Chapter 6

When the two gangs crawled away to a safe place, an argument ensued between both leaders.

“This is all your fault!” Jo accused Ash, shooting him a furious glare.

“And how is that?” Ash replied coldly.

“If you and your men had kept away from the deal, there would have been zero glitches.” Jo said.

“I could say the same thing. If you and your greedy merry gang of men hadn't come to the building to steal the drugs and green for yourselves, we wouldn't be in this mess.” Ash accused.

One of Jo's men, a man whose biceps looked like tree trunks stepped in front of her and glowered down at Ash, “That's enough,” which brought Capo to Ash's side. Although the other man was huger than Capo, he wasn't intimidated.

Jo sighed and said to the man, “It's okay, Rex.”

Rex nodded and stepped to her side.

To Ash, she said, “It's very ridiculous of you to jump to such stupid conclusions. How hard is it for you to believe that my gang and I were there for altruistic reasons? But no, for some stupid reason, you are entitled enough to think you're better than everyone.”

Ash sighed, feeling guilty for actually jumping to the conclusion that the Street Hawks were just like the other street gangs, even after Capo suggested otherwise. But what if they weren't different, what if Jo was lying? He'd been betrayed before, and it wasn't a pleasant feeling to trust someone and have that person stab you in the back.

He shoved that train of thought aside and said to her, “Fine. Prove that you're not like the others.”

Jo saw red. Who the fuck did Ash think he was to actually ask that of her? Like he was any better. What if he was actually a bad person, only out for his selfish interest?

She walked up to him, and when she was a scant meter away from him, she said, “Fuck you! I don't have to prove anything to you.” Then she turned to her men, “Guys, let's move.”

Her men wordlessly followed her out.

Ash caught Capo starring at him,

“What? Are you still going to defend her?”

Capo nodded.

“After she all but admitted that she's a bad person?” Ash asked, bewildered.

“She didn't, Boss.” Capo replied.

“Weren't you here just a few minutes ago?” Ash asked.

“Boss, you asked her to prove herself to you, as if you were of high moral standing and she was nothing but scum. You were being judgy.” Capo said.

“Whose side are you on?” Ash asked, scowling at him.

“Yours.” Capo said.

“Then act like it. Apart from your story, I've seen no evidence to convince me that she isn't out to wreck havoc on Ganghaven.” Ash said.

“Boss, why're you riding on her so hard?” Capo asked.

Ash cursed inwardly at the mental picture Capo's statement had invoked. Although he hadn't meant his words in that manner, Ash's brain nonetheless came up with x-rated images that involved him and Jo, naked.

His fantasies were interrupted by his cell phone, which was ringing.

The caller ID showed that it was Pascal, his police buddy calling.

“Hey. How did it go?” Pascal asked when Ash answered.

“It didn't go. It didn't go, at all.” Ash said, disappointed.

“I heard a cop was shot dead in the building. Please tell me you don't have anything to do with that.” Pascal pleaded.

“Of course not.” Ash said with righteous indignation.

“Good, because Baines is losing his shit and promising to have the shooter behind bars as fast as possible. So what happened?”

“First of all, we weren't the only gang there for the bust. The Street Hawks were there, too.” Ash said.

“What?! How did they come by that piece of info?” Pascal asked, surprised.

“It doesn't matter. They were there.”

“Was it them that shot Matteo?”

“Huh?”

“The dead cop. His name is Matteo Salvador.”

“Oh. No, it wasn't them. We had a confrontation, but when both parties arrived for the deal, we put it behind us. Then the cop bust in, alone. He started saying stuff about how he trusted one of the people in there. I have no idea which one, and then, he was shot dead. After that, the deal got called off and everyone disappeared before the cops arrived.”

“That was a really shitty situation. I'm glad you made it out of there without any hitches. Would really hate to see you in a detention cell.” Pascal said.

“Me too, man, me too.” Ash replied, “Pascal, I've got a favor to ask of you.”

“Anything man. You name it.”

