“I’ve been thinking about tonight, Rick. If Tennyson shows in person, you and Bone will need a woman along for the takedown to go smoothly. I can’t do it tonight. Take Trish with you. It’s a risk though, Skipper. You still want to go?”
“Absolutely.” Trish kept her facial features neutral and engaged.
“You two be careful. FaceTime me if anything comes up. I’ll call our Captain Staley and tell him you’ll be on a surveillance gig that may net him a nice prize. It’s in his jurisdiction. Take care of Bone. He’s a gold mine of IT know how. Take a bullet for him if it comes to that, Rick.”
The three of us shared a laugh over that one. “Absolutely.”
Trish and I met back up after we showered. She was trading one liners and laughs with our female gang, including the demon, Lucretia MacEvil.
Max and Ken, who accompanied me, watched the approaching group with easy appreciation. “Well, I guess if the female contingent is happy, that’s all that counts.”
“You got that right, Rick,” Max agreed.
“I was never much on appeasement, but I’m learning,” Ken added.
I sighed. “It’s a process.”
“I like Trish, Rick,” Max said.
Ken chuckled. “Double that for me. I see Jadie isn’t all that torqued about her either. You know of course, you were probably the number one topic in the locker room, right Rick?”
“At my age, being number one in anything except the obituaries is a good day, my friend.”
The guys were still chortling over the old age geezer comment when the female contingent walked up to join us. Of course the harpy had her antennae up. Nothing of a positive or entertaining nature is allowed in her domain.
Temple was yanking on Trish’s hand. “Pop. I’m trying to get us all to go out for a drink some place where they won’t check my ID.”
Lois and Trish don’t say anything, because it’s business. Polite refusals are all Temple and the gang get from those two. “Calm down, kid. Trish and I spent five hours on an install. Then we hit Jadie’s workout class. Besides, you look like you’re twelve. Where the hell do you figure not to get ID’d?”
Temple tried to look snarly for a moment, gave up, and shrugged. “I was going to buy someone off.”
“Maybe Wednesday. Congratulations again, Karen. Tell Danny I’m happy for you both. I’ll let you fill him in on the shots fired in the bunker.”
Karen laughed. “I will too.”
* * *
I snatched Trish down a moment before our uninvited guests opened up with machine pistols. Yep, we’re back in Cantelli Land all right. My next move was to tackle Bone. It wasn’t his fault he thought we were confronting a tire changing operation, and ended up in a war zone. Thank God I’d armed my cohorts in spite of their ridicule and joking around at collaring tire changers at gunpoint. See, I know Cantelli Land. Disrespect it at your peril. I thought I had Bone converted, but obviously not. I saw in his eyes as we huddled under the rack of tires now, he was sold.
It had been so fine of a plan too. After the chuckles and smartass remarks as we set up inside with vests and weaponry, Bone went for a verbal smack down as he held up the 9mm Ruger I handed him. “Hell, brother, I can get sent back to prison for even handling this.”
“Respect the darkness, Bone,” I told him as I stuck an extra clip inside his vest pocket.
Trish was riding high from our good times at Jadie’s gym, but took the 9mm Jennings I gave her with practiced ease as she checked it out. I’ll cut her some slack for not knowing Cantelli Land. “Do you have a pocket knife, Hooterville? You and Bone can wait on the fringes, and I’ll go collar the tire boys.”
Fast forward to a dead to rights bust with cameras recording our confrontation of Tennyson and four guys who didn’t look much like tire changers. I cautioned my two companions. They had to pass by us where we hid behind the row of tires nearest the small side entrance. I picked up the signal on my iPad from our security feed. Tennyson led the boys in, giving me an HD video of the crook procession. I admit to contemplating not facing off with them at all, but I remembered Mick was paying for us not to allow these people to steal anymore of his tires. I called Staley’s personal number, which I’m supposed to slit my throat rather than use at this time of the night because he’s on days.
“You bastard! This better be good.”
“A woman executive, four banditos, Gibson Tires that Lo prepped you on. Going down now.”
Staley went all business then. “On my way, Rick. Don’t kill anybody.”
