“She took the contents of a particular safe with her. They want fifty million dollars. In return, those items never see the light of day. After comparing notes with Lynn, I thought perhaps I could use her. I knew Phillips would never get back in touch with her. He cooked this scheme up, using my daughter, and Lynn lost her stake in a different con he had been playing.”
Chapter 7
The Real Case
“How old is your daughter?” Sotello asked.
“She turned twenty-two last month, almost the same age as your daughter.”
Sanders saw Sotello’s face tighten, and he knew he had made an error. He held up his hand. “I apologize, Mr. Sotello, I did not mean anything other than a frame of reference.”
Sotello’s hardened stare continued for a moment before he spoke. “Between men like us Mr. Sanders, threats are meaningless, so let me say this, I never want my daughter or son mentioned in conversation with you ever again.”
“I understand.”
“I do not think you do Sir, but I hope you do. I accept your apology. Would I be wrong to bring up a point your daughter must have considered: she would be heir to your fortune without Phillips, and without the danger?”
“Correct, but my daughter, just as Lynn here, had fallen madly in love with our Adrian. He seems to have a mesmerizing effect on women, when he combines his charm with large amounts of money. My daughter seems to be a bit impatient where her fortune comes into play. Do I wish I would have given her twenty-five million, and let her destroy herself? Perhaps, but I care for her deeply.”
“I can understand your reluctance. It cannot be an easy thing to have this happen. Is your daughter’s mother living?”
Sanders nodded. “I believe she knew about this. She lives in New York, and we have been divorced for many years. I have had custody of my daughter, but I allow her to visit with her mother three or four times a year. After she turned eighteen, she lived in New York for a year, and she has never been the same since. Phillips has been on my payroll ever since he became a city councilman. He met my daughter at her twentieth birthday party. I never saw them together again, but obviously they were together often.”
“You have already considered paying them off I assume,” Sotello said.
“Of course, but as you know about this kind of business, it never ends. There would undoubtedly be copies made of everything, and I would be paying forever.”
“I take it Phillips has these items tied up in numerous repositories, to be released upon his sudden demise, so how would I be able to help you? He would be a very difficult man to con. I would assume you want me to find out where he has cloistered all of the copies, and the original. If I failed, he could turn on your daughter. If I succeed, he could turn on your daughter. Your Adrian has decided to go for it all the way. He knows the slightest mistake, and he will be fish food. That fact alone makes him a very dangerous prey.”
“All of what you say is true,” Sanders allowed, “and yet I find myself in a position from which I have very little in the way of choice. He pulled off a few small cons to accumulate enough money to finance his operation. I must begin paying him off, or he will begin releasing the contents of the safe.”
“You could call him on it,” Sotello suggested, “and find out if he really wants to die. He knows once the information makes its way to the light, his life ends.”
“If not for my daughter, that course of action would almost be worth it. You can only imagine how many lives would be ruined if he releases what he has. My empire, built on a very vicious circle, would be gone. I know all of this means very little to you, Mr. Sotello.”
“If your ex-wife has been complicit in this, then you already know where Phillips and your daughter are, correct?”
“Adrian has not given himself away at all. I am sure he has also explained to my daughter why she should not make any contact with her past life too. I know Gina well enough to know that would not be possible for her.”
“You have a few people in New York on your payroll too then?”
“Correct,” Sanders replied. “I have covered every contact my wife has in New York, and every contact my daughter has around here. She actually controlled herself much longer than I would have given her credit for, but within a month she had contacted my wife, and one of her friends here.”
Sotello leaned back sighing, with his coffee cup in hand.
“You appear troubled Mr. Sotello, or are you merely bored?” Sanders asked, annoyance showing on his face for the first time.
“I am anything but bored Sir, but what I have to say next must be heard with your utmost control.”
“Continue,” Sanders said, leaning forward. “I have no need for you to be coy.”
“You do not believe Phillips to be some kind of genius, do you?”
