If these goobers even show up. Maybe Tom was wrong.
I tried to believe that, but the smell of paint and darkroom chemicals snapped me back to reality. I dug out a burner phone and thought it was dead when I couldn’t get a signal. It showed a couple bars when I stood near an exterior window.
VP picked up right away. “Yo, you psychic or something?”
“Something, I guess. What did I almost miss?”
“Hello? I’m in the missile silo and about to turn the key. Every file I have on that skunk will be pinging the inboxes of the press and after that the DA’s office. Right at the top I have a promise for every paper and station in town to get the same thing in one day.” She sounded like a kid on Christmas morning.
“I hadn’t forgotten.” Except I had a few other developments vying for attention in my addled brain.
“I’d begun to wonder, but you only said to wait a day,” she said. “I’m bouncing the address all over. He’ll know you had something to do with it, but good luck proving anything.”
“Yeah.” My mind began to race. “Hey, can you hold off on the whole info-missile thing one more day?”
“Only if you tell me why,” she said. “Remember what I said about info going stale. Our boy is sure to be trying to cover his tracks.”
“If you send that, don’t you think Barnaby will come running to me?”
“Like the proverbial scalded cat, but I told you—”
“I know. I’m not doubting that you covered our asses. I just can’t have him coming around Rollie’s place.” I thought quickly. “You either. Not for anything. That goes double for Ryan’s place.”
“Wait, what?” Her confusion poured out of the phone.
“One of Ryan’s adventures has just grenaded and I’m holding the bag.” I gave her the minimum essential details.
“These guys scare you that bad?” VP said. “You never mentioned what’s in the package. Enough for these guys to get that rough?”
“They do and it is.” I wasn’t embarrassed to admit it. “They’re not shy about hurting anyone they need to if it will get them what they want. Including Barnaby, you, Rollie. Anyone.”
“Shit. Okay, I’m in.”
“In what? Did you miss the part about them being killers? And our client, if that’s even the right word for it, will blame me if anything goes wrong, so I don’t even get to choose the coward’s way out.”
“So, you need help.”
“This isn’t fun and games with thermostats.” I told her what happened to Tom’s now headless courier. “And I’ve seen the aftermath of a couple of their firefights. More like slaughters, a big reason they are in trouble and why they are all the more desperate.”
“Desperate people make mistakes. And I’m not crazy. I don’t want to meet these characters, but you can’t be everywhere at once.”
“Meaning?”
“Meaning I can help you keep an eye out for them so you guys have a chance to see them coming.”
I knew if they made a move that we didn’t anticipate, it might be our last mistake. “What kind of help?”
“I’m thinking out loud here, but if you’re worried about them staking out where you live, how about some cameras? We can hook them up discreetly and I can let you know if they show up. Maybe you guys are all worried for nothing.”
“I’d love for that to be true, but …” She’d given me an idea. “You’d be able to watch those cameras from home?”
“Sure, wherever, really. And I could call you as soon as something happened. I could record the surveillance as well and review the footage so I could get a few winks of beauty sleep.”
“So, no way they’d know where you are? Can you only monitor your own cameras?”
“Are you thinking traffic cameras? I have something else to follow a moving target, but I’d have to be a lot closer.”
Interesting, but not where I was going. “I was thinking more like the security cameras at the Delivergistics site in Philly. There’s a whole network of them. If Grist and Mauser can’t find us, their next best move is to head over there.”
“Nice! Yeah, if I can get into the system, I can hack the cameras. I have a bunch of extra monitors. This’ll be sweet.”
“I’ll see what I can do to give you a head start into the security system at Delivergistics.” I just remembered. “But you’ll have to really cover your tracks. These guys aren’t just knuckle-draggers. They have an in to the personnel files and know my work schedule. I don’t know the extent of their computer sophistication, so try not to run into them online either.”
“This is where I’d usually act insulted, but considering what you already told me, thanks.”
“Can you print me up enough info for me to prove to Barnaby that we have his balls in a vice?”
She gave an overdramatic sigh. “You’re no fun anymore. I guess so, if you’re sure you want to spoil the surprise.”
“He’ll be plenty surprised. I need him to believe me so he doesn’t run into a buzz saw. Can you get me the cameras? Are they hard to set up?”
“Not if you know what you’re doing. I’ll take care of it.”
“No way. You can’t go near the place.”
“Thanks, Dad. I have some techies who can do it and they love to play spook, so anyone watching for you guys won’t have any idea what they’re doing.”
“I want to keep the circle tight, here—”
“Now I’m insulted,” VP cut me off. “All I’ll tell the techs is where the cameras need to go and to be discreet. I’m also adding a few so even they won’t know what the real surveillance subject will be.”
“That’s not bad. You’re on.”
“Apology accepted. Get your meet set up with Barnaby, and I’ll have a 420 courier drop off an envelope at the church. I’ll address it to the studio and have ‘Photos - Do Not Bend’ on the envelope.”
“420?”
“Stoner bicycle messengers. They’re like chill Kamikaze, but they get it done. You’ll have the stuff in a couple hours. The cameras will be up in a day or two. Is that cool?”
