Read Online The Payback Game by Nathan Gottlieb - Free Book Online

on,” Thamel said as he and Boff shook hands. “I want you to know I had the same thought as you. I took a look at a few of his most recent stories, but nothing stood out to me. Well, except maybe one story Nicky wrote about the son of a Genovese capo who sold out the old man for fifty grand to feed a heroin habit. My mob sources tell me the son vowed to get back at Nicky. But before he could make good on his boast, the genius tried to sell stolen jewelry to an undercover cop. He was serving time when Nicky got killed.”
    “Contracts,” Boff said, “have been ordered from prison.”
    “Not by this kid. He was seriously broke and couldn’t remotely afford to hire anyone. He also couldn’t have asked any mobster for a favor because he’s persona non grata in the underworld for screwing his father over.”
    Boff pulled his laptop out of the bag and started to open it, but Cassidy reached out and put a hand on the lid.
    “Frank, let’s eat before we start,” he said. “I think better on a full stomach.”
    Boff closed his laptop. “Eating always trumps work for me.”
    “I took the liberty of ordering for us,” Cassidy said. “For starters, double orders of chicken fingers and mozzarella sticks. After that, I got grilled Virginia ham and Swiss for the men. For Hannah, the health food fanatic, I ordered a veggie burger.”
    The redhead frowned. “Being a vegetarian is not being fanatical.”
    “In the world I live in it is,” Cassidy said. “Right, Dave?”
    Thamel smiled. “Actually, even though I eat red meat, I kind of like vegetarian food. I’m a sucker for a toasted tofu BLT.”
    Cassidy wrinkled his face. “A good Irishman like you eats that garbage?”
    “You ought to try one before knocking it.”
    The old reporter dismissed that possibility with a wave of both hands. “I’d eat dog food before I’d stoop that low.”
    A pretty young waitress brought out the appetizers Cassidy had ordered, along with plates, utensils, and napkins.
    “Thanks, Alexis,” Cassidy said.
    “My pleasure, Mr. Mike.” Alexis had a distinct Irish brogue. “Would the gentleman who just arrived care for a drink?”
    “Coke with lime would be fine,” Boff said.
    Cassidy put his hand on the waitress’ arm and said, “Alexis is studying to be an actress. She was trained in classic Irish theatre before she crossed the pond. We’re looking at a future star.”
    “Only if God be willing, Mr. Mike.”
    “Tell me, Alexis, would a good Irish lass like you ever eat a toasted tofu BLT?”
    “Had one two days ago. I’m not big on meat.”
    Cassidy shook his head. “If your mother and father back in Dublin knew, they’d be ashamed.”
    Alexis laughed. “Actually, mum’s a vegetarian, although she does cook meat for my da. She uses gloves to prepare his steaks. Doesn’t even like touching the red stuff.”
    While they ate, Cassidy did most of the talking. “New York’s all screwed up,” he began griping. “The old neighborhoods are gone, thanks in no small part to yuppies like Hannah.” He paused in his harangue while he finished off a chicken finger. “Even the Bowery has condos selling for hundreds of thousands of dollars. And don’t even get me started about the Lower East Side. All the immigrant sections have been renovated. They even have a friggin’ Tenement Museum on Orchard Street.”
    When they were done eating the appetizers and the sandwiches, Boff, Hannah, and Thamel set their computers up on the table.
    Thamel looked at Cassidy, who hadn’t brought a computer. “Where’s your laptop, Mike?”
    “Don’t own one. My pudgy fingers can’t navigate those tiny keys.”
    The other three quickly booted up their machines, went to the News site, and got all of Nicky Doyle’s recent stories.
    “Okay,” said Hannah, “here’s the last story he wrote. He found out some city mail carriers were delivering drugs for a dealer.”
    Boff shook his head. “I don’t see a mailman hiring a hitman,” he