The Friends of Eddie Coyle Read Online Free PDF Page A

Narcotics,” Waters said.
    “You did,” Dave said. “I’ll never be able to thank you enough. But this Coyle gets around, I thought maybe he had something to say about drugs.”
    “Shit,” Waters said.
    “I was terrible disappointed,” Dave said. “I said so at the time.”
    “What’d he want?” Waters said.
    “He’s coming up for sentencing in New Hampshire after the first of the year,” Dave said.
    “He wants some references,” Waters said.
    “That was what he had in mind,” Dave said. “What he said he had in mind, anyway.”
    “What’s he got to trade?” Waters said.
    “Black militants,” Dave said. “Claims he knows about some group that’s buying machine guns.”
    “Believe him?” Waters said.
    “I think he was telling me the truth,” Dave said. “I think what he was telling me was the truth, anyway. He said he didn’t know much and he didn’t, not about that, anyway.”
    “There probably isn’t very much to know,” Waters said. “I never seen such a bunch of pigeons on black militants since we started getting a wise guy or two every so often. The Panthers’re the best thing ever happened to the Mafia, far as they’re concerned. They’ll trade you ten niggers for one wop any day of the week. I think it’s beautiful.”
    “It has its points,” Dave said. “I’d damned sight rather see the wise guys trading off Panthers’n see the wise guys trading with Panthers.”
    “There’s talk they’re doing that,” Waters said.
    “I don’t think so,” Dave said. “Not around here, anyway. I don’t doubt they drink from the same water holes, but they’re not working together. Not yet. The wise guys’re bigots, you know.”
    “Scalisi,” Waters said. “The guy that hangs around with Artie Van is Jimmy Scalisi. Somewhat of a hard guy, a bad bastard from the word go. Dolan and Morrissey from SP Concord were trying to get Artie Van turned around when he was up at the farm there, Billerica, and Artie’s going around and around, and the next thing you know, Scalisi and some friend of his’re up to see him. Artie didn’t say boo after that. I take it that Scalisi’s some kind of craftsman with a pistol.”
    “That’s what made me wonder,” Dave said. “I dunno whether Eddie Fingers is telling me all he knows about the militants or not. He knows I’m a cop, of course, and he knows I’m a federal cop, so he’s got to figure I got a hard-on for Panthers. Not that he ever said Panthers. But Eddie’s not stupid. He’s got something in mind. What I wonder is whether all he’s got in mind is a recommendation from the government when he comes up for sentencing. I think maybe not.”
    “Why?” Waters said.
    “How the hell did Eddie Fingers find out some black man’s buying machine guns?” Dave said. “Does he hang around with black guys? Not this trip. So who else is involved? Somebody who’s selling machine guns. Now why would Eddie Fingers be hanging around a guy who’s selling machine guns?”
    “Eddie Fingers is looking to pick up some guns,” Waters said.
    “Exactly,” Dave said. “Eddie doesn’t like machine guns, but he’s gotten in the gravy before, supplying guns. That’s how he got his hand smashed up. I think maybe Eddie’s doing business again. I think he’s talking to me so if somebody sees him doing business, it’ll be all right, he’s undercover.”
    “It’d be worth something to catch the guy he’s doing business with,” Waters said. “He’s at least arming the wise guys, and maybe the Panthers too. I’d like a look at him. Can we put a tail on Eddie Coyle?”
    “Sure,” Dave said, “and he’ll spot it six minutes out of the box. Eddie’s not the bravest guy in the world, but he’s not dumb and he’s gotten very careful. That isn’t the way to do it.”
    “What is the way to do it?” Waters said.
    “The first thing is to get me off this dope kick I’m on,” Dave said. “Nobody ought to object very much. So far, what I