Hard Case: Boxed Set Books 1,2 & 3 (John Harding Books)

by Bernard Lee DeLeo

  I took Lora through our encounters with the Hollywood crew, and Kevin’s prior confrontation with them when he broke his future girlfriend’s nose. By the time I told the story through to our finding Kev and the Buffster in each other’s clothing when we left, Lora was enjoying it with much amusement.

  “You’ve probably already heard I’m going back down there to close up that slave ring. I’m not sure how much Sam and Janie will be brought in on that one. It will depend on what we find down there. In any case, Halliday will pay us back. With Chad’s legal help and agent skills, I wouldn’t be surprised to see the Hollywood bunch on their own reality TV show soon.”

  “I shouldn’t have been riding you like that, John. I’m sorry. You and Tommy did the impossible getting those girls back. I was having one of my moments where nothing pleases me. I should go lock myself in a room until it passes.”

  “Admitting your weakness is the first step to recovery.” I had to move fast as she launched on me, only to be carted over to the counter where I proceeded to lay hands on her in inappropriate fashion until she writhed against me. “I think that about covers the field trip. Want to go upstairs and negotiate a bit more while Beeper Girl is watching TV downstairs?”

  Lora moaned under my busy hands. “Anything… only let’s go… now. Oh… oh God… let’s go!”

  Who says the Dark Lord can’t follow directions?

  * * *

  Clint and Lynn showed up the next morning at 7am. I get up at five anyway, so it was no big deal. I usually let Lora sleep in to eight. I like making breakfast for Al, and taking her to school. It’s something I never thought I’d ever experience. She loves it when I walk her into school. Al prances slightly ahead, dragging on my hand. Teachers and students fall back unconsciously out of her path as she leads the way for her private troll. I smile, wave, say hi to the teachers – nothing works. They look at me like I’ve arrived from Planet Zeton, ahead of the troll army of despair. Al and I are tight. She appreciates a great sight gag like dragging me along into school with her. I know it will change as she gets older, and the boys look at me with fear and loathing. I’ll probably have to hide during her teenage years.

  “My favorite monsters. You two must be excited.” I made the understatement of the year as Lynn is beginning to worry me. She’s nearly pacing in step. “No coffee for you, Lynn. Come on in. Do we need to conduct this meeting in the workout room where Lynn can use the stair-climber while we talk?”

  Clint is chortling, turning away, while trying not to show humor. Lynn is staring at him with I’m sure promised retribution. She sees the two of us won’t let this proceed into a death race, takes a deep breath in the brisk October air, and walks past me. I give Clint the questioning look. He pats my shoulder and follows his mate inside. He has his notebook computer with him, so I figure it’s a show and tell.

  “We’ve got them, brother. We know what port they’re using, their inland routes, what safe houses they’re putting the girls in, and a few of the destinations,” Clint said, walking past. “Lynn thinks the longer we’re wasting time planning, the more girls will be disappearing. I put Laredo on alert. He’s doing real good, and understands finally that retirement just ain’t a choice in our line of work.”

  Lynn led the way into the kitchen, grabbed a mug, shot a dagger glance at me, and poured herself a cup of coffee. Clint grinned and got his own. When we were all sitting at the table, Lynn sipped her coffee with hands holding the cup in white knuckled angst. We needed to address this situation together immediately. That was for damn sure. I figured I had until the knife started click-clacking before I was in real trouble. I looked over the folder Clint handed me, speed reading through e-mails, phone number tie-ins and financial records with growing anger. I could tell more than a few were looking the other way in different parts of the political and police hierarchy.

  “I don’t like this. You two have spent considerable time putting the facts together, and jawing at each other about it. I can tell. Believe me, I know how you feel. Tommy and I released those girls being held at King’s hell-house. I’ll let you both imagine what it was like releasing King to the FBI, but we had to. This ring we’re going after will have the same parameters. If we concentrate on what we need to do, we’ll be okay, but we have to keep the survivors in mind. We have the resources to find these fucks long after any blunder our judicial system might perpetrate on us. Do you understand the unfortunate circumstances, Lynn?”

