Junk Yard Dogs

When the phone ran and woke me at ten in the morning I thought it was the alarm clock. After I pushed and pulled every button on it, I figured out it was the phone. I really needed to stop this late night partying.

“Hello, and this better be important to me.”

“It’s Chuck here. I need to see you today. They broke into my wrecking yard again and poisoned my three watchdogs. As far as I can tell they took every four-barrel carburetor, starter and alternator I had in stock and on the cars. They must have been in here all night.” Chuck shouted on the other end of the phone.

“I’m sorry Chuck, but what do you want me to do?”

“I want you to catch them. This is the second time this month they hit me.”

“I’ll be down the yard in about an hour. I still don’t know what I can do that the cops can’t?”

“If you can do more than nothing you’ll beat them. I’ll talk to you when you get here.” He said as he slammed the phone down.

Chuck owned one of the largest late models wrecking yards in New York, probably the biggest on Long Island. At thirty-seven he is already close to being a millionaire. Not bad for a high school drop out that started his business six years ago by picking up metal scrap from peoples garbage every Wednesday. I have known Chuck all of my twenty-nine years. We were inseparable before he got married five years ago. Don’t get me wrong, I love his wife Connie to death, but she keeps the lease pretty tight on him. He met her in Austria while in the Army. She’s the one that got him where he is today. Since he married her everything he touches turns to gold. I still have to smile when I see them together. He’s six-foot one and she’s a hair over five feet. But make no mistake who the boss is between the two. I never thought I’d see him whipped like that and liking it.

After a quick shower to wake up I jumped on my 1951 Indian Chief and rode to the diner for bacon and eggs and three cups of coffee.

“You were in rare form last night at the club Johnny.” Penny the waitress said.

Penny was a thirty-year-old red head with a great figure. She was divorced from a nut job that was in prison for burning their house down. I heard he would be getting out soon and was coming after anyone that had been with Penny. It was a little scary being that Howard was six-foot five and went about two-fifty. Throw in that he was crazy as hell and you had the ingredients for murder.

“What did I do?”

“You were trying to get into every woman’s pants at the club.”

“Did I succeed?”

“Not with me you didn’t.”

“I’m sorry to hear that.”

“Maybe if you were a little more sober I would have considered it.”

“I’ll definitely keep that in mind.”

“You do that Johnny. The shape you were in last night you couldn’t handle me.”

“I don’t know if I could handle you on a good night.”

“If you want to see if you can, I’m living on my boat docked at Dave’s Boatyard. I’ll be there after six tonight.”

“No woman has every asked for her money back yet.” I joked.

“We shall see.”

“You’re living on your boat?”

“Their still working on the house that a****** burnt down. Besides it’s only me, and the boat is thirty-foot long.”

“I’ll drop by around seven tonight. What can I bring?”

“ How about bringing a large pizza with extra cheese and some bottles of Rolling Rock Beer?”

“You got it. See you at seven-take care.”

“You won over three hundred on the pool table last night and you give me a two dollar tip?”

“I’ll give you a bigger tip tonight.”

“Promises promises.”

Riding over to Chucks wrecking yard I couldn’t decide if I felt better or worse after eating. I knew I had better be in good shape by seven. Penny was almost six-foot tall and all woman. Me on the other hand am five-six with shoes on and a hundred-forty pounds.

When I pulled into Chuck’s I saw the county detectives were there. One of them was Detective Molloy, who had been riding my ass since I can remember.

“Good morning Chuck.”

“You know Molloy, and this is his partner Detective Joe Franks.”

“Glad to meet you Detective Franks.”

“This is Johnny Sax the local private eye, pool hustler and wife stealer.” Molloy said to his partner.

Molloy was referring to the time one of the cops caught me in bed with his wife. They were separated so I didn’t see the problem. Apparently the husband did because he shot at me going out the front door. Of course no charges were brought up for trying to kill me.

“I’m going to look around at what new cars you have since the last time I was here. I’m looking to get a car. Winter will be here before I know it and I’m not riding the bike another winter. I’ll talk to you after Kojak leaves.” I said.

