From my place, it's about a three block walk to the docks. Messer and I are goin' to check out the boat. Taylor and Ross are going to take care of the fellas outside. We tell them we've got a warrant. If they take off, then we got every right to arrest 'em. Far as we're concerned, they run, they guilty. I gotta admit, I'm a little worried about Ross. The kid's so green he'll bend, not break. But I trust him to keep his head.
We stop just outside the entrance to the East River docks. "This is where we go our separate ways, fellas," I say. I look at the two NYPD officers. "You boys take care of yourselves, all right?"
"You too," Taylor tells me. He shakes my hand before we go. Then he and Ross go one way, and Messer and I take the other. We wait behind a pile of fishing nets and watch as Taylor approaches the two guys on guard. I recognize one of them from the Blackjack.
"NYPD," Taylor announces. "We've got a warrant."
"Yeah?" the one asks. He pulls a gun. "Let's see it.
Then Ross steps up next to him, gun to the thug's temple. "Drop the gun and we'll show it to you," he suggests. I grin- the kid's got potential.
"All right, Messer. That's our cue. Let's go on a cruise, shall we?" I walk by Taylor, nodding to him. "Nice bust, Chief."
"Good luck, Flack," he says.
Messer and I go up the ladder and onto the boat. It's a small little thing, but big enough so searchin' will take a while. "Cargo hold?" I ask.
Messer beckons. "Down here." He throws up a hatch. As we start walkin' through the belly of the ship, the hair on the back of my neck stands on end again. It has just occurs to me that one, it's too quiet, and two, this so far as been way too easy. I relay my suspicion to Messer. "I agree with ya," he says. "I think..."
The door to the cargo hold opens and out steps one of Sassone's thugs. I recognize him as Dobson from the restaurant. Aw, hell. I shoulda known. He pocketed that money like a true mobster. "...we've been made," Messer finishes his sentence unnecessarily.
"Nice try, PI," Dobson says. "Put your hands where I can see 'em."
I raise my hands, and out of the corner of my eye, I see Messer do the same. And then I see Messer throw himself forward at Dobson. Dobson fires, but the shot goes low. Messer tackles Dobson to the floor. "Messer!" I yell.
"Get the hell outta here, go get Sassone!" Messer yells as he works to throw off Dobson.
I don't argue with him. I step past them and into the cargo hold. And Lord Almighty, I have hit the jackpot. I'm standing amid ten or twelve crates of everything illegal. I pull out my camera and pop the lid off one of the boxes. This one happens to be full of illegal booze. It reminds me of how long it's been since I've had a drink again. Wonder if they'd notice a couple bottles missin'. I snap a few pictures and move on to the next crate.
A hand touches my shoulder. I whip around, gun aimed. Messer is standing behind me. "Hell, Mes, you all right?" I ask him. He's got a few cuts and bruises, and a shiner that'll look real nice by mornin'.
"Yeah, yeah, I'm good. You should see the other guy," he replies. He whistles as he looks around. "Hell yes."
"Pop the top off that one," I say. He pries another crate open. "This one's full of guns. Damn, he does have his hands in everything," Danny says.
"He won't for very long," I say. My camera flashes again and again. "All right, I think we're good down here. Let's go grab a shipping manifest and the route maps."
Then I hear it. Rapid-fire gunshots. "Oh, hell," I say, my mind instantly goin' to Ross and Taylor. "Come on, Messer, we gotta go." I step over Dobson- Messer was right, he does look bad- and head up the ladder to the main deck. I hand him my camera. "Messer, get to the cabin."
He looks at the camera in his hands, and then at me. "I-"
"Damn it, go."
He doesn't argue with me. He takes off. I hit the side of the boat and look down the docks. I don't see Taylor or Ross anywhere. Aw hell, this can't be good.
I jump off the boat. "Ross? Kid, where the hell are you?" I keep my gun in front of me, and my eyes continually look from side to side. "Taylor?"
"Flack."
I turn. That's Taylor's voice. He steps off of someone else's boat. He's bleeding in a few spots. And he's been shot in the shoulder. "You okay?"
"I'm good," he says in a quiet tone.
I look at him. "What?"
He nods his head for me to follow him. Please don't let this be about the kid. I follow him down the dock a little way...and freeze. "No."
Adam Ross is lyin' on the dock. Blood is seepin' out from underneath him. "Aw, no." No! I get on my knees beside him. "Ross?"
His eyes are open, but he's barely there. "W-what say ya, F-Flack?" he stammers. I can see the problem, he took one to the stomach. He ain't got long. "I-I'm sorry."
"What the hell happened, Taylor?" I demand. Yes, I am implying it's Taylor's fault for not lookin' out for him.
"I don't know, Flack!" Taylor seems shocked by my tone. "The shot came out of nowhere!"
