by Terry McGhee
Chapter 13
“Louie, what do you mean he’s gone?”
“Jake, he used the restroom at the morgue and never came out. He had signed all the necessary papers, and paid the fee. Anton walked around to the outside, and the restroom window, like all of them, is protected with steel re-bar. Philippe and I are searching the immediate area, and Anton is meeting others at de Gaulle Airport’s departing area just in case he bolted. He’s just disappeared into thin air it seems.”
“He knows he isn’t a murder suspect any longer, so I believe he feels the FBI is getting enough evidence together to have him arrested for defrauding his customers. Even if he somehow found out through contacts in the U.S. that the Feds are considering dumping the whole case due to other more pressing criminal activity, Clyde Couletti is convinced he needs to disappear again.”
“Phillippe is putting out the equivalent of your ‘BOLO’…be on the lookout. No one here saw anything. He may have been snatched by pros, or else he’s a magician. I’ll keep you posted. I called Sam right away. He’s sending a local agent to check out the crime scene. He says to tell you the Espositos are still in Dallas, but they may have had help from the Mob in kidnapping this guy. He also wants us to know that the head suits are discussing whether or not the FBI will just shelve this entire matter. He said he will know more by tomorrow, and will contact us about a final decision.”
“This Couletti was carrying his camera and told us early on that he wanted to wander around and get some shots of the old churches. Maybe this was an excuse to buy some time until his disappearing act. I can’t believe he would wander off and not tell us. I’ll tell you Jake, it’s like that fairy tale about the girl that falls down a deep hole and things keep getting funnier and funnier.”
“Hey Louie, that’s Alice in Wonderland, and it’s ‘Curiouser and Curiouser.’”
“Yeah, that’s it. I think we’ll expand our search area some, and check any abandoned buildings or houses. Anton called to say no sign of our suspect yet at the airport, but he’ll wait around and finish checking passenger bookings for outbound flights. I have this feeling we won’t see this guy again.”
“Louie…you’ve done all you agreed to do. You’re not at fault for what happened. In actuality this whole caper is the FBI’s responsibility. They probably will get some help from Interpol if they really want to find Couletti.”
“Of course you’re right Jake. If Anton finds no sign of the guy, he’s been told to come on in. We’re done.”
Chapter 14
In his private dining room, Captain Favre raised his glass and said, “I propose a toast to all 4 of you for conducting your investigation of this nasty business with only minor inconvenience to the passengers. Phillippe, I’m sorry the National Police have been unable to uncover any leads on the murder of Mrs. Patsy Johnson. I’m told that Mr. and Mrs. Johnson used this name as an alias. I wish you good fortune as you continue to investigate this crime, and I look forward to hearing from you on occasion. “And Jake and Barbara, thanks for your assistance. I trust the balance of our cruise will be a more pleasant one for you both. I have ‘Googled’ your delightful small town in Northern Calif. My wife and I must visit one day as it seems quite beautiful, and I have the inclination to climb one of your mountains.”
“Jake and I would be pleased to welcome you and Mrs. Favre to our home in the mountains.”
Jake held up a finger. “Well Captain, I often think about climbing our tallest peak before I’m just too old. Thinking about it is as far as I’ve progressed toward this lofty goal. I ask myself ‘WHY.’ I think it’s just ego maybe. Not the same reason Sir Edmond Hillary gave, or some other professional climber, ‘Because it’s there.’ Being ‘there’ and my being able to just view the magnificent beauty should be enough I tell myself. It’s a tough slog. Advancing geezers like us have to be in good physical shape to tolerate the seven to eight hours it will take. I did talk to one guy about our age at a Men’s Hiking Club breakfast, and he said it was the most difficult thing he has ever done.
“I’ll tell you what. All three of us can sit on our deck with a good bottle of wine, view the snow covered mountain and discuss the pros and cons of climbing it…or not. ”
“Oh c’mon Jake.” Barb chimed in. You either decide to climb it, get into shape and like Nike says ‘just do it,’ or you can just kick back in retirement and do cross-word puzzles.”
