Fear City Read Free Page B

Don’t ever be sorry for me. I did this to myself. My doctor warned me, my wife warned me, my brother warned me, but I wouldn’t listen. I coulda quit but I didn’t want to quit. Cancer happened to other people, so why should I quit? Well, y’know what? The day they found that lump in my lung, I fucking quit. Cold turkey. Lotta good it’s gonna do me.”
    Vinny didn’t know what to say.
    Tony barked a harsh laugh. “You don’t know what to say, do you!”
    Was he a mind reader now?
    â€œAs a matter of fact, no.”
    Another laugh. “Nobody does! So don’t say nothin’. Just sit there and listen to me. We got a problem.”
    Vinny had been wondering when this would come up.
    Tony said, “I can see by your face you know what I’m talking about.”
    â€œTommy.”
    â€œYeah. Tommy. I put him in charge of the loans when I got sick and what happens? The vigorish dries up. What’s going on? I can’t believe he’s holding out on me.”
    Shit. Not right for Tony to put him on the spot like this.
    â€œWell…”
    â€œHey, look. I don’t like asking any more’n you like being asked. I’d handle it myself but I ain’t exactly myself lately, if you know what I mean.”
    â€œYeah.”
    â€œTommy keeps telling me there’s no vig because nobody’s taking out loans. I can’t fucking believe it. There ain’t no shortage of losers out there, so there can’t be no shortage of loans. The reason I’m asking you is I know how you feel about Tommy—sorta the way I feel about Sammy the Nose, y’know? If he’s holding out—”
    â€œMaybe he ain’t holding out, Tony. Maybe he ain’t going out. Maybe that’s the problem.”
    Tony frowned. “I don’t get it.”
    â€œHe’s got a nice deal with his detailing operation. Maybe too nice.”
    â€œWhatta y’mean?”
    â€œI mean he’s sold a shitload of policies so all he’s gotta do is sit on his ass and collect. He ain’t chasing loans. If they come to him, fine, but he ain’t on the hunt.”
    Shylocking had always been one of Tony’s main income streams. He had the games and the pony parlor and the fencing, but at ten or twelve percent interest per week, the shy business was like having a printing press for money.
    Tony snorted. “His detailing operation. If he’s doing so well, how come my beak’s dry?”
    When you had a side operation, you were supposed to let your crew boss wet his beak. Vinny always sent a piece of his salvage profits to Tony. Tommy was letting that slide, and Vinny knew a couple of reasons why. During the times they were in the same room or same car, the subject of Tony the Cannon would come up more often than not. Tommy would often say that letting Tony dip his beak in his detailing operation was a waste since the guy had “one foot through death’s door and the other on a banana peel.” But Vinny couldn’t tell Tony that. On the other hand, Tommy “Ten Thumbs” Totaro’s coke habit was no secret.
    â€œI think most of the extra’s going up Tommy’s beak.”
    Tony sighed. “I gotta tell ya, Vinny, that hurts. And to think, I helped him get into it.” He gave a slow shake of his head. “No good deed goes unpunished, huh?”
    â€œI guess.”
    â€™Specially where Tommy was involved.
    â€œI just got an idea,” Tony said.
    â€œLike?”
    â€œWhat if Tommy’s detailing operation runs into some complications?”
    And now Vinny got it. This whole dramatic scene—Tony coming to him, meeting in the car here in Canarsie so no one would know they’d talked, the zeppole, acting hurt and offended—was all a lead-in to this. He hadn’t “just” got an idea. His idea was behind his trip from Ozone Park.
    Vinny played along. “You mean like what if