They dined well, and Stone walked Dino and Viv home, down the block, just to make sure he was okay.

“He’s fine,” Viv whispered to him when they kissed good night. “That’s for helping me keep him in hand.”

—

That same Friday night, Sean Finn drove Danny, his Vegas card shark, to the airport.

“What’s the matter?” Danny asked. “No more poker?”

“No more poker,” Sean said. “It got too expensive. My liquor stores got hit for a week’s take this afternoon, and I think it’s connected to the poker game.”

“What are you going to do about it? You want some out-of-town help?”

“This one is going to the cops, but they’re not going to crack it. Looks like I’m just going to have to let my insurance company eat the loss.”

“That’s what they’re good at.”

“I’m not going to let it go, though. Danny, do you know competent people who do contract work?”

“What kind of contract?”

“You know what kind.”

“Yeah, I know people can do that.”

“I’ll pay you ten grand to set something up, keeping me out of it.”

“Who’s the mark?”

“Al Parisi, the little guinea we were going to take in the poker game. I underestimated him, but he underestimated me, too.”

“Yeah, I can handle that. It’s going to cost you fifty large, plus my ten.”

“Look in the glove compartment.”

Danny opened it and found a thick envelope. “How much is this?” he asked, hefting it.

“Fifty—ten is yours, use the rest to get the job done, including expenses. His address and license plate number are in there, too. If it all goes smoothly, you get another ten a month later.”

“Okay, I can handle it. When?”

“Sooner the better.”

“I’ll make a call when we get to the airport.”

Chapter 48

At the airport, Danny didn’t make any calls, and he didn’t get on his flight, either. Instead, he checked into an airport hotel and rebooked his flight for early the following morning. Then he got Al Parisi’s address out of the package containing the money and spread out the local map Sean had given him when he arrived. He located the address, then looked at his watch: just past seven PM.

Danny got the snub-nosed .38 from his bag and into its holster. He had planned to dump it at the airport, but now he needed it. He went downstairs and took a cab to Al’s neighborhood and got dropped a block from the house, taking a card with the cab company’s number. He was walking up the darkened street when he saw a couple come out of a house and start to get into a car in the driveway. He heard a woman laughing. “Broadway, here we come!” she shouted. Sounded like she’d had a couple of drinks already. They backed out of the drive and drove away.