Papa Jack Chapter 116
Teeth clenched, Kate sits behind the wheel of Richard's car. To describe her morning as frustrating would be an understatement. She had visited ten businesses only to be told ten times that they had no idea what she was talking about and asked to leave immediately. Parked at the curb a block down from Hattie's Chicken and Waffles, Kate is hoping that number eleven will be lucky. She also can't resist the urge to try one of Harlem's more famous dishes. She walks the short distance to the restaurant and lines up for a table.
A few years back, Kate would likely have been the only white face in the establishment. Still, Harlem has been opening up and in some cases, becoming the "in" destination. A feature on the Food Channel solidified Hattie's as the place to be for a broad spectrum of New Yorkers seeking a new and comforting dining experience. In order to accommodate the increasing crowds, the tables are jammed as closely together as possible, and an additional waiting area is set up near the front door. From Kate's place in line, multiple conversations are clearly audible. While most of them are either appreciative of the meal or light conversation, Kate can hear multiple gripes about the crowding. While waiting for a table to open up, Kate silently speculates that if it were her restaurant, she'd expand into the empty store next door.
A hostess strides over and asks Kate if she'd mind sharing a table so that more customers can be seated. Hoping to pick up some gossip from a local patron, Kate agrees. She's quickly shown to a seat at a small corner table, where she joins another woman. Kate's dining partner is comfortably built, with a sprinkle of gray in her short afro. Her dark eyes twinkle behind wire-rimmed glasses as she extends her hand. "Rosa Brown. Good thing you agreed to join me. If we'd had to wait for singles to open up, we both could have been standing around for another hour. Didn't used to be like this. Hattie's doing the best she can, but I doubt she ever counted on this place being so popular."
"I'm Kate Beckett. Hattie has a lot of tables in here. The servers must have a hard time getting around." Kate points to the wall next to them. "I'm surprised she doesn't have someone knock that down and use the place next door."
Rosa lowers her voice. "I don't think she has the money."
Kate gazes around the packed dining room. "With all these customers?"
"None of the businesses in this neighborhood have much money," Rosa says.
"Why is that?" Kate asks.
"I don't know where you're from," Rosa huskily whispers, "but around here, someone is always trying to put the squeeze on. A few months back, the Save-O-Rama and Savory Soul both got burned out. Jake, who owns the laundromat, and Lenny, who owns Dry and Smart both got jumped and beat pretty bad. Folks took it as a warning. They fork over, or they're next."
"Couldn't the police do anything?" Kate asks.
"The fire department said the fires were arson, and a couple of detectives started asking questions, but most folks around here don't talk to cops. They're afraid of what will happen to them if they do. The detectives never got enough to arrest anyone. I think Hattie and all the others are paying just to stay in business."
"You think Hattie would talk to someone who isn't a cop?" Kate asks.
"I don't know," Rosa admits. "Why would she?"
"Because it's not just her business. A man's life, a good man's life, could depend on nailing the bastard who is draining everyone around here dry."
Rosa squints through her glasses at Kate. Her gaze hardens. "I recognize you now. You're the cop who was on the news with that writer. No one's gonna talk to you. I shouldn't have said anything."
"I'm not a cop anymore," Kate declares. "I saw too many bad guys escape and too many innocent people crushed by the system. I work for SUSI, Step Up Step In. We try to help the people no one else will help. I'm trying to help a man who was falsely fingered by the guy who's been collecting money from everyone around here. I need to get the leech to recant his testimony. But to do that, I need something I can use to pressure him. I'll have that if I can make him believe that I've convinced Hattie and some of the others he's squeezing to finger him. I need to talk to Hattie. Can you help me?"
Staring across the table, Rosa studies Kate's face. "The cops picked up the grandson of a friend of mine, Lucas. They said he ripped off a liquor store. He didn't do it. It was another boy who didn't even look like him but was wearing the same color shirt. But the cops didn't listen when Lucas said he'd never been near the store. Nobody listened. The judge sent Lucas to Rikers because the family couldn't afford his bail. He was there for nine months, waiting to go to court. SUSI got him out and dug up video showing it wasn't him, so the judge dismissed the case. So, if you're really from SUSI, I'll ask Hattie to talk to you. But that's all I can do."
Kate pulls her SUSI ID out of her purse and shows it to Rosa. The older woman nods. "OK. I'll get Maggie, that's our waitress, to call Hattie for you. Good luck, Kate."
"Thanks, Rosa. I'll need all the luck I can get."
Though only five-foot-one, Hattie's white-haired and wiry presence fills her office as she sizes up Kate. "So you work for Step Up Step In. Rosa said that I should talk to you, but I can't see how I can help you or you can help me."
"It's a long story, Kate says."
"You've seen how busy this place is. I don't have time for long stories. Give me the short version," Hattie demands.
"The short version is that the man calling himself Linton, who collects your protection money, lied an innocent man named Bert Josephson into prison. I need to get Linton to admit that lie. That will not only help get Josephson out, but it may also get Linton and Linton's boss off your back. Whatever I can hang on Linton will work as evidence against the whole racket."
"And what's to keep the racket from burning me out?" Hattie counters.
"I'll take Linton straight to the DA's office. They'll put him under wraps. No one will even know you were involved until the case breaks against the whole organization. It's tough to start a fire in cuffs. You've worked hard to build a great business. If Linton believes I've got the evidence to him take down, your work will pay off again. And an innocent man may go free."
"All right," Hattie concedes, "that man Linton, or whoever he is, has been collecting 25% of everything I take in right off the top. I'm barely breaking even. It's the same for all the others. You might talk to Kurt Jones, who runs U Fix It. He wanted to have a business worth leaving to his son and he's mad as hell about what's going on. That's all I can tell you."
Kate nods. "It's enough, Hattie. Thank you."