Devil in a Black Suit: A Shelby Nichols Adventure

by Colleen Helme

  He registered for a room, and it didn’t take long to settle in. Zack would probably arrive in the next couple of hours, and Ramos hoped to catch sight of him when he did. He headed down to the bar and found a small table close to the doors where he could keep watch.

  After an hour, his vigilance payed off as Zack entered the hotel pulling a small luggage carrier. He held onto the handle of a briefcase with his other hand. Ramos followed him at a distance, then waited for Zack to get on the elevator. Just before the doors closed, Ramos ducked inside.

  Zack jerked back with alarm, and he sucked in a surprised breath. “Ra..Ramos. What are you doing here?”

  Ramos smiled and casually leaned against the side of the elevator. “What do you think? Manetto sent me to check up on you.”

  “What? Why? I haven’t done anything wrong.”

  Ramos narrowed his gaze. “Is that right?”

  “Yes. I would never cross Manetto. You know that.”

  “Actually, I don’t. But Manetto thinks you’re worth saving, so that’s why you’re not dead. I hope you’re worth it.”

  The elevator doors opened, and Ramos followed Zack onto the sixth floor. “I have everything,” Zack said. “And I’ve been following the itinerary. So I don’t understand why you’re here.” Letting go of his luggage, he put the key card in the lock and opened the door.

  “Let me get that for you.” Ramos grabbed Zack’s luggage and followed him inside. After Zack secured the door with the lock and chain, he tossed the briefcase and keys on the bed.

  “So what’s going on?” Zack asked.

  “Manetto got a call from Bruno this morning. Bruno claimed that you might have something of your own going down, and he wanted Manetto to know about it.”

  Zack’s mouth turned down. “What? Did he say why he thought that?”

  Ramos shook his head. “Not that Manetto told me.” At Zack’s frustrated growl, Ramos continued. “Why would Bruno get that impression?”

  Zack let out a breath, and brushed his hand through his hair. “I don’t know, but if you ask me, I think Bruno is the one with something to hide. He kept asking me questions about the diamonds, and it made me nervous. He’s not supposed to know my itinerary, is he?”

  Zack had a point. “You’re right. He’s not. Maybe he’s just protecting Manetto’s business interests, since you’re the new guy.”

  “Maybe. But that’s not the vibe I got.”

  “Let’s say you’re right. What does he have to gain?”

  Zack shrugged. “He could take me out and keep the diamonds. Then he could just tell Manetto that I flew the coop, and he shouldn’t have trusted me.”

  “Hang on,” Ramos said. “Be careful who you badmouth, you never know when it might come back to bite you.”

  Zack blew out a breath and threw himself into a chair by the desk. He mumbled something, and Ramos was pretty sure what it was. “You think I’m too set in my ways to consider it?”

  Zack’s startled gaze flew to Ramos, and he quickly shook his head in denial. “No, not at all. But since I’m the new guy, it makes sense that you’d trust him over me.”

  Ramos decided to cut him some slack. “You’re right. Why don’t you show me what you’ve got so far?”

  Zack nodded, then stood and unlocked the briefcase with a special code. He opened a hidden compartment in the bottom of the case and pulled it away. Tucked inside was a long, thin, black leather box, which he pulled out and handed to Ramos.

  “The first batch is all there, you can see that for yourself.”

  Ramos set the box on the round coffee table and carefully opened the lid. A plastic bag with close to twenty diamonds filled the inside. He pulled one of the diamonds out of the bag to examine it. “Hand me your eyepiece.”

  Zack took it out of his briefcase and handed it over. Ramos held the diamond to the light and inspected it through the eyepiece. He found what he was looking for and nodded. “This one looks good. Tell me exactly what Bruno said that made you suspicious.”

  “After the trade, he asked me where I was headed next. I didn’t think that was something he should know, so I told him it was none of his business. It probably ticked him off, because he told me to watch whose toes I stepped on, or I wouldn’t have any left.” Zack shrugged. “I guess we didn’t leave on the best of terms, but he was the one who was out of line.”

  Ramos nodded. “And you checked all of the diamonds after that? To make sure he didn’t cheat you?”