“I need you to find me all you can on the gang called the Street Hawks.”

*   *   *

Meanwhile, back at the Street Hawks' lair, Jo was having a similar conversation with Andrea.

“What happened, girl?” Andrea asked.

“A lot. The bust went FUBAR right from the start. First of all, do you remember that idiot that told me to get out of my chair while we were at Jacob's?”

“Yeah. Green eyes.”

“What?”

“His eyes are the cutest shade of green. Sia and I call him Green eyes.” Andrea chuckled.

“I'm sorry I asked.” Jo lamented before continuing, “He was there, with his gang.”

“The fuck was he doing there?”

“Hell if I know. Then, before we could bust the deal, some cop entered into the mix and got a bullet for his troubles.”

“Yeah. His name was Matteo Salvador. He's dead. And Baines is shouting at anyone and everyone around him. I think he feels Matteo is dead because of him. I mean, if he'd sanctioned a police bust, this shit wouldn't have happened.” Andrea said.

“Totally.”

“So how did Green eyes react when he saw you?”

“His name is Ash by the way. He accused me of trying to bust the deal so I could take the spoils for myself.”

“The guts!”

“Tell me about it. When I told him I was there for purely altruistic reasons, can you believe the jerk asked me to prove it?”

“No way! What did you do?”

“I threw the f word at him and then walked out.”

“You go, girl! Show the handsome fucker how we do things!” Andrea cheered.

*   *   *

At the precinct, Lieutenant Ted Baines called everybody around into the tiny briefing room.

Everyone knew he was going to talk about their dead colleague. It was common knowledge that Baines took the death of any of his subordinates hard.

“Yes, I called you all here to make the news official; Detective Matteo Salvador is dead.”

He waited for the murmurs of sympathy that arose, and when they died down he continued,

“He was one of our best men to work in the narcotics department. He was a beloved colleague, a husband and father to three young girls. He died in the most heroic way possible; in service to this city.

Those turds down at Ganghaven have no respect for the law and its officers. This is not the first time this is happening, but I swear on God and everything I hold dear that the person who did this must pay! The person who did this must be brought to justice! The person who murdered Salvador in cold blood will forever regret the foolishness of his actions!”

His audience cheered and hooted, feeling the same angst as he.

“We all have a part to play in this! I want that building combed from top to bottom. Any evidence that can be useful in finding the murderer, no matter how minuscule should be reported! Also, I want more officers in Ganghaven. Find out from the residents anything they know. Down there, they're a big happy family, willing to keep each other's dirty secrets! If you suspect anyone knows anything, I want them brought back here for questioning! Is that clear?!” Baines thundered.

“Yes Sir!” came the equally thunderous response from his audience.

“Good! Now get your asses back to work!” He ordered.

After they left, Baines turned to see one person had stayed behind. It was the dead cop's partner, Damian Wayde. Damian was tall with tanned skin that was a result of staying outdoors most of the time, and a barely receding hairline of curly hair that was one of the most remarkable things about him.

“Damian, I know this is hard on you, but be assured that we will find the basted that did this.” Baines said, patting Damian's shoulder. He knew when people lost their partners, it felt like the end of the world because a partner had your back and went through shit with you. It was the same as losing a loved family member.

“Thank you, Sir. I don't know what he was doing there, without me.” Damian said in a faltering voice.

“Did he ever mention going to bust that deal to you?” Baines asked.

“No. I didn't even know about it.” Damian replied, “I can't believe he didn't tell me. I'm his partner, he should have trusted me. I actually blame myself for his death.”

“You shouldn't. There is no way you would have known.” Baines said.

“Sir, can I be involved in the murder case?” Damian pleaded.

“No. You belong to narcotics. We'll let the homicide guys deal with this. Even if you were in homicide, I still wouldn't let you. It's too personal.” Baines said.

Damian nodded, “Has his family been informed?”

“Yes, I should think so.” Baines nodded.

“I'd like to go offer them my condolences.”

