Young Guns 3: Beyond Limits

by Remington Kane

  26

  Double Trouble

  PHOENIX, ARIZONA, APRIL 1999

  As they agreed to do earlier, Cody and Romeo quit their surveillance on the apartment house of Pete Roscoe’s ex-girlfriend.

  Having not eaten much in nearly a day, they went looking for a restaurant. After passing a burger joint that served breakfast, Cody U-turned and pulled into the parking lot. It was a warm spring day with brilliant sunshine, so the boys ate outside at a picnic table beneath a tree.

  A group of guys with motorcycles were on the street in front of the place. They weren’t hard-core bikers, but rather, the type of men who enjoyed riding and took time off to do it every so often.

  When the boys were halfway through their meal, they saw Kayla and Zoe walking their way with cups of coffee.

  “Small world, hmm?” Kayla said, as she slid next to Cody. Zoe took a seat beside Romeo and made a point to press her hip against his.

  “Yeah, small world,” Cody agreed, then wondered if it was true, or whether something else was going on. Spenser had taught them to be suspicious of coincidences.

  Kayla’s bright smile ended Cody’s wariness. The girl was so beautiful that Cody wanted to take her in his arms.

  Zoe pointed at Cody.

  “Okay, so we know his name is Jack, but what’s your name, sexy?”

  Romeo grinned. “I’m Brett.”

  “Brett is a cool name. Do you remember mine?”

  “You’re Zoe, and she’s Kayla, and you’re both gorgeous,” Romeo said.

  The girls laughed in their musical tone, then Kayla wrapped her arm through Cody’s.

  “What are your plans for today?”

  Cody thought about it and the smile left his face.

  “Um, unfortunately, Brett and I have to hit the road.”

  “Oh, that’s too bad, but is there a chance that you’ll come back this way someday?”

  “Hell yeah there is,” Romeo said. “We’ll make a point of it.”

  “Good,” Zoe said, “I’ll give you my number, but first I need to visit the ladies’ room. Coming along, Kayla?”

  Kayla kissed Cody on the cheek.

  “I’ll be back in a jiff.”

  After standing, Zoe pointed at the group of bikers out by the curb.

  “Look, Kayla. Isn’t that Uncle Joe over there?”

  “It is; we should go say hi. Don’t leave, boys, we’ll be right back.”

  Kayla and Zoe put on angry expressions as they walked up to the motorcyclists. The men were all middle-aged fathers, but they couldn’t help but stare at the lovely young duo who approached them.

  Zoe crossed her arms over her chest as she stood before the largest of the men. He had been talking when the girls approached, and the others had been listening to his every word.

  “Can we help you, young ladies?” the man said.

  Kayla tossed her head in the direction of the table where Cody and Romeo sat.

  “I thought you should know that those guys over there are making fun of you.”

  “What?”

  “They called you a group of biker wannabes and said you were too cowardly to join a real club,” Kayla said.

  Zoe nodded “They were going to come over here and start trouble, but we talked them out of it. If they say anything to you, please just ignore it. They’re jerks.”

  “If they’re such jerks, then why do you girls hang out with them?” asked one of the other men.

  Kayla put her arm around her sister’s shoulders.

  “They make us. The last time we tried to break up with them, the dark-haired one broke Zoe’s arm.”

  “Say again?” asked the big man.

  Zoe pretended to cry.

  “Now they’re after our little sister too… and she’s only thirteen.”

  Cody and Romeo had watched the girls head over to the bikers and talk to a man who was six-foot-six, covered in tattoos, and wore a sweatshirt with the Teamsters’ logo on it. In the center of his scraggly beard, his mouth moved into a tight line, as his gaze locked on Cody and Romeo.

  As one, the six men headed toward Cody and Romeo. The boys could tell by their expressions that the men were out for blood.

  “What the hell?” Romeo said.

  “I don’t know, but it looks like we’re about to get in a fight.”

