They chuckled.
"He's a hardcore Triple H member, and I think I'm in great standing with him."
"Cool."
"Anyways, I called him, and told him I might have a job, some wet work, and he said that he was sure Happy would want to hear about it."
Felix didn't know what she knew or saw, and because of that fact, they needed Sarah Jennings' silence because the downside was too great. She could have seen Rogelio's face or somehow read his license plate number. Felix remembered a great line from an awesome movie: Ronin. Robert De Niro said, "When there's doubt, there's no doubt."
The best way to achieve her silence was to have her killed, period.
He smiled at his idea. Rogelio's problem would be solved, and would mean a really nice payday for him.
"How about someone taking her purse? And then shooting her? A robbery gone wrong."
Tony's eyes narrowed. "Yeah, that sounds good. It's random, cops could think it's related to the body dump but it would be hard to tie both together."
"Good. I'll trail her right now. Hopefully she leaves her house soon and does soccer-mom shit, like go to the mall or have coffee."
"So, you want them to be on-call?" Tony asked. "What if she doesn't leave until tonight?"
He shrugged. "I don't know, let's just wait and see."
"Anything else? I'm off to meet Marcos at Happy's shop."
Triple H worked out of Happy's Auto, an auto repair shop, owned by Juan "Happy" Morales.
"Wear the glasses."
Chapter Nine
Sniffing Flowers
My phone rang.
Snatching it up, I smiled when I saw it was my brother. I put the phone up to my ear and heard background noise, people talking. "Hey, hermano! How's it hanging?"
"Hey, sis, I'm at a crime scene. A body dump."
"Eww, gross! Man or woman? Brains or pus?" Sometimes I messed with him. Nothing grossed me out.
He exhaled. "A woman, your friend, called me to tell me that she witnessed a man dump a body."
"Oh, wow! Who?"
"Sarah Jennings witnessed the body dump."
Pausing the game, I lowered the controller. "Oh, she did?"
"Yeah, I was wondering if you could call and calm her down. She seemed a bit rattled. Maybe you could take her for a coffee or something?"
Sarah's been wanting to hook up for some time now. Well, she wanted me for her and her husband. Those two would be a tasty treat for sure, but I had to be good, because I had a boyfriend now.
"Yeah, I could grab doughnuts or something with her. Not a problem."
"Thanks a lot, I owe you."
How amusing, my brother didn't owe me anything. He fathered my beautiful niece and nephew. Henry gave me a remarkable sister-in-law after marrying Julie. They all made me feel wanted and needed.
Henry has shown me there were never any conditions to his love for his big sister. Since he was in high school, Henry knew who I was, and while he was in college I told him what I did for a living. His religion told him that it was wrong, but he told me that he would never stop loving me and he only wanted me to be safe and happy. My brother's love for me is truly unconditional.
"You never owe me anything, little brother, just let me come hang out with the munchkins soon."
"How about tonight or tomorrow night, you bring over steaks?"
"It's a date. Tell Julie to be ready to drink with me. I'll bring Jack Daniels too."
"Awesome, I'll get lucky after you liquor her up!"
Ah, I will be helping my little brother get his wife drunk so he could take advantage of her. Sibling love. "I'll call Sarah right now."
"Cool. Talk to you later."
"Later." I ended the call.
I found her phone number and tapped it.
Her phone rang.
Sarah picked up on the third ring. I heard the same background noise now as when I talked to Henry. "Hello."
"Hey, Sarah it's me Chloe. How are you?"
"Girl, I have to tell you something!"
Sarah could be a bit of a gossip. "What's up?"
"You won't believe what happened this morning!"
"What happened?"
"Earlier, I saw a man dump a dead body!"
"Oh shit! Where?"
"Girl, right outside my house, across the street in the parking lot of that Korean convenience store. I don't know if he killed her or not, but it did rattle me some. Brendan is helping me to keep calm."
"Oh wow! You've had quite a morning!"
"Oh my god, yes I have. I called Henry right away."
