The Nephew

by Claude Bouchard

  “No arguments from me,” said Dave. “You certainly pulled it off.”

  Carlos nodded and turned to Leslie. “I’m sorry for your loss but I’m happy I heard you say what you did because it reflects how I feel. Danilo and Gabriel are responsible for mom’s death and I wouldn’t hesitate to pull the trigger to make them pay.”

  He shifted his attention to Chris and said, “I thank you for just considering letting me help you find these guys and getting this settled.” He smiled and tapped the steel band around his wrist. “I’ll do whatever it takes to get your trust back.”

  Finally, he turned to Jonathan. “I know the decision to keep me involved or not will be yours so I just want to tell you I really want this.”

  “No more stunts, right?” said Jonathan.

  “You have my word,” Carlos replied. “I’ll only do what you tell me.”

  “I’ll beat your ass if you don’t,” said Leslie.

  “And I’ll take over when she’s done,” Chris added.

  “You have nothing to worry about,” Carlos promised.

  “Good,” said Chris. “Come here. I think we can take off that bracelet.”

  “Can you turn the alarm off and just leave the GPS?” asked Carlos.

  “Sure,” Chris replied. “Why?”

  “Maybe I should keep it on,” said Carlos, “Just in case Danilo nabs me somehow.”

  “Good idea,” Chris agreed before looking at Leslie.

  “On it,” she said, tapping the keys of her laptop.

  “Told you he was smart,” said Jonathan.

  “Thanks,” said Carlos. “One more thing.”

  “What’s that?” asked Chris.

  “Have you guys had dinner yet?” asked Carlos.

  “No, we were waiting for you,” Chris replied.

  “Great,” said Carlos, “Because I’m starving.”

  Chapter 5 – Tuesday, August 8, 2017

  Gravenhurst, Ontario, 9:42 a.m.

  Danilo entered the training room and silently watched the stack of weights on the multi-gym travel up and down as Gabriel performed bench-presses, aware his boss detested being interrupted while working out.

  “How much you lifting?” he asked once the set was complete.

  “That was two-forty,” Gabriel replied, adjusting the machine to increase the weight. “What is it? I’m busy here.”

  “I got a call from Raynes,” said Danilo, referring to one of several lawyers they dealt with.

  Gabriel stopped what he was doing and turned to Danilo. “What about?”

  “Alonso Amaya,” said Danilo. “It’s a bit complicated.”

  “I’m a smart man, Dani,” Gabriel snapped. “What about Amaya?”

  “Alonso went off for deliveries yesterday,” Danilo replied. “He was in London and saw Fernando at a strip mall. He tried to take him in but a car ran him down in the parking lot. Next thing he knew, he was in the hospital and was under arrest.”

  “What for?” Gabriel demanded. “For getting run down? And what happened to Fernando?”

  “He had grabbed Fernando and had him in the back of the van when he got hit.” Danilo explained. “When the cops showed up, he was out cold with a gun in his hand and they found coke and cash in the van.”

  “Fucking idiot,” Gabriel muttered. “How much did he have?”

  “A couple of kilos,” said Danilo, “And almost fifty thousand in cash.”

  “Jesus goddamned Christ,” Gabriel swore. “What about Fernando?”

  “No clue,” said Danilo.

  “That fucker is costing us a fortune,” Gabriel ranted. “So, the cops are looking for him now?”

  Danilo shook his head. “Alonso didn’t mention Fernando to the cops. A couple of witnesses said there was another man with him when he got hit but Alonso insisted he was alone. He also told them the gun, cash and coke must have been planted after he got run down.”

  “Ha,” Gabriel laughed without humour. “Like that’s gonna fly. At least he was smart enough to shut up about Fernando. Did he see who hit him?”

  “He didn’t see anything,” said Danilo, “But nobody would be stupid enough to team up with Fernando against us. That’s suicide. The only one who makes sense is his kid, Carlos.”

  “Then you have to find the little bastard,” said Gabriel. “Him and Fernando.”

  “I have people looking,” said Danilo, “But they could be anywhere.”

