a good undercover man, and a single lightbulbwent on over Denning’s and Grieco’s heads: Dominick Polifrone. If they got Dominick involved, they could cooperate with the state police and still keep it in the family, so to speak. Even though Dominick was a fed now, he was still one of them. They told Detective Kane that Dominick Polifrone was without a doubt the one man for this job, and when Kane objected that Dominick was a federal agent and probably couldn’t get involved in a homicide investigation like this, Denning puffed on his cigar and said one word: “Guns.” Selling guns was part of Kuklinski’s extensive criminal portfolio. As long as there were guns involved, an ATF agent could be brought in.
Pat Kane bought their pitch and called Dominick that very afternoon. It wasn’t long before Dominick was on the job as “Michael Dominick Provenzano.”
But that had been seventeen months ago, and even though certain people from the state might not be saying it out loud, Dominick could feel that they were getting antsy. Frankly so was he. In the past year and a half he’d heard a lot of stories about Kuklinski and the things he was supposed to have done, stories from both sides of the law. At “the store” they referred to him as “the one-man army” and “the devil himself.” If half of what Dominick had heard was true, these names were well deserved.
Dominick could understand Pat Kane’s relentless devotion to this case. There was something about Kuklinski that was so insidious, so arrogant. Kuklinski’s face had become the last thing Dominick pictured before he went to sleep at night, and it was right there staring at him when he woke up in the morning. There was no question about it anymore. The bastard had to go down; he
had
to. Everyone understood that. But even though Dominick hadn’t gotten the kind of results he’d hoped for at this point, no one else had gotten any closer to Kuklinski than he had. Besides, Dominick had put too much time into this to let the state pull the plug on him now. He could smell Kuklinski. He could feel his presence ineveryone who’d ever met him. In his gut he
knew
Kuklinski. The introduction was only a matter of time.
Walter Kipner had moved over to the poker table to peddle his phony fives. He must have been desperate for a sale because he was handing out freebies now, inviting comparison with the real bills that were scattered on the table. Other bad guys flocked to the table, eager to get a free fin. Dominick noticed that DePrima was by himself. He decided to take advantage of the distraction.
“Hey, Lenny, what’s happening?” Dominick put his hand on the wall and corralled DePrima.
“Hey, Dom,
che se dice
?” DePrima made like he’d just noticed Dominick.
Dominick gave him a dirty look.
DePrima shrugged. “What can I tell you?” he said under his breath. “I’m doing what I can.”
“When, Lenny? When?”
“I’m trying, Dom. I’m trying. I’ve been calling the big guy up, just like I told you. I told him I got this guy here who’s looking for guns in quantity. I offered to set up a meet, the whole bit. But he ain’t biting.”
“Why not?”
“You don’t understand, Dom. You don’t push the Polack. Not unless you’re looking for big trouble.”
“Did you tell him I was okay?”
“Whattaya think? Of course, I said you were okay. I told him we did some deals before. I gave you my Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval, Dom. I swear.”
“Did you tell him I was connected?”
“Yeah.”
“Did you tell him I had a customer who wanted to put in a big order? A
real
big order?”
DePrima nodded.
“Then what the fuck is this guy’s problem, Lenny?”
“Like I told you, Dom. You don’t push the Polack. He doeswhat he does when
he
decides he’s gonna do it, and you do not ask why.”
Dominick glanced at the poker table. Kipner was throwing his fives around as if they were confetti. Everybody was getting a big kick out of it,
Pat Kane bought their pitch and called Dominick that very afternoon. It wasn’t long before Dominick was on the job as “Michael Dominick Provenzano.”
But that had been seventeen months ago, and even though certain people from the state might not be saying it out loud, Dominick could feel that they were getting antsy. Frankly so was he. In the past year and a half he’d heard a lot of stories about Kuklinski and the things he was supposed to have done, stories from both sides of the law. At “the store” they referred to him as “the one-man army” and “the devil himself.” If half of what Dominick had heard was true, these names were well deserved.
Dominick could understand Pat Kane’s relentless devotion to this case. There was something about Kuklinski that was so insidious, so arrogant. Kuklinski’s face had become the last thing Dominick pictured before he went to sleep at night, and it was right there staring at him when he woke up in the morning. There was no question about it anymore. The bastard had to go down; he
had
to. Everyone understood that. But even though Dominick hadn’t gotten the kind of results he’d hoped for at this point, no one else had gotten any closer to Kuklinski than he had. Besides, Dominick had put too much time into this to let the state pull the plug on him now. He could smell Kuklinski. He could feel his presence ineveryone who’d ever met him. In his gut he
knew
Kuklinski. The introduction was only a matter of time.
Walter Kipner had moved over to the poker table to peddle his phony fives. He must have been desperate for a sale because he was handing out freebies now, inviting comparison with the real bills that were scattered on the table. Other bad guys flocked to the table, eager to get a free fin. Dominick noticed that DePrima was by himself. He decided to take advantage of the distraction.
“Hey, Lenny, what’s happening?” Dominick put his hand on the wall and corralled DePrima.
“Hey, Dom,
che se dice
?” DePrima made like he’d just noticed Dominick.
Dominick gave him a dirty look.
DePrima shrugged. “What can I tell you?” he said under his breath. “I’m doing what I can.”
“When, Lenny? When?”
“I’m trying, Dom. I’m trying. I’ve been calling the big guy up, just like I told you. I told him I got this guy here who’s looking for guns in quantity. I offered to set up a meet, the whole bit. But he ain’t biting.”
“Why not?”
“You don’t understand, Dom. You don’t push the Polack. Not unless you’re looking for big trouble.”
“Did you tell him I was okay?”
“Whattaya think? Of course, I said you were okay. I told him we did some deals before. I gave you my Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval, Dom. I swear.”
“Did you tell him I was connected?”
“Yeah.”
“Did you tell him I had a customer who wanted to put in a big order? A
real
big order?”
DePrima nodded.
“Then what the fuck is this guy’s problem, Lenny?”
“Like I told you, Dom. You don’t push the Polack. He doeswhat he does when
he
decides he’s gonna do it, and you do not ask why.”
Dominick glanced at the poker table. Kipner was throwing his fives around as if they were confetti. Everybody was getting a big kick out of it,
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