Private Stock

by Iris Bolling

  Myles smirked. “Mitchell is in a medical facility, Angelina is in jail, Walker is dead. That only leaves…”

  “Elaine.” They both said simultaneously.

  CHAPTER 26

  Mike’s plane landed at Newark Liberty International Airport. He was met by Sereena and Roark.

  “How is the family?” He asked.

  “So far so good,” Sereena said as he slid into the black SUV. “We are scheduled to speak with the judge this afternoon.”

  “Are they setting a date?” Mike asked.

  “No,” Roark replied. “This meeting is to convince the judge to bring the case to trial now rather than a month from now.”

  “That’s the next open date on the calendar,” Sereena advised as the vehicle pulled off.

  “Any idea how the judge is going to rule?”

  “Benny seems to think Cainan talking directly to the judge will sway his decision.”

  “Jerome is okay with Cainan going to the courthouse?”

  “Jerome is never okay with anything,” Roark smirked. “However, since the judge is not going to come to Cainan, he doesn’t have any other choice.”

  “Don’t underestimate Jerome, he always has a choice,” Mike nodded.

  “Not with this judge,” Sereena shook her head. “Judge Edwards.

  “You know him?”

  “Her, yes. She’s my mother.”

  “What?” Roark yelled. “The judge is your mother?”

  “Scream it louder, why don’t you, Roark.”

  Mike glanced at her. “The judge is your mother?”

  “Yes. She re-married after my father passed away.” Sereena explained.

  “Does she know this case is connected to your partner?”

  “I have no idea since I haven’t spoken to her in four years.”

  “I couldn’t imagine not talking to my mother for years,” Mike shrugged. “Hell I rarely go more than a day without hearing my mother’s voice.”

  “That’s because you’re a mommy’s boy,” Sereena nudged him with her elbow.

  “No, I just love my family,” Mike smiled. “Since my father’s death, me, my brothers and sisters, we all make sure Winnie hears from each of us at least once a day.”

  “Ahh, the Dunning tribe,” she laughed.

  “You have something against family?” Mike asked.

  “Let me guess,” Roark cut in. “You’re an only child.”

  “Yes, I am.”

  “Are you?” Mike asked. “Isn’t that more of a reason to stay close to your mother?”

  “She has a husband to keep her occupied.”

  “Oh, you’re jealous of your step-father.” Roark stated.

  Sereena sent a warning glance at Roark, who was in the front passenger seat. “No I am not. I let my mother live her life and I live mine.”

  “How does your mother feel about that?” Mike asked.

  “Better yet, how do…”

  “Hey Roark, this is an ‘a-b’ conversation going on back here.”

  The driver glanced through the rear-view mirror with a smirk. Mike shook his head. “Your mother?” He asked. “How does she feel about the distance?”

  Sereena shrugged. “Oh look at that. We are at the Wagner’s place.” The vehicle stopped. Sereena opened the door, then stepped out. She held Mike back as Roark and the driver walked inside. “You know Roark, right?”

  “He’s been around the family off and on for a number of years? Why?”

  “Is he trustworthy?”

  Mike raised an eyebrow. “As a man or an agent?”

  Sereena glared at him. “A man is a man whether agent is in front of his name or not.”

  “I disagree,” he shrugged. “A man can be a hell of an agent, but a lousy man for a woman looking for stability.” He looked down into her eyes. “Is your interest in Roark as a man or an agent?”

  “Are you asking as a man who is interested?”

  “I’m not the type of man to give kudos about another man to a woman I am interested in.” Mike smiled.

  She returned the smile. “Agent. What is he like as an agent?”

  “Good choice,” Mike inhaled. “The only time I’ve known Roark to screw up is with my sister Grace’s case. Before that I would have put money on him handling any situation with integrity. Now,” he shrugged. “I don’t know.”

  “That’s not what I wanted to hear, Mike.”

  “You asked my opinion. I would not write him off. The situation was ten years in the making with him, Grace and Jonathan. Give the man a chance to prove himself.”

  “Are we talking about Roark or you?”

  “Both,” Mike smiled as they walked into the house.

  “Sereena,” Kaitlyn held her arms out. “It is wonderful to have you back at the house. It’s been a minute.”