* * *
Scorpio Photography Studios: Two hours later
Sure enough, a young white guy with thick dreads of what may have once been dirty blonde hair but now was mostly just dirty showed up. Rollie signed for the thick cardboard envelope. I gave the guy a ten-dollar bill and got a “Thanks, Bro” in return.
“A punctual stoner. What’s the world coming to?” Rollie chuckled as he handed me the envelope. “Here you go, kid. Hope it’s enough to keep that asshole away from my casa.”
“Maybe we’ll catch a break.”
“If we need to save up luck, let’s spend it on the psychos who could kill us.” Rollie locked the big wooden doors.
“Do you need me for anything else before I head out?”
Rollie waved me off. “Go in peace.”
Chapter 23
Fishtown
I sat in my truck and waited. I didn’t think it would be long, since one of the benefits of being a scammer like Dr. Park allowed for good control of one’s hours.
At 6:15 p.m. he came out the door and I pulled right across the back of his Mercedes.
“Hey, I’m leaving! Move your truck.” He sounded like I wasn’t the first inconsiderate double-parker he’d seen in Philly.
I shut off the engine and hopped out with papers under my arm.
He took a step back and I thought he was going to bolt. Not good. He may have been older, but I no longer did speed without making my knee feel like it was on fire. “Hang on Doc, Barnaby sent me.”
I wasn’t in disguise, but I could see the confusion on Dr. Park’s face. I must have looked familiar from our visit to his clinic the other day and his brain was trying to figure out why.
“He didn’t want to use the phone, understand?” I gestured to the papers like that was supposed to mean something to him.
He stopped and looked at me again, caution and confusion battling it out
in his expression. “Who are you?”
I glanced around before speaking and lowered my voice. “The referrals. He told me to get over here and warn you before they come.”
“Who and what are you talking about?”
“Dr. Park, there’s not much time. I think they tried to find Barnaby already, you know, over at Mr. Oliver’s house.” By now I was almost whispering and he had to step closer to hear me.
“You work for Barnaby?”
“Oh my God, yes! He didn’t call ahead, obviously. That’s not a good sign.”
“What is this about?” I knew I had him or he would have run back to his building by now.
“Bayshore Insurance, they figured it out. Their rep had these on him.” I handed over a list of the bogus clients and some copies of the claims filings.
“How did—”
“Do you know Franklin?” I wasn’t sure if the name rang a bell, but it would sound good when he called Barnaby later. “It doesn’t matter, he also works for him and I guess Barnaby panicked. Franklin knocked the guy cold and we took these off him.”
“Knocked out?”
“I know, right? Digging the hole even deeper, but no going back now.” I shifted on my feet like I was itching to get away myself.
“I didn’t—”
“Me either. Look, I don’t know what they are going to do with him and I don’t want to know. But you can bet that’s not the end of it. Bayshore is onto us and the cops can’t be far behind.”
“The police?”
“Here, see for yourself. They already made the connection between you two.” I gave him the rest of the papers. It wouldn’t take more than a glance for him to see that someone sure had all the info to bury them both.
Dr. Park looked like a trapped animal. “What does he want to do?”
I shrugged. “This is the end of the line for me. I think he wants you to get out of town. Maybe destroy your records first, but it’s probably too late for that. I’m gone, and you best forget all about me. Last bit of advice, off the record.” I had his undivided attention. “If you do stick around, Barnaby might think you decided to cut a deal. You might want to get one of those remote car-starters,” I looked down the street and headed back to my truck.
As soon as I pulled out of the way, the doctor burned rubber on the way up the street.
* * *
Sandy called right in the middle of my short drive to Barnaby’s office. “Hey, is he still there?” I asked.
“Yeah. He’s yelling at someone on the phone. You found Dr. Park?”
“I think we stirred things up nicely. I’ll be there in a minute. Did you lock your door?”
“And turned out the lights like I went home. Do you really think this will work?”
“We’ll know soon.” I turned onto their street.
* * *
Fishtown: Barnaby Bones Chiropractors
I pulled up and he opened his office door before I could even knock. Almost like he was expecting me.
“What have you done?”
I strolled in like I owned the place. “Yes, I’d love to come in for a drink.”
He closed the door. “You take a lot of chances.”
Mason Oliver glared at me. His face was brick-red, going on purple, and the smug demeanor had disappeared.
I tossed the second copy of his records at his feet. I didn’t see a weapon on him, but I thought it would be wise to make sure he realized it wouldn’t be a good idea to blow me away on the spot. “Says the guy whose empire is built on fraud.”
He picked up the papers and shuffled through them, then glowered at me again. “What did you tell him?”
“Who?”
“Who do you think? Park! How did you get these?”
“I’d love to banter with you all night, but I have bigger problems than you.” I took a seat in what was his waiting room. We had the place to ourselves. “This isn’t a negotiation.”
“No? What would you call it? Park just called and said that I sent you to him.”
“I’d call it presenting you your terms of surrender, and considering I don’t want a nickel from you, they are more than fair.”
He laughed. “You don’t want anything?”
“I didn’t say that. You let me know there wasn’t going to be a reasonable solution, so I went forward with an unreasonable one.”
