"We talked about stepping on toes before. What if I have to step on the toes of some city council members? Councilman Fink, for example? Won't that defeat your purpose?"

Burton laughed. "If you pull this thing off, the city council will have to vote us our money, sore toes or not."

Ness smiled on one side of his face.

"What do you say, Mr. Ness? Do you still want the job, after what you've just heard?"

Still smiling, Ness again shrugged. "How's the pay?"

"Not great, but it's a few thousand more a year than you're currently getting. There are some fringe benefits. We'll provide you with a city car. What are you driving now?"

"A black Ford coupe that belongs to the federal government."

"Well, in the future you'll be driving a black Ford sedan that belongs to the city. How's that for a step up?"

"My predecessor got a Rolls Royce, but what the hell. I live in Bay Village. Is that a problem?"

"You'll need a residence within the Cleveland city limits. I believe that can be provided for you. We could work out all these details-if you're interested in the job."

"Your Honor," Ness said, grinning like a kid, "I wouldn't miss this party for the world."

"Then let's get you sworn in," the mayor said, reaching for his phone. "The party starts tomorrow morning."

CHAPTER 3

It was almost nine that night when Eliot Ness, behind the wheel of the government Ford he would be turning in tomorrow morning, pulled into the drive of his Bay Village home. Several lights were on in the downstairs of the gray stucco, blue-shuttered two-story house. He hoped Eva hadn't waited dinner for him. He'd called to tell her not to, but she did have a considerable streak of martyr in her, God love her.

He left the Ford in the garage, a separate building with a rentable loft-they just hadn't gotten around to renting it yet-between the main house and the lakefront.