Read Online Keeplock: A Novel of Crime by Stephen Solomita - Free Book Online

is?”
    “Who’s Calvin?” I repeated.
    “Calvin’s the guy you had words with when you first came into the shelter.” Condon was patient, like any other smart detective. Patient and persistent. First he would convince me that I was buried, then hit me with what he really wanted. “I mean we got the story from McDonald. Calvin was working the security desk when you arrived and he disrespected you. Plus, your two roommates told us that Calvin came up to your room last night and had a talk with you. I hope you’re not gonna deny that ?”
    “If you’re talkin’ about the black dude, he never told me his name. He ran me down a list of the shelter rules and left. You don’t believe me, ask the guy who came in with him.”
    Condon’s disappointed look told me that Sing-Sing wasn’t cooperating. “You shouldn’t have done what you did to Calvin. It hurt us.”
    “What’d I do to Calvin?”
    He glanced at the door and Rico came back into the room. It was time for the bad cop again. Rico yanked me out of the chair and drew back his fist.
    “You’re wasting your time,” I said, my face and voice as calm as I could make them. “In Cortlandt they beat you with ax handles. There’s nothing you can do with your fists that’ll scare me. And if you wanna pull out your gun and shoot, go ahead. At this point I really don’t give a shit.”
    Rico hit me in the chest to show me how tough he was, then dropped me back into the chair. The two cops looked at each other for a moment. Finally Condon shook his head and turned back to me. “Look, Pete, the point is that you’re in a lot of trouble. You found Calvin in the shower and you beat him into the hospital. We got witnesses who say you were soaking wet when you walked back through the shelter. Maybe you were smart enough to get rid of the weapon, and maybe it’s true that Calvin’s got a sheet so long that a jury would give you a medal for putting him in the hospital. But even if you beat the charge, you’re gonna go back up to Cortlandt and finish your time. We already spoke to your P.O. He says he went to a lot of trouble to find you a job and get you into this shelter. He says he’s not gonna protect you under any circumstances. We persuaded him not to violate you for the time being, but if you don’t cooperate with us a little bit …”
    “Forget that shit,” Rico snapped. “Whatta you askin’ this piece of shit to cooperate for?”
    “Take it easy, Rico. You’re gonna get your pressure up.”
    “Fuck my pressure.” He put his face a few inches from mine. I could taste his breath. “You understand payback, asshole? You took somethin’ from me and if you don’t pay it back, I’m gonna put your ass in the joint for the next five years. Even a criminal asshole like you could figure out what I’m sayin’. You owe me and you gotta fork up the ante, one way or the other.”
    “I’ll tell ya what, Rico,” I said, forcing a smile, “you bring Calvin in here and I’ll pray over his broken body.”
    Rico flew into a rage, a genuine rage this time. He knocked me out of the chair and began to kick me in the back. I tried to curl into a ball, knowing full well that I’d be pissing blood in the morning, but McDonald’s desk was in the way. I was pinned against it and Rico was taking his time, carefully avoiding my head and face. He didn’t stop until I cried out.
    “Cuff his ankles.” It was Condon’s voice. He waited until I was shackled before he spoke again. “You’re a tough guy, Frangello. I admit it, okay? Tough guy. So what I’m gonna do is lay it out and give you some time to think about it. When you were up in Cortlandt, you were part of Eddie Conte’s crew. Don’t bother to deny it. I been on the phone with a deputy warden named Jack Camille all afternoon. Camille don’t like you, Frangello. He says he can’t wait to see you again. He also says you were assigned to Eddie Conte’s court up on the hill. Matter of fact, you were