Chapter 12

Noble walked along the dimly lit East River Promenade toward the Williamsburg Bridge with his hoodie pulled down low over his head as he scanned the various benches along the waterfront in search of a familiar face. It had been years since he'd last seen the guy and still couldn't get over how easy it had been to track him down again...creature of habit, he supposed. That and business was probably still good.

Noble was under the bridge but the time he finally spotted the slouched form of his old acquaintance, sitting in the shadows and throwing side-long glances at passersby in between scrolling through something on his smartphone. "Richie," he called out as he neared the waiting man.

The dealer squinted at the approaching figure, thinking he was imagining things when he recognized the voice he never thought he'd ever hear again. "Noble?" he gasped as Sanfino lowered his hoodie, sending the man a bright, smug smile in return while taking a seat next to him on the park bench. "Jesus. What are you doing back in New York?" he asked with wide eyes. He felt like he was seeing a ghost. The guy's hair was noticeably lighter, even in the darkness, but it was definitely him; he'd never forget the guy that nearly killed him.

"Just temporarily," Noble replied. "I had some unfinished business to attend to." That was about as far as he was wiling to go with his old buddy.

"You really are a crazy son of a -" Richie blurted out, knowing it was suicidal for Noble to be seen around these parts, but the guy always did seem to have a death wish, saved repeatedly from whatever messes he got himself into by his uncle. That would most certainly not be the case anymore and hadn't been for a long time.

"Hey, watch it now, Richie," Noble warned. "Don't go insulting my poor mother."

Richie couldn't help getting nervous around the man that had landed him in the hospital because he'd sold him bad mash once, but he quickly reminded himself that he no longer had the backing of his crime family. "I just mean...I heard you disappeared after everything went down with your family. Rumor was they wanted you gone before they all got pinched."

"Yeah, yeah," Noble sighed, "and probably a lot more now, right?"

"Uh, yeah, I guess," Richie confirmed and narrowed his eyes as he stared back at Noble, wondering what he was up to and thinking that the bastard was still as crazy as ever...maybe more so.

"That's why you're going to keep your trap shut, right, buddy? You don't want a repeat of the past," he warned not so subtly.

A flash of anger ran through Richie. Who exactly did Noble think he was these days?

Noble chuckled when he saw the man tense at his implied threat. "Come on! Come on, man! You're not still holding a grudge over that whole mess, are you? I mean, the way I see it, I still made out a whole lot worse than you did. I almost OD'd and had a thirty day stint in rehab. You?" Noble reached out to playfully slap Richie on the arm. "You just rode out your high at the hospital for a few days and went home."

"If that's the way you want to see it," Richie replied as he looked down both sides of the walkway.

"Come on, Richie!? No hard feelings, man! I mean that was eons ago. You gotta learn to let things go," Noble said, chuckling to himself because he couldn't seem to take his own advice.

"Yeah."

Noble was done with this trip down memory lane. It was time to get to business because he had plans now that the peep show was over. "So, you got the stuff I asked for?"

"Yeah, I got it. You got my money?" Richie fired back.

"Yeah," Noble sighed, hating that he couldn't negotiate the price, there was no time for that and he didn't need to frazzle Richie more than he already had. "I can't believe what you charge for retail," he commented as he pulled a wad of cash out of his pocket and handed it over. "I mean, your prices here are crazy, but that's New York for ya, huh?" Noble marveled over what he could make if he ran his little business in New York City. What he made off the college kids was really chump change in comparison.

Richie thumbed through the bills before reaching into his backpack and pulling out a clear plastic bag with an assortment of drugs. "I guess it depends on where you're coming from."

"Uh, uh. Can't tell you that, Richie, but nice try. I'm sure you'll be a pal and forget you ever saw me. I'll be gone before you know it anyway," he cautioned.

"Well, that's some party you're planning. Hope it ends well," Richie commented as he watched Noble inspect the contents of the bag, thinking back to what happened to him the last time he had that particular combination.

"Absolutely," Noble laughed as he shoved his purchase into the pocket of his hoodie. "Well, Richie, it's been good seeing you again, man, but I really gotta run. Take care of yourself," he said as he stood to go back in the direction he'd come from. Noble was eager to grab the few things he needed from his ratty hotel room and set up in a new location were he could lay in wait for the right time to surprise Jamie Reagan yet again.

Richie watched him go for a few moments before starting any attempts to follow. He reached into his pocket for his cell phone and placed a call, knowing there were still people around he could gain favor with by telling them Noble Sanfino was back in the city. "Hey, you'll never believe who I just saw..." he said as he started to make his way down the waterfront.


Several hours later, an overly-flirtatious Noble was escorting a young lady home from the bar where they had met up. "Jesus, Leah, you're driving me nuts in that dress," he growled as he pulled the woman who'd provided him with so much fun and, more importantly, unlimited access to the Reagans' building over the last several weeks to a stop for a rather public display of affection. He'd spotted the unmarked police car parked across the street from the apartment building as soon as they'd rounded the corner - he could always make a cop...well, okay, not always, but he was working on making that right. It was time to put on a show as the handsy boyfriend who couldn't wait to get his hot girlfriend behind closed doors.

The redhead giggled as her new love interest embraced her, his hands roaming over almost every inch of her body her body as he took her lips in a smoldering kiss that had her forgetting for a moment that they were on a public street. "Eric," Leah gasped as she forced herself to pull out of the kiss. "We're almost back at my place," she said with a dazed nod to her building.

"I can't help it, baby," Noble pouted as he walked arm in arm with Leah toward the building and dipped his head to kiss her cheek, keeping his face turned away from the officers keeping watch while simultaneously tugging on his hat. "It's taking forever to get you home."

Leah giggled with absolutely no idea of how she was being used. Noble had first spotted the voluptuous redhead leaving the building when he was still scoping out the place. He was immediately attracted to her and knew she would be his ticket in. It wasn't hard to sweet talk her into a first date and then into her bed. What Noble hadn't anticipated was that Leah would be Jamie's next door neighbor; he couldn't believe his damn luck! That allowed him to have a little more fun with his old friend while he quite literally had fun with his new girl. Noble was thrilled at the prospect of having Jamie within his grasp and could have put the final part of his plan into action weeks ago, but it was too tempting to watch the newlyweds on the feed, then to throw it in his face and see him squirm as a result was too fantastic an opportunity to let pass. So he continued to make Leah swoon in his presence, fashioning himself as quite the catch in her eyes so that he was a repeat invitee to her apartment.

Noble smirked as he draped himself around Leah as she opened the front door to the building...maybe the cops weren't so stupid after all. He didn't expect for them to be watching the place since he had been the one to break the news to Jamie that he'd been in and out of there several times. Noble had been hoping they would think he wouldn't return to the scene of the crime. It might make his final plans more complicated as it now became unclear as to whether or not Jamie and his wife would return to their apartment. But Noble had grown to be quite patient ever since he'd discovered Jimmy Riordan's true identity. It was probably time to make himself an overnight guest at Leah's place. Lucky for him he came prepared, as Noble hooked his thumb around the strap of the gym bag hanging across his shoulder.


Anyone want to guess what Noble's plan is now?