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Several days after Primo’s crew met up with Sal to clean up the O Jackson mess, Eddie joined Dario and Tau at the back table of Fortunato’s. His mood had lightened considerably once that had been taken care of. He felt relaxed. Normally, he’d conduct this business down in the office, but he hadn’t eaten and ordered the special—grilled halibut with an asiago cream sauce.
The lunch crowd had dissipated, leaving only the lingering scent of garlic and fish. It was just the three of them in the restaurant. One bartender manned the whole place while Micola busied herself with Eddie’s lunch order before preparing for the dinner rush. Eddie could hear her humming in the kitchen.
He sat down and slapped his hands on the table. “Okay. Wha-d-ya got for me? What’s this big news you’re talkin’ about?”
Tau looked at Dario, who was leaning in, looking excited. “Alright, man,” Dario said, “I found out from my boy, B.B. Stylz, that—”
Eddie raised a hand and tilted his head to the side. “B.B. who?”
“Stylz. B.B. Stylz.”
“That’s the guy’s name?”
“Yeah. Why? What’s wrong with that?”
He flicked his hand at Dario. “Nothin. Go on.”
Dario smiled. “Anyway, B.B. Stylz said, word on the street is,” Dario paused, looking around before leaning in and whispering, “O Jackson’s missin’.”
He sat back, eyes bulging, head nodding ever-so-slightly as a smile crept across his face. “Found that out from a friend-a his. Had to pay him fifty bucks for the info.”
Eddie didn’t flinch, but nodded in feigned surprise, as he continued digging into his food with his fork.
“Missin’, huh? They sayin’ anything else?”
Dario shrugged. “Just that. Nobody seen him in like—days. His dudes in the garage be straight-up trippin’.”
“Why’s that? He could be outta’ town or somethin’.”
Dario looked at Tau. “Tell him.”
Eddie wiped his mouth. “Tell me what?”
Tau started talking fast. “I hear that Dax, O’s partner at the garage, is real worried cuz there’s a load of—” he made some air quotes, “‘supplies’ down in Arizona that’s got to be picked up. And he’s nervous about makin’ decisions without O’s approval. He’s freakin’ out. Doesn’t know what to do.”
Dario leaned in and whispered. “And I heard that somebody dropped off a load of meth at O’s daddy’s garage. They wanted their cash. When they found out O’s been missin’, they left. Said they’d be back. Took the meth with ‘em.”
Dario and Tau sat quietly, waiting for Eddie’s reply.
Eddie took a bite of the halibut. “So, what kinda’ supplies we talkin’ about down in Arizona? Is that meth, too?”
Dario nodded. “Yep. Lil’ Red, O’s cousin, said they wanna’ talk to you. Heard about you from people in the neighborhood. They heard you could handle big shit like this.”
Eddie hid his excitement and answered calmly.
“That right?”
“Yup. Said they want you to take over. Handle them-Mexicans.”
“How much meth we talkin’ about? In Arizona, I mean?”
Tau shook his head. “I don’t know. But he called it a ‘load,’ so I’m guessing maybe a carload or somethin’. Truck maybe?”
Eddie looked across at Micola, now loading cold cuts into the deli-case. He knew she couldn’t hear them.
“Go on.”
“I’m thinking,” Tau said, “that me and Dario could make the run to Arizona. Bring the load back.”
Eddie set down his fork and leaned back against his chair. After thinking about it for a minute, he shook his head. “Mules? No.”
Dario and Tau’s faces fell.
“What? Why not?” Dario asked. “Man, I thought you’d be interested. That’s good money.”
“I hear you can get twenty G’s doin’ that. For one load,” Tau said.
“Too risky,” Eddie said. “I don’t want the heat. We’re doin’ good with what we got. We’re makin’ money.” He shook his head as he chewed. “We work O’s garage and those supplies. That’s enough. Keep things in the neighborhood. If we start thinkin’ too big, gettin’ in too deep, we draw attention to ourselves.” He shook his head and waved his fork at them. “Fa-get it.”
Tau nodded. “You’re probably right, Eddie. Driving across state lines with illegal drugs means big prison sentences if you get caught.”
“But there’s millions to be made, man,” Dario said, frowning.