  “Tell them to look harder,” Gabriel ordered. “I’ll pay fifty thousand a piece for their heads, a hundred thousand each if they bring them to me alive. I’ll show them what happens when someone screws with me. Find them.”

  “I’ll get the word out,” said Danilo.

  “Do that,” said Gabe. “Did you hear anything more about Chavez or Abrego?”

  “The cops talked to Mastriano,” Danilo replied. “He told them he hadn’t been up to Maynooth in a while but he’d given keys to a number of friends over the years so that must be how somebody got into the cottage. Said he didn’t know Chavez or the victim, end of story. I heard nothing about Abrego.”

  “Just keep your ears open,” said Gabe. “The cops will tie this together sooner or later unless they’re stupid.”

  “Even if they do, how does any of it concern us?” Danilo challenged. “Sure, Ed and Julio were Mara but it doesn’t mean we were involved with whatever they were doing. They can’t talk, They’re dead.”

  “What about Ortez?” asked Gabriel.

  “I still don’t know what happened to Joe,” Danilo admitted, “But if Fernando and Carlos are getting revenge for Donna, Joe might be dead too.” He paused for a moment then added, “You might want to get a couple more guys up here until we know what’s going on.”

  “Are you scared Fernando and his kid are gonna take us out?” Gabriel retorted. “I’ve got three guys roaming around, we’re all fenced in and we have cameras. Anyhow, hardly nobody knows about this place, which is why I like to hang out here.”

  * * * *

  Sheraton Centre, Toronto, Ontario, 10:07 a.m.

  “Gabriel Ramos is in Gravenhurst,” said Perriello, “And so is Danilo Meija, or he was there late yesterday.”

  “And you know this how?” asked Chris, “If I may ask.”

  “But, of course,” said Perriello. “I’ve been tracking MS-13 for years and happen to know Ramos acquired a lot in Gravenhurst on Cliff Bay and built what has become his main residence in recent years.”

  “I looked into properties owned by Ramos but didn’t find that one,” Dave commented.

  “A shell company owns it,” Perriello explained. “Games criminals play to foil their enemies. Anyhow, when Chris asked me for possible locations Sunday night, I figured he’d be in Gravenhurst, so Ty and I headed there yesterday to have a look around. Danilo’s Caddy was parked out front when we drove by and we saw him and Ramos on the dock later when we cruised by.”

  “You even had a boat?” said Dave. “I’m impressed.”

  “It’s Benny’s,” Perriello explained. “He has a place up there he inherited from his grandfather. It’s on Muskoka Bay, just south of Ramos’ property.”

  “What can you tell us about Ramos’ property?” asked Jonathan.

  “The lot is about two and a half acres,” Perriello replied. “It’s fenced along the front and sides. It’s not closed off along the water but cliffs make for difficult access for the most part. The house, more like a castle, is over twelve thousand square feet of living space on two floors with a three-storey turret on either end. There’s also a two thousand square foot guest house out back by the pool. What wasn’t developed, which is quite a bit, remains heavily wooded.”

  “Security?” asked Chris.

  “Cameras covering the grounds around the main house,” said Perriello. “Alarm system for the doors and windows. No indication of further security measures elsewhere on the property.”

  “What about guards?” asked Leslie.

  “Yes, two, sometimes three,”
said Perriello, “Usually the same guys. Their names and pics are in this file. One usually hangs around in or near the guard house inside the main gate. Another spends his time out back with occasional tours to the sides of the property. Third man fills in as needed when he’s there. Their cars are parked out front so getting a headcount is a no-brainer.”

  He slid the folder across the table to Chris and said, “Here’s everything – the blueprints, certificate of location, surveyors’ maps and photos during and since construction. The aerial shots date back a couple of years but I don’t think anything has changed since. You can get it all in digital format with the link and password on the inside cover, including a bunch of surveillance videos.”

  “As usual, a pleasure doing business with you,” said Chris. “This will all be very helpful.”

  “No problem,” said Perriello. “One last thing. I spoke to the others and we’re all keen to work on this with you if you need extra players.”

