Carlito's Way: Rise to Power by Edwin Torres Page A

wise—!”
    “Don’t mess with Hoppy, pres, I’m a sick man.” Man, would I break their hole!
    Last time I heard, Tuta got married down in P.R. I dug her, I can’t deny it, but my way is still best. Loose. But un clavo saca otro , and pretty soon I was cruising around with this bandit from Brooklyn. Uweee, you devil. I got back into the groove real quick-like. They was robbing me in my disco joint but I was getting plenty of pussy out of there.
    The horse was riding high. But getting harder to come by. What with the government and the stool pigeons a lotof heavyweights was getting put away. The heat was on something fierce. But all the better for the guys that really knew what’s happening. That’s money, baby, money. Be a fool to walk away from that. Myself, I’m down for the action anytime, and I don’t want to hear this ol’ bullshit about the little kids in the schoolyard. The only ones dealing with the little kids is the little kids themselves, and if people want to get high, that’s their lookout. Shit, if they ain’t on junk, they’ll be on wine or some other shit. They can’t cope—shame on them. I’m short-timing in this world and any way I get by is okay with me. I only know one way—my way, like the song. Frank’ll tell you.
    About that time, Rocco had a baptismal affair for his new baby boy at his house out on the north shore. Me and Earl drove over to pay our respects. Reggie came too—seem like Rocco told Earl to bring his kid brother, Reggie, along. With Earl pulling out I guess Rocco wants to make sure Reggie can step in without no hitch. It was an afternoon affair on Rocco’s big lawn, catered, very nice. There was some heavy people there, including Rocco’s uncle, Dominick Cocozza. Cocozza ranked Amadeo, so for the first time I seen Amadeo not acting like an animal. Cocozza would talk and Amadeo would “Yeah, Dom” and “Right, Dom.” Amadeo told Cocozza what a great guy Rocco was and what a great moneymaker he was for the outfit. He also said he had his son Paul moved in two houses down so that some of Rocco’s smarts could rub off on Paul. Everybody was drinking and feeling pretty good. Cocozza told Earl, “My nephew’stold me what a great help you been to him uptown, that your word is good. A man’s word must be sacred. Not like these punks and stool pigeons coming up. Combinazione , that’s the ticket, we work together; you make money, we make money. Let’s drink to that.” Everybody was drinking except Amadeo and Reggie.
    Rocco pulled me over to a corner. “You remember Sixto Davila?”
    “Yeah, Rock, quarter-key man from the Bronx, up in Prospect. He was at the El when we was there.”
    “Right. While you were away we tried to help him— he was always crying, gimme a break, Rocco, so I gave him a break—a heavy number. He dealt the goodies, but being a garbage can he showed his hand on the first deal—glommed the money and he took off to Europe. I didn’t say anything because Petey A gets excited and I made up the money. Now I don’t believe in hurting a guy over money, most of the time you’re getting off cheap. But I have a man in Madrid and this Sixto has gotten to him and he’s giving my man a big play. I say Sixto is a beater and a beater is the next thing to a rat. I say he’s stooling for Interpol.”
    “Which does what for me?”
    “You’re going to Spain, Carlito!”
    “I ain’t no hit man, Rocco, why not Nacho?”
    “A Cuban has trouble getting in and out; and besides, this is not a cowboy job. You get next to him, get his guard down; the hit will come from somewhere else. This is important, Charles.”
    “Whatever you say, Rocco.”
    “Vinnie will be around to see you tomorrow with the details.”
    Almost didn’t make that trip. Got pinched—me and this guy, Chángui—and while I was on a mission for mercy, mind you. My ol’ buddy Lino, the barber, was dyin’ in the Mount Sinai—doctors said he was terminal. I used to see him regular,