Smooth... A Ruben Kane novel. (Meet Ruben Kane Book 5) Read online

  Smooth….A Ruben Kane novel

  For: Leo, the Dog and

  That Special Night.

  Smooth

  By Eddie J Martin

  I'm not what you call a hard-core private dick, I'd rather use my wits then my fists. Plus I may get my ass kicked occasionally, I do from time to time. I do have a weapon but that's just the nature of the job. I've only shot 3 people in my life, never killed anyone. Well, maybe one. Shot one man in the foot and two in the leg, just because they didn't think I would. Oh yeah, I shot one guys ear off but that was an accident, he wouldn't listen.

  Ruben Kane

  Cleveland Ohio, December 1941

  Pearl Harbor had just been bombed and all the young men were down at the recruiting station joining up, the ones that didn't join were getting drafted.

  The recruitment office had a line around the block, all mad at the Japanese. Now they had two people to be mad at, the Japanese and the Germans. Oh, and the Italians. Lucky for me that I’m too old but I probably wouldn't have joined up anyway, somebody has to be back here taking care of the ladies.

  Every neighborhood's got a Smooth, a guy that seems to get away with just about everything, that can do no wrong; got all the right moves, get all the girls and gets all the breaks. But sometime fate kicks in and everything you do turns to shit, and all you can do is run like hell.

  CHAPTER 1

  I walked in the Cave club at 3 PM in the afternoon something I usually don't do this early but Smooth had asked me to come down that he wanted to talk to me. Smooth is one of our local pimps, he lived up to his name,

  Smooth. I've known him since he was in grade school he was smooth even then. Always getting good grades from the teachers even though he didn't earn them, always had a game when comes time to do he could always find someone to do it for him. He was best with the little girls, he could always get them to get their boyfriends to give up their lunch money and they in turn would give it to him.

  Smooth grow up, most all his school mates got jobs, some even went to college but not smooth, he figured he could make money the old-fashioned way… Pimping for it. He's pushing 22 now and I must say that he’s doing all right. New car, his own apartment, five full-time ladies with a cut of their pay of 70 – 30, not bad for a kid that finished high school with a seventh grade education. Smooth’s daddy has been in prison since he was five years old and has another 30 to go. Smooth’s mama was walking the streets until he was of age to put others there. The story goes, he said she could stop working and retire, it was time for him to take over and he did. His mama haven’t Walked the streets since.

  Smooth call me down to the Cave club because he says he has a job for me. Usually I have him come to my office but since it was my drinking time (which is all the time) and he was buying, so here I am! When I walked in the club the first thing I saw was a high yellow woman sitting at a center table, drinking what look like a gin tonic. She looked closer to white then black. The few people that was there had all eyes on her.

  Creole and something else, I guess. Hair between black and Indian, nose closer to Indian. Lips kissable, long slender arms, legs and neck, sitting straight up like she was in the military or something. Legs long and slender and crossed under the table. She wore no jewelry, none was needed.

  Smooth walked out the restroom and saw Ruben and said hey RK, what’s shaken?

  Smooth my man, what you up to? After you buy my drink tell me what you call me down here for.

  Turk, give RK what he’s drinking and refresh mine.

  Come over to the table RK I want you to meet somebody. Izara, this is Ruben Kane, RK to his friends, he's going to help us.

  Izara, I said. Nice to meet you.

  Now, hold on smooth, I haven't said anything about helping you. We haven't discussed a damn thing about anything, and the most important part is the bottom line. You want to talk, I'm ready to listen. Turk brought our drinks to the table and I took a sip. Turk, I said. Is this a double like I ordered?

  No, RK, Smooth said to give you a single.

  Oh hell no, bring me another drink and a double this time. Smooth I'm gonna have to tell you, we starting off on the wrong foot already.

  Alright RK, I think Turk just misunderstood me, I said give you a double. He's bringing your drink over right now.

  I was getting kinda hot, smooth is always pulling shit like that, trying to cut corners where ever he can, with whoever he can. Then I looked at the girl sitting at the table and calm down, some. I kill my first drink and said to smooth, let's get to it, what's on your mine.

  Izara's mother sent her up here from New Iberia, Louisiana due to a few good old boys there trying to make a working girl out of her and she didn't want that for her daughter since that was the kind of work she was into.

  So tell me something smooth, what's all this has to do with you?

  Izara is the daughter of my mom’s best friend and she asked my mama could she help her, and you know I'll do anything for my mama.

  Smooth, your mama know the kind of work you do, isn't she afraid you'll put izara to work yourself?

  Hell RK my mama know I wouldn't do no shit like that, to her anyway.

  Izara was just sitting there listening to all this and not saying a word.

  Izara, I said, how do you feel about all this?

  I'm out of Louisiana Mr. Kane and I'm not going back, I don't care what I do from here. Just not that!

  I asked smooth for a job but he's worried about what his mama will say.

  Sounds like your mama sent you up here to get away from all that, make something of yourself.

  Mama don't know, she don't have a clue, it ain't easy out here.