“I heard you beat the fire chiefs son for three hundred dollars last night at the 400 Club. You know the chief‘s a friend of mine.” Molloy said.

“His son can afford it and then some. He’s one of the biggest dope dealers in the county.”

“You better watch who you slander Johnny.” Molloy said.

“Would you like me to take you out on my boat to meet the mother ship for his next dope delivery this weekend?”

“Somebody’s going to shut that mouth of yours for good one day Sax. Lets go Joe, we can’t do anything more here.”

“You all have a good day now.” I said.

“Your day will come Sax, and I can’t wait.” Molly said as he got in their car.

“Why can’t you keep your mouth shut around him Johnny? I don’t need the cops around here checking the registrations of every damn wreck I bring in here.”

“I’m sorry Chuck but you see how he talks to me. I can’t just let it go.”

“That’s why you’re in a couple of fights every month.”

“I win most of them don’t I?”

“I want you to move in to the shack in the back at night, starting in about a week or so from now. I figure they won’t be back to rob me again for a few weeks at least.”

“You want me to live in the shack?”

“Yes.”

“What about my night time social life?”

“Johnny you know I have never asked you for a favor. But these robberies are killing us. We can’t take anymore robberies. I don’t want to have a guard here for obvious reasons.”

Chuck had done me tons of favors over the years. Everything from saving my ass in a fight to bailing me out of jail and paying for a lawyer. The reason he didn’t want a stranger in here was because every once in awhile he bought some hot cars from the stolen car ring that they couldn’t get rid of fast enough.

“You know I’ll help you Chuck. But damn if it won’t put a crimp in my love life.”

“I don’t care if you bring a woman in the shack for the night. But it’s lust life, not love life.”

“Whatever it is I want it to continue it.”

“I’ll tell you what. I have a 1960 black Cadillac Coupe DeVille convertible I’m picking up this week out on the end of the island. It needs a motor and front nose. I already have a 1960 Caddy in the back with good fenders and grill on it. You can have the motor out of that 1962 Caddy over there. You catch these guys it’s yours.”

“Why is someone junking a five year old Caddy. It seems to me that the insurance company could fix it cheaper than totaling the whole car out and scraping it?”

“The wife hit a tree and was thrown out of the car. She died at the hospital. The husband doesn’t want to see the car again, so you would have to paint it another color after you fix it.”

“I can’t take all that from you Chuck.”

“I’m only giving him two hundred for it. If you catch these guys it will be worth it. One other thing though.”

“What’s that?” I asked.

“We think that the mob might be behind it.” They could get rid of large amounts of auto parts. Who else is going to be able to get rid of about five hundred carburetor’s and five hundred alternators a month?”

“Oh frigging great Chuck.”

“Anyway, if you catch them and put them out of business the wrecking yard association will pay you for your trouble also.”

“How many yards have they hit?”

“Just about everyone on Long Island that belongs to the association.”

“Maybe the mob wants you to pay protection to them.”

“No one has contacted anyone.”

“Not that you know of, maybe some have and are already paying.”

“I didn’t think of that.”

“Ok I’ll give it a try.”

“Thanks Johnny.”

“Look on the list of yards and see if any were not hit again lately.”

“Ok I will. I’ll let you know at the club tonight.”

“I won’t be at the club tonight; I’m going to see Penny on her boat.”

“What are you frigging nuts? Howard will be out of jail in a few months. You know that crazy bastard will kill anyone that has been messing with his wife.”

“They’re divorced.”

“Like that matters much to that nut job.”

“It kind of makes it more of a thrill seeing her.”

“You’re going to thrill your self right into a grave one of these days.”

“Nice way to go though.”

“I got work to do Johnny. Be careful with her.”

“Ok I’ll see you in a few days, unless you want me to go pick up the Caddy for you?”

“That would be great. You can take the new wrecker to get it.”

“I’ll pick it up tomorrow if that’s all right with you and the owner?”

“That will be fine. Come in the office and I’ll give you a check for the guy.”

