(2012) Blood on Blood by Frank Zafiro Page B

finish. Because he was right. I did know where he was going with this.
    “Thing is,” he said, “I believe the old man. What he said about the earrings. Do you?”
    I nodded shortly. “He had no reason to lie.”
    “Not that he ever needed a reason, the old man.” Jerzy laughed. “Still, what he said sounded legit. And you know why he told us both, right?”
    “Could be he wanted us to work together to find the diamonds.” I shrugged. “Or knowing the old man, maybe he wanted us to kill each other.”
    Jerzy laughed some more, this time more deeply. “Either we make like the fuckin’ Hardy Boys or like Cain and Abel. Which do you figure he was hoping for?”
    I shrugged. “Six-five and pick ‘em.”
    “Yep.” Jerzy paused, considering. Then he said, “I figure, fuck what the old man wanted, right? I say we find those earrings. Pay back those guys who fucked him over, then sell the ice. What do you say? You and me. Even split.”
    I regarded him for a while. He stood easily, that confident, smartass expression on his face. There was an edge there, too. Always the edge. I wondered if I could trust him.
    No. Not unless he needed me.
    “Why?”
    “Why what?”
    “Why partners?”
    He raised his large hands and waved my words away. “Let’s not get carried away, Hero. ‘Partner’ is a strong word. Maybe it wasn’t for cops, but it is in my world.”
    I shrugged. “Call it whatever you want. Why, though?”
    Jerzy reached up and scratched the stubble coming in on his chin. “I figure it this way. Maybe the old man is full of shit and he just wants to send us on a wild goose chase, y’know? So he can laugh his ass off from the great beyond.”
    “Could be.”
    “Exactly.” He pointed at me. “But you probably still have some connections on the cops. You could ask and find out what they’re saying really happened.”
    “You’re not back with Patrik?”
    Jerzy scowled. “What the fuck do you care about my business?”
    “I’m just saying that if you’re back with Patrik, you can’t tell me he doesn’t have connections inside the department.”
    Jerzy stared at me, considering. Finally, he said, “Even if I was with Patrik, there’s two problems with using his connections. One, it’d make the cops suspicious. And two—”
    “You’d have to share with Patrik.”
    Jerzy glared at me. “You’re so fucking smart, why’d you ask the question?”
    “Just figuring out where things stand,” I said.
    Jerzy didn’t say anything for a long while, then he sighed. “Look, we gotta trust each other a little bit here.”
    “Clearly.”
    “You’ve got connections still, right?”
    “Maybe.”
    “Maybe,” he repeated, then shook his head. “Okay, be a cagey motherfucker, then. All I’m saying is that a son asking after some shit that happened with his dad is a lot less suspicious than some outfit guy asking his department mole. This way, we keep the diamonds off of everyone’s radar. ‘Cept ours.”
    I considered. His logic made sense, so I nodded my agreement. “What’s your part?”
    He smiled. “I find Jimmy and Speedo. Get a little information there. Maybe some justice for the old man.”
    I swallowed. We were at a crossroads. I could keep walking down the road I was on, eking out a living at Eddie’s place or I could make a play here. One shot at enough bank to break out of this town and go start over somewhere else. Somewhere fresh. Maybe with someone special.
    Jerzy was watching me. He wasn’t usually patient, but the liquor seemed to make him lay back a little. He waited, rocking slightly on his heels and blowing onto his cold fingers.
    I thought of my small, empty apartment.
    I thought of the greasy smell inside the diner.
    I thought of Ania’s cold blue eyes.
    “I’m in,” I said, and Jerzy grinned.
     
     

THIRTEEN
    Jerzy
     
    The day after Mick and I agreed to work together on our little project, I get right after it.
    I’m pretty sure he wasn’t wasting any time,