The Deadly Rain: Part 2

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Publisher's Note:  As a kid growing up in Mitchell, SD Dave spent many Saturdays at the movie theater and one of his favorite parts of those matinees were the 'Serials' which were adventures that were continued until the next week.  Like those serials Dave so loved as a kid, "The Deadly Rain" will run in three parts.

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Here's a recap of Part 1:

In Part I of “The Deadly Rain” we were introduced to a no-nonsense Chicago cop named Joe Dropo, who has a vehement hatred of illegal drugs.    Drugs that have become more prevalent and hard to stop with the introduction of Coceron, a synthetic form of Cocaine.   Currently there is an incredible shortage of this drug on the streets, however, organized crime is about to change that.

Joe relates to his new partner, a computer age policeman named Jim Phillips, that with the current ‘drought’ of drugs crime is probably down across the country.    To Phillips utter surprise this turns out to be true.

Meanwhile, a hard luck, small time mafia soldier named Davio is hoping his dead-end career is about to change for the better.   He is dating the daughter of a major crime boss, who is in charge of what is being called the “Great Rain”.    A shipment of Coceron  so large it will re-supply the whole drought stricken country with drugs.

A tipster named ‘Hot Tips Lipps’ has come into possession of some information on this operation and is getting ready to give it to Dropo.

The Deadly Rain continues………….

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 CHAPTER X:

The meeting at the funeral parlor was about to begin and the men who would oversee the largest drug distribution in U.S. history sat expectantly waiting for their orders.

Robert Gallos was a new breed of crime boss.   Intelligent, smooth and charismatic, he hated the old days of screeching cars, machine gun fire and vendetta.   Organization, cooperation and making huge sums of money were his codes.

“In ten days, a total of 400 caskets will arrive in Chicago.   In those caskets will be approximately 40 tons of the necessary ingredients for the manufacture of Coceron, and when diluted, will provide us with enough of that drug to re-supply the entire country.”

“Now, gentlemen, if what I have just described comes to pass, you and I are going to be some very well-to-do SOBs.   However, if it doesn’t, and there are screw ups and mistakes, then you and I are more then likely going to be returned to this cheerful establishment as permanent occupants.”

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CHAPTER XI:

Dropo saw the seedy, slouching figure of Leopold Lipps a block away and began smelling him at 20 feet.

“Let’s go get a cup of coffee, ‘Hot Tips,’ but please stay down wind.”

Lipps, long past having any pride to hurt, followed the detective to a small diner off Michigan Avenue.

“Joe, word is out that there is a huge drug deal coming down and Chicago is going to be where it is going to be made and distributed.   Anyway, the other night, I am at Bono’s and this small timer, Vic Davio, is shooting his mouth off that he is going to be somehow involved.   Now this track is way too fast for this guy so I just pass it off as some macho BS.”

“Well, it turns out that he is engaged to Bobby Gallos’ daughter, and so I figure maybe he has screwed his way into the big time.   Anyway, Joe, this Davio could really be the weak link here.   A little pressure and he would cover his ass in a New York second.

“Now, Joe, what you do is let this punk think you’re dirty.   Tell him you don’t want to bust his deal; you just want a little something for retirement.   You also let this creep know that if he doesn’t cooperate you’re going to put the word out that it was Davio who was responsible for leaking the information.

“This guy is no genius, but he’s smart enough to know that if a ‘screw-up’ comes along with his name on it, he is going to lose his big play, the Gallo daughter, and more than likely will end up in the bait box the next time the boys go fishing on Lake Michigan.”

“Louie, you just might have something this time; you really might.” Joe said.  “Any word on when all of this is happening?”

“Nothing, Joe, like I said this thing is really being kept at the top.  I was just lucky to be in enough of the right spots at the right time to get the few pieces I did.   About the money, Joe. What you think this info could go for?”

“I don’t know, Louie, but here’s $50, and I want you to stay in touch, and Louie, stay straight with me on this -- don’t start getting creative just to run up the tab or I’ll put the word out on you and then you’ll make that fishing trip on Lake Michigan.”

So what if I get lucky and hit this operation,” Joe thought as he walked away from Lipps and the diner.   “The streets stay dry for another few months and then the dope comes in later, at even higher prices and nothing is solved.   Somehow, someway there has to be a better and more lasting solution.”

 

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CHAPTER XII:

His new partner, Phillips, was waiting for him at the Wrigley Building as they had agreed.   The day was one of those cold, windy, depressing fall days that Chicago was famous for.

“Say Joe, I have some good news for you, Phillips said in greeting.  “Remember that brilliant idea you had the other night about the ‘cause and effect’ of drugs on the crime rates?

“Well, old buddy, you were right on.  I did some research and in the last two to three months, crime is down from one coast to the other by as much as 30 percent in some places.   Jesus, if we could lick this thing, once and for all, it would sure be a different world.”

