Rossi’s Risk: A Max Rossi Crime Noir by Papa Paul W

Author:Papa , Paul W.
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781953482051
Publisher: HPD Publishing (a division of STACGroup llc)
Published: 2023-02-05T00:00:00+00:00

TWENTY-ONE

I WOKE EARLY, washed my face, brushed my teeth, and made myself nice. I decided to dress casually, figuring I might get further if I didn’t go in looking like a G-Man or an inspector of some type. I chose trousers and a camp collar shirt with a straight hem that I left untucked, argyle socks and my same shoes from last night.

Before I headed down to my favorite diner, I had a bone to pick, so I jerked up the receiver and asked to be connected to Garwood Van’s Music Land. A clerk answered and told me Garwood was busy, but he’d be happy to tell him I called.

“Tell him it’s Max, please, and that I need to speak with him.”

It took less than five minutes for Garwood to come to the phone. “Max, how great to hear from you,” he said. “Everything all right?”

“Whiskey and soda,” I said. “Except for one thing. A small fact you left out about Moses’ addiction to opium.”

The phone went silent.

“Still there?” I asked.

“I’m still here,” Garwood said.

“Why didn’t you tell me he was an addict?”

“I was hoping that wouldn’t play into things.”

I thought of Moses sitting in jail, rocking back and forth, picking his fingernails. He’d barely looked at me when he spoke. I had thought it was on account of the beating he took. Now I knew otherwise.

“How could it not?” I asked. “He isn’t just a colored man who may have committed murder, he’s a colored man who is also an addict.”

“Would you have taken the case if I told you?”

“There’s no case to take here, Garwood. You wanted me to ask a few questions, and I did that. Now I find out Moses was kicking the gong around. What else are you hiding?”

“Now look here, Max . . .”

“Don’t give me the song and dance,” I said, cutting him off. “You’ve got me wondering how much of what anyone tells me is the truth. Carter tells me Moses and Grafton were rivals, but Grafton’s gal pal tells me they were friends. While Moses’ girl is ready to hang the lot of them.”

“Benny didn’t lie to you,” Garwood said. “Moses and Grafton are rivals as far as the horn is concerned. Benny is not one to delve into a man’s personal affairs unless it affects his playing.”

“Like the opium?” I asked.

“Yes,” Garwood admitted, hesitantly. “Like the opium.”

“What else do you know that I should know?”

“You still on the case then?”

“For now,” I said. “Tell me about the fight.”

“Far as I know, Moses was to play on Margaret’s album until one day she told Benny that Moses was out and Grafton was in.”

“Yeah, that’s nothing new,” I said. “But why did she choose Grafton?”

“Who knows,” Garwood admitted. “Most likely because she knew Grafton, knew his playing. It’s better to pick a player you know and have worked with than a session boy. Not that there’s anything wrong with a session boy, it’s just easier with a horn, you know. Get it?”

“I get it,” I said.

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