  Cody was right. After ducking a fist thrown by the big man with the beard, he caught a punch in the stomach from another man. The blow made him bend over, and that’s when he heard Romeo swear and tell him to check out the street. Cody did so and saw Kayla and Zoe’s smiling faces. They were getting into a blue van, and the driver was old man Farnsworth.

  Farnsworth gave a toot of his horn as the girls blew the boys kisses, then Farnsworth and his granddaughters drove away.

  27

  Purple Drapes!

  MOUNT VERNON, NEW YORK, MARCH 2018

  Dalton Geary’s ex-wife, Cynthia Geary, lived in a Tudor-style home on a quiet street lined with trees.

  The house and the grounds were well-cared for and grand.

  “Talk about your gilded cages,” Andrea said. She and Tanner were observing the home from a distance in case Kent Mead’s bodyguards had recovered in time to contact Dalton Geary and tell him of Mead’s abduction. When that happened, Geary might send men to check on Cynthia, but Tanner doubted it.

  “How much time do you think we have until Geary reacts to Mead being taken?” Andrea asked Tanner.

  “It shouldn’t be much longer, but he won’t suspect that we’re the ones who did it.”

  “Why not?”

  “As far as those bodyguards are concerned, Cord was a part of what happened. They assumed I was Cord and they never got a good look at me. Also, they’ll describe you as a blonde with large breasts. That won’t make Geary think of the girl you were six years ago.”

  Andrea smiled. “That’s why you kept Cord alive, to turn him into a patsy?”

  “That’s right, along with the added bonus that it keeps Geary’s mind off of us. My guess is he’ll react the same way that Mead did and assume that this has something to do with the union pension fund they swindled. Maybe he’ll think Cord threw in with them for money.”

  Cord had come around and was still in the rear of the vehicle and lying on his side, but he couldn’t hear a thing that was being said. Tanner had stuffed his ears with pieces of a tissue, then placed tape over them. There was also duct tape covering Cord’s eyes.

  Those eyes had narrowed with hate when he’d awakened and seen Andrea. Before being gagged, Cord promised that he would kill her.

  Tanner left the SUV on foot and alone, after telling Andrea that he was going to have a closer look at the house. He walked past the home and went around the block, then climbed over a fence and moved toward the residence.

  If there were cameras, they were well hidden, but as a precaution, Tanner was wearing Cord’s cowboy hat. Hearing the sound of a TV playing, Tanner looked into a window and saw a kitchen. There was a black woman in there who was too old to be Cynthia Geary. She turned off the TV and called out in an accent Tanner recognized as being Portuguese.

  “Miss Cynthia, lunch is ready.”

  A woman entered the room who was about twenty-five. She was Cynthia Geary, who, according to Mead, was the object of Dalton Geary’s obsession. Tanner saw nothing special about her. Cynthia Geary was five-foot-five with brown hair and brown eyes. She was pretty, but far from stunning.

  Perhaps it was her fashion sense that attracted Geary to her. The woman was wearing a turquoise necklace, emerald earrings, nearly a dozen gold bracelets, and leopard skin pants with a bright pink top and green shoes. Tanner was no arbiter of sartorial splendor, but he thought the style odd.

  Cynthia Geary thanked the black woman and told her that she would see her again tomorrow. The older woman, who was named Amanda, grabbed her purse and jacket off a chair and headed for the front door.

  Tanner watched Cynthia Geary eat her lunch, a pasta dish. As she at
e, she skimmed through a magazine about celebrities. When she didn’t call out for anyone to come join her, Tanner thought it likely she was alone.

  He returned to the SUV and described to Andrea what he had observed.

  “It sounds like she leads an easy life, that is, if you don’t mind being treated like a possession.”

  Tanner ran a hand over his chin.

  “She does have it easy, doesn’t she? That makes me wonder if she would want it to end.”

  “You think she’s grown used to it?”

  “It looked that way to me. Geary has given her everything but freedom. There are people who would make that deal in a heartbeat.”

  “But she tried to have him murdered.”

  “That was six years ago. I think we should feel her out before we tell her who we are. She might not be willing to help us after all.”

