“Not this time, Lo. Well, Speedy. Let’s do this.”
Speedy got into a fighter’s crouch. He was big, fast, young, and a brawler. The first four hands he threw, I slipped inside with hooks to the body. I had no intention of breaking my hands on this clown. When I say hooks, they were jolts under his ribcage with my full body torque behind them. I slapped away his counterpunches. My fourth hook cracked a rib, and Speedy was sucking wind. I stepped away from him as I had done each time. I wasn’t through with him yet. He was through with me though. I knew the bull rush was coming. I used his momentum to hip toss Speedy to the sand before kicking him right in the face to a cackling accompaniment from Lo. I pointed at him while he held his face, rolling on his back.
“No tackles, Speedy. I warned you. Next time, I’ll kick you right in the nuts. Get on your feet, big man.”
Speedy held his hand in a ‘have mercy’ motion. “I…I’m done, Cantelli.”
I don’t think so. “On your feet, asshole! I need to hear more about what you’re going to do to my grandson and his grandma. Hurry, because you won’t have a voice box to say anything soon.”
When he didn’t move, I kicked him full bore in the side. This time he screamed. I grinned. Maybe we don’t need him alive. We’ll tell Bill there were only three in the crew. I glanced at Lo, and she stopped recording.
“Road trip to the desert, partner?” Lo asked.
“Sounds good, Lo.” I wound up to kick Speedy’s head clean off his neck.
“Rick!”
It was Staley. Damn it! For a split second, I nearly did Speedy anyhow. Lois walked over with a sigh.
“Fucking cops! They’re never around when you need one, and always around when you don’t. We’ll pick up where you left off when he gets out, Rick. Do you think he can walk?”
“Maybe.” I bent down toward Speedy. He scooted with pain filled features away from me, nursing his side with both hands. “I’m going to help you stand, Speedy. If you do anything other than try and stand, I will drive one of your ribs right out through your back. Understand?”
Speedy couldn’t speak yet, so he nodded vigorously. I put him on his hands and knees, before having him push to a standing position with my help. He waited meekly for me to tell him what to do next as Staley hurried next to us. “If you’re a good boy, I won’t restrain you until we get to the EMT’s. They can handcuff you to a gurney. Are you going to be a good boy, Speedy?”
Speedy nodded.
“What the hell was that all about, Rick?” Staley wasn’t happy with me.
“Speedy here was telling Rick how he planned to rip Jim and Stacy apart when they let him out of prison,” Lo explained. “Speedy wanted a piece of Rick. He got one. Speedy had a misfire. Rick tuned him up. Don’t blow this out of proportion, flatfoot. We have the whole crew for you, tied up with a big bow.”
“Okay, Lo.” Staley gestured at Speedy. “Follow me, dummy. Pleased don’t say anything else while we walk. I’ll read you your rights, and then when I ask you if you understand them, say yes.”
We followed along behind after I retrieved my Kevlar, Jennings, and stun-gun.
“How do you feel?”
“Good, Lo. I didn’t bust my hands. It sure would be nice to sip a couple right now.”
“I hear you, but we have to work out with the lovebirds,” Lo reminded me.
“Yep. Why don’t we work out, and then take the lovebirds over to the restaurant with whoever wants to come? We can sip a couple until Frank arrives, and then get something to eat.”
“I like it. You haven’t been in the restaurant since we returned from Sana’a. Ramos ruined our last Casablanca night.”
“True, but he did penance for it. He wanted a place somewhat hotter than San Diego. Dane will probably be lonely there. We’ll send him Largos and Speedy for company.”
Lo chuckled. “Do you want to let Bill handle that Lonnie guy, or do it ourselves?”
“Let’s give him to Bill. I’ve had enough playing cops and robbers today.”
“Yeah… me too. The workout and restaurant dinner is growing on me in leaps and bounds. Maybe we should have our own Casablanca Night there on Monday and Wednesday too.”
“I like your thinking, Lo.”
Chapter Ten
A Kiss is Still a Kiss
I filled Jim in on the way home from the office with everything having to do with our home invaders’ bust, except for the fight. He schooled me immediately that Bone had already spilled the beans to him. The damn kid was as good as Lo at extracting information.
