Part 2 – Kenny Sullivan

  Chapter Sixteen - I don't know nobody.

  Frank placed the pistol back under his coat. “Fred. It's time for you to make an exit. I suggest that you go back through the restaurant. Exit out the front door. Walk away casually and hide that hat. Oh yeah, don't forget to say goodbye to your new friend in there, and thank her for her help.”

  Jerome wondered if he should even try to stop him; then he wondered how this guy knew what happened inside the pub? He said, “Kenny?”

  Kenny had decided that the price of stopping him was way too high. Plus, there was no need. He replied. “Don't even try.”

  Fred returned, “It's good to have friends in alleys and in other strange places. Especially when they’re cute.”

  Frank grinned. “And bring you food? Yes, it is. And it is especially good to have friends when they're cute.”

  Fred turned and walked through the double doors. He replied, “Most definitely. Did you see those big brown eyes?”

  Frank turned to Kenny and said, “Excuse me for a moment. Girl, if you don't quit squirming, I'll put a bullet in you. You got it?”

  She nodded feverishly. She quickly scooted back into place. No one understood what she said, nor did they care.

  Frank continued speaking, “This guy’s name is Malcolm. Malcolm and the guy on the ground are probably the two you are looking for.”

  Kenny nodded. He wondered what was next.

  Frank calmly spoke, “Malcolm, repeat after me. I will no longer work with the tall white-haired man named Murphy. If I do, I will die.”

  Malcolm gazed at the men in the alley. His day was not supposed to go this way.

  With his left-hand Frank pulled on the man’s lapel, and with his right he slapped the man. Then he said, “I will no longer work with the tall white-haired man named Murphy. If I do, I will die.”

  Nervously, Malcolm said. “Yeah, yeah, yeah. I don't work for Murphy, no more. I'm never going to work for Murphy again. In fact, I don't know nobody named Murphy after today. I swear on my momma's grave.”

  “Malcolm, what's going to happen if you work for Murphy?”

  Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

  Malcolm looked confused.

  Frank no longer had the heart to hurt this shell of a person. “Malcolm, if you work with Murphy, he will get you killed or hurt. It would be better if you just stayed away from him. Do you understand?”

  In a feeble gesture, Malcolm rapidly shook his head. He knew he was cornered. He had lost all hope of escaping.

  Kenny interjected, “I think he's working at full capacity. He’s already given all he can.”

  “So, this is all there is. Mean and dumb? Taking orders and doing the only thing he knows how to do?” Frank stated more than questioned. “And this is all he's ever going to be. Emptiness or rage?”

  Kenny sighed, “Yeah, he is who he is. If the questions aren’t too hard, the police will be able to get a few facts out of him. But he won't do anything when there's someone tougher around.”

  “He's not even worth slapping. Can I leave him in your care?” Frank shook his head in disappointment.

  Kenny spoke. “Yeah. The police are going to want to talk to you. People have seen you and the big guy. I don't know if I can hold them off.”

  He paused to hand Kenny a card. “I'll be out of town for a while. Leave a message at that number. I'll have my lawyer send the police a statement backing you up. It'll be as truthful as possible, and it’ll clear you of any possible trumped-up charges. It'll be better for the police if they don't come for me right now.” He was still holding Malcolm with one hand. He didn't trust him. He was way too docile for such a violent man.

  Kenny said, “Jerome, collect Malcolm. Move him over to the wall next to the girl.”

  Jerome clutched Malcolm's upper arm and directed him towards the wall. He spoke. “Come on Malcolm, let's go stand by your girlfriend. It might be safer for both of us over there.”

  Malcolm nodded in agreement. He still seemed confused.

  Frank turned to Kenny and spoke. “Mr. Sullivan. Are you interested in future employment? And possibly expanding your business?”

  Kenny replied, “I'm always looking for work. And I know some people. I guess it would depend on the work.”

  Frank said, “Sometime in the next week you will be offered employment, a contract. It will require more than two employees. The contract will have two parts to it. The first part will be surveillance and protection. I cannot disclose who you will be surveilling or who you will be protecting. But I will tell you that you'll be working with a friend of mine. I won't have any direct involvement in this, except at his request. The second part of the job is strict surveillance. I'll be the point of contact for this job, but there'll be little contact. Well, not until the job is nearly done or if things go wrong.”

  Kenny replied. “I'll look at it.”

  Frank turned to the girl. “Janice. Quit squirming. I'm not going to shoot you. At least, not right now. You can do better than being a hooker. Go get yourself clean. The drugs aren't helping you. And do better than these two guys. A bath and detox would do wonders for you.”

  A siren hooped somewhere nearby. “Police.” Frank stated flatly. He started to walk out of the alley.

  As Frank neared the opening of the alleyway, Kenny shouted. “Frank? I have a question?”

  Frank paused and turned to face Kenny.

  Kenny said with a raised voice. “You're part? It's Murphy, isn't it?” Kenny didn't know how. But he believed that Murphy was more involved with this current case than he thought. He always liked getting paid for doing something he was going to do anyway. He didn't know anything about Murphy; except he knew he didn't like him.

  Unconsciously, Frank nodded his head. “Mr. Sullivan, I believe you may be right.”

  Kenny watched as Frank left his view. Kenny looked at the card. It said, ‘Consultant’ and had the phone number on it. He thought. I think I know less about him now than before I met him.

  Jerome blurted out, “Kenny, I think we just had a job interview.”

  Kenny flatly returned, “I didn’t even know we applied.”