  Minutes later, Tanner parked the SUV in front of the home. He told Andrea that he would gain entrance on a pretense if possible, since he didn’t want to tell Cynthia Geary who they were.

  He and Andrea had to wait a few moments for Cynthia to open the door. When she spotted Tanner, Cynthia’s eyes widened in interest, then she saw Andrea and frowned at them.

  “Are you two selling something?”

  “Did you know a man named Herb Barker?” Tanner asked.

  Cynthia Geary looked surprised by the question. She remained silent.

  “He was murdered years ago and we now have reason to believe that you might have information about his death.”

  “Are you the police?”

  “We just need to ask you a few questions,” Tanner said to her. If Cynthia thought they were cops she might cooperate and not try to slam the door in their faces.

  Cynthia hesitated, and Andrea, seeing Tanner’s play, went along with it.

  “Ma’am, we need to talk to you inside.”

  “All right,” Cynthia said. She swung the door wide and Tanner and Andrea entered. The living room furniture was orange, the walls pink, the drapes purple, and the carpet black. Andrea looked around in distaste.

  “Has anyone else questioned you about Mr. Barker?” Tanner asked.

  “No, and I don’t understand why you’re here.”

  Tanner had gone through Cord’s wallet; Cord’s surname was Givens.

  “A man named Cord Givens made a statement that your ex-husband arranged to have Mr. Barker murdered six years ago. If so, he’ll also be charged with the deaths of four other people who were found dead along with Mr. Barker.”

  “Dalton might go to prison?”

  “If Cord Givens’ claims can be proven, Mr. Geary will likely end his life behind bars. Mr. Givens pointed us toward you. He said that you could provide information that might tie your ex-husband to these crimes. Is that true?”

  “I know a man named Cord. He wears a cowboy hat, is that the man you mean?”

  “Mr. Givens was wearing a cowboy hat, yes.”

  Cynthia Geary looked around her living room as if she might find a sign telling her what to do next. When she didn’t spot one, her demeanor grew rigid, as did her tone.

  “I have nothing to say about my ex-husband and I want you to leave my house.”

  “The DA will offer you immunity from prosecution if you testify. If you’re worried about getting into trouble, don’t be. Your ex-husband will go to prison and you’ll be able to get on with your life.”

  “I said I wanted you to leave.”

  “All right, play it that way,” Tanner said, “but we will be back. I suggest you hire a lawyer.”

  Cynthia Dalton watched them drive away, then shut the door. Tanner wondered if she were calling Dalton Geary. He drove around the block and parked where they could keep an eye on the house.

  “I think you were right about her, Tanner. The woman looked terrified when you said Geary would go to prison for life. She’s really grown dependent on the bastard.”

  “Yeah, and with any luck she’s calling him right now.”

  “You’re hoping he comes here to see her?”

  “I am, and if he shows, I’ll kill him.”

  28

  Cookies And Milk

  HIGHWAY I-19 SOUTH, ARIZONA, APRIL 1999

  Despite the odds having been six against two, Cody and Romeo triumphed over the motorcyclists that attacked them. However, they did not avoid getting marked by the battle. Both boys had bruises on their arms from blocking blows. Cody had a puffy upper lip and Romeo a welt over his left eye, but their hand-to-hand combat training with Spenser had paid off.

  “I can’t believe those girls are working with Farnsworth,” Romeo said. He was driving toward the town of Green Valley, which was south of Tucson. Pete Roscoe’s retired parents lived there, and the boys hoped that the bank robber might have gone home.

  “That old man is more than he seems,” Cody said. “We can’t underestimate him, or Kayla and Zoe.”

  “Do you think those are their real names? I mean, we gave them phony names, maybe they did the same.”

  “I don’t care about them anymore, but they’d better stay out of our way. Pete Roscoe is ours; we’re not losing him to some old bounty hunter.”

  “And I thought this would be a cinch compared to running in the desert for a full day. If we don’t watch it, we’ll lose this test and then neither of us will be a Tanner.”

