“Whatever, asshole. That sounds like a great idea though, Josh. I’ll keep doing what I’m doing. It’s visible and exactly what I want him to expect from me. Meanwhile, you can be arranging this in the background — he’ll never expect such an intelligent and sophisticated assault to come from me, and once we’ve crippled him, I make my move and take him out.”
Josh nods enthusiastically. “Now you’re talkin’, Boss!”
We stand in silence for a moment, both happy we now have a more solid plan of attack that we both agree on completely. I think he’s more relieved as well, as he has more control over what we’re doing, and I think it’s put his mind at rest over the recent concerns he’s been having over my approach to everything.
“So, what now?” he asks.
I walk over to the bed and pick up the bags of cocaine.
“Wanna help me flush two hundred and fifty grand down the drain?”
He smiles. “Why the hell not?”
12
It was just after five p.m. when Jimmy Manhattan’s phone rang. He had spent most of the day in his hotel suite working on his strategy for claiming Allentown as his own, happy with what he’d planned so far.
He looked at the screen and saw Tarantina’s number flash across.
“Manhattan,” he answered.
“Boss, it’s me,” said Tarantina. “Just checking in before we make our move.”
“Excellent. Is everything in order?”
“Sure is. We’ve got teams of two or three guys stationed outside every business I mentioned to you. We’ve hired some outside help for the initial leg work, so we’ve got close to thirty guys workin’ for us right now.”
“That’s good news. Any problems so far?”
“None — it’s as smooth as silk as things stand. As a precaution, I’ve sent four guys over to see Johnny King — he’s the guy I said might offer the most resistance, given he already owns a large portion of the city as it is.”
“And what’s his story, this King?”
“From what I found out, he’s been around for a while. Owns a few clubs, got his finger in a few pies — prostitution mostly, but some drugs. Works out of a nightclub over on Hamilton Street. He’s even got a couple of cops on his payroll. But it’s nothing we can’t handle.”
Manhattan thought about it for a moment before replying.
“Leave him to me,” he said finally. “I think a more tactful approach would be appropriate here. I’ll pay him a visit myself. You and two of our best will come with me.”
“Are you sure, Mr. Manhattan?”
“Yes, I think violence and force can only get us so far. If he has as big an operation as you suspect, then he could prove a valuable ally. I’ll approach with the offer of a partnership, detailing our takeover of the rest of the city. If I extend the olive branch, it might save us from any unnecessary trouble, and still give us control of his assets.”
“No problem, Boss. I’ll pick you up from your suite in an hour.”
“Make it two hours,” said Manhattan. “Let his club open first. It’ll give him a sense of security having more of his own men on site. It’s nothing for us to worry about, I’m sure. We’re going in as friends. At least for now.”
“Your call,” said Tarantina before hanging up.
Manhattan regarded the phone in his hand for a moment, and then put it back in his pocket before putting on his jacket and heading down to the hotel’s restaurant for an early dinner.
An hour and half later, Manhattan was finishing his second glass of red wine as he pushed the leftovers of his steak to one side on his plate. He wiped the corners of his mouth with his napkin, sat back in his chair and took a deep breath. He was drinking a 2001 Merlot, which was a personal favorite of his. He’d grown accustomed to certain luxuries over the years, thanks to the financial security his lifestyle had given him.
He checked his watch. Tarantina would be coming for him soon. Looking around, he thought about his plans for taking control of the city one last time before launching the operation. The restaurant was probably half-full and, due to the cost and reputation of the hotel, occupied by a who’s who of important people from the city. He recognized the Assistant District Attorney sitting with his wife a few tables over from him. And he was sure one of the Supreme Court Justices was at the back of the room in a large party. The power in the room was intoxicating, and he was eager for a taste of it.
He himself had somewhat of a reputation, because of his former affiliation with the Pellaggio’s, and he knew that would assist with the transitions and help things go smoothly. Also, he knew that this would, at the same time, help distance himself from his former dealings with that family, and establish him as a big player in his own right in the world of organized crime. He smiled to himself, finally happy that he was no longer someone else’s right hand man. It would take a lot of work, setting up his own network, and he had a limited knowledge of the East Coast, despite growing up there, because of his long years working over in Nevada. But he was confident, and even a little excited, at the prospects that lay ahead.
He looked over toward the restaurant entrance and saw Tarantina appear. He nodded at him and signaled the waiter for the bill, which he added to his room’s tab.
He left his table and walked out, greeting Tarantina as he approached him.
“Is everyone ready?” he asked him.
“Everybody’s in place and awaiting the order, Boss,” he replied.
“Good. In a couple of hours, we will own it all.”
They walked into the lobby of the hotel, then out to the street where a car was waiting for them. It was a rented sedan, dark blue and anonymous. There were two other men inside — one driving, one in the back. Manhattan got in behind the driver, while Tarantina rode shotgun.
Outside, the light was fading and the streets were starting to fill up with people going out for the evening. A light rain had begun to fall and the wind was stronger than it had been earlier in the day. In the light traffic, they made the short drive to Johnny King’s nightclub in less than fifteen minutes. It was a brightly lit establishment called The Palace, which took up a modest amount of the block, and already had a small queue outside.
The driver pulled up out front and everyone got out, with Manhattan leading the way. As they approached the doorman, he turned to Tarantina.
“Make the call,” he said. “Tell everyone to make their move.”
Tarantina nodded and quickly typed in a text message, which he then sent to everyone.
“Done,” he said after a moment.
Manhattan took a deep breath and made his way to the front of the queue, much to the disgrace of the people lined up there. He ignored them and spoke directly to the doorman. He was firm, but pleasant.
“Can you please tell Mr. King that Jimmy Manhattan wishes to speak with him?” he said.
The guy looked him up and down, and then quickly did the same with his companions before taking out his phone and making the call. He quickly explained why he was ringing, and then simply nodded in silence as he listened. After a moment, he held the phone against his chest.
“Mr. King said he ain’t ever heard of you,” said the doorman. “If you wanna talk to him, make an appointment or get in line like everybody else.”
Unfazed, Manhattan simply smiled.
“Please tell your employer to take a moment and ask around,” he replied. “As of about three minutes ago, I now run this city. My associates and I simply wish to work out a mutual arrangement that benefits both our organizations. I’m here as a courtesy and as a friend. But this is the only time I’m willing to discuss such matters. I’m sure under the circumstances Mr. King can spare us a few minutes?”