Beneath The Surface (4 page)

“I think he just did,” Black said quietly.

“I assure you, I had very little to do with it,” Carmen laughed.

“Now I’m dying to hear this,” Wanda said.

“Yes, Marcus,” Carmen said and tapped his hand. “Tell Wanda why you decided to leave Atlanta.”

Marcus cut his eyes at Carmen. He had noticed how she and Black had been exchanging glances since they got there, and was feeling a little jealous. “Oh, it’s nothing that deep. I just needed a change of scenery,” Marcus said.

He really didn’t think they needed to hear that his former client- turned-lover, Panthea Daniels had shot him in the head, and then shot
herself
to death. Or that another client-turned-lover, Angela Pettybone had
began
to get on his nerves.
She was so damn needy.
He would tell Wanda all about it in his own time.

Marcus was about to try to change the subject, but Carmen saved him the trouble. “Other than the restaurant, are you still in the same business, Mike?” Carmen asked, and sipped her third Bacardi on the rocks.

“Yes, Carmen, I am,” Black said. He reached in his pocket, pulled out a business card, and handed it to Carmen. “But since the last time I saw you, we’ve expanded into restaurants. We own Cuisine and two others. We own night clubs, real estate, entertainment, finance, automotive and construction companies, and burial services.”

“The Parlor,” Carmen said, knowing the reason he invested in that particular industry. She looked at the card: “Cuisine?”

“It’s a supper club.”

“I always said you should open a restaurant. You always were a good cook,” Carmen said, and Marcus began to wonder about the depth of her relationship with Black.

“You and Marcus should come by some time.”

“We will,” Marcus said quickly.

“The house band is great and the food is excellent. Maybe you’ll do a story about my restaurant. That’s where you’ll find me,” Black said, staring deeply into Carmen’s eyes. He looked at his watch. “Unfortunately, I have to say good night, my friends. I have another appointment I need to keep.” He stood up. “Like I said, Marcus, it was good to finally meet you.” And then he turned to Carmen. “Carmen, let’s not let it be seventeen years until I see you again.”

“I promise,” Carmen said and extended her hand, “it won’t be.”

“Now I have something to look forward to.” Black bent at the waist and kissed her hand. “Wanda, I’ll get with you in the morning. Good night.” Black left the restaurant and got in the car with Victor.

Victor drove Black out to Yonkers to see Angelo Collette. Black and Angelo met when they were in high school. Back in the day before Angelo became a made man, they put in a lot of good work together. Black was going there to tell him something that he was sure Angelo already knew: why Bobby and Nick decided that Bruce Stark, who was in business with Angelo, had to die. But Black felt it was important that Angelo hear it from him.

Black and Victor pulled up in front of a small private club, and were met at the curb by two large gentlemen. “While I’m talkin’ to Angelo, you give them your gun and wait at the bar.”

“I heard the story,” Victor said and got out of the car. “I know the drill.” The story of how Freeze a room full of Angelo’s armed man had become legendary.

They went inside and, as promised, Victor gave up his gun and sat down at the bar. Black went in the back to Angelo’s office. When he opened the door, there sat Angelo with a bottle of Rémy Martin XO
Premier Cru, and two glasses sitting on the table.

“Come on in, Mikey, and shut the door,” Angelo said and waved him on. “Like I said, this bottle of
XO
Premier got your name on it.”

“How’s it goin’, Angee?” Black asked and shook his hand.

“Same as always,” Angelo said, pouring them both a drink.

“Thanks,” Black said and shot his, and Angelo followed suit.

“So, Mikey, is this a business or a social call?”

“It’s both.”

“I thought it would be,” Angelo said, and Black prepared to tell Angelo what he already knew, but there was a knock at the door. “What is it?” Angelo shouted.

One of Angelo’s men cracked the door open and stuck his head in. “Sorry to bother you, but its Pauly on the phone.”

“What does he want?”

“It’s Mangino again.”

“That prick,” Angelo said.

“Tell me about it.”

“What is it this time?”
 

“Pauly says Mangino came around again today, bustin’ his balls.”

“I’m fuckin’ tired of this prick,” Angelo said and jumped up. “You tell Pauly he ain’t gotta worry about that no more. And you get that fuckin’ prick on the phone and—you know what, never mind,” Angelo said and looked at Black. “Come ride with me, Mikey.” Angelo opened the desk drawer and took out a gun.

“Where we goin’, Angee?”

“Where the fuck you think we’re goin’. We’re goin’ to kill this prick.”

Black looked at Angelo without answering.

“Come on, Mikey. It will be like old times.”

Black got up and followed Angelo out the door. On the way out of the club, he told Victor to have a few drinks and relax, and he got in the car with Angelo. “So what
this guy
do?”

“He just
don’t
get it, Mikey. This prick Mangino, he’s one of these old heads, fresh out the joint. Guy did every day of a twenty-year stretch. This fuckin’ guy turned down parole six times; said he didn’t want to have to check in with no parole office when he got out.”

