?"
"Do it ya big lug!"
"You know what...Men want gentleness."
"If you will recall the bank robbery in which I hand delivered the robber to the police."
"You threw the robber through the plate glass window and he landed right at the feet of the cops. Come on, that guy couldn't even pronounce his name."
"I didn't break his neck did I?"
"Men want sweetness."
"Sweets for the sweet. I had a lollipop in my mouth, like the sweet gal that I am."
"If I remember correctly, you removed the sucker from your pretty little lips to spit curses and foul language at a man that was unconscious."
"Men want beauty...a thing of perfection."
"A center shot like a bulls-eye on the back of a gunner's head, it doesn't get any more beautiful than that. I suggest you get on with it, since the story has changed hands.
"Gladly!"
It was nearing midnight; we'd got all the information out of Wes that we could get. In his drunkenness he decided to follow us and then give us the slip when he caught word of a special poker game. When we finally caught up with him, we saw him pouting in the corner instead of sitting at the table. Sam saw a long legged Johnny sitting with his mistress of the night and decided to ask questions.
"Cut...cut...that was not a Johnny and his mistress! That was a well-known respectable man and his wife! For the sake of my life, just stick to the story."
"I'm trying to add some flair and color here."
"Just keep it straight in black and white, please."
"Don't shake your head at me, I can spin a good yarn."
"Did you just laugh at yourself? You're fired!"
"Whaat? No...come on just give me a chance. Please?"
"Alright, but get it together."
"Great!"
We took in the atmosphere see....to make sure we weren't being tailed see...
"What did I say? No flair, black and white. What are you doing?"
"Like Segal...yeah?"
"No."
"Wetookintheatmospheretomakesureweweren'tbeingtailed."
"What are you doing?"
"Tellingthestoryinthemostboringwaypossiblecausethat'swhatyouwant."
"Fired! You get the picture, huh – watching our backs to make sure we didn't have any unwanted attention."
Everyone's eyes were on the two in the center of the room. My jaw dropped. I recognized one from an old pendant my mother gave me when I was a girl, it was St. Michael himself and the other was a character we all caught wind of from time to time. He was hunched over the table with a patch over his right eye, long sharp nails scraping the wood and the stench of sulfur filling our nose.
"Hey, Jones –what's the take?"
"You ain't gonna believe it." He pointed over at the bar. What we saw was one plate with a divine brownie on it.
"A brownie?"
"No, whoever EATS the brownie."
Just as the word brownie slid off his lips – I saw Wes, sliding through the crowd of people standing around watching. He went up to the bar and eyed the brownie. I was about to go over to him and tell him not to, but found that I couldn't move or scream. Only speak at the level I was already at which was a whisper.
Tony tried to call out to him but found he couldn't either. Just then the devil looked up from the game and tipped his hat at us. Half of the bar went into a prayer while Tony and I just stood watching the scene.
The devil raised the ante, Wes picked up the brownie and my stomach clenched. The archangel met his raise, and then put a little more on the table. Wes sniffed the brownie and I tried to yell to him not to eat it.
Michael shot a few words in my direction, "Where is your faith?" I stopped trying to yell then said my own prayer to The Lord, that we would all get out safe, that he make my job a little easier and that this game end soon. The devil stood at the side of the table and told the angel to "show'em". It was as if the entire room took a deep breath in unison. The only noise to be observed was the sound of Wes biting into the brownie then savoring its goodness.
We all watched as the devil jumped ahead of Michael to lay his cards down on the table. A full house: three 6's and two Queens. He made to leave the table and found himself stuck like we all were. Michael flexed his back a bit, popped his neck and lay down his hand.
A four of a kind: four 7's and a King.
"Well now I know not to play cards against Michael, looks like he's a winner every time."
"I'll say."
"You'll say what?"
"What?"
"Gotcha!"
"Ugh!"
Wes finished off the brownie and we all eyed the angel and the demon. The demon made the first move pulling his pistol and taking aim for any one he struck. Bullets flew through the air and shells fell to the floor but none of us has so much as a knick on us. The archangel's wings had been flared, deflecting the bullets that rang out. We were saved.
"Ever have a moment where you question whether or not you're in God's good graces?"
"Maybe a time or two."
"Well NORMAL people do."
"Your point?"
"Why didn't you duck?"
"He's St. Michael...come on. Do we need to stop by a church after we leave here or what?"
"Maybe...I need I give thanks in a formal and proper way."
"Fine, we'll go."
"One thing though ..."
"Hush, ask later."
"But... it pertains to..."
"Later!"
"Alright."
The devil high tailed it out of there while everyone else in the room, stood up trying to get their bearings. Michael spun on a dime and walked over to me. He gave me a bit info that would help us out and I was glad to have it.
"So what'd he say?"
"To keep you out of trouble and to head to the docks."
Just then we saw Michael and several other men head out towards De Blasio's place. As soon as they stepped out into the night, they disappeared.
"What? Why the docks?"
"Cause that's where they have the best clams in the city."
"But what does that have to do with my case?"
"Plenty."
"Well how will we ever know who sent those mugs out to get me?
"We do know, sort of."
"Wait, how?"
"Look, in all your dealings with Wes has he ever let you in on anything?"
"No."
"Has he ever worked with a partner?"
"No. As far as I know, he was never an "us" type of guy."
"Right."
Just when I thought he'd caught on....
