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

by Cliff Roberts

  The Diablo’s all were holding their guns in their hands and all of them brought them to bare on the men, though they hardly looked as though they could use them proficiently.

  It was almost comical the differences between the two groups. The Diablo’s were dressed in ragged blue jeans, t-shirts and leather jackets. Their hair to a man was long shaggy, dirty and tied in ponytails. Every man had a beard that was long and untrimmed. The Oracle’s men were wearing suits and ties, all black. Their hair was short and neat. Not one had any facial hair.

  “Who are you?” the Diablo in the middle asked.

  “None of your business.” Eric replied. “Who are you?” Eric then asked the Diablo leader.

  “Really, you can’t see my colors? I am your worst nightmare. I’m a Diablo and we don’t answer questions.” The man snarled, as if this was pissing contest he could win. “Now tell me, who the fuck you are or we’ll kill your asses right here.”

  “Really,” Eric returned the sarcasm, “You can’t see my colors?” The Diablo stood staring at Eric. Figuring it was a waste of time matching wits with this inbred moron, Eric countered, “We’re the men in Black and we’ll not only will kill you. But you disappear as well. Now get out the way.”

  “What’s under the sheet?” the guy persisted.

  “A woman.”

  “We’re looking for a woman, Take the sheet off.” The guy continued.

  “You’ll have to find your next date elsewhere.” Eric replied sarcastically, then said to his men, “We’ll get the next elevator.” The team then swung the gurney around and started to walk away. The Diablo men jumped out of the elevator and demanded Eric and his three men stop, which they did. Eric’s team swung around in unison, drawing their silenced forty caliber Sig-Saur‘s as they turned and fired. The Diablo’s dropped to the floor and Eric’s team walked back to the elevator and rode it to main level. From there, it was a short walk to the loading dock and men paid very close attention to every sound they heard, because if there were six Diablo’s, there were bound to be more. Kind of like cockroaches.

  The two men with John had already returned to the van and were waiting when Eric’s team arrived. They quickly loaded up, including Betty’s two trash bags and drove away before the six dead Diablo’s were discovered and no one was the wiser as to who or why they had killed them. When the group arrived back at the Iron Horse, the van pulled inside of a parking structure that was next to the guest area and the Oracle’s residence.

  “Where are we?” asked Betty.

  “The Oracle will answer everything for you in the morning. I’m just the hired help. If there is anything you want, anything, just let me know and I will get it for you. The phone rings my station automatically. I’m sure you’ll find the accommodations quite comfortable.”

  CHAPTER NINETEEN

  The accommodations were more than comfortable, they were lavish, but most of all, they were safe and secure. Over the next six weeks, while I recovered, Betty and I built a solid friendship, as I was in no condition to do anything else. The Iron Horse Restaurant proved to be amazing. Acquired by the Oracles’ Great Grandfather right after the civil war, it had served as the railroad repair facility for over a hundred and twenty years. Then during Prohibition, it was transformed into the hottest speak easy in the tri-states region. It served also as a moonshine clearing house that was never compromised or shutdown. It was rumored, the shareholders in the moonshine business were the rich and powerful of east Tennessee. With them holding the lion’s share of the stock in the place, no one expected to see any real law enforcement efforts to take place against it.

  When the great depression stunned the nation and the world, The Iron Horse continued to operate, catering to the wealthy, while at the opposite end of the huge building they had a soup kitchen and flop house for several hundred people at a time. It was the legacy that the Oracle wanted to see continued as today’s economic times were almost as tough, as they were in the nineteen thirties.

  During my stay, the Oracle had been friendly enough, but his visits were brief. Stopping by to say hi every day, but rarely staying more than a few brief minutes. That was until today, when the doctor told me, I could start exercising to get my muscle tone back to normal.

  “I hear you have the doctors blessing to start exercising.” The Oracle said as he sat down.

  “Yeah, I should be back to my old self in a couple of weeks, but I haven’t got that much time according to what you said the other day.” I reminded him off the information he shared the other day about the local prosecutors wanting to prosecute me for the death of Holston.

  “Yes, but you have the proof of your innocence and that should end the man’s ambition to ride your back to higher office. The Feds are getting close to announcing their case against Kelly and Washington. They have a solid case against them regarding the false death certificates, but as for the murder of Doctor Anne Harris, they’re about to get that case tossed. No real evidence other than witnesses that saw her alive and well. The Grand Jury is telling the prosecutor that without a body, they won’t indite.” The Oracle shared.

  “I can’t go digging into the Doc’s disappearance right now. I’ve got my own prosecuting to do. I promised Michael Nolan, what would happen, if he didn’t straighten up and now that he has ignored me, I intend to keep my promise.” I informed the Oracle.

  “I happen to agree. You haven’t a choice in the matter, unless you wish to move to another city.”

  “No, I think I like this one.”

  “Betty might move with you, if you were to ask.” The Oracle informed me.

  “I’d like that, but why should she have to move because of me?”

  “She made her choice when she got in the car with you. If you had left her home and took on the bikers by yourself, she would have been over looked.” The Oracle shared.

