Tanner stared at Sammy.
“Tonight is just reconnaissance. I want to see the inside of that bar. Susan said that Volks lives there, and maybe that’s where we’ll kill him.”
“What if it’s a trap and he just wants payback for what you did to his guys?”
“I’ll change his mind.”
“You’re a cocky bastard, Tanner.”
“Yes, I hear that a lot too.”
***
As they ate dinner, Tanner asked Amy about Calabrese.
“Understand something, the man has been charged with no crimes and everything I tell you is just hearsay and guesswork.”
“I’m not a judge and this isn’t a courtroom; I just want to get a better sense of the man.”
“Why?” Amy said.
Susan answered her.
“Tom’s a researcher, and I guess it just makes him naturally nosey.”
“Oh, but you might not want to stick your nose into Calabrese’s business. It’s not healthy.”
“He’s hurt someone?”
“Nothing we can prove, but before Calabrese came to town the local thugs were three brothers named Dobbs. They ran the pot trade, some cocaine maybe, and definitely some girls. Allegedly, Calabrese tried to buy his way in and was refused, and no one has seen the Dobbs brothers since, and now we think that Calabrese is running things.”
“Tell them about Kevin Ryan, Amy,” Susan said.
“Kevin Ryan was a town council member and a part-time preacher. He was determined to run Calabrese and his bikers out of town and he would badmouth them to everyone. One day after church, Mr. Ryan just disappeared.”
“Like the Dobbs brothers disappeared?” Sammy said.
“There have been others too; it seems that Calabrese doesn’t like to be criticized,” Susan said.
“What about Garrett Bates?” Tanner asked. “He seems to be going after Calabrese in that paper of his.”
Amy lit up in a smile.
“He’s a brave man, Mr. Bates is, and the chief has asked all of us deputies to watch out for him.”
“I see,” Tanner said.
***
When it was time for him to visit Calabrese, Susan kissed Tanner goodbye.
“Try not to acquire any new scars, okay?”
“Don’t wait up; I don’t know how long this might take.”
“I won’t be able to sleep until you get back, and you’ll find me in your bed.”
“Talk about in-room amenities.”
Susan laughed, and then grew serious.
“Be safe, Tanner.”
“Count on it.”
As they were driving away, Sammy made an observation.
“Susan really likes you, and she’s a good woman.”
“That she is,” Tanner said, and they went off to see Bobby Volks.
CHAPTER 31 – The offer of a lifetime
After eating a late dinner, Savannah brought out a Twister mat, and she, Earl, Hanna, and Merle played the game until they collapsed atop each other in a pile, while laughing.
The two couples then sat around talking, and the girls asked about New York. When they learned that Merle and Earl had driven for Johnny Rossetti, they seemed impressed.
“He was famous,” Hanna said. “I remember hearing about him.”
Earl sniffled.
“I liked him a lot. He let us both drive him around even though he only needed one chauffeur.”
“And you say your sister is marryin’ this other fella, Joe?”
“Yeah, and he’s not as nice as Johnny was, but he treats Laurel Lee like a queen and that’s all that matters,” Merle said.
“Hanna and me went to New York about five years ago, and Lordy was it ever a busy place. I couldn’t live there, not for always. I like farm life better.”
“Merle,” Hanna said. “Why did you and Earl leave here?”
“We were gonna get rich, but instead, we just drifted around.”
“You could stay here, for awhile at least.”
Merle looked over at his brother.
“What do you think, Earl?”
Earl reached over and took Savannah’s hand.
“I can’t think of anywhere else I’d rather be.”
Hanna smiled.
“Alrighty then,”
The sound of a car came from outside, and they all rose and looked out the window. It was the chief of police; he was dressed in civilian clothes and was stepping out of a blue SUV. There was a man with him; the man wore a suit and carried a laptop case.
They strolled out onto the porch and Hanna greeted the men.
“Hey there, Chief, is somethin’ up?”
The chief smiled and gestured at the other man, who was trim, with a scalp going bald in the middle.
“Hi folks, sorry to call so late, but it’s good news. This here is Mr. Wilson, and he represents some people that would like to buy the farm from you.”
“Buy it? How much?” Merle said.
Mr. Wilson mentioned a number that made the Carter brothers and Cole sisters gape at him in surprise.
“That’s a lot of money,” Savannah said.
“The people I represent are looking to build new housing and a shopping center, and this is a good area for the project.”
Hanna shook her head.
“Some folks tried that last year. They bought up that swampland to the north and took to drainin’ it, but it cost more than they thought, and by the time they got the swamp drained, they wound up goin’ broke.”
Wilson smiled.
“I’m well aware of that, because I acquired that land for a song after they did all the work. They quit too early because they ran out of financial backing, but a little more effort will make that parcel viable. If we add your farm to it, we’ll be able to proceed right away.”
Wilson walked up the steps and handed out cards with the amount he was willing to pay written on the back.
“Think about it for a day or two and then let me know.”
Hanna took a card and smiled at Wilson.
“Would you like to come inside and have some ice tea or coffee?”
