THE RUNNER/SCREENPLAY by BRIAN R. LUNDIN (best free ebook reader for android .txt) 📖

and his boss, Pauli Gaza.
After dinner and a second cup of espresso the men relaxed.

SNUBNOSE
Now to business the chairman and the other guys are concerned about this war between you and your Don and they are also concerned about all the publicity it is generating in the press. There is also word that many of your “Sgarrista,” (soldiers) has been killed in your dealing with Jerome McLemore, the Nigra Policy King.

VITO
My Capo is greedy. He has a deal with them Nigra policy guys and won’t let me wet my beak; it is not good for a man to be too greedy. Our family is one of have and has not. Gaza have and we are the have not’s. He eats from the table and we starve. Every move I make against them Nigras he axes. You can never have a sit down with him, he’s always too busy with his whores or out of town trying to avoid the fed, what I am suppose to do?

JOEY
The word is them Nigras is making a lot of money in that game of theirs, is that true?

VITO
They are making an asshole full of money, I would guess over ten big ones a year.

SNUBNOSE
How much you think is Gaza’s cut?


I don’t know exactly, but it is a big bite.

JOEY
What about your men that has been killed?

VITO
They were stupid and careless, they got what they deserved.

It is not good when a family is divided for whatever reason and we’ve been instructed to tell you that the Commission is not going to get involved with you and Gaza. The old ways of settling disputes are over, we are businessmen, now, try to negotiate with your Don, if this fails then maybe it is time for the old ways to return. We’ll deal with the winner.

Joey signaled for the check paid the attractive waitress and left her a twenty-dollar tip. The men collected their coats and headed into the wind. It was blowing harder but the bottle of wine and espresso made it seem less penetrating. The two senior Capos hailed a cab and headed to O’Hara Airport.

Pauli Gaza fancied himself an excellent chef. His Favorite dish was meatballs, Italian sausages and pasta. Genco Grisani sat a large table in the kitchen with Pauli’s new consigliore, TONY BELIGERNO. After placing a box of pasta in a pot of boiling water, he sat down at the table. Tony poured each a glass of Italian Red Wine.

GENCO
That lowlife muthafucker Vito sent his fuckin’ stooges into my home, where my daughters play, into my bedroom, where I sleep with my wife to kill me. I have no fear of death, in our “thing,” death is a constant companion, but my wife and children are not a part of this life and they should feel safe in their home. Vito has dishonored my family and must pay. I have sent my family to live with my sister-in law in Iowa, who knows what that crazy Vito will try next. It has always been a rule in our “thing,” that the family is off limits, Vito has violated that rule.

PAULI
I have known Vito for a long time and he was always loyal and a good earner, but I think this obsession he has for taking over the nigger game and getting revenge for the men he lost has affected his judgment. I had a sit-down with Frankie “Snubnose” Luca and Joey Luchisi. The Commission is concerned about the potential of a war between me and Vito and the publicity it would generate. They are not taking sides, but they want this ended quickly.

Pauli poured more sauce over the frying sausages and meatballs.

TONY
We don’t want to be the one who started the war, let’s lay low and see what Vito does.

PAULI
Sound good. Vito will probably continue his campaign against Jerome McLemore, but Jerome is a smart man and a man of honor, even if he is a Nigra. I have been doing business with him for years and he has always lived up to our agreement, we’ll wait and see what happens.

Gaza said, putting a heaping plate of pasta in front of his consigliore and crew boss.


Jimmy was on his favorite couch in Vito’s office. Vito sat behind his desk smoking one of the Cuban Cigars he had received from Vinnie Acosta.


JIMMY
What you think goin’ to happen next?

A circle of cigar smoke formed a blue halo over Vito’s head as he thought about the question.

VITO
Gaza and his guys are laying low in his mansion in the suburbs and I’m sure he has met with Snubnose and Joey, he don’t want to be the one to start the war, and he’s waiting for us to start it. Well fuck him, we’ll let it wait; let’s go after that Nigra McLemore.

Jerome McLemore had been busy. He had organized the other major policy wheel owners into a syndicate, named the “Big Ten.” The “Big Ten,” was the ruling body of the syndicate and voted on issues affecting their business. They named Jerome the chairman and he appointed his trusted friend Ted Bunche as counselor. Each member contributed one million dollars to their defense fund and for payoffs to the police and politicians. Each member had one vote and thirty wildcat or independent wheels had joined the syndicate. Each wildcat had to contribute fifty thousand dollars to the fund, but they did not have a vote. Additionally, the other hustlers; gamblers, street gangs and other businessmen were allowed to join the syndicate, their contributing was $10,000; they also did not have a vote. Jerome had the support of the black churches, the Daily Defender Newspaper, and the black politician in Bronzeville. Jerome knew that he needed political support if a war broke out with Vito and the politicians knew that a united black vote could determine the outcome of a local, state, or national election.

