The Girl on the Rush Street Bridge

by Gary Inbinder

Chapter 27: The Lady of the Lake

part 2

“I see.” Max knocked back half the glass before sitting. Ritter took a chair opposite him. For a while they drank quietly, each focused on his own thoughts, until Max broke the silence: “Milt, you’re in deep shit, but I believe I can help you out. That is, if you’re willing to accept my help.”

“I’m listening.”

“OK. But first. I’ve got a few questions only you can answer.”

Ritter finished his drink and poured another. Then: “Fire away.”

“Who iced Abe Levitsky?”

“Lewis did it.”

“You had nothing to do with it?”

“No, I didn’t know about it till after the fact.”

“Do you know why?”

“Yeah. Levitsky worked part time as a runner for the Schmidt gang. He was working at Schmidt’s hideout when he overheard Harry and one of Sharkey’s gunmen, Sean Feeny, talking about getting rid of Peg Rooney. Sean spotted Levitsky eavesdropping. Sean told Harry and Harry went to Donavan. Donavan paid Lewis to do the hit. I guess the captain didn’t want to use one of Sharkey’s or Schmidt’s guys because of their association with Levitsky. Better to use an outsider, like Lewis.”

“What about Dan Buford?”

Ritter frowned and shook his head. “Yeah, Buford. First, I better tell you how I got sucked into this mess. When Gracie got sick, Donavan knew I was up against it. Twenty years on the force, a good record and not much to show for it. The captain called me into his office and said he had the answer to all my problems. He’d pay me three grand and promote me to a desk job. All I had to do was kidnap Bob O’Neill, the only witness to Peg Rooney’s murder, and hold him until after the inquest. It was supposed to be an easy job because O’Neill and his pal Buford were in on it.

“You see, in addition to getting his gambling debts forgiven for keeping his mouth shut about Peg, O’Neill and Buford would each get a cut of the ransom money paid by O’Neill’s old man. But things didn’t go as planned.

“First off, I had to work with Lewis. The kid’s goofy and not too bright. But he got worse when he took up with Irene. The girl’s a dingbat. Everything was set for a negotiation when Irene came up with the bright idea of snatching Mary O’Neill to put the screws on the old man. Buford went along with the play. I guess he figured the bigger the ransom, the more money in it for him. So much for his friendship with Bob. You know, those two were palsy-walsy. They even got matching tattoos. Anyways, at that point I was in so deep I figured I had to go along. So—”

“Did you sap me?” Max broke in.

Ritter looked down at the whiskey in his glass then looked back at Max with sad eyes. “Yeah, sorry about that,” he said with a nod of his head. Then he knocked back the shot before continuing. “The plan was to take the girl to Minnie’s, keep her with her brother and up the ante on the ransom demand.

“But Irene pulled a switcheroo. She killed Buford so she and her boyfriend wouldn’t have to share the ransom with him. Then she got another bright idea of framing you for murder. I didn’t know about that when I sapped you and took you to Minnie’s. That was something Lewis worked out later with Donavan. Then he bragged to me about what a smart girl he’d taken up with. Anyways, you made a good escape. Maybe you’ll tell me how you did it, one of these days.”

“So, the murder and frame-up were Irene’s idea, not Lewis’s?”

“That’s right. She leads and Lewis follows, sort of like Mary’s little lamb.”

“I remember hearing laughter just before you sapped me. I assume that was Irene and Lewis?”

“Yeah, that was them, all right. Ice a guy you were in cahoots with then laugh over his corpse. Ain’t young love beautiful?”

“I get the picture. One more question. Did you and Lewis go after Joey and Conrad?”

“Yes, we did.” Ritter looked Max straight in the eye. “I drove and Lewis fired the shotgun. We had orders from Donavan to scare Joey, not to kill or injure anyone. I swear that crazy bastard was supposed to miss. I hope no one was hurt?”

“Joey got off without a scratch and Con wasn’t seriously wounded.”

“Thank God for that.”

“All right, Milt. I believe you. Now here’s the play. As things stand, you, Lewis and the others are as good as dead. Harry Schmidt tried to blow up the Potawatomie while Ed Mahoney was on board. He was caught in the act. He talked and now, as our South Side friends put it, he’s sleeping with the fish. Ed is not in a forgiving mood, and you guys made it worse when you ran off with the O’Neills. Tim O’Neill is tight with Ed. I’m here to offer you a ticket out of hell. Are you with me?”

“What’s the ticket good for, and what’s the price?”

“You live and get to go back to your wife and kids. I’ll square things with Ed and Chief Crunican. You keep your job, your pension, your clean record. How much do you need to take care of Grace?”