Jake was thankful for the Captain’s interruption. Captain Favre continued. “Well tomorrow we will make way to Rouen, France, the preeminent capital of Normandy. Monet often made the magnificent Notre Dame Cathedral a subject of his paintings. And of course you know that in the fourteenth century Joan of Arc was found guilty of heresy and burned at the stake in the town square. Ironically after her death she was found to be innocent of all charges, and she is considered a heroine of France.”
“I can’t think of a worse death than being burned alive,” Barb said, and did a body shiver. Our ancestors were so cruel and callus back then. But then I imagine so is our generation. I guess being injected with a drug that stops the heart is somewhat more civilized. The result, however, is the same…death!”
“Take heart. None of us will be burned at the stake, and besides, tonight is a full moon and the Seine will be shimmering. All are invited to a wine tasting on the Sky Deck.”
***
Late that evening while Jake, Louie, and Barbara were enjoying a premium Louie Jadot Beaujolais on the upper deck and viewing a large bright moon, a figure on shore, from a darkened window in Giverny, studied the Grand Queen through Night Vision binoculars. The person noted that the Detective Inspector by the name of Phillippe was no longer on board. He was observed returning to the Police Nationale headquarters earlier in the day. Their investigative work was finished, and they hoped they’d seen the back of this alleged American criminal.
The Team took pride in their work, and commanded the highest price for their clandestine operations. They had successfully completed the first task without a hitch, but there was further work needed to complete their contract and collect their fee. This payoff would see each of the three through the next two years without having to accept additional projects. Some of their clients would go to extreme lengths to ‘even the playing field’ as this one was willing to do.
Vasyley and his brother had fought a war for what they thought was a just cause, but their visions were dashed by a few misdirected men whose vision was the extermination of a peaceful people who only wanted the good life and employment to care for their families. Tonight they would do what they’d been hired to do…no more, no less. The bright Full Moon would only be a minor inconvenience requiring more caution.
Vasyley took off the night vision goggles, dropped them in his back pack, and turned to his team. “Ok, it appears that the police have withdrawn and, at least tonight, are not doing any further investigation into the disappearance of our target. Also I see that the American and the Dandy with the dog are on deck drinking wine. They too seem to be out of the picture as well. Have you two got the material we need?”
“Ready to move Vas. I’m just worried about this full moon. We will have to best our practice time for the complete scenario. Everything will be closed up at three a.m. so I don’t expect any tourists or locals to be out. Are you absolutely certain we have to complete the final stage of this contract?”
“It’s our reputation that is at stake. We all voted and agreed that we would accept the terms, and besides, not keeping our word could send some very bad people after us. Yes we must finish this job.”
***
Jake and Barb said good night to Louie and Lola. “It’s after midnight monsieur Bernard. I think we put away too much of the Beaujolais. We will see you in the morning…very late morning I think.”
“Yes I agree. Good night to you both. I will take Lola for some before-bed business, and then we will both be asleep within a dog’s whisker.”
The bedside telephone next to Jake
’s side of the bed had a light flashing repeatedly. He opened one eye and moaned. It was half past three in the morning. If he didn’t answer it in the next few seconds, the ringer would kick in. “Who the hell would be calling now,” he said to himself. He quickly thought of Barb’s Mother house-sitting with Murphee. Thoughts of Darrell Jerkovick’s crazy son Donnie came to mind. Had he decided to do some harm to their house or to them personally? Barb’s Mom…He snatched up the small hand set and muttered “hello.”
“Jake, its Louie. Get dressed and meet me by the dock-side exit area.”
“Nooooo…my body needs sleep.” Barb rolled over and swatted Jake with her pillow. “Go back to sleep Hon, I have to meet Louie…don’t worry.”
“Jake, the Captain is here with me. Please…now!”
Jake fumbled into his Khaki pants, pushed his bare feet into his Top Sider loafers, and threw on a nylon jacket. His eyes were now just fully opened as he approached Louie and Captain Favre cinching his belt. “What’s going on?”
Louie said, “Jake the Rouen gendarmes have called the Captain and we are to meet them now. It is an emergency they say.”
