Part 7 (1/2)
You take a homicide fall, anyone you ever worked with is going to wonder how you'll stand up. Specially if you're looking at the needle.
Your partners wonder too much, you lose again. Someone you never heard of puts up your bail, that tells you you're on the spot. Sure, you can refuse the bail; stay right where you are. But where you are, there's no place to hide.
”Maybe,” Solly said.
”You got his for-real name?”
”You think I'm stupid? I had that, I could find out what I need in an hour. I got a a name, just like you did.” name, just like you did.”
”The guy who sent him to you ...?”
”Gone. Not even two weeks ago, you believe that? Albie had a b.u.m ticker. The fat f.u.c.k's idea of exercise was chewing.”
”So ...?”
”So-Albie, I trusted. Known him for more years than you've been alive. Jessop...Ah, I'm getting too old for this stuff. I never even asked Albie for his vitals, just his credentials, you understand what I'm saying?”
”Yeah.”
”I don't like loose strings, Sugar.”
”What're you saying?”
”I...I don't know. There's guys in this business, n.o.body ever works for them twice. That's not me. Who's got a more solid rep? You don't get that for nothing. It's like everything else-you pay for it. I make my payments on the installment plan, understand?”
”No. Solly, if-”
”Look, kid. All I'm saying is, I always play it careful careful, okay? Careful, that's not something you are; it's something you do do. Every job, every time. That's how come I'm...trusted, okay?”
”Sure. But I already-”
”Will you f.u.c.king let me talk? talk? Just listen, for a d.a.m.n minute. I got no reason to think this Jessop is...a problem. But I don't like not knowing where to find him.” Just listen, for a d.a.m.n minute. I got no reason to think this Jessop is...a problem. But I don't like not knowing where to find him.”
”If he knew your pal, he's in the business. How hard could it be?”
”What, you think we're like some fraternity or something? Get together once a year, tell stories about the good old days? I know a few people, sure. But every phone call, that's somebody else else I owe. Besides, this ain't phone work, understand?” I owe. Besides, this ain't phone work, understand?”
”Yeah. What I don't understand is why you're telling me all this. Tell Big Matt-he's the one with something to lose.”
”He's out, Sugar.”
”Somebody took him-”
”No,” he cut me off. ”The opposite. He's gone total Square John. Married, kid on the way.”
”How could he just ...?” I couldn't finish the sentence; I didn't know what words to use.
”Oh, he told me in front,” Solly said. ”That last job, it was gonna be his his last job, no matter what. We score, he's got enough to get a house, all the stuff you need to go straight. That's what he said. I remember it real clear. 'When this is over, so am I. No more stealing diamonds for me; I'm going to be buying them. Buying last job, no matter what. We score, he's got enough to get a house, all the stuff you need to go straight. That's what he said. I remember it real clear. 'When this is over, so am I. No more stealing diamonds for me; I'm going to be buying them. Buying one one, anyway.' His girl, she's not in The Life. Didn't have a clue what Big Matt did for a living. His real living, I mean.”
”What did she think he-?”
”He buys houses. Real wrecks. Somewhere way out west, where you can buy them for next to nothing. Then he fixes them up and sells them. Lives in the house while he's doing the repairs.”
”Pretty smart.”
”It is,” Solly said. ”Big Matt, he's a thinker.”
Meaning, I'm not, I thought, but I kept that to myself. Just sat and waited.
”Prices have gone through the f.u.c.king roof since you've been away, Sugar. Actually, more of a spike. So the co-ops are down from what they were asking a few years ago, but rentals, they never never go back. You'd be lucky to find a decent apartment for under two grand. And that wouldn't even be the city-probably have to go out to Brooklyn or something.” go back. You'd be lucky to find a decent apartment for under two grand. And that wouldn't even be the city-probably have to go out to Brooklyn or something.”
”I'm not broke,” I reminded him.
”No, you're not. But you're going to have to go back to work sooner or later.”
”Sure.”
”Aah!” he said, like he was throwing the word out of the room. ”If Albie said this Jessop was stand-up, that should be good enough for me, right?”
”I didn't know him.”
”It's...it's a respect thing, Sugar. I can't just go out and cut my losses. I got no feeling from this guy. Nothing. Probably solid as a stone. But...”
I kept quiet. Still couldn't figure out what all this blah-blah was about. Solly was a talker, I knew. I mean, he liked liked talking. I guess there weren't too many people he could talk to anymore. talking. I guess there weren't too many people he could talk to anymore.
”How about if you nose around a little? Find the guy, talk to him, see if he's righteous?”
”What do I care? You said it yourself-I'm in the clear. Even if he walked into a police station somewhere and started running his mouth, how's that my problem?”
”I got a responsibility.”
”To who? Everyone who sits in takes their chances; that's the way it is.”
”I got a responsibility to Albie Albie, okay?” The old man was really getting worked up; I never heard him sound angry, like that. ”I can't just...you know. It'd be like one of those preemptive strikes. Tap the guy, and we can all rest easy. But that wouldn't be fair to Albie. It'd be like I didn't trust his judgment.
”That happens, you know. Man gets old, he should get respect. Not for being old, but for the wisdom wisdom he has. Albie wasn't soft in the head. Not f.u.c.king he has. Albie wasn't soft in the head. Not f.u.c.king senile senile, okay? He still had it up here,” Solly said, tapping his temple.
”That's good enough for me.”
”For you, sure. For me, it can't be. A man gets old, he wants to leave a will, make sure he takes care of everyone who he should be taking care of. But you know what n.o.body should ever leave, Sugar? Loose threads, that's what.”
”I'm not going around playing private eye, Solly.”
”I wasn't asking for a favor.”
”What? You want to pay pay me, to do this thing?” me, to do this thing?”
”Absolutely.”