[ WP ] The air left my lungs

I turned into the alley off of Alder, and planted my feet. 
 
 `` Heard you was over by O'Brien's warehouse, Rinaldi.'' 
 
 I shrugged. 
 
 `` You been stickin' your nose where it do n't belong, Rinaldi.'' The lug at 
 
 the end of the alley walked forward. He was holding some sort of pipe. 
 
 `` Tell O'Brien if he does n't want me stickin' my nose in, he should n't hide 
 
 so many treats.'' I walked forward as to greet the man. 
 
 Ugly guy. Loose teeth, oily hair, a general countenance that led one to 
 
 crime, and on top of all that he did n't smell too nice. Too smart to crack 
 
 wise. 
 
 `` You do n't tell O'Brien, O'Brien tells you!'' He raised the pipe over his 
 
 head, and I gave him a jab in the nose. A cross to the gut. He toppled, 
 
 and I planted a big one in his back. 
 
 He started to move. 
 
 `` Hey. Stay down.'' He obliged. 
 
 At the end of the alley, on Holbrook, was a diner. I stopped in, ordered a 
 
 black coffee and a steak and eggs. The eggs were too runny, but the steak 
 
 hit the spot. I was on my second cup of coffee when the phone rang. 
 
 `` Is there a Jack Rinaldi here?'' said the waitress. I stood and took the 
 
 call in the booth. 
 
 `` Hello?'' 
 
 `` Jack?'' It was Sergeant Morrison. 
 
 `` It's me, Henry. Whaddya want now?'' 
 
 `` Jack, it's not that. Sammy's dead.'' 
 
 It felt like a punch in the gut. I sat down, the wind knocked out of me. 
 
 Sam Shelton had been my partner for three years. In that time he'd become 
 
 closer to me than my own mother. And now he was dead. 
 
 `` Who... who did this?'' I managed to say. 
 
 `` We do n't know.'' said Sgt. Morrison. 
 
 I hung up the phone. If they did n't know who did it, I was gon na find out.