Captain Favre said, “I have a car waiting here at dockside. It will drive you the short distance to meet the police.”
Jake and Louie piled into the back of the Peugeot police car, and it lurched ahead spewing gravel. “What’s going on Louie?”
“I don’t know myself, but it involves our missing Clyde Couletti I understand. The Rouen police called our ship asking for Inspector Phillippe. The Captain said he would locate the inspector, but that we should get to the scene toot de suite.”
The cool night air blew through the open windows, reviving the two puzzled passengers. The officer in the passenger seat looked back and smiled. “We will be there in a few minutes. Please, no questions. We will all get details from the police on the scene.”
The Peugeot had turned on their siren by now as the car flashed around corners and pulled to a screeching stop at what appeared to be the town central plaza. About twenty people were standing around something, and being kept at bay by the police. All were staring at the same thing. Many held handkerchiefs or scarves to their faces.
An officer trotted over to the car, and asked Louie and Jake to follow him. The cordon of policemen cleared an opening as the two passed through. The smell was overpowering. What was an obvious body lay on the grass next to a light pole standard. The person was charred beyond any recognition. Jake gasped and covered his mouth. He felt like he would be sick any moment. Louie was bent over the corpse conferring with another policeman. The one that escorted them to this gruesome scene was explaining. “We received a call from a local resident who was giving his dog an early walk. He told our operator that something was tied to a pole, and was on fire. He said it smelled like beef burning in a frying pan, only much worse. He tied up his dog to look for something to put the fire out, but found nothing. He vomited into a small trash can then finally called us on his mobile. The plaza was completely empty. He saw no one. There was a small cardboard box about two meters away. We found the victim’s identification wallet, a finger ring and his shoes.” The officer handed a plastic evidence bag to Jake and Louie.
Louie opened the wallet. “International driver’s license says Fred Johnson. The address is a postal box in Palermo, Italy. OK Jake, odds are this is our boy. A complete CSI exam will be done as well as DNA. I’d bet my university professorship on it being Clyde Couletti. We need to call Sam right away.”
Sam picked up on the second ring. “Hey Jake, I was just about to tee off on our final hole. Thoughtful of you to call at a decent hour, but it has to be about four in the morning over there. Before you say anything, I have good news. FBI brass has decided to put this entire case on the back burner, so you’re off the hook.”
Jake replied, “Well you’re too late. Someone has beaten you to it. We just found our Clyde Couletti fried to a crisp. It looks like a Mob hit. He was tied to a pole here in Rouen…you know, the town where Joan of Arc was burned alive. I’d say someone was sending a message. Here’s Louie. I think you better cover the details of this bizarre killing with him. And someone, I’ll guess, needs to check out the two Esposito brothers in Dallas.”
“Jake, thanks to you and Barb for all you’ve done. All this means to my crew is pages of reports summarizing this entire case, and then trying to find out who, or what, is responsible.
“Have a relaxed and more leisure balance of your trip. Say a prayer in my name for the fallen heroes when you are standing above Omaha Beach. No news yet on Donnie Jerkovick, but were still on it. Give Barb a kiss for me, and I’ll talk to you guys before you head back to San Francisco.”
Chapter 15
“OK, spill it Sherlock…where are you?”
“Well I’m in the town of Rouen, France. It looks like our target was kidnapped by some really heavy hitters. We hope he was killed before he was burned at the stake, or more precisely a light pole in the central plaza where Joan of Arc met her demise. It’s all secret and confidential, of course, but I and Louie are betting the hit had Mob connections. They may find out more when the CSI team finishes up and autopsy results are known.”
“I’ll call you back; Louie is calling me. Yeah Louie, what’s happening?”