  “Yes,” Zack said, pleased that Ramos understood what he’d been saying. “They were all there, so I decided to leave early this morning, before he had a chance to jump me. I had no idea that he’d called Manetto about it.”

  Ramos could hardly believe that Bruno would double-cross Manetto, but stranger things had happened. “So you didn’t tell him you were headed to Miami?”

  “No.”

  Ramos couldn’t remember if Manetto had mentioned it to Bruno over the phone, but it was a possiblity. “Do you know if anyone followed you here?”

  “I don’t think so.” Zack shrugged. “But what do I know? I’m just a lowly courier.”

  Ramos smiled. He believed Zack. “I’ll bet Bruno never thought that Manetto would send me so quickly. So if he’s planning to take you out, we’ll find out soon enough.”

  “What does that mean?”

  “Don’t worry. He doesn’t know I’m here, so I think we should go ahead with your visit to Saunders’ store tomorrow. You can pick up the merchandise, and I’ll catch whoever’s after you.”

  Zack sniffed and shook his head. “Fine. But after this, I want a different job.”

  “All you have to do is prove yourself to Manetto. He always rewards loyalty. He’s also impressed by people who take the initiative and figure things out on their own. If you remember, that’s why he let you live, so don’t screw this up.”

  This time Zack nodded with more enthusiasm. “I can do that. I want to prove myself.”

  “Good.” Ramos checked his watch. It was close to seven, and he was tempted to go out on the town, but it would be bad if someone from Bruno’s organization spotted him. Still, it wouldn’t hurt to drive somewhere else for dinner. “You want to head to Little Havana for some Cuban food?”

  Zack’s eyes widened with surprise. “Sure. I’ve never had Cuban food before.”

  “Okay. Let’s go.”

  Ramos made sure they weren’t followed to the parking garage, where they got in his car and drove onto the street. He kept watch in his rearview mirror, but couldn’t see a sign of anyone on his tail. Taking the next street, he turned toward Little Havana and drove in a round-about way, just in case.

  Ramos had last visited Little Havana a couple of months ago after Carson’s death. Manetto had sent him to Miami to establish the connection with Saunders. Ramos knew he’d visited Little Havana as a kid when he was around eight years old, but he was too young to remember much.

  But he’d remembered the food, because his mother had made it during his childhood. Still, it wasn’t until now that he wanted to embrace his past. When he’d been in Miami with Shelby, he’d never thought of taking her there, but that was because he’d been wrapped up in the news that his brother was alive and well. Now…there was a small hope in his heart of finding his father. If that happened, then maybe he could risk letting Javier into his life.

  With a sudden craving for a ‘frita,’ a Cuban beef and pork burger topped with shoestring potatoes on Cuban bread, he drove to the famous El Rey de las Fritas. The crowd wasn’t too bad, and after they were seated, the waiter took their orders.

  While waiting for their food, Ramos asked Zack how things had been going, and Zack opened up a little. Ramos could see the ambition in him, and he hoped Zack used it wisely.

  Their food arrived, and they spent the next few minutes satisfying their hunger. Then Ramos asked Zack what the plan was for the next day.

  “I’m meeting Saunders at nine a.m. at his jewelry store. I guess if someo
ne’s watching me, they’ll be waiting until I come out. At least that’s what I’d do.”

  “I agree. If that happens, I want to have a plan in place, but first, I need to call Manetto, and let him know what’s going on. He might have something to add. I’ll call him when we get back to the hotel. Then we can figure this out.”

  Mentioning Manetto and the whole deal must have put a damper on Zack’s appetite, because he barely touched his food after that. Since they were basically done, they left the restaurant and headed back to the hotel, where they went their separate ways. “I’ll come to your room after I talk to Manetto,” Ramos said.

  Back in his room, Ramos put the call through and explained what he’d found out from Zack. “I believe him, so I think I should shadow Zack tomorrow and see if anyone is following him.”

  “That’s a good idea,” Manetto agreed. “And I’m going to give Bruno a courtesy call and tell him that I’m concerned about his organization. After we chat, I’ll let you know what I think, and we can plan accordingly.”

