Radical Regatta!

by Anna Celeste Burke

  Sure, my inner cynic snapped. “If I had the collar, I’d be happy to turn it over to the authorities. We’ve looked for it everywhere, but we don’t have it. There must be some other way you can get what you need.”

  “We’d prefer to capture Nizenski alive and take him back to face the crimes he’s committed. If we can’t find the evidence that’s hidden in the collar, we’ll have no choice but to get rid of Nizenski while we have an insider close enough to do it.”

  “Who?” I got no response. “Please tell me who it is.”

  “Who it is that did what?” Brien asked.

  “Did you see a man speaking to me?”

  “No. A man was at the end of the aisle when I came around the corner.”

  I put the chocolate chips back on the shelf and dashed off.

  “Do you see him?”

  “That guy with the bushy mustache like Mitchum’s could be him. I only saw the mustache from the side when he turned the corner.” The squat, dark-eyed, round-faced man saw us staring at him, and set down the items he’d been carrying. He moved at a good clip toward the exit, but didn’t run, perhaps not wanting to attract attention. Brien didn’t care about that and took off in pursuit.

  “Wait!” I said as I ran after Brien. “He’s got a gun!” That got us plenty of attention. As soon as the automatic door slid shut behind Brien, I heard tires squeal. The moment Brien stepped back inside two security guards grabbed him.

  “Let him go! I was talking about the man he was chasing. Brien doesn’t have a gun, he’s the Hometown Hero.” Both security guards gave me the adult male version of the “crazy chick” look. I already had my phone out and called Mitchum. Fortunately, he answered my call right away.

  “Help! Kwik Mart security guards are holding Brien while the guy he was chasing is getting away! I can explain, but not here where everyone can hear us.” Then I turned away. “I just had a close encounter with someone who holds another piece of the puzzle. Promise!” I handed the phone to the guard who seemed to be in charge, or maybe he was just taller.

  “Detective Mitchum would like a word with you.” The man shook his head but took my phone anyway.

  “Who’s this?” he asked brusquely. “Sure, Detective. How do I know that’s who you are? Show me some ID, why don’t you?” The snarky guard laughed just as sirens erupted in the parking lot. He was about to hand back my phone when a police car screeched to a halt at the store entrance. Two uniformed officers ran into the store.

  “Are you okay, Brien?”

  “Yes, Dillon, but the guy I was chasing got away. Dark blue, souped-up nineteen-eighties Camaro. No hubcaps and a dent on the right rear bumper. License plate number RGT 483. The man I was trying to stop has a bushy mustache like Mitchum’s, and he’s the passenger, not the driver.”

  “He has a gun and the hint of an accent. Ukrainian, I’d say, given the message he had for me which I’ll share with Mitchum as soon as this guy returns my phone.” I gestured at the Kwik Mart guard who stood there, dazed and confused.

  “Thanks, you two. We’re on it.” As they ran back to their car, I heard Mitchum bellow. I could only understand one word, maybe that’s all it took.

  “Satisfied?”

  “Uh, sure.”

  “Here, he wants to speak to you. I’m sorry, but when you hollered ‘he’s got a gun,’ this was the only guy I saw.” He pointed at Brien with his thumb.

  “I get it. I’ll explain that to the detective.” Brien and I found a quiet corner near the produce section. The store had emptied quickly during the disturbance so there wasn’t anyone near us.

  “You’d better bring extra firepower with you tonight,” I told Mitchum. “There’s another gang in town.”

  “Tell me what happened, and I’ll decide what to do about it,” he snapped. Brien leaned in and listened as I went through the incident with Mitchum. It had been short, so it didn’t take long.

  “That could explain a lot,” Mitchum said. “I wish I could be more certain about who’s on which side of the intrigue. If Nizenski’s being hunted for committing crimes against humanity, that could be a powerful motive to change his face. Bede said he’s also ticked off several of the other Oligarchs, so who knows how many groups are gunning for him?”

  “When my messenger said they have an insider close to Nizenski, Angela Mason was my first choice. If she can’t get a gun, she might be able to get close enough to poison him or inject him with a drug from her husband’s medical kit.” I paused to make sure we were still out of earshot of shoppers. “Maybe he’s holding Angela’s family members or her husband hostage to encourage her to behave herself.”

