Silver Lining - A Carpelli Adventure: Sequel To The Bestselling Thriller Fatal Mistake

by Cliff Roberts

  “I guess I’ll reserve judgement until then I guess.”

  “You’re new in town, sort of. You have been here a year and have only just recently ventured out to explore your new home,” The old man said.

  “How could you possibly know that?” I asked.

  “John, I am blessed with knowing most things.”

  “Oh, so you’re God?” I asked with only a small touch of sarcasm.

  “John, John, John. I will let it pass this time, since you are new, but you must set aside your overactive skepticism and take somethings on faith.”

  “The only person I ever heard of who knew all things was God. He was omnipotent.”

  “And that he is my friend. I am only blessed with some knowledge. All of my blessings come directly from him. I am not God. I am a deity. A lesser God of his making.”

  “I’ll try to keep that in mind.” I replied sarcastically again.

  “Lord, you certainly have made this a challenge haven’t you?” The Oracle blurted out and finally looked at John. His lips were tight but his eyes had a sparkle to them. “John, how do you think I know your name?” he asked.

  “I assume Holston called to let you know I was coming.”

  “I am afraid not. I don’t have a phone.” The Oracle stated.

  “I saw the restaurant has several phone lines. I’m sure there has to be at least one, man mountain around here, who knows how to use a phone. They could easily pass on a message to you.” I had that charade covered. Then I had another thought. “The restaurant also has a website, you have another website, for telling fortunes. Both have emails. I’m sure, if Holston or anyone else, wanted to contact you without coming in they’d easily be able to get through to you.”

  “Oh John, I don’t know how to use any of those things. I will admit that at times people will try to send me messages but they are redundant at best. This is where you need to have some faith and believe me, your friend,” the Oracle stated.

  “I don’t mean to be disrespectful, but as your friend I need to be honest.” I replied. “Everything you have talked about here, I do every day in my work. I appreciate the theatrics but I’m far too worldly to buy into you being a deity. You are well informed but even you have stated you don’t know everything.”

  “Alright, let’s start with that thought. Think of somethings that no one would know about except you.” The Oracle stated and then closed his eyes. A moment later he said, “I don’t normally make the effort to prove myself to the non-believers.”

  “You don’t have to prove anything to me. I’m just a crusty hard case, who has seen far too many of God’s children do unspeakable things to each other all in the twisted desire to prove their more valuable than the other guy.”

  “John, shut up and listen for a change. Your profession is what the police would call, a mob enforcer. You are assumed to have killed dozens of men, who have crossed those in power, in the mob, though you have never been charged with even a single murder.”

  “You last worked for a good man, despite his having worked for the mob as an attorney. His name was Jackson Bender. He now lives in Vermont, where he writes books about mob crimes and uses a double to do his public appearances because he is in the witness protection program. Your last job for him was to find the crime bosses missing son, which you never were able to do. Though you did, at least in your mind, discover the man’s killer. A Tyler Stone. You believe that the crime bosses son and his lady friend, Tyler’s wife are buried in the back yard of Tyler stone’s home. They are by the way, under the garage. The reason you moved to Knoxville...” I couldn’t believe it. How could he possibly know this? I could feel my blood pressure rising as he droned on.

  “You moved to Knoxville, to avoid the long reach of the crime boss, Anthony Connors. He didn’t like loose ends which you and Counselor Bender were considered. So you and Bender devised a plan to save a young woman and yourselves by turning the tables on Conners. It would have all worked out fine, except the police officer you were trying to help, didn’t take your estimate of the threat by Connors serious. At great risk to yourself, you went back to try and help the police stop a hit squad from killing them and the guilty party in the murder of the crime bosses son and his lady.”

  “You were shot three times in the chest that night. You credit your survival to having worn an extra plate of Kevlar which stopped all three rounds. Unfortunately, several police officers were killed along with the prime suspect, Mr. Stone.”