  “Yes, it has been.”

  Kaitlyn hugged her then whispered. “ Don’t think for one moment I will forgive you for keeping all of this from me.”

  Sereena cleared her throat, “I was afraid of that.”

  “Mike,” Cainan shook his hand. “How is…”

  “She’s good,” Mike reached into his wallet. “In fact, she asked if I would deliver this to you.”

  “She wrote me a letter?” Cainan frowned.

  “No electronic contacts. That knocks out texting, emails, cell phones.”

  “Right.” Caiman nodded. “Thank you,” he cleared his throat. “Would you excuse me for a moment?” Cainan started to walk away with the letter in his hand, when Benny called out to him.

  “Cainan, the judge’s schedule is clear. She can see you in an hour.”

  “That is not enough time for us to set up security,” Jerome protested.

  “You can’t be serious, Morgan. Judge Edwards is our best hope to get an early trial.”

  “Who is he?” Mike asked Sereena

  “DA Benjamin Crenshaw.” She replied. “He’s good in court.”

  “Why does Jerome look like he wants to kill him?”

  “Because he does. But it’s okay, we all want to take his arrogant ass out from time to time.”

  Mike shrugged. “I’m an arrogant ass from time to time.”

  “Yeah,” Sereena grinned. “I want to take you out too.” She held his gaze then turned and walked away.

  “This is when you go after the girl.”

  Mike turned to see a man standing behind him. “Scott Wagner. I’m Cainan’s father.”

  “Mr. Wagner, Mike Dunning. It’s nice to meet you sir,” he shook the man’s hand.

  “Your sister is the one who Cainan is in love with.”

  “Hmm, she feels the same way about him. She is the reason I’m here. I promised her I would bring him back in one piece. I plan to keep that promise.”

  “So you are as afraid of your sister as Jerome is?”

  Mike laughed. “Yes, sir I am.”

  Scott laughed. “I can’t wait to meet this woman.”

  “Okay, listen up,” Jerome spoke. “We are going to the courthouse early. We are going to split the security detail. Mike, Roark, Sereena and El, you are with me. The other men are going to stay here with the family. SAC Taylor will meet us at the courthouse.”

  “Has anyone checked out the courthouse?” Sereena asked.

  “A team of agents are on their way over there now,” Jerome replied.

  “Cainan we have one shot with Judge Edwards. Let’s go over your testimony.”

  Cainan put the letter in his pocket. “All right Benny.” He walked towards the back of the house.

  “Benjamin.”

  “You’re still just plain old Benny to me.”

  Mike watched as Cainan followed the man to the back. “Is he okay back there?”

  “This is home,” Scott stated. “He is always safe here.”

  “Yes, sir. I didn’t mean to indicate he wasn’t,” Mike said as Scott walked away.

  “You put your foot in that one,” Sereena smirked. “No worries, I’m in the dog
house with his mother.”

  “Hmm, you probably deserve it,” Mike chuckled. “I’m new. Mr. Wagner will forgive me.”

  “Don’t bet on it,” Kaitlyn said as she walked by. “I pissed him off thirty years ago. He hasn’t forgiven me yet.”

  Sereena laughed, “She’s joking. Kaitlyn, this is Mike Dunning. Mike, this is Cainan’s mom, Mrs. Wagner.”

  “It’s very nice to meet you Mrs. Wagner.”

  “Please, call me Kaitlyn.”

  “I wish I could, but my mother would have my behind if I tried.”

  “Raised with manners, I see. I think I like you. Now,” she placed her hand on his arm. “You have a few minutes to tell me about your sister?”

  “Which one? I have two,” Mike winked at Sereena then walked into the kitchen with Kaitlyn.

  An hour later, two black SUV’s pulled up on the side of the courthouse. El, Roark and Sereena stepped out of the first one. El scanned the area, then nodded. Roark walked to the side door where, SAC Taylor stood. Sereena walked to the back of the second SUV, then opened the door. Mike and Jerome joined her at the door. Cainan stepped out. They circled him then walked briskly inside.

  “Direct path to the judge’s chambers.” SAC Taylor said then guided them inside. He pulled his credentials as they reached the security desk. “Unlock the secure elevator.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  Without missing a beat the entourage walked to the elevator, entered then made their way to the chambers of Judge Rose Edwards.

