Harmony Read online

  “Boss, calm yourself, it’s Antonio. Christ!” Leftie shouted.

  “Hands off me!” Romano snarled. He threw off the hold of his men and glowered at his brother. “Let him up. He’s man enough to cut deals in MY name! Steal from me! It’s time he answer for it.”

  ***

  Harmony’s hands ran smoothly down the front of her dress. It was white with tiny yellow and green flowers. She had sewn it herself. The puffed sleeves and shifting hem reminded her of the girl who lived her young life through books and sang for the Lord. Where had that girl gone? Harmony rolled her eyes at her own reflection. Who cared where she went, the memory of her existence faded each day. She picked up her purse and coat, and headed for the bedroom door. And immediately she was shocked to find Milo patiently waiting for her at the kitchen table. She thought he left an hour ago with Paulette. “What you still doing here?”

  “Had to talk to you.” Milo said his voice almost remote with sadness. He rose. “I’m sorry Mony. I shouldn’t have… forgive me.”

  The apology did soften the hurt. After all he’d been a rock for her during some of the toughest of times. If it weren’t for him she’d still be scrubbing floors and living in her one bedroom flat with her brother. Now she had a two-bedroom apartment in Sugar Hill. And it was his friendship that brought her through.

  “Can we talk about it later? I have somewhere to be.”

  “Where?”

  Did he just ask that question? It irked her to no end how territorial he had become since Lewis’s death. She didn’t bother to answer. Instead she slipped her arms through her coat.

  Milo trailed her around the small living area. “I promised Lewis, Mony.”

  “Lewis dead. Willie alive.”

  “You sure about that?”

  “As sure as I am that it’s up to me to bring him home. He ain’t a responsibility or a burden, he blood. My blood. I don’t give a damn if he stole from the Sicilians or Collins. I don’t care what he done. I will bring him home, because he all I have!”

  Milo’s eyes stretched. “Do you hear yourself girl?”

  “Damn right I do.”

  He stepped toward her. “And how you plan to do that? Forget finding Willie, how you plan to keep them men out there from lynching his ass? Sleeping with Romano brought you home empty handed.” He closed the space between them and forced her gaze up as he leaned in to speak soft words of appeal in her face. “You planning to spread your legs for Mickey Collins next?”

  She slapped him with such force her palm burned hot. Milo didn’t blink.

  Harmony turned to show him the door but Milo reacted swiftly. He took hold of her arm and swung her around to face him. “Get your damn hands off me.” Harmony demanded.

  “Listen!” He grabbed her by both arms. She struggled but he brought her to his chest and hugged her so tight she wheezed a strained breath. Harmony tried to break free but his embrace held her still. She tired of the fight. Closing her eyes she didn’t bother with tears, they never got her anywhere in life.

  “Sweet Mony, do you know how I… I care about you. I can’t see you hurt. I won’t.” His hand went up and down her back in a slow rub. She tensed under the caress; it felt too intimate, too familiar. “Willie done got himself in a mess but I won’t let you be dragged into it further.”

  “Too late.” She gently pulled away. The look of desire in his eyes was one she often ignored. She’d seen it when Lewis was alive, and for Milo’s sake he better be glad Lewis never did. Men often looked at her that way. Vinnie Romano did, which is why she was in the big mess she was in now. Milo had been a friend. She needed a friend, not another man trying to seduce her to be his. “I don’t need your protection.”

  “Then let me help.” Milo pleaded. “I’ll pay Grease Man a visit. Find out what I can. You stay away from Madame. No good could come from you meeting with her.”

  She smiled at his attempt to protect her. “No. It’s my problem.”

  “Let me see what I can do.” He took her hand and kissed it. She removed it before the gesture turned to more.

  “We don’t have to be to rehearsal until six. I’ll stay. Promise you will come for me as soon as you know something?”

  “I promise.”

  Harmony waited. Milo stood as if he were caught between leaving and expressing something more. The silence between them lengthened, impenetrable for verbalizing a thought. He gave her a faint smile, picked up his hat and headed for the door. Harmony released her breath and sat on her small sofa. She waited until her heart stopped racing and gathered the strength to do exactly what Grams taught her. Fend for herself. She waited on Lewis, even for Willie to figure out that life was what they made it, and choices had consequences. She wouldn’t bury another person she loved by sitting down and waiting.

  ***

  The room had settled into a still quiet. Romano closed and opened his fist. The ache to his raw bloody knuckles didn’t compare to the one in his heart. He hated being violent toward his brother; it reminded him of the cruelties they both endured under their father’s rule. But Antonio’s impulsive actions when left unchecked could bring harm to them all. Even now he could never really get the truth on what happened the night Teek died.

  The rage had passed. The settlement of cool detachment made it easier to save face in front of his men. Betrayal usually awoke something sinister within him. He glanced at Leftie, and their eyes met. One word from him and blood or no blood Antonio would have a bullet between his brows.

  Antonio spewed hasty apologies and angry denunciations of the accusations hurled at him until his voice went hoarse and he shook with caged anger. When he caught a breath, he pleaded for a chance to be heard—in private. Romano knew his brother had ambition. But just an hour ago he learned his kid brother had balls the size of Mount Everest.

