December 7th- Between This Breath and the One That Follows Part 2 by brianna441

Click here for Part 1

The next day appeared to go as smoothly as Dave had hoped. Both kids walked to school as always, this time with Dave trailing about a half a block behind them. At the end of the day, Dave was outside the school, waiting.

When first Stevie, then Nicky, appeared, the three of them headed over to Martinelli’s Shipping.

“How’d things go today?” Dave asked the boys. “Anybody talkin’ about last night?”

Stevie shook his head. “I didn’t hear anything. And nobody asked me, either.”

Nicky agreed. “Nothing, Davey. It was all quiet.”

“Good.” He wasn’t surprised that the previous night’s events weren’t the big talk at a high school but, as they got closer to the warehouse, he wasn’t so sure things would continue to be so quiet.

As they walked up to the warehouse, things seemed to be in a bit of turmoil. When Nicky walked into the loading bay, he heard someone shouting his name.

“Nicky! Yo, Nicky.”

“Who’s that?” Dave whispered to Stevie, who still stood next to him.

“That’s Anthony, Artie’s brother. He’s one of the supervisors.” Stevie then moved to join Nicky in the loading bay.

“Hey, Anthony,” Nicky looked around as the man came up to them. “Are Paulie and Artie here?”

“No. They had some other things to take care of.” Anthony looked them both over, glancing behind them to nod at Dave. “You boys ran into a little excitement at the warehouse last night, huh?” 

“Yeah,” Nicky chuckled nervously. “I don’t really know what went down ‘cus we high-tailed it out of there as fast as we could.”

Anthony smiled at them. “That was quick thinking. But don’t worry about it, boys. It was just a little… miscommunication.” He placed a hand on each boy’s shoulder and continued. “Both of you, go home. We got nothin’ for you to do here today!”

Nicky nodded and both he and Stevie left the bay, meeting up with Dave again on the sidewalk.

“What do you think’s goin’ on, Davey?” Nicky asked, glancing around.

“I think, with the shipment taken and Paulie and Artie not around, Anthony’s just trying to keep the place movin’. Probably the last thing he wants to do now is have to look after you two.”

“So now what do we do?” Stevie asked

“We do what the man said.” Dave smiled. “We go home.”

The three of them headed down the street and, just as they reached the corner, a black Cadillac pulled in front of them, cutting across their path. Dave watched as the driver’s side back and the passenger-side front doors both opened, a large brute of a man climbing out of each.

The man who’d gotten out of the front seat, whom Dave tagged as “Goon #1”, opened the rear passenger door.

“Get in.” he said, his tone, and the presence of the other man, whom Dave tagged as “Goon #2”, let them know that they really didn’t have a choice.

Dave guided Stevie, then Nicky into the back seat, climbing in after them. Goon #2 climbed back in, squeezing the four of them into the back. Goon #1 got back into the front seat and the car moved down the street.

“What’s goin’ on?” Dave asked. “Where are we goin’?”

“Somebody’s got a few questions for you,” Goon #1 replied, without turning to face them.

Dave looked over to Nicky and Stevie, signaling for them to stay calm and quiet. He hoped questions were all this somebody had planned.

They were ushered into an office, dark except for a small lamp on the desk and another beside the door. Seated at the desk was a man, dressed in an expensive suit, his hair neatly combed back.

Dave realized they were in the presence of none other than Angelo Martinelli.

Goon #2 lined the three young men up in front of the desk while Goon #1 stood with his back to the door.

Not getting’ out that way, Dave thought. He stood quietly while Nicky and Stevie fidgeted.

Mr. Martinelli stared, then after a few minutes, spoke. “Tell me what happened last night.”

Nicky glanced at Dave, who nodded, so Nicky cleared his throat and told Martinelli exactly what had happened. Finally, he concluded, “…So we ran until we were sure no one was after us. Then my brother told us to go home like nothin’ was happenin’. So we did.”

“Right,” added Stevie. “That’s what we did.”

