Double Jeopardy

17

6:45 P.M.

HERE THEY WERE AGAIN—MARIO, Kramer, and Donny—gathered together in Mario’s downtown office. These little status reports had become a regular unpleasantness in Mario’s life since the latest crisis developed. Occasionally they accomplished something; more often they did not. Either way, another meeting meant more time with Kramer. And that made Mario’s blood run cold.

Not that Donny was much better. He’d come in earlier to beg his uncle Mario to make him a lieutenant. Right. In the first place, Mario explained, you can’t be a lieutenant unless you’re a made man, and Donny wasn’t. What’s more, Mario thought but did not say, you can’t be a made man until you’ve successfully completed a hit, Donny, and you couldn’t successfully complete a hit on a butterfly. Donny was fortunate Mario had agreed to accept him at all. There’d been a lot of bitching among the boys. Understandably so.

“You never told me, Donny,” Mario said. “How did your introduction to Mr. Byrne go?”

“Smooth as shit,” Kramer answered for him, “ ’cept that Donny almost got himself turned into a hostage.”

“I did not!” Donny said. He leaped off the sofa. “Byrne got one good shot in, that’s all. When I wasn’t looking. I got out of it right away.”

Kramer laughed. “You got out of it when my man Mr. Hardcastle smashed Byrne’s head against the wall. Otherwise you’d be doing time in the federal slammer right now.”

“That’s not true! Uncle Mario, make him shut up!”

Mario raised his hand. “Boys, boys, boys. Let’s not behave like children. I take it Mr. Byrne received our message?”

“He received it all right,” Kramer said. “Like a swift kick in the balls. Problem is, he’s too dumb to take it to heart.”

“Are you certain of this?”

“Positive. Hardcastle was in the courtroom today. I got a full report.”

“What? He went in person!”

“Relax, he was careful. Byrne never saw him.”

“For your sake, I hope you’re right.” Mario fell back and made a steeple with his fingers. At least Kramer hadn’t gone himself. Kramer probably couldn’t get near any law enforcement officer in the entire state of Texas without being identified. “What was your man’s evaluation of Byrne’s courtroom performance?”

“He’s good,” Kramer said. “What’s worse, he’s shrewd. He’s not actin’ like Moroconi is a great guy—or even that he likes him. He’s not sayin’ that the rapes didn’t happen and he was a real sweetie pie to the victim. He made one point—that she didn’t get a good enough look to identify Al. It ain’t much, but if he makes the jury believe it, he’ll win.”

Mario brooded for a moment. “I thought you told me this case was a guaranteed conviction. With a long sentence attached.”

“That’s what my contacts at the police station were sayin’. I guess that was before Byrne made the scene.”

“I don t know why you’re acting like this Byrne prick is so great,” Donny said, pouting. “He’s just a stupid, fat policeman.”

“Who almost broke your hand,” Kramer added.

“That’s not true!” Donny ran up to Mario’s desk and hovered. “Uncle Mario, tell him to stop saying that!”

“Please, Donny. We’re not on a playground and this is not recess.”

“But he’s picking on me!”

Mario buried his face in his hands. It was hopeless. Absolutely hopeless. Perhaps he could tell Monica her son had been killed in a train wreck.

“I don’t mean to be an alarmist,” Kramer said. “The feds still have a strong case. Odds are Al is going to do some major-league time. But I make no guarantees.”

“Recommendations?”

“Nothin’ drastic. Not yet. I’ll keep an eye on Al. And Byrne. You said before we’d take more … extreme measures if necessary. I hope you meant it.”

Mario, folded his hands. “I meant it.”

“Good. Then I’ll continue to monitor the situation carefully.”

Mario raised his chin. “They’ve found Seacrest.”

“I know. I made sure they did.”

“Perhaps you should make sure Mr. Byrne knows, too.”

Kramer grinned. “Not a bad idea.”

“Do you need more associates?”

“Nah. I’ve already got eight men on Byrne, diggin’ into his background, watchin’ him everywhere he goes. Listenin’, too.”

“Good.”

The phone rang. Mario answered it, then passed it to Kramer. “It’s for you.”

Kramer took the phone. After a moment, he covered the receiver and whispered, “It’s one of my contacts at the jailhouse.” He listened for several more seconds. “What? Gone?”

“What is it?” Mario asked. “What happened?” Kramer ignored him. After a few more minutes, he tossed the receiver back into its cradle.

“Talk to me,” Mario demanded. “What happened?”

“A hell of a lot, apparently,” Kramer said. “Two guards shot, one of them dead.”

“What the fuck are you talking about?” Kramer reached into his pocket and withdrew his lighter. “The holding cells,” he said quietly. “Our friend Al busted out.”

“You can’t be serious!”

“I’m afraid so.” He held the lighter between them and gazed at the orange flame. “You’d better lock your doors tonight, Mario. Al may show up on your doorstep. And he won’t be deliverin’ a candygram, either.”