  “A side note would be, Mr. Bender as show friendship provided you with two million dollars of the crime bosses money he had been entrusted to keep for the boss in case of a rainy day and he needed to run. I could tell you where you have deposited it here locally if you like?” The Oracle stated with a big smile.

  I leaped up and reached for the man. But he simply leaned back out of reach and before I could free my feet, three huge men grabbed me and slammed me to the floor.

  “Don’t hurt him. He’ll settle down shortly. Go ahead and bring out the food.” The Oracle was acting as if it was no big deal.

  “How?” How did you find this out? Was it Beals who told you?” I snapped.

  “No, Beals has kept his promise. Besides he doesn’t know about the money or about the where abouts of Counselor Bender. John, it is a blessing from God that I know this. No tricks.” The Oracle stated.

  “Then what is the soothsayer and fortune teller all about?” I asked trying to buy time to think this through.

  “It is a side line to make a little extra money, while entertaining myself. I have a houseboat down on the river where I tell fortunes. It is surprisingly easy and fun for me. I see both types of people there. Those who are the Devil’s spawn and those who are in the light, The Children of God”. The Oracle shared.

  “So am I, a child of God or the Devil’s spawn?”

  “John, John, open you mind, man. Let the cynic rest for a while. I already told you, you are a righteous man.”

  “So tell me my fortune. Tell me the God’s awful truth,” I quickly interjected.

  “I can see this is going to be a long meeting.” The Oracle groused, while glancing towards the ceiling. “Will someone, please bring me the choice of the house, God’s own nectar. Now John, are you calm again?” The Oracle asked.

  “I’m calm, I’m calm.” I stated curtly and the Oracle waved his hand the three giants slowly released me and stepped back a few feet, but they didn’t leave. I looked at them and the Oracle and back again, before I stated once more for the record. “I’m calm.”

  “Thank you, gentlemen. That will be all for now. John please give Mr. Black your car keys, so he can have it moved into the valet lot. It wouldn’t do to have my friend’s classic car damaged while he was visiting me.” I held out the keys and the man took them from me. His hand was so big I immediately thought about how a child must feel when dealing with an adult. The size difference was very similar. I then learned of the man’s strength because he reached a hand to help me up and he gently lifted me off the floor without any help from me. I’m a big man, but he made me look and feel small. I wondered why he wasn’t in the NFL, as I took my seat again, just as the food arrived.

  “I took the liberty, John, of ordering for you, my favorite dish. Lightly breaded filet minion with truffles. If it is not to your liking, you can order whatever you like.”

  “Please, tell me how you know those things. Some of them, I have never shared with anyone and yet, you knew all about them.” I asked politely, hoping that might be the key to his sharing of secrets.

  “John, there is no secret, super computer from which I am able to gather and control the world’s flow of information. It truly is a gift from God, nothing more, as if that isn’t enough. All I have to do is think about someone or something and I see it all in my head. Go ahead taste the fillet, before it gets cold.” The Oracle said as he started eating in a slow deliberate manner. He was savoring each and every bite. I decided, what the hay, I may as well get a good
meal out this and sliced off a piece of fillet. It literally melted in my mouth. The taste was incredible.

  “See! I told you so. Now do you have something for me?” The Oracle asked, as one of the man mountains walked up and set a large mason jar on the table. It was filled with a clear liquid. As I reached inside my coat for his envelope, the Oracle poured each of us a double shot glass full of the clear liquid.

  “Moonshine?” I asked.

  “Why yes, it is. We call it “God’s own Nectar”. It is the finest Moonshine in all of Eastern Tennessee and Kentucky. It is a recipe handed down from my grandfather, to my father and on down to me. When I’m gone, one of my nieces will inherit it, since I haven’t any son’s or nephews to hand it down too. We hold a special license to produce several thousand gallons a year, for our specific use only. No retail sales of any kind are allowed. Though we have a tradition of leaving in our wills, gifts of twenty–five gallons a year to special family friends and certain influential people who have provided friendship to us.” The Oracle informed John.

