Little Underworld by Chris Harding Thornton
Author:Chris Harding Thornton [Thornton, Chris Harding]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00
13
The Fontana was chaotic after news of the bombings. Jim told Frank to go wait in the Ford and took advantage of the confusion, checking entrances inside and out for Jack Maloney. He wasnât there. A porter said he had been but left a couple hours ago, when the bigwigs arrived.
As Jim crossed the street to the car, he heard a voice call out, âMister Beely.â He turned. Kobb stood on the sidewalk outside the hotel. Jim took his time walking over. Kobb said he was surprised to see Jim at the Fontana.
âYou oughta be.â Jim said heâd been walking past, seen somebody he knew, and stopped to chat.
âYou havenât heard, then?â Kobb grimaced.
âHell if I know.â
âOur homes,â he said. âBoth our homes were bombed.â
Initially, Jim thought Kobb meant his own family had two homes and both got blasted. That wouldnât have surprised Jim. He was sure Kobb could afford two houses, and if Jim wanted to bomb a couple, Kobbâs would be at the top of the list. But the wince on Kobbâs face, a look as phony as the puzzlement heâd worn at the commissionersâ meeting, clarified what he meant. Jim didnât let a muscle in his face twitch. âAny word from your family?â
Kobb thanked him for asking. Yes, thank God, heâd spoken with his wifeâshe and his son were fine. The damage was limited mainly to the porch. âIâve heard matters are much worse at your house.â
âWell, itâs a rental.â
âI hopeâferventlyâyour family escaped danger. Would you like to phone? Thereâs a pay phone in the lobby of the Fontana. Do you need some change?â
âTheyâre out-of-state.â Jim ignored Kobbâs offer of spare change and kept his tone hard and flat. âVisiting relations.â
âWell, thatâs a relief.â
âSure.â
âWhoâs that youâre with?â Kobb squinted into the darkness across the street. Frank mustâve lit a cigarette. A puff of smoke crept from the passenger window of the Ford.
âMy brother.â
âOf courseâWard Beely. Heâs an ice man, isnât he? Married to the daughter ofâwhatâs the gentlemanâs nameâDaddy?â
âPop.â Which was what Jim wanted to do to that goddamned balloon head of Kobbâs.
âThatâs it. Pop Nelson. Distinguished old Danish gentleman, with the soft drink parlor off Twenty-Fourth.â
âI get it. You know whoâs who in my family.â
Kobb smiled. âWell, Omahaâs a great big small town. Hard to keep secrets.â
Jim stared at him, assessing his expression, reading his eyes to see just how many secrets Kobb thought he knew.
âSay, I nearly forgotâIâm sorry to hear about the attack last night. Itâs been one thing after another for you.â Kobb tilted his head downward. An expression of pity. It was not a good look on him. âBut listen, I read your response in the Post earlier, and Iâm afraid youâre wrong about the gang. About whoâs who.â
Jim stared at Kobbâs head that tapered into his shirt, at his shock of bright white hair, his sad beagle eyes. After he popped it, Jim wanted to run over that head once or twice with the wheels of the Ford. âAnything else?â
Kobb looked mildly affronted.
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