He hung up before I told him how I felt about that order. We all had our Tasers and spray ready. We let them hurry in and round up the tires. It only took them minutes, because Tennyson somehow knew exactly which twelve to bring to the front. I should have paid closer attention to the list of tires Mick had reported stolen. All twelve of these were small size, not the expensive large SUV or truck tires that I expected them to pile up near the door. I got a bad feeling I was missing something important. I didn’t hear any sirens, so the banditos would make it clear before the cops arrived if we didn’t slow them up.
I gave the signal to Bone and Trish. We popped up in the dark and I yelled for them to put their hands behind their heads and assorted other goodies. That’s when they dropped the tires and instead of running out the door, which would have been fine with me, they opened up on us as Tennyson screamed her head off while diving to the floor.
After tackling Bone, I popped up with my .45, and plugged one of them. That added to the screams, but had them ducking behind their own tire barricade. “Crap!”
“They’re trying to kill us over tires?” Bone asks the question of the hour.
“This isn’t about tires, Bone. Stay down until the cops get here.” Then I noticed Trish is on her side with blood on her blouse. I crab-walked to my equipment bag, dragging it over next to Trish. Her eyes were blinking as she tried not to go into shock. A stray one had clipped along her shoulder. I popped up and fired a couple rounds to let them know we weren’t done yet. They fired a bunch in return.
Trish groaned, clamping a hand over the wound in her shoulder while I rifled through my bag. “So… this is Cantelli Land. Rough place.”
I found what I was looking for and pulled the pin. “Cover your ears for a moment real tight. Bone! Cover your ears!”
I saw Bone nod and cover up. “Yep. This is Cantelli Land, kid, and I’m Cantelli.”
I heaved the flash-bang and got down with Trish. A very satisfying small explosion later, there were more screams from our bandito bunch. The sirens were close. “Stay there, Bone. They won’t be taking the tires anywhere.”
Bone laughed, which was a good sign. He peeked over the tires. “Small doubt about that. I didn’t know we were allowed to carry grenades. Cool.”
I did a field dressing on Trish’s wound from our first aid kit. No, we don’t cut away clothing, or clean the wound. A field dressing is slap a compress over the wound, and wrap it tight to staunch the blood. Trish didn’t make a sound. Her mouth tightened a couple times, but that was all. I slipped a couple of Vicodin from the kit in her mouth, followed by some sips from a bottled water. I helped her to a more comfortable sitting position, stuffing my jacket between the tires and her back.
“You ever been shot before, kid?”
She smiled. “Nope. This is my first. I don’t get shot. I shoot other people.”
Bone and I both laughed. My phone rang. It was Staley.
“We’re outside, Rick. What’s the sitrep?”
“Five down. We took automatic weapons fire. This is bigger than a tire bust.”
“Damn it, Rick! Are they all dead?”
“No. I did have to shoot one so they wouldn’t just walk up to us with their machine pistols and blow us apart. I threw a flash-bang amongst them. They’re alive and unhappy. We’re under cover, and I ain’t checking on them for you since you disrespected me. Come and get them.”
Staley grunted or chuckled. I don’t
know which. “I’ll call for the EMT’s. Coming in.”
Bone moved over on the other side of Trish so we had her boxed in. “Why do you think they were so romantic about a dozen tires, Rick?”
“I’m thinking they have another product stashed on the insides of those tires they’d kill for. The cops will have to follow up on the supplier Gibson orders from.”
The Vicodin was kicking in. Trish straightened a little. “Are you allowed that unusual P.I. prop you threw out there?”
“Ah… that would be no. I’m hoping our buddy Staley can write it off as his Confidential Informant in deadly danger used as nonlethal a force as he could to save his life, and those of his cohorts.”
Bone sighed. “The tank again tonight, huh?”
“A distinct possibility.” I got up in a kneeling position with my bag open. I carefully took back the Jennings and clip I’d given Trish. I put them in the bag. I also put away our spray and Tasers. Seeing what I was doing, Bone stuck the Ruger and clip I’d given him in the bag too.