Yes, it sure would be a different world, thought Joe as they drove along the wind-swept streets.  “Phillips, speculate for a minute on what exactly would happen if the drug trade were to end.  Put that highly educated mind of yours to work and tell me what would happen if the drug system in this country were totally eliminated.”

Phillips warmed to the topic.  There was nothing he liked better then to hypothesize on the philosophy of fighting crime.

“Well, Joe, first, you could never completely eliminate it, but lets say you could get 70 to 80 percent of it.

“What would happen is a feeding frenzy by the mob families to control what was left.   The cozy little alliance between the five families would break up and they would be at each other’s throats like the old days, but they’re still in trouble financially.   I’m not kidding Joe, you take the drug profits away from organized crime and you’ll pretty well Chapter 11 the whole bunch.

“Another thing. You take the big money away and all of sudden the bribes to the judges, cops and politicians dry up.  The whole system will get about half-assed honest again, which will put even more pressure on the bad guys.

“Of course, the flip side to all of this, and unfortunately, our reality, is that as this thing gets bigger and more profitable, and more people get hooked on it, and more people get rich off it, within a short time, the inmates will, quite frankly, be running the asylum.”

Joe sat silent, as his partner laid out the grim future for all that was important in his life.   Then he quietly asked.   “So, there are no options?”

“Always options, Joe, but none that are feasible.   To control or eliminate a good deal of it would take millions and in essence an army.   Neither of which the politicians or the public has the stomach for.   Or you take it from the other end and eliminate or cure the users, again not very likely.”

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CHAPTER XIII:

Davio took the steps to his apartment two at a time.   Although nervous as hell when the operation began, things had been going so smoothly he had finally convinced himself that his luck had changed.  He had only one more delivery to the plant and all the ingredients would be at the pill factory.

Davio’s high spirits, however, quickly vanished with the unmistakable feel of a pistol being stuck behind his left ear.

“Get inside maggot or I’ll do you right here,” said Joe Dropo as he pushed the short Italian into his apartment.”

After a moment of surprised fear, Davio’s recently acquired power and prestige reasserted itself and he said:  “You better take a moment to find out who I am, shithead, and who some of my business associates are before you make a fatal mistake.”

Joe smiled before saying, “I know who you are Davio and your associates and business is what I’m here to discuss.   It’s you who doesn’t know me so let me enlighten you.”   With that Joe skillfully flipped his gold shield in Davio’s face.

The blood quickly drained from Davio’s face as he tried to maintain his composure and defiance.

“So, you’re a cop. Well cops make mistakes too and unless you’ve got a warrant and one hell of a lot of evidence, you just made one.”

“Ah, Mr. Davio, you weren’t listening.  I already told you that I am here to discuss business,” Joe replied.

“You and I have nothing to discuss, Dick Tracy, and if you ain’t out of here in two minutes your gold badge is going to get stuck…”

Before Davio could finish Joe back handed him over the couch and sent him crashing onto a coffee table.   “Now listen, you little Dago bastard, whether you know or it or not, you and I have just become partners.  And whether this partnership operates at a profit for us or a very big loss for you will depend on how well you pay attention from now on!”

“Now get up off your ass and fix us some drinks as our business plans are going to take sometime to explain.”

After Davio had fixed them both stiff drinks and placed an ice-filled towel on his rapidly swelling lip, Joe began.

“I know about the big score coming to town, Victor.”

Although Davio didn’t say anything, Joe could tell by the way his dark olive skin suddenly went chalky white and Lipp’s information had been correct.

“And what’s more important to you -- and listen very carefully to this -- I know about the big score coming to town because you shot your  big mouth off.”

This time there was no mistaking the nauseous look that swept over Vic Davio’s face and for a minute Joe thought that the little hood would be heading for the can to puke.

Davio started to interrupt, but Joe stopped him.   “Victor, for the time being just be a silent partner.   I don’t want to screw  your deal I want to be part of it.   What I want is Coceron, about $2 million worth.   I figure, with a deal this big, a couple million will never be missed.   With that tidy sum I am going to take $1.5 million and a friend will take $500,000.   Oh, I probably forgot to mention my friend.   Another ‘silent partner’ you might say, who will remain that way as long as I stay nice and healthy.   With that money I am getting the hell out of this cesspool and find some decent care for my wife and a new start for me.”

Davio stared slacked jaw at the man in front of him and said nothing.   But deep down he knew that this cop was right.  He had no choices and could only pray that this son-of-a-bitch actually was a bad apple looking to take a slice.

So, resolved to his fate, Victor Davio began telling the tale of the “Great Rain.”

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The Deadly Rain:  The Conclusion in the July issue of FYI News.