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PART I

Boston

1926–1929

CHAPTER ONE

A Twelve O’Clock Fella in a Nine O’Clock Town

Sohlin’s feet were placed in a tub of ceh out to sea to throw hi and watched the water churn white at the stern And it occurred to hi of note that had ever happened in his life—good or bad—had been set inhe first crossed paths with Emma Gould

They met shortly after dawn in 1926, when Joe and the Bartolo brothers robbed the ga room at the back of an Albert White speakeasy in South Boston Before they entered it, Joe and the Bartolos had no idea the speakeasy belonged to Albert White If they had, they would have beat a retreat in three separate directions to make the trail all the harder to follow

They cah the empty bar area without incident The bar and casino took up the rear of a furniture warehouse along the waterfront that Joe’s boss, Tim Hickey, had assured him ned by some harmless Greeks recently arrived from Maryland But when they walked into the back roo, the five players drinking aarette s overhead A pile of money rose from the center of the table

Not one of thetheir suit jackets over the backs of their chairs, which left the guns on their hips exposed When Joe, Dion, and Paolo walked in with pistols extended, none of the uns, but Joe could tell a couple were thinking about it

A wo drinks to the table She put the tray aside, lifted her cigarette out of an ashtray and took a drag, looked about to yaith three guns pointed at her Like shemore impressive for an encore

Joe and the Bartolos wore hats pulled down over their eyes, and black handkerchiefs covered the lower halves of their faces Which was a good thing because if anyone in this crowd recognized them, they’d have about half a day left to live

A walk in the park, Tim Hickey had said Hit them at dahen the only people left in the place would be a couple ofroom

As opposed to five gun thugs playing poker

One of the players said, “You knohose place this is?”

Joe didn’t recognize the guy, but he knew the guy next to him—Brenny Loomis, ex-boxer and a est rival in the bootlegging business Lately, Albert was ru war The as out—choose a side or choose a headstone

Joe said, “Everyone does as they’re told, no one gets so much as a scratch”

The guy beside Looa dunce”

Dion Bartolo hit hih to knock him out of his chair and draw so howpistol-whipped than the one as

Joe said, “Everyone but the girl, get on your knees Put your hands behind your head and lace the fingers”