  To her credit, Lynn was all business. She nodded her head before meeting my questioning stare. “I understand, John. This is bad. I know the feeling those girls have – nothing will ever save them, no one gives a shit, and they’re going to die in a horrific way, and be buried in some place no one will ever find them. I don’t share this shit with just anyone! I want these fuckers, John! I follow your lead. We get the girls. Everything else is secondary.”

  “That’s all I’m asking, Lynn. This will be an inexact science. I know that. We have a name. I say we go down there in force, but we stay carefully attached to this hierarchy ladder. Task number one will be freeing all prospects this asshole has in captivity. Look, we can joke about a lot of things. This ain’t one of them. We’ll end this ring. There will be complications though to anything outside of the law. Tommy and I did just fine getting the Donald to tell us everything. We aren’t even in your dimension for extracting information. You need seasoning, Lynn, which I’m sure Clint has tried to explain to you. You need to reach back in employing your skills with the psychological nudge you have down pat. Don’t make this personal. Concentrate on the mission.”

  “I get it, John. It’s hard to reconcile this kind of operation coldly. I’ve found out since hooking up with Clint and all of you that I’m not quite the unfeeling monster I thought I was. I’m addicted to making things right. I know we have to be careful going about what we do or they’ll bury us. We get real justice. We make them pay. You guys took out a guy so high up the food chain, I got dizzy just knowing about it. My girl, Maria, is making changes to the Brannigan empire. Tell us what you want done, John. Laredo told us Denny’s already set up a private hangar now for his Huey, and a brand new propjet with money from our confiscation of ill gotten gains lately. We’re actually a strike force now. That Global 6000 jet Denny got and the turboprop are nice. Laredo gave us a tour.”

  Yeah, that was a change. “It’s hard to keep perspective when Lora’s ragging me about a couple grand on the Halliday job, and we have our own private air force. That was a real sales job getting Maria Brannigan to invest in it. No way Denny comes up with the fourteen million for that toy.”

  “She’s loving it. Remember, she has hundreds of billions. Maria and I have bonded. She wants to do good. Maria knows what we do makes a difference. I promised her if a threat pops up on the radar involving any of the dead brother’s dealings, we had her back.”

  “I’ll make sure we honor your promise.” I returned my attention to the rogue’s gallery Clint came up with. “How did you filter down through all these aliases?”

  Clint showed me a screen of the tree he followed into Interpol’s database. “They turned up originally claiming to be Kosovo refugees so as to get into Belgium. They were in fact Albanian mobsters supported by the Kosovo Liberation Army. Having done some enforcer work for the Italian Mafia in New York in the early 2000’s, the four moved to LA by order of the KLA in 2011. In those early days, their tracks are easier to follow. LA has proven to be a bonanza for them. They run weapons, sweatshops, prostitution rings, and slave trade to high paying customers from the Middle East. So far, Dhamo, who is the leader of the group, stays away from the drug trade due to the huge Mexican Cartel presence. A lot of their money flows into KLA coffers.”

  “This is going to be a tricky business, staying under the radar,” Lynn added. “That’s why I was so ramped this morning. Clint doesn’t like my plan much, but I’m wondering if it might be possible for me to resurrect my heiress Constance Madrid to possibly entice Dhamo.
Clint found out he’s not with anyone, and he’s a player. Best of all, he’ll be in San Francisco on Friday. We can have Constance Madrid having lunch with Maria Brannigan. Guess what else – Maria knows him. He’s been trying to reach her due to one of brother Brannigan’s shell companies in LA at the port authority being sold. Apparently it was one of Dhamo’s shipping covers for weapons.”

  Okay, that is some very tight thinking there. “I love the sting, Lynn. I’d like to hear Clint’s objections, but damn that is some good thinking. There would be danger for Maria because of exposure, but I could see no harm done if Dhamo disappears along with his crew when Lynn talks him into calling an impromptu meeting with his other partners. What’s your hang-up about it, Clint?”

  Clint smiled. “I love her. I see a dozen ways this could go sideways. Lynn wants this, so I’m on board. I will add this though. If something happens to Lynn, I will kill without mercy. If you’re down with that, brother, then I’m in.”