“I don’t care about that. Listen, when you start gettin’ greedy, things go south. Trust me. Here’s what I want you’se two to do. I want you to go back to that garage—”
Dario raised his brows. “Say what now?”
Eddie frowned. “O’s missin’, remember? That guy, Dax? He’s a chicken-shit.”
“But he’s a big and beefy chicken-shit,” Dario said.
“There’s nothin’ to worry about,” Eddie said. “You’se two are professionals now. Besides, it sounds like O’s business is all fucked up without him. Dax? He doesn’t know what to do. O was the leader. He ran the ship. Now, he’s gone. Maybe he shows up, maybe he doesn’t.”
Eddie paused to let that sink in.
Dario’s face lit up. “You know somethin’, don’t you?”
Eddie’s expression darkened as he pointed his fork at Dario.
“Keep your big mouth shut Dario, understand me?”
Dario exchanged a glance with Tau.
“Sorry Mr. B.” He made the “zip-your-lips” gesture.
“All I’m sayin’ is, Dax is no leader. So, I want you’se two to go down to that garage and tell him that you’ll start overseein’ things. But tell Dax that he’s the front man. We want Magic Man to see a familiar face. Tell him to take the product and pay Magic Man.”
Eddie returned to his lunch.
Tau nodded at Dario. “We got this.”
“Alright. Let’s take this one step at a time. If O comes back, I’ll go talk to him again.”
Dario smiled. “You want me to get B.B. Stylz to—”
Eddie shook his head. “Too many people gettin’ involved, Dario. Let’s just take it slow. Keep it quiet. Got it?”
The boys nodded.
Eddie pushed his plate aside and straightened up, leaning back in his chair. Knowing full well that O was never coming back, he pointed a finger at Dario and Tau.
“I can tell you both right now, once I take this shit over, that’s it. The business is mine. I don’t care what O says when he comes back. So you tell Lil’ Red—or whatever the fuck his name is—that you’ll be down tomorrow morning to talk about it. When you go down there, tell-em you work fa-me and you’re my representatives. All communications go through you from now on. Take Sal with you. He’s good for scarin’ the shit outta’ people.”
The boys looked eagerly at Eddie, drinking in all of his advice. It gave Eddie a strong sense of pride. “This is your chance,” he told them. “You handle this, and you’ll both have cash comin’ outta’ your asses.”
Dario nodded. “Alright. Yeah. We got this, Eddie.”
He stood and started circling the table, pacing. “So, Eddie? You got both my pieces, man. Can I get one back? I can’t be walkin’ into O’s place actin’ like I’m in charge without protection, man. I—”
Eddie pointed his finger and stood. “Hold that thought.”
He left the table and disappeared. When he returned, he slipped Dario’s .38 snub-nose into Dario’s hand.
“Take it. I don’t need it.”
Dario’s eyes popped, as he put the gun into the back of his waistband.
“You don’t need it? Man, I’ve been doin’ all this work, all this time without protection? Why’d you take both my pieces, and Tau got to keep his daddy’s, huh?”
Eddie shrugged. “I forgot.”
Dario fell sideways a bit and let out a gasp. “You forgot?” He shook his head, “Man I—”
Eddie put up his hand to hide his amusement. “You got the fuckin’ gun, alright? Now shut up about it.”
Dario nodded and sat back at the table. “Alright. Thank you.”
Eddie turned to Tau. “Tau, see what else you can find out. See what else O’s got goin’ on.”
Tau spoke up. “Lil’ Red said O’s been sellin’ a lot of drugs and hot property on his own, too. Said he has a lot of his own customers—in addition to Magic Man’s business.”
Eddie tapped his fingers on the table. “That’s what I’m lookin’ for. Good. Go talk to Lil’ Red and get the details. Word on the street passes along pretty fast. O’s customers will find you.”
Tau and Dario nodded.
“Get some new burners for this shit too,” Eddie said.
“Got it,” Dario said.
Eddie waved them off. “Get outta’ here. I got work to do. You do too. Good luck with Dax.” He slapped his hands on the table. “Keep up the good work. I’m proud-a you boys.”
They stood to shake Eddie’s hand, chuckling and smiling at the compliment.
“I wanna’ hear from you’se two about this tomorrow.”
Eddie grinned like a proud father, as he watched Tau and Dario walk out of the restaurant.
