The Most Dangerous Dame

“A batch of those new roofies. Ladykillers, they call ‘em.”

My stomach clenched. “Lemme guess. They ended up parked in the Docks at Lot 76.”

A startled look flashed across his face. “Sure did. How’d you know that? Then I guess you’d know some gonzo chump mushroomed the stash to high heaven. The girl had already pulled a clean sneak, though. Don’t know where, so don’t bother asking.”

“Don’t worry. I know exactly who to ask.” I pushed the saucer back. “Outstanding cake, Joe. I’ll have to come back for another slice.”

He grinned as though I’d sainted his mother. “You’re not so bad, Mr. Trubble. But hey — aint’cha gonna ask who bankrolled that shipment?”

“No need.” I tilted my Bogart over my eyes. “Keep that dib card for your troubles, Joe. I know exactly who I’m after.”

“Going somewhere, Vitto?”

The hallway was golden, ornamented with dimensional scrollwork wallpaper. The carpeting was elaborate, displaying intricately woven designs in olive and burgundy. Luther Vitto had an appetite for the finer things, and his loft apartment in one of the luxury towers in the Heights was proof. Too bad I wasn’t there to admire the decor.

His shoulders stiffened as he froze and turned slowly. The left side of his face was still swollen from getting slammed on the blackjack table the previous night. He had donned oversized saffron shades to try to cover the bruises. The glasses did a halfway decent job of screening his startled expression, but he’d have needed an entire mask to disguise the look of utter dismay that tattooed his ugly mug.

“Mr. Trubble.” Sweat dotted his forehead. “Didn’t expect to see you. So soon, that is.” The leather satchel dropped from his hand as I stepped closer. His neck craned as he desperately searched the hall behind me.

“Looking for your boys? They’re taking a nap right now. Ran into Ben the Bear. He doesn’t like to hibernate alone.” I nodded to his satchel. “Looks like you’re skipping out for a while. Good thing I caught you before you went to ground.”

“Look, Mick—”

His choppers clicked together when I walloped him with a right hook across his jaw. His head rebounded off the wall. I seized him by the nape of his neck and slammed him face-first into the same spot. The drywall crumpled, powdering his face and neck. His pork pie hat tumbled off his head and was crushed by his shuffling feet.

I yanked him backward. “You knew all along, Vitto.” My fist ploughed into his stomach, doubling him over. “You knew Natalie came in with that shipment of Ladykillers I blew up. I specifically told you to look for Scarlett’s killer, and all the while you knew exactly who did the deed. You sat there and didn’t say a goddamn word.”

I punctuated the sentence with an uppercut that sent him sprawling to the carpet. He lay there, wheezing for breath with his hand upraised. I didn’t bother laying down any more punishment. It wasn’t in me to kick a dog with his belly up.

“I couldn’t… say nothing, Mick.” He wiped his nose with the back of his hand and stared at the blood with a dazed expression. “I’m caught between a rock… and a hard place.”

“Yeah. The SS are bad news. I get that. But you chose the wrong side in this deal, bub. I got two dead girls and counting. Not to mention a psychotic ex-girlfriend with a hit squad on call to rub me out. I need to know where she is. You spill right now and I’m the best friend you ever had. You don’t and I’m your worst enemy. Make your choice.”

Vitto’s face sagged. “I tell you and I’m a dead man. You know that.”

I yanked the Mean Ol’ Broad from her holster and aimed right between his eyes. “You don’t tell me and you’re a dead man. What’s it gonna be?”

“I… can’t. You don’t understand—” Tears glistened in his frightened eyes. “You haven’t been face to face with him.”

“With who? I thought you dealt with Natalie. She might be one bad broad, but I didn’t think she’d have you blubbering like a little nance. Man up, Vitto.”

“Not her. The man. Dressed in all black. He’s pulling all the strings — had me set up the drug shipment to smuggle the SS dame in. But he’s also been tracking down every Service mole in New Haven and rubbing them out. I don’t know what the hell his game is. But I can’t face him again. He’s got those eyes… the coldest eyes I’ve ever seen. He told me what he’ll do if I betray him. And the girl? She’s almost as scary as he is. I was a fool to ever get involved in this gambit. You want to shoot me? Go right ahead. You’d be doing me a favor.”

I didn’t see the point in threatening him further. He was broken, pitiful as a turtle that lost its shell. I put the Broad away and pulled out my deck of smokes instead. I lit one and puffed for a minute.

“This spook that has you all shaken and stirred — he got a name?”

“He never gave me a name.” Vitto gave a resigned shake of his head. “I never asked. Didn’t want to know. Didn’t want any of this.”

“You deal with bad men and you get yourself neck-deep in a world of hurt, Mack. Next time stick to sharking loans.”