  “Sounds good.”

  A few minutes later, Manetto called him back. “Bruno swears that he has nothing planned so, if he did, I’m sure he’ll cancel it now. Maybe I shouldn’t have tipped him off, but sometimes that’s the best way to keep my so-called friends in check. Watch out for Zack, and take care of anyone who shows up. If you need help, give our friend, Charlie, a call. He owes me a favor, and I’m sure he’d help with whatever you need.”

  Charlie was their removal contact in Miami. He was dependable when it came to disposing of bodies and cleaning up the mess if Ramos ended up killing someone. “Will do. I’ll let you know what happens.”

  Ramos took the elevator to Zack’s floor and knocked on his door. Zack let Ramos in, and they began to figure out their moves for the next day. After discussing all of their options and coming up with a decent plan, Ramos was ready to call it a night.

  “See you in the morning,” he said, then made his way back to his room and got ready for bed. Before turning out the light, he pulled the card with Sloan’s name and number from his wallet. On impulse, he pushed in the numbers and waited.

  “Hello?”

  “Sloan. It’s Ramos.”

  Silence answered him, then she spoke a little breathlessly. “Ramos…what a surprise. Uh…how are you?”

  “Good.” He let out a breath, then took the plunge. “I’m actually in Miami right now, and I was wondering if you found out anything more about my father.”

  “What? You’re in Miami? That’s crazy. I’m actually here…in Cuba. Hey…do you want to come? I’m here on an assignment, but I should have some spare time to help you find out more about your dad.”

  Ramos could hardly believe it. This was a chance he couldn’t pass up. “Yeah. I think I can swing it. I should be done with my business here sometime tomorrow. I could catch a flight the next day. What do I need to do to be allowed into the country?”

  “Um…since I just went through all of that, I can send a fax to your hotel in the morning with all of the information that you’ll need to board the plane. If you want, I could make your reservation for you. I think there’s a flight that leaves for Cuba at the same time every afternoon, so that shouldn’t be a problem. You have your passport, right?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Good. Then I’ll get it all worked out and call you tomorrow.”

  “Okay,” he agreed, surprised at how fast she had taken charge. He gave her the name and address of his hotel, then added, “I can get my own ticket.”

  “Oh, don’t worry about it. It’s the least I can do. Besides, I’m excited to see you again.” He was slow to answer, so she spoke into the silence. “Uh…so…check everything over, and let me know if you have any questions.”

  “Sure. Thanks Sloan.” He disconnected and let out a breath, wondering what he’d just gotten himself into. He’d never expected her to be there and thought it would take more time to get everything worked out.

  He didn’t even know why she was there in the first place. She called it an assignment, but what did that entail? With a spy like Sloan, anything could happen.

  It also bothered him that she hadn’t followed through with his request to take him with her the next time she was there. Still, he had to believe she’d told him the truth about his father. If going to Cuba was the only way to find out what had happened to him, he had to go.

  He just hoped she wasn’t keeping secrets from him like last time.

  Chapter 8

  The next morning, Ramos followed Zack to Saunders’ store. Since the store was only a block away from the hotel, Zack walked the distance, playing his part well by never once looking over his shoulder. The briefcase was designed with a chain that attached to his wrist in case anyone tried to steal it from him. Ramos kept a discreet watch but detected nothing from the people around him.

  With the protocols Saunders had set up for his high-end jewelry store, Ramos knew Zack was safe once he entered the building, so he found a place to observe from across the street and settled in to watch. Half an hour later, Zack came out.

  Zack hesitated on the sidewalk, looking in both directions, then turned the opposite way from which he’d come. Was he giving Ramos the slip? That’s when Ramos noticed the man jay-walking across the street ahead of him. He was in a hurry, and closing in on Zack.

  Ramos calculated the distance and kept on his side of the street, keeping up with the man. All at once, Zack darted into traffic. Ramos sucked in his breath as Zack narrowly missed getting hit by an oncoming car. Once he’d made it across both lanes, Ramos could breathe again.

