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  The Starlight Club

  Book 7

  End Game

  Joe Corso

  The Starlight Club 7

  End Game

  Joe Corso

  Published by

  Black Horse Publishing

  Copyright 2015 by Joe Corso

  Cover Art by Marina Shipova

  Black Horse Publishing

  www.blackhorsepublishing.com

  ISBN: 978-0615690490

  This novel is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination, or, if real, used fictitiously. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without the express written permission of the author or publisher, except where permitted by law.

  All Rights Reserved.

  Acknowledgements

  To my two brothers; Pete who lived through some tumultuous times managing the Starlight Club. And for his helpful insight in recollecting true events that occurred there which inspired me to write this book. And brother Rich who is a willing sounding board for my thoughts and ideas… and who sends them back to me better and more insightful than he received them.

  Authors Note.

  I received a phone call from my brother Pete while book 6, which was to be the final book in the series, was being edited. He told me that I hadn’t fully described an incident that happened to him, which I wrote about in the first book in the series. I suggested that we discuss this via a video chat but he insisted that I listen to what he had to say while the thought was still fresh in his mind… so I listened. Pete pointed out that I left out an important incident, which I had recalled from memory fifty plus years later. Pete reminded me of what happened that day and after we hung up I knew he was right… I did forget something.

  I quickly wrote two chapters exactly as Pete described it to me, filling in the part I left out. Instead of adding additional dialogue to the character in the first book I created a second character and a separate incident to describe what happened that day those many years ago. Pete’s phone call motivated me to write the seventh and final book (at least for now) in the series

  One final note: The man I described in the book who held a gun to Pete’s head that day wasn’t big Red (even though Big Red was an actual person), it was Joe Brown, Three Finger Browns brother.

  Joe Corso

  “JUDGES, LAWYERS AND POLITICIANS HAVE A

  LICENCE TO STEAL. WE DON’T NEED ONE”

  CARLO GAMBINO

  Prologue

  Present

  The snow finally let up in Darien, Connecticut but not before twenty-three inches had fallen. Bobby was philosophic about heading back to Florida. He looked out the window and all he saw was snow piled in high drifts against the doors and windows. The highway department was one of the best in the country in snow removal and the trucks were visible as they worked street-by-street clearing snow from the roads.

  “Dad. You’re not thinking of leaving are you?” Bobby turned to see his daughter Lynn holding a tray with coffee and donuts on it.

  “No, of course not Lynn. I’m thick but I’m not crazy. No I’ll wait a few days until the roads are cleared and its safe for me to drive back to Florida. You know Lynn I’ve been telling you stories about the club I used to deliver meat to and I know you enjoy hearing them. I thought I told you everything I remembered about the place but I did think of another story you might like to hear.” His daughter loved hearing him tell her stories about the famous Starlight Club and the characters that walked in and out of the stories he told. She set the tray down on a table in front of the leather recliner facing the television and she down beside him. Go on dad. Tell me the story about the Starlight Club you just mentioned.”

  Bobby chuckled. Well Lynn the stories about the Starlight Club are getting a little thin now and this will probably be the last one I tell you, which I’ll call “The End Game.”

  Chapter One

  Queens 1962

  The boys had just left the Zebra Club. They had been celebrating their buddy Renato’s homecoming after being discharged from the army. A buddy of theirs had been late for the party and was waiting on the corner anxiously for the light to change so he could join them. When the boys stepped out of the bar they watched a car pull up to the curb and come to a screeching halt in front of their friend effectively blocking him from crossing the street. Four men got out of the car and grabbed him and they began using him as a punching bag. Renato recognized the ringleader, a wise guy he never liked, and he raced across the busy street hoping to get there before those goons hurt his friend seriously. His buddy nearly unconscious and bleeding badly was lying on the concrete face down. The four men noticed Renato and his friends running toward them so they got in their car and wheeled away peeling rubber.

  Renato waved to his friends and then he motioned to his car. His friends got the message and they jumped into the car and Renato gave chase. Two blocks away they caught the car under the Roosevelt Avenue EL on the corner of Junction Blvd. Renato opened the passenger the door of the getaway car and pulled one of the men out. Grabbing the man by his jacket he spun him around but when the jacket opened he noticed the shoulder holster with a gun in it. The weapons the men brandished were the game changer. Two men, strangers from Brooklyn beat Renato unmercifully, but that wasn’t enough for the leader of the gang because with the help of his friends he backed Renato against their car. While they held Renato, Sailor Burke, an Italian who used the Irish name of Sailor Burke when he was in the ring because of the prejudices at the time against fighters with Italian names, was in charge of this crew. He pulled a bat from his car and raised it and was about to hit Renato in the head, which could have killed him, but one of his men put up his hand in an attempt to stop Sailor from killing Renato.

  "He's had enough Sailor we don’t want to face a murder rap.”

