Read Online The Punishing Game by Nathan Gottlieb - Free Book Online Page B

pointing.
    Boff nodded. “And six were hanging by the cage at the basketball courts.”
    “How do you guys know all this?” Cullen said.
    Bellucci smirked. “Man, you are clueless about gangs.”
    “So, genius, clue me in.”
    “All New York gangs have their own colors,” Bellucci said. “The Bloods use red. The guys we saw all had something red—shoe laces, red belts, red caps.”
    As they approached the bench, Devon and the other Blood turned to look at them.
    “ Devon, long time no see,” Boff said, coming to a stop a few feet away.
    “Wassup, honky?”
    “Same ol’ shit. Thank god for guys like you, or my family would starve.”
    Devon laughed. “Devil’s got special plans for you, Boff.”
    Boff smiled. “My wife’s working on getting me reservations in heaven.”
    “Lotsa luck. You a bad man, Boff. You and me, we gonna have lots of fun together in the Big Fire.”
    Boff put a hand on Cullen’s shoulder. “This young man is the guy you tried to kill in front of the Jamaican Posse clubhouse.”
    Devon no longer looked amused. “What trash you be talking, man?”
    Boff didn’t answer. He just smiled knowingly at Devon.
    “You heard me,” Devon said, clearly annoyed.
    Boff grinned. “That little charade you pulled with the Jamaicans may have fooled the cops, but the Big Boffer is not fooled.” He stepped closer to Devon and leaned in. “I know somebody paid you to shoot Danny. A deal you bungled by killing Nino Biaggi.”
    Devon turned away. “Nobody gave us cake to shoot nobody.”
    The sissy tugged on Devon’s arm. “Lemme cut ’im, Devon.”
    “Shut up, Cory.” Devon turned back to Boff. “Say what you came to say and go.”
    “I’m not after you,” Boff said. “I want the guy who paid you to do it.”
    Devon shoved his hands deep in his pockets.
    Boff spread his hands. “Give me something, Devon. Then I can walk away feeling pleased at having seen you again. It doesn’t have to be a name. Just point me in the right direction.”
    Devon stayed silent, so Boff stepped even closer to him. “You know what you’d be doing right now if it wasn’t for me? Playing checkers in the nude at Sing Sing. Instead of sitting in this park on a fine summer day wasting my valuable time.”
    Devon fired a gob of spit onto the grass in front of him.
    Boff shrugged. “Okay, have it your way,” he said. He turned to go. “I just want you to know that I’m on this case, Devon. And with my reputation for winning, you might want to consider being a little more cooperative. It could work to your benefit when the shit hits the fan. And I guarantee you it will.”
    They started walking away.
    “Hey, Boff,” Devon finally called out. “You like hip-hop?”
    Boff turned. “Only if I was deaf.”
    Devon locked eyes with Boff a moment. Cullen sensed that something seemed to pass between them, but he couldn’t tell what.
    “You really ought to check out hip-hop, Boff. Trust me. If you check it out, I think you might find something you like.”
    Boff nodded at Devon as if they were friends, then resumed walking back to his car. 
    “Why did he ask you of all people if you liked hip-hop?” Cullen asked when they were out of earshot.
    “To point me in the right direction,” Boff replied.
    Cullen looked confused. “What direction?”
    “I’m not quite sure yet, but at least we have something to go on now.”
    “Really?” Cullen said sarcastically. “How is checking out hip-hop going to help you find the person you say hired them?”
    Bellucci butted in. “Yusef Force.”
    Boff stopped and looked at Mikey. “Which is….?”
    “It’s a person,” Bellucci said. “A big hip-guy guy. Yusef Force is his moniker. It’s a play on ‘Use of Force.’”
    “And this is relevant because?”
    “Dude’s like a multi-millionaire. Has a record label and a big clothing line.”
    Cullen turned to Bellucci. “Where’s the connection to me, Mikey?”
    “Yusef is heavy into boxing.”
    At this,