Read Online Kings of Midnight by Wallace Stroby - Free Book Online

a cell phone, was always worried someone could use it to track him down, though he didn’t even know if that was possible.
    He pumped quarters into the phone, looked across the lot to where the Hyundai was parked. Marta brushing her hair in the rearview. It was noon, and she’d slept most of the way, curled against him. His shoulder was still warm. As he dialed, she turned her head, caught him watching her, gave him a smile.
    On the fifth ring, a man answered. “Galaxy.”
    â€œCan I speak with Leo?”
    â€œLeo? There’s no Leo here.”
    â€œI’m trying to reach Leo Bloomgold, the manager there.”
    â€œI think you got the wrong place.”
    â€œThis the Galaxy Lounge in Ozone Park?” He’d gotten the number from information, but was worried now it was the wrong one, a different bar with the same name.
    â€œYeah,” the man said, “but I don’t know no Leo.”
    â€œThis the Galaxy on Lefferts Boulevard, near the airport?”
    â€œLast time I looked, yeah.”
    â€œWho’s the manager there now? Who’s running the joint?”
    â€œWho wants to know?”
    Benny sighed. This would be harder than he thought. Realizing again how long he’d been away.
    â€œSo you don’t know Leo Bloomgold?”
    â€œDo I stutter?”
    â€œHe used to run the Golddigger out in Forest Hills, too. You know the place?”
    â€œNever heard of it. Who is this again?”
    Benny thumbed the hook switch, listened to coins drop. He looked at his watch. Maybe three more hours before they crossed into Jersey. They’d find someplace to eat around here, then he’d make more calls.
    He looked at the traffic rushing by, thought about Rick, probably calling the house right now, wondering where he was. Would he call the police at some point? And Taliferro and the others, where were they now? Had they taken Dominic to a hospital, or left a dead man in his house?
    He felt a sudden anger, wanted to smash the receiver against the phone. More than thirty years later, and Joey Dio was still fucking him, only this time from beyond the grave.
    He hung up the receiver, forced a smile as he walked back toward the car. Marta leaned over and opened the door for him. She’d tied her hair back in a blue bow. By the time he reached the car, his smile was real.
    Look at this, he thought. Sixty-two years old, married and divorced, almost dead more times than he could count, and in love again after all this time. What a world.
    *   *   *
    It was dark by the time they reached Staten Island. Benny pulled into the first motel they saw, checked in as Leonard Spiegel, the name on his Indiana driver’s license and Visa card.
    When they were settled in the room, he went out and used the pay phone by the office, a finger in his ear to block out the clank and hum of the vending machines. He used up the rest of his change making calls.
    When he returned to the room, Marta was stretched out on the bed, watching TV. She looked at him, picked up the remote, muted the sound.
    â€œWell?” she said.
    He slumped down beside her, looked at the screen. “What’s this?”
    â€œIt’s that show I like, where people send in their videos.”
    â€œOh.”
    â€œAre you going to tell me what happened?”
    He felt it all catching up with him then—the stress, the hours of driving. His back was stiff, his neck sore.
    â€œWe should go get some dinner,” he said. “Before I fall asleep.”
    â€œWhat are we going to do?”
    â€œGet a good night’s rest, then tomorrow we’ll go out, buy whatever things you need. Later on, I have to see someone.”
    â€œWho?”
    â€œMy brother-in-law.”
    â€œI didn’t know you had one.”
    â€œTechnically, I don’t. Not anymore.”
    Where is he?”
    â€œBay Ridge.”
    â€œWhere’s that?”
    â€œBrooklyn. It’s not far from