“That’s right,” said Savoli, again shaking hands with the Irishman. “We’ll get Monk Thurman for you, after this goes through. Two nights from now, at the Goliath Hotel. Borrango will arrange it all.”
WHEN Larrigan was gone, Borrango grinned at his chief. They had turned the Irishman’s visit completely to their advantage.
To Nick Savoli, the one goal of gangdom was supreme rule. Through careful alliances and purposeful efforts, he had risen to control the most important factions of Chicago’s underworld. The Larrigan outfit had been the one obstacle that had prevented him from completing his mighty empire.
Other gang leaders still opposed his rule, but they did so only because Larrigan was still independent. Now Larrigan had swung into line, and the others would follow.
If any still held out, Larrigan could fight them. The big Irishman loved to wipe out lesser gangsters. He would be useful to Savoli.
Both the big shot and his enforcer had discussed all this. The only change in their program related to Monk Thurman. He must be sacrificed to appease Larrigan. This was the only term of agreement that Savoli seemed to regret.
“This Monk is a good man. It is too bad for him to go.”
“That sounds like Larrigan talking, Nick,” returned Borrango. “That’s why he never got where he should. Too much sentiment.”
“It’s not sentiment,” replied the big shot. “I am thinking of Monk in terms of usefulness. Don’t forget that he wiped out Schultz and Spirak. We could not have made this deal without that.”
“That is true,” said Borrango. “But we have to eliminate Monk to complete the deal. So let him serve you again — by putting him on the spot.”