Chapter 8 - It's the Small Things That Can Kill You! - Whatever Happened to Fat Marty?

 Chapter 8 – Whatever Happened to Fat Marty?

Norbert continued to aim the gun at me. Even though a .25 automatic is fairly light weapon, the kid needed both hands to keep it from drooping to the ground.

Clara crept over to my side of the table. “Clara don’t. If he starts pulling that trigger you could catch a stray round.” I said out of the side of my mouth.

“Don’t give him any ideas Jax. Just zip your lips. The gun’s safety is still on. I think it is the only reason we aren’t calling an ambulance right now.” She said slowly. “Norbert, hand me the gun.”

Just then the door opened accompanied by the tinkle of the bell. Everyone remained in a frozen position. Everyone except Fenton, who looked up and cheerfully remarked, “Oh hi Mikey! Look everybody, Mikey’s back.”

Mikey Bevin’s looked at Fenton in astonishment. He then saw four-year-old Norbert with the handgun pointed at me.

“Oh God! Jaxon. Are you here too? What the hell?  Norbert growled at him. I kid you not!

“Damn it, Norbert. I’ve had enough. Your Mom is going to hear about this. You quit pointing that gun at people and put it down on the floor right this minute.” Danny screamed at his nephew.

Norbert lowered the gun for a second, then held it up and waved it for everyone to see. He then retreated to the back of the restaurant. Looking a bit like a caged wild animal he glanced around for a second and then fled back into the women’s restroom. I heard the door bang shut and lock.

The group breathed a sigh of relief. Mikey looked at me and again inquired. “What the hell are you doing here with Cox?”

I looked at my right hand. It was still trembling slightly. “I work here!” I blurted out, trying to work the fear out of my voice. “My father owns this diner.”

Mikey slumped down into one of the nearby chairs. “Holy Crap! This is absolutely the worst day of my entire life!”

Danny and Lisa walked over to the women’s restroom. Danny banged on the door. Then he and Lisa started whispering to each other.

Clara came racing over to Mikey. “Oh My God! How do you know Frankie Calabrese?” Her pupils were dilated again and her breathing was labored.

“It’s okay Clara. I’m just fine now. Thanks for asking.” I snarked.

“Who the hell are you? Did you see me in here with him?” Mikey shrieked at Clara like a little girl.

“That’s my girlfriend Clara.” I volunteered.

“We all saw you with him. Everybody in this diner saw you with Frank. Er, where is Frank?”

“He’s waiting out in my car.”

“Waiting for what?” Fenton speaks in a very loud voice when he becomes excited. He was close enough to Mikey’s ear that he spooked him and the pudgy dispatcher almost lurched out of his chair.

“Dial it down Fenton. Something strange is going on with Mikey and we have a kid in the restroom with a loaded gun.”

Fenton stared at me for a few seconds and looked miffed about my suggestion. But he sat down next to Mikey. He remained quiet for a full thirty seconds. A Fenton Cox record.

Mikey looked at me, still in disbelief that he had walked into a diner that now contained two other members of his Men’s Anxiety Treatment Group. He cleared his throat. “He is waiting for me to ‘whack’ a guy named ‘Fat’ Marty Muldoon.”

Clara’s eyes lit up like a pinball machine. “Wow! ‘Fat’ Marty Muldoon was a ‘Bag Man’ for the Morgan Gang over thirty years ago. The Morgan Gang was wiped out by Al Capone and his men.”

“Jesus! Who did you say you were again? How do you know all this stuff.” Mikey lamented.

“My name’s Clara…but you already knew that. I’m a criminal justice major at Southside City College. I did a term paper on Frank Calabrese.” Clara said beaming with pride.

“This is a nightmare.” Mikey looked like he was on the verge of a nervous breakdown.

“Oh! According to my research, Frank was the person that snuffed out ‘Fat’ Marty. He died of gunshot wound to the head. Nobody back then could pin it on Frank, but word on the street was that it was a ‘hit’ ordered by Tony ‘Big Tuna’ Accardo. So, Frank must have had a hand in the killing. This doesn’t make any sense.

“What is it that we don’t know Mikey.” I asked.

“Holy shit! He just got out of the car!” Fenton screamed. Danny and Lisa both scampered over to the entrance.

Mikey looked at me. “Jax, this could be bad.  Really bad. Frankie Calabrese is my great Uncle. He was released from prison because he only had two years left to serve on his last sentence for violation of parole and armed robbery.”

Danny looked at the behemoth lumbering back into the diner. “I’m getting my ball bat.” He shouted and ran towards the kitchen.

“Mikey, talk to me. Why would they let him out?” I kept one eye on the door as I spoke.

“Because he has Alzheimer’s Disease. He goes in and out of reality. Today he wanted me to snuff the guy named Muldoon who has been dead for years so I could become part of the Accardo Crime Family.”

“You usually have to commit murder to get into the organization. Unless, of course, you are filthy rich. Then you can buy your way in. But it really isn’t the same thing because then they just call you an Associate member.” Clara over shared once again. She didn't seem to be able to help herself.

“Enough with the history lessons Guido. I chided.

“After he ate dinner here, and I drove him home for his nap. He told me that when he went to the restroom that he had taped a gun for me to use on the underside of the toilet tank lid. Look, when he comes through that door he probably won’t know where he is. He thought this place was a night club when we drove by. Maybe it was back in the old days. He wouldn’t shut up until I took him in. He often doesn’t know where he is or who people are. He may be as gentle as a lamb, unless someone hits him with a ball bat” Mikey frowned in Danny’s direction.”

“But why did he go into the women’s restroom?” Fenton voice was now at full volume.

“Damn it Cox! Did you not hear me say that he has Alzheimer’s? He was confused! Mikey screamed back at him.

At that moment I heard Norbert kick the restroom door open.