Mick Sinatra: The Harder They Fall Read Free

quiet,
no-nonsense way.
    “The quarterback
threw this incredible pass to Jarrett,” another one said and Mick, without a
moment’s hesitation, lifted the gun they didn’t even realize he had by his side
and shot the talkative guy through the forehead.   The other three men slammed their bodies away
from their suddenly fallen comrade.   Even
Teddy flinched, but quickly composed himself.   His father, he knew, was doing what he had to do.
    “I want
another motherfucker to fuck with me,” Mick said angrily.   “Now tell me what happened out there, and I
don’t mean what happened at some fucking football game!   What happened?   I heard it was like taking candy from a
fucking baby the way they took my shit!”
    “We were
outmanned, boss,” Criggs said.   He was
the leader of the pack, and he knew he had to be the one to convince Mick to
keep them alive.   “We were outnumbered
something like five to one.   Our men
didn’t stand a chance.”
    “And how did
that happen?” Mick asked.   “How could it
be that a shipment worth fifty million dollars is unloaded into trucks that all
some fucker had to do was drive up with more men and take it?   Where the fuck was the backup crew?   Where the fuck was the crew backing up the
backup crew?   I told you never cut
corners when it comes to my money, Criggs!   How many times do I have to tell you that?”
    “But we
thought we had enough people!”
    “You thought you had enough?” Mick’s voice
rose with anger.   “You were thinking you
had enough while my enemies knew your ass didn’t!”
    “But we had
it covered, boss,” Criggs said.   He knew
his butt was on the grill.   He knew he
was going to be the one to get it if he didn’t come up with a better
explanation fast.   If he didn’t convince
his long time boss that he knew what he was doing.   “We covered that waterfront.   I swear to you we had every single angle
covered.   I didn’t drop the ball.   You know me, boss!   I never drop the ball.   What can you do to a guy like me who never,
before this shit went down, did nothing but good work for you?”
    But Mick
frowned.   “What can I do to you?” he
asked.   “What do you think I’m going to
do to you?   Thank you for a job well
done?   Reward you for your past
service?   This shit ain’t static, it’s
fluid!   I can’t keep men around who did a
good job yesterday but fucked the hell up today!   Who do you think I am?   Unless you have fifty million dollars in your
back pocket right now, you know what I’m going to do to you!”
    “But how
could we see something like that coming, boss?” Criggs said.   “Please put yourself in our shoes.   We didn’t see it coming!”
    “So let me
get this straight,” Mick said, his still-smoking gun waving in front of
him.   “I’m supposed to understand because
you didn’t know an attack was going to be launched?   I’m supposed to forget about the fifty
million I paid for those guns, and the hundred million I stand to make on the
resale of those guns because you didn’t see it coming?”
    “Give us a
chance to make it right,” Criggs begged.   “That’s all I’m asking!   We fucked
up, okay?   We admit we fucked up!   But it won’t happen again.”
    “That’s for
damn sure,” Mick said.
    “Boss,
please!” Criggs pleaded.
    Mick shook
his head.   “Get a load of this guy,” he
said to Teddy.   “He sounds real sincere.
‘It’ll never happen again,’ he says.   ‘Trust me.   It’ll never happen
again.’”   Then Mick’s smile was
gone.   “Enemies we can’t even name yet
just drove off with my biggest shipment of the year.   A shipment I entrusted in you four
assholes.   And I’m supposed to accept
that and move on?   I’m supposed to
understand?”
    Mick sat
even more erect.   “The problem is,” he
said, “I do understand.   I understand the
streets better than all four of you fuckers combined.   Because I put myself in my