Reverse Metamorphosis book one of the Irrevocable Change trilogy by R.E. Schobernd Read Free Book Online Page A

the
episode with Jerry O’Neil, when he was sure Tony would be at the
bar, Clay drove there on a Saturday morning. At ten o’clock
business was slow and only John and five paying customers were up
front. Tony was in the back at the round table with two of his men
reading the newspaper and having a cup of coffee. Clay caught
Tony’s eye and nodded in acknowledgement as he strode over to he
bar after entering through the back door. He ordered a Stag draft
beer, and after shooting the breeze with John and several of the
other customers, walked over to the table where Tony was
sitting.
    “Hi Tony’ how’s business?”
    Before Tony could answer Clay spoke to Milo
Farrino, “Milo, you’d better quit eating so much pasta, you’re
getting fatter than a hog.” As Clay winked at Nicky the Greek, Milo
retorted while grinning, “Go fuck yourself you fucking skinny
little Krauthead.”
    Tony looked up and smiled, glad to see
someone who gave him a link to Jimmy G. He was missing the close
relationship he had come to count on with his youngest son.
    “Hi Clay, business is business. What are you
up to today?”
    “Well, actually I came to talk to you. Do you
have time to go upstairs?”
    Tony’s face got a perplexed look but he said
“Sure thing”, rose from his chair and headed for the bar. “John, me
and the kid will be upstairs, no visitors.”
    Tony led the way upstairs to his office. Both
men took chairs at the table ninety degrees apart.
    “Well, what is it kid? Need a loan, or got a
problem you need help with?”
    Clay had thought about how to tell Tony what
he wanted to say, but somehow when the time finally came it seemed
best to just say it. “Tony I need to clear up something between me
and you about Jimmy’s death. I know from talking to you the last
couple of times you were shocked to learn from the police his death
wasn’t an accident, and you still don’t know who took care of Jerry
O’Neil.”
    “Yeah, right.”
    “Well, I know who killed him.”
    “Clay, you’re telling me you know who bumped
O’Neil off?” Tony was leaning forward with an incredibly surprised,
and yet dubious expression. “How the hell would you know it, and me
not have gotten the word from somebody in my bunch first?”
    “Because they don’t know anything about it; I
took care of it myself, just like Jimmy would have done for me if
the situation was reversed.”
    Tony rose from the table and crossed the room
to his desk and took a bottle of premium bourbon whiskey from a
bottom drawer. Picking up two ten ounce glasses he paused to look
at Clay with a quizzical look, and then took his seat at the
table.
    “You’re telling me you, a kid who only shot
cats and rabbits before this, pulled off a hit any professional
would be proud of? And got away clean with it? Huh?”
    “Yeah, I’m telling you I did it.”
    While pouring both glasses half full with
Woodford Reserve he said “You wouldn’t shit old Tony about
something this important, especially when it’s about Jimmy. You
wouldn’t, would you Clay?”
    “No sir, I wouldn’t. Jimmy was my best friend
and I knew you’d go crazy if you got word somebody killed him. So I
took care of it myself. I didn’t tell you before because I figured
the police would end up questioning you, and probably some of your
guy’s. I thought all of you would be better off if you really
didn’t know anything about it.”
    “Well I’ll be a son of a bitch!” Tony
exclaimed and threw down a double shot. You! You did it! Who helped
you? Which one of my guys helped you and didn’t tell me?”
    “Nobody helped me; I planned it out and did
it myself”
    “No shit! How did you know you could go
through with it when it came time to pull the trigger and really
clip the guy?” Tony still seemed dubious of what he was
hearing.
    “Because it was for Jimmy; I couldn’t let our
friendship down by turning chicken at the last minute. The other
reason was something I didn’t even tell Jimmy