  “Judge Edwards, this is Agent Cainan Wagner,” Ben stated.

  “You have a number of people surrounding you,” Judge Edwards walked around the desk. “Hello, Sereena,” she hugged the agent.

  “Hello Mom.”

  “Mom?” Ben choked out. “This is your mother?” He threw his hands up in the air. “This is a disaster.”

  “Judge Edwards, thank you for seeing us on short notice,” SAC Taylor extended his hand.

  “A lot of good it’s going to do. We can’t use her.” Ben exclaimed.

  “DA Crenshaw, please have a seat. You are making me dizzy.” Judge Edwards walked behind her desk. “Tell me the situation and I will determine if I need to recuse myself.”

  “She’s your daughter? Are you sure?” Ben asked.

  “Twenty-three and a half hours of labor, yes I’m sure,” she laughed, then shrugged. “But I’m not certain that has anything to do with the case.”

  “She’s the partner to the agent who is my main witness.” Ben explained.

  “Okay, what does that have to do with the case itself?” She looked around at the other people in the room a bit confused.

  “She knows him.”

  “Are you a witness, Sereena?”

  “No Mom. It’s just that DA Crenshaw is a bit anal about things.”

  Judge Edwards laughed. “You still don’t mince words, I see.” She cleared her throat. “DA Crenshaw, it is not a conflict of interest on my part. In fact, Sereena has had to testify in my court before. Tell me why you need a rushed court date and let’s see what can be done.”

  “All right,” Ben sighed. “Agent Wagner wanted to speak with you in person to explain. We’re going to step out so you can talk.”

  “Agent Wagner, please have a seat.” She looked up, “Sereena, will you be here when we finish?”

  “Yes ma’am, she will be.”

  Sereena and Judge Edwards stared up at Mike.

  “Uh, yes, I will.”

  “Good.”

  Once everyone was out of the room Cainan began talking. “Judge Edwards I have given more than two years of my life to this case. The defendants have deliberately drawn out the case in an effort to locate and eliminate me. Last week they found me. In the process of attempting to take my life, they came very close to harming a young woman I’ve fallen so deep in love with that I can’t really breathe being away from her. Yet I know I can’t be with her. To be with her means putting her life in danger. I can’t do that. The Giuliani family is a danger to society. People in their reach do not have the liberty to live their lives as they wish. I have a sworn duty to protect them. I need to honor my oath and testify to what I witnessed. Then I need to get back to my life. Whether my testimony puts them away or not is up to a jury. But they have to hear the testimony to be able to make that decision. Delaying the case will only give them more of an opportunity to eliminate me. Thus robbing the jury of their duty. An early court date will give me the opportunity to fulfill my oath and a jury, a chance to fulfill theirs.”

  Judge Edwards exhaled. “What’s her name?”

  Cainan smiled. “AnnieMarie Dunning. She is like a breath of fresh air. Think of Audrey Hepburn back in the fifties in her heyday. Her style of dress, the way she carries herself, the way she looks at life. She brings simpler times to the craziness we are dealing with these days.” He laughed. “She is my Michelle and I’m her Barack.”

  Judge Edwards smiled. “Sounds like you have it bad. I look forward to meeting your Michelle.”

  “I hope you will, one day.”

  “Let me have a word with DA Crenshaw. We’ll see what can be done.”

  “Thank you,” Cainan stood. “Sereena won’t say this, but she misses spending time with you. It’s been a while, but whenever we work together, she talks about you a lot.”

  “I miss her too. She is my one and only,” she shrugged. “I’m just not sure how to reach her.”

  Cainan shrugged. “AnnieMarie would say, open your arms, it’s up to her to walk in.” He turned then walked out the door. “Sereena, Judge Edwards needs a moment, then she wants to talk to you Benny.”

  “Benjamin.”

  Sereena walked to the door, inhaled then walked inside. Her mother stood walked around the desk, hesitated, then held her arms open. Sereena stood there for a long moment, then her feet began to move one step at a time until she was in her mother’s arms.

  When she walked out of the office, she glanced at DA Crenshaw. “She will see you now.” She stepped to the side.