Martinelli stared at the three of them long enough to make Nicky and Stevie squirm. Finally, he spoke. “So, what you’re telling me is that, as soon as the cops showed up, you three ran like cowards and let them arrest Paulie and Artie and confiscate my goods? Do you know how much that shipment was worth? And how did the cops know we would be there? Did one of you talk, spill the beans? Well?”

Nicky and Stevie both turned to Dave, their faces drained of color. He had to jump in. “Now, wait a minute, Mr. Martinelli.” He stepped forward, gesturing for Nicky and Stevie to stay back, that he’d handle this. Martinelli’s attention was now fully on him. “Think about what you’re sayin’, Mr. Martinelli. How could any of us talk to the cops? We didn’t know what was in the shipment. We still don’t. And we didn’t even know where we were going until about an hour before we got there. So there wasn’t any time for someone to go talkin’ to the cops. Besides, there’s no upside for these guys to talk.”

Martinelli raised his eyebrows in question.

“Look, these guys here, they’re both under eighteen. If they get picked up, the worst they get is a stint in juvey and nothin’ on their record when they turn eighteen. But they become useless to you.”

“Yeah, and why’s that?”

“Well, if they get picked up, like I said, they get maybe a few months. But now the cops think they’re tied to your…enterprise. So they figure, being kids, they can push ‘em, get them to talk, maybe get some information on you. These kids don’t know anythin’ but the cops won’t believe that. So they ride them, making their lives miserable. You can’t use them anymore, they’re too hot. And they’re now under the cop’s thumb forever. Like I said, no upside. So, at the first sign of trouble, I made sure they got outta there.”

Dave saw Martinelli nod slightly, seeing the logic of his statement.

“And as far as your shipment? These guys weren’t responsible for that. Artie and Paulie, they were in charge and they should be responsible for your shipment. Not these kids.”

Martinelli stared at him for a few minutes, occasionally glancing over at Nicky and Stevie. “Are you saying that Artie or Paulie talked?”

“No, sir.” Dave assured him. “I’m not sayin’ anything like that. I don’t know Artie or Paulie. I just know that they were in charge.”

Martinelli nodded. “You sound like a smart young man. What’s your name?”

Before Dave could respond, a voice came from the darkness behind the desk.

“Starsky. David Starsky.”

Dave recognized this voice, a voice from his past. He watched as an older man stepped into the light.

“Little Davey Starsky,” the man said with a smile.

“Joe,” Dave said with a nod, acknowledging Joe Durniak.

“You know, Angelo, there was a time when this young man used to call me ‘Uncle Joey’. Now, now he’s all grown up and, suddenly, I’m just ‘Joe’.” He came around and leaned on the front of the desk, looking Dave over. “So, David. You’re lookin’ good. Heard you were in the Army.”

Dave nodded.

“When did ya get out?”

“Just a few weeks ago. I thought I’d come back to New York, visit the family.”

“And how’s your mother doin’? She okay?”

“Ma is doing just fine, Joe.”

“So what are you gonna be doin’ here in New York?”

“I’m not sure yet. I’m lookin’ around for opportunities, ya know.”

Joe nodded. Without taking his eyes off Dave’s face, he spoke to Martinelli. “He’s right. These kids, they didn’t do anything wrong. They’re good kids.” Raising his voice slightly, he addressed Goon #1 and #2. “Go find Artie and Paulie and bring them here. I think we need to have a discussion.”

Both men nodded as Joe continued, scanning the faces of all three young men, then again facing Dave. “How much did Paulie say he’d pay you for last night?”

Dave said nothing and finally Nicky cleared his throat. “Uh, fifty dollars, sir,” he replied nervously. “Fifty bucks apiece.”

“Did you get paid up front?”

“No, sir.”

Still watching Dave, Joe reached into his pocket and pulled out a wad of cash and peeled off six fifty dollar bills. He started to hand the money to Dave but paused then handed the cash to Nicky. A slight nod from Dave told Joe a lot about the young man in front of him.

“Put these kids back where you found them. Unharmed, understand?”

Dual “yes, sirs” were the response as Goon #1 opened the door and the three young men turned to leave. They all stopped when Joe spoke again.

“David.”

Dave turned to face the older man.

