"What you wanna do now?" Bobby asked.
"Let’s ride down the concourse, see what’s happening down there," Mike replied. It was getting late in the evening and Mike and Bobby had been ridin’ all day. They had been to all of the people who usually had information to offer for a price and still nothing. Nobody knew anything about Shy’s kidnapping or knew where they could find Sal Terrico.
Mike had begun to wonder if maybe he’d left the island too soon or maybe he should have put some pressure on Hector in Miami. No, Shy was in New York somewhere and he would find her if he had to go house to house to do it. Somebody knew something; saw something. He would just have to find them and make them talk.
They had just come out of a bar when Bobby’s cell phone rang and he answered it. "This is Angelo. Let me talk to Mike." Bobby told Mike who it was and handed him the phone.
"What’s up, Angee?"
"Diego called, says he’s in town. Says he still wants to meet with you."
"You know what, Angee? This ain’t exactly the best time for this shit. I got much more important shit to deal with right now."
"I know this, Mike. But it’s a matter of respect. So talk to the guy, get it over with, and get back to what you gotta do," Angelo said.
"That’s the thing, Angee, I don’t have any fuckin’ respect for this guy. I never have. As far as I’m concerned, he’s a pussy."
"Look, Mike, so he’s not the man his father was in his day."
"Not even fuckin’ close, Angee. Gomez was the man. Diego is out of control and fuckin’ sloppy, and that makes him dangerous."
"And that’s exactly why you need to meet him, hear him out, and if you don’t like what he has to say, you can bitch slap his ass again if you wanna."
"What the fuck is he doin’ up here, anyway? I know he didn’t fly up here just to talk to me about Nick?"
"No, he’s got business up here. The way I get it, five million dollars worth of legitimate business; Well, kinda legit."
"Yeah, whatever. I still say fuck him!"
"Mike! Meet with the fuckin’ guy. Get the shit over with before he makes it out to be more than it fuckin’ is. Do this for me, okay, Mikey?"
"Okay. As a favor to you, but I don’t have time for this, put him off — -"
Bobby interrupted. "Ain’t that Manny Valdez over there?" Manny Valdez used to be one of Mike’s favorite snitches. Manny would snitch out his mama if there was money in it.
"Yeah, that’s him," Mike replied.
"He sees us," Bobby said. "Hey, Manny!"
Manny Valdez looked at Mike and Bobby and started running. "He’s runnin’."
"I’ll get back to you, Angee," Mike told him and hung up the phone.
"Why is he runnin’?" Bobby asked.
"I don’t know, but let’s find out," Mike said and took off running after Manny. Bobby went for his car and drove after them. Mike caught up with him just as Manny made it to his car. Before he could get his key in the ignition, Mike pulled him out of the car.
"Where you goin’, Manny?"
"Nowhere, Black," Manny said as Bobby pulled up and got out of the car.
"Why were you runnin’ then, Manny?"
"`Cause you said that you would kill me the next time you saw me."
"I did?" Mike questioned. "Why’d I. . never mind. I’m not goin’ to kill you, at least not yet, Manny. I just wanna ask you some questions. Tell me what I wanna know and I won’t kill you."
"What do you wanna know? I’ll tell you whatever you want. Just don’t kill me, Black, please." Manny pleaded for his life.
"You know a guy name Sal Terrico?"
"Yeah, I know Sal, what about him?" Manny asked.
"Where can I find him?" Mike demanded to know.
"What’s in it for me?" Manny asked, and with that Mike punched him in the stomach, knocking the wind out of him. Manny fell to his knees.
While he was still on the ground Mike grabbed him by his shirt collar and slammed Manny’s head between the car, and the car door. "I already told you what’s in it for you, Manny. Tell me what I wanna know and I won’t kill you." Mike hit his head with the door again.
"All right, all right, Black. When he’s in the city he likes to get high, buys his shit from a guy named Red. Runs a shooting gallery out in Queens."
Mike slammed the door against Manny’s head again. "I already know that, Manny. Now you tell me where I can find him!"
Bobby leaned over Manny. "Look, Manny, you better tell him something before you end up brain damaged."
"Cityscape!" Manny yelled. "He likes to hang out up there." Manny tried to block the door with his arms but Mike hit him with the door again and again.
"I know that, Manny. Tell me what I don’t know!"
"I know for a fact that he’ll be there at two in the morning. He likes to get high with some bitch that dances there. Her name is Jaylyn. She gets off at two! That’s all I know, Black, really. Please don’t hit me again."
Mike let go of Manny and let his beaten body drop to the ground. "If you see Sal before I do, Manny, I better hear from you," Mike said before walking toward Bobby’s car.
Once they were in the car and drove away, Mike turned to Bobby. "We probably just missed him last night."
"Yeah, but we’ll get him tonight. We’ll go down there and wait for him. We’ll get him tonight, Mike. I promise you that."
"I know, Bobby. I know."