by Karen Black
He paused, and turned toward Corky, “Not as good as the Ecofreaks, but….”
Corky beamed.
“In exchange for a little leniency–not sure what they promised, but I think they took the needle off the table–Jack confirmed to the FBI the identity of the two Chinese henchman he’s been working with, and where he thought they might be. I learned just before we took off looking for you, they were both killed in a shootout with the FBI in Los Angeles early this morning. Turns out they were paid by this Chinese company, Jinshue Manufacturing, to deter competition in the rhenium market. But the company was not aware of their enforcement tactics. At least that’s the official version, and the guy in charge of the FBI in Anchorage says he thinks the company is legit.”
“Do you think the company really didn’t know,” Corky asked, displaying a little of her usual skepticism of anything corporate.
“Let’s just put it this way,” Buddy Lee said, “there isn’t going to be an international incident about it.”
The phone rang, Buddy Lee answered, his eyes brightened, and he handed the phone to me. “Hennie,” was all he said.
“Hennie, thank God you’re okay, but there’s a hit out on you, and the bad guys have a contact in Tinman. I….”
“Slow down, Greg,” Hennie interrupted. “Let me bring you up to date on what’s been happening down here while, I’m told, you and Corky were enjoying a little outing in the snow,” he snickered.
“Yeah, we were doing a little communing with nature,” I commented sarcastically. That near-death experience, and my concern for Hennie, had left me in a less than humorous mood.
“As I told you after my house was bombed, I was suspicious someone in Tinman was involved. Had to be someone with enough access to bug phones and know Charley’s and my schedules. Only certain people had access to the executive floors. I wasn’t sure who I could trust, but I took a chance, and voiced my concerns to Leonard. I simply couldn’t imagine he would be involved, too much to lose. That rich wife of his would never tolerate any hint of scandal. We quickly eliminated all the partners as suspects…they’re all filthy rich, and as far as we knew, they all loved Charley. Leonard said even the Iceman shed a tear at Charley’s funeral.”
“Did you find out who it was? And how do you know you’re safe?” I was still concerned. And remembering Jack’s comment, the suspense was killing me.
“Patience, mi lad, patience. I’m safe, and the danger is over, but it did get a little exciting for a minute or two there. Leonard and I were meeting in his office, going through personnel records, when that gorilla of his, Abe, knocks and enters. Looking first at Leonard, he asked if he knew where Mr. Hennigan was. Then he saw me standing over by the file cabinet, out of his line of sight when he first entered. I told you he scared me, even when I thought he was just Leonard’s chauffeur and bodyguard, but when he pulled a gun and aimed it at me, at this point, I’m not ashamed to admit, I was petrified. I dropped to the floor apparently about one-tenth of a second before Abe pulled the trigger. Believe me, it wasn’t evasive action; my legs simply wouldn’t hold me up.” Hennie snickered again.
Having been the recent recipient of similar life-threatening events, I could empathize…totally. But how Hennie could maintain his self-deprecating sense of humor under these circumstances amazed me. “So, what in the hell happened? Abe’s got a gun and he’s shooting at you! I don’t understand why you’re still around for me to be talking to.”
“Well, it’s the damnest thing. I’d never suspect Leonard of even owning a gun, let alone keeping one in his desk drawer and knowing how to shoot. But he turned out to be the second coming of Wyatt Earp and his office became the O.K. Corral. He jerked a pistol out of his drawer, and before Abe could fire again, Leonard dropped him with one shot in the chest.”
“Holy Shit! Leonard…shot Abe!” That was almost impossible to picture. Corky and Buddy Lee threw surprised questioning glances my way.
“Abe’s shot went into the wall behind where I had been standing–before I did the brave thing and hugged the floor,” he paused again. “Abe died on the way to the hospital, but before the paramedics arrived, he confessed to Leonard and me…after I changed my pants…that he had been paid a lot of money to just keep tabs on Charley and me, bug our phones, report our schedules, etc. just exactly what I thought someone had been doing. Then, night before last, they called him and offered him another $250,000 and a new identity to kill me. Apparently, our old friend Jack ratted me out and told his contacts I hadn’t been incinerated when they bombed my house.”
“Yeah, he admitted as much to Corky and me. How’s Leonard holding up?”
“I think he’s okay now. When the cops first showed up, they treated him like a suspect in a murder investigation. I get the feeling they don’t much like civilians with guns. But after they interviewed both of us, pulled the bullet out of the wall and compared it to Abe’s gun, they slacked off a little. Leonard showed them that his gun was registered and surprise, surprise, he even has a concealed carry permit. Who’d of thunk it? Turns out he was raised on a ranch in Wyoming before he met the lovely and very wealthy Mrs. Nathan when they were in college. Bottom line, although I suppose it isn’t officially closed yet, the Lieutenant assured Leonard it would be ruled justifiable homicide, self-defense. And I think that has been assured after what I just heard a little while ago. When they finally got their warrant and went through Abe’s house, they found a bank book with $125,000 deposited the day before…probably the usual payment schedule…half up front and half when the job is done, his packed bags, new identity papers including a passport and a ticket to Morocco. No extradition, you know.”
“Well, after all that excitement, are you ready to take your place as a TINMAN partner and get back to something resembling normal? Maybe design yourself a new house?” I suggested.
