Page 127 of Cold Hard Cash

“Nothing.” Lorre scratched his chin. “His place is cleared out.”

“Snitch at that deli he likes says he’s still coming by for lunch every day,” Tamerlane said. “So. He’s still in town. Want us to grab him today? Bring you back a meatball sub?”

“Change of plans.” Cold smirked. “Corman doesn’t know it yet, but he’s going to help us get rid of the Luchesis.”

“Oh, is he?” Lorre chuckled.

“Mmhmm.” Cold hummed without going into any more detail. His gaze shifted to Jimmy. “I actually have a favor to ask of you.”

“Um, I guess it depends on what it is?” Jimmy said slowly. All of this cloak and dagger stuff was certainly exciting, but he still had reservations about doing anything illegal.

“Go see that charming specimen, Maury the Mouth,” Cold said. “I need you to get a special receiver.”

“A receiver for receiving what exactly?”

“On Friday, we’re going to be working with our dear friend Detective Duplin. You’re still going to perform as scheduled, and you’re going to be wearing a wire that Duplin will supply. I need an additional receiver to hear the transmission, and I can’t let Duplin know what we’re doing. Do you understand?”

“How is that gonna help get my father out of jail?”

Cold cupped Jimmy’s neck. “You have to trust me.”

Jimmy closed his eyes and leaned into Cold’s touch. He wanted to argue, demand answers, but he knew it wouldn’t do him any good. “Fine,” he grumbled. “I’ll get the receiver thing.”

“Good boy.” Cold rewarded him with a kiss on his forehead. “Jerry will take you. Then you have rehearsal.”

“Yes, sir,” Jimmy replied, emphasizing the sir to make Cold smile.

Cold nodded at Lorre and Tamerlane, the Gentlemen following him to the back of the house. Jimmy watched them leave with a heavy sigh and then trudged toward the kitchen to find Jerry.

It was a relatively quiet ride over to Maury’s pawn shop, and Jerry elected to stay in the car instead of joining Jimmy inside. Jimmy hurried through the door, the bell ringing loudly as he called out, “Hey, Maury!”

“The fuck you want?” Maury bellowed from the back, grumpy as ever.

“It’s Jimmy!”

“Ain’t you got a phone now?” Maury snorted, getting louder as he made his way to the front. “You know, you can call a motherfucker instead of comin’ in here and botherin’ me.”

“I missed you too,” Jimmy teased.

Maury laughed as he came around the counter to give Jimmy a big hug, though he was careful with Jimmy’s injured arm. “Yeah, yeah! How the fuck are ya, kid?”

“Holy crap, Maury! It’s been crazy!” Jimmy exclaimed, launching into a recap of everything that had happened. He kept the truth about Dickie’s killer to himself and focused more on the new arrangement he had with Cold and the confrontation with Augustus.

“Eliza called him, and that fuckin’ rat never said anything,” Maury raged, his cheeks red and blotchy. “All of this time. No wonder they convicted David so goddamn quick, that fuckin’ pig was hidin’ all the fuckin’ evidence!”

“I know,” Jimmy said sadly. “Augustus said he was doing it to protect me.”

“Fuck him, he did it because he was scared of the Luchesis!” Maury argued. “Fuckin’ prick.”

“Do you know who Gregory Rees is?” Jimmy pressed hopefully.

“I know the name.” Maury’s brows furrowed up. “Uh, maybe like, eh, fifteen, twenty years ago. Used to work for the Luchesi family, I know that much. Haven’t heard anything of him in fuckin’ forever.”

Jimmy frowned and tapped his fingers on the counter. “So, no clue what he would have to do with my mom’s murder?”

“Nope.” Maury shrugged. “Sorry, kid. I think he used to do pickups at the jewelry store when it was still a front for scrubbin’ money, but I don’t think Eliza would have known him.”

“Well.” Jimmy paused, trying to get his thoughts together. “Do you remember anything about the robbery? The one at the jewelry store the night my mom died?”