by David Nees
“Just what would that be?” Doreen asked.
“Can you just level with us?” Tommy interjected. “We’re caught in the middle. If you want any help from us, you’re going to have to give up some information. I’m not…we’re not buying all this ‘secret’ crap. Explain what you’re up to—what you’re after—and why we shouldn’t trust this Mike Warner.”
Jane thought about what Tommy said. He was right in a way. She was asking for them to give her access to Dan, if they could. Her instincts told her they did have access to him, but now they wanted some information from her, something to give them assurance that they were not getting Dan and themselves deeper in trouble.
“I’ll tell you what I can. I won’t tell you who I work for. What I can tell you is that it is part of the U.S. government, but not the police or the FBI.”
Doreen nodded. “That leaves some interesting alternatives.”
“Please, let me continue. Don’t get too hung up on my employer. I’m not with a foreign entity, or organized crime.” She paused. “Dan has seriously disrupted a segment of a major Mafia mob family. Vincent Salvatore is a Capo for Silvio Palma, the family boss. One of five in New York. The underboss is named Carmine Gianelli.”
“If Dan is the one doing all of this,” Doreen said.
“I’m not here to be coy or play games. I’m operating under the assumption that all of this disruption is Dan’s work…so are the mob, the local police and the FBI. What I’m going to tell you now is very speculative, but sometimes it’s all I have to work with in my business. It’ll do you no good to pass this on to anyone, least of all Mike Warner. That will only be detrimental to Dan. Can you keep this to yourselves?”
Tommy and Doreen nodded.
“Good. Now the reason the FBI is interested is that the disruptions are putting enormous pressure on Vincent.
“Right now he’s a well regarded Capo of Silvio’s family. But the FBI is trying to get the mob to lose confidence in Vincent. If Dan continues to disrupt operations, the mob will begin to worry about Vincent’s abilities. If they decide to replace him there is only one way out for Vincent—you don’t get to retire from the mob, especially when you know as much as Vincent. He knows this, so we think Mike is hoping to use Dan’s attacks to create a wedge between Silvio and Vincent. His only way out then will be to go into the witness protection program.”
“So Dan’s doing some of the FBI’s work for them,” Tommy said.
“That’s correct. The carrot Mike will hold out is that he can get Dan a reduced sentence for helping bring Vincent around.”
“That’s what Mike suggested,” Tommy said.
“I wouldn’t put much faith in that,” Jane said. “It would only add to Mike’s victory if he brought Dan in along with Vincent. My guess is that Mike will readily burn Dan when he has no use for him anymore.”
“But he still needs Dan right now,” Doreen said.
“Yes, but Mike can’t control the mob, and he can’t fully control the local police, although he’s commandeered their investigation. That allows him to try to control the pace of it. When he hooks Vincent, he’ll unleash all his force on netting Dan.”
“So why does he want to talk with Dan?” Tommy asked.
“Probably to get closer to him, make Dan think he can help him. It would make it easier for Mike to bring him in.”
“That’s pretty cold.” Tommy got up and grabbed a beer from the refrigerator. “Can I get you something to drink?”
Jane smiled and shook her head.
“So where do you come in?” Doreen asked.
“I’ve got a way out for Dan—”
“That’s what Mike said,” Tommy remarked from the fridge.
“That may be so, but I’m not someone who could or would arrest him, and I don’t really care about getting Vincent into the witness protection program—”
“But you have an agenda as well,” Doreen said.
“I can help Dan disappear, so he can have a life beyond this mayhem. A life where no one will find him.”
“Why would you do that, Miss ‘Mystery Woman’?” Tommy asked as he sat back down.
Again, Jane smiled. This was not easy, especially since she couldn’t divulge certain things. “Yeah, I know it’s mysterious and sounds too good to be believable. Let’s just say Dan seems to have some unique skills which can be useful to my employers…for the benefit of his country. I’m interested in exploring whether or not he would be willing to use them in a positive way. That is why I need to talk to him…before it’s too late.”
“Useful skills. It seems all Dan has done is rob and kill people,” Tommy said.
Doreen stood up suddenly and pointed her finger at Jane. “You…you’re the CIA!”
Tommy’s mouth dropped open. He looked from Doreen to Jane and back.
“I can’t, of course, either affirm or deny your statement. There are many agencies where Dan’s skills would be useful. Which one of them is interested will not be divulged here, at this time.” Jane was firm in her statement. “But know this. I can extract Dan from the trap that’s closing in on him.”
Tommy kept staring at Jane, digesting Doreen’s declaration. “We’ll need some time to think this over. Not saying we can help or not,” he finally said.
Jane stood up and smiled at him for keeping up the charade. She handed him a piece of paper with a number on it. “I understand. Talk it over and call this number if you decide to help. You should call it by tomorrow. It will take time to set things up and we don’t know how close the FBI is to Vincent. I can see myself out. Thank you for taking time to see me.” With that, she turned to go.