“Yes to the first part, but I think I’m going to just rent, thinking about Charley’s place. It’s convenient, has a great view…and it happens to be vacant now.” Another snicker. “And I can buy the furniture from the estate for $500. Sam assures me there isn’t a big market for used furniture! I’d even hire Mrs. Morales to clean for me, but she’s probably not working as a cleaning lady anymore.” Then he added a bit nostalgically, “It’ll help me feel that Charley is just away for a little while. I really did love that guy,” he caught himself, “well, you know what I mean. He was a great boss and a kind, wonderful man.” He paused, remembering. “How about you? You and Miss Corky ready to get back to the real world?”
“Tell Leonard to schedule that board meeting for Monday, and we’ll be there.” I really need to discuss Leonard’s offer with Corky.
I reported to Corky and Buddy Lee what had happened. “Do you suppose that ends it? Those Chinese guys had tentacles out all over the country, people they could call to take someone out on a minute’s notice. Do you think this is really over?” I asked, still not feeling totally convinced.
Buddy Lee patted my shoulder. “I think it may be. The other thing the FBI agent told the Sheriff was that they had found a ‘shit-load’–his description–of information and records at the offices those two Chinese guys maintained in downtown L.A. They’d really set up an elaborate organization, even had one of their sons helping out.”
I remembered the little Oriental kid who had tailed me that day in L.A. I’d bet that was him. “What happened to the kid?”
“He’s being sent back to Hong Kong where his mother lives. Apparently, he hadn’t done anything really criminal, at least that they know of, just a delivery boy mostly.”
Buddy Lee walked over and put his arm protectively and lovingly around Corky, who had been very quiet. She patted his hand. “It’s hard to digest all that’s gone on over these past several days; it’s really quite overwhelming.”
“Oh, by the way, the US government does not want you to sell that mine to the Chinese…supposedly a national security concern. So, a representative of the government–Department of Energy, D
epartment of the Interior, Bureau of Mines, or Bureau of Land Management–I don’t know which one. All those names or initials were being tossed around as having an interest. Anyway, some high mucky mucks from one of those alphabet agencies would like to meet with you guys in Anchorage before you leave.”
“Oh, crap. I’m not exactly in the mood to meet with a bunch of bureaucrats; maybe later. We aren’t going to be in the market to sell the property to anyone right away.” I looked at Corky for her agreement; she nodded. “Can you get a message to them to maybe contact us in L.A. in a couple of days?”
Buddy Lee patted Max on the head and smiled. “You might want to talk to them before you leave Alaska. The FBI agent said the government is willing to pay you some big bucks for the property Charley left you. I think I heard them bantering around figures somewhere between fifty and a hundred mil. It would be paid out a few mil a year over several years to coincide with revenue from the mining operation. You’ll be grandparents by the time you receive it all, but that’s a pretty nice chunk of change.” Buddy Lee dropped his arm from around Corky, faced her and grinned as he dropped that bombshell.
At first Corky looked shocked or stunned but as it slowly registered with her what Buddy Lee had said, she became very animated, almost giddy. She hugged Buddy Lee tightly. He looked to be in heaven. Then she jumped up and down like a little girl, giggled her beautiful, no-longer-annoying, giggle and exclaimed breathlessly, “Wow, it’s really over. I don’t have to be a snow bunny bum anymore!”
I grabbed her, pulled her close and encircled her with my arms. Then dropping to one knee, and right in front of Buddy Lee, who was smiling broadly, holding Max’s collar and giving me a thumb’s up, I did what I had been trying to do for several days, “Corky Gonzales, will you marry me?”
EPILOGUE
A year later
After discussing Leonard’s offer with Corky, Greg accepted the job with TINMAN as Charley’s replacement, but insisted that his home base would be St. Paul, not Los Angeles. Since the jobs were all around the world, the Board, to which Greg and Hennie were elected, agreed that wouldn’t be a problem. Hennie, even though he was now a partner, agreed to work with Greg as he had with Charley.
Greg and Corky were married in a small private ceremony on Greg’s now-restored front porch in St. Paul. Mike and his wife were their attendants and only guests, except for Max, who seemed to think he was Greg’s best man, since he never left his side during the ceremony. Buddy Lee, after complaining that he couldn’t stand to see a grown man cry, shipped Max from Anchorage to St. Paul as soon as Greg and Corky settled in. In his phone call to give Greg the arrival information, he said, “That dog liked you best, right from the start. He’s been unhappy ever since you left, so consider him my wedding present to you and my beautiful Corky. She may be becoming your wife, but when you come back up here to oversee this damn dam project, you better bring her with you.”
Max settled in as well, but reluctantly. After some definite grumbling–there was no other way to explain his actions–he accepted the big dog bed on the floor as the place where he was to sleep. Truth be told, Greg would have allowed him to sleep with them, but Corky put her foot down. But each morning, at first light, Max jumped up onto the bed, licked Greg’s face and hands and snuggled under the covers on Greg’s side of the bed.
This morning, when Max settled in, forcing Greg to move toward the middle of the bed, Corky turned over, faced him, propped her head in her hands and, giving him one of her usual dazzling smiles, announced, “We’re going to need a bigger bed.”
“Why? He stays on my side. And he just comes up in the mornings.”
“Yeah, I know,” she agreed and then, with a twinkle in her eye, she teased, “but where are we going to put the baby?”