  That’s why I like Clint. His bottom line is my bottom line. “If the deal goes deadly, then all will be at risk, and I’ll be at your side.”

  “That’s so sweet,” Lynn said, clasping her hands together. “Oh barf! I’ll be fine. Once I get Dhamo in a secluded spot, he will call for the meeting, and give up everything he ever did since he was three years old.”

  Oh yeah. When you mate with a Lynn Montoya, you better have your priorities in a line she likes, because if you don’t, she’ll proceed according to her own plan. “I’ll brief Denny, and then we get this sting on the road. The Constance Madrid identity works super good when you can mix it in with an intro from Maria. That is outstanding, Lynn.”

  Lynn elbowed Clint. “I told you John would like it. You worry too much, but I like that your hang-up about it is you love me.”

  “I accept it’s a good idea, but I will be right next to you as the bodyguard/driver. This won’t be like Al Diri. All you need to do is get him alone. Then, we ship him to the House of Pain. By the time you get done ogling him with knife tricks, Dhamo will want to go with us to kill his friends.”

  Lynn and I laughed at that one. Just like that, Clint was on board. “I should pretend we’re still doing the attack right away, so I don’t end up with Tommy torturing me until we do. T is getting to like my pre-fight workout horror sessions a little too much. I know this is tough waiting for the opportunity, but if we get Dhamo to arrange a meeting of his partners, then we take them all out with one whack. Then we get all the details.”

  “I like it,” Lynn said. “I will of course rat you out to Tommy immediately after we get done talking.”

  “That’s just… wrong.”

  Clint chuckled. “You’re lucky she warned you first. I knew she’d do it the moment you confided about hiding it from Tommy. I did talk to Sam last night, and he was ecstatic about the serial killer/child predator you guys nabbed. So far he’s liking our arrangement.”

  “As long as we’re keeping them out of the darker side, I’ll bet.”

  “I don’t know, John. I think maybe we’ve corrupted our FBI partners,” Lynn said. “We have to go. Tonto wants a day in the park.”

  “No,” Clint disagreed. “You want a day in the park, because this is your cleanup day.”

  Lynn gasped comically. “How dare you. Today is your cleanup day.”

  Clint got up, and started toward the door. “Actually, every day is my cleanup day. See ya’, John. Don’t work out too hard.”

  Lynn streaked past me to hop aboard the Clint express just as my lovely wife joined us. She took one look at Lynn trying unsuccessfully to choke Clint and turned to me. “Cleanup wars?”

  “Yep. I’m getting you two a maid service today. I don’t want any ‘Mr. and Mrs. Smith’ house destruction wars going on at your new place.”

  Clint turned with his saddle mate. “I was resisting doing that, but I think it would be for the best. When I went with Laredo and Denny to help look over and buy our new air force, I was only gone for a few days. When I got back, it took me five hours to find Tonto, even with him barking.”

  That was an ace. Lora and I were laughing our butts off, but Lynn jumped down to try out her martial arts skills in retribution. It didn’t work out well for her, except it did wake up Al, who came running down the steps to referee. Al was upset when Clint made Lynn tap out from a rear full choke.

  Al pointed at Clint as he stood up, lifting Lynn to her feet with him. “Disqualified!”

  Clint grinned at Al. “How do you figure that?”

  “Because I’m on Lynn’s side against the boys club,” Al stated with arms folded over chest. She was immediately joined by Lora and Lynn on each side.

  “I see why Tommy thinks you’re whipped, DL,” Clint decided to jab me. “It’s two against one all the time here, huh?”

  I sighed for dramatic effect. “It’s my burden. I carry it with a heavy heart.”

  “Keep whinin’ like that, and we’ll have to change your call sign to DS for Dark Sissy-boy,” Lynn replied to much laughter.

  “Why don’t you two go home and terrorize each other while you take Tonto to the park. No, Clint, I have not forgotten about hiring a cleaning service for The Cleaner.”

  “Thanks, John. I’d like her to be about late twenties, blonde, hourglass figure, and-”

  Clint broke and ran for their car, beating the raging Cleaner by only a step. We watched as he avoided her, using the car as a shield until she finally gave up and got inside. Clint waved.

