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“Make it so”

COMMODORE TOMMY THOMPSON was listening, calculatingly, to Brian “Eyes” O’Shay’s sche partners to San Francisco, when a boy ran into his 39th Street saloon with a note from Iceman Weeks

The Co to kill the Van Dorn” “Happen to say how?”

“Probably still thinking it through,” Tohed, and passed the note to Eyes

In a strange way, he thought, they had picked up their old partnership Not that Eyes dropped in regular This was only his third visit since the five thousand dollars Nor did Eyes want in on the take, which was a big surprise Just the opposite Eyes had lent hi joint under the El Connector on 53rd, which was raking in dough already Add that to his deal with the Hip Sing, and he was sitting pretty Besides, when he and Eyes talked, Tommy found he trusted him Not with his li

fe, Jaysus knew Not even with his dough But he trusted Eyes’ good sense, just like when they were kids

“What do you think?” he asked “Should we take him up on it?” O’Shay smoothed the tip of his narrow mustache He hooked his thus stretched out, heels in the sawdust, and when he finally spoke he stared at his feet as if addressing his fine boots “Weeks is tired of lying low He wants to co, which is probably Brooklyn But he’s afraid you’ll kill him”

“He’s afraid I will kill him on your say-so,” Tommy corrected acidly “And you will say so”

“I already have,” Eyes O’Shay answered “Your so-called Iceman-”

“My so-called Icenation

“Your so-called Iceman, who you sent to Camden when I paid you five thousand dollars, allowed the only credible witness in that dance hall-a Van Dorn Agency detective, for the love of Mary-to witness hi murder When the Van Dorns catch up with him-and we know they will-or the cops nail hiression, the Van Dorns will ask, ‘Who’d you do murder for?’ And Weeks will answer, ‘Toht was dead but ain’t’ ”

O’Shay looked up from his boots, expression noncommittal, and added, “Frankly, if I didn’t insist, you’d be screwy not to kill hiot more to fear than I do I can disappear, just like I done before You’re stuck here Everyone knohere to find the Commodore-on 39th in Coet around on your new joint on 53rd Don’t forget, Van Dorns aren’t like cops You can’t pay Van Dorns to look any other way than at you Down a gun barrel”

“So what do you think about Weeks offering to kill the witness?”

Eyes O’Shay pretended to ponder the question

“I think Weeks is brave Sensible Practical Maybe he has so up his sleeve If not, then he’s firrandeur”