  “You just saved us the trouble of asking,” said Jonathan.

  “Excellent,” said Perriello. “Benny suggested you might want Ty and I to head back up there to keep an eye on things in the meantime. I’m guessing you plan to get at this sooner rather than later.”

  “Definitely, on both points,” Chris confirmed. “We’ll go through what you brought us and we’ll want to get a feeling of the area but figure in the next twenty-four to forty-eight hours.”

  “Ty’s on standby so we’ll be back there by one,” said Perriello. “I’ll send you the coordinates to Benny’s place.”

  “Can I dock a float plane there?” asked Jonathan.

  “Not a problem,” said Perriello. “Can you get one?”

  “We flew over in mine,” said Jonathan. “We’ll be there this afternoon.”

  * * * *

  Gravenhurst, Ontario, 2:24 p.m.

  “There it is,” said Perriello, pointing as they flew over Cliff Bay.

  “It does look like a castle,” said Carlos, peering over Vince’s shoulder.

  “Yeah, fit for a drug lord,” said Perriello as he pulled out his camera. “It doesn’t look like anything has changed but I’ll get some current shots anyhow.”

  “I’ll fly by on all sides,” said Jonathan, glancing at the monstrous zoom lens Perriello was attaching to the camera. “Looks like you don’t need me to get too close.”

  Vince grinned as he pointed the camera out the window and snapped a couple of photos.

  “What do you think?” he asked, showing Jonathan the viewfinder on which a close-up of a bikini-clad young woman sun tanning by the pool was displayed.

  “She’s a cutie,” Jonathan replied.

  They continued their flight in relative silence, barring Perriello’s occasional comments to point out elements of potential importance to their upcoming visit of Ramos’ property.

  * * * *

  “We’re coming up to the property,” Ty announced as a wrought iron fence with cut stone columns came into view. “Slow down if you want to get a better look.”

  “I don’t want to attract anyone’s attention,” said Leslie, lessening on the accelerator.

  “No worries there,” Ty assured her. “Everyone slows to look at the castle, even the locals. Some even stop right in front of the gate and the guards ignore them.”

  “If you say so,” said Leslie, further reducing their speed. “I’d just think Ramos would want to maximize privacy.”

  “Not many people even know who lives here,” said Ty, “And Ramos has become more and more of a hermit in recent years, spending most of his time here. We’re almost at the gate.”

  Leslie released the accelerator and coasted by. Within the fence, the trees thinned as they came up to the gate, allowing for a clear view of the palatial home beyond. A man in his thirties, wearing a t-shirt and blue jeans, sat on a bench in front of the guard house set to one side, chatting on his mobile. As they rolled by, he barely glanced in their direction as he continued his conversation.

  Inside the gate, a paving stone drive headed straight toward the middle of the house for some fifty feet before widening into a vast semi-circular form boasting a large fountain at it’s centre. Five vehicles, including Danilo’s Escalade, were parked on the stone surface off to the left. To the right, the semi-circular form extended past the building into a paving stone lane leading to the side.

  “Same cars as yesterday,” said Ty as they moved on. “Danilo plus three guards.”

  “There are five cars,” said Hayden, from the back seat.

  “Right,” Ty agreed. “The Miata is Ramos’ girlfriend’s.”

  “None of those are Ramos’?” asked Leslie.

  “No, he keeps his cars in the garage,” Ty replied, “In the west side of the building behind the turret.”

  “Got it,” said Leslie, remembering the blueprints.

  “From here on is more fence and trees to the end of the property,” said Ty. “Seen enough or do you want to do another drive by?”

  “I’m good,” Leslie replied, glancing in the rear-view mirror. “Sean?”

  “I got enough pics to keep Vince happy,” said Hayden. “We can head back.”

  * * * *

  “And there it is,” Benny announced, pointing north as they rounded the shore into Cliff Bay from Muskoka Bay, “Castillo Ramos.”

  “It’s pretty damned impressive,” said Dave, raising binoculars to get a better view.