  I think mama do know I said that's why she sent you away. So, how can I help you? If you want a job smooth can see to that even if you don't work for him, he know people.

  That's just it Mr. Kane he can’t help me that way he don't know any straight people that's not in the life but says you do. The way he puts it you know everybody.

  I looked at smooth and then I looked at Izara, and thought to myself. She would surely make a fortune on the street but some of us need a chance in life of not going in that direction and maybe I could help her. Izara how old are you?

  I’m eighteen, she said

  Okay I said, I'll help you.

  At that Izara got up and left for the restroom, maybe to cry or something, I don’t know.

  Money! I said.

  RK, you mean you gonna charge me for helping this fine mother jumper?

  Smooth’s, you should know, nothing is free in this world. The business you're in you should surely know that.

  How much we talking about RK?

  $500 smooth and that's at a discount.

  Can I owe you RK? Maybe pay half now and the other half at a later date?

  No half now and no half later date, all right now and in cash, I said.

  You sound like you don't trust me RK?

  A guy that would stiff me over a single drink versus a double, yeah you right, I don't trust you.

  Freda was my first choice, maybe she could give her a job, and she’s always looking to help somebody. Freda is my girlfriend, not my wife. Ella is my wife, it's complicated!

  Freda and I have been going together a year or more, we met in the park while both of us were walking, running would have been better so I'm told but first things first. She felt the same, we struck up a conversation and have been talking ever since, among other things.

  I'm with her most days, when not I'm at the apartment I share with Ella. I have an office in downtown Cleveland where I make my living. I've been
in Cleveland most all my life so I know most everyone from the high rollers on the west side to the street people on the east. Yeah, I would help Izara but like I said there's nothing like making a few extra dollars on the side if I could.

  One other thing I said. Why did she leave Louisiana in such a hurry?

  Old boys down there want to put her to work and the cops are in on it. So in the dead of might her cousin drove her to New Orleans and she caught a bus from there.

  Okay smooth, I'll be in touch with you in a couple days, where she staying?

  With my mama man, where else, you know she can't stay with me.

  Yeah, I thought to myself, if she did smooth would be in them drawls, mama or no mama.

  Earlier in the day just relaxing in his office Ruben was wondering when it would begin, he knew that after a long period of inactivity something was about to pop. The longer the waiting period the more complicated the case would be.

  Rita, my secretary had just asked for the rest of the day off, since the day was half gone anyway, why not!

  Rita was a Mexican that was illegal in the country for five years now and has been working for me for half of those years. She's 5 foot four, 200 pounds and just as wide. Long black hair down below her shoulders, cute as hell and always talking plenty shit. I mustn't forget the stiletto she keeps in her bra, I did that once before and I was cleaning up blood for hours. I won't soon forget that incident and neither will the guy she carved up, right here in the office.

  I was about to pour my second or third drink of the morning when smooth called, wanted me to meet him at the cave club. He may have a job for me/favor, he didn't say anything about me getting paid but then, that's smooth.

  Detective Jeffries had called and asked me if I knew of rumors of a large heist going down?

  Now, how would I know of something like that detective, I said.

  You know everything Kane or you can find out, what do you know about a Heist going down, he said again?

  Not a thing detective, if I knew I'd sure tell you, I lied!

  Well, keep your ears open for me okay, I'll owe you one.

  What, another one, I said.

  You still talking about that Kane, I thought we were square on that one.

  Jeffries was talking about the last case we were on and I handed him a drug dealer and murder that he eventually captured, killed and got a promotion. He didn't know that the murder was after me and had given me 24 hours to come up with certain monies and or drugs or else. The or else for me was to turn his ass in for the drugs and a murder I guessed he committed. Turns out I was right and everything turned out great for everyone except him.

  Detective Jeffries got his man, I got the money and the girl, shorty (the drug dealer/murder) got dead. Beautiful!

  Just Joshing with you Lieut., it is Lieut. isn't it?

  Goodbye Kane.

  That night in bed with Freda I told her about the encounter I had with smooth and Izara, and asked her what she thought.

  That's a good thing that you’re doing Ruben and I commend you for it. It’s best you don't leave her with smooth too long, smooth only looks out for smooth.

  Do you think you could find her a job and a place to stay I said?

  I'm sure I could Freda said, in fact I may be able to put her on at the cleaners where I work.

  Freda owna dry cleaners through a settlement with her ex-husband. I also think I remember seeing an upstairs apartment above a grocery store about a block away.

  She may need the 1st months’ rent she said.

  I'm sure smooth will front her that, I guess the apartment will be the 1st thing and then the job, let me know about the job and I'll check on the apartment tomorrow, I said.

  Now, back to what we were doing earlier and let Love commence to a feverish pitch, to heights that one rarely achieve. But Freda and I manage to achieve that goal.

  CHAPTER 2

  Raymond this is Ruben, what's shaken?

  Say Ruben where you been, it gets lonely around here without all your goings on. I was wondering if you were still kicking.

