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    Killer Toast: A Bayside City Book, #5
    Killer Toast: A Bayside City Book, #5
    Killer Toast: A Bayside City Book, #5
    Ebook86 pages55 minutes

    Killer Toast: A Bayside City Book, #5

    By James Dargan

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    KILLER TOAST, A BAYSIDE CITY BOOK, EPISODE FIVE

    Only the strong will survive in this city in turmoil!

    The election for a new mayor is getting nearer, and Ralph Dickerson is in a confident mood: he thinks he's got the votes in the bag, but has he? Meanwhile Detective Raymond Chuck has joined Devereux's cause. As usual, things are as violent and corrupt as ever in the Bayside City underworld, with murders and backstabbing galore.

    Will Massimo Bertoni and Avi Baumshinsky get their just deserts? Read on in this, the fifth instalment of the Bayside City series of hardboiled noir crime fiction books.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherDanny Boy Books
    Release dateNov 27, 2016
    ISBN9781540183842
    Killer Toast: A Bayside City Book, #5
    Author

    James Dargan

    James Dargan was born in Birmingham, England, in 1974. Coming from an Irish background, he frequently writes about that experience. As well as England, he has also lived in the United States, Ireland, and - for the best part of fifteen years - in Warsaw, Poland, his home from home from home.

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      Book preview

      Killer Toast - James Dargan

      INDIAN SUMMER

      ––––––––

      The hot and sweaty days of Bayside City's summer have passed and it's already late September. Police Commissioner Patrick Manning has just finished supper with his family plus his mother-in-law and is now in the backyard smoking a post-meal cigarette with a whiskey in his hand. Things have been unusually quiet as far as the Bertoni-Baumshinsky war goes and it's making him feel uncomfortable. There's still no sign of Devereux and that's another concern. He hasn't heard from George Drago either in months so the Romanian's either killed him or is still hunting the ex-cop. Manning's promises to God have come to nothing since he prayed to the Big Man in the park when Moishe Katz kidnapped his son. But that's the way Manning is – the world's greatest sinner wouldn't be a bad description of the man, in fact.

      Are you coming in, dear? Manning's wife asks him.

      In a minute.

      The cop sighs - being married to the woman is such a drag. He'd leave her if it wasn't for the kids.

      Manning goes back inside.

      Patrick, do you have to drink so much? Manning's mother-in-law says, as usual complaining at him.

      It's the first one, he says, raising his glass in sarcasm before he necks it.

      You're a disgrace, his mother-in-law says.

      Oh, mother, will you please leave Pat alone, Manning's wife says.

      Manning's mother-in-law has her suspicions about her son-in-law's infidelity towards her daughter, but she's never been able to prove it. That doesn't stop her hating him, though.

      Manning goes into his study to get some respite from his mother-in-law and the pressures of the job: the mayoral election is approaching. It's almost certain Ralph Dickerson will sweep the votes for a second term, helped by his own political and mob connections in town. Manning's played his part too. And doesn't he know it – but he wants something back when it happens. More influence and power than he has now. Immunity from indictment if it ever comes to that for the crimes he's committed while being in office: Murder. Corruption. Rape. Or maybe rape doesn't count if it's a lowly secretary or a whore from the street?

      THE GANGSTER SQUAD

      Dick Devereux and his woman Joan have turned into a mean killing machine of guns and anger over the summer: six hours a day, seven days a week of shooting practice and planning. They're the Bonnie and Clyde of goodness, ready and waiting to give the mob elements of Bayside City some of their own medicine when the time comes. Phillip Randall, Devereux's good friend and ex-partner and source of finances, is back in Arizona with his family but will return to the East Coast as soon as Devereux needs him. The three are ready for war. The Jews and Italians won't know what's hit them when it hits them. The Irish and Polaks, too, if they feel like going against them. Manning: he's a marked man for either jail or death.

      Joan's moved into Devereux's apartment in North Philly. Since he's met Honey Bee, the ex-cop has changed so much that even Randall's smiling: it reminds him of the way his friend was before the tragic and untimely death of his family, when there were jokes and laughter – slowly that man is coming back.

      You all right, baby? Joan asks Devereux as he's sharpening the knife he's been doing for the last hour at the kitchen table.

      Yeah. Just making sure the sonofabitch's sharp enough.

      It was sharp enough thirty minutes ago.

      Just making sure, sweety.

      Come into me.

      Later.

      Joan goes back into the living room.

      Devereux's promised Randall that after they've dealt with the Bayside City underworld, they'll go into business with a private detective agency in Tucson. Randall wants to call it Randall & Devereux Investigations but Devereux thinks his name should be first as alphabetically it is correct. Either way, the ex-cops are looking forward to working with each other again.

      Devereux doesn't like to admit it to himself but he's falling in love with Joan – and how could he not? She's a wonderful woman. She treats him well. Cooks him nice food. Gives him a massage when his muscles are aching and prepares his baths for him. But most of all she's a woman with a man's soul, dangerous with a gun and at the moment that's something Devereux appreciates. He doesn't want to put his Honey Bee in any danger, but if she's willing and able then he'll just have to accept it.

      After he's finished sharpening the knife, Devereux joins Joan in the living room. She's

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