“I want to come with you when you buy the two new watchdogs. I need to make friends with them fast. I don’t want them chewing my ass up one night here.”

“I’m going to pick them up Friday at nine in the morning over in Belmore. Can you get up that early?”

“How does Connie feel about me being involved in trying to catch these guys?”

“Connie was the one who wanted me to ask you.”

“Wow.”

“Connie likes you Johnny. She is just afraid that I will get in trouble hanging with you. I have a lot more to loose now.”

“Yes you do. You have come a long way baby.”

We both laughed at that as I got on my bike and took off for the poolroom.

Oceanside Billiards has been around for over twenty years. It’s where I hung out in my teen years. I’ve probably made more money playing pool in there than Bob the owner has on the tables. It also has a small bar where Tina works. Tina and I use to live together before she found out I couldn’t be faithful to one woman very long. We are still good friends. She always told people that I would make a good husband for someone if there were no other women around with in fifty square miles.

“Hi Johnny, how are you doing?” Bob the owner asked as I came through the door.

“I’m doing pretty well, how about you?”

“I’m hanging in there.” He said as he handed me my two piece cue out of his cue locker.

“I’ll take table six Bob.”

“You got it. Here are the good Armith Balls.

“Thanks.”

I saw Corina Ash the number four ranked women pro in the nation on a back table with Larry Sparten her banker watching her. He glanced at me and nodded. I waved to him and Corina. Corina was a pro on the women’s tour out of Oceanside Long Island. She could hold her own with most men.

Just as I thought, after I practiced for about fifteen minutes over came Larry to ask if I wanted to play Corina for some money.

“I’ll play her straight up Larry, but I’m not giving her any weight. She’s too damn good to spot balls to.”

“How about you give her the break and two on the wire in a race to seven games for two hundred?”

Giving her the break meant she broke the balls for every game no matter who won the last one. Two on the wire meant that I would give her a two game start. Meaning in a race of the first to win seven games of nine ball she only had to win five to my seven.

“I’ll give her one on the wire and the break for two hundred.”

“Ok you’re on, let’s do it Johnny.”

I had played Corina many times even. But giving her a spot of any kind was going to make me really work for my money. She was the real deal and she didn’t choke for money. A red head at about five foot six with a stunning figure through a lot of guys she played off their game. I just hoped I wasn’t one of them.

Today she wore tight black jeans with a white v-neck that showed a little bit more than neck. The thing that would help me is she told me long ago that she wouldn’t go out with me if we were on a deserted island together. She just didn’t know the real me.

“Put your money up and rack them up chump.” She said.

Oh and did I mention she had a big mouth?

After she jumped out to a four to nothing lead, there was no catching her. The break in nine ball is so important. At the pro level, if they make a ball or two on the break and wind up with a shot on the lowest ball on the table, they usually run out the rest of the rack for the win. The final score was seven to four Corina.

“Do you want to try to get even Johnny?”

“Try my ass. I’m going to beat you bad.”

“You couldn’t beat me with a stick.” Corina laughed.

“Its funny when you’re winning how much fun you can have. But this time her break wasn’t working for her and she came up dry on most of the breaks. I beat her seven to two.

“Do you want to play the next set for five hundred?” The banker asked.

“Not unless we play winner breaks I don’t.” I said.

“I can’t do that Johnny.”

“That’s no problem. We’re even, let’s call it a tie. Goodbye Corina, and good shooting.” I said.

“See ya Johnny, you too.”

After a bite to eat at the dinner and picking up my cloths from the cleaners, I rode home to get ready to go over to Penny’s boat at seven.

I parked my bike on the wooden walk way by her thirty-six foot Chris-Craft. Thirty-six foot was bigger than I remembered them to be. Only having small runabouts and hydroplanes since I was twelve, I didn’t get to go on big boats that much. I had worked at a large boat yard for a year and got pretty good at handling them though.

Penny must have heard me ride up on my Indian, because she came up on deck before I could ring the little bell on a pole on the dock.

Hi Johnny. I’m glad you could make it.”