“The three grand I was supposed to get from Donavan will do. She’s in California with the kids. I’ll need to move out there and get another job.”

“I’ll loan you the dough interest-free. I trust you to pay it off when you can. I got contacts in Los Angeles. You can get a job as an operative. Here’s the price. You help me get the O’Neills back to their old man, safe and sound, and you also help me take care of the Lewis gang. Is it a deal?”

“Thanks, Max. It’s a deal.” Ritter smiled. They shook hands and downed another shot.

“Where are the O’Neills?” Max asked.

“In a cabin on the deck below. They’re a bit stir crazy, but OK. If you want, I’ll take you to them before you leave. But first, will you let me in on your plan?”

“Only as much as you need to know for now. How many guys are with you and Lewis?”

“Just Tony, Chet and the crew.”

“How many in the crew?”

“The captain, two mates, the engineer, two stokers, three deckhands, a cook and a cabin boy. But most of them are on shore leave.”

“OK. I need to know exactly who’s on board and at what time.”

“I’ll find out for you.”

“Good. Seems like our biggest worries are Lewis, Irene, Tony and Chet. Are Tony and Chet bribable?”

Ritter nodded. “I think so. They can’t stand Lewis and his moll. If they got any loyalty, it’s to me.”

“How much?”

“A C-note each should do the trick.”

Max reached into his pocket and handed two bills to Ritter. “By the way, what’s the demand for the O’Neills that we’re supposed to be negotiating?”

“Fifty grand and no one comes after us. Plus, we keep the Lady of the Lake to run as a gambling boat working in the Indiana ports, without paying tribute to Ed Mahoney.”

Max laughed. “Hatched in a looney bin. I suppose those are Lewis and Irene’s demands?”

“Yeah. Now you know what I’ve been up against.”

Max nodded in sympathy. “OK. Now let’s go see the prisoners.”

* * *

Max was unprepared for the greeting he received from the O’Neills. When he entered the cabin, Bob looked up from his perch on an upper bunk, dumbly staring at the visitor like a hophead waking from an opium-induced dream. Unshaven and generally grubby, he looked like he had spent the last week on skid row.

Mary was as neat as her brother was dirty. She was seated at a card table, playing solitaire. When she saw Max, she shot up from her chair and ran to him.

“Oh, Max,” she cried, “I knew you wouldn’t abandon us.” She clung to him like a lost child who had just been reunited with her desperately searching father.

For a moment, Max didn’t know what to do or say. Her softness and fragrant warmth overwhelmed him and for an instant he drifted off into a fantasy. He was more than Chicago Max or The Hawk, he was Sir Max the Crusader who came to rescue the fair lady and her less-worthy brother from the dark tower of evil. And like the crusaders of old who sheltered within the protection of their shining armor, the sprinkling of holy water on helmet and shield, Max felt cleansed, purified and worthy of a fair lady’s love. It was under the spell of a romantic illusion that he spoke: “Keep believing in me, Mary,” he whispered. “Your nightmare’s almost over. Everything’s going to be all right.”

Ritter observed the reunion with a cool eye. So, Max is risking his life for something more than dough? he thought. Will wonders never cease?

“What’s going on? Are we getting out of here?” Bob woke up from his stupor.

Mary let go of Max and approached her brother. “Soon, Bob. Stay calm, all right?”

“Calm! Are you kidding? I’m going nuts locked up in this place.” His bloodshot eyes scanned the small space until they found what they were looking for. “Bring me the bottle, Sis. I need a drink.”

“You’ve had too much already. Have some water instead and then try to get some sleep.”

“Sleep! How the hell can I sleep? OK, if you won’t get it for me, I’ll get it myself.”

He moved unsteadily and almost fell to the deck. Mary grabbed him by the arm and helped him down. Max came over and said: “Bob, I need you to be sober. Everything’s arranged. Ritter’s on our side and you’re getting out tomorrow. But you’ve got to help.” Then he gripped the nervous young man by the shoulder. “Are you with me?”

“Yes... yes, I’m with you.”

“All right, then. I want you to stay off the booze and take care of your sister. Keep your wits about you, and don’t give anything away. I’ll let you know when it’s time to go. Then you just do as I say without question. Can I count on you?”

“Yeah, you can count on me.”

“Good man.” Max smiled, let go of the shoulder and held out his hand. “Let’s shake on it, pal.”

They shook hands. Then Max turned to Mary. “You two hold on until tomorrow. I got to go now but I’ll be back soon.”

“We’ll be all right, Max. Until tomorrow.” She put her arm around her brother for reassurance.

“Until tomorrow, Mary.” Then he followed Ritter out of the cabin.

Proceed to Chapter 28...