by Bill H Myers
She looked at him. This time more closely. “He looks different. Kind of normal looking. You sure it's the same guy?”
I nodded. “Yeah, it's the same guy. He's cleaned up his act. He got a job up in Marathon and before he moved up there he wanted to come by and tell you he was sorry for bothering you. Do you accept his apology?”
Summer shook her head. “Is he the one who killed Little and left the message in blood?”
“No, it wasn't him. But he did tell me who did it and I'm going to deal with him next.
“Right now, I need to take him to Marathon for his new job. Anything you want to say to him before we leave?”
She pointed directly at him. “If you ever come back here, it better be to buy one of my hot dogs. You understand?”
Eugene nodded. “Yes and thanks.”
Summer smiled and used her finger to signal me to come closer to her. She whispered, “Thanks for bringing him by. I feel a little better now. What about the others? Is it over yet?”
I shