as well looking around for support.
“ The way I see it little brother, you stole from me too. What am I supposed to do about that?”
“ I was wrong, but I can fix it. I can get every dime owed to you. I know the warehouse where the hooch is stored. Every last drop. All of it. I just want Harlem for me. Give me Harlem Vinnie. I can run it. After we get rid of Collins and Queenie.”
Romano sneered. “Jimmie, make a run. Let Mickey know I want compensation. He either has my money for every bottle that passed between him and Antonio or he deals with the consequences.”
“ Got it boss.”
“ Vinnie. There’s more.” Antonio struggled to rise. Mabel stepped back but looked as if she wanted to assist him. “The boy. He knows Mickey’s business. When you strike against Mickey you need to deliver one swift deathblow. We follow my plan and do this quietly, you can settle things, take Mickey out and even have Harlem. Give me the okay.”
“ No.”
“ Why? Harlem is ready. We can set up our own numbers bank and…”
“ This is my business. My famiglia . You don’t get an empire for lying and betraying me, you understand? You fall in line.” He shot Leftie a look, and his top gun put down his drink and stepped from the bar. “Find this boy. Put the word out I have his sister. He’ll reappear. Then pick her up.”
“ Where should I take her boss?”
“ Woodbury. Keep her there while Antonio and I get my fucking booze.”
Antonio shook his head in defeat to the order. “I swear to you Vinnie I didn’t know how else to handle it. Let’s figure it out. If you do it this way it’ll be war.”
Romano dropped the barrel of his gun and checked the chambers. “There’s always a time for war.”
***
The day had been frigid from the start. She felt spring would arrive soon, but she saw no evidence of it. Instead she wrapped herself up in her coat and hurried along the slanted sidewalk. A four-story building with duplex homes on each level towered above her. Harmony headed inside and continued to the back. Whether a person received an invite or not, everyone knew where Madame St. Clair lived.
She found the door partially opened and quickened her steps along the narrow hall to speak to the man who turned from closing it. He was mean and powerful looking, his shoulders thickly muscled, he nearly filled the doorway. His black-layered irises fixed on her and watched her approach.
“ I need to see Madame St. Clair.” Harmony rushed in a single breath.
No sooner had the words escaped her mouth than another person bumped her shoulders and hurried in front of her. The menace at the door accepted what looked to be a payment and allowed the young woman with a baby on her hip to enter. Harmony didn’t recognize the girl, and didn’t bother to try. Instead she kept her eyes trained on the Goliath of a man now blocking her pass. She sensed his distrust of her and tried to manage a smile.
“ Who are you?” He barked.
“ Harmony Jones. Tell her I’m Lewis Hill’s old-lady.”
She never evoked Lewis’s name amongst the people he kept her away from, but she wouldn’t be turned away today and she had no money to pay her way through the door. The mean giant before her glanced back over his shoulder into a home that smelled of frankincense and burning lamp oil. His gaze returned to her. “Come back tonight. After you finish at The Cotton. She’ll see you then.”
“ Tonight? Why not now? How did you know I work at The Cotton?”
Another young woman pushed past him and out the door. Harmony had heard tale that during the day Madame saw the women in Harlem for whatever ailments they had. Her home remedies and blessings made many believe she had mystical, or divine powers. A reputation she found to be a stark contrast to the ruthless way in which she handled the numbers game from the back doors of her speakeasy at
“ The way I see it little brother, you stole from me too. What am I supposed to do about that?”
“ I was wrong, but I can fix it. I can get every dime owed to you. I know the warehouse where the hooch is stored. Every last drop. All of it. I just want Harlem for me. Give me Harlem Vinnie. I can run it. After we get rid of Collins and Queenie.”
Romano sneered. “Jimmie, make a run. Let Mickey know I want compensation. He either has my money for every bottle that passed between him and Antonio or he deals with the consequences.”
“ Got it boss.”
“ Vinnie. There’s more.” Antonio struggled to rise. Mabel stepped back but looked as if she wanted to assist him. “The boy. He knows Mickey’s business. When you strike against Mickey you need to deliver one swift deathblow. We follow my plan and do this quietly, you can settle things, take Mickey out and even have Harlem. Give me the okay.”
“ No.”
“ Why? Harlem is ready. We can set up our own numbers bank and…”
“ This is my business. My famiglia . You don’t get an empire for lying and betraying me, you understand? You fall in line.” He shot Leftie a look, and his top gun put down his drink and stepped from the bar. “Find this boy. Put the word out I have his sister. He’ll reappear. Then pick her up.”
“ Where should I take her boss?”
“ Woodbury. Keep her there while Antonio and I get my fucking booze.”
Antonio shook his head in defeat to the order. “I swear to you Vinnie I didn’t know how else to handle it. Let’s figure it out. If you do it this way it’ll be war.”
Romano dropped the barrel of his gun and checked the chambers. “There’s always a time for war.”
***
The day had been frigid from the start. She felt spring would arrive soon, but she saw no evidence of it. Instead she wrapped herself up in her coat and hurried along the slanted sidewalk. A four-story building with duplex homes on each level towered above her. Harmony headed inside and continued to the back. Whether a person received an invite or not, everyone knew where Madame St. Clair lived.
She found the door partially opened and quickened her steps along the narrow hall to speak to the man who turned from closing it. He was mean and powerful looking, his shoulders thickly muscled, he nearly filled the doorway. His black-layered irises fixed on her and watched her approach.
“ I need to see Madame St. Clair.” Harmony rushed in a single breath.
No sooner had the words escaped her mouth than another person bumped her shoulders and hurried in front of her. The menace at the door accepted what looked to be a payment and allowed the young woman with a baby on her hip to enter. Harmony didn’t recognize the girl, and didn’t bother to try. Instead she kept her eyes trained on the Goliath of a man now blocking her pass. She sensed his distrust of her and tried to manage a smile.
“ Who are you?” He barked.
“ Harmony Jones. Tell her I’m Lewis Hill’s old-lady.”
She never evoked Lewis’s name amongst the people he kept her away from, but she wouldn’t be turned away today and she had no money to pay her way through the door. The mean giant before her glanced back over his shoulder into a home that smelled of frankincense and burning lamp oil. His gaze returned to her. “Come back tonight. After you finish at The Cotton. She’ll see you then.”
“ Tonight? Why not now? How did you know I work at The Cotton?”
Another young woman pushed past him and out the door. Harmony had heard tale that during the day Madame saw the women in Harlem for whatever ailments they had. Her home remedies and blessings made many believe she had mystical, or divine powers. A reputation she found to be a stark contrast to the ruthless way in which she handled the numbers game from the back doors of her speakeasy at
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