  “So you’re saying, it’s all my fault.” I countered and then added. “I agree, but for a different reason then my trying to protect her. If I hadn’t asked her out, she’d have been far better off.”

  “You should ask her about why she lives alone and way out off the beaten path.” The Oracle suggested.

  “To avoid losers like me,” I countered. The Oracle just shook his head.

  “John, I don’t make friends with losers. Remember that the next time you’re feeling the need for a pity party. I suggest you get yourself in gear and be prepared to talk with Mrs. Carmel. She took over the family business when her husband passed. If you want to kill Michael Nolan, you will need her permission.”

  “He’s a made man?” I questioned.

  “No, but he does work for her directly and you’ll want to clear it with her, so she understands it has nothing to do with her. It’s personal and it’s self-defense.” The Oracle shared.

  “Is she a reasonable person?” I asked.

  “Who can say, what is reasonable and sane for one person, is considered totally crazy by the next.” The Oracle explained. I thought about jumping on him for taking the easy way out, bullshit, but decided it was just one of his idiosyncrasies, I’d just have to deal with.

  “So how do I arrange a meeting with Mrs. Carmel?” I asked.

  “I’ll let her know, you’d like to talk with her and when she is ready, she’ll be in touch. Just be ready to go, at a moment’s notice.”

  “Interesting. I never was allowed to meet the bosses in my hometown. I dealt with their attorney only.” I countered. “They could then claim, anything said to me or by me, was covered by attorney client privilege.”

  “You’re accused of shooting her attorney.” The Oracle pointed out.

  “I would not have minded shooting him, but I didn’t do it. I have proof of that. We just need to have someone who isn’t a friend of mine, somehow present it.” I whined, hoping the Oracle might attest to the validity of the claim for me.

  “I’d provide a copy of your proof for Mrs. Carmel, which should help your credibility.” The Oracle offered. I thought, bing
o! No one thinks for even a moment, the Oracle might lie.

  CHAPTER TWENTY

  I didn’t have to wait long to have my meeting with Mrs. Carmel. Betty and I had gone for a walk in World’s Fair Park and had just gotten out of sight of the Iron Horse, when a large black limousine pulled up blocking our path and four large men got out. Each of the men held a forty-five caliber hand gun out in the open as one of them stepped forward and stated.

  “Mrs, Carmel wants to see you.”

  “Okay, when?” I responded.

  “Cute. Get in the car, now.” The smashed nosed individual ordered. When both Betty and I step forward, he stepped in front of her and snarled, “Not you.”

  “But she’s with me and this isn’t a very good neighborhood.” I interjected and put my arm around her.

  “Not her and don’t make me tell you again. Now get in the car.” He snapped again. I turned to Betty and whispered, while giving her a kiss, “Let the Oracle know.” I also slipped her my forty caliber which caused the four chunks of mayhem to swing their guns up and point them at her. I quickly put my hands up and stated loudly.

  “Easy guys. I promise she won’t shoot you. Well, at least not right now. But send me back with my shirt ruffled and all bets are off.”

  “Shut up and get in the car.” The lead man barked again. As I slipped into the back seat, he slipped in on one side and one of his buddies slipped in on the other. With the two other huge guys in the front seat, I felt totally safe. I had air bags all around me. I didn’t share that observation though. Somehow, I don’t think they’d find it even remotely funny.

  Before we had driven a block, the big leader handed me a black cloth bag and told me to put it over my head. I did so without any comments. I was expecting to be stuck in some God awful smelling bag that people had cried, puked and even died in. But no, it smelled like fresh cut roses and was super soft.

  I tried to keep an estimate of the time we traveled and if we were driving in circles as we drove on. As near as I could tell, as I counted to sixty to mark the minutes over and over again, we hadn’t done any circles. We had turned right, immediately upon my putting the bag on. Then we took another right, two minutes later and then a left, three minutes later. Then a right, then left for a long way, then right, then left, then another left, then right and finally left, before coming to a stop.

  I was helped from the car after about an hour of driving. They left the bag on my head, while two of the big men grabbed my arms and led me around. We had gone about two hundred feet when we abruptly stopped and they yanked the bag off my head. The sunlight was brutal and I shielded my eyes for a moment as they adjusted to the brightness.

  “I apologize for all the cloak and dagger crap, Mr. Carpelli, but in my profession, it pays to be careful.” I heard a woman’s voice say as my eyes continue to adjust. Finally, I was able to stop blinking and focus on the woman several feet away sitting on the top of a picnic table with forty caliber hand gun setting next to her on the table. About a hundred feet away were a swing set, monkey bars, teeter totter and large sand box. Two small girls were playing there with a nanny, who was a cute early twenties something. The area around the playground was park like though we were on private property as attested to by the dozen men toting automatic weapons.

  “No, it should be me, who is apologizing to you for my frailty at the moment but I’ve been under the weather a bit as of late. Plus for taking up your time with such a small matter.” I tried the groveling approach, but as I’ve said, I’m not too good at acting like a rube.

  “You have proven to be quite resourceful, Mr. Carpelli. I received your little package this morning and I must say, it was quite enlightening. But we both know how easy it is to falsify this type of evidence.”