  Knowing he’d been made, the man hurried to catch up to him, but Zack kept to the plan and ran in Ramos’s direction, leading his pursuer straight toward Ramos. The man was so intent on Zack that he didn’t even notice Ramos until Ramos stepped into his path. Their gazes met, and surprised shock stopped Ramos in his tracks. Esposito was a crooked cop, and they’d met once before when Esposito had been working for Carson.

  Esposito’s eyes widened as well. He gasped and then turned to run, but not before Ramos grabbed his wrist and pulled his arm behind him. Ramos used Esposito’s momentum to carry them through the doors of a small bistro, pushing him through the crowded tables and into the kitchen.

  “Police business,” he announced to the startled workers. Then he asked one of the cooks where the back entrance was and followed the man’s directions until coming out into an alley. He shoved Esposito to the ground and pulled out his gun. Esposito scrambled to a sitting position against the brick wall and held up his hands.

  “Wait! Don’t shoot. This wasn’t my idea. I’ll tell you who ordered it.”

  Ramos held the gun steady, letting him sweat for a minute, before slightly lowering it. “I’m listening.”

  “It was Bruno. He told me to get the briefcase. I don’t even know what’s in it. But I had to do it. He was threatening to get me fired from my job with the police.”

  “Bruno, huh? You’re saying that Bruno is double-crossing Manetto?”

  Esposito’s gaze darted around the alley, sensing a trap. “Yeah.”

  “Hmm…that’s not what he said.”

  Esposito’s eyes bulged, and his face paled. “Okay…okay. It wasn’t him, but someone in his organization. You gotta believe me.”

  “That’s a problem,” Ramos answered. “You’re not as convincing as you think.” He raised his gun, and Esposito held his arms in front of him like a shield.

  “Wait. I can give you his name.”

  Ramos lowered his gun and let out a breath. Now Esposito was talking. “What is it?”

  “Uh…you won’t kill me, right?”

  Ramos holstered his gun. “Not yet. Now talk.”

  “It’s Garland…Seth Garland. He’s Bruno’s brother-in-law. He knew about the diamonds and sent me after them.”

  Ramos watched Esposito’s face to determine if he was telling the truth. “All right. I’ll buy it. But it still doesn’t
answer why Bruno was suspicious of Zack in the first place.”

  “I don’t know anything about that.”

  From the desperation in his voice, Ramos believed him. Now it was time to decide whether to turn Esposito into a corpse, or use him as a witness against Seth to help out Bruno. As long as Bruno hadn’t planned the whole thing with Seth, that might be the best plan, but he’d let Manetto decide how to proceed.

  Just then, a car pulled up to the alley entrance, and Zack jumped out. Ramos grabbed Esposito, twisting him so his face was against the wall, and pulled his hands behind his back. Zack handed him a zip tie, and Ramos pulled it tight around Esposito’s wrists.

  “I think Bruno might want to have a talk with you,” Ramos said. He hustled Esposito to the car and shoved him into the back seat, then sat beside him.

  Zack got back into the driver’s seat and started the car. “Where to?” he asked.

  “Let’s find a private place to talk.”

  Esposito stiffened beside him, and Ramos knew Esposito thought that Ramos was telling Zack to find a private place to kill him. It didn’t bother Ramos in the least. Not after what Esposito had put Shelby through in Orlando. Besides, it could still happen.

  Several minutes later, Zack pulled off the road and down a street that ran beside a wildlife refuge. Ramos smiled at the irony that Zack thought he’d meant a good place to dump a body too, since throwing him into the gator-infested waters would do the trick.

  Zack pulled into a turn-out and parked the car. He jumped out of the front seat and opened Esposito’s door. Ramos got out as well and walked around the car to Zack’s side. “Watch him, but don’t kill him yet, I need to talk to Manetto.”

  Zack nodded and pulled out his Glock. Ramos shook his head at Zack’s enthusiasm, then pulled out his phone and walked away from the car for some privacy.

  “I caught the guy,” Ramos began. “His name’s Esposito. He said he wasn’t going after Zack for Bruno, but for Bruno’s brother-in-law. A guy named Seth Garland.”