Late May, 1990
It was a warm, sunny afternoon, Hines Wadsworth; a noted realtor was showing Conrad several properties on Wrightsville Beach.
"Wrightsville Beach is not your typical beach resort town. It's quite unlike Myrtle Beach, for instance. There is no carnival atmosphere — no Ferris wheels, no arcade, no mini golf or bumper boats, and only a few gaudy displays of beach merchandise. It's first and foremost an affluent residential community that has its roots in Wilmington. For more than a century, the 5-mile-long island has been a retreat from the summer heat for Wilmington residents whose families have maintained ownership of beach homes there for generations.
"The first large structure was the Carolina Yacht Club, built in 1856, which today is the second oldest in the country, after the New York Yacht Club."
Wadsworth pulled the convertible off onto the shoulder of the road to give Gentner the opportunity to gaze at the magnificent view of the ocean.
"It's something, isn't it?" he said.
Conrad nodded his agreement.
"You know, until 1935 a trolley system from downtown Wilmington to the beach provided the only land access to the island. Oh, up ahead... you can see we're coming to the northernmost end of the Island... that large building is Shell Island Resort. Some people consider it controversial because of its proximity to Mason Inlet.
"Since the 1970s development has increased at a rapid rate. As you've seen, many of the homes along the beach are considered to be prime examples of contemporary beach architecture. The choice lots are going fast and I'd say you really have two choices: build on the lot of your choosing, or buy a spacious condo in the Shell Island Resort."
"I've heard that there might be problems over time with the inlet. Erosion, that kind of stuff," Conrad said.
"We can't control Mother Nature, Mr. Gentner. But I can tell you this: there are enough prestigious owners in the Resort that whatever funds are necessary to cover dredging or the like to keep the ocean at bay will always be available. Several County Commissioners, two former mayors and a U. S. Senator all own units there. It has its own private restaurant and a lovely stretch of beach. All in all, it's a bargain at the price they're asking."
"Anyone in particular I might talk to about financing the deal?"
"There are plenty of sources, but I'd recommend Joe Marcolina local banker."
"Marcolina, you say, huh?"
"Yes, very reliable and capable."
"Well, let's have a look at one or two units, and then break for lunch."
"Yes, sir, Mr. Gentner, I know the perfect spot for that too."
*****
The following day, Gentner held a meeting in Wilmington with the leaders of his drug cartel. The principal subject was Marty Piatkowski, and his bold attacks on their counting houses.
"Why can't we find the mother-fucker, Boss? Someone must know where he's holding up?" Chang Clobey said as he ground out a cigarette.
Vic, well tanned and looking good for someone in their late sixties said, "He stays under the radar. From what we can tell, he doesn't spread himself around. The last anyone reportedly saw him was at the card game in Jersey City the night he was released from prison. My guess is anyone he happens to meet with keeps it to themselves."
"Why?" asked Rowles a recently added henchman.
"You gotta ask why? Vic smiled. "It's because of who we are. We have a certain rep. A hard, well earned rep. People don't want to get involved with us." He turned toward Gentner. "Conrad, you know, it might be worth our while to salt some money out on the street. You know, no questions asked, just cash for the right services rendered."
"Do it," Gentner said immediately.
"Who do we know of might be a friend of his?" The Thin Man asked softly.
"Toughey," Clobey answered. "But I should also say he's being watched and so far ain't showed us nothing."
"We might ask him a little more forcibly," the Thin Man suggested.
"Do that too," Gentner spat out. "I want that Pollock's balls strung up on a barbed wire fence in Bayonne, where everyone knows him can see 'em."
*****
A week later, Marty heard through the grapevine that Roger Toughey's body had been picked out of the Hudson River. It was evident that he had been tortured to the point of decapitation before dying. The police admitted they were puzzled and had no solid clues from which to develop a case.
"That's going to cost him," he fumed to Tuskegee Wilson and the others.
"Who else you think they might know about, Marty?" Wilson asked.
"I know it sounds foolish, but I can't think of anyone else they might think of. Roger and I went back a few years. The rest of you are new."
Marty turned to face the men seated at the table and asked, "Anyone here recall mentioning anything about me to anyone. And I mean anyone. I bet Gentner has money out for any information or leads on us."
The men were quiet and thoughtful, for they were no fools. They knew what Toughey had undergone before he died and none of them wanted a similar fate.
Big George Burns spoke up after a while, "We should go after one or two of his men."
"I know of two," Marty offered. "Chang Clobey and a guy named Vic.
"That the older guy? Spends most of the time in Florida?" Burns asked.
"That would be him," Marty said.
They realized that none of them had heard about him in recent months.
"Gone to ground, or just out there on the fringes?" Teddy Kunz wondered aloud.
"You know, Teddy," Burns said, "You may have something there. He may be semi-retired. Just does the odd job for Gentner."
"He may also be the number two in his organization," Marty offered. "We should be able to find Clobey. Let's concentrate on that. Maybe he'll tell us something before we throw him into the fucking Hudson."
It took a week and a half to locate Clobey. Harry Carson got a lead on his whereabouts. Wilson and Kunz subdued and brought him to Marty's hideout in a van.
Chang Clobey knew what was in store for him, and to his credit, didn't give up easily. But after three days of torture, he decided he was ready to die and told them what they wanted to know. Marty confirmed Vic's location and more about the heretofore unknown organization man, and only then did they put Clobey down.
They captured Vic in the garage of his Miami Beach front home. He was a man who lived alone, and they kept him prisoner in his home for nine days, extracting every piece of information they could from him then garroted him, leaving him with his head in the toilet.
Gentner learned about Clobey the day his body was fished out of the Hudson. When he couldn't contact Vic, he knew Clobey had talked. He also reasoned that Clobey didn't know all that much about the organization, but that Vic did, having been instrumental in setting it up along with Conrad.
His first action was to reinforce his immediate crew both in New Jersey, New York and of course his Wilmington base. His second was to request Klass Bruinsma's help. Bruinsma sent eight heavy-hitters to Wilmington that night. They all spoke English and were experts in their field, which was disposing of 'people problems.' Gentner assigned two of them to Sosnowski, Klouse, Mangin, and Rowles in order to maintain cohesiveness within his newly expanded organization.