“No ma’am, but thank you. I’ve taken enough of your time.”
They all said goodnight to Wilson and the chief, and then stood looking at each other.
“Merle, are you gonna sell?” Hanna asked.
“I don’t know, but if we did, we could give you back all the money you lost and still have a bundle.”
“But then we’d have no farm and no place to live,” Savannah said.
Merle looked at his brother.
“What do you think?”
“I think we should sleep on it, and besides, we gotta call Laurel Lee and ask her about it too.”
“Yeah,” Merle said.
Hanna looked sad as she opened the screen door, but then she looked back at Merle.
“You would really give us our money back?”
“Sure, it be fair with all the work you did here.”
Hanna let the screen door shut and went to Merle.
“You’re a good man, do you know that?”
Merle thought about it a second and said, “No.”
Hanna laughed as she took Merle’s hand.
“No more sleeping in the RV for you.”
Merle sent her a silly grin, and then he followed her inside, as Earl walked along with Savannah.
CHAPTER 32 - ...Nor iron bars a cage
A biker roughly the size of a refrigerator greeted Tanner and Sammy as they walked into The Iron Horse bar, and Calabrese called over and told the man to let them pass.
Both Tanner and Sammy were armed, but then, so were the bikers.
The interior of the bar was better lit than Tanner would have guessed. There were a dozen or more fluorescent light fixtures hanging from the ceiling of the A-frame building, which had once been a carpet warehouse. Windows lined the walls on each side, but they were high up off the floor, and several showed cracks, while the bar itself sm
elled of spilt beer and sour sweat.
There were several women in the bar. They were all wearing short skirts and plunging necklines, and one particular beauty with a front tooth missing flicked her tongue at Sammy as they walked by.
“I think she likes you.”
“I’m taken,” Sammy told Tanner, and then winced.
Tanner ignored the remark, knowing that Sammy meant no harm by it, and then he concentrated on filing away details about the bar’s interior.
Calabrese left his barstool and gestured for them to follow him, as he headed towards the rear of the rectangular building with two of his biggest men flanking him.
The floor of the old building creaked beneath their feet with each step, however, the creaking was felt and not heard, as the jukebox blasted country music, and raucous voices echoed off the walls.
As they walked down a short hallway, Tanner saw a windowless room with a brass bed in it. There was a blonde girl lying on the bed. She was topless, even younger than Sammy, and when Tanner looked into her blue eyes, he saw that she was high on something.
“That’s Sissy; if you want a piece I can arrange it.”
“I’ll pass,” Tanner said.
At the end of the hall was a door. There were crates full of empty bottles piled in front of it, which blocked the exit, and Calabrese turned right just before reaching it, and entered an office.
There was an old wooden desk and a green metal filing cabinet, while a bare incandescent bulb hung from the ceiling, and bars were bolted across the room’s lone window.
Calabrese, who was really Bobby Volks, sat in the chair behind the desk, as his two soldiers took positions in front of the window and leaned back against the bars.
Tanner stood to the left of the desk and gestured for Sammy to stand to the right of it. Sammy was perplexed by Tanner’s request, but complied.
Volks smiled up at them.
“No offense, but lift your shirts and turn around so I can see if you’re wired.”
They both complied, and Volks took note of the puckered wound on Tanner’s chest.
“Somebody came close to putting you down, didn’t they?”
“Close doesn’t count.”
“True, now here’s the deal, two grand a week and you help me get rid of the competition. There’s a group the next town over that’s proving to be difficult. Real hillbillies, like a clan, and even their damn women and kids know how to shoot.”
“They sell meth?”
“They grow and sell pot, and they must be doing two million a year easy. I don’t know what they spend the money on, but it’s not dental work, I can tell you that.”
“I’ll pass, and two grand a week is chump change.”
Volks spread his arms wide.
“Name a number.”
“A hundred percent, you see, I’d rather take you down and run my own meth through here.”
Volks pounded the desk with a fist, and Tanner was pleased to see that Sammy didn’t flinch.
“Who are you working for, Myers?”
“You’ll find out when the time comes.”
Volks smiled.
“Or maybe I’ll find out when they send the next guy... after I kill you.”
Tanner tossed his head towards the two leaning back against the bars.
“By the time those two clear their weapons I’ll kill them, and if you reach for the shotgun bolted beneath the desk I’ll feed it to you.”
Volks cursed and pointed at the desktop, where the tops of two bolts were visible.
“It is sloppy work, isn’t it? But you’re the first one to spot the bolts.”
Sammy nodded. He hadn’t noticed them, and if not for Tanner, he’d be standing directly in front of the gun.
Tanner tossed a thumb back at the doorway.
“What’s the deal? You have a signal to let the men in the bar know that we can leave?”
Volks grinned.
“God damn I wished you worked for me.”
One of the men leaning at the window straightened up, and both Sammy and Tanner drew their guns.
“Don’t try it, and Calabrese, why don’t you stand up. Sammy, get their guns and then check the hall.”
Sammy collected the weapons, ducked low, and peered around the doorframe with one eye.