  “Ready to go?” Cainan asked.

  “Say one word and I will shoot you myself.” She said then walked towards the elevator.

  “I love a woman with a gun,” Mike said as he elbowed Cainan.

  “Let’s go,” Jerome ordered.

  They all got on the elevator. Cainan put his hand in his pocket, pretty confident the judge would honor his request. He felt the note, and pulled it out. He unfolded it and began to read it. The elevator ding indicated it had reached the first floor. They all filed out, walking at a brisk pace. Cainan’s head was down, still reading as they reached the vehicles.

  “Must be interesting,” Mike hit the paper causing it to fall.

  “Man,” Cainan exclaimed then bent down to pick it up.

  A barrage of gun fire rang out. Weapons were drawn. Bodies began hitting the ground. Cainan was knocked to the ground and covered by several bodies. Gunfire from behind them seemed to takeover. It was like they were in the middle of a war zone, but were no longer a part of the war.

  “Get him in the car,” Jerome yelled.

  Mike grabbed Cainan, then shoved him inside. He looked around and saw Sereena on the ground holding her arm. He pulled her up and placed her in the back with Cainan. On the ground next to the other vehicle were El and Roark. Neither were moving,

  “Close the door, Mike,” Jerome yelled as he jumped into the back seat.

  “I got this,” SAC Taylor yelled. “Get him out of here, now!”

  “Roark got hit. I can’t leave him out there.” Mike jumped out. “Get Cainan home.”

  Cainan watched until the vehicle turned the corner. “Damn it. How? This wasn’t even scheduled. How in the hell could they know we were at the courthouse?”

  “Good damn question.” Sereena groaned. “And who opened fire on the shooters. It wasn’t us.”

  “Let’s be grateful they did.” Jerome said as he hauled ass away from the scene.

  “What in the hell
happened?” Scott asked as soon as they walked in the door of the Wagner home. “There was a special report on the news about gunfire at the courthouse.”

  “Cainan,” Kaitlyn ran to her son.

  “I’m okay Mom.”

  “Oh my God, you’ve been shot,” Kennedy reached for Sereena. “Come with me.”

  “It’s not bad. Just a flesh wound,” Sereena said as she held her arm.

  “You were hit by a bullet. It’s serious.”

  “Did anyone else get hurt?” Scott asked.

  “We have two men down,” Jerome stated as his phone rang. “Excuse me.”

  “How did they know,” Scott asked

  “I don’t know Dad but they were there waiting when we came out of the courthouse.”

  “The important thing is that you are safe,” Kaitlyn hugged her son. “Thank God you are safe.”

  “At what cost Mom?” Cainan angrily shouted. He exhaled. “I’m sorry, Mom.” He squeezed her hand. “We’re two men down. I don’t know if they are dead or alive. But it’s all okay, because I’m still alive,” Cainan shook his head. “I need this to be over, before more people lose their lives.” He turned then walked into the kitchen.

  Scott followed him and with a calm voice spoke to his son. “Those men knew what you are here to do is important. I pray neither of them are dead, but it is what they signed up for. Jerome did his job. He kept you alive. Those men did their job too. Next up is you. You have to do what they protected you to do and that is to get Giuliani off the streets. You feel bad about the men. I do too. But dead or alive, do not let their heroic actions go down in vain.”

  “That was SAC Taylor.” Jerome said as he walked into the kitchen. “Both El and Roark are in surgery. We have additional men on the way here to put a double layer on this house. Until we have a court date and time, no one leaves.”

  Chapter 27

  Johnnie Giuliani cursed as he watched the news. “Joe,” he called out to his head of security. “Get the car ready. I need to talk to Pauley face to face.”

  “You got it Boss.”

  While he admired the fact that Pauley was fighting for the family to the end, today’s actions told him there was a divide within his own operations. He gave an order not to go after the agent or his family. His order was disobeyed. If one or two of his men had to do prison terms for the good of the organization, then so be it. What he did not need was a war with the Russians. The authorities may not know who was returning fire on his men. But he did. That meant the Russian’s men were on his turf. If Pauley’s interference continues it could cause a war over the territory. A war with the Russians would wreak havoc on the family.