"Westlake, Donald E as Stark, Richard - Parker 14 - Slayground 1.1" - читать интересную книгу автора (Westlake Donald E)

"We'll be here."

O'Hara still hesitated, glancing worriedly over at the amusement park, then shrugged and said, "If there's any hangup, I'll phone you."

"Sure. You better get on the stick."

"Right."

O'Hara trotted over to the patrol car, and Benniggio got out of the Lincoln, calling, "Okay, Cal."

Caliato went over to the Lincoln. "Watch over there that he doesn't come out," he said, and got into the back seat and shut the door. Out of the corner of his eye he saw the patrol car pull out onto Brower Road and turn left. He picked up the phone and said, "Caliato here."

"One moment for Mr. Lozini, please." It was a woman's voice with a faint English accent. But that was all right, Lozini was an old man and a successful man, and if an old and successful man wanted to put on airs with English secretaries, that was his privilege. Maybe some day Caliato would want to spread himself the same way.

Not when he first took over, though. For the first year or so, a new leader should be humble, one of the troops, modest and mild. A patient man doesn't show off until it's time.

"Cal?" You couldn't tell from Lozini's voice that he was old, he sounded tough and strong. Which he was. "Something wrong there?"

"No. Something good." He gave Lozini a quick summary of what had happened, finishing, "I figure we'll stick around here till O'Hara and the other one get back. Then we go in, they make a legal pinch, and the guy tries to escape."

"How much is in it?"

"I don't know. It was an armored car he hit, it can't be nickels and dimes."

There was a little silence, and then Lozini said, "If you can't do it quiet, you don't do it."

"Naturally."

"The situation's a little tricky right now, you know that. We got to keep our heads down."

"I know," Caliato said. "Believe me, I know what comes first. If it looks like there's going to be trouble, I'll come right the hell away from it."

"Good man. You want any help down there?"

"Not for slices. It's only one suitcase he carried in with him."

"You can afford a C-note a man."

"Sure."

"I'll send you three. Any preference?"

"Not Rigno, and not Taliamaze. Other than that, anybody you got free."

Lozini chuckled. "You got a good head on your shoulders, Cal," he said. "Give me a call when it's over. If it ain't too late, we'll have dinner, you can tell me about it."

Caliato knew how proud Lozini was of his cooking, though actually what he cooked was ordinary, neither terrible nor great. Still, the old man thought it was great, and it was an honor to be invited, so Caliato said, "In that case, I guarantee we'll be done early. And I'll work up an appetite."

"You do that, Cal. I'll send you some boys."