  “That sounds as though it is a very exclusive club and the Moonshine is very expensive.”

  “Oh it is, we sell it by the shot only for $150.00 a shot. It is exceedingly rare there aren’t several shots per person, per table, per meal.” He finished pouring my shot and I waited until he was finished pouring his and had picked it up to picked up mine. “To my good friend John. May he find the nectar pleasing to his tongue and each sip bringing him closer to accepting there are still somethings in which, he can have faith.” The Oracle toasted, took a sip which emptied the shot glass and went back to his lunch. I followed suit and this time I kept quiet.

  “So John, you still feel the need to test me or are you just teasing me?” The Oracle asked.

  “A little of both,” I said, “with a little grin on my face.

  “So be it. I will indulge you. Yes, John I will send a half gallon home with you. But don’t tell a soul where you got it. Plus, I’m still waiting for my package you were to deliver. Now would be a good time.” The Oracle held out his hand and grinned at me. The moment I placed the envelope in his hand his expression changed.

  “John, you haven’t counted this.”

  “No, I haven’t. It’s none of my business.” I replied.

  “But what if I were to say the amount is short?”

  “I’d tell you to talk with Holston. I’m just the delivery boy. No more responsible for product shortages than the man delivering the mail would be.”

  “But what if Holston says you’re lying, and he demands the product from you, to replace that which failed to arrive.”

  “I would explain to him that I don’t look in the packages, as it is none of my business what is in the package. If he thinks something is missing, then he should be talking to the person who loaded it.”

  “That is naive, John.”

  “Maybe so. But I haven’t had any complaints. I tend to respond in a less than a friendly way to being called a thief. Not that I haven’t been involved in a few robberies and burglaries, it’s just that I don’t need the aggravation that comes from skimming a few dollars of the top of the pile. My job is to deliver it, not account for it,” I stated.

  “You must be feeling lucky, thinking I won’t claim you shorted me.”

  “Is that right?” I asked, as my eyes bored a hole through the man. My attempt at intimidating him was useless. He just continued to smile at me, while continuing to talk.

  “You demanded more pay because he failed to disclose that the man, the man suspected who had killed Collins, was a biker, but you’ll soon learn there is more to that situation. You could have been killed and so to teach him a lesson about being truthful and forth coming, you demanded more money. You threatened his family, if he refused to pay. Despite what he may have said or done, the man now hates you and is looking for the right opportunity to do you harm. He is consumed with making everyone who humiliates or belittles him, pay. He will try to make you pay for challenging him.”

  “I’ll keep that in mind.” I absently stated, as I refocused on eating.

  “The spider weaves a very big web,” The Oracle seemed to go off on a tangent, so I was only half listening, while I kept eating. “It allows for the best chance of catching a meal by controlling as much of the space around him, as possible. Many an unwary fly has become dinner for the spider, because he weaves such a big web.” He spouted cryptically and then turned away, as if he had to check out the something going on in the restaurant below.

  So why is Holston, paying you?” I decided to try and slip in the question while he was distracted.

  “Not everyone wants to find something out.” The Oracle responded. “A few want to be sure no one finds out certain things I know. Which costs just as much, if not more, because somethings are very dangerous to know. Which is why I am here, to safe guard secrets and disseminate information for a price.”

  “So what is he hiding?” I asked straight up.

  “If I told you, John, I wouldn’t be in business for long. Now would I?” The Oracle danced around my efforts to know more about Holston.

  “Okay, then how about telling me what it will cost, to have you not tell anyone about me?” I asked.

  “As I said, John, it is very expensive, but for you, my friend, I will not share a word and not charge you a penny. Friendships for me are very few and very far apart. Men like Holston, who I detest, must pay me serious money.” The Oracle shared.

  “And if someone should offer you serious money to share what you know about me?” I asked.