“Why didn’t you want me to know you fought one of the crooks?”
“It was a messy ending to a perfect bust, kid. Things went sideways as always, but we altered the plan, and made it work. I let it get personal with the guy who ran. I’m not a cop, so being a bond agent during a takedown gets dicey sometimes. At least that Eddie Tanner can’t sue the San Diego PD. If he comes after me in court, Cleaver will eat his lunch.”
“Are you going to tell G-ma about your day?”
“I’ll leave that part to you,” I replied with a grin so Jim wouldn’t think I was mad. “I remembered something else that will brighten her day.”
“What is it?”
“Just an old song from a time long, long ago. I know she’ll like how much my French has improved since she and I sang it together when we were sixteen.”
Jim turned in surprise. “You know French?”
“Among others, kid. I was a CIA operative for many years. One of the reasons your Aunt Lo recruited me was a knack for languages.”
“Aunt Lo recruited you. Wow… that’s tight. How did she do it?”
I laughed, remembering those times. “I was in the Seals still, and she made me an offer I couldn’t refuse. Your Aunt Lo is the deadliest person I’ve ever worked with. She has done things you haven’t even seen in the movies. We were one badass team, and we found out last year after your G-ma woke us up… that we still are.”
“Could you teach me French?”
“I’ll give it a try. Not everyone can learn languages easily. As long as you don’t bust a gut trying something you may not have the aptitude for, I’d be happy to teach you French. You know of course that immersion training is the best way, right?”
“Huh?”
“That’s where you decide how serious you are about learning French, and I stop speaking to you in English at home until you begin to converse with me in French.”
“Oh… yeah… I get it. That really works?”
I grinned at him. “Better than any program known to man for languages. It’s no big deal if you don’t have a knack for languages. There’s plenty of other stuff I’m sure you do have a knack for.”
I saw Stacey’s Honda in the driveway, so we had a full family gathering. Stacy greeted us at the door, with smiles, and hugs.
“I had a great day at the store. Everything went perfectly for a change. How did you guys do?”
“Real good, Stace. We have a solid chance of getting Jim into Lewis Middle School, and he performed superbly as my sounding board for a takedown I got kicked out of by Lo for my multiple killings the past few days. Jim and I solved a case on the way to the school. Lo didn’t have any choice but to let me help with it. We’re clear to do a workout at Jadie’s gym, and then have dinner at our restaurant if you’re not too tired.”
A real glow sparked over Stacy’s features. She liked the idea. “I’m fine, Rick. Are you sure everything’s okay?”
I considered her caution for a moment. We’d been through so much these past few days, I wasn’t going to spurt out a happy faced assurance of heaven sent intervention. “So far, so good, babe.”
“Good enough. The dinner at the restaurant sounds like heaven. I’m even looking forward to the workout. I bet you are too, aren’t you, Jim?”
Jim blushed, but he recovered nicely. “Good one, G-ma. Yeah… I’ve been thinking about Temple nonstop since the last time I saw her. She has me in her power. I�
�m lost. Only Pa’s violent actions kept my mind off of Temple today.”
“What violent actions, Rick?” Stacy kept glancing back at me while pulling me inside by the hand.
“It’s nothing. Lo and I busted a home invasion crew. We did it close to by the book without much in the way of complications. Hey… baby… it jogged a song into my memory banks from a time long ago you’ll love.”
Stacy put on her anxious face while she grilled me. “What? Don’t mess with me, Rick. Give it to me right now you big tease.”
I could tell Jim was enjoying our interaction immensely, so I went all in, humming the first bars of Je T’aime… Moi Non Plus. When I began the first French words in the song, Stacy broke down in tears. I stopped and hugged her. God knows I’d hoped for a more happy remembrance. “Hey… I thought you’d laugh and smile. C’mon. I promised Jim you’d do it with me, not shoot me down like a scud missile.”
