Read Online Season of the Witch by Timothy C. Phillips - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Timothy C. Phillips
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serious risk talking about this with you. I’d like to know we trust each other.”
I shrugged. “There’s really no way this can be connected to the other case, Jake. But okay, fair enough.”
I knew he was right. I decided to give him something. I told him about Lena and her boyfriend, my caving in to the parents, and Big Daddy and the smack. He took out his notepad and scribbled as I talked, nodding after each tidbit, reminding me more of Lester Broom with every nod. Cops, maybe we are all alike in some ways . If so, they were ways I liked. He scribbled a few more notes in the black leather notebook, and slid it back into his breast pocket.
“Well, you’re probably right. As far as we know, Big Daddy and Longshot don’t mix. Longshot runs the rackets, but we’ve never heard of him touching the big H. Besides, Big Daddy operates out of the Zone and that’s Don Ganato’s territory. He needs Don Ganato’s blessing to fart. Longshot wouldn’t dare go over there.” He picked up his coffee and took a thoughtful sip. “Not yet, anyway.”
I leaned in a little closer. “If that’s the case, Jake, tell me something. I need to know more about Hazelwood and Longshot. You guys grilled the hell out of me last night about Longshot and the O’Hearn mob. Just a few minutes ago, you brought Longshot up again. It seems a recurrent theme with you all. Obviously, you have some reason for claiming that he’s mixed up in all of this. What exactly is the connection?”
Keeler looked around apprehensively. He appeared uncertain.
“Come on, Jake. You say you’d like to help me. Well, this is the way. I need to know about their relationship.”
“Okay, what the hell. But you need to understand something. You didn’t hear it from me. Understand?” I nodded.
“Hazelwood was in debt, Roland. Gambling, maybe some other stuff, too. As you know, Longshot runs the gambling joints on the North Side. Word is he found out Hazelwood was a cop. So he makes sure the guy gets in over his head, right? Then he lets Hazelwood’s debts go until the guy has no choice but to ask for a deal. Longshot likes having cops on the string, you know? It’s been done a few times, you and me both know that. A cop with a money problem can be easy to turn.” He worked his fingers through the light blond stubble on his chin.
“I can see the arrangement. Like maybe Hazelwood keeps Lonnie tipped off, and the debts go away. After awhile, he’s even making money from the arrangement, and there’s women, and who knows what else. He knows he’s dirty but he’s living the life, and it’s too good to stop.”
The life .
The expression reminded me uneasily of Harry. “What makes you think Hazelwood would be open to working for Lonnie? Did he have problems in the past?” I said.
“There had been charges in the past, probation. We know he’d taken money before, bribes from suspects. So it stands to reason people on the street knew he could be bought. But the powers that be at the West Precinct said give him another chance, so Hazelwood went back out on the street, mostly limited to vice cases. He knew he’d never work homicide again.”
“So why would this guy want me dead?” I wondered aloud. Beth refilled my coffee with a slightly frightened look, and retreated quickly; she had overheard the question I posed to Jake.
“I’m in the dark on that one. I don’t have all the pieces here, either, Roland.”
“And I do? Tell me this, Jake. How long ago was it that this last investigation of Hazelwood started? And what were they looking for?”
Keeler leaned back a little. He looked hesitant.
“Ah, well, it’s a long story. This last time started kind of funny, actually.”
“Great. I could use a few laughs right now.”
Jake made a gesture with a napkin equivalent to throwing in the towel. “Ah, what the hell. A few ‘high denomination bills’ were found in an unmarked car Hazelwood had checked out, stuffed under the rear seat.
I shrugged. “There’s really no way this can be connected to the other case, Jake. But okay, fair enough.”
I knew he was right. I decided to give him something. I told him about Lena and her boyfriend, my caving in to the parents, and Big Daddy and the smack. He took out his notepad and scribbled as I talked, nodding after each tidbit, reminding me more of Lester Broom with every nod. Cops, maybe we are all alike in some ways . If so, they were ways I liked. He scribbled a few more notes in the black leather notebook, and slid it back into his breast pocket.
“Well, you’re probably right. As far as we know, Big Daddy and Longshot don’t mix. Longshot runs the rackets, but we’ve never heard of him touching the big H. Besides, Big Daddy operates out of the Zone and that’s Don Ganato’s territory. He needs Don Ganato’s blessing to fart. Longshot wouldn’t dare go over there.” He picked up his coffee and took a thoughtful sip. “Not yet, anyway.”
I leaned in a little closer. “If that’s the case, Jake, tell me something. I need to know more about Hazelwood and Longshot. You guys grilled the hell out of me last night about Longshot and the O’Hearn mob. Just a few minutes ago, you brought Longshot up again. It seems a recurrent theme with you all. Obviously, you have some reason for claiming that he’s mixed up in all of this. What exactly is the connection?”
Keeler looked around apprehensively. He appeared uncertain.
“Come on, Jake. You say you’d like to help me. Well, this is the way. I need to know about their relationship.”
“Okay, what the hell. But you need to understand something. You didn’t hear it from me. Understand?” I nodded.
“Hazelwood was in debt, Roland. Gambling, maybe some other stuff, too. As you know, Longshot runs the gambling joints on the North Side. Word is he found out Hazelwood was a cop. So he makes sure the guy gets in over his head, right? Then he lets Hazelwood’s debts go until the guy has no choice but to ask for a deal. Longshot likes having cops on the string, you know? It’s been done a few times, you and me both know that. A cop with a money problem can be easy to turn.” He worked his fingers through the light blond stubble on his chin.
“I can see the arrangement. Like maybe Hazelwood keeps Lonnie tipped off, and the debts go away. After awhile, he’s even making money from the arrangement, and there’s women, and who knows what else. He knows he’s dirty but he’s living the life, and it’s too good to stop.”
The life .
The expression reminded me uneasily of Harry. “What makes you think Hazelwood would be open to working for Lonnie? Did he have problems in the past?” I said.
“There had been charges in the past, probation. We know he’d taken money before, bribes from suspects. So it stands to reason people on the street knew he could be bought. But the powers that be at the West Precinct said give him another chance, so Hazelwood went back out on the street, mostly limited to vice cases. He knew he’d never work homicide again.”
“So why would this guy want me dead?” I wondered aloud. Beth refilled my coffee with a slightly frightened look, and retreated quickly; she had overheard the question I posed to Jake.
“I’m in the dark on that one. I don’t have all the pieces here, either, Roland.”
“And I do? Tell me this, Jake. How long ago was it that this last investigation of Hazelwood started? And what were they looking for?”
Keeler leaned back a little. He looked hesitant.
“Ah, well, it’s a long story. This last time started kind of funny, actually.”
“Great. I could use a few laughs right now.”
Jake made a gesture with a napkin equivalent to throwing in the towel. “Ah, what the hell. A few ‘high denomination bills’ were found in an unmarked car Hazelwood had checked out, stuffed under the rear seat.
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