Slap Comics

Recap- “When going to a friend’s art supply store, A Cartoonist finds trouble and a dead body. A note is found and in the note a man named Gino Savino is named as a possible suspect. Unfortunately, it’s also the Cartoonist’s father” 

“HES MY F&!#ing FATHER”. I shouted. “Ok..Ok..” stammered Tommy. He was obviously shaken by the outburst. I relaxed myself and started again. “Where is Gino Savino?” Tommy himself got up and staggered for balance.  He seems disturbed but calm. “The last time I heard he was working out in Atlantic City. I heard he had a partner”. I asked Who. He said he didn’t know. I believed him. Tommy has no need to lie. Unless he was to protect his neck of course. 

I headed home on the bus and the whole time I was thinking what to do next. Should I go to the cops? Or Should I follow the lead and go to Atlantic City? When I got home I took a long bath with a beer. A beer so cold it made me shiver. Or was that all the trouble I can get into if this thing goes south? Jail time or possibly the chair if they think I did the deed. 
I thought about my friend and shed a tear. All this happened so fast that I haven’t had time to mourn Ray. My friend, My Mentor. The one who was a better father than my own. He had no family. Wasn’t married. No brothers or sisters. No kids. What was he doing with Gino? What did he do to deserve this? Did Gino Do it? And if so Why? 

I got out of the bath, finished my beer and I made a decision. I would follow my lead. I would go to AC. For Ray. I got dressed and packed a bag for I wasn’t sure how long I will be gone. I took the earliest Greyhound Bus to AC. I had to fight my way through all the tourist who will probably be baking in the sun or most likely gambling away their life savings. 
I get off the bus and realize that I had no clue what to do next. How do I find out where Gino was? The answer probably lies in who Gino’s partner is. The problem was How do I do that? I’m guess that it’s not going to be easy as a Google search. The day was hot as the devil’s skillet. A lot of sweat and a lot of bottled water as I go through the dozens of hotels and casinos in America’s Playground. 

I reach the casino that I was looking for. It was called the Lucky Spade. It has a notorious history going back to the founding of AC. The Spade (as it’s called) has many different owners over the last 5 decades and all of them mobbed up. I was wonder if the current owner was Gino’s partner and what he had to do with Ray’s death. I check in at the desk and proceed to the tables. I play to see if there anyone that will talk about the owner of the place and to see if I can get any information. The right bills in the right hands can do wonders. 

Finally with my last chip at the Blackjack Table I get a dealer who loved to talk. He was all about the history of the Spade and how much it changed. I ask “who’s the current owners?” with a palmed 20 extended out. He discreetly takes it with his head down and whispers. The name took me back a bit. The next thing I know I am taken by two thugs and a hood is put over my head.

Then Black. 

To be continued…