“It’s clear.”
“It’s also the only way out of here,” Volks said. “If you try moving those crates away from the back door someone will spot you.”
Sammy whispered to Tanner.
“Why don’t I kill him now?”
“Too many witnesses,” Tanner whispered back.
“You have a plan to get out of here?”
“We’re leaving by the window.”
“What about the bars?”
“Calabrese,” Tanner said in a normal voice. ‘Tell your gorillas to tear those bars off the window.”
“They’re bolted into the wall.”
Tanner grinned.
“If those bars aren’t off in one minute I start shooting.”
“You’re bluffing. That would bring the others running back here.”
Tanner walked around the desk and placed his gun beneath Volks’ chin.
“Look in my eyes and tell me again that I’m bluffing.”
Several seconds passed, and then Volks spoke to his men.
“Jake, Ronny, tear those damn bars off the window.”
“One side at a time,” Tanner said. “It’ll go easier.”
The bikers did as they were told and the bars came off the window with much grunting and straining, and while they were doing that, Tanner and Volks stared at each other without blinking.
Once the window was opened, Sammy climbed out, followed by the bikers, then Volks, and Tanner.
They walked together towards the front and found the parking lot empty. Everyone was inside waiting to hear the blast of the shotgun beneath the desk, or to see the emergence of the group from the office.
Once they reached Tanner’s rental, he put his gun away and spoke to Volks.
“Thanks for the hospitality.”
“This is my territory and I won’t give it up without a fight.”
Sammy started the car and sped away as if he were being chased by demons.
“What if they follow us?”
“It’s too public for him; he likes to make people disappear like magic, but keep an eye out anyway.”
“So what’s our next move?”
“Tomorrow night we rob their meth shipment.”
“What? How?”
“By playing a hunch, and if I’m right, we’ll have Volks right where we want him.”
“And then he’ll be the one that disappears?”
“By your hand, are you up to it?”
Sammy turned his head and Tanner saw the murder in his eyes.
“Good man.”
CHAPTER 33 – One call does it all
In Manhattan, Krupin looked out at the lights of the city from a penthouse suite, which was rented by Juan Alvarado under an alias.
Alvarado was on the phone with his father, and although Krupin didn’t speak Spanish, he had heard his name mentioned twice.
When the call ended, Juan Alvarado joined him on the balcony.
“The specialists were delayed, but they will be arriving soon, and then your troubles will be over.”
“These specialists, they’re going to kill Pullo and Tanner?”
“No, Tanner only, Pullo will be handled by more traditional methods.”
“Such as?”
Alvarado smiled.
“We’re going to shoot him down like a dog in the street.”
“I wish I could be there. I don’t know how the hell he survived that fire.”
“Before the call came through, you were telling me about a federal agent.”
“His name is Ivanov, and my people tell me that he and his partner discovered that I went to Mexico. If that’s true, they might also know that you’re here.”
&
nbsp; Juan smiled.
“Many people were given money so that your government won’t know I’m here, and yet, leaks still happen, so perhaps we can pay this FBI man of yours to go away.”
“He’s not the type, he likes to bust balls, and I was thinking about another option. His partner is young and beautiful, maybe we could frame him for her murder, you know, make it look like a lover’s quarrel.”
“Are they lovers?”
“I have no idea, but an older man, younger woman, people would buy it. And I would love to see him put in his place.”
Juan patted Krupin on the shoulder.
“I like you, Michael; you’re a man who knows how to hate creatively. Perhaps we’ll visit that plan someday, but for now, let’s concentrate on Pullo and Tanner.”
“Okay, but man I hate that Fed.”
They sat and looked out at the skyline as they drank. When Juan stared at Krupin, the Russian felt the weight of the Mexican’s gaze.
“Why are you staring?”
“My father is taking a risk in backing you, you do understand that, correct?”
“I understand that he’ll be getting fifty percent for his trouble.”
“The money is nothing compared to the risk. He’s doing this behind the backs of the other cartels. If we fail here, this will give our enemies ammunition against us, but if we succeed, then we’ll be able to dictate terms for future American cities.”
“I thought you were already in America. I know you guys are supplying drugs everywhere.”
“True, but it’s... what’s the word, underground? By backing you openly we’ll be sending up a flag.”
“New York City is worth the risk. Controlling the ports alone is worth billions over the long haul.”
“Yes, and you and I, we are both young men, and it’s the young men who usher in new ages. Once we have a strong grip on New York, then we move across the sea to Europe and make alliances there, and after that, Asia.”
Krupin grinned.
“You’re ambitious, that’s good, so am I, and I never thought that Pullo would be so hard to kill.”
Juan waved a dismissive hand.
“He will die soon enough. Pullo isn’t old, but he’s not young either. It’s time for him to go.”
“I’m more worried about Tanner.”
“That one intrigues my father, and I know that he would like to own him, but since you say that he and Pullo are friends, it would be too dangerous to keep him around.”
The TANNER Series - Books 7-9 (Tanner Box Set Book 3) Page 22
