The Venetian and the Rum Runner - L.A. Witt Page 0,57

aren’t out of here in an hour, we signal the lads.”

“Aye. Agreed.”

In under half an hour, the other crew was on their way out, pulling away from the marina in a pair of trucks.

As the vehicles passed, Francis gasped and ducked deeper into the shadows.

“What?” Danny whispered.

Francis didn’t answer. Eyes wide and lips apart, he stared at the backs of the departing trucks. The vehicles disappeared into the distance, and the early morning was once again silent except for some seabirds and the waves gently lapping at the docks.

When they were alone again, Francis turned to Danny and jerked his thumb in the direction the trucks had gone. “Do you know who that was?” He sounded like he’d just seen a ghost.

Danny shook his head. “What? No. Who were they?”

“That was Bugs and Meyer.”

Danny stared stupidly at him.

Francis huffed and rolled his eyes. “Ben Siegel and Meyer Lansky?”

“Ben—” Danny blinked, and his voice barely came out as a whisper. “Hold on, hold on.” He shook himself and gestured after the trucks. “That was Bugsy Siegel.”

“Uh-huh. I thought Siegel looked familiar, but Lansky?” Francis whistled. “I’d know that face anywhere. The pair of them used to shake down everyone on my block for protection money when we was living in Brooklyn.”

“And they’re rum runners now?”

“Two of the best, I hear.” Francis glanced warily toward the empty street. “We ever run afoul of them, I say we just do as we’re told, let them take what they want, and hope they don’t shoot us.”

Danny hadn’t heard much about Bugs and Meyer, but Francis wasn’t easily rattled. If he thought it was worthwhile to stay out of these men’s way, then Danny wasn’t about to argue. He’d already crossed one gangster and gone to work for another. He didn’t need any of the others to even know he was alive. He felt especially vulnerable now, being on the Pulvirenti payroll but not under the family’s protection. Now they were bumping into boys like Bugs and Meyer out here?

He shuddered. The crew was always careful, but they were going to have to be even more careful now.

Not long after the men and cars had gone, another boat engine approached in the distance. Through his binoculars, Danny caught the faint light of a second green light on the starboard side.

“There they are,” he told Francis. He looked around, warier than usual about being caught. Not by cops this time, though. He and the lads could give them the slip well enough. He just didn’t relish the idea of Bugs and Meyer realizing they were competitors. Especially when he couldn’t use Carmine’s name and expect it to carry enough weight to help his crew.

There was no one else around, so he and Francis headed down to the dock.

Time to see how much the lads had scored tonight.

Chapter 12

“God Almighty.” Danny looked mystified as he motioned sharply toward the office door that had just shut behind him. “How bloody long did it take to dig all these tunnels?”

Carmine chuckled. “I don’t know—we didn’t dig them. Most of them, we found.” He shrugged. “I heard they’re from the Civil War, but I don’t really know.”

Danny huffed with annoyance. “And the only ‘office’ they dug was this far down?”

“Something like that.”

Danny handed over the chits, but before Carmine had a chance to go through them, Danny cleared his throat. “Listen, uh, we saw some other men out there last night.” He shifted, as if suddenly uneasy. “One of my crew said it was Bugs and Meyer.”

Carmine straightened. “Did they hassle you?”

“Not… Not really.”

“What does that mean?”

Danny inhaled deeply. “While I was keeping watch, someone asked me for a match. He smoked for a moment or two, then he showed me his gun and told me to scram.”

“And did you?”

“Are you mad?” Danny huffed. “Of course I did! I didn’t know it was Ben Siegel, but a man shows me a gun and tells me to go, I’m gonna go, not get into a shootout with him.” He held Carmine’s gaze. “Least of all now that we’re on our own out there.”

Carmine winced. “Smart. You did the right thing. Did they do anything else?”

“No. My friend and I, we watched them take some liquor off a boat and put it on trucks, and then they left. He saw their faces and said it was Bugs and Meyer. Says he knew them from their protection shakedowns in Brooklyn.” Danny swallowed. “I know we ain’t the only crew out there, but what