"So are you saying it was Wes?"
"No...it was"
"Wait ...Rewind...Why don't you tell him what St. Mike said."
"Hush..."
"Don't you think it's pertinent, right now?"
"I told them!"
"You only said half."
"How do you know?"
"It just feels like you're leaving things out. "
'Well go ahead and fill them in".
"I can't, he didn't talk to me and nothing makes sense..."
"And you think..."
"I think Michael told you what to do and because you like doing things your own way, you did them the way you wanted."
"Kid, if angels show up and tell you to lay low – don't you think you oughtta do it?"
"Well I guess."
"Is it okay now..."
"Yeah."
Of all the places and all the scenes he could've walk into, it had to be mine. We left the game room and went on our way towards the docks. Quiet and hearing the depth of our silences. Me? I was mulling things over – thinking about how close to danger we'd come and how our lives were spared in an instant. Him? He let me know....
"So you think it was De Blasio..."
"Yes."
"Why?"
"He doesn't like being told no."
"That can't be all..."
"It is. No one knows how and why the mind of a man works like that. Sometimes people are the worst monsters we can imagine. Think back Tony...What was the last good thing that man has ever done for anyone else, let alone this city?"
"Nothing ever."
"And what happens to people that don't give him what he wants?"
"They disappear."
"I imagine there's a lot more than fishes swimming in the Hudson...from here to the East River. "
"I used to swim in the Hudson."
"I saw those chills. You gonna be alright?"
"Yeah, so what other things could be his motive?"
"Well seeing as how you work the vault and refused him and how your bank manager is in on it as well – that didn't leave him any options. You are the only one with the key and numbers...am I right?"
"Really, over refusal when he could just blow the bank vault and get what he wants?"
"He likes to run a well-oiled machine."
"He's killed over less."
I stopped, thinking on a situation from way back – back when I first started the P.I. business. He made mention earlier of a husband I didn't have. De Blasio was the reason I didn't. Years ago, he was all over me, wanting me to head up his gangs. He wanted a right hand man and found a woman that fit the bill. Only I don't do crime or crime syndicates. So because I said no and warned him off – he took the closest one to me. A fiancé. Never quite recovered from it – and every time I hear De Blasio's name come up in conversation my trigger finger itches.
"Ms. Samantha... you're a million miles away."
"No, just around the corner and down the block."
"Ms. Samantha, is something wrong? I mean I know I talk a lot but it's only because I'm nervous. To be honest, I can't wait till this is all over with."
"Consider it over...look."
We both looked on towards De Blasio Hotel & Casino across the river. It was burning to the ground and we were far away from harm. I heard the guy take a huge sigh of relief. I chuckled, the first sign of amusement all night.
"It's Midnight...and we're on the docks."
"Ms. Samantha – men like De Blasio don't get their hands dirty do they?"
"I'm afraid not."
"So then, if he ordered my death...the best one to do it would have been..."
"Yep." I lit up a cigarette and listened to him as he began to catch on; pretty smart for a "civvie".
He turned around and walked away to go and kick an empty fish bucket. He cursed under his breath and sat down with his head in his hands. He looked nice and torn, much like how I felt inside. I remember the first and last time I told De Blasio no. It was around midnight on this very same dock, funny how things come back around. Not far from where we were standing was the spot I saw it all happen that night.
"You know Tony, I haven't been quite as forthcoming as I usually am."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean...there was someone – long ago. Someone I fancied. We were to be married."
"Oh that's really none of my business."
"It is, it may help you to understand why I'm taking a bit of joy in watching an empire burn to the ground."
"Ms. Samantha, I think the entire city is smiling right now."
"Just listen okay. That brute took my everything away from me. He scarred me deep. Five years ago on this very same dock – I watched a man murder my fiancé, Dominick Trenton. It was around midnight and we were here watching the fireworks over the water when De Blasio stepped out of the shadows and let us know he'd been following us. It was all my fault. Had a kept my temper in check, he might still be here. I slapped him hard in the face after he insinuated that I was one of Nick's floozies, that I was about to be a part of his mob and the other things I'd rather not speak of."
"We both know that man wouldn't have spared you any mercy."
"That's true. I pulled my gun from my holster and took a shot at him and missed. De Blasio drove his knife deep into Nick's chest and sent him sailing off the docks. We never recovered the body. I couldn't even bury him. I ended up grazing him with a shot and had to duck the hailstorm of bullets that rang out. I hid in there. One of the empty shipping crates that was laying open on the opposite side until the smoke cleared."
"I'm so sorry Ms. Samantha."
"You know what he said as he left, after the shots stopped? -
I told you Ms. Stone, I always get what I want and when I don't people suffer. He's with the Hudson fishes now. It's best you remember what happened here, so that there's no chance of repeating it.
Thing is, I haven't be able to forget it."
"Then I wrapped my big arms around her and drew her into me and I made a promise that if anything like that were to happen that night, I'd protect her. We shared a moment there on the docks, one that defines our relationship now."
"Beautiful. I didn't know you had it in you."
"There's a lot you have yet to witness."
"Hubba hubba."
After being awakened from my past I had to ask a question that was plaguing me, why would the archangel have possibly wanted to meet at midnight on the docks and as if he'd heard my thoughts he came walking tall and strong through the fog. I startled. If I hadn't have known better, I'd have said the outline of him looked just like .....
"Nick!"