  “But you can also tell it wasn’t,” I stated.

  “Mr. Holston, will be hard to replace,” she stated.

  “Hopefully, you won’t consider his business partner, Michael Nolan.”

  “Oh, and why shouldn’t I consider him?” She asked.

  “Because he’s out to take over from you. According to the late Mr. Holston, he was skimming off the drug deals and he had Holston killed. Probably to shut him up. Plus, I was told by two other reliable sources, Nolan was behind your husband’s death as well.” I informed her.

  “What makes you think that?” She asked.

  “His death certificate was falsified to hide the fact that he had been tased dozens of times before he was rolled off the cliff. The ME who falsified the record was working for Kelly and Washington and they work directly for…” She cut me off and finished the sentence for me.

  “Michael Nolan.” She said and for a moment looked over at her kids playing on the swings, which brought a smile to her face.

  “If the Feds can get Kelly or Washington to turn on Nolan, than he could turn on you. I’m assuming that Kelly and Washington have never actually met you.” I stated though it was a question.

  “No, I have never met with them.”

  “That’s good, because it all is just hear say, without an obvious relationship.” I shared what I had heard Bender say a hundred times over the last twenty years.

  “You an attorney, Mr. Carpelli?”

  “No Mam, but I did work as an investigator for an attorney, who had a very colorful relationship with the boss in my hometown.” I shared cryptically.

  “You’re an investigator? Is that what you were doing for Holston?” She asked just as one of the children ran up and hugged Mommy.

  “I love you, Mommy. Is this a bad man?” The little girl asked.

  “I love you too, sweetheart. Now go play with your sister and Missy Taylor, okay?” Mrs. Carmel told the little girl. I remained silent while they talked, not wanting to intrude. As the little girl turned and ran back to her nanny, Mrs. Carmel openly glared at the nanny who called out.

  “I’m sorry, Mrs. Carmel. It won’t happen again.”

  “I apologize for the interruption, now where were we?” Mrs. Carmel asked.

  “I had just told you I’m an investigator.”

  “Oh, yes.” She stated. “So who was it you worked for and where?”

  “That situation ended badly, through no fault of my own or the attorney I worked for. It seems the son of Pittsburgh’s crime boss, Anthony Conners, had turned himself and a whole lot of records over to the Feds. I had been asked to find Mr. Conners son and help to him to come home. As the pressure from the Feds mounted and I was unable to find Mr. Conners son, though I have a solid hunch as to where he is, Mr. Conners got spooked and started hiring hitters from all over, to whack several friends of his sons, plus the attorney and myself.”

  “Yet, you’re still alive.”

  “Yes, the Feds charged in just in time. The attorney I worked for turned state’s evidence and I just left town.” I sort of explained.

  “So who was your boss?”

  “It was Jackson Bender.”

  “Isn’t Anthony Conners dead?”

  “Yes, according to the Feds. That’s why I felt safe enough sharing that information.”

  “You think I wouldn’t kill you, because the guy offering the contract is dead. Is that right?”

  “I sincerely hope so.”

  “So why are you here? I already knew most of what you have shared.”

  “I asked to see you so that I might receive your permission to kill Michael Nolan.” I said straight out and waited nervously for her answer.

  “Why would I do that? I am well informed now on his intentions. Plus his connection to the Diablo’s is very valuable. We can move drugs and money across the country with impunity.”

  “I doubt the Diablo’s will want to change anything in regards to your arrangement with them, regardless of what happens to Michael Nolan. I won’t be telling anyone about my efforts and the body will never be found.” I stated confidently, though she didn’t seem all that impressed.

  “Why do you want to this?” She then asked.

  “He
took what was strictly a business arrangement and made it personal. He made some threats and has spent considerable time and money trying to kill me. I take that personally and know I need to finish this before he finishes me.” I explained.

  “So you were the unidentified man, who attacked him in the restroom at the restaurant.” She then stated, as though she were connecting all the dots before deciding.

  “Well, he actually attacked me. He just hadn’t thought about the fact, I might be able to fight back.”

  “Impressive. The rumor is that he’s an extremely tough character.” She stated and waved at her daughter’s.

  “I won’t be giving him an opportunity to fight back.”

  “So who knows you’re here talking to me?” She asked and turned to look at me directly. She was lovely with light brown hair and deep green eyes. She looked as though at some point in her life she been a model. She had all the right curves for the job.

  “There are two people. A woman, who was with me when your men picked me up. She only knows I said I had to go meet with you, but not about what. The other is the Oracle, it was his advice that caused me to seek you out and to do this thing the right way. With you permission.”

  “I see. I know the Oracle will not divulge any information per our arrangement. The woman, she could be troublesome.” I interjected here.

  “Like I said, she doesn’t know anything.” I stated firmly.

  “I hope so for your sake, Carpelli. Because if she proves to be a problem, we’ll be looking for her and for you as well. You’re now responsible for her. I don’t care if you split up and she doesn’t say a thing for twenty years and then talks. You will pay the price, just as she will.” Mrs. Carmel was being overly dramatic I felt but I understood.