Read Online A World Without Secrets by Thomas DePrima - Free Book Online
Authors: Thomas DePrima
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find any skip within five days."
"And if you can't find them you just say they're dead?"
"No, if I say they're dead, I'll produce incontrovertible evidence of that within thirty days. But it'll cost you an extra grand."
Harris leaned back in his chair and lit a cigar, studying my face in silence for several minutes. Finally, he said, "Alright, I'll give you a chance. If you can deliver one of my skips within five days, I'll start throwing some work your way."
"I don't deliver. I find. You probably have some goons who'd have trouble finding their lunch in a paper bag. I'll provide the directions and they pick up the skip. I get fifty percent of the bounty; they split the rest, unless you make separate arrangements with them. Whatever you do, I still get fifty percent of the recovery fee."
Harris looked at me for several seconds as if trying to figure if I was nuts or on the level. "Okay, pal. We'll see what you can do." Shuffling through some papers on his desk, he pulled a sheet out and read from it. "Scott 'Peewee' Smith, charged with attempted murder, skipped out after he was arraigned. My guys can't find him. Locate him for me before Thursday and you get a grand for your effort."
"Cash?"
Harris nodded. "Cash."
I took out a small notebook and pen, and wrote down the name. "Description?"
Harris read from the paper, "Caucasian male, six foot three, two hundred fifty pounds." Glancing up at me, he added, "If you put on twenty pounds, you could pass for his brother."
"I'm only six two and two ten. Arraignment date, time, and court?"
"January twelfth, ten-thirty a.m., at the Criminal Court Building on Broadway."
"Who do I call when I find him?"
"Call here."
"Okay, I'll talk to you later today."
"Yeah, right," he said with a chuckle.
"You got someone who can pick him up tonight if he's still in Manhattan?"
"Sure," Harris said chuckling, "but you're not going to find him by tonight."
"I'll talk to you later, Mr. Harris. Be ready to pick up your skip."
I stood up and left the office. Harris just sat there, grinning like a fool and shaking his head.
I visited five more bail bondsmen but failed to get any other assignments, so I headed home to work on the deal I'd landed. It only took me an hour to find the right courtroom and tag Smith. Advancing the time to the present, I learned that Smith was hiding out in Brooklyn, watching a video replay of a New York Jets football game. I wrote down the address and called the bail bond office.
"Mr. Harris? Colton James. I have a location for you."
"What? Already?"
"Yes. Do you have your people ready?"
"Not yet. You're absolutely sure you've found Smith?"
"Yes."
"You're ah, a bit faster than I expected."
"How soon do you think they'll be ready?"
"How many will I need?"
"Smith is alone right now. I haven't had time to find out if he has any support, but it doesn't look like it. I'd say at least three. Four would be better."
"It'll take me a couple of hours to get four men here."
"Have them assemble in Brooklyn at the corners of Dumont and Rockaway. When they're ready, I'll give them the address and stay on the line while they move in. Give them the cell phone number I gave you."
"You'll be there?"
"I'll be watching and direct the capture, but I won't otherwise participate or even reveal my location."
"Uh, you're absolutely sure you found the right guy?"
"I'm sure."
"Okay. My guy will call when they're set."
It was almost four hours before I got the call-back. It was after six and would be getting dark soon.
"This is Vinny. Is this Mr. James?"
"Yeah. Call me Colt, Vinny. Are you ready to move in?"
"We're set."
"How many are you?"
"Four."
"Okay. The skip is watching television on the second floor of a three-family house on Pacific off Rockaway. There's no exit up there except the fire escape in the front or through the roof hatch, and it's a two-story drop to the back yard. The buildings are all attached so it'll be tough getting to him if he dogs out the
"And if you can't find them you just say they're dead?"
"No, if I say they're dead, I'll produce incontrovertible evidence of that within thirty days. But it'll cost you an extra grand."
Harris leaned back in his chair and lit a cigar, studying my face in silence for several minutes. Finally, he said, "Alright, I'll give you a chance. If you can deliver one of my skips within five days, I'll start throwing some work your way."
"I don't deliver. I find. You probably have some goons who'd have trouble finding their lunch in a paper bag. I'll provide the directions and they pick up the skip. I get fifty percent of the bounty; they split the rest, unless you make separate arrangements with them. Whatever you do, I still get fifty percent of the recovery fee."
Harris looked at me for several seconds as if trying to figure if I was nuts or on the level. "Okay, pal. We'll see what you can do." Shuffling through some papers on his desk, he pulled a sheet out and read from it. "Scott 'Peewee' Smith, charged with attempted murder, skipped out after he was arraigned. My guys can't find him. Locate him for me before Thursday and you get a grand for your effort."
"Cash?"
Harris nodded. "Cash."
I took out a small notebook and pen, and wrote down the name. "Description?"
Harris read from the paper, "Caucasian male, six foot three, two hundred fifty pounds." Glancing up at me, he added, "If you put on twenty pounds, you could pass for his brother."
"I'm only six two and two ten. Arraignment date, time, and court?"
"January twelfth, ten-thirty a.m., at the Criminal Court Building on Broadway."
"Who do I call when I find him?"
"Call here."
"Okay, I'll talk to you later today."
"Yeah, right," he said with a chuckle.
"You got someone who can pick him up tonight if he's still in Manhattan?"
"Sure," Harris said chuckling, "but you're not going to find him by tonight."
"I'll talk to you later, Mr. Harris. Be ready to pick up your skip."
I stood up and left the office. Harris just sat there, grinning like a fool and shaking his head.
I visited five more bail bondsmen but failed to get any other assignments, so I headed home to work on the deal I'd landed. It only took me an hour to find the right courtroom and tag Smith. Advancing the time to the present, I learned that Smith was hiding out in Brooklyn, watching a video replay of a New York Jets football game. I wrote down the address and called the bail bond office.
"Mr. Harris? Colton James. I have a location for you."
"What? Already?"
"Yes. Do you have your people ready?"
"Not yet. You're absolutely sure you've found Smith?"
"Yes."
"You're ah, a bit faster than I expected."
"How soon do you think they'll be ready?"
"How many will I need?"
"Smith is alone right now. I haven't had time to find out if he has any support, but it doesn't look like it. I'd say at least three. Four would be better."
"It'll take me a couple of hours to get four men here."
"Have them assemble in Brooklyn at the corners of Dumont and Rockaway. When they're ready, I'll give them the address and stay on the line while they move in. Give them the cell phone number I gave you."
"You'll be there?"
"I'll be watching and direct the capture, but I won't otherwise participate or even reveal my location."
"Uh, you're absolutely sure you found the right guy?"
"I'm sure."
"Okay. My guy will call when they're set."
It was almost four hours before I got the call-back. It was after six and would be getting dark soon.
"This is Vinny. Is this Mr. James?"
"Yeah. Call me Colt, Vinny. Are you ready to move in?"
"We're set."
"How many are you?"
"Four."
"Okay. The skip is watching television on the second floor of a three-family house on Pacific off Rockaway. There's no exit up there except the fire escape in the front or through the roof hatch, and it's a two-story drop to the back yard. The buildings are all attached so it'll be tough getting to him if he dogs out the
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