Project Death — Richard Bertematti

Events spiral out of control when Tito's friend Pepito shows up, frantic. Before Tito can help him, Pepito is brutally murdered. The cops don't seem to care and the projects are back to normal within hours. But Tito cares - too much for his own good.
Aided by his old pal Alonzo, an ex-con who carries a "nine" as a matter of course, Tito sets out to hunt down Pepito's killer. Along the way he is accused of murder, runs afoul of the drug gangs, and finds himself sinking into a swamp of police corruption, drug deals, deception and life-threatening peril.