Street Smarts

 

Part I

By Robert Saltzman

 

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the author.

 

Although this work contains some historical facts, characters appearing in this work are fictitious. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead is purely coincidental.

 

 

 

 

Just another day

 

    Angel got in early. She looked at the BOLOs that were left on her desk. They were the results of the crimes that had happened the night before; all the detectives got copies. She looked them over as she sipped her coffee. The first one read like a dime-store novel.

Wanted: For armed robbery. Male Hispanic, wearing a white tee shirt, blue jeans, sneakers, and a red bandana that was used to cover his face.

Angel had to chuckle thinking about how she used to dress just like that. Maybe she would have been a suspect. The next one was intriguing. She couldn’t help cracking a smile as she read on, not that crime is funny, but this was Karma funny.

 

Wanted: For strong arm robbery. Two males: one African American, one Hispanic or light skinned African American.

Subject one: African American 18yrs. to 25yrs., 5’7” to 5’10”, 160lbs to 180lbs. wearing a dark blue or black hoody, blue jeans, sneakers, may have a broken nose.

Subject two: Hispanic or light skinned African American 18yrs. to 25yrs., 5’5” to 5’8”, 125lbs to 145lbs., slight build. Subject was wearing a blue or black tee shirt, blue jeans and white sneakers.

 

The victim was accosted near an alley at the corners of East Houston and Pike Streets.

 

Subject one stepped in front of him saying, “Give it up.” The victim kicked the perpetrator in the face sending the subject back and down. Subject two attempted to hit the victim with a baseball bat. The victim managed to block most of the blow. He then proceeded to take the bat away from subject two and throw it at him when subject two turned and ran. Subject one got to his feet and ran in the opposite direction. A neighbor saw the altercation and dialed 9-1-1. The victim refused medical treatment offered at the scene. An area search did not locate either subject.

 

Victim: Michael Engelo 185 Mulberry St. Phone 212-555-4120.

 

Angel looked up as Bobby was walking through the office carrying his coffee mug. He was looking at her like she was the proverbial cat that had swallowed the canary. “What’s so funny?” Bobby asked. She proceeded to read him the BOLO, then gave him the good part like a blow by blow replay of a kick boxing match. Bobby said, “Oh man, a real badass. We got to go see this guy. Let’s take the case.” Angel agreed. She wanted to shake his hand. “You’ll never guess what the victim’s name is.” When she told him, Bobby said, “Michael Angelo?” “Nope, Engelo with and E,” Angel replied.

 

 

The Vic

 

Michael Engelo grew up in Little Italy; his father and uncle owned a small but thriving Deli/Dairy. They carried everything from meat to milk to band aids. Michael, his brother and sister practically grew up in the store. They lived upstairs and Uncle Sal lived above them with his wife and his cousin Tommy. Mikey, as they called him, never got involved with the knuckleheads in the neighborhood; his parents keep him close and working. At eighteen, after graduating from high school, he joined the Navy. He excelled in basic training and was recommended for the SEAL program. He did a six year hitch; he was deployed to the Philippines for eleven months. His team did covert missions chasing and neutralizing Islamic militants. When he came home, he went back to work for his father and uncle in the store. The Engelo brothers owned the building they lived in and another six flat apartment building next door.

 

The night of the attempted mugging Mikey was having a few beers with some friends at a local bar on East Houston St. He was walking home west on East Houston St. when he spotted subject one standing in front of a closed business. He looked across the street and saw subject two leaning against a car. He readied himself as he approached subject one, noticing subject two moving in behind him. Subject one stepped in front of him saying, “Give it up.” Before he was able to say one more word, Mikey gave him a straight kick, dead center in his face. Subject one back-peddled and sat down hard on his ass. Mikey spun around just in time to block most of the bat subject two was swinging at his head. The bat glanced off the side of his head, but he was able to grab it and twist out of subject two’s hands. He turned to make sure subject one wasn’t back on his feet and coming in behind him. Subject two took off running. Mikey threw the bat at him. When he turned around again subject one was up and in the wind. A neighbor rushed to his side to see if he was alright. Mikey took a seat for a few minutes and rubbed the bump on his head. When the cops arrived, Mikey and the witness gave them the story. The Crime Scene Unit was called; they took samples of the blood off the sidewalk from subject one’s bleeding nose. Mikey refused medical attention and was given instructions about calling them if he gets dizzy or faints. They told him he may have a concussion and rest is the best way to get his brain to recover.

 

A Knock on the Door

 

It was about 10:30 AM when Bobby asked Lieutenant Hall if it was OK for him and Angel to follow up on this street mugging or attempted mugging as it may be. Bobby and Angel headed up to Mulberry St. They parked in a loading zone because real parking spaces were non-existent. They took the stairs to the second floor of one eighty-five and knocked on apartment 2C. Mikey didn’t even ask who it was; he just opened the door. The two detectives identified themselves.

“Mr. Engelo, I’m detective Angela Gomez. This is my partner Detective Salter.” She told him they were going to work his case. Mikey repeated the story; it was exactly as it said on the BOLO. Bobby asked him if he thought he could identify either subject if he saw them again. He said he may be able to identify ‘batman’ but the hoody guy was pretty much covered up. Bobby liked Mikey right away. He could tell he was man’s man, someone you’d want on your side if there was a fight.

Angel said “Looks like they picked on the wrong victim.”