“What are you talking about?”
“You’re out of business. Forever, at least around here. Whether or not you stay out of prison will be up to you.”
“Is that a fact?” His face was still flushed, but I think his survival instincts were beginning to kick in. Good.
“It’s all there. The clients Park sent you, complete with contact information. And the bills to Bayshore Insurance.”
“So?”
“You have a better poker face than Dr. Park. He hit the roof, and by the end had the distinct impression that you were going to bump off the investigator and that he might be next. I expect he’ll be difficult to reach in the near future, though he is probably considering a chat with the DA’s office.”
“And if they have no idea what he’s talking about?” Barnaby gave a thin smile. “And what if he’s right and the ‘investigator’ does disappear?”
“You think I’m the key? It’s already arranged. Whether I live or die, this is going to the media, the DA and especially, how could I forget, all the stooges you bribed to file the claims in the first part. Are you prepared to mass-murder nearly fifty people just to avoid insurance fraud charges?”
“You wouldn’t dare. They’d bring your girlfriend in too.”
“I told her that, and can you believe it? She didn’t care. She’s willing to take the hit. And before you get any ideas that will make me get violent, she doesn’t have any copies of anything. They are already at dead-drop sites.”
He paused a long time trying to figure a way out.
“I almost forgot all the property you’re neglecting,” I said. “That’s going to make for excellent television.”
“What do you want, you bastard?”
“Same as what I told Park. You gone. You are out of the Pennsylvania business. Go quietly and you can save your money—well, most of it. And better still, you aren’t a legal scalp that an ambitious DA could try to parlay into higher office.”
“Most of it? So you do want money.”
“Not for me. If you go quietly, you are going to repair all those broken-down systems in Strawberry Mansion.”
“Like hell. Do you forget I know where you live, too, and your girlfriend?”
I held my temper. It wouldn’t help to start bouncing him off the walls. This way was better. “That’s what I thought.” I took out a final sheet of paper. “My people found where you tucked the laundered profits under the mattress.” I handed it over.
“What?” Barnaby scanned the paper that showed account numbers and balances across a half-dozen bank accounts. His face went pale when he saw the second sheet with the new banks, complete with all information where he’d transferred large sums as a precaution.
“If you decline my offer or try doing anything to myself or Sandy, that money is gone.”
Barnaby shook his head. “Bullshit. You’re just a truckdriver.”
“I’m just as impressed as you are, but why don’t you go online and check the current balances for yourself?”
He dove to the receptionist’s computer and his fingers danced across the keyboard. One account after another, and by the time he was done his face looked closer to plum-colored.
“You stole it! I’ll see you in prison with me. It’ll be worth it. I’ll have you shanked.”
“Don’t blow a gasket, champ. I didn’t do anything. I’m just a truckdriver.”
“You—”
I held up a finger. “Buuut, I could probably put in a good word to some people I know who could restore those ill-gotten gains, less the cost of capital repairs at Strawberry Mansion, of course.”
“Who
do you think you are, some kind of modern-day Robin Hood?”
* * *
I circled the block and saw right away that Barnaby had left, maybe forever. Whatever he did next would be as Mason Oliver, at least until he could cook up another bogus identity.
I went to the other doorway and tapped on it. I was glad to see that Sandy peeked out before opening it. She gave me a big hug and I stepped inside.
“It got quiet,” she said. “What happened?”
“A ton. I certainly gave him good reason to leave both of us alone.”
“So, what’s the problem?”
“I also gave him good reason to strike back, and I can’t say which way he’ll go. He’s smart, but he’s also arrogant and I don’t think he’s used to push back.”
She crossed her arms. “You’re not going to tell me to go into hiding again, are you?”
I took a deep breath. The excitement of confronting Oliver had been a fine distraction, but changed nothing about the certain threat posed by Grist and Mauser. I took her hand, which she allowed. “Sandy, I’m sorry if my trying to help made things worse.”
“It’ll be okay.”
“I hope so. I really do. I can’t tell you what to do, but you need to hear some things about me and when I’m done you may never want to see me again.” My heart was pounding in my chest but it felt great to have someone to talk to, even if it was for the last time.
“What are you saying?” She looked nervous.
“Oliver … Barnaby, whatever, called me ‘just a truckdriver.’ It’s not that simple. You understand?”
“You seem to have some, interesting acquaintances.” I appreciated her gift for understatement.
“That’s one way to put it. Most of them were Ryan’s people, but I seem to have inherited this crazy network he built.”
“What do you mean, inherited?”
No going back now. “Ryan isn’t away, or hiding. He’s dead. The world doesn’t know it, but now you do.”
“I don’t understand.”
“Nobody else can know this, but I trust you and need you to trust me. I’m going to tell you as much as I can without putting others in danger, including you. And me.”
“You’re scaring me.” Her hand shook and she pulled it back.
“I’m scaring me, too. I wish I could say none of this was my fault, but that would be a lie. Ryan was planning on sharing his weird empire with me but got himself killed before he could let me in on it. That said, I joined him once on a simple deal that almost got me killed and caught him in the end.”
Short Cut (The Reluctant Hustler Book 2) Page 14