“Hi Penny, I brought the beer, but I’ll have to call for the Pizza. It's hard to carry a pizza on a bike and the wind would make it cold before I got here.”

“Come on aboard. I’m cooking some lobster that Red gave me this afternoon. We can have the pizza latter if you still want it.”

“Lobster works for me.”

“Come on down below, I won’t bite.”

“Sorry to hear that.”

“The food will be ready in about a half-hour. Open up a couple of beers and relax.”

The large main cabin was paneled with white oak halfway up the wall. The kitchen was small but seemed to have everything one would need. I popped the tops off two bottles of beers and sat down at the small table.

“This is nice Penny.”

“I love it here on the water. I might even sell the house when it’s ready and live on here permanently.”

“Sounds like a plan. Can I help you with anything?”

“Nope, it’s just about ready. I’m just waiting on the baked potatoes. I hope you’re hungry?”

“I’m starving. I haven’t had anything since I was in your diner this morning.”

“Let me show you the rest of the boat. This in here is where I sleep and the bathroom is in there. That’s about it.”

The bedroom was almost as large as the main cabin. The bed was queen size with a mermaid mural painted on the headboard. The whole boat was kept very neat and clean.

“That’s a cool painting on the headboard there.”

“My girlfriend Sherry is an artist. She took the headboard off awhile back and painted it on there for me.”

“She’s very good. I don’t know that much about art, but it looks like it’s good to me.”

“She is good. She sells her paintings in a gallery in Queens and one out in Sag Harbor.”

I noticed Penny had on a very short green skirt with a black turtleneck. Every time she bent over to check in the oven, I could see her green panties. At this point I didn’t know which one I was more hungry for , the lobster meat or the Penny meat.

“Ok it’s ready. Do you want sour cream for your potato?”

“No just butter please.”

“Dig in and help yourself to whatever else you need.” She said.

The lobster was fresh and cooked to perfection. After the dinner with two more bottles of beer I was stuffed.

“That was a great meal Penny. I didn’t know you could cook like that.”

“There’s a lot you don’t know I can do.”

“I’m sure.”

“How about taking me for a ride after I clean everything up? I love riding on the back of motorcycles.”

“Let me give you a hand cleaning up and then we can take a ride down to Long Beach.”

“Sounds good to me.”

After cleaning up, Penny went into her bedroom to swap her skirt for a pair of blue jeans with black leather motorcycle jacket and boots. Then she came over and kissed me on the neck and said.

“Come on lets go James Dean.”

“James Dean?”

“That’s who you remind me of.”

“Is that a good thing?”

“Very.”

“Just call me James then.”

I took Long Beach Road to head down to the boardwalk. The big oversize seat on the Indian fit us both like a glove. I felt the warmth of her pressing up against my butt while we bounced along.

“This is a nice bike Johnny. It’s nice and big and rides smooth.”

“It’s eight hundred and forty pounds. It should be.”

“Let’s stop at the Sand Bar and have a couple of belts of Tequila and head back to the boat.”

“Sounds like a plan to me.” I said starting to drool.

When we got to the bar we did the salt and lemon thing three times and jumped back on the bike and headed for the boat.

“Let’s take a little swim when we get back to the boat.” She shouted into my ear over the roar of the bike.

“Don’t you think it’s a little cold for swimming this time of year?”

“Don’t worry, I promise to warm you up after the swim. She said while nibbling on my ear.”

“Bingo.” I thought.

“Swimming it is then. But I’m going to be very cold after being in that cold water.”

Penny just laughed a sexy laugh.

Back at her boat we both stripped down to our underwear and dove off the side of the boat. Penny swam back and forth across the canal three or four times before she stopped by the ladder of the boat. She was a very powerful swimmer I noticed.

“I’ve had enough. That felt good.” She said as she climbed up the ladder with her green panties clinging to her. Her large breasts were just about out of her bra from the swimming.

When I got up on deck she threw me a big towel to dry off with and said she would be back out in a minute.

“Why don’t you pour us a couple more Tequila’s while I’m getting dry? The bottle is in the cabinet there.”

