GET EVEN – Mafia Works #3

Book number three in my historical fiction series about the Detroit mafia in the 1980s will be released February 19th.  It’s titled GET EVEN: Detroit Thorn Birds Defy Mafia.   To give you a heads up, I’m sharing an inside scoop regarding storylines and characters with a need to GET EVEN.  More information on my website.

Drug Gangs Control Inner City

It’s the 1980s and Detroit is hemorrhaging—drug lords control the inner city and the mafia is under attack.  Even though my historical fiction series is about the Detroit mafia, I can’t ignore the presence of the drug gangs during that time.  In fact, many of the drug gangs were so well organized they significantly diminished the mafia’s drug revenue.

Davis Family Gang

As I shared in my blog last week, Earl Walker is working undercover to infiltrate Maserati Rick’s organization, but Maserati Rick isn’t the only drug kingpin.  Det. Clark Phillips and his task force need more information.  He has no choice other than to send Kimberly, a key member of his crime task force, after Ricky Davis, second in command of the Davis Family Gang.  Yes, the Davis Family was real and one of the most aggressive drug gangs in Detroit in the 1980s.

Coaching Kimberly for Undercover Work

Here’s a selection from GET EVEN where Joseph “Pag” Pagnozzi, a Detroit police officer and also a member of the crime task force, is coaching Kimberly on how to attract Ricky Davis’ attention at the jazz club.

“Okay.” Kimberly flipped her hands with a move-on gesture. “Get with it.”

“Oh… well, I had to give you a little background.” Pag gave her a disconcerted look. “After Veronica and Frank met you, they told their higher ups they thought you’d be a perfect undercover agent to infiltrate the Davis gang.”

“Undercover… infiltrate, hold on.” The thought shot a little tremor in her voice. “I’m a Lieutenant in the Child Abuse and Prostitution Section of the Detroit Police Department; I’ve never done anything like that.  You gotta be kidding. I know… these drug leaders would just as soon kill you as look at you. No way, not me.”

“No, Ricky’s not that way — he’s in his mid-twenties — a nice kid at heart.”

“Yeah… sure… and he has a big one he’d love to… you’re crazy, count me out.”

Pag’s voice remained calm. “If you’re going undercover, you have to look and act the part.”

She cast him a questioning eye. “So… what does that mean?”

“You have to have a drink in your hand… Manhattans are fine.”

“And?”

“A blouse buttoned to the top won’t cut it.”

“I don’t understand.” Kimberly covered her cleavage with her hand. “I thought this was a practice run.”

“It is. You have to play the role; he could come in anytime.”

“Now I know… you’re putting me on?”

“No, I’m not putting you on,” he said matter-of-factly.

Glancing around, she paused for a moment. “Okay, then.” She loosened the top button.

“C’mon.” Pag rolled his hand for another one and a second.

She glanced down at her décolletage, partly exposed. “Okay, are you happy now?”

“Fine.” Pag mumbled, “It’s a start.”

“A start?”

I Like the Word “Share” – Hope You Do

Researching and writing a book is fun and very interesting for me and other authors.  However, marketing books is a real challenge and one I’m not very good at doing. Any assistance you can provide by sharing my blog and Facebook posts, will give me more time to write.  As a result, I’ll have opportunities to create more stories about the Detroit Thorn Birds and the mafia and you have more to read!  Thanks for any “sharing” you do.