I want to chew his ass. I want to hit him. But then I hear Ross.
"I-I'm sorry," he's sayin' again.
"For what, kid?" I ask. I look up at Taylor, who looks as helpless as I feel. The kid idolized me...and now he's bleedin' on the docks. "You kicked ass tonight. You're gonna be just fine. You're gonna be able to tell all the grandkids some day about how you were there when Sonny Sassone went down." I'm fightin' back tears. I grab Ross's hand.
"D-did I m-make y-you pr-proud?" he asks me. What's the matter with this kid, wantin' my opinion? Shoulda picked someone else to idolize, kid...not me...not me...
"Yeah, you did, kid. You made me proud."
His face turns upward in a smile. Then just as quickly, it fades, and his hand goes limp in mine.
I gently lay his hand across his chest. And I look up at Taylor. "That's it. Screw Sassone rottin' in prison. I want the sonofabitch's head on a damn platter." I stand. "Come on, we gotta get back on the boat." I can't stand leavin' Ross lyin' there like that, but I got no place to put him now. I stand and start walkin' for the boat.
"Flack."
I stop, but don't turn around. "Spare me the damned lecture, Taylor," I say.
"I ain't gonna lecture you."
I turn around, slowly, to look at him. He's crouched next to Ross's lifeless body.
"I'll get him out of here," he says, taking one of Ross's hands. "Go get your evidence. Go take the sonofabitch out." He looks down at the kid. "Do it for him."
I look at Adam Ross. "I'll do that." Oh, believe me. I'll do it all right. He may not come back one piece, however.
"And Flack?"
"What do you want, Taylor?" I demand without turning around.
"Do it right."
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I get back on the boat. "Messer?" I yell as I make my way to the wheelhouse.
He sticks his head out the wheelhouse window. "Yeah?"
"Move your ass. Let's go." I'm bein' short with him, but I don't care too much at this point.
"Yeah, all right, I gotta find the damn manifest!" I wait a few minutes, and then I hear, "Got it!" Danny comes out of the wheelhouse and starts down the stairs.
"Danny Messer!"
My blood runs cold. I freeze.
"Don Flack!"
On the stairs, I can see Danny stop cold as well. Both of us know that voice.
I look down. Sonny Sassone is strollin' up the docks. He's wearin' a black suit and tie with a black hat. And he's walkin' up the docks like he owns the place.
"Come on, boys, I know you're here!"
I step over to the edge of the boat. "Hey, Sassone!" I call out. "What's shakin'?"
"Nothin' really. You boys come to see off my shipment?"
"'Fraid not, Sonny. This baby's gonna stay docked!" Danny yells from the stairs.
"Really. And why would it do that?" Sassone asks me.
I hold up the warrant. Taylor gave it to me before I got back on board. "'Cause this time I got ya red handed," I reply. "This is your stuff. I got a couple of your boys Taylor can sweat down at the precinct. They'll give you up. And, oh yeah, I can at least get you on murder." I point up to Danny Messer. "My boy here heard you talkin' about offin' Enrique Salvatore." Danny offers a wave. "Your time's up Sassone. This deathgrip you've got the city in is gonna ease up."
Sassone holds his hands up in the air. "Well, Flack, it looks like ya got me. Looks like my time is up. I mean, you've pretty much got everythin' wrapped up." Then he snaps his fingers. And he starts laughing. "Ah, but wait. I still got a few more tricks up my sleeves. Mala! Pratt!"
His two boys show their faces. Mala's an ugly fella with long dark hair. Pratt's younger, smokin' a cigar. Both of them are holdin' guns in one hand. The other hands are-
"Lindsay!" Danny yells. He comes flyin' off the stairs until he skids to a stop next to me. Sure enough, Pratt's got a firm grip on the arm of one Lindsay Monroe. She looks completely terrified. "Danny!" she cries out when she sees him. Danny looks like he's gonna vault the side of the boat. I grab his arm. "Easy, Messer."
"The hell with easy," he snarls. "Let me go!"
"No, damn it. Stay put, don't you move!"
He's listening to me, but I can tell it's killin' him.
Then Mala steps onto the boat across from us and gets a grip on something on the floor of the boat. He pulls it up and now I'm the one having to keep from vaulting the side.
Stella looks pissed at Mala. "Stel?" I call out, having to resist the urge to put two in Sassone right there. "Doll, you all right?"
"Are you actually gonna shoot someone this time, Flack?" she yells back. "Or are you gonna go all noble like ya did with Messer?"
"Drop your gun," Sassone suggests. From behind me, I hear the click of metal and something pressed into the back of my skull.
"I didn't hit you hard enough, Dobson," I hear Messer growl next to me.
I don't have a choice. I drop my gun to the deck.
"Flack, you ass," I hear Stella groan from the dock.