Detective Baxter organized several of the black police officers assigned to the 2nd District Police Station to act as body guards for the syndicate. Pops signed a peace treaty with the warring street gangs in Bronzeville and they also sided, with Jerome for the coming war with the Italians. Jerome had the cops, bailiffs, judges, and politicians in his pocket. Even the downtown white politicians referred all questions concerning issues directly affecting the black community to Jerome McLemore. Businessmen, bankers and politicians from all walks lined up to do business with him. The syndicate established health insurance that helps pay the medical bills and funeral expenses of its members. Jerome and his syndicate employed over 50,000 black men and women. If property owners did not like the fact that the policy men used their property in the policy operation, the syndicate would buy the storefronts or apartment buildings. Many of the workers lived with their families in these low-income apartment buildings provided by the syndicate. Other apartments they used for the policy operation.

The syndicate hired a multitude of commission writers, handbook and station operators, bookkeepers, checkers, stampers, and collectors who worked for a straight salary while the runners were paid, a commission of what they collected. If there were a grievance or dispute, Ted Bunch would settle it by reason or fist. Ted was the overseer and final checkpoint for all the money collected before Brinks picked it up. Jerome’s policy operations extended to Evanston on the north side, Oak Park in the western suburb, Robbins, Illinois, twenty miles south of Chicago and downstate Peoria and Jerome hired a fleet of mechanics to keep the runners vehicles in good shape and a gifted mechanic who kept the printing presses working properly. The Big Ten opened the Bronzeville Building as a central headquarters on the northeast corner of 47th South Michigan Avenue in a brand new six-storied building that extended the entire block of Michigan Avenue. The Big Ten had a suite of offices on the Ist floor, two law offices were on the 2nd floor, a jazz and blues bar was on the 3rd floor where top name black entertainers appeared and the elegant New Tivoli Room, used for political fundraisers and social affairs was on the 4th floor. On the 5th floor was the elegant Bronzeville Restaurant. The restaurant required a jacket and tie and the “House Favorite,” was the twenty-eight ounce choice prime T-bone and a huge lobsters that started at three pounds. The restaurant also served the finest pork chops, seafood and soul food.

The main attraction however was the Bronzeville Casino located on the top floor. The Casino was decorated with the most modern, up-to-date décor anywhere, favorably compared to the casinos in Vegas, Havana or Monte Carlo and maintained by a staff of 100 people. The décor was first rate, boasting an African American motif. The fifty-foot bar carved from a single giant oak tree dominated the room. African art and exquisite Masonic murals hung on the walls. Part of the allure of the club was its first rate staff. Shapely young black women wearing short skirts and white starched shirts with bowties worked the bar and the floor. Mackenzie “Mack” McLemore was the general manager but Jerome hired Ollie and Dianna Williamson as his managers for the day-to-day operations. The couples were experienced casino managers from New Orleans. Ollie hired top croupiers from Las Vegas and Reno, Nevada and to please the eyes of the female customers Ollie hired handsome black waiters and bartenders. A customer could purchase a dollar keno card and watched the numbers on an overhead marquee. However, that was only an appetizer to the high stakes gamblers in the casino. On any given night, the gaming tables were packed with bettors. The five poker tables had a five hundred dollar table limit, the hollow sound of dice hitting the wall of the dice tables and the joyful screams of the winners were matched by the sorrowful sighs of the losers. The Georgia Skin tables attracted some of the biggest gamblers in the country. The dealers and croupiers were attractive young black men and women dressed in black and white tuxedos.

The clanging of the dime slot machines stacked against the rear walls took the money of the mainly female gamblers at an astonishing rate. However, the club was more than a gambling casino; it was a great social center among the black elite and celebrities. Ray Charles, Miles Davis and BB King would stop by for a drink or dinner after their show.

The club became a hangout for the intellectuals, the famous and the infamous. During the day, there were the regulars; doctors, lawyer, politicians, ministers, writers, and business leaders. By night, there were the stage performers from the Regal Theater a few blocks away and other entertainment spots in Bronzeville. In a rear room was an off track betting parlor with 50 feet televisions that showed all the races in the country. Detective Baxter was in charge of security and Chicago cops provided protection for the customers in the club and the parking lot.
Jerome McLemore, Madame Bourneis, Marque, Pops, Cinque and Ted Bunche were having lunch at the club when Commander Hollis and Sergeant Lundgrin entered. Jerome saw the police officers and waived them over to his table.

JEROME
Good afternoon, officers.

Jerome rose and directed the officers to sit. Madame Bourneis long black hair was radiant. She wore a short orange skirt, black low cut blouse and a wide brim black hat. Her beauty momentarily took Commander Hollis aback but