The Waterbury Democrat., 1941-06-24
oNE.wAY RIDE
CHAPTER VIII

- that what you wanta tell me7"
 The boys edge in closer to Angus. Spike pulls his hat down over his eyes and turns his head away. "Nope. Not exactly" He glilps down his drink. "The Boss wants Us to take you for a ride"
 Angus sIghs and shakes his head q little. "Well, that's nice of him anyway. I always did wanta see what t looked like around here"
 Spike Mudge's car Is standing in front of the tavern, and Angus piles into the rear seat between Trigger Tim and Butch Mcdlliicuddy. Hoi- mon the Hoist Is driving and Spike sits next to him, but he IS half turned 50 he can face Angus.
 T still don't see why MT. Casta. ioni got himself another name" says Angus. "seems funny habit people got in this town"
 Nobody says anything. Angus relaxes In the seat, and when they cross the river and get on the Jersey side, he begins to look around with more interest. He is twitching and something Is press- ing him on each side. When he looks down, he frowns. 'Why do you fellows wanta stick those guns into me like that7 That's dangerous" Butch and Tim are poker-faced.
 1 Spike says, Maybe you don't understand. This Isn't exactly a picnic. We are going to rub you out, You will not come back from this ride. Tn about 46 min. utes, you will be the deadeSt hunk of beef in the state Of New Jer- sey."
 Angus pitches forward. but the gun jabs more firmly into his body and he drops back Into the seat. T thought you were my friends" he says, diBillusioncd.
 we are" Spike explains. We don't wanta do this. The Boss says we gbtta, and what he says goes. Pcrecnally, we like you'
 IL Is too much for Angus, HIS neck is burning and his giant fists are itching, but he can't think Of anything to say.
 "Oily thing is you're kinda dumb" says Spike. Maybe that's one reason we like you though. Luigi Castaloni is the boss Of this here broccoli racket. That's where he gets all his dough. But he likes to be halfway respectable part of tic time, 70 he snatcheS the mon. icker of darvin Fitzwater, and he buys himself Q nightclub and passes himself off as an albright gent with the Park avenue mob"
 why can't he just pass himself of as q broccoli protector" Angus wants to know.
 "Lcok," Spike says, "1'll try to make it easy. Castalonl iS running q racket see? He hires mob Of mugs like you and me to make the broccoli merchants kick ih with dough every week. If they don't, we 90 out and smash Up the place. It is cheaper to pay than to get their heads cracked every other week and their places wrecked, So they pay. We hire you to help iis collect, and you do good job.
 "Oniy now the usual dame en- tcrs the picture. I knew all along you was too good to be true. There are three million danes in New York, and you have to have the same one as the Big Boss. So one of you has to fade and it ain't Cagtaioni. Now do you get it7"
 Angus iS controlling himself with great effort. You mean I've been doing crooked work2"
 That's nasty word" sayf Spike, but 1t describes It."
 Angus ig staring out Of the win- tow, but he is not aB interested ir the countryside as formerly. The car is driving through q section that Is getting less and less settled.
 Whats gonna happen to Ado- TeeH?" he asks finally
 "she1l be well taken care of. Castaloni will see to that"
 But he's crook. He oughta be in jail"
 T wish you was a little more broadminded," Spike says sadly.
 Soon the car turns of the main road and wobbleS along q dusty trail for half q mile or 50 before Hoimon the Hoist drives into 6 clump of bushes about 90 feet of the road.
 Here we are. It won't take long. Trust ug," says Spike.
 They get out of the car, Butch and Trigger Tim keep their guns pushed into Angus ribs and Hoi- man and Spike lead the way through thick underbrush to 6 clearing about IS feet square.
 Angus takes of his cap and pIoughs his fingers through his hair. Spike, Us all right. know