Stephen King
Taken under his wing.
One way or another, Terri had him sussed out and Shushan had taken him under his wing. Who could have known how important a love of literature was going to be, or what it could lead to. Shushan wanted Russell untroubled and that looked to be a matter of how you handled a priest; helped him to see the error of his ways, helped to find the penitent in him. He was made an offer he would be advised to accept, no matter how painful. Cat’s word was law everywhere in the neighborhood.
Only fly in the ointment. The State had questions for Mr Cats and he was due to be taken for a ride downtown and indicted. Before that could happen he was taken for a different ride – bloodstained front seat of a car, bullet shots, his car left with the doors wide open. He was the one person who knew everything that went down, too much for comfort.
Speculation was that he had gone to join the fish in the sea. And all the mobsters believed Russell was the anointed son. As Terri said, it was time for him to be a man among men. That or there would be turf wars to end all wars. What was a boy to do?