“Sounds good to me.”

When she came back out she was in a white terry cloth robe with her long hair pulled back in a ponytail. In the light of the one little light in the cabin she looked like Bridgett Bardot.

“After we each had two shots of the firewater she said.

“Come on in the bedroom and bring the Tequila and two glasses.”

I woke up when the sun started shinning into my eyes at eight-thirty. I don’t think I ever had been so completely drained from a woman before. We had made love three times and then fell asleep in each other’s arms.

“Good morning Johnny, was I all you thought I would be?”

“Everything and more. Geeez I’m about dead.”

“You were great yourself tiger. I think we made the mermaid here blush.” She laughed.

“I’d really like to see you again Penny.”

Aren’t you afraid of Howard?”

“Some things in life are worth the danger. I fact it adds to the excitement of the whole thing.” I said meaning every word.

“You can sleep as long as you want but I have to get ready for the lunch shift at work.”

“I'm going to head out too. I have to go get Chuck’s tow truck to pick up my new car out East.”

“What did you get?”

“A black 1960 Cadillac convertible Coupe DeVille.”

“Wow that’s cool Johnny.”

“Well it needs some work and I have to repaint it but it will be worth it.”

“I love those cars.”

“Me too. I said.

“Call me when you’re free to go out again. I really enjoyed last night.” She said.

“I will but I just told Chuck and his wife I would do something for them.”

After telling her what I had to do and that I had to spend a week or so of nights in the wrecking yard shack, she said maybe she could join me a few nights.

“I’d like that Penny.”

“You would love that Johnny.”

“That too.”

“Ok I got to shower, call me when you can.”

“I will Penny, take care.” I said kissing her on the lips.

I was in love again.

I picked up my car and brought it back to Chuck’s with no problems. Chuck was out picking up some car his helper Bob said. I was still beat from the night before with Penny so called it a night early.

The next morning I went out to pick up the two new dogs with Chuck. They were two almost all black German Pincher’s. A little under two years old and already trained for guard duty.

For the next two weeks I spent my days at Chucks yard working on my new car and most of my nights on Penny’s boat. The car was just about ready to have painted. I figured I better wait until I caught these guys before I did anymore to it, being that I hadn’t earned it yet.

Penny and I were getting along great. She was a free spirit like me and didn’t ask a lot of questions. She was everything I liked in a woman. If this kept up I would have to make a decision before Howard got out of jail. Everyone was right. He would try and kill anyone that was with his ex wife.

Then I got a call from Chuck on a Monday morning. He said that two wrecking yards were robbed over the weekend, one in Freeport and the other in Valley Stream. Both of them were with in five miles of Chucks. This time they took motors and automatic transmissions.

“I’d like you to start staying at the yard starting tonight Johnny.”

“Ok no problem Chuck. I’ll be there around six.”

The first two nights all was quiet and boring. The next day Penny was off so I figured I’d spend the day with her. We took my Indian for the hundred-mile trip out to Montauk Point, the eastern most tip of Long Island. I even let Penny ride me on the back of the bike for the last thirty miles. She had owned her own bike at one time so I knew she could ride well. I have been to just about every state in the country, including Alaska, and except for Alaska I’ll take Long Island over the rest. The island is a hundred-twenty miles long and fourteen miles wide at its widest. You have the rolling hills and the Long Island Sound on the North shore, and the beaches on Atlantic Ocean on the South shore. Boating and fishing are world class too. More than ninety fishing records are from it. One thing you find on Long Island that not many places have is the four distinct seasons. About three months each of fall, winter, spring, and summer. None of them are extreme.

“This is a great bike Johnny. Now I know why they say to put an Indian between your legs.”

“Ummmm I think that’s a Harley between your legs.”

“Whatever, doesn’t Indian sound better?”

“I’m part Indian you know.” I said.

“What part?”

“The good part.”

Let’s head back to the boat for some tepee time.” She said.

“Young brave coming.”

“Not yet I hope.” She laughed.

