The Deep by Mickey Spillane Read Free Book Online

docilely, just waiting. If Lenny said kill... they’d kill. Right now he said to stand. So they stood.
    One was a TV western type, tiny-hipped and over-broad at the shoulders where his jacket was cut to carry a rod. The other was as average as a person can get. I nodded to them both and in order said, “Harold ... Al. Good to see you.”
    Only Al, the average one, flicked. I said. “Your buddy’s a Q and Dannemora grad, Al. Lousy partner.”
    Lenny Sobel’s hand touched my shoulder. “You know my associates?”
    â€œSure. Great guys. Al’s the smart one, though, and you got to watch him. Not a rap to his name and looking to go places.”
    The hood looked at me steadily, nothing showing in his face this time.
    Sobel asked, “That right, Al?”
    â€œI work for you, Mr. Sobel. You know what I can do.”
    Lenny’s smile broadened. “You ever meet this man, Al?”
    â€œNot yet, Mr. Sobel. I think I’m going to like it if you want me to introduce myself.”
    The fat wreathed itself into a laugh around Lenny’s mouth. “Deep?”
    â€œGo ahead,” I said. “For fun why not pull the cork and let me shoot all three of you. First you, Lenny, then these two schmarts in order. It should be fun. Go ahead, pull the cork.”
    Helen’s voice was a hoarse, “No ... Deep!”
    The two hoods came in a step.
    I said, “Tell them for me, Lenny.”
    They looked at him and watched his fat smile fall apart. Lenny said, “Let it drop.”
    Al started, “If you want, Mr. Sobel ...”
    â€œLet it drop, Al,” he repeated softly. “You and Harold wait for me outside. I’ll be along.”
    He waved again and they left, then pulled a chair out slowly and sat down. “You shouldn’t be too care-free with those boys, Deep.”
    â€œThey different?”
    â€œThey’re different.”
    â€œI’ll find out soon for sure and tell you, Lenny.”
    â€œYou seem to know them pretty well already.”
    â€œI get around good. Anybody to know, I know. You know?”
    His smile was getting tired now and he glanced over at Helen. “I see we’ve recaptured old times.”
    Her eyes picked up a strained look. “Lenny ...”
    â€œPerfectly all right, my dear. When a man is impetuous as is our old friend Deep, one can easily get caught up in his backwash.”
    It sounded funny coming from him. I said, “Picking up class, Lenny?” I grinned when he stared at me. “It’s better’n the old days now. Then you were just a hood playing angles. Now you got class. Polish.”
    â€œYou’re looking for trouble, Deep.”
    â€œI’m expecting to get it, Lenny.”
    â€œYou will. You came back for trouble, didn’t you?”
    I leaned back easily in the chair and from any place in the room you would think it was just a nice friendly conversation. I said, “I didn’t have to come back for trouble, buddy. I had plenty of it where I was and I sat on top of it and squashed it without any sweat at all. Not any.” I tasted my drink again, swirled it in the glass and put it down. “You know why I came back, Lenny.”
    â€œTell me.”
    â€œI’m taking over.”
    â€œYou think?” His smile had angry tics at the comers.
    â€œI already have,” I told him.
    He started to come out of the chair, his pudgy fingers tight around the arms, squeezing into the wood. The cords of his neck rippled under the fat and only the thin edge of his teeth showed between his lips when he spoke. “ You little punk. You street-corner bum. You lousy little cellar rat ...”
    Real softly I said, “Remember when I shot you in the behind, Lenny?” Something in his eyes said that he did. Very well. “There were people looking then and I didn’t give a hoot.” I stopped and grinned again. “There’re people here and I