Meaning of a passage

Question

" -But it's your call, do what you have to.
- I always do.
-Two things.
- I'm counting.
- You send people after me, anyone up the line sends people after me, best keep the loading docks open for regular deliveries.
-This is the same Bernie Rose that said 'I don't ever threaten?'
- It's not a threat. Neither is this.
- What?
Nino's eyes met his.
- You don't get a free ride for old time's sake. I look in the mirror and see someone in the back seat, next thing I see ~~once I've taken care of that~~ is you.
-Bernie, Bernie. We're friends.
- No. We're Not."

This passage is from a novel - Drive by James Sallis. (These two guys are mobsters and have pizza saloons.)
I'm having difficulty understanding the dialogue, especially the bold parts and the threat. I know that it might be difficult to answer my request, but I thought that there might be someone who'd read the book. Thanks in advance.

Anonymous · Accepted Answer

I didn't read the book but I've made an attempt at deciphering this. There are apparently two mean talking here, Bernie Rose and Nino (apparently friends from way back and now fellow mobsters). There are 12 separate sentences here and I've numbered them 1 to 12.

1. Nino (Nino apparently leads off in the exchange, although by the sequence of exchange he speaks out of turn here; but the statement "I always do." is ominous, and Bernie is the one doing the threatening here, so the second sentence is apparently Bernie): Do what you have to do.

2. Bernie Rose: I always do.

3. Bernie: I've have two things to say.

4. Nino: I'll count them off as you say them. (Nino is being very flippant here in the face of an ominous situation.)

5. B: If anyone were to send people after me, even someone from way back like you ("anyone up the line" apparently means this), best keep the loading docks (in the morgue) open for regular deliveries (this is regional gangster slang apparently and I'm just guessing at the meaning). (This is the first of the two things Bernie has to say to Nino.)

6. N: This is the same Bernie who never threatens?

7. B: I am a person who prides himself on never threatening people. So what I just said was not a threat. And neither is this that I am now going to say to you.

8. N: Oh, and what else are you going to say to me?

9. Nino looks into his friend's eyes.

10. B: We go way back, the two of us. But you don't get a free ride with me for old time's sake. I always watch my back, and if I look in the rear view mirror and see someone coming up on me, I take care of that person, for good. I've done this before, and now I'm thinking I'm seeing you in that rear view mirror trying to come up on me.

11. N: Bernie, Bernie. We're old friends!

12. B: No, no friends where business is concerned.

Nadan · Answer

Thank you very much for the answer. I had no idea about the meaning of that slang expression. Now suddenly I understand all of it. Thanks again.

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