“There and back again, a Mafia adventure”

June 4, 1938

Nara stood at the platform for his train deep in thought. He would be heading South to Atlanta then West to Los Angeles. He had bought an open ticket meaning he could stop at any station on the route, get off, and catch a future train to continue to his destination.

He thought about the last couple days. Traveling to New York he was taking on a contract that required sensitivity and someone from out of town. He was told the jist, an agent with the vice squad was on the take. He fancied himself a brilliant criminal and as such he took on hit contracts, His specialty was the hitman divorce as he liked to call it. To add a dramatic flair and because he enjoyed the stories the press told he left a playing card, the Jack of Hearts, at each scene. This turned out to be his undoing as a fellow officer and friend was helping him move. He found a box full of decks of playing cards, all missing the Jack of Hearts. Instead of turning him in he blackmailed him. Sources in the department had reported the arraignment had soured and he was collecting info to sell to the news not only about “The Jack of Hearts” killer but his ties to the NY families.

Hanging out playing cards with the fellows in the dispatch center for Yellow cab hes interrupted by the dispatcher tapping his shoulder.
“you’re up” He said
Nodding Nara folds his hand and gathers his winnings with many angry glares from round the table. One Goomba had lost stacks of gold coins he was playing with like chips. Altogether he took over $2000 from this schlub It was all in various amounts from $2.50 Indian heads to five and ten liberty. But more than half were big $20 liberty’s and standing liberties. He felt like Bilbo Baggins, his pocket full and drooping like a pouch. Trying not to smile outright he knew they were cheating he was just better at cheating than they were. While driving to his pickup his mind wandered to the meeting on the train. The widow Mrs Norton and her kids. He tried not to think about this mark and what family he may have. Officer Coral Manors, vice squad, it’s all he was told about him. That and he was a snitch, a blackmailer, a leech on the family and a man with no honor. He hoped there was nothing redeeming about the man, hoped he wasn’t about to create another war widow.

Pulling up to the address he honks, hearing loud shouts and crashes he looks at the small home tucked in between 2 other medium income homes. The sound of glass breaking startled him but what moved him to his feet was the loud sobbing of a woman. Walking up the steps the door opens, and a fat ugly pig of a man comes out. The knuckles on his hand swollen and red from hitting something, someone.

“I’m ready, sorry for the delay I had to take care of something” He mumbles stomping tward the car.

Nara smiles following him, killing this brute is going to be a pleasure. Turning down the back alley ward his destination his passenger notices.

“Hey wrong way buddy, my street is 2 blocks up”

“Sorry friend I got it now” Nara says as he pulls into the loading ramp of a restaurant, simultaneously two employees drop their cigarettes and approach the car. Completing the U turn Nara throws the car into park and whips around pointing his gun at his passenger as the 2 men reach the rear doors on both sides. Throwing them open he’s dragged out, disarmed and kicked a few times before Nara reaches him. Without a word he screws a silencer on his pistol to a chorus or protests from the bewildered man. Gritting his teeth with a scowl he shoots him once in each eye, a sign of someone who saw too much. Nodding the 2 earners drag him over to the trash bins to rifle his pockets before plopping him in headfirst and covering him with slops. He will be found when the cans are collected in the morning, another random mob hit.

One of the accomplices hops in the driver’s seat and Nara gets in back. He drives to a dive bar a few blocks away. Walking in Nara sees its nearly empty, and Detective Leroy Holly is seated near the back. Nodding to the bartender as he walks by. There was a moment of confusion in the bartenders face then suddenly he kneels to browse the crates of glasses stored under the counter. Nara was given no message to pass on other than to leave a pack of playing cards missing the Jack of Hearts. That and  “the holy trinity”

One shot in the belly, so he knows he’s going to die.
One in the heart, its where the soul lies.
One in the head, to make sure has dead

Spinning on his heel he strides out of the bar, hops in the cab and is sped to the train station. Witness statements were vague and sometimes contradictory, but the main point all agreed on. It was a guy nobody had seen around there before.

Standing at the platform he held his hands over his travel bag in a special way. With the handle in his right and his left hand overlapping so the 4 fingers could be seen One porter tipped his hat twice and smiled, his sign. Offering to take his bags Nara smiles, shows him his ticket, and tips with a $20 liberty from ’04 the porters eyes lit up. Thinking to himself how well worth it was in peace of mind that his bags would be well cared for, and not searched. Browsing the newsstand, he picks up a New York Times. “Chile withdraws from League of Nations” He frowns, this was the last league he cared about. The World Cup for Football began that day and he got the evening edition specifically for this.  

Unpacking in his sleeper he reads the sports page before nodding off. Nara loves Futball, soccer to everyone around him. Nothing like what they call football here but a never forgotten love from his childhood. One part of the story was how Austria’s team merged with Germany. No surprise here Germany made sure of that recently by quietly merging with them. By merging they rolled the army in for a parade and said they were going to stay. The German team did their heil salute and got eggs, tomatoes, and other nasty things thrown at them. Folding it up and laying it aide Nara chuckled.

“Nobody likes Nazis. They are nasty little bastards”

He laid down in his sleeper and rocked by the trains sound he nods off quickly. Bound for Washington to arrive in mid-evening he dreamed of “The Hobbit” and where this leg of his adventure would take him.