1953: Part 1
Even the snow in the parking lot passed his ankles. Joe Vander Sloot stepped out of the Chevy, shut the door, and walked across the almost empty lot to "Chuck's Pizza."
Giles' black Jaguar put the "almost" next to the "empty."
Joe shook his head. Only someone with the Hardwicks' money could put a car like that through a Michigan winter. Joe stopped next to it, brushed snow off the window, and, out of curiosity checked which side the steering wheel was on. Despite being a made in Britain, the steering wheel turned out to be on the left. Joe wondered if they'd redesigned it for the US market or whether Giles had had his customized.
After a few moments more, he walked away from the car. Ignoring the "Closed" sign in the window, he opened the door and walked inside.
Just as small on the inside as it appeared outside, "Chuck's Pizza" held four booths and a couple tables. To the right, Joe could see the kitchen on the other side of the counter. To the left, Giles and Chuck sat at the booth on the middle of the far side.
They were the only people in the restaurant.
Giles wore a pinstriped suit and looked heavier than Joe remembered. Chuck still looked small, but a muscular sort of small. He wore an grease stained apron over his clothes.
Unzipping his coat, Joe walked toward the table.
"Joe," Chuck said. "It's been an age. How are you? How's the wife?"
"Hi Chuck. Romy's fine. We're both fine." He sat down next to Giles.
Holding out his hand, Giles said, "Hi-di-ho."
Joe shook it. "Giles, I saw your car."
"You like it? The salesman told me they're popular in Hollywood these days. Humphrey Bogart's got one."
"I like it." Joe said.
Chuck leaned in, "I still don't believe it. You and her? She was on the other side."
Joe shrugged. "The war's over, Chuck. It's been over for eight years and it wasn't personal."
"War's over, yeah, but I don't think there's a one of us she didn't take a shot at. Besides, you took up with her while it was still going."
"She came over to our side while it was still going."
"She was a spy. You couldn't know what she had in mind."
"I've told you before -- Isaac did. He passed her."
"Isaac made mistakes too. Remember the --"
Giles held up his his hands. "Boys. Boys! Why rehash that old argument? Children born when it was relevant are now entering the third grade. Let's talk about why we're here. Chuck?"
"Hey," Chuck said, "sorry about that. Seeing you guys again puts me back a few years. I didn't mean anything by it."
"It's alright," Joe said. "So, why are we here?"
Stolen story; please report.
"It's my father in law. He got involved with the Chicago Outfit. You know, the mob. Remember how 'Leonardo's' used to be a speakeasy? They got him liquor during Prohibition. He got extra food during rationing. Now he wants out, and as the guy who's going to take over after he retires, I agree. I don't want to be connected to those guys."
Joe nodded. "I wouldn't either. What did you plan to do?"
Chuck said, "Well, I thought I'd get a few of us together and put the fear of God in them. You know, what I'm doing in the neighborhood. Just bigger."