  “Maybe so, because their best chance of putting Nizenski out of his misery without a fight would have been during whatever repair work Dr. Mason did. I’m sure the doctor had to anesthetize him to reconstruct or redo his face after the accident he was in. Nizenski is a fast healer, I’ll give him that.”

  “If there was an accident.” Then I reminded Mitchum about how I’d caught Nicky standing up, unassisted, and without any apparent discomfort.

  “Okay, I agree it could be a ploy. I’ll make sure no one underestimates him because he appears to be injured. I’m going to call Bede and see what he knows about a group that might be hunting Nizenski for crimes he committed in the Ukraine.”

  17 Boom and Bust!

  On the way home, I was on the edge of my seat with another potential adversary after us. Not only did I not tell him where to find the collar he was looking for, but I’d blown his cover. Even if he fancied himself to be one of the good guys trying to bring a monster to justice, he was armed when he accosted me, and willing to kill Nizenski if he couldn’t bring him before a tribunal.

  Fortunately, we arrived home without another incident. I had to hurry to keep my promise to Mick. To have two dozen brownies for him, I had to make lots more than that with the “eating machine” at my side.

  “You’d better save room for whatever Nicky’s prepared for us.” Brien stopped for a second.

  “I’m not sure we should eat or drink anything on the yacht. I say we pick up a glass of champagne and pretend to sip it.”

  “I’ll think about it, but Nizenski’s not crazy enough to want his guests—or his guest of honor—to drop dead on the deck. Let’s see if other people eat and drink without falling over before we dive in and join them.” Brien nodded as he grabbed another brownie.

  “I’m going to let the kids out to play while we get ready for the party. I can’t wait to see you in that outfit. You’re going to wow them!” I had butterflies in my stomach as I imagined walking on deck in the little black dress paid for by a Russian Oligarch. It was cute, but invisibility struck me as a better idea than wowing anyone.

  “Thanks, hon.” Brien meant well, and I like being appreciated by him.

  Two hours later, we were dressed and ready to go. The butterflies were still flitting about in my stomach. When Mick and Willow arrived, the “wows” began. The dress, the pendant, the sandals, the watch—everything got a reaction from our two friends.

  Before he dressed, Brien had moved Pepe’s cage indoors. The novelty of the situation seemed to make him happy for now.

  “If he starts to squawk, you can cover his cage, and he’ll quiet down,” I said.

  “I’ve got two covers—a noise dampener and his usual cover. We’ll have our phones with us if you have a question or need us to come home.” I smiled at the wistful tone in Brien’s voice. I’d be just as happy to rush home if they called us.

  “Don’t worry,” Willow assured us. “We’ve come prepared to handle the fireworks. We’ll have the TV on, but I’m going to set up a white noise machine here on the breakfast bar for Pepe and Archie. I’ll put on music in the bedroom if Archie feels safer in there.”

  We chatted for a few more minutes until I heard our ride pull up outside. As we left, I leaned over to say goodbye to Archie. Then I yipped before I could stop myself.

  “Archie, where did you ge
t that?” I asked as I picked up the collar that everyone had been seeking.

  “I’ll bet Pepe found it when he took the patio apart, and Archie brought it in here. It must have been mixed up with his toys or the other stuff the vet sent home for Archie.”

  “I suppose it’s possible I missed it when I dumped his toys into the basket Pepe shredded. That means we’ve had the darned thing all along!” I shook my head in disbelief.

  “What are we going to do with it?” Brien asked. I hesitated, although we didn’t have long to decide.

  “I say the sooner we get rid of it, the better. We’ll take it with us and give it to Mitchum.”

  “What if they search you?” Mick asked as the doorbell rang. Willow whispered in my ear.

  “Why not? That worked in high school. You get in the car, Brien, and I’ll be right with you.” Then I went into the bedroom and secured the loot. I checked to make sure I didn’t have a line or a clump anywhere.

  “Good job, sistah!” Willow exclaimed. “Even the Vice Principal wouldn’t spot it.” I waved and hustled to the car where the driver was standing by the door waiting for me.

