The Balance Sheet

Chapter 9: Getting Worked Over

I gave them a ring and it went straight to voicemail. I hung up and started getting things started on the computer. I took off my suit jacket then got settled in. My phone rang unexpectedly and it was the detective. Just for safety purposes, I had changed the name in my phone book to George.

I picked up and whispered, "Hello?"

Detective Willis was out of breath like he had been running as he said, "Marc this had better be important." Then he shouted, "Stay on the ground!" I slightly moved the phone away from my ear at the surprising shout then he said, "Sorry go ahead."

I whispered, "I'm inside."

He replied, "Good, when you get a chance, look around and do what you can and hear what you can. Don't be too obvious and be careful. Contact us on the days we specified only, got it?"

I answered, "Yeah. Sorry."

He replied, "It's alright, see you tomorrow."

He quickly hung up the phone. I hung up and deleted the call from my phone records then put my phone back in my pocket. If someone were to be smart enough to check that, I was ready for it. I worked on the files as I was told to do. He had loads of money from multiple businesses that he owned around the city but I'd never heard any of them before. The names were listed with set monthly incomes wrote in as if he got that standard cut each month, regardless of sales.

I wouldn't doubt that a majority of these are extortion rackets but that wasn't an accusation that I was able to use concretely; nor was anything else on the computer. Nothing in the files flagged an error at all. Claninte really covered his sources and clearly didn't trust me; he was smart not to. After finishing up his paperwork for the day, I got up and started looking around the room for things to see. I checked behind pictures for a hidden safe, under the bed, the desk and dresser drawers for gun stashes.

Surprisingly enough, everything that was in there was supposed to be in there. I cracked the curtain open enough to where I could stick my eye out then looked out of the window. I saw patrols standing outside in the yard then I searched in the bathroom. The bathroom was nice. The only fancy quality about it was the circular bathtub in the center. I turned up empty in the bathroom so the next step was another room. I was sure they were all aware that there was a black guy in the house and to keep up with him but I had to get something on Claninte for now.

I opened the door and made my way out to the left. The hallway was empty and dark. I noticed there was a light bulb up above which wasn't on so that proved not many people had business going in the area; I caught wind of voices coming from the door across from the office. I put my ear to the door so I could hear the muffled Italian voices more clearly.

One guy said, "I can't wait to figure out who it is and see what the boss is gonna do with him tomorrow."

Another voice asked, "Is anyone gonna be there?"

The first voice answered, "Yeah. A couple of guys but there won't be any drugs. Gonna set them up real good."

I heard something very small smack a surface. It sounded really light so I assumed they were playing a card game on the other side. Since they weren't playing downstairs, it had to be a high stakes game for the big boys.

A third voice asked, "Does he have anybody in mind?"

The first voice answered, "He's keeping it real close to the chest but he knows for sure there's a rat in the family. I hope he gives us a chance with him before he lays into the bastard."

After the vague conversation, I continued my search. I knocked on the door to Claninte's office. There was no response on the other side so I twisted the knob but it was locked. I went over to the door across from the room I was in and did the same. The door was unlocked.