“Johnny Knuckles. Word out on the street is you’ve been a bad boy. Working both sides of the fence is a pretty daring move for a hardhead like you. Takes balance, see? Equilibrium and all that bunk.”
Johnny blinked the rain out of his eyes. He gave Poddar a wary glance before looking my direction. “Don’t… know what you’re talking about.”
“Sure you don’t. But I got good word you’re trying to get some pretty rough poison into the Black Dahlia. You know, where you got a night gig as door muscle. They took a chance on hiring a lug like you. Background check turned out all right, but we both know those are easy to fake.”
“Take it easy, Mick.” Johnny gingerly sat up, holding his head with his oversized grabbers. “You got your wires crossed. I ain’t done nothing illegal.”
“Course not, ‘cause you haven’t had time yet. See, I’m in good with the Dahlia’s manager, Mr. Shapiro. He got an anonymous tip that something about you just wasn’t right. That’s when he gave me a call. I figured I could sniff out something if I beat the streets for someone who’d dime you out. I found out a lot about your extracurricular activities, Johnny. Like that stash of Ladykillers you have loaded up at Dock 76.”
Certain folks are real good at lying. Johnny Knuckles wasn’t one of those folks.
“I don’t got nothing stashed. Swear on my moms I don’t.” He looked up with wide eyes, trying real hard to look earnest. On an ugly mug like his, it was a gaze of tragic comedy.
I blew a stream of smoke his direction. “You sure about that, Johnny boy?”
“Honest, Mick. I just got that new gig. I wouldn’t screw ‘em over like that.”
I stared at him. Narrowed my eyes a bit. Enjoyed watching him sweat bullets. I had a bit of a rep in New Haven as an unpredictable wild card. Only fitting I used it now and again.
“What do you think, Poddar?”
“I think we should get out of this rain, Mick.” Poddar pulled his collar up and frowned at the downpour.
Poddar still hadn’t gotten into the habit of wearing a topper. I didn’t get it. Not only was a Bogart a stylish fashion accessory, it also did a hell of a job of keeping a man’s hair dry when it rained. It rained all the time in New Haven.
“I’m talking about Johnny’s story. You buying what he’s selling?”
Poddar gave Johnny a dark look. Poddar was nicknamed the Prince by the slumdogs in his neck of the world, so it went without saying he was all for just saying no to drugs and all.
“He’s lying.”
Johnny swallowed hard. “No way. I swear, man. I’m telling the truth.”
I smiled. “You know what? I believe you, Johnny.”
His massive chest heaved a sigh of relief.
I exhaled smoke through my nostrils. “But I gotta be sure, you know? You say the stash isn’t yours? Hey — maybe my info was a bit off. No kick, right? So you provide a little bit of proof, a sign-off on your good word and we’ll call it a night. Whaddya say?”
His eyes shifted as he caught wind of the trap he was in. “Uh… sure, Mick. What do you want me to do?”
“Catch.”
I tossed a small cylinder-shaped device to him. He fumbled for a bit but finally caught it. It was about the length of his palm, topped by a simple red button. His eyebrows rose.
“This… this looks like—”
“Like a detonator?” I smiled. “Sure it does. You see, I wired a few choice explosives to that stash I told you about. You know, at Dock 76? I’m not too fond of narcotics. ‘Specially the type stockpiled on that dock. Ladykiller. Made to slip in a gal’s drink when she’s not looking. Gets her all woozy and unable to think straight. Good-for-nothing pervs like to take a dame like that and do all sorts of filthy things to her. When she gets outta the haze — if they haven’t put her on ice, that is — she won’t remember much. Certainly not enough to know who did the deed.”
I flicked the gasper butt into the low-hanging fog. “So you understand I can’t let a huge stash like that go into circulation. If there’s one thing I’m guilty of, it’s having a soft spot for dames. Pipe that?”
Johnny Knuckle’s oversized mitts trembled. “So you want me to…?”
“Not all that hard to figure out, Johnny boy. You blow up that stash and you’re off the hook. After all, it’s not your problem — right?”
The rain streamed on Johnny’s bare head, giving him the impression of drowning in his own sweat. His eyes flicked to the detonator in his hand, then back at me. His body tensed, straining his muscles until the veins in his arms seemed ready to burst.
My hand strayed toward the inside of my flogger.
He finally sagged, exhaling vapor into the rain. He nodded wearily.
“Ok, Mick. You win. I know about the Ladykillers. I put ‘em there.”
He eyes widened when he looked up. “But I’m just the handler. I can’t lose those roofies, Mick. You know what’ll happen if I do.”
“Not my problem, Johnny. I got a motto I go by. Wanna hear it? Here it goes: live by your choices or die by your mistakes. Know what that means?”
“Yeah. Yeah, I know what it means. You’re not gonna do squat to help me.” He leaped up with a wild look on his face. I took a step back and reached for the heat inside my flogger. But Johnny turned and hurled the detonator into the fog as hard as he could. A few seconds later we heard the splash as it cleared the gangplanks and hit the West River.
He took a few steps between us and put up his cement block fists. “No way I can let you just blow up that payday, Mick. I can’t go out like that.”
I shrugged. “Why not? You already went out the window. But you got me, Johnny. Guess we’re at a stalemate. Sure I could let Poddar reintroduce you to the bottom of his shoes again, but that wouldn’t do us any good. Except the satisfaction of watching a big lug like you get broke down by a Prince like Poddar, that is. So why don’t you just roll and give up the name of your supplier? Give me a bigger fish to fry, and I take care of the axe over your head.”
He paused and lowered his fists. “You want me to squeal on my boss? I’m no snitch, Mick.”
I gave him my most understanding smile. “That’s why it’ll stay between us. You know my word is good, Johnny. Plus you’re running outta choices as I see it. I’m here for a reason. If you think it’s for the stimulating conversation, you’d better guess again.”
He mulled it over for a moment before nodding. Like I said, pretty smart for a goon.
“Ok, Mick. All right. You heard of Luther Vitto?”
“Not too many people I haven’t heard of. Big shot bank investor. Sharks loans to unqualified borrowers on the side. You saying he’s dipping in the narcotics trade too?”
“Not directly. But I overheard his name when I picked the shipment up. He’s setting this up through third parties to keep his mitts clean.”
“Right. So when the chips fall, lugs like you get put in bracelets or catch the slugs. Not exactly a bright career move, Johnny boy.”
He rubbed the back of his neck. “Hey, I needed the dough. It was just this one job, then I was out.”
I grinned. “Yeah it always is. See you around, Johnny.”
I turned to leave. Poddar stared at me.
“Are you serious?”
“About what?”
He jerked a thumb at Johnny Knuckles. “We’re just letting this guy walk?”
I gave Poddar my patient face. “That’s the way these things work. Favors are the main currency in this town. It’s not always fair and it’s not always satisfying, but it’s how the cogs turn. Mutual back scratching and all that.”