“Sure, you can go. I give you the rest of the day off.” Baines said as Damian left, downtrodden.

Not for the first time that day, Baines wondered if Matteo would still be alive if he'd listened to those two rookies and sanctioned the bust.

*   *   *

Ash stared at the picture taped to the wall of his room with hate. The picture had come from a newspaper page of one of the most popular newspapers in Ranem. The man on the wall went by the name Josiah Greenwood.

He looked benign, cherubic even, with his blue eyes, innocent smile, chubby cheeks and a head of full salt and pepper hair. People saw him as an obscenely wealthy businessman whose philanthropy went unrivaled in the city of Ranem. Almost all the charities in the city received healthy donations from him, and he even went out of his way to help Ganghaven residents. Ash saw him for what he really was, a ruthless and conscienceless bastard who had his finger in many illicit pies, ranging from narcotics production, blackmail and extortion to prostitution, illegal arms sales and money laundry. His base of operations was in Ganghaven, but he oversaw his operations from his posh penthouse apartment in Gulden.

Ash thought it was heartless of Greenwood to create a safe haven for himself, while he put countless of people in danger.

Ash's aim of running the Sopranos was to destroy Greenwood's businesses in Ganghaven from the inside. And he was doing that, one baby step at a time. Or he did, until today. Today, he'd failed, and someone had gotten killed.

He was berating himself for allowing the cop to be murdered when his phone rang. It was Pascal.

“Hey. You asked me to give you all I could on the Street Hawks.” Pascal said when Ash answered.

“Yes. What do you have?”

“Okay. The gang has at least twenty members, all male with the exception of their leader, Jocelyn Turner. People call her Jo.”

Oh, so it was Jo, not Joe, Ash thought. Jocelyn wasn't a name a gangster would answer.

“So, do you have anything on her?”

“Yeah. She lost her father at an early age. He got murdered in their sitting room. No concrete evidence, but gangbangers were suspected.”

“If her father was killed by gangsters, why would she turn to the life? Shouldn't she be a cop or something?”

“I don't know, man. But get this; the residents who know her have nothing but good things to say about her. From stories I was able to gather, she actually helps people. The only people who hate her are mostly into illegal businesses. Sounds like someone I know.” Pascal said.

Ash groaned. So, she he had been telling the truth, and he'd been an entitled, self-righteous, sanctimonious prick. No wonder she'd stormed off.

“What's up? Why did you ask me to get this for you?” Pascal inquired curiously.

“Nothing. I just had a run-in with her the other day and I just wanted to know what her motives were.”

“You know what? I'm staring at her pic right now, and I gotta say, even though I'm not into the butch look, I'd ask her out. She's really hot, man.” Pascal said, whistling.

“Stop that and focus on the task at hand!” Ash barked, “Is there anything else you've got on her?”

“Yeah. I'm pulling up a list of her known associates. My, my, these women are hot.”

“Pascal, what do you have?” Ash asked through clenched teeth. If Pascal kept his ogling up, he'd have to punch him through the phone.

“There are two women listed here. There's one doctor Sia Stone, beautiful lady, who runs a charity clinic in Ganghaven.

And there's another one, a Jane Doe. There's no known record of her. She looks familiar to me, but for the life of me, I can't place where I met her.” Pascal said.

“Probably from one of your numerous one night stands.” Ash said.

“Fuck you, boss.” Pascal replied, chuckling.

“I need you to send me the pictures of these two women.” Ash said, although he had a feeling they were the two women he'd seen her with at Jacob's diner.

“Will do.” Pascal said before he hung up.

Ash wondered if he should apologize to Jo for jumping to such bad conclusions about her and decided against it. Yes, she deserved an apology but she'd surely make it at as agonizing and excruciating as she could manage.

He decided to stay out of her way. That way, he wouldn't offend her again, and he wouldn't have to apologize.

He congratulated himself on such a great plan, but wondered why his mind rebelled at the idea of not seeing her again.