  “I didn’t put it together at first. Your interest in Harlem, your constant negotiating for more time before we move the booze. Then I hear that Mickey’s dry. Or should I say Mickey was dry. The Five Points Gang cut him out with the Irish. Now he has a new connection?” Romano leveled a finger at Antonio. “Deny it?”

  “No. It’s true. I was forced into it. I was trying to avoid a war. To fix a mistake.”

  Laughter exploded from Romano until his eyes teared. “A war? Try the apocalypse little brother. After I’m done with Mickey Collins I’ll…”

  “Wait! Vinnie Just hear me out. I was set up I tell you. You put me in charge. I handled it, I really did. But there was so much booze somehow the word had gotten out.”

  “We have Capelli, Marlo and Slim on watch. Where are they?” Romano glanced around realizing he hadn’t seen the men in almost two weeks.

  “Dead.” Antonio said, in a hollow voice. “Mickey had them killed. A moulignon… seventeen or eighteen, not sure, he sold us out to Mickey…”

  “I told you not to use that word in this house! What if Mabel hears you!” he shouted.

  Antonio lowered his gaze in shame. “I’m sorry Vinnie. I am.”

  Romano’s brows dented. “You trying to tell me that a boy killed three of my best men?”

  “No. Mickey killed our guys, but the kid tipped him off to where we were.”

  “How?”

  Antonio didn’t answer.

  “How dammit!”

  “The Cotton. Turns out the kid works for The Cotton. The night it went down Mickey caught me on my way back here. Run me off the road. I was cornered. Next I know I got a gun in my face and Mickey telling me how he plans to take you out.”

  Romano paced.

  “Don’t you see Vinnie, this was my chance to prove myself. My chance. I screwed up so much I had to do this my way. So I cut a deal with Mickey. Told him if he let me in on Harlem I’d sell him the booze at a low cost. He knew he really couldn’t take from you Vinnie. And I didn’t want a war, not after what happened to Teek. You seen The Cotton, the booze is flowing. Then we got the coloreds too. If you hear me out Vinnie it makes sense.”

 
The rising wrath in his chest surfaced once more. Romano drew his gun and paced with it in his hand. He wanted to unload it. He felt like such an idiot, hell he was one. Two weeks and he didn’t know shit. Now he had over twenty thousand dollars worth of booze stolen, and a brother who made him look like a fool in front of his men, everyone. “Let me get this straight. You have us in a partnership with a man who stole from me? What the fuck makes you think I’d supply him to run his bootlegging just for a peace of Harlem? Territory I can give a shit about! Huh?”

  Antonio swatted his hand at Mabel who tried to tend to his bleeding nose. She had returned to the room in a fluster, weeping, and trying to tend to his brother. Antonio snatched the hanky from her and pressed it against his face. “The problem isn’t the deal. He hadn’t unloaded the booze yet. My plan was to get the boy to take me to where Mickey stashed it. Come to you on my knees Vinnie and tell you where the booze was. But the boy’s missing. I know Mickey is making deals to sell the booze next week. I was working on a lead to find the kid. I wanted to give you leverage, a sure thing.”

  Romano narrowed his eyes. “What’s the name of this Negro?”

  “On the street they call him Lil Will. Works at The Cotton. The jazz singer’s brother. Mickey couldn’t negotiate with Queenie and Grease Man so the boy was the go between. Problem is Mickey went dry just as the deal fell through. Then there come a night me and the boys were at The Cotton getting drunk. The kid was nearby. Didn’t pay him any attention but I remember him now. He was in earshot when he talked about making a drive back out to the shipyard. He flipped us to Mickey. That’s how this all began. So I knew the kid was the key to finding where the booze was moved to.”

  Antonio sucked down a deep breath. Mabel handed him some water. Every man in the room was silent and watchful. Antonio swallowed, which looked like it pained him, then started again. “I had to find the kid and I figured the coloreds were hiding him. So I had to work my own deal. Got the Forty Thieves a little protection from the harassment of the cops and now they’re indebted to you Vinnie. She’ll give us the kid. It’s a solid plan. I was going to bring it to you, but I had to cover everything see?”

  Romano’s cheeks felt fiery hot. Tight-jawed and restrained he advanced on his brother. His men, eight of them remained inside the room, six were outside the doors, all braced for the confrontation. Antonio’s eyes stretched and he tensed as well looking around for support.

  “The way I see it little brother, you stole from me too. What am I supposed to do about that?”

  “I was wrong, but I can fix it. I can get every dime owed to you. I know the warehouse where the hooch is stored. Every last drop. All of it. I just want Harlem for me. Give me Harlem Vinnie. I can run it. After we get rid of Collins and Queenie.”

  Romano sneered. “Jimmie, make a run. Let Mickey know I want compensation. He either has my money for every bottle that passed between him and Antonio or he deals with the consequences.”

  “Got it boss.”