“No, I have always considered him to be a cheap, political sociopath, who could be useful because he could get elected. I seem to have underestimated both his cunning and his ambition.”
“On the contrary Sir,” Sotello offered. “I believe you have overestimated his abilities. Your daughter’s involvement may be clouding your judgment slightly. You cannot see the forest for the trees.”
“Let us assume for the moment I am an idiot Mr. Sotello, and break this revelation you have down to my level of understanding,” Sanders remarked calmly.
“First off, Phillips would only attempt something of this magnitude if he had someone on the inside to watch and warn him of your movements. Secondly, he would need someone with some legal expertise to handle this size of a con. Thirdly, I believe your daughter’s involvement to be only connected to the material he conned her into taking, and of course her infatuation with him. Last, but not least, he does not have the contents of your safe ready to go out in all directions if something happens to him. The same person he has on the inside track, with legal and business expertise, has a note with authority upon his death to launch whatever they have in mind. I…”
Lynn leaped up to run from the restaurant, but Sotello caught her wrist, dragging her back down into her seat. He could see the fear in her eyes, as a dawning comprehension overcame Sander’s confused look. Sotello could see she would make her stand here, and he leaned into her, pinning her to the chair.
“Stay calm Lynn,” Sotello ordered. “I might be able to get you out of this alive. You would be dead in short order if you try to run. Use your head woman.”
Lynn slumped in her seat. As if by afterthought, she pulled angrily from Sotello’s grasp. He let her go. She glared with hate filled intensity at him. When he was sure she would not try to leave, he leaned back away from her. He took another sip of his coffee, and returned his attention to Sanders. For his part, Sanders stayed remarkably calm. He also sipped his coffee, thoughtfully considering the grim facts, which were now apparent. Sanders shook his head slowly, and smiled at Sotello. He held out his hand to Sotello, which Sotello took, returning his smile.
“It all seems so simple now,” Sanders said quietly, “and yet for months, I have lived within this nightmare, never looking at the simplicity of how I was drawn into this circle. I will not bore you with the list of people I have had analyze this mess, all for naught. Are you sure you would not reconsider a permanent, legitimate position with me?”
“We have a far piece to go in this business before us now Mr. Sanders, but I appreciate your recognition. May I ask a favor in return for another service?”
“You wish for Ms. Gillingham to survive this encounter, correct?”
“Please believe I know how you must feel at this moment. I try to picture myself in your position with anyone surviving this, and I cannot see it. I ask only that you hear me out, and consider what I have to say.”
“You have earned that Mr. Sotello, but please be convincing, because visions come to mind not meant for the general public.”
Sotello felt Lynn’s entire body tense as he sat next to her. He put his hand on her upper thigh. She looked at him with dread. “Wo
uld some manner of restitution be sufficient Sir, short of death? I will go and bring back your daughter, along with Mr. Phillips. Ms. Gillingham holds the key to some safety deposit box right in this area, jointly with Mr. Phillips. He cannot release anything without her, and vice versa. Am I correct Lynn?”
Lynn looked with a startled deer in the headlight look at both Sotello and Sanders. She looked down finally, and nodded affirmatively. Sotello looked questioningly at Sanders.
Sanders began laughing uproariously. Sotello, after a moment, joined him. Gillingham, after a moment, glared at both of them, as arrogance replaced her better judgment. She continued to look at the two men, convulsed in laughter, with the confusion of someone incapable of realizing the severity of either the emotional pain or the physical damage they have caused. She could see her survival hung by a tenuous thread, which lay beyond her understanding.
Sanders wiped the tears from his eyes with a napkin, as he regained control of his emotions. “Mr. Sotello, we could have indeed been close friends in another life I think.”
“We can become close friends in this life, Mr. Sanders. No one can gauge what brought them to a certain point in their lives without living in their body. As you have pointed out, I have a daughter the same age as yours. I await your decision, without malice or presumption.”