I started again with more feeling, reaching for her hand, singing the opening gambit of the song very much like Serge Gainsbourg as I practiced so many years ago, but my French was much better. It helped I actually understood the words. In moments, Stacy was mine again, caught in my special time vortex. She gripped both my hands in vicelike grips of passion, whispering in French the Jane Birkin parts of the song, her voice catching in vivid remembrance. By the end, she hit every nuance and gasp for breath from the original heart ripping song, and I started again. I watched the tears fill her eyes as we sang in complete sync as we had practiced decades long past. By the end this time, we were sixteen again, staring into each other’s eyes, hearts, and souls. She launched into my arms with almost a cry of anguish. I held her for many moments without speaking.
“My… God… you two were incredible,” Jim whispered. “Can you teach me how to do that?”
She and I laughed, startled because for a moment there, we forgot everything else on earth. I took a deep breath, gripping Stacy’s hand as we parted. “Yeah, kid, I’ll teach you. Believe me, it’s loaded dynamite. It’s no wonder they banned the song where we lived.”
“I want to sing it with Temple like you did now. Teach me. Right now, teach me. I remember everything when I want to, and I’ll try and imitate your French. Listen.”
Jim did a credible mimic of the song, missing only small inflections. I could tell the song had moved him, and as he claimed, he remembered everything. Little did he know I’ll use that against him at a future date.
“That’s wonderful, Jim,” Stacy said. She kissed me lingeringly, aglow with the Phantom of the Opera syndrome I had immersed her in. “Help him. I’ll get our stuff together for the workout. Are jeans and black t-shirt good for you to wear after the workout, Rick?”
“Yeah, I’ll wear them there. Okay, young Serge, let’s get to work.”
“My iPhone!” Jim pulled his iPhone out and in two minutes time, he found the single on Amazon. “Look, Pa.”
“Nice.” I took my pinkie finger and entered my Amazon store code. I downloaded the app for Amazon downloading, and then the song. I had the song playing moments later. We both sang Serge’s part with the song. It took only thirty seconds of the melody to draw Stacy from her task, and there we were singing away in French with a song over four decades old.
* * *
We arrived early, with Jim practicing in the backseat with his iPhone. I spotted Temple’s limo in the corner of the parking lot. Her driver Pete waved at me when I got out. “Hey Rick!”
I shook hands with him. “Pete Boardman. Driver supreme. How are you?”
“Better than I’ve heard you are, pal. I’m supposed to ask you if Temple can ride home with you. The little minx has it bad for your grandson.”
“It’s going to get a lot worse after tonight, my friend. She can ride with us. We’re having dinner at the restaurant after the workout.”
Pete handed me his card. “Call if things change, Rick. Good seeing you again.”
“Take care.” I took a deep breath while watching Pete drive away. I rejoined Stacy and Jim at the car. “Temple will be riding with us tonight.”
Jim pumped his fist. “Yes!”
“I think you need to tone down your enthusiasm a little if…” running footsteps interrupted my hoped for lecture on a young man’s romantic conduct, as Temple streaked by me, and launched on Jim. In a moment, they were sealed together, from one end to the other.
Stacy smiled at me as the two acted as if they had been apart for a year. I looked around the moderately busy parking lot with arriving and departing workout enthusiasts. Damn it. I was an enabler for a couple of mixed up kids.
“Temple! You little ditz. You can be arrested for that. Don’t make me have to twist your ear off.”
With a groan, Temple pushed away. “I missed you so much. Did you miss me, Jim?”
“More than I can say.” Then Jim brought out his iPhone. “I have a song for us. Listen.”
The haunting melody began with my young French Serge singing along perfectly. He repeated it a couple of times while Temple hesitantly joined in with him. After only a minute into the third time through the song, the singer Jane Birkin wasn’t the only one gasping breathlessly. Uh oh… I believe I threw gasoline on an already out of control fire. When the song ended, Temple kissed Jim with far more than friendship seething through her. My young Serge pushed Temple to arms’ length, taking a deep breath.
“I…I want to sing it with you… always.”
Temple stared at her young conquest with a look of passion best not sampled at Jim’s age. “Yes… oh yes, I’ll sing it with you.”