"Did he come?"
"Yeah, he's outside with his partner, Mitch," she said.
"Okay."
"You know him, Mitch? I didn't see a ring on his finger. He single?"
"Yeah, I know him. He is single, divorced."
"You ever let him sniff your flowers?"
Sniffing flowers was a euphemism for having sex. Sarah knew I owned a flower shop and came up with the tag line.
There was a time when I believed monogamy should be considered a crime, yet most days I thought only of Sawyer in my bed. "Yeah, Mitch is okay, but I'd only break his heart."
Sarah chortled. "Hey, you want to meet me and Timmy for brunch? I'll tell you more."
I loved her son, Timmy. "Sure, brunch sounds good."
Sarah told me where she wanted to go, a quaint little sidewalk cafe in midtown. I told her I would meet her and my little boyfriend there.
I brought up the text message app, texting Henry: "I'm meeting Sarah and Timmy for brunch at that cool sidewalk cafe in mid-town I told you about the other day. You and Mitch want to join us?"
Twenty-seconds later he responded: "Sorry, we are way too busy to take a break, but thanks for the invite."
I answered: "Cool, next time, Little Brother!"
He texted: ":)"
I dropped my cell phone and got ready.
Chapter Ten
Add A Zero
He moved Tony's car closer.
It did not take long for Sarah to leave her house. She pulled out of her garage, in a red minivan, ten minutes after his phone call with Tony. Her husband was not with her.
Felix pulled out onto the street and caught up to her three blocks down the street.
He followed her to the gas station. She filled up the tank while texting. Felix didn't understand why people lived on their phones so much these days. Damn millennials.
Leaving the gas station, she pulled out in front a truck that blared its horn.
"She's going to kill someone!"
He followed her down a few blocks before she pulled over.
"Finally!" Elated that she stopped.
He parked on the street behind her position and watched as she got out of the car and helped her little son exit. They crossed the street and sat at a table of a sidewalk cafe.
He shook his head. Felix hated trendy sidewalk cafes and the soccer moms who patronized them.
He figured that this was as good a spot as any other. Felix did not like the idea of killing Sarah in front of her boy. A better spot would be in a grocery store parking lot or post office, but she might go home after this and he would miss his chance.
Felix pulled out the burner. He texted Tony the address.
He lowered the window. The frigid air felt good on his face. Felix called Rogelio.
He answered. "Yeah?"
"It shouldn't be too much longer, now."
Rogelio chuckled. "Good, I can't thank you enough, Felix."
"Well, you could add a zero to the shitload of money you're going to give me."
Chapter Eleven
Menaces To Society
Tony parked two blocks down the street from Happy's Auto in a Mexican restaurant's parking lot.
It was a sweet ride. He did not plan on handing the car over to Happy, he would sell it to a buddy who owned a chop shop off of Telephone Road, he could get three or four grand.
Marcos stood next to Tony. He was a few inches shorter th
an Tony's six feet, but weighed more due to all of his muscles.
They stood inside the shop, in an area that Happy used as an office. They stood in front of Happy. Racks of dumbbells hugged the back wall. Two weightlifting benches with bars sat off to the side, with a lot of weights.
A few guys stood without their shirts on, showing a little muscle. It was cold in the shop, not as much as outside but cold. Lifting weights warmed the body up tremendously.
A muscle-bound guy lay on a bench, bench-pressing a shitload of weight. Tony counted the number of plates on each side and calculated the weight. An impressive feat, five pounds more than double his 200 pounds.
Happy racked the weights and got up from the bench, grabbing a small towel to wipe his face and chest. Cleanly shaven, with a head that reminded Tony of a Chia pet—an inch of black hair all around. A hairdo that all of his soldiers mimicked.
Since he was shirtless, Happy's muscles bulged like tumors under his skin. Tattoos completely covered his torso. A brown canvass belt held up baggy blue jeans. He wore Adidas on his feet.
Happy grabbed a pair of Ray-Bans and put them on.