When we got back to the boat Penny made some roast beef sandwiches that we ate out on the deck with bottles of beer to wash them down.

“What do you want to do now?” Penny asked.

“I need to go get some black spray paint and paint these two dog muzzles I bought. I want to put them on the dogs when it gets dark so they can bark but can’t eat any poison meat that the thief’s might throw over the fence again.”

“You’re a smart little sucker aren’t you?”

“That’s why they pay me the big bucks.”

“Are you going to have time for a nap with me before you have to go to Chucks tonight?”

“The paint can wait a few more hours. I need my nap for strength to catch the bad guys.”

“I thought that would be the case. Come on lets take a shower first.”

After a shower and umm, a nap, I headed for the paint store and then to Chuck’s wrecking yard.

I spray painted the outside of the muzzles and hung them outside to dry and air out the paint smell. When I put them on the dogs you couldn’t tell they were wearing them in the dark.

Nothing happened that night but the next night about one in the morning the dogs started to growl. I saw three guys over by the side gate next to a large U-Haul-It. I saw someone throw something over the fence. I took my 9 mm. Beretta out of its shoulder holster and checked that the clip was full. Then I made my way toward the side gate, keeping low behind cars to where the dogs were. I quickly took their muzzles off and put strong rubber bands around their snouts way they couldn’t bark, making sure they could still breath well. Then I put leashes on them and took them back inside the shack where I tied them up.

When I got about twenty-feet from the side gate I found the meat they had thrown over. I threw it over the opposite fence so they wouldn’t see it. When I saw them cut the lock on the fence with a bolt cutter and start the truck up, I ran back to the shack and called the police to tell them there was a robbery in progress at Chuck’s Wreaking on Drew Street. Then I ran back to with in fifty-feet of the side gate watching them back the big truck in. Of course I couldn’t wait for the cops to come, so when they were all out of the truck standing together I jumped out with my gun drawn.

“Hit the ground assholes, your surrounded.”

I guess they didn’t believe me because they all drew guns and started shooting at me. My second shot put one down and my fourth shot found its mark on another of them. The third guy put his hands in the air.

“Throw the gun away from you and get on the ground face down.” I shouted.

As I was walking slowly up to him I heard the sirens from the cops getting closer. When I got to the three I found one dead with a hole in his chest and one badly wounded in the upper thigh. I hurried over to the guy on the ground, flipped him over and hit him hard across the bridge of his nose.

“I’m only going to ask this question once a******. Who is behind this gang and where are you taking or selling the parts?”

He hesitated a second so I shot him in the foot.

“Owww, all right don’t shoot me again. Sam Stalone runs the operation for Joe Lucie. They are selling the parts to a used parts place in Brooklyn that ships them overseas.”

I hit him on the nose again.

“And Lucie wants to run the wrecking yard association?” I asked.

“Yes.”

Joe Lucie was the head of a Long Island crime family. He ran trucking and construction among other things. This was not good for my future health.

Then all hell broke loose as the cops came roaring in the yard like they were on TV show. Jumping out of their cars with guns drawn I thought they were going to shoot me.

“Throw the gun down and get on the ground now.” They all seemed to yell at once.

After questioning me for a few minutes, my friend Detective Molloy arrived on the scene. Of course he was very pleasant as usual.

“Put cuffs on Mr. Sax here and take him back to the station.”

After four hours of questioning by Molloy and his partner, they decided to hold my gun and investigators license until an inquiry was complete.

I was lucky that the guy I questioned ratted out Lucie for all the robberies and one murder. He got life in Attica prison.

The Wrecking Yard Association gave me over twenty grand for stopping the robberies, but the state kept my license and gun permit thanks to the testimony of Detective Molloy.

Penny sold her house and we took the boat down to Tampa Florida. Then I came back to New York for my Caddy. I joined her on the boat in Tampa the next month.

She bought a small diner that was just opened for breakfast and lunch Monday through Friday down in the business district. She is doing very well.

You can find me working on my tan on the boat deck by day and most nights at a pool hall hustling pool. I love it when a plan comes together.

End