After Jane left, Tommy and Doreen talked late into the night.
“She’s with the CIA,” Doreen said, “even though she denied it.”
“It doesn’t really matter in the end,” Tommy replied. “Either she or Mike Warner represent the only possible help for Dan to get out of this situation.”
“And get this nightmare over for us as well.”
Tommy nodded. “I’d like to think I could go back to my shop and take up where I left off, get Emilio back and even bring on another mechanic. So it’s either Mike Warner or Mystery Woman.”
Doreen smiled. “What a choice.”
“He really dug a hole for himself. It’s like he’s in self-destruction mode. That’s the same way he was thinking when he left town. I guess he didn’t heal from losing Rita and the baby. I don’t know if I could get over that either, but it seems a shame for him to lose what future he could have. The whole family is going to get wiped out from that senseless fire.”
Doreen went over to Tommy and hugged him. “You’re a good friend, even after he’s brought all of this down on us. That’s one of the things I love about you, your loyalty.” She kissed him long and hard. “When we get done helping Dan’s future, let’s plan our own.”
Tommy kissed her back and smiled. “I’m looking forward to that. I don’t understand how I got so lucky, but I’m not knocking it.”
“Just keep enjoying it,” Doreen said.
Chapter 37
Things were getting complicated. Tommy had called Dan and had outlined the options presented by Mike and Jane. Dan sat in his apartment and thought about what had happened in the six weeks since he had returned. He never expected the FBI and some secret agency would be trying to get in touch with him. In addition, he had noticed that not only old men with beards were being stopped on the streets, but other people who resembled some of the disguises he used. Were the cops on to his disguises? He would have to make changes; it was going to get harder to be on the street and a simple traffic stop or accident could finish it for him even with his fake IDs. He was beginning to feel hemmed in. He paced back and forth in his dreary apartment.
He hadn’t thought about a future up to this point. It had all been about getting revenge—making those responsible pay for Rita’s death. Thinking about it now, the prospect of decades in jail, or worse, weighed on
him.
Is there any way out at the end?
Tommy’s call gave him more to think about. The options Tommy presented caused him to review the consequences of his actions, and he realized that he didn’t like what he was coming up with.
Finish things with Joey and then get out of here. But where? Can’t go to Lisa and Rob’s, the feds will already have them marked for surveillance.
A life on the run, alone; how long could he hold up? Dan had no idea. His prospects didn’t look promising.
He agreed with Tommy about the FBI agent. That man certainly had his own agenda and Dan guessed he would just be his tool. He had no idea what this woman would offer. It was hard to think she could improve his options, but it seemed worth a call.
This would have to be done carefully. If she was from some spy agency—Tommy thought it was the CIA—she would have the ability to track his cell phone if he stayed on a call too long. He dug out his collection of phones. He had three prepaid phones yet unused. He would have to talk to her in multiple bursts using a different phone each time. Dan didn’t know if that would help; he had no way of knowing what she was capable of and how he could counter it.
I’m out of my league here. Got to be careful.
He went over to New Jersey to retrieve his car. He decided it was better to call her on the move. It might make it harder to track him.
“Hello,” Jane said picking up her phone.
“Tommy said I should call you,” Dan said.
“Dan?”
“What do you want to talk to me about?” He ignored her question.
“I’d like to meet with you. I can help you out of your situation.”
“Meeting would be dangerous for me. I don’t know who you are or what your agenda is. I’m not walking into some trap or ambush.”
“I understand your caution, but I can assure you, I am not interested in trapping you,” Jane replied.
“So you say. Talk is cheap and lies come easy. You’re going to have to tell me all about yourself before we meet.”
There was silence for a moment. “I can only say so much over the phone. If you like I can send you a secure phone and we can talk more freely.”
“Do you think I’m stupid? Or are you stupid?”
“Sorry. I understand that my offer might seem to have too many pitfalls. Here’s what I can say. I’m with a government agency. We’re not associated with law enforcement as much as defense. We need people with your skills. I don’t think I have to go into them over the phone. I can offer you a positive way to use those skills and provide a way out of the situation you’re in. You know how difficult it’s getting. It is only going to get worse.”
“Things may get worse but that doesn’t mean I’m desperate. I might be interested in what you’re offering, but I need to know more.” He pulled over to the curb. “Give me an address where I can send you something. I’ve got to hang up now. I don’t want you tracking this call. I’ll figure out how we can meet…on my terms, if you’re interested in that.”
“I’m not tracking your call, but here’s my address.” She gave him Gilbert’s office address. “I’ll meet with you on your terms, but we shouldn’t wait too long.”
“I’ll be in touch. I still have a couple of things to finish.”
“Don’t take too long,” Jane said. “Things are going to close down around you and it could be soon.”
With Jane’s warning ringing in his ears, he hung up.
