The Green Hornet Casefiles by Michael Uslan

Author:Michael Uslan [Uslan, Michael]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction & Literature
Publisher: Moonstone Books
Published: 2012-02-26T08:00:00+00:00

If there were anything more boring than corporate financial reports and federal regulatory filing forms, Mike Axford hoped to heaven above he never had to read it. He could barely make heads or tails out of the dense paragraphs of tiny print with all their multiple-claused “heretofore” and “whereas” filled sentences, but, having spread the word to all his contacts and snitches in the department and on the streets, there wasn’t much else he could do until somebody got back to him with something. Anything.

Mike’s mole inside the D.A.’s office told him the investigation had been triggered several months back by the receipt, from an anonymous source, of incriminating documents from inside the Reid organization. The lead proved solid and led to a series of irregularities that were traced, not without difficulty, back to Britt Reid. A pal at City Hall confirmed a lack of possible political motivation for Britt’s problems; the current administration enjoyed the support of the Sentinel and was not at all pleased to have yet another of the city’s business leaders proved to be corrupt. “Off the record, it’s a damned epidemic,” the third deputy mayor in charge of public outreach whispered into the phone. “What’s he, like the fifth or sixth corporate big shot indicted since last year? The city’s got enough public relations problems without this crap.”

The phone on his desk rang, making him jump in the late evening silence of the newsroom.

“Axford here.”

From the other end came the sound of shallow breathing, followed by a high-pitched, hurried voice saying, “Dat you, Mike? It’s Ratso, man.”

Gus “Ratso” Jablonski was a low level hired hand for the Slavic mob on the east side. One look at Jablonski’s rodent-like face was enough to secure his nickname; that he picked up extra cash by ratting out colleagues to reporters and cops allowed the little gangster to enjoy a secret laugh at those who stuck him with the name in the first place.

“What’ve you got for me?” Mike said, reaching for a pencil.

“My resignation, dat’s what,” Ratso squeaked into the phone. “Dey just popped Boss Siroky and his boys… I’m gettin’ outta town before dey come lookin’ for da rest’a da crew.”

“Jeez, Ratso,” Mike said, scribbling furiously across the face of a copy of Britt’s indictment. “You sure? Nothing’s come in over the police radio… ”

“Just happened, Mike, I seen it,” the snitch whined. “Took ‘em out in da alley behind Lumpy’s joint… you know how da boss loved his pierogies. Look, I need some dough to get outta town, Mike.”

“Who made the hit, Ratso?”

“I was too busy kissin’ pavement to see nothin’.”

“Not the trigger men. Someone’s been taking out bosses all over town. That’s the name I want.”

“Don’t nobody know a name, ‘cept he calls himself da Silver Mist. C’mon, Mike, about dat dough… ?”

“Yeah, sure, Ratso. I’ll leave it in the usual spot.”

… Someone’s been taking out bosses all over town…

“T’anks, Mike, t’anks a lot. You was always a gent, even when you was a cop.”

… The fifth or sixth corporate big shot indicted since last year…

“Good luck, Ratso.

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