  Oh, I'm still kicking all right Raymond, just come off a small job and guess who, from all people. Smooth!

  Helping his cousin who just come into town I heard, Raymond said.

  Is that who he's calling her, Ruben said. I should have known you’d know all about it.

  Yeah you're right Ruben, don't too much get pass me, and I got the all Seeing Eye.

  I'm glad you said that Raymond, what do you know about a heist that may be going down in the near future?

  What kind of heist Ruben? Bank, armored car, jewelry store what are we talking about?

  I couldn't say Raymond but it's large whatever it is.

  Well, I heard a few of the guys were going to knock over a liquor store but that was over a week ago and they only got $500 out of that, so they say. But you're not talking about past tense are you?

  No I'm not Raymond, what I'm talking about is a heist that's coming up in the near future

  No, I really haven't heard of anything Ruben but if the old boys were coming from out of town I wouldn't. Let me nose around and see what I can find out for you.

  I appreciate that Raymond, later!

  Two days later Izara moved in above the Groceries, started work at the cleaners with Freda and things seems to be going alright. Smooth mother was happy and informed her friend back in Louisiana that her daughter was doing fine and not to worry. Smooth was back to being smooth short $500 that he wasn’t happy about paying plus the $45 rent he had to cough up. But knowing Smooth he'll get over it.

  Thibodaux and Seth were on the train from New Orleans headed for Cleveland Ohio. Two of the men in Cleveland had called especially for their expertise in jewelry fencing and robbery. The people that sent them was part of an organization that control the area of Louisiana, Georgia, Mississippi and Alabama. They control the drugs, prostitution, smuggling and murder. Sometimes if the payday is large enough they'll work together With the northern people in that same line of work. Even so far as to loaning each other people. Thereby the reason why Thibodaux and Seth were headed for Ohio. Just before they left they were told that they had a little extra job they wanted them to do and that was to bring back one of the girls that skipped out on them. She wasn't actually working for them but she was due to start, she backed out. If we let this go unanswered we would have no credibility, it has to be answered. If you can't bring her back then leave her there in Cleveland, permanently. The Cleveland people will set up the heist. In Thibodaux possession was a satchel of money that they hope will be part of the jewelry fencing they expected to pay, the remainder if any will come due later, if any.

  How we gonna work the girl if she don't want to come back Seth asked Thibodaux? Go or stay, It makes no difference to us. Our main objective is to get the jewelry, if we land her that's a bonus. We’renot going to waste a lot of time on her, it's either Go or stay, permanently. The diamond merchants will be coming in Thursday, three of them. One by train and two by plane, they'll be carrying doctor’s cases with the jewelry inside and will be handcuffed to them. They may or may not have keys to them, in case they don't we’ll carry a set of bolt cutters with us. We understand they'll be carrying some fake stuff and that's the idea of the people from Louisiana coming in to lend their expertise. They'll root out all the bad stuff, pay us for the good stuff and there on their way back home. We get rid of the stuff right quick without dealing with anyone in town. Jesse, one of the three making the hit on the jewelry carriers asked, when are the people from Louisiana getting here?

  Thursday by train, Macomb said.

  Macomb the leader and mastermind of the heist said it should go smooth, since we will have knocked off the carries and all they have to do is check out the jewelry and give us what it's worth.

  I thought they had to okay the heist Jesse said.

  Hell we don't need them for that, since when do we need a couple of Creole boys to okay our work. Once we get the jewelr
y they'll forget all about that.

  Now, let's go over what we're going to do. We'll wait till they all get together in the hotel suit, bust in and take the jewelry, tie them up and meet the Louisiana people at the Royal hotel. The longest period should be them inspecting the stuff. Ira, I want you to stay in the car the two of us can handle the merchants.

  One thing Jesse said. You thought of maybe these old southern boys ripping us off?

  Yeah, I thought of that. Maybe they should be worrying about us ripping them off.

  Ira, maybe when we start making the transaction you should ease up the back way just in case something goes down other than what’s supposed to.

  Ruben, Raymond here! Got some news for you on that heist you asked me about. How much is this information worth to you?

  I don't know Raymond, you tell me?

  Its hot Ruben, it's really hot. I'd say $500 should do it.

  Got damn Raymond what you trying to do retire on my money. Tell you what lay it on me and if it's worth it I’ll pay. Raymond had told Ruben that the word was some diamond merchants were coming into town for a display and show of their wares, they were coming from out of town by train and by plane. Due to be here sometime this weekend, don't know where they'll be staying yet but sure as hell they’ll be hit while they're here. We have a few people in town that won't pass that up.

  Where is the show Ruben asked?

  The Gallery Way, it's used for art showing on the lower west side. It's going to be an Art and Diamond show together, it's been advertised.

  Yeah, I think you're right Raymond, I don't think the fellows will pass that up although I don't know what they'll do with any paintings. My guess is the diamonds, they could get rid of those even though they wouldn't be that easy either. They would need a fence and all of those are well known here in Cleveland.