The Big Enchilada

My lungs started to function properly. Strength returned to my muscles and the trembling diminished.
    Domingo looked unruffled. He broke the silence. “Very impressive, Hunter. Very impressive. I didn’t think anyone could take Mountain, but I guess that none of us are invulnerable. I had thought that I was invulnerable, but I suppose I’m not.” He gave a philosophical shrug.
    “Look, Domingo,” I said and then paused. My voice sounded raspy and harsh, and it hurt when I spoke. I swallowed hard several times to lubricate my throat, and it felt better. “Now that I’ve got the gun on you, maybe you’ll believe me. I didn’t set you up.” I thought I would give it another try.
    “Under the circumstances I have to believe you. But if you weren’t the one, who was?” Finally.
    “Ratchitt.”
    “Why would he do that? He stood to lose as much as I. Maybe more, because my resources are greater.”
    “There was pressure on him. The department was about to come down on him. He had to bargain. He sold you out.”
    “Possibly. But I don’t think it’s true.”
    “We can find out.”
    “How?”
    “I know Green, the assistant D.A. who was behind the raids. We’ll call him and I’ll ask.”
    Domingo looked skeptical but finally nodded. “All right. But I’ll place the call. Just to be sure I’m talking to the D.A. and not to some friend of yours.”
    “Go ahead.”
    He called information and got the number of the District Attorney’s office. He had to ask for Green several times as he was transferred. When he got the right connection he handed the phone to me. I held it so Domingo could hear what Green said.
    Green and I exchanged a few pleasantries, just like we had arranged, and then he asked me what I wanted.
    “I heard about your busy night. Congratulations. That won’t hurt your career.”
    “No, it won’t. Things went pretty well.”
    “How’d you get the information to set it up?”
    “It was the result of a long investigation by the police department.”
    Domingo inhaled sharply.
    “Who did it?” I said.
    “A lot of people were involved, but it was mainly Detective Thomas Ratchitt of Vice. He set it up. He’ll get a commendation and maybe a promotion out of this.”
    Domingo’s face grew dark, his jaws clenched, and he bit through his cigar. He didn’t seem to notice that it dropped to the floor. He bought it. But then why shouldn’t he? It was coming from the D.A.
    I thanked Green, congratulated him again, and told him I’d be in touch as he hung up.
    “Convinced?” I said.
    “That double-crossing son of a bitch.”
    “What now?”
    “Nothing’s changed.”
    “You were leaving?”
    “Yeah. It seemed like a good idea.”
    “And you were taking your blackmail material and your dope with you?”
    “To help me get established again.”
    “Forty pounds of smack and a suitcase full of incriminating photos should be enough to do that.”
    “Should be. But I don’t see what difference it makes to you. Why bother to convince me about Ratchitt? What’s your interest?”
    “Couple of things. I’ll feel more comfortable if you know that I didn’t cross you.” He thought about that and nodded. “I’m still hot—too hot. I want to get away. You can help me.” He looked steadily at me. “Also, as things have turned out, you’ve lost your bodyguard. The kind of life you live, you could use one. I might consider taking over, but only if the price was right.”
    “How much?”
    “A piece of the action. I’d want to be partners with you. I’m willing to forget past differences, and I could make an active contribution to the business.... It could work out well for both of us.”
    “It might. It might, indeed. Perhaps I underestimated you.” He thought for a minute. “If you were my partner, what do you think is the first thing we should do?”
    I didn’t hesitate. “Wipe Ratchitt.”
    “At least we see things the same way, Hunter. The question is, how to do it. He’ll be very careful.”
    “I’ll get him up here.”
    “Do that, if you can. After we deal with that dirty prick, we’ll discuss a more permanent arrangement.”
    I said that was fine with me and went to the telephone. It took a couple of calls before I got Ratchitt. He didn’t sound good when he came on.
    “This is Hunter. You’d better get up to Domingo’s right away. He’s about to take off with all the assets of the partnership.”
    “What!”
    “He’s making a deal with the D.A. He’s