  “That’s not going to happen,” Cody said. There was anger in his voice. The anger was directed at himself. He had acted like a fool by fawning over Kayla, and the girl played him for a chump.

  Spenser said on more than one occasion that to be a Tanner you had to be superior to the average man in every aspect. Cody understood that better than ever and vowed to never be fooled again. A woman could be every bit as devious as a man, if not more so. By letting his hormones run him instead of his intellect, he had opened himself up to be taken advantage of by Kayla.

  No more of that. If the girl wanted to play games again she would lose.

  The small home of George and Marjorie Roscoe had cozy written all over it. The red tile roof looked new and the landscaping, which included Angelina daisies and blue Plumbago plants, was simple and tasteful. After spending hours watching the home and seeing no sign of Pete Roscoe, Cody and Romeo decided to get a look inside.

  George Roscoe greeted the boys with a smile when he opened his front door. He was a bald and chubby man of seventy with a fringe of gray hair.

  “You fellas selling something?”

  “Magazine subscriptions,” Cody said. “To help pay our way through school.”

  “I was a Fuller Brush man myself, of course, that was back east and a long time ago. Hey, you two come in out of the heat and the wife and I will see what you’re selling.”

  George led the boys to the kitchen where his wife was frosting a cake. As they walked through the home, the boys looked around for a sign of Pete Roscoe. There was none, nor were there any pictures of him on the wall. Roscoe was a career criminal and had run with a gang in his earlier years. Perhaps his parents had disowned him.

  “Marge, these young fellas are selling magazines. I figured we’d take a look and see if there’s anything we might want.”

  Marjorie Roscoe was sixty-six. She had snow-white hair and startling blue eyes. Her smile was as genuine as her husband’s as she greeted the boys.

  “You two are just in time for chocolate cake,” she said. When she spotted the swelling above Romeo’s eye and Cody’s puffy lip, she gave them a worried look. “What happened to you two?”

  Romeo smiled at her. “We got banged up while playing football, it’s nothing.”

  Marjorie smiled back at them.

  “Oh, to be young and full of energy again. I got tired just baking this cake.”

  The boys brought out the materials they were using as a pretense, but George and Marjorie seemed interested.

  By the time Cody and Romeo left the home an hour later, they each had a piece of chocolate cake in their stomach, along with another piece wr
apped for the road. They also had orders for three magazines.

  “I’m going to send these order cards in for real,” Romeo said. “I’d feel bad if Marge didn’t get her magazines.”

  “I know what you mean. It’s hard to believe those two raised a criminal like Pete Roscoe.”

  “They don’t talk about him; did you notice that?”

  “I did,” Cody said. “Maybe he broke their hearts.”

  “I don’t think he’s coming here; that means we have only one place left to look.”

  “The hunting cabin, but I don’t think we should go there right away. It will be dark soon, and Roscoe might have rigged up explosives.”

  “Yeah, I hate to wait for morning, but I’d hate getting blown up too, and besides, there’s a chance Roscoe is in Tucson. He lived there for years.”

  “We’ll get rooms at a motel, then search the bars for him. Maybe we’ll get lucky and spot him, but I want to be at that cabin early.”

  “Hell yeah, we can’t let this guy get away,” Romeo said.

  They took a pair of cheap rooms at a motel outside of Tucson, then headed into the city to look for Roscoe. After coming out of the fifth bar they visited, they saw a pair of familiar faces.

  “You chicks play dirty,” Romeo said to Kayla and Zoe. The girls were standing outside their blue van, which was parked behind the boys’ sports car.

  Kayla and Zoe moved closer to the boys.

  “That was a dirty joke to play on you,” Kayla said, “and we’re sorry.”

  “I don’t want to hear I’m sorry,” Cody said. “Just stay away from us.”

  “Don’t be like that,” Zoe said. “We were just trying to help out our granddad.”

  “Farnsworth is your grandfather?” Romeo asked.

  “Yeah, and he really wants to catch Pete Roscoe before you do.”

  “Where is your grandfather?” Cody asked.

  “He went to bed early,” Kayla said. “You know how old people are.”