Tony had muscles, but nothing like the psychopath. Happy stood around five nine and weighed in about 200 pounds.
Not one ounce of fat on him.
All of his guys packed firearms on their person, and all appeared to be menaces to society.
He recognized a few of them. Ghost, Bull, and Frogger. Each had criminal histories a mile long. Tony recognized two other men, but didn't know their names.
Happy walked up to him and offered his hand, staring him in the eye.
Tony accepted and shook Happy's hand.
"What's up? Marcos said you might have a job for us."
He nudged up the glasses on his face with his right index finger. "Yes."
The gang leader removed the sunglasses. "Who?"
"Yes, please look at the woman on the phone." He pointed at the phone Marcos had in his possession. When Tony entered they patted him down, checked under his shirt. They had his grocery bag that held twenty grand. The other ten grand stayed in Rogelio's car.
They took his glasses, but gave them back before entering the office.
Happy glanced at the picture of the woman on the screen of the burner, a phone Tony bought on the way to the shop. He tossed the one Felix had given him after texting the pertinent information to the new one.
"This gringa, you want me to screw her or what?"
Tony shook his head, smirking at Happy. "Can we speak in private?"
He shook his head. "Go ahead, tell me what you want done, no one here is recording you or will ever say that you were even here. You have my word. This is business, my business. If anyone here speaks, that man will watch his entire family die." Happy examined the faces of his men. "You have nothing to worry about."
He didn't have much choice, so he told him. "She needs to die."
Both of Happy's eyebrows shot up. "Wow, homie! You walk in here and tell me that you want this poor woman murdered?"
Some of his men laughed.
Tony felt a twinge of fear.
"You want this woman got?" Happy peered at the picture. "I'd rather bend her over, she's not bad looking."
Tony chuckled. "Yes, that is why I am here, and I am willing to pay top dollar."
"There's twenty large in here, Happy," Marcos said.
Happy grinned at Tony, glanced over at two of his men. "Frogger and Ghost, check him."
Tony frowned. "Come on, man! Is that necessary?"
"How do I know you aren't wearing a wire or recording device on your body? To do that, I need you to strip."
"I'm not wearing a wire, I swear!"
"I take twenty percent of your money right now as a consulting fee, and you leave to kill the gringa yourself."
Tony silently exhaled, knowing there was no other way. He didn't blame Happy. "I'll strip."
"Good, just don't dance, it might make me horny, then you'll be really screwed!" he said. All the other men laughed along with Happy.
Tony didn't find it amusing at all.
Frogger and Ghost started grabbing at him.
"Hey wait a minute man! I'll take my own clothes off. Alright?" Tony exclaimed.
When he started unbuttoning his pants Tony saw a guy come towards him with a bucket of water, the young man placed the bucket a couple of feet away from Tony.
"What's the bucket for?"
"For your clothes." Happy did not take his eyes off of Tony.
"Oh, come on man! Why do you want my clothes in water?" Tony scrutinized a guy coming up to him, holding a dark blue robe.
"Electronics are small these days. Some are small enough and sophisticated enough to be undetected. Never heard of any kind of electronics that work in water. Or you can leave, si quieres."
Tony held up a hand. "Alright, I understand."
"If one of my guys finds a wire or listening device on you or in your clothing, you will truly understand the meaning of pain." Happy put on a white T-shirt and pointed to the side. His men moved out of the way.
Tony spotted a big oil drum.
Happy scratched his head. "Do you understand what that drum means?"
Tony understood what it meant. "You'll kill me and put me in the barrel with acid."
"Half right. I would not kill you before putting you inside the barrel."
His body ached at the thought of being eased into an oil drum full of acid. Frowning, Tony handed over his shirt and his pants and the rest of his clothes. He stood there naked for a full minute before given the robe. A soldier placed each article of clothing in the water after inspecting all the fabric visually and with his fingers. The minion put on latex gloves to inspect Tony's underwear.
The clothing inspector gave a thumbs up.