  “Nicky doesn’t miss a trick, does he?” I asked Brien as I slid in next to him in a stretch limo. It was ridiculous since the dock where a launch would be waiting for us was only two or three miles away. Brien and I were silent. The driver kept glancing at us in the rearview mirror. He didn’t say anything while he drove or as he held the door for me and then left.

  We stepped into the launch, and it left. All too soon, we reached the yacht and boarded the Blazing Star. A round of applause greeted us as we stepped onto the deck. Brien wore his dazzling smile. I locked eyes with Angela Mason as she wheeled Nicky Nizenski toward us. His beady eyes peered at me—the eyes of a wolf or hawk—predatory. I was tempted to say, “oh no, please don’t get up,” wondering how he’d respond. Mitchum and Bede appeared nervous enough, so I held out my hand and shook the one the vile man offered me.

  “You are a vision, Ms. Reed—a blazing star tonight.”

  “That’s very kind of you to say. It’s your lovely gift that’s a standout. I’ve never seen a more beautifully crafted pendant. Thank you for your generosity.” The ritual complete, I moved on, and Brien took my place. I would have paid closer attention to his interaction with Nizenski, except that Angela Mason stepped forward and held out her hand.

  “Thank you for taking such good care of Reggie.” When I shook her hand, I did my best not to react as she slipped me a note. Then she hugged me and whispered. “I must speak to you.”

  I palmed the note, wondering where I could go to read it without being seen. Brien was being introduced to other guests—most of whom I recognized from one event or another. A foursome of young men drew a round of applause when they boarded and were introduced as the leaders on the first day of racing. It was their turn for the meet and greet with Nicky Nizenski. Music began to play, and servers moved among us with trays of champagne and platters of caviar.

  “Stand in front of me for a second, will you?” I asked Brien while he was free from the spotlight for a moment. I bent over as if checking the strap on my sandal. The note was quick and to the point.

  When I go inside, please ask for directions to the powder room. Meet me there. Lives depend on what I must tell you, including yours.

  “Thanks, sweetie,” I said, leaning in to give Brien a kiss on the cheek and whispering to him. “Angela wants me to meet her in the restroom. I also need to retrieve my hidden loot so I can pass it to Mitchum.”

  “Uh, I don’t like it.” There was no more time to discuss the issue as Angela walked through the door leading inside.

  “I’m not fond of the idea, either, Brien, but what else can I do? I may not have another chance to get this thing out of its hiding place and into my purse. There’s no way you can follow me into the ladies’ room.”

  “Okay, but if you aren’t back in ten minutes, I don’t care what you say, I’m going in there after you.” I laughed, imagining what a stir that would create.

  “Excuse me,” I asked the nearest server. “Can you tell me how to find the powder room?”

  “Please, follow me,” the young woman replied. I glanced at Brien, who was chatting with Stella and one of the regatta racers. He appeared fine, but I could tell that he was tense. I should have been paying more attention to the route I’d followed. The surroundings were magnificent. Gleaming wood, lighting that accentuated the artwork on the walls of the corridor that were covered in a plush carpet. When she stopped abruptly at an unmarked door, I realized it wasn’t going to be easy for Brien to barge in. I took a deep breath and pushed open the door.

  “Thank you so much. Please sit down,” Angela locked the door, and I felt trapped. There were seats at the long dressing table where she sat, but standing seemed safer. Angela shrugged. “We don’t have long, but I need you to understand what’s going to happen. I’m sorry you couldn’t give my friend the collar. It contains information about Nicky’s holdings, account numbers, and evidence about many crimes he has committed. I was able to get it from Nicky’s computer with the help of poor Uri posing as a crew member. There’s also a small vial of Nicky’s blood, hair samples, and nail clippings that will make it impossible for Nicky to hide, even though my husband changed his appearance several weeks ago.” She hesitated and appeared to be overcome by disgust for the man tormenting her, her husband, or both men.

  “The bandages he wears now are to keep me from seeing his new face, but that won’t help him if you find the collar and give it to Interpol. This is the most important point. Nicky’s going to ask you to board a boat for a view of the fireworks. It won’t be Nicky. The authorities won’t know that, because it will be his double’s DNA they find in Nicky’s private quarters. Pretend to go along with his stand-in, but as soon as you can do it, get away. Don’t get on that boat!”