We heard the cops come in, shouting orders for all the good it would do them. Lo and I don’t have those perp friendly flash-bangs. We have the military grade. That’s why I was confident I didn’t have to check on the banditos to keep our local cops safe. The only thing they would be doing is crying in pain and bleeding out of assorted orifices. I FaceTimed Lo. Bone and I waved at her while I held the phone for a viewing. Trish was feeling pretty good. She smiled.
“Wha’s up, Lucretia?”
Lo smiled in appreciation. “Want me to get Cleaver up?”
“Not yet. I had to use a flash-bang. We took automatic weapons fire. I have to see if Staley can let me write this up so that aspect gets downplayed.”
Lo figured it out real quick. “Hauling out more than tires, huh Hooterville?”
“That would be my guess. I’ll have Bone drive the van home. I’ll ride to the hospital with Trish. I’ll update you from there.”
“Good enough. Give me a viewing of the scene.”
I peeked up over the tires, holding the iPhone so Lo could see the now brightly lighted scene. It was a mess with sound effects not for the faint of heart. She cackled, which was about what I expected.
“That’ll learn ‘em. I’ll wait to hear from you, Rick. This is a big bust when they catch whoever stuffed those tires.”
“I’m hoping big enough to keep me out of the tank tonight.”
“If Staley puts you in the tank over this, I’m going to get that prick busted down to meter reader.”
Lo hung up, and we waited for word from Staley. I called Mick and told him he better get down to his place, but Tennyson was going to the hospital. I gave him a word sketch on what I thought was going on. He seemed most pleased about his girl heading for the emergency room. I heard the distinct sound of the EMT vehicles. “Hell of a first day, Trish. Are you sure you wouldn’t rather be in prison?”
“In your dreams, Hooterville.”
“Rick! C’mon out.”
“On our way.” I shouldered the equipment bag. Bone and I eased Trish up to her feet, and around the tires. “We have one wounded.”
Staley stared at Trish in disbelief. “You hired her?”
“Remember your alternative, flatfoot.” Two EMT’s came over to take Trish. “I gave her two Vicodin. I’d like to ride with you guys if you have room.”
“We’ll let you know,” the woman EMT stated.
Staley waited until they walked Trish out. “Okay… what the hell’s this all about?”
“It’s about whatever these folks have inside the tires. Notice they have that brown wrap making looking or feeling inside difficult. Check one of them.”
Bill went over with gloves on, tore the cross wrapping, and felt inside the tire. He smiled. “Wow, I can imagine you probably know how big this could be.”
“I have an idea. You’ll have to move fast on the local tire place fronting this operation before they warn the supplier. How’s the guy I shot?”
“EMT thinks he’ll be okay. Bone, you’re not packin’, are you?”
“No sir.”
“I notice all of you had vests on. Were you expecting something like this, Rick?”
“Are you stupid? Hell, we were planning on rounding up a couple of tire changers. I had to talk Bone and Trish into putting theirs on, and she got clipped anyway. We always armor up for a gig. If I hadn’t had the bang, a lot of us would be dead. I’m lookin’ to write a report. It’s a onetime offer. If you put me in the tank, you get nada.”
“Okay, but you better channel Hemingway for this one. Give me the piece you shot tonight.” Bill held out an evidence bag, and I popped the clip on my .45, cleared the chamber, and dropped it in. “I hope your convicted murderer is okay.”
“She’s found God, Bill… completely changed person.”
“Yeah, I’ll bet. Where’s she staying? I may have a car drive by once in a while.”
Bone started laughing, and Bill didn’t need any more than that. “You idiot! She’s living with you? I should put you in the tank just for being you.” Staley paused. “On second thought, maybe you’ll kill each other, and I’ll be able to get a night’s sleep.”
“Very funny, and you’re welcome for the bust of the year, you ungrateful prick.”
Bill grinned. “Take off. I want that report to me by eleven.”
“I’ll work it out on my tablet at the hospital. I have a template for my reports to you. It’s you as the mastermind of all these glorious busts you foresee, and put your ignorant C.I. to work undercover on.”