  "He's had enough when I say he has." Sailor slammed the bat once, twice and the third time he split Renato's head open like a ripe tomato and he heard bells ringing. Rocky dragged Renato to their car and then he managed to shove him under the protective undercarriage of the vehicle where Sailor’s bat couldn't reach him.

  When Sailor and his men thought they had enough they turned and walked toward their car. Renato’s friends believed Sailor and his men were leaving so they deemed it safe to pull Renato out from under his car. Just when Rocky placed Renato in the front seat of his car Sailor turned to look at the results of his handy work and he noticed Renato in the passenger seat so instead of getting in his car he walked back to Renato and goaded him.

  "You don't look so hot Renato. Maybe you should see a doctor.” Heh heh.

  Renato's eyes were just narrow slits and were nearly closed and with the blood running down his face from his head wound into his hazy eyes, it made his vision all the more difficult to see. But Renato still had the presence of mind to turn his head in the direction of the words he heard being spoken and he saw through his limited vision Sailor’s face framing the space where the window to the door should have been …and he spit right in his face, This act enraged the sadistic gangster. Rocky, Renato’s friend who sat behind the wheel saw what Renato did and before Sailor could respond or react in any way he laughed and slammed his foot down on the gas pedal and took off peeling rubber leaving an enraged Sailor waving his fist at them.

  Rocky sped to Flushing Hospital's emergency room and checked Renato in. A few hours later after his head was stitched and he had gone through a battery of tests he was laying in bed with a huge bandage covering his head. He was awake wh
en two detectives visited him in his room.

  “So you finally woke up eh! You almost bought the farm but I'm glad to see you made it. Did you recognize the guys who did this to you?" Renato shook his head and he answered slowly with slurred words. "Two…Spanish…guys…did…this…to…me. One was a…big…guy, the other…shorter, but…I never…saw either of…them before. I…I think they…wrecked my car…too."

  One of the detectives looked through his papers and found a reference to the car. "Here it is black Ford Fairlane two door coupe. You’re right. It looks like those two did a number on your car too. Windows on all the doors broken including the front window, headlights smashed, and dents in the doors and fenders. OK I guess that completes our investigation, we got what we came for. We'll leave you now and let you rest, we appreciate your cooperation, Feel better and don’t leave town… we may want you to identify the guys who did this to you if we can find them.”

  “I won’t…leave..town officer.” Renato watched the two detectives leave his room and he thought to himself. Good luck finding those two and yeah I’ll feel better now with my head busted open and full of stitches, my car wrecked, and no money to pay the hospital bill. Yeah I feel much better now…thanks.

  Renato used the phone in the waiting room to call Rocky. The following day Rocky waited outside the emergency room while Renato checked himself out of the hospital. He was surprised when on the way home Rocky told him that Big Red wanted to see him. He really wasn’t feeling that well, but he agreed to go. So instead of going home to rest and get his strength back he told Rocky to take him to the Starlight Club. When the two men entered the club Vinnie who was behind the bar noticed the bandages on Renato's head and he watched Renato stagger a bit trying to keep his balance as he walked toward the bar. Vinnie motioned toward Red's office with a tilt of his head. Renato with Rocky practically holding him up approached the office and Rocky knocked on the door once, and they heard a gruff voice say, "Come on in."

  When they entered Red’s office Tarzan and a big man was in the room seated in chairs opposite the desk. Red pointed to the two empty chairs, which Renato assumed were brought in for them. "Have a seat."

  The two boys sat without saying a word. Red got up from behind his desk and walked over to Renato. "I heard what happened yesterday, and I also know what you told the cops. You did good. You took your lumps and you kept your mouth shut.” Red reached in his pocket and pulled out a roll of hundred dollar bills. “How much was your hospital bill?" Renato waved the question away.

  “I…don’t want you…to pay my hospital bill...all I want is for…you to arrange for me to have…five minutes alone with that rat bastard Sailor.”

  Big Red put out his right hand palm up without looking at Tarzan. Tarzan placed a five shot revolver in the palm of his hand. Red kept his eyes riveted on Renato. "I'm in the business of respect Renato and I'm telling you not to touch a hair on Sailor’s head. In fact if he's hurt in an accident, or if anything were to happen to him then I'll hold you personally responsible. If something happened to him then I’ll know that you disrespected me and I will put one right there." Red placed the barrel of the gun in the center of Renato's forehead to demonstrate what would happen to him if he disobeyed him. Renato knew he couldn't and wouldn't do anything to Sailor, not now and maybe not ever. The slimy little bastard was going to get away with what he did to him. Red handed the gun back to Tarzan and then he pulled out a wad of cash and counted out three one hundred dollar bills. "Here take this. If you won’t take money for the hospital then take this to fix your car, and don’t give me any lip about it.”

  Chapter Two

  1965

  Tarzan knocked on the door to Red's office. Red looked up and was a little surprised to see Tarzan standing there. "Come in Tarzan. Something on your mind?"

