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CARLOS TOOK LUNCH IN the casino’s restaurant like he always did. It was the safest thing he could do. Although such a predictable and public action placed him in a vulnerable position each day, it showed his staff and his allies that he wasn’t afraid. That was critical to survival. Fear said weakness and weakness meant losing. The only people who wanted to be on a losing side in a war like this were those who wanted to die, not the kind of people you want on your side. Mendel would’ve understood that and anticipated the security steps Carlos had taken. There was one incident, two shots fired from across the street. No one was hurt, there wasn’t much damage and the shooters ran off as soon as they’d fired. It was a pathetic attempt, but Carlos understood it had to be done, otherwise Mendel would look weak. The stupid, unwritten rules of engagement. Everybody understood them, everybody knew they were stupid theatrics and everybody adhered to them as if they weren’t. If ever someone ignored them they’d take everybody down.
“Carlos.” It was Andy, standing beside the table.
Carlos looked at him. He hadn’t seen him coming. He silently scolded himself for not paying enough attention to the restaurant. Inattention like that could be fatal.
“We’ve got some news concerning Grant Mendel.”
“Sit,” Carlos commanded.
Andy obeyed.
“Where’s this news from?”
Andy covered his mouth. “Mister Francis.”
Carlos covered his own mouth. Andy must have suspected they were being watched.
“What’s the news?” Carlos asked.
“Mendel’s taken some men to the shipyards. Mister Francis would like you to deal with Mendel quickly there, but he’d like to speak with you first.”
“Where?”
“His coach is out back.”
Carlos’s hand dropped from his mouth. “Shit,” he said without moving his lips. “Do what you have to.”
“How many?” Andy asked.
“As many as our friend has.” Carlos stood and made for the steps. He was immediately flanked by four doormen.
He went to his office to collect his hat, his coat and his revolver.
***
CARLOS OPENED THE DOOR to the darkened coach. A dark figure wearing a bowler hat sat in the far corner. “How are things my dear friend?” White teeth framed themselves within a smile on a very dark face. Carlos had known Thomas Francis long enough to know his moods well. Polite meant angry; Thomas was furious.
Carlos turned to the two doormen who’d accompanied him. “Go see Andy,” he said. “Tell him I sent you.”
“Tell Mister Burton we’ll meet him at the foundry,” Thomas said.
“Burton?” one of the men asked.
“Yes, Burton,” Carlos snapped. “Andy Burton. Now do what you’re told.”
The men went. Carlos climbed into the coach.
Thomas rapped the roof with a walking stick and the coach started moving.
“Didn’t know you used one of those.” Carlos nodded to the stick.
“I don’t,” Thomas said as he replaced it in its holder beside him. “It stays in the coach. I’m very disappointed with the way things are working out.”
“The bombing of the—”
“I don’t care about the casino as much as I do about Mendel and his men crawling about my offices at the shipyards looking for a couple you’re chasing.”
“He has offices there, don’t he?” Carlos asked.
“That’s doesn’t he, and that doesn’t matter. I want them off my docks, except for Mendel. I want him gone, for good. You understand?”
“I understand what you want, and yeah, I want that too. What I don’t understand is why.”
“He runs the companies that make the boats; I run the companies that make the engines and the armour that protects the boats.”
“What’s he going to do there?” Carlos asked. “Does he know what you own?”
“No,” Thomas said. “But as soon as he sees some of the steel boats my boys have made, he’s going to get scared, he’s going to open his big fucking mouth to his white clad friends and they’re going to cause real trouble before we’re ready for them. That’s what he’s going to do there.” He looked out of the carriage. “I need a white man to deal with him. I need it to be in front of his boys and I need there to be no doubt that the man who did it was white. You get me, white man?”
Carlos nodded. “Understood.”
“The couple you were looking for, where are they?”
“Don’t know,” Carlos said.
“They’re gone,” Thomas said. “My man says they got passage to Milleston.”
“You helping them?” Carlos asked.
Thomas shook his head. “I’m not, but my men on the docks are. I don’t care so much about some petty cheaters as I do about having good people where I need them. That’s why you run my casino for me. I don’t mind if some get away from you. You still got a reputation with the punters and that’s all I care about.”
“Do you know who they are?”
“Don’t know, don’t care, and soon enough it won’t matter. All I know is one of that couple is someone Mendel wants dead, and Mendel thinks there’s a traitor in one of his offices helping them.”
“How do you find these things?” Carlos asked.
“Hmmm,” Thomas shook his head. “Now you’re asking for secrets.”
“Alright,” Carlos said and looked outside.
Thomas laughed. “Alright, but just this once. Mendel uses a telephone to talk to his boys. What he doesn’t know is the women at the exchange into the shipyard work for me. I pay them well to tell me anything interesting that gets said on the lines into his offices there.”
“Is that all you get information from?” Carlos asked.
“No,” Thomas said. “Your daughter’s sweet on a doorman, Andy.”
Carlos took a deep breath. “I saw that,” he said.
“From what I hear, that Andy fellow is a good man.”
“I know that too,” Carlos said.
“If you want to promote him, I approve.”
“I’d like him out of this if he’s going to be with my daughter.”
“I understand,” Thomas said. “I like to have good people where I need them. I understand this Andy’s good people. So are you.”