  “Biggest house in the neighbourhood,” said Benny, “Some places come pretty close when you start looking around but none are this, uh, what’s the word?”

  “Decadent?” Chris suggested.

  “That works,” said Benny, steering the boat eastward. “We’ll circle the bay some and come in close on the way back.”

  They cruised along in silence for several minutes, admiring the million-dollar properties along the shore. Halfway into the bay, Benny veered to the left, taking them on a wide semi-circle toward and then along the north shore heading back west.

  “We’ll be coming up to it shortly,” Benny announced a few minutes later as he pointed. “You can see where the fence ends on top of that cliff.”

  He slowed the boat some as Chris stepped up next to him to a keyboard and monitor.

  “You’re okay with working that?” asked Benny, referring to the computer programme used to operate the fixed photo and video cameras strategically placed on his boat.

  “Absolutely,” Chris confirmed, tapping a few keys.

  The monitor came alive, displaying a four-way split-screen, each showing the image captured by a specific camera. Touch-screen controls for each camera made using the system child’s play and Chris immediately began snapping photos and recording video, moving from one camera to the next, zooming in and out as they cruised by.

  “The cliff is about twenty feet high along here,” said Benny, “But it tapers down past that outcrop. That’s where the dock is and the grounds beyond are pretty flat so we’ll get a decent view of the property.”

  “Sounds good,” said Chris, adjusting the angles of the cameras.

  They cleared the outcrop and the dock came into view, as well as a small armada – two Jet Skis, a twenty-five foot speed boat, a small catamaran sailboat and a forty-five foot cabin cruiser.

  “The man likes boats,” said Dave with a grin. “Almost looks like Chris’ place.”

  “I don’t have a cabin cruiser,” said Chris, “And my catboat’s nicer.”

  From a distance, a man seated on the dock glanced at them briefly, his bored disinterest obvious from the close-up photo Chris snapped. Farther still, a young woman in a skimpy bikini could be seen returning to the pool from the adjacent guest house with a beverage in hand.

  They continued their slow pass and soon left Ramos’ property behind them. Their current task complete, they headed back to Benny’s cottage where they would be meeting the others to formulate their plan. As they went, Jonathan’s plane flew overhead, heading back as well.

  * *
* *

  Gravenhurst, Ontario, 3:49 p.m.

  “– so as far as I can tell, nothing has changed,” said Perriello as they finished going through the photos and videos taken during the surveillance runs, “Though I wouldn’t be sure of that if we hadn’t gone through the exercise so I don’t think it was a waste of time.”

  “It certainly wasn’t a bad idea for us to get a first hand look at the place,” Jonathan agreed, “Even if we could have based ourselves on the material you’d already supplied. Great work.”

  “Thanks. Ramos deserves the best,” said Vince, gazing at the others assembled in Benny’s den, “And I think he’s going to get it with this crew. When would you hope to move on this?”

  “As soon as possible,” Chris replied. “With Danilo on site, it’s the perfect opportunity but he could leave anytime. However, we can’t go at this half-assed. We need a solid plan.”

  “I think Vince can help you out with that,” said Benny. “The man has plans to take out Ramos for every day of the week.”

  “It’s a hobby,” said Perriello, clicking open an attaché case on the coffee table. “I’ve been working on different scenarios since the bastard started building the place and tweaking them ever since, just for fun. Here’s how I think we might address this…”

  * * * *

  “– it should go down quickly from there,” said Perriello, concluding after several minutes. “Neighbouring houses aren’t close by and didn’t seem occupied when we flew over earlier. No cars, nothing, so little chance of curious onlookers and easier access for us.”

  “What about the cameras?” asked Dave. “If anyone is monitoring them, they could spot us before we’re ready.”

  “Good point,” said Perriello, “But unless they have someone tracking them fulltime from inside, it shouldn’t be a problem. I know there are screens in the guardhouse but the guard is often strolling about and, anyhow, we’ll deal with him early on. It is important to note the camera transmissions are wireless so someone else could be keeping an eye on them from anywhere.” He tapped a few keys on his laptop then turned it toward the others and said, “Including us.”