  "Yeah there is. Since Moose left for California, we're short a bartender and we need to hire one." Red narrowed his eyes and looked at Tarzan knowing he had more to say on the subject. "Why are you coming to me with this. If you need a bartender then hire one."

  "Well that's the thing Red. I do have someone I'd like to hire but I thought I'd pass it by you before I called the guy."

  Red put down his pencil and leaned an elbow on his desk. "Go on. You have my attention. Who’s the guy you want to hire?"

  "I want to hire Renato Mellina.”

  Red raised an eyebrow. "The kid Sailor leaned on a few years ago?”

  "Yep, that Renato."

  "I remember that incident because it was similar to the problem we had a few years ago with that troublemaker Slats that Ralph and Gibby handled.” Red leaned back in his chair and motioned for Tarzan to continue. “Let’s back to Renato, why do you want to hire him?"

  "There are a number of reasons why I’d like to hire him."

  Red had no objection to Tarzan hiring Renato, he just wondered why him? "I'm waiting."

  "Well he just got discharged from the army and now that you mentioned that incident, I think the kid got a raw deal that time. But that aside, he's honest and he's tough and he was a bartender in Chance's joint in Jackson Heights before he left for the army.”

  Red nodded. "So go ahead and hire him. He sounds like he’d be a good man for the job."

  Tarzan was about to leave but Red stopped him. "Listen Tarzan, you're a captain in my organization and you don't need my approval to hire someone. You can hire and fire anyone you want."

  "I just didn't want you to be surprised when you saw him behind the bar. I figured it's better if I told you what I was going do ahead of time."

  "I appreciate you feeling that way but I'll say it again. I don't question your decisions when it comes to hiring people. You can hire and fire anyone you want and I’ll never question your judgment… so call the kid and tell him he has a job."

  Renato wondered why Tarzan wanted to see him and he was a little apprehensive as he walked into the Starlight Club. He walked over to Tarzan who he spotted behind the bar wiping it down with a dry towel. “You wanted to see me Tarzan?”

  “Yeah come on over and have a seat by the window…we can talk in private there.’ Tarzan turned to Renato and asked him. “You want something to drink, maybe coffee or something?”

  “No thanks.”

  “All right. Then I’ll get to the reason why I wanted to have this little talk with you. You just got out of the army right?

  “That’s right. I served two tours in Viet Nam.”

  “Are you working right now?”

  “No. I’m not doing anything now.”

  “What happened to your job at Chance’s? Wouldn’t he give you your old job back?”

  “Tommy… that’s his kid. He was discharged from the army when I was going in so he gave him my job and now he’s managing the place. It’s too bad because I liked working there.”

  “Well that’s why I asked you to come in to see me today. How would you like to work here at the Starlight Club tending bar?”

  Renato’s eyes lit up. “You’re kidding right?”

  “No I’m not kidding, we need a night bartender, but if you accept the job you’ll work days for a while. Now do you want the job or not?”

  “Yeah. Sure I want the job. It just comes as a surprise after what happened with Sailor a few years ago.”

  Tarzan leaned in closer to Renato. “Yeah well we have certain rules about how things are done around here…but between me and you, I never liked that prick Sailor from the day I met him and if it were up to me I would have given you the five minutes alone with him that you asked for. But like I said we have rules and we have to follow them because without rules we’d be living in a jungle. You start tomorrow at a hundred bucks a week plus tips. Be here at eleven thirty cause the bar opens at twelve.”

  Renato was cleaning the bar and putting the clean glasses in their proper places when Big Red walked up to the bar. Renato was a little nervous seeing the famous gangster waiting at the far end of the bar to talk to him. Well…he figured he might as well
get this over with so he walked over to Red and put out his hand. “Hi Red.”

  Red shook his hand. “Good luck here Renato. Glad to have you working here. A word of caution though.”

  Oh oh… Renato thought. Here it comes.

  “Whatever you see and hear in this place stays here capisca? We’re all family here and we take care of one another understand?”

  Renato gulped. “I understand Red and I know what you mean.”

  Red looked at Renato for a long minute to make sure he got the message before he nodded. “Good because you’re a part of our family now yourself.”

  A few weeks later Red called Tarzan into his office. “How’s the kid working out behind the bar?”

  “Great Red. The customers love him and he’s a chick magnet. All the broads in Queens heard about our new bartender and they come in here all the time to have some drinks and talk to the guy.”

  Present

  Early every Saturday morning Lynn, Renato would take his friend and his pregnant wife to the hospital for a checkup and then he’d return, drop them off and put his car in the lot across the street from the Starlight Club. Except one Saturday something unexpected happened.

  1965 The Starlight Club

  On Monday morning the phone rang and Tarzan picked up.

  “This is detective Reilly from the 110th precinct can I speak to Renato Mellina please.” Tarzan looked at Renato who was busy tending to a customer. “He’s not hear right now. Can I ask what this is about?”

  “We need to have him come down to the precinct to straighten something out.” “Straighten what out officer?” There was silence for a few seconds.