  “Vinnie. There’s more.” Antonio struggled to rise. Mabel stepped back but looked as if she wanted to assist him. “The boy. He knows Mickey’s business. When you strike against Mickey you need to deliver one swift deathblow. We follow my plan and do this quietly, you can settle things, take Mickey out and even have Harlem. Give me the okay.”

  “No.”

  “Why? Harlem is ready. We can set up our own numbers bank and…”

  “This is my business. My famiglia. You don’t get an empire for lying and betraying me, you understand? You fall in line.” He shot Leftie a look, and his top gun put down his drink and stepped from the bar. “Find this boy. Put the word out I have his sister. He’ll reappear. Then pick her up.”

  “Where should I take her boss?”

  “Woodbury. Keep her there while Antonio and I get my fucking booze.”

  Antonio shook his head in defeat to the order. “I swear to you Vinnie I didn’t know how else to handle it. Let’s figure it out. If you do it this way it’ll be war.”

  Romano dropped the barrel of his gun and checked the chambers. “There’s always a time for war.”

  ***

  The day had been frigid from the start. She felt spring would arrive soon, but she saw no evidence of it. Instead she wrapped herself up in her coat and hurried along the slanted sidewalk. A four-story building with duplex homes on each level towered above her. Harmony headed inside and continued to the back. Whether a person received an invite or not, everyone knew where Madame St. Clair lived.

  She found the door partially opened and quickened her steps along the narrow hall to speak to the man who turned from closing it. He was mean and powerful looking, his shoulders thickly muscled, he nearly filled the doorway. His black-layered irises fixed on her and watched her approach.

  “I need to see Madame St. Clair.” Harmony rushed in a single breath.

  No sooner had the words escaped her mouth than another person bumped her shoulders and hurried in front of her. The menace at the door accepted what looked to be a payment and allowed the young woman with a baby on her hip to enter. Harmony didn’t recognize the girl, and didn’t bother to try. Instead she kept her eyes trained on the Goliath of a man now blocking her pass. She sensed his distrust of her and tried to manage a smile.

  “Who are you?” He barked.

  “Harmony Jones. Tell her I’m Lewis Hill’s old-lady.”

  She never evoked Lewis’s name amongst the people he kept her away from, but she wouldn’t be turned away today and she had no money to pay her way through the door. The mean giant before her glanced back over his shoulder into a home that smelled of frankincense and burning lamp oil. His gaze returned to her. “Come back tonight. After you finish at The Cotton. She’ll see you then.”

  “Tonight? Why not now? How did you know I work at The Cotton?”

  Another young woman pushed past him and out the door. Harmony had heard tale that during the day Madame saw the women in Harlem for whatever ailments they had. Her home remedies and blessings made many believe she had mystical, or divine powers. A reputation she found to be a stark contrast to the ruthless way in which she handled the numbers game from the back doors of her speakeasy at night.

  “You don’t have an appointment. Now you do. She’ll see you in the evening.”

  “But you didn’t ask her? Please could you ask her?” Harmony pressed.

  The man sneered through his reply. “Don’t have to. She knew you’d come.”

  He closed the door shut in her face. For a long pause she stood there staring at the worn wood planks. She could bang her fist on the surface and demand to be heard. Raise the roof of the duplex. If she agitated the woman it could make matters worse. Harmony chewed on the inside of her jaw. She turned and marched down the hall out the front doors to the sidewalk, lost in her fears. Time slipped from her. There was no place in Harlem that Willie could hide and not have been seen by now. Either people knew where he hid, or the worst was possible. Willie was dead.

  No one cared enough to clue her in, and nothing she did brought her closer to the truth. She had to wonder if Milo even bothered to meet with Grease. Harmony chewed on the inside of her jaw. Would Grease see her if Madame wouldn’t? Maybe he’d help her if she tried? A cold sense of dread spread through her gut like ice crystals. Lewis always forbade her from entering his world. Harmony glanced up to the men she passed on the sidewalk glaring at her from under the low bibs of their hats. Suddenly Lewis’s warning surfaced and she had to consider her foolish actions and the consequences if she pursued this further.

  “Mony, it’s not a problem babe, I promise.” Lewis eased his hand under the covers and squeezed her breast. Her nipple pushed between two of his fingers and he immediately took hold. Before she could answer Lewis lifted the sheet and eased his head under to swipe his tongue over the peak before covering it with his mouth. Harmony rubbed the top of his head.

  When her Grams was alive Willie had started slipping into the streets. Before her Grams’
death Lewis would often drop by to counsel her little brother against his path. Now she feared Lewis had Willie in training to be just like him, and they were both working for Grease Man.

  Harmony winced at the tug on her nipple and pushed on his shoulder until his head lifted. “Honey, I hear that they are hiring coloreds down at the shipyard for some of the unloading work at night. It pays. Maybe you could send Willie there to start looking for work. He need to do something positive don’t you think?” Lewis rolled on top of her. Harmony gripped both sides of his pelvis to prevent him from entering her. “You hear me baby?” she pleaded.

  Lewis’s dazed lustful look cleared. He hovered above her while staring down in her face. “Willie gone be fine. He with me. Don’t you worry about Grease Man or any of them. In fact you stay out of it. You hear? I’m your man now. I’ll take care of you both.”