Happy pointed. "Put his clothes in the dryer!"
The guy ran off to go dry his clothes.
"Please, Mr. Tony, sit down, we do business, now," Happy said, motioning towards a chair beside him. He pulled a small box from a drawer and placed it on the desk. Happy opened the box and grinned like a demented toddler when he showed Tony the cigars.
He loved a good cigar from time to time. "Are those Cuban?"
Happy nodded and offered him one.
Tony grabbed it.
Happy grabbed one too. "So you want this gringa dead?"
Marcos put the grocery bag, with the money, down on Happy's desk.
He held up a cigar cutter and a lighter, placing them on the desk for Tony. He cut the tip of his cigar and lit it. He took a long drag. "Oh, very nice, Happy. Thank you."
"I recently began smoking cigars after I saw Arnold Schwarzenegger smoking one on YouTube. I really like them." He brought a cigar up to his lips, taking a drag, blowing out a small white cloud as he eased back in his chair.
"I've smoked cigars on and off for a few years now, and I can tell you that this is a nice one."
Happy smiled, leaning forward in his chair. "So, Mr. Tony, when would you like this done?" He returned the cigar to his mouth, leaving it between his teeth.
"As soon as possible."
He grabbed the cigar from his teeth. "We can do this now, where she is located?"
Tony was glad to hear those words. "There is someone tailing her as we speak."
"How do you want her dead? Gun? Knife? Chainsaw?"
Chainsaw? Tony swallowed. He would have to remember that option if he ever needed someone else killed. "Gun. Just shoot her. When my colleague calls with the location, he'll want the shooter to try to take her purse, and then shoot her. This way it'll look like random gun violence. We don't want this shit to look like a hit at all."
Happy, nodding, leaned over his desk, cigar between his left index and middle fingers. His pearl white teeth shone through a smile.
Tony's burner beeped.
Happy opened the phone and read a text and showed him.
Tony blew out a puff of smoke. "It's him, he has an address on the woman."
All of them stepped forward.
He fixed his attention on Tony. "My friend, that bitch will be dead before you finish that cigar."
Chapter Twelve
Pulling Out The HKs
To go out in public, I needed a disguise.
Blonde strands, from a wig, dangled down to my shoulders. I'd tell Sarah that I wanted to try blonde for a while.
Semi-permanent eyebrow dye to color my eyebrows blonde, used to match the wig. Bug-eyed sunglasses shielded the brown contact lenses that covered my hazel eyes.
Bulletproof vest under my Walmart Johnny Cash T-shirt. Two Heckler and Koch VP40 handguns were in shoulder holsters, resting on both sides of my ribs. A black leather jacket covered everything.
A Gerber pocketknife in the front pocket of my Levi's 501. I did not have spikes in my laces, like normal, but I still liked my steel-toed boots.
I carried a small Minion plush toy inside my jacket. I kind of hate myself because I'm the first one to complain about how women spoil children too much. Yet I couldn't help myself. Am I genetically predisposed to spoiling little children?
I found myself anxiously waiting to see Timmy's little face when he sees his toy. That boy loves the Minion movies.
The sun, at midmorning position in the sky, glinted off of the windshields of the cars lined up along my side of the street.
I walked down the sidewalk, heading their way, on the other side of the street where I was meeting Sarah and Timmy. In front of me, a kid was feeding pigeons, the father—his back to me—had his phone out, recording the next YouTube sensation.
A toddler broke free of his mother's grasp and ran, grinning ear to ear, into the middle of the pigeons causing them to fly away.
I smiled.
The toddler giggled.
Over the parked cars on my side of the street, across the street, Sarah and Timmy sat at a table on the sidewalk. No cars parked on the other side of the street.
A few pigeons waddled around on the sidewalk, and Timmy stared at them. Kids are fascinated by everything.
Although, I could not hear him, Timmy's face glowed with a big smile.
Not Forgiven: A Thriller and Suspense Novel: Ungoverned Series Page 5
