Business as Usual

About the Book

Detective First Grade Nick Maloni expects to meet the Mole, his stoolie. At the time of their meeting the Mole is an outside man in a bank robbery. Nick will be assigned to investigate that robbery.  The Mole signals the gang the money was delivered and that no police are in the bank. Sonny Mancuso, the gang’s leader with two others enter the small bank in the Flatlands section of  Brooklyn. The bank’s guard fatally shoots one of the robbers, and is shot himself. Unknown by the robbers an undercover off-duty police officer is in the bank. He exchanges shots with Mancuso and is hit. The thieves escape. Mancuso must now face Mafia boss, Sal Diamano to answer for the botched back robbery. The robber fears the worse, but to his surprise his is spared, but must do a job for Diamano. Mancuso is ordered to deal drugs with Ben Jones, Brooklyn’s black crime lord, gain his confidence, learn his operation and then kill Jones. Diamano plans to take over criminal operations in the black areas of  Brooklyn.

Nick Maloni meets his long time girl friend, Mary Ryan. She is a nurse at Kings County Hospital’s emergency room. They go for a drink. While in the bar the Mole comes in, and tells Nick he will call.

Jimmy Trask,  Nick’s partner is given information by Ben Jones of a bank robbery planned by a radical group that calls itself the African Black Army. The next day Jimmy and Nick set a trap, staking out the bank. The robbers come into the bank shooting. Both are killed by the detectives in a blazing shoot-out.

Ben Jones wants to meet Jimmy Trask, to offer the detective money. Trask gets into a confrontation with Frank Johnson,  Jones’s  underboss and bodyguard. A fight is avoided by Jones and a deal worked out with Trask to trade information.

A scheme is devised by Mancuso to sell drugs and convince Jones the Mafia from Yonkers is going to take over Diamano’s operation. Mancuso goes to Yonkers to convince the Mafia leaders they need to remove Diamano as a way to avoid a gang war between the Italians and  Brooklyn’s black gang. The first drug deal run by Mancuso with the black gang goes smoothly.

Mancuso is followed by detectives. He is sure some one has talked to the police. He suspects is was the Mole and gives a contract to Vito Gentile, a professional hit man, to kill the Mole.

Nick is hurt while part of a raid to capture a bank robber. He is taken to Kings County Hospital. Mary Ryan is on duty and sees the injury. She has been unable to make a commitment and seeing Nick hurt strengthens her resolve not to marry a cop only to become a widow. She  becomes distant and cools the relationship.

Mancuso is told by  the Mafia in Yonkers they are going to replace Diamano. He must step down or be killed.  Mancuso receives an okay to kill Diamano’s underboss. The contract is given to Vito Gentile.

Jones starts a war with  Jamaican Rastafarians by bombing a store dealing drugs. They make an attempt to kill Jones. He kills four Rastas in a pool hall. Jones is told the hideout of  Rasta Ja, their leader and  in the middle of the night stages a commando type raid on the house in Queens to kill him..

A task force is formed with city detectives, and the FBI to stop the war between the  Rastas and Ben Jones. Information is received that Jones does his drug deals under the Brooklyn Bridge. Nick finds out a  large drug sale is going to take place shortly...

About the Author

The author retired as a detective from the New York City Police Department. He presently resides in Florida with his wife, near his daughter and grandchildren.