Sinner's Ball Read Online Free PDF

them.”
    â€œBingo! Now let’s talk about good stuff. How’s Cherise?”
    Cherise Adams, a Brooklyn cop, was Luce’s life partner.
    â€œJust dandy. We’re thinking about adopting a child. Got a lawyer who specializes in that kind of thing. We’re looking in China, Eastern Europe, south of the border. Anywhere there’s a kid who needs a home. Got our fingers crossed.”
    â€œWish you luck, kiddo. You and Cherise would make great parents.”
    â€œHow about you, Steeg? I always figured you and Ginny for children. Look at the way you take care of DeeDee.”
    Ginny was my ex-wife, and now a fading memory.
    â€œNot Ginny’s fault. She wanted them. I was the problem.”
    â€œHow so?”
    So much for happy stuff.
    â€œTruth?” I said.
    â€œAlways a good place to start.”
    â€œI was afraid I would turn into my father,” I said.
    She looked surprised.
    â€œDominic?” she said.
    â€œAn old school cop, and an old school father. Except for the occasional kick in the ass, he kind of left me alone. Dave was the object of his attention.”
    â€œI could see how they wouldn’t get along,” she said.
    I was getting tired of having to explain my brother.
    â€œYou think he was what he is today when he was a child?”
    â€œI just assumed—”
    â€œHe was a kid who wore the mark of Cain on his face. A target for all the little assholes in the Kitchen. Instead of protecting Dave, Dominic piled on.”
    â€œWhy would he do that?”
    â€œWho the hell knows? What I do know is my brother’s first day in my father’s house was his best day. After that Dominic turned him into his personal piñata.”
    â€œI never knew.”
    â€œNo reason you should. My turn with Dominic came when I was suspended.”
    A couple of years ago I clocked a sergeant and wound up doing three months without pay.
    â€œThe asshole deserved it,” Luce said. “He gave up your snitch.”
    â€œHe did. But remember, Dominic was an old-school cop. It was bad form to kick the shit out of your boss.”
    â€œWhat does all this have to do with you and progeny?”
    â€œThe Steeg family stain could be generational.”
    â€œI’m not following.”
    I told her about Anthony joining Dave in the family business.
    â€œIt’s really simple,” I said. “The Steegs tend to eat their young.”
    â€œI love you, Jackson, but that’s truly screwed up.”
    â€œMy life, and welcome to it.”
    â€œAnd that’s why you’re trying to clear your brother.”
    â€œIn a nutshell. Besides, I’m convinced Dave didn’t kill those guys in the basement and torch his own warehouse.”
    â€œBut the DA could still get him on felony murder for the squatters.”
    â€œOnly if he connects him to the arson. Any developments there?”
    â€œThey put a special task force on it and they’re all running around busy as little bees. A couple of guys are exploring the possibility that Dave is dealing Rohypnol.”
    â€œPlease!”
    â€œThey’re reaching, Jackson.”
    â€œSo,” I said, “would it be fair to speculate that the task force is ignoring the prostitute angle?”
    â€œThey’re sticking with your brother. For now. Look at it as a narrow window of opportunity to work your magic.”
    What Luce didn’t say was that the window could slam shut at any time.

6
    D awn Reposo never caught a break.
    She was a few years behind me at Most Precious Blood parochial school and, unlike me, at the head of her class. But academics tend to fall by the wayside when your parents are stone-drunk lowlifes. Dawn dropped out and began a steady slide into drugs and prostitution. After I helped her beat her last soliciting charge, we lost track of each other.
    I called an old buddy who worked Vice. He ran her. Said she was on parole. Gave me the name of her PO. I