Dan sat on his cheap couch long into the night thinking about the phone call. He could guess that this woman was with any number of agencies, NSA, CIA, DHS, DIA or others he was probably not even aware of. In the end it didn’t matter. She made it clear the FBI was closing in. They were using him to put pressure on Vincent to get him to turn. He had never thought that would be a consequence of his war with the mob. Could he trust this woman any more than the FBI? She had made it clear that this Mike Warner would try to bring him in after he used him to snare Vincent. Dan didn’t mind helping to turn Vincent. His life would be hell in a protection program. But would Dan be able to fade away? In the end he concluded the FBI would do what they had to do; they were a law enforcement agency. Maybe this woman was the only way out…if there even was a way.
Dan now tried to look beyond that “wall” that had clouded his view of the future. Was there a future for him? With a beer in his hand, he gazed out of the window at a gritty landscape of rundown buildings. Was this his life from now on? He had found no healing from what he had done so far. No release. At this point he was beginning to think killing Joey would not bring any closure. Maybe Lisa had been right all along. Maybe there was none to be had in the end. He got up and went into the kitchen to grab another beer. What a life. He sighed.
With or without healing or closure, he needed a future. He wasn’t suicidal. Rita wouldn’t approve. With a pang he had to admit she wouldn’t approve of what he had been doing these past weeks either. She would want him to get on with life, do something productive.
A decision made, he wrote out a note then headed off to New Jersey to have his delivery van modified for the meeting. The work would take a couple of days to complete.
Chapter 38
Four days later Gilbert handed Jane an envelope with her name on it. There was no return address. She tore it open.
If you want to meet, you must come alone.
What followed were detailed instructions for Jane to take different subway routes that eventually brought her out in northern Queens. She got out at 69th station on the 7 line. When she emerged from the station, as the note instructed, she went to a pay phone and called a number he had given her. Dan instructed her to go to a large planter in front of an office building. Behind the planter, under a low bush, she was to retrieve a small, dirt-colored box that held a cell phone. She was to exchange phones and put the box back under the bush. After changing phones, she turned the new one on and punched the number on the speed dial.
“Walk to the corner, turn right and walk half a block. Then hail a cab and have him continue in the same direction. I’ll give you directions after you’re in the cab,” Dan said.
The phone went dead. She looked around, realizing she was being watched. After getting into the cab as instructed, the phone rang again. “Direct the cab to the Grand Avenue/Newtown station. It’s on the M line. Get out and catch the next train heading into Manhattan. Go two stops and get off at the Steinway Street station. I’ll give you further instructions when you get on the street.”
“I’m not being followed. This is quite unnecessary,” Jane said.
“Just do as I say,” came the reply and the call disconnected.
When Jane emerged from the subway, her phone rang again. “Walk north on Steinway Street for two blocks. I’ll contact you.”
In the middle of the second block, a man stepped out from a delivery van parked on the side of the road. He caught her eye and could see she recognized him. He scanned the area. The block looked clear. He had followed her walk and saw no evidence of any close surveillance when he pulled ahead to park in the next block.
He opened the side door of the van and motioned for her to get in. The van had no rear or side windows. Inside was a single bench seat. A metal wire screen with a door in it separated the back area from the driver’s area.
“You want me to get into that cage?” Jane asked.
“It’s up to you. I’ll get in with you, but I’m not legally parked and I think it would be best to drive somewhere else where we can talk.”
Jane gave him a long look. She had a tiny transmitter on her so Gilbert could track her from his office, but no one was on the street following her. Whether she got in the back or the front, she was going to be at Dan’s mercy to some extent.
“The door can be opened from the inside and you can get out anytime you want.”
“Let’s not leave town. I don’t want to go on any long drive out on the Island,” Jane said as she stepped into the back of the van.
“Where are you going?” Jane asked.
Dan only shook his head and put his finger to his lips. After twenty blocks of left and right turns, he pulled into an alleyway that lead to a quiet street under some elevated tracks. There were few cars using the side road and it could not be easily closed off from both sides. After parking, he opened the wire mesh door and entered the back of the van.
“It’s a Faraday cage.” He motioned to the woven wire frame. If I’m right, cell phones and tracking devices won’t work, so we’ll be blind to any tracking you have set up. I suppose you have a tracking device on you? They’ll have lost your signal miles away from here.”
“Very clever of you.” Jane smiled in spite of herself. “You’re pretty resourceful.”
“Just being careful. I learned that some time ago.”
“In Iraq?”
Dan studied her. She was not glamorous, but not unattractive, with an athletic look. He didn’t know what to expect, but someone in a clandestine organization probably had to be pretty fit. He guessed she was about his age. He had expected to meet someone older. “I guess you’ve done all your homework and know all about me. So maybe you should start by telling all about you, your organization and what you want from me.”
“I’m with a clandestine organization—”
“Don’t be coy. I think that’s what you said to Tommy when you talked to him and Doreen.”
Jane smiled. “Touché. I’m with the CIA, but a part that is very covert.”
“So the CIA has secrets it keeps from itself?”