Sanders searched Sotello’s eyes with something akin to dread. He saw only the truth in the man’s look. He wondered if anything could be so simple as an understanding between men with the need to act honorably. “Gillingham and Phillips will live upon your command, Mr. Sotello. Their lives are in your hands if I may have my daughter back. I give you my word. They will die as painfully as I can imagine if anything happens to my daughter.”
Sotello reached over to grip Sanders’ hand with no small amount of compassion. “If any harm comes to her, I will be dead. If Phillips threatens her life, even in jest, I will break his neck. You have my word.”
“You risk much after I used the source of my predicament to try and bring you into this. May I say without rancor, you are a fool to risk your life for this woman?”
“You may indeed Mr. Sanders. Please call me Jim.”
“I am Darren to you from now on. I hope you will think of me, after this unseemly business ends. One does not accumulate many real friends in this life they can trust. I would hope you will let me get to know you in less stressful circumstances. You may count on my help forevermore Sir on your behalf. You may call me at any time.”
Sotello nodded. “I appreciate your honesty. May I presume to take Lynn away, and find out the particulars of this on your behalf, and then keep you informed?”
“I leave this in your capable hands, but won’t you need some expense money to carry this operation out?”
“I will get what I need from Lynn. If everything works out the way we hope, I will leave the final compensation to you. Know this, I am a scholar in terms of the human beast, and I know my daughter is not invulnerable either,” Sotello added. “You have no debt in this to me. I will take what I can from Lynn and be done.”
“Ah, but I will be in your debt,” Sanders replied, “and I hope you will allow me to show my gratitude for many years to come.”
Sotello stood up. He put a hand under Lynn’s, and guided her to her feet. “To be truthful Darren, I’m happy to find someone to trust, outside of my family - a very rare occurrence. I will call you as soon as I work out the details.”
Sanders nodded. “You have my personal number. Let me know if you need anything, anything at all.” He stood up too and gripped Sotello’s arm. “I mean that Jim.”
Sotello nodded, as he supported Lynn. “I know that. Let me work it out once Lynn explains this in detail to me. I will try to move on it as quickly as possible. I must tie up a couple of loose ends around here before I go and see Mr. Phillips.”
Sanders clapped him on the shoulder. “Now that I know what has been going on, you will have all the time you need. Goodbye Jim.”
“I will call you tomorrow morning, at the latest, and fill you in. Goodbye Darren.”
Sotello guided Gillingham out into the morning light. She let him lead her out to his car. He opened the passenger side door for her, and settled her into the seat before going around to the driver’s side. When they were on their way back to his office, she turned on him angrily.
“How dare you presume to…”
“Shut up and listen carefully,” Sotello said in a voice so full of menace, Gillingham actually cringed back into her seat. “You and that idiot Phillips lured this man’s daughter into a con, which could have destroyed her, and God knows how many others. When we get back to the office, you will fill me in on every detail. I swear to God, if you give me any trouble at all, or you hesitate in doing what I direct, I will call Sanders up and let him finish you off. Is that clear?”
“Sanders is a mob…”
“I asked you a question,” Sotello hissed through clenched teeth.
“I understand.”
“No, but you will,” Sotello replied angrily. “I have no idea where you have your money stashed, but you had better have it transferred back where you can get your hands on it. I want ten thousand dollars the second we reach my office. Then I want the safety deposit key, and its duplicate. We will then go to the bank where Mr. Sanders material has been placed. You will have me put in place of you on your safety deposit box, so Philips would have to go through me to get to it. Can you have it done in one trip?”
“I will call them on the phone, and try to get as much done as I can before we go there. It seems I have underestimated you more than I could have dreamed possible.”
“I know you were planning on using me as a patsy. Which means you may have gotten my kids killed too. Sanders’ daughter was to meet with an unfortunate accident somewhere along the way in this ridiculous scheme, and you were planning on me being the fall guy for it. I believe you are too stupid to live Counselor. You have twisted yourself up so tightly, you have no idea what right and wrong means anymore. You were right when you said you would never have what I have.”
