Bullets or Ballots Page #4

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wouldn't it?

Yeah.

Until you went crazy being married

to a man who was never home.

Sort of wondering

if it was an optical illusion.

Yeah.

It isn't in the cards.

And you can't beat the cards, can you?

No.

I suppose you didn't get

enough salary to save much, did you?

Oh, I'll get along.

I suppose you'll be looking

for another job.

I was wondering if you'd like

to come in with me...

...and help me run the numbers game.

- You've got all the help you need.

- I won't have.

It's getting bigger all the time.

Some weeks it takes in

from 10 to 12,000.

Twelve thousand?

In that penny-ante game?

Well, last time you told me,

you were getting nickels and dimes.

I know. But they're crazy about it

in Harlem...

...and now it's going over in the Bronx.

I wish you'd come in

and help me run it, Johnny.

You'd make a swell job of building it up.

You'd make a lot of money

for both of us.

Say, you're pretty regular, Lee.

- You'll do it?

- Oh, not a chance.

Say, any money I'd make

would be coming out of your pocket.

And I don't take any money

away from women.

Not me.

Well, I thought I'd tell you

about it anyway.

Well, thanks just the same.

I'm sorry you got kicked out, Johnny.

It'll be kind of tough to start

a new game after all these years.

Yeah, I suppose so.

What are you gonna do?

I'm gonna take in the fights.

They got a good card on tonight.

Don't hurt your knuckles.

Hello, Johnny.

I just want to thank you

for the kick in the teeth.

Will you prefer charges, commissioner?

- No, just throw him out in the street.

- Come on.

- See where Blake goes.

- Okay, boss.

This is it, boss.

Do you mind if I sit down

and have a drink?

It's waiting for you.

Oh, you knew I was coming.

I had a good idea from the way

your man out there was tagging me.

- You don't miss much, do you?

- It's a habit.

How was the main event?

They should have had you in the ring.

- That was a sweet punch, Johnny.

- Well, he had it coming to him.

- You're finally washed up, eh?

- Yeah, plenty.

A lot of thanks you got

from McLaren and the public.

Not even that petty-larceny pension

you were talking about.

From now on, I'm gonna see what

it's like looking out for number one.

Well, that offer is still good.

I'd like to have you in with me.

Doing what?

I got a hunch

we're gonna have some trouble...

...with McLaren and that jury on a tear.

If there are weak spots in the

organization, I've gotta find them now...

...and you'd be the first one

to spot them.

I want you to look over

the whole setup...

...and the only one

you'll have to answer to is me.

You've got a lot of confidence in me.

Why, I've heard guys

that you've sent to prison...

...say that if you ever made a deal...

...you'd see yourself dead

before you'd go back on it.

How about it?

All right, Al.

- Oh, where you been?

- I just heard about Blake.

- Yeah. I understand he's moving in on us.

- That's right.

You're having him check up on us, eh?

- Any objections?

- While I'm running the produce end...

...you keep him away from it.

- Why, you got something to cover up?

- No.

Good, because he's gonna check

your outfit along with all the rest.

Whether you like it or not.

If he okays it, all the cracking down

McLaren can do won't hurt us.

Suppose Mr. Blake double-crosses us.

- You've got him wrong, Nick.

- Yeah, well, he's still a cop to me.

Well, if it makes you happy,

you keep right on thinking so.

- Are you coming to the garage tonight?

- No.

I suppose you're gonna

take him there too.

That's the idea.

You know, that hat on the bed

might be bad luck.

For you or for me?

Blake gone yet?

- Yeah, he just went out with Al.

- He's got room 318 upstairs.

- Get going.

- Okay.

Go to the garage and tail him.

I wanna know every move he makes.

Check all the phone calls,

get as much dope as you can.

- Go on, snap to it.

- Right.

Okay.

This place used to store

bootleg liquor. I raided it once.

I sat in the building across the street

and watched you.

Second-floor window.

I saw you.

You'll be surprised at the change.

No, this way.

- Hey.

- Hiya, Blake.

- How are you, Blake?

- Okay.

Threw away your club, eh?

I don't need one

working with you fellas, do I?

- Are you through?

- 167,812.

Right.

Oh, we don't let the banks

handle our records.

Yeah, I noticed that.

All the cash-business money

is handled right here.

And most of the business is cash.

Yeah, all except a few

of our regular corporations.

How much, Vinci?

Come on.

A hundred and twenty-two thousand

three hundred.

What's the matter,

aren't they collecting?

Fellas on the East Side

didn't do so good this week.

You better give Vinci's

loan sharks the once-over.

- Okay.

- He won't give my outfit the once-over.

- Keep him away from it.

- What are you afraid of?

I don't like the way your face

is fastened on.

I'll be down tomorrow morning

and give you a chance to change it.

That's calling him, Blake.

Cut out the squawking, Louie.

He's in here to help us.

How's this for good news?

Three hundred and ten thousand

one ninety-six.

Not bad for one week's take

on pinball games.

I wouldn't cry about it.

- Thinking of opening a bank account?

- That's right.

What do you think

I joined this outfit for?

I've been talking

to some of the other fellas about you.

Yeah? Well, what have you decided?

Al's sold on you and wants you in.

That's okay with us.

We're glad to have you around,

but we'd like proof.

We're expecting

some real help from you.

You're gonna get it.

If you failed us,

we'd be awfully disappointed.

I can imagine.

- Hello, Wires.

- Oh, hello, Mr. Blake.

- That kind of stuff is out from now on.

- Yeah. I'm sick of it myself.

- Have a cigarette?

- Thanks.

- What are you doing these days?

- Working for Fenner. Produce business.

Yeah? Gave up the old

wiretapping game, huh?

Oh, sure. There's no money in that.

Well, I'm glad to see you doing so well.

See you again.

Thanks, Mr. Blake.

He just came in.

He's whistling. It works great.

- What happened, mister?

- Anything wrong?

It just went off by accident.

What's the matter?

Did you hurt your ears?

All right, out of the way, kids.

Come on, boys.

Move them out.

All right, boys, push it in.

First there went my loan-shark racket,

and now $200,000 in jewelry.

You ain't getting it worse

than the others.

It's phony to me. The cops couldn't have

found the hideouts without a tip-off.

Yeah, and it all happened

since Blake got in.

Get that truck unloaded

and get it out of here.

- Hey, what's going on here?

- Glad you dropped in, Fenner.

- What are you trying to pull?

- We're changing things around...

...so the honest man

will have a chance to do business.

I'm running a legal wholesale business

here. You can't close this plant.

- Why not?

- You gonna call them off...

...or do I get a restraining order?

Go get your restraining orders,

injunctions and anything else you need.

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