“Smart guy. PO will lock you up over bullshit.”
 

“Fuckin’ A right they will, but now he’s out and he’s tryin’ to get back in, and he’s steppin’ on a lotta toes.”

“Sounds like he’s a man that’s just tryin’ to earn to me, Angee. Cut him some slack.”

“I know he’s just tryin’ to earn, and believe me, Mikey, I can understand that. But for God’s sake, Mikey—I tell him to ease up, you know, be patient, I’ll work him into big things as they happen, but this prink don’t listen. He wants to do it his way.”

“So this is a matter of respect,” Black said.

“I can’t let bums like him think they can walk out of the joint and walk over me. Ain’t gonna happen, Mikey. Not while I’m still fuckin’ breathin’.”

“That’s all you had to say,” Black said, and took his gloves out of his pocket and put them on. “I understand the need for respect.”

“Good,” Angelo said as they pulled over and parked his car down the street from a bar where he knows Mangino hangs out. “Now, let’s go get this prick.” Angelo got out of the car and looked down the street at the working girls that were standing outside. “Wait here, Mikey; I’ll be right back.”

“Where you goin’?”

Angelo put his arm around Black and pointed down the street. “You see the big tit blonde there with the thunder thighs?”

“Can’t miss
her—them
titties so fuckin’ big.”

“That’s where I’m goin’,” Angelo said and walked off.

“Don’t hurt
yourself
,” Black said.

Angelo gave him the finger and kept walking toward the woman. She smiled when she saw him coming. “Hey, Angelo; I haven’t seen you in a long time,” she said and hugged and kissed him on the cheek.

“Come here, Silky. I got something for you,” Angelo said and grabbed her by the hand.

As he led her away, one of the other working girls said, “Is it big and hard?”

Angelo gave her the finger and kept walking toward the car. When they got back to the car, Silky saw Black leaning against the car. “Baby doll, this is gonna be fun.”

“Calm down, Silky, it ain’t that type of party,” Angelo said and looked at Black.

Silky gave Angelo a confused look. “Well what type of party is it?”

“I need you to do something for me,” Angelo said.

“What’s that?”

“Mangino in there?”

“Yeah, that bastard is in there.”

“I need you to go in there, tell him whatever you gotta tell him, but you bring him back here to me. Then you get lost and forget you saw us here tonight. You got that?”

“Sure.” Silky started to walk back to the bar, but she stopped and came back. “You make sure that fuckin’ bastard suffers, Angelo. You promise me that. Guy always wants to fuck; then he wants to slap you around when you ask for your money. Little dick, bastard; I hate him,” Silky said and walked away.

“You trust her?”

“Who Silky?”

“Yeah, Silky,” Black said as he watched her walk back to the bar.

“Don’t worry, Mikey, we go back; done this before, me and Silky. She won’t say a word to anybody.”

For the next twenty minutes, Angelo and Black waited by the car and wondered what was taking Silky so long to deliver Mangino. Then finally, Silky came out of the bar with Mangino on her arm, and his hand down her blouse. Angelo turned to Black. “I’m gonna walk this prick down that alley there. You hang back and get behind him,” Angelo said and walked toward Silky and Mangino. Black turned and walked the other way.

Mangino’s facial expression changed when he saw Angelo walking toward him. He looked around to see if anybody was with him. Not seeing anybody, Mangino let go of Silky’s nipple and straightened up a little.

“Just the guy I was lookin’ for.”

“What you lookin’ for me for?” Mangino asked.

“Come on; I got something I need to talk to you about.”

“Can’t it wait? I’m kind of busy right now,” Mangino said and looked at Silky.

Angelo walked up to her. “I’m sure Silky won’t mind if I borrow you for a few minutes,” he said and stuck a wad of bills down Silky’s abundant cleavage.
 
“Get lost, Silky.”

Silky kissed Angelo on the cheek. “You remember what I told you,” she said and walked away.

“What’s she talkin’ about?” Mangino asked as Angelo threw his arm around him.

“I have no fuckin’ idea. You know how some of these broads are; shit makes sense to nobody but them.”

“Especially that one,” Mangino said as he and Angelo walked down the alley. “All tits no brains, that one.”

“Yeah, right,” Angelo said and gave Mangino a look of disgust. “Listen, Mangino, I got a call tonight from Pauly.”

Mangino laughed. “What did that cry baby want?”

“Said you been bustin’ his balls.”

“Give me a fuckin’ break. I oughta kick his fuckin’ ass; runnin’ to you behind my back—the fuckin’ cry baby.”

“That’s what I’m tryin’ to do. I’m tryin’ to give you every break I can, but you don’t listen to me,” Angelo said, and Mangino’s back stiffened.

“What?” Mangino said and got angry. “I don’t listen?” he said, pointing to himself.

“We talked about this. I said you should layoff Pauly and stop stickin’ your hands in other peoples business.”