Chapter 8
Taking Care of Business
They rode in silence. Gillingham recognized she had very little to say in the matter. She tried to think of anything, which would give her any kind of bargaining power. This two-bit gumshoe had seen through their intricate plan so easily, she felt like a dunce even considering it. She should never have steered Sanders into trying to involve Sotello. She and Adrian could have paid off the daughter once they had the money. She looked over at Sotello’s grim face. Sanders had been reluctant to involve him, because he had told her he was not easily fooled. Now her life depended on him. Gillingham cowered inside, thinking about the way she had almost fled the restaurant. She would have been dead by evening. No one could have done a more convincing acting job than she did with Bennet and Sotello, and what good did it do. It got Sotello in deep enough to turn her world inside out.
Sotello parked outside his office, and then led the way in. Craig had locked up before leaving. Sotello smiled when he saw Craig had left a picture of a thumbs-up sign on the desk, meaning he had filmed Sanders’ arrival at the restaurant. He looked at Lynn as he turned on the computer at the desk.
“After you write me out a check for ten thousand dollars Lynn, I want you to sit down here and write your life story as it pertains to Phillips. Leave nothing out. I want every detail. Do you understand?”
“So, it will be like this from now on?”
Sotello sighed. “Do you understand?”
“Yes.”
“Good. Get started, while I make contact with my legitimate clients.”
She started to respond, and thought better of it. Her life still depended on him. Sotello continued into the computer room in the back. He took out the notes on the Webster girl’s case, and called her parents. He knew he should have called them the night before, at Lynn’s house, but had decided to give them one good night’s sleep before talking to th
em. Luckily, both parents were home, and they both picked up a phone at his request. Sotello explained about their daughter’s location with her boyfriend.
“I wanted to speak to you before I faxed all the particulars to you.”
“I am coming out there,” the father said, sounding as if he were speaking with his mouth wired shut.
“I do not think you will accomplish much Sir, other than winding up in jail for assault,” Sotello reasoned. “These situations require more deliberate action.”
“What would you suggest Mr. Sotello?” the man’s wife asked.
“I would suggest stopping any money you have going to her. I will inform the roommate of this change, and she can contact your daughter. When the gravy train stops, I think the boyfriend will reassess his situation. Unfortunately, once she does end this and moves back into the dormitory at the college, I do not know how far you would want to take this surveillance. Once she contacts you, do not let her start belittling you. Hang up on her until she speaks to you with the respect you deserve. Then get her back home for some face to face conversation.”
“And if she stays with the boyfriend?” the father asked.
“Let her know you love her and wish her well with her life. Tell her to come visit when she wants, and to call whenever she likes.”
Sotello heard the father sigh. “I know this sounds cold, but these birds leave the nest all the time, and short of imprisonment, there just isn’t much you or I can do about it. We, as parents, can only end the financing of their adventures if they do not play by the rules. She may go back to college eventually, or she may end up married with children, or she may end up not married with children. The possibilities are, as you know, unlimited.”
“You have children Mr. Sotello,” the wife stated. “Have you ever gone through this?”
“Only when she was under my control. My daughter Ellen started hanging around with some of these kids, who were in a gang, when she was in eighth grade. I told her she would not be allowed to mess around with them anymore. She looked at me and said, ‘Dad, you really cannot stop me.’ I grabbed up the ponytail at the back of her head, and held her up on her tiptoes. I told her to look me in the eyes, because I wanted her to see her life from that moment on. I told her every morning I would walk into her room, pull her out of bed, and dress her. I would then take her to class. When she left class for the day I would be waiting. I would take her with me to work. After work, I would take her, and throw her into her room. I told her that would be her life until she moved out of the house.”
Sotello: Detective, ex-FBI, ex-Secret Service (DeLeo's Action Thriller Singles Book 1) Page 7