  “Those two are funny,” Al said. “Do you think they really fight all the time at home?”

  “I don’t think so, Al, but who knows? They love each other. Best get dressed so you’re not late for school. What would you like for breakfast?”

  “Just some cereal, DS. I’ll pick it out when I get down.”

  She ran for the steps while her Mom laughed, not that it would have done her any good if I’d scooped her disrespectful butt up. I’ll have to work on some new Beeper gags. I’m thinking her poster might need some artistic touches. Lora put her arm around my waist.

  “You didn’t do so well in the one liner war this morning.”

  I shrugged. It was all good. “What can I fix you, babe?”

  “A couple of scrambled eggs if you have time. I’ll pay you back later.”

  I watched her sway purposely up stairs. “You got that right.”

  * * *

  We take Al’s minions to their kindergarten class every day too. Della had Jim and Kara ready to go at the door with their lunches. We leave early enough so we can walk. It’s only ten minutes and the kids get a kick out of it. Plus, I don’t have to look around for a parking place. I wore my most unintimidating outfit for our walk to Allendale Elementary School: black slacks, black pullover short-sleeved shirt. I was clean shaven, and my hair’s cropped close to the skull anyway. Della nodded at me with approval.

  “You look very nice this morning, John. Did you scare all the kids and teachers the last time you took ours to school?”

  “Yes, Ma’am.” I bowed my head. “I was a bad man. They almost called the cops on me. Al forced me to walk down the halls with her.”

  Al giggled. “Did not!”

  Della and the twins were enjoying the morning show. “You better get going then, John. Thanks for taking my two.”

  “Hey, we’re going anyway. The more the merrier, Della. Jim and Kara lead the way until we get to the crossing corners, so I don’t leave them in my dust.”

  Della grabbed my hand. “I heard on the grapevine you were in on that big serial killer takedown. You and Tommy were the ones to free those poor girls. You are something else, John Harding.”

  Small doubt about that – what is the question. “Thanks, Della. It was an all-around win for the good guys. C’mon Al, get your minions started down the road. Bye, Della, don’t listen to the grapevine about everything.”

  Della laughed. “She’s the best thing that’s happened to you, John.”

  Okay… yeah. “Actu
ally, I’m the best thing that’s happened to her, Mrs.”

  My tiny crew followed me off the stoop and on to our wonderful October trip to school. The morning was overcast as most Northern California mornings. Cool breeze blew off the ocean a small ways away, cloud cover made the walk brisk, and I of course checked out the neighborhood for any problems I might need to deal with. If I see something potentially dangerous to the kids on my walk, I will fix it. I’m not much on ignoring neighborhood problems. I deal with them because I’m the best equipped person in the neighborhood to fix them.

  Della and my neighbors often feed me information I need to make our habitat a safe one. By the time we reached 38th Avenue and Allendale, we were part of the morning school student escort. I was cordial, smiling, and very neighborly. The group has seen me before. The parents are uneasy, but the kids look at me like I’m Jack the Giant Killer. They sort of cluster around me, sometimes to their parents’ dismay. There are a couple of young moms in the walk to the school group that eyeball me with lewd intentions even Al notices. She of course rats me out to Lora the moment she gets home from school.

  Jim tugs on my wrist. “John. Is someone goin’ to try and take me or Kara?”

  Wow, that one surprises me. Even Al and Kara take notice of Jim’s question. I go for the truth, because kids taking notice of danger makes sense to me. It’s when they don’t pay attention bad things happen. “Anyone can be taken if you don’t keep your eyes open for danger. You and Kara need to watch out for each other, and let others know if you see strangers. After we drop you off at school, always stay inside of the fenced playground. Never go outside the school until someone you know picks you up. Does that make sense to you, Jim?”

  Jim nodded. He continued on as if satisfied with my answer. Al looked at me funny. “Something you didn’t like about my answer, Beeper Girl?”

  “I remember when they took Aunt Tess, and you had to get her back twice.”

  Nailed me. “Doesn’t say much about my ability to protect anyone, huh?”

  “Like Mom said, she’s still alive. Were you in love with her, John?”