  “What are you going to do?”

  “It’s better that I don’t tell you. I know there are police with you, but they can’t beat Nicky.”

  “What about your husband?”

  “He’s passed out somewhere. My husband betrayed me by agreeing to help the monster who tried to kill me.” Perhaps, subconsciously, she reached up and touched her face. “Nicky believes he has me under his thumb because he’s holding Elliot. My husband’s unfaithful, he drinks too much, and he gambles away far more money than he can afford to lose. Because of his debts and dirty secrets, he’s now become enslaved to Nicky. I won’t let that happen to me. The man I loved is already dead. He tried to help me catch the devil, even when we lost Reggie and the collar.”

  “Are you speaking about Uri Popov or Earl Gardner?”

  “Both men tried to help me, but Earl did it out of desperation because he loved me. Nicky believes he is so clever to have Alexey kill Uri and tie him to his own boat slip. He’s sure the police will believe Earl’s death, that he arranged, was an accident. He’s the devil, and he must be stopped.” Then she stood up.

  “Give me a few minutes to return to Nicky’s side before you leave,” I hugged her, not sure what to do. I wanted to trust her, but even if she was completely trustworthy, I couldn’t bring myself to give her the collar. What if Nicky had the room bugged or a camera on us?”

  In my heart, I knew the best chance to stop Nicky Nizenski was to get the collar to Mitchum or Bede. I slipped into one of the two stalls in the room, leaned over, and with one hand I adjusted my stockings. With the other, I slipped the collar out of my bra and into my purse. When I left the stall, I washed my hands, and pretended to check my makeup before leaving. Back in the corridor, I heard music indicating that an announcement was about to be made. My heart pounded as I followed the sound of the music back to the open deck.

  As I joined Brien, the music stopped. He let out a huge sigh as if he’d been holding his breath since I left. Angela was at Nicky’s side—if the man seated in the wheelchair really was still Nizenski. I couldn’t tell—the same bandaged face and head,
same warmup suit with the white stripe. Then, I noticed the man’s hand—no ring.

  “No ring,” I whispered to Brien. “Not the real Nicky. We must not get on the boat with him to view the fireworks, or we go boom!” Brien nodded as if he understood my cryptic message. We both searched the crowd as Marilyn Buckley stepped up to the podium.

  “Mr. Nizenski, how can we ever thank you for this lovely evening on your amazing yacht, the Blazing Star?” The man in the chair made a gesture exactly the way Nicky had done earlier. “It’s a great honor for me to pay tribute to the guest of honor. A young man of tremendous integrity, strength, and heroism. He hasn’t been in our community long, but he’s truly become an adopted son. Our Hometown Hero, Brien Williams.” She held out her hand, and a round of applause erupted.

  As Brien joined her, I continued to search the crowd. Not faces, because who knew what Nicky Nizenski looked like. I searched the hands. Then I saw the ring on a man’s hand as he clapped for Brien. A sly grin was on the face of the man with a crew member’s insignia on the jacket of his warmup suit.

  “Brien, please accept this plaque as a keepsake of the evening and a reminder of your selfless heroism.” Flashes went off as photographs were taken as Brien accepted the plaque, leaned into the mic and spoke.

  “Thank you!” Mayor Buckley waited as if Brien was going to say more.

  “A modest man of few words. Here’s another gift for you, and for your lovely wife, Kim Reed, before we board a small boat as our host accompanies us to the best vantage point from which to view the firework display.” When Brien looked at me, I nodded in the direction of the man wearing the ring and pointed at my ring finger. “Mr. Nizenski has a special display of fireworks for us, Brien, that he says we won’t soon forget.”

  Won’t soon forget because we’ll be dead, I thought, although, I’m not dead yet. I inched my way toward the man wearing that ring.

  “He’d like for you to accept this check for one hundred thousand dollars.” I stopped in my tracks amid gasps and applause when she handed that check to Brien. Nicky was still smirking, and I felt sick wondering if that’s because he figured Brien wasn’t ever going to cash it.