“I’m finished with the undercover act. Inspector Phillippe is on his way to the crime scene. He received an untraceable e-mail at H.Q.; obviously from the killers. Basically the sender claimed responsibility for the death of Couletti. It said the criminal deserved to die for crimes against fellow humans, etc., etc. It concluded by telling the police that Couletti did not suffer. He was drugged, and died from a strong, lethal dose of Cyanide, and was most definitely dead when his body was burned in Rouen tied to the lamp post. It ended with a single statement: ‘Do not waste time trying find us.’ I wonder if this awkward sentence was intentional to get us chasing our tails, or an accurate use of their English…to also get us chasing our tails. Too many possibilities for my taste. And I don’t believe the comment about our victim being dead before being burned. His mouth was wide open in a death scream.
“I want to call Captain Favre to inform him of this final act scenario. I’m on my way back to the ship.”
“Thanks Louie. It’s interesting about this Cyanide poisoning. Could this be just coincidental? I wonder if this same group killed Clyde’s wife Ella. If there was another killer on our ship, was it someone connected with the professionals that snatched, poisoned, and then turned old Clyde into a crispy critter? Mr. Kent Parker is the most obvious suspect, but Inspector Phillippe has found no evidence that point to Parker, and a very thorough search, world-wide, of Cyanide supply sources did not turn up Parker’s name. Two possible scenarios are possible if the Mob was involved: one, they supplied the Cyanide to Parker, and he killed Ella Couletti, or two, the Mob knocked off the Mrs. as a favor to Kent Parker. If so, how? Maybe they had assistance from a guest, or a ship crew member. Did Parker and the killers collude on this crime? My brain is getting full with this whole thing. Meet us on the Sky Deck.”
***
Louie climbed the few stairs to the Sky Deck where Barb, Jake, and Captain Favre were seated. “Where’s Lola tonight?” Barb asked.
“Lola is my sister’s pet, and as I am no longer under cover, my furry friend is now back at home.”
Jake stood and embraced their now good friend. “Take a load off Louie.”
“Sorry” Jake, I’m pretty much up to speed on your American colloquialisms, but that one escapes me.”
Captain Favre handed Louie a glass of the Veuve Clicquot Champagne with which they were celebrating. “Ah Louie, so many of my passengers are American, I know this one. It means, ‘sit down and relax.’”
Jake stood and proposed a toast as the Captain filled glasses: “These past few days have been hectic and shocking for all of us. These tragic events have occurred on our watch. The mysteries will continue to challenge the French National Police. We pray for wisdom
to guide Louie, Inspector Phillippe, and others in solving these crimes. May the loved ones, if there were any, of the Coulettis find some peace from their grieving. And a special thanks to our friend Detective and Professor Louie Bernard…and of course Lola.”
Barbara hoisted her glass and said, “Jake and I plan to enjoy the rest of our cruise under the guidance of Captain Favre. We look forward to visiting the Normandy Beaches and paying tribute to those 10,000 brave soldiers that paid the ultimate sacrifice to help rid the world of the most evil of peoples.”
***
Captain Favre handed Jake and Barbara a small wicker basket bulging with a bottle of Chardonnay, two glasses, a baguette, and a wedge of cheese that they had enjoyed on board the Grand Queen. “Compliments of the cruise Line. There is a car waiting for you where you disembark. Enjoy your tour.”
The day was sunny as Jake drove along the coast line above the very beaches made famous by the June 6, 1944 D-Day Invasion of WWII. Barb was consulting a small brochure. “This site of the largest seaborne invasion in the history is about fifty miles long. There are four beaches that comprise the landing site: Gold Beach, Courseulles sur Mer, Juno, and the most famous, Omaha Beach. The American Military Cemetery and D-day Museum are at Omaha.”
“Thanks Babe. I remember reading that the weather during the invasion was nothing like this. High winds and seas made the operation even more challenging than the enemy.
Barb continued with her narrative. “The invasion planning took two years and forces from the UK, Canada, Belgium, Australia, Czechoslovakia, Denmark and France participated.”
Jake stopped their car on the cliff above Omaha Beach. “Let’s get out.” They both walked to where they could see this site of so much heroism and death. They stood silent for several minutes. “If I close my eyes the opening scenes from the movie Saving Private Ryan graphically remind me of how those thousands of young men fought to keep from drowning, and knowing their lives might end in the next minutes and hours.”