Bill patted my shoulder. “That’s what I like to hear. Now, get out of my sight. Did you call the owner?”
“Yeah, he’s on his way right now. Gibson was expecting to confront his wayward partner, but he seemed happy with the outcome. See you tomorrow, Bill.”
Bill called out after us. “Have I told you how sick I am of Cantelli Land?”
I waved. “That makes two of us.”
“He doesn’t seem too pleased with our efforts, Rick.”
“It’s like this, Bone. When he sees this unfold into a drug bust of major outlets, Bill will get a happy face… for about two minutes. Then he’ll be back to I hate you, Cantelli!”
“Trish is tough.”
“Yeah, she is. Did you have to tip Staley off about the living conditions, Bone?”
Bone laughed again. “I can’t help it. You and Lois hiring a contract killer right out of prison, and she comes to live at your house is spooky, brother. Oh yeah, I almost forgot, the studio pressure thing is gone. The Jobe woman called today, and told us it’s over. Winton won’t be pursuing the girlfriend deal. Of course, that was after I sent Jobe some facts and connections.”
“Nice. At least that’s off the scoreboard. Just call in tomorrow. Maybe all we’ll have for you is IT work you can do from home. I have to go in anyway and make sure I stay out of jail.”
The EMT’s had Trish loaded with a groaning Tennyson. The one I’d talked to signaled me over. “We have room. Hop in.”
I waved to Bone, and got inside. They’d cleaned both Trish and Tennyson up. They had Trish on an IV. The EMT gestured at a spot next to Trish. I sat there and clasped her hand. It was cold. I put the blanket they had on the gurney up around her neck. Her icy blue orbs fluttered open. “Sorry you got blooded even with the vest on.”
“Don’t worry about it. How’re all your victims?”
“They’ll live, including our star over here, Tennyson.”
“How am I doing?”
I decided on funny. “Someone shot you.”
The EMT chuckled, covering it with a cough. He probably thought we’d sue. “She’ll be fine. The vest caused the bullet to glance off along her shoulder.”
“I thought you’d be in the tank.”
I shook my head. “Staley gave me probation depending on how good my report makes him look in all this. Lo has another install for you tomorrow morning at nine.”
That made her s
mile. “Yeah, I’ll bet.”
“What are my chances of taking her home tonight?”
The EMT nodded. “Pretty good. They’ll have to staple the wound, but if they don’t see anything else, they’ll give her a prescription for antibiotics, and you can probably take her home.”
I nodded my understanding. At least everyone survived tonight.
Chapter Eight
New Client
At the hospital, I FaceTimed with Lo, showing her Trish getting stitched up. Trish waved, smiled, and made inappropriate gestures of an erotic nature. Lois cackled through the whole viewing. I turned Lo and I away, letting her know about what I’d learned since our last conversation. “I’m not in jail, Trish is going to be released without an overnighter, and I’ll be in tomorrow morning before I go see Staley.”
“Get some rest, Rick. Trish’s first day was legendary.”
“Yep. Stacy’s in prison, but I’m still smacking into the rocks, Lo. I know it’s a positive we haven’t had any casualties. Am I getting complacent because nothing really bad happened for a while?”
“I don’t know, and I don’t care, Rick. This shit is like mainlining heroin. Frank’s involved so much he actually pulled in my reins the other night. We never figured on dying in some rest-home. You’re the lightning rod. If it’s getting to you now that the lovely Trish has arrived let me know. I’m all in and enjoying the hell out of this phase.”
Game on then. What the hell was I supposed to do in retirement, sew quilts? “Trish will probably wise up and head for the hills. I’m in on the road to sin with you, partner. We have so many irons in the fire, what we have left will be a hoot.”
“Trish loves you, moron. I don’t know why, nor do I care. I like her… because like you said a while back, she and I are a lot alike.”
I grinned at her. “We’re on the same page then. I doubt you’re right about Trish other than she seems to have enjoyed her first day at work.”
Lo got a kick out of that one. “She’s up to the mark. That’s for sure. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Rick Cantelli, P.I. Deadly Liaisons (Rick Cantelli, P.I. Detectives Book 2) Page 10