  “John, John, John!” The oracle shouted. “I have I not just told you that I will not share a word about you? I don’t make idol statements. There is nothing short of God himself asking, that could make me consider breaking that confidence. My whole business depends on my keeping secrets. So don’t insult me again or I may lose my temper and have Mr. Elliott explain the depth to which my feelings are hurt,” The Oracle actually threatened me. Now I was getting somewhere. Just then a large black man stepped from the shadows and looked at me stoned faced for a moment, adding a touch of visualization to the threat. I sat looking at him for a moment before the Oracle spoke up.

  “John,” The Oracle said as he leaned in close. “I apologize for my outburst, I have a short fuse where my integrity is concerned. But even if I have to have Mr. Elliott explain things, I still will never reveal what I know about you. Once I promise, I never go back on it. Never.”

  There was a few moments of awkward silence between us as we finished our food and he poured a second round of “Nectar”. Finally I spoke up.

  “It was my mistake, thinking you were like the men I usually deal with. I apologize for my lack of discernment.” I did my best to apologize, though it is not in my nature to be humble.

  “No need to apologize my friend, all is forgiven and forgotten.” The Oracle replied with his warm and welcoming smile returning to his face. I took a sip off the “Nectar” and decided to test him, yet again.

  “So how much is it to have you tell me my future?” I asked.

  “I will tell you for free, but not until the time is right. If I were to tell you it may cloud your judgment. It may cause you to hesitate when you should be acting.” The Oracle told me.

  “What? You think I’ll get all confused as to what I should do with the rest of my life, if I know what’s going to happen?” I asked sarcastically, as he took the last swig of his drink. Once he had finished savoring the last drop of “Nectar” he looked me in the eye and said.

  “Yes, you will. Now as far as those two Sheriff’s Deputies that you have been asked to learn more about are concerned. Their names are Kelly and Washington.” The Oracle changed the subject, leaving me to wonder exactly what he thought he saw in my future. “They are both bad news. They like to be called, Smith and Jones. They are as you say, ‘criminals with badges’. They used to work for the king spider until he took himself out, drinking and driving. At least that is the stor
y, as it is told.”

  “So how did the King spider die?” I asked.

  “He had help. A lot of help. He was not well liked or loved.”

  “Did Smith and Jones have anything to do with his demise?” I asked.

  “I can’t say at this time.”

  “What do you mean you can’t say at this time? I thought you knew.”

  “Silence has been paid for, but they are rumored to have changed alliances. Their value has risen since his passing and they control more of the streets than ever, now the man is gone.”

  “For it being a subject you cannot talk about, you sure have said a lot. Yet you haven’t really told me anything.” I complained.

  “John, trust yourself. You will know.” The Oracle stated.

  I was confused to say the least and wondered if I was being conned. It felt like it but so far he hadn’t wanted any money from me. So what was the payoff for him? I was about to say something about that, when he spoke up.

  “John, it is impolite not to drink with a friend.” The Oracle stated sternly as he noticed I hadn’t drank but a sip of the second shot he poured for me. I almost said I didn’t know him well enough to say we were friends, but I bit my tongue, knowing I wanted more information about the two deputies.

  “That is wise, John,” The Oracle said as he poured a little more nectar into his own glass and took a sip. “Not the drinking, that’s just polite, but the not insulting me by saying we weren’t friends.”

  “Like you, I don’t have a lot of friends and I don’t make them easily. I am confused and still unsure I can believe you. It’s really very hard for me trust anyone. I’ll do my best to keep from expressing my doubts and just do as I have always done. Take it with a grain of salt and do all I can to verify the information.”

  “Yes, you need to do that.” The Oracle said as he poured a little more nectar into his glass and took a sip. “But I would never steer you wrong. The difference between us is that you think in the present tense, where as I knows, in the future tense. One of the things I knows is we are friends, John. You just don’t know it yet.”