“Let’s go inside before you two alley cats set the parking lot on fire,” I directed. “You two need a good workout to keep those hormones in check. Put the iPhone in my bag, Jim. The music practice that will make me and Stacy great grandparents will have to wait until later. Remember your public image, Temple, and the potential jail danger. Now cool it, or I’ll have you both doing pushups until your arms fall off.”
“C’mon, Jim. I’m already annoyed with the geezer lectures. That song was beautiful. I’ve never heard anything like it.”
Jim handed me his iPhone, and put his arm around Temple.
“No touching,” I ordered. Jim dropped his arm reluctantly.
I did put an arm around Stacy. The no touching directive did not apply to geezers. “I may have made an error in judgment remembering that song.”
“No you didn’t, and I’ll prove it to you later. If Jim hadn’t been in the house, I would have raped you on the spot. You speak French, don’t you? I could tell.”
“Amongst a few others,” I replied. “I have a knack for languages, and I think it carried over to Jim.”
“You know what the song meant then.”
“Sure, Stace. It’s mostly repeated declarations of love, and little else, other than those breathless parts we exploited long ago when we had no idea what the words meant.”
Stacy leaned into me, her hand across my middle. “Whatever made you think of that song?”
“I was chasing down a bad guy in the sand, remembering ‘Hell Week’ in the Seals. When I had him restrained, I thought back past the bad to the good - and that old song, which helped me get through ‘Hell Week’ remembering us doing the song together. I knew you’d like it. I shared it with Jim on the way home. That was a mistake. I should have kept it to myself until we were alone.”
“God, Rick… they are so hot for each other, and he’s just a kid.”
“When you’ve had the experiences he’s had, it throws off the growing up sequence. If Temple wasn’t a movie star, they would be fine with guidance, because she could pass for fifteen easy, and Jim looks sixteen. Hell, the boy already has a mustache. I don’t want her name splashed in the news on some bullshit child predator rap. Working out together will at least calm them slightly.”
“Will you sing to me again tonight?”
“I’ll whisper Je T’aime in your ear, and make you clamp your hands over your mouth to keep from waki
ng Jim.”
“You brat! I bet I know how you’ll do it too. I won’t let you.”
“We’ll see. You may say no now, but yes, yes, yes later.”
Stacy gasped with indignation. “You think you can have your way with me in any way you wish. I think not.”
“We’ll see,” I repeated, provoking a slap on my shoulder and a giggle.
Inside the gym, we proceeded into our workout room. There were only a few people there as early as we were. They had already mobbed the kids, because Temple is one of those stars who are an exception to the rule. She loves people, but she also knows something false instantly. She doesn’t do drugs, takes a drink rarely, but absolutely has a passion for interaction with people. It’s the main reason our now interactive workout club loves her, and protects her. Very little of the comedy interplay ever surfaces involving Temple. For one thing, I think everyone in here is afraid of Lo, and I don’t blame them. If Lo finds out… and she will, about someone carrying tales hurtful to Temple, or anyone in our group, that person better get ready for payback. One of the reasons she and I get along so well is we both live by the feud. Screw us at your risk. The group quieted as Stacy and I joined them. Eight dead bodies in a few days, including three of them happening in Jadie’s gym parking lot can cool off even the most accepting people. Life’s a bitch, and then we die. If my presence cuts down on the crowd, then so be it. Jadie might tell me to take a hike though, in which case I’ll have to drop Stacy and Jim off. I’ll guard the outside.
“Hi folks,” I greeted the stares with a wave. “I’m thinking the headlines are making you wonder if being in a workout group with me is healthy. I can be voted off the island. What’s happened in the last few days is scary stuff. Anyway, please feel free to make your feelings known to my business partner Jadie. This is her gym.”
One of the regulars stepped forward named Rita. She was a late twenties something member of our workout crew. “I want you here, Rick. It’s because of you and Lo that we interact with stars like Temple, Karen, and now Trish. All the funny interaction between your group makes this torturous shit bearable. I’ve lost forty pounds, and I actually look forward to this damn place thanks to you. Your grandson Jim and Temple here are entertaining as hell.”
Rick Cantelli, PI: Into the Darkness (Rick Cantelli, P.I. Detectives Book 3) Page 25
