Chapter 3

“I have to make a stop first,” Joe told the girl as he drove out of the parking lot of the diner. He had just received a text from the boss telling him to stop and make the drop of the cash he’d just confiscated from Luis. Usually with an amount this small he would have just taken turned it into Marco, the treasurer for all intents and purposes in the Carliss family, but he had to do what he had to do.

Normally he would have just taken the girl home first and then come back that way to make the drop, but he was already a bit behind schedule and it was on the way. The drops changed every day anyways. The family actually employed a few guys who scouted out locations where they could hide the money and keep it out of the banks and out of circulation from the money that was laundered through the businesses. There were possibly up to five hundred different drops at any one time.

He took a few quick turns down a few short alleys. The drop that the boss had texted him was in behind an abandoned Deli that used to serve up some good sandwiches. Joe had no idea why it had been shut down. It might have been of theirs and the cops started getting wise. He wasn’t sure. There were too many little businesses to keep track of. He tried not to know any more than was necessary to do his job; it helped him stay safe.

He pulled up to the end of the alley behind the deli. The boss told him there was a bunch of little rocks with a bigger rock in the middle of them. Under that was a little hole where he could drop the cash. It was not even one of the stranger places he’d found drops.

“Stay here,” Joe told the girl as he started to get out of the bike.

That was when he heard the engine of a car pulling up on the other alley that ran perpendicular to this one. Joe felt like he was at some sort of a crossroads like you found down south.

“Hide behind the dumpster and stay down,” Joe hissed at Alicia pointing at the dumpster on the side of the alley. He was instantly pissed at himself; he knew better than to bring some random girl to a drop.

Alicia did as she was told and Joe got out of the bike with the cash safely tucked in his pocket.

The car was a Lincoln Town Car. It stopped and a man stepped out of the vehicle.

Joe recognized him as Bill McNamara. He was actually one of the up and coming bosses who had made a reputation for himself extending the business on the lower east side. He was a smarmy bastard and Joe didn’t trust him at all.

“Hey, Bill. What’s up?” Joe asked. What the hell was Bill doing here?

“Oh, the boss asked me to stop by and pick up the drop personally. I was close by so I got the call,” Bill said with that goofy grin he always wore. Joe had no idea how anyone ever took this guy seriously.

“Really? I just got the text; told me to drop the cash in the drop spot. The boss didn’t say anything to me about you picking it up,” Joe replied.

“Well, he’s a busy man. He told me to tell you. So hand it over,” Bill said.

“Sorry, I got to clear it with the boss first. You know how it is,” Joe said feeling the tension in the air.

Suddenly, Bill was pointing a gun at him. “Did you hear what I said? I am a boss. Now hand it over.”

“Ok, just chill. It’s in my pocket,” Joe said. He knew he had to time this right. Where Bill was now standing he was within striking distance. If Joe let the money get stolen from him the boss would kill him, even if a member of the family took it.

“Just hurry up and don’t try any funny business.”

Joe felt his fingers grabbing the money and he pulled it from his pocket easily. He handed it to Bill and kept his hands in the air all nice and innocent like. He was just waiting for the right moment.

There it was.

Bill dropped his gaze for a split second to glance at the money.

Joe slapped the gun out of his hand and it scattered to the pavement. With his other hand he punched Bill in the mouth. Bill flipped backwards on his back, whacking the back of his head hard on the pavement. Joe hoped that would knock the pig out, but Bill was still in it.

As Joe ran at him ready to give Bill the beating of his life he saw the other gun. Bill had a small pistol hidden in the inside pocket of his coat. He pulled it out and whipped it at Joe, ready to fire. Joe knew it was going to be close but he had to try anyway.

He flipped his body away from the shot. He could practically feel the wind from the bullet as it sailed past only inches from him. Joe landed perfectly right beside the other gun. He picked it up and fired at Bill who was aiming to fire at him again.

The bullet hit Bill in the chest and he slumped to the ground. It was a heart shot; he died instantly.

Joe double checked Bill’s condition. He was stone dead. Joe grabbed the money back from him and counted it once again to make sure none had spilled somewhere that he didn’t see.

“Oh, shit! Are you ok?” Alicia asked stepping out from behind the dumpster and running up to Joe.

“I told you to stay put,” Joe said.

“That was crazy. Is he dead?” Alicia asked.

“Yes, he is quite dead,” another voice replied.

Joe jerked his head and stepped in front of Alicia. His body was still in fight mode and he was ready for anything.

Alfred Carliss stepped out of the alleyway. Joe had no idea where he had been hiding. But he must have seen everything. By Alfred’s side was Jimmy Stubbs, his bodyguard and all around right hand gofer. Joe hated them both.

“What’s going on?” Joe asked.

“I had a feeling that Bill was the one stealing money from the drops recently, so I thought I’d set him up and catch him in the act.”

“So, you knew that he would be here?”

“Yes. I sent him to make sure that you put the drop where it belonged, leading him on like I suspected you. I knew that he would try to take it from you and might try to kill you. But I guess this is why you are my number one enforcer,” Alfred said.

“That’s pretty messed up,” Joe said as he handed Jimmy the money.

“You forget what business you are in?” Alfred asked. “That is the way this game is played.”

“Well, I’ve had enough games for one day,” Joe said.

“Not so fast,” Jimmy snarled.

“What?” Joe asked. He was begging Jimmy to make a move. He had been aching to beat that bastard into the middle of next week.

“Have you forgotten all of the rules? Who is the girl?” Alfred asked.

“Don’t worry about her,” Joe said.

“I worry about everybody. You know the rule. She has seen too much. She is not part of the family. We have to take care of her,” Alfred said.

Joe couldn’t believe what he was hearing.

“What? She is just an innocent. Billy is a dirt bag who tried to kill me. She is not going to say anything.”

Jimmy pulled a pistol from his back pocket and cocked it. “You got that right.”

“No. This is wrong. You can’t do this to her,” Joe said.

“Get out of the way Joe. You know the rule,” Alfred said.

Joe knew the rule. He knew that Alfred was right about the rule. The Mafia code was one of deception and secrecy. That was how they had stayed so underground and kept thriving. They were going to kill Alicia because she knew who they were and what they did. She had to die in their eyes.

Joe had to act fast.

“Ok, I’ll take care of it,” Joe said.

Alfred smiled. “That’s the Joe I know.”

Joe turned to face Alicia who was starting to back away. “When I make a move, you run for it!” He whispered. She seemed confused, and continued to back away.

Joe held the pistol that he had taken from Billy in his hand and aimed it at Alicia who was now starting to run down the alley. In a flash Joe dropped to the ground spinning and bringing the gun up to fire two shots. He hit Jimmy in the stomach with one and Alfred in the chest with the other.

Both men fell to the ground, shocked looks on their faces.

Joe bounced to his feet and ran towards Alicia, who was now standing in the alley looking in total shock.

“We have to go!” Joe shouted as he grabbed her hand and pulled her towards the bike.