“When you get yourself settled, come see me. I think we could explore some of those ‘opportunities’ you were talkin’ about.”

Dave looked at Joe for a moment, nodded, then turned and ushered Nicky and Stevie out the door.

There was no sleep for him that night. Realizations and recriminations whirled around his head. Finally, just before dawn, after hours of staring at the ceiling, he gave up. Tossing aside his blanket, he pulled on his jeans and walked over to the window, lighting a cigarette.

I thought it would be easy. He sighed as he stared out the window, not really seeing the pre-dawn bustle on the street below. I thought I could come back here and, somehow, I would fit in, that there’d be a place for me.

He snorted as he took a drag of his cigarette. Yeah, there’s a place for me, all right. Right in the middle of Joe Durniak’s organization. Wouldn’t that just make Pop proud? He sighed again and took another drag.

I thought this was home…but it’s not. I don’t belong here. And now I’m gonna break Ma’s heart. How do I tell her?

“David?”

He turned to find his mother standing in the doorway of the living room, her face full of concern. He saw her eyes flicker to the cigarette in his hand. Her unspoken admonishment, “Not in the house, David,” echoed through his mind.

“Oh, sorry, Ma,” he apologized as he stubbed out and pocketed the cigarette.

She took a step towards him then stopped. “What’s wrong, David? What’s the matter?”

Unable to meet her eyes, he ran his hand along the windowsill, brushing off the ash. “I…I made a decision, Ma.”

“I thought as much.”

He looked up at her, surprised to see not sadness or hurt but resignation on her face.

“Come into the kitchen.” She turned to lead the way. “We’ll have coffee and we’ll talk. And, David…” she paused, looking back at him, “you’re a grown man. Put a shirt on.”

Dave grabbed his t-shirt and pulled it over his head as he followed his mother into the kitchen.

He didn’t know how long he’d sat there, tied up in his own thoughts, when his mother placed the coffee in front of him. He wrapped his hands around the cup.

She ran a loving hand over his head and down the side of his face as she sat down. “Tell me.”

He looked up, meeting her eyes and was surprised. He knew that his mother loved him but the love that he saw in her eyes at that moment amazed him. And, along with the love, he saw strength; a strength he never knew existed.

He studied her face, for the first time really looking at her. Not through the eyes of a child but from his adult perspective. He didn’t see a frail, helpless woman who needed his protection. What he saw was a woman who had suffered much in life and had survived it all. A woman with an inner strength and resolve. Suddenly, he was certain that she would understand what he was dealing with.

He reached out and took her hands in his and sighed. “I don’t know what I’m looking for, Ma. When I got discharged, I thought I just wanted to go home. Not to Uncle Al and Aunt Rosie but here, where I belonged. I thought I could come back and take back my life…with you and Nicky, ya know? I thought I’d find old friends, get a job, create a new life.”

“But it didn’t turn out that way, did it, sweetheart?”

He shook his head. “All the friends I knew…they’re either dead or in jail. Or they’re doing…work…that I don’t want to get involved with.” He let out a heavy sigh. “I thought I would fit right in but, Ma, I don’t belong here.” He looked up at her, meeting her eyes, pleading.

“You left here as a child, David, and you came back as a man, with dreams and plans. But, while you were gone, everyone here grew up and changed on you.” She gazed at him for a moment before she continued.

“When you were a little boy, you would go down to the corner every day to wait for your father to come home. You would meet him at the corner and the two of you would walk home, hand in hand. He would tell you about his day and you would tell him about yours. That was your special time, just you and him. He lived for those moments, David, just as you did. ‘He’s gonna be something special someday, Rachael,’ he would say. He loved you so much and was so proud of you.”

She was silent for a moment before she continued. “The day he was killed, you’d walked down to the corner to wait, just like every other day. I was putting dinner on the table when I heard the shots.”

He looked up and she met his eyes. “You didn’t know that I heard the shots, did you?”

Dave shook his head.

She nodded. “I heard the shots and my first thought was, Please, God, not David, too!” She looked up at him. “You see, I knew what he’d been dealing with on the job. We’d talked about it, about what he was working on, about how to protect you and Nicky, you know? So, when I heard the shots, I knew they’d gotten him, that he was dead. I just knew it in my heart. But I was so frightened that they had gotten you, too. Do you remember that day, David?”

He nodded. “Yeah, Ma. I’ll never forget that day. The shots, the blood. Then the people and police. I just wanted to get to Pop and everybody was keeping me away. Then you were there and you…you picked me up and took me home.”

Rachael squeezed his hand in hers. “For the first few weeks after that, you were quiet. So quiet. Then, you were just angry. Such a little boy with so much anger. You were getting into fights and other trouble. And so very protective of Nicky. But I wasn’t worried about Nicky. I was worried about you.

“Then Joe Durniak came by and offered to help. You see, he and your father grew up together but their lives went in different directions. But even though they were on different sides, they both respected each other. He paid for your father’s funeral, did you know that?”

“No, Ma, I didn’t.”

Rachael nodded. “He knew I couldn’t afford much and he said Mike Starsky deserved the best. And I think he was trying to make a point to the other wise guys out there. But then, almost a year later, he was here again, offering to take you under his wing, to help straighten you out and keep you safe.”

She took a sip of her now cold coffee then took David’s hands again. “You’re a smart boy, David, and I knew what Joe would do. He would keep you by his side, he would protect you the best way he could, by bringing you up in his business, making you his right hand. And you’d be good at it, David, at what he does. But I know it would kill all the good inside you. And I knew it was everything your father was trying to protect you from. So it was that day I made the hardest decision I ever had to make in my life. I knew I had to send you away.”

They were both silent for a moment, lost in their memories, before she spoke again.

“You didn’t understand why I was sending you away. You hated me for a long time.” She halted Dave’s protest with a smile. “It’s true, David and it’s okay. I knew you couldn’t understand. And I knew I couldn’t explain it to you…not then.”

She reached up and placed her hand along the side of his face. “But now, you’re all grown up and you’ve come back to me. Now you will understand. It was dangerous for you here, David. There were dangers I couldn’t protect you from. And those dangers still exist. There are men with long memories who remember the little boy who saw the killing, who could possible identify the shooter. And there are men who would protect you the best way they know how, by taking you into their life. All these years later, those dangers are still here.”

Rachael took a deep breath then let out a sigh. “When you showed up a few weeks ago, I was so happy. But when you said you planned on staying, the old fears, they all came back. I knew you shouldn’t stay but you, you’re an adult now and I had to let you make your own decisions. So I’ve been waiting, hoping you’d make the right decision. And, it appears you have.”

Dave stared at her for a moment then, taking her face in his hands, gently kissed her forehead, her nose then her lips. Sitting back in the chair, he studied her for a moment. “And if I decided to stay, you would have let me, wouldn’t you?”

He watched her nod.

“And you would have been worried the whole time.”

She nodded again.

Dave reached out and took her hands once more. “And here I was worried about disappointing you.”

“You could never disappoint me, David. Never.”

Dave smiled and patted her hands. “I thought this was my place, my home, where I belonged. But I know now that it’s not. I don’t belong here, not anymore. The question is, where do I belong?”

“You’ll find your place, David. It’s out there; I know it is. You just have to look for it.”

“And how do I know when I find it, Ma? How do I know?”

Rachael reached out and placed her hand over Dave’s heart. “You’ll know it in here. When you find that place, where you fit, where you belong, you’ll know it in your heart. You’ll feel it in your very soul.”

Dave took her hand from his chest and placed a kiss in her palm. “But what about you, Ma? What about Nicky? Who’ll protect Nicky?”

“Don’t you worry about Nicky, David. Nicky will be fine.” Seeing the surprised look on Dave’s face, she smiled. “Nicky is a good kid, David. But he’s not smart, not like you. Joe looks out for him. And, if he does get into trouble, it will be little things, nothing big, nothing important. And that’s okay. You…you have to look out for yourself. Let me take care of Nicky.”

Dave stood up and pulled his mother into his arms. “I love you so much, Ma. Never forget that.”

“And I love you, too. Don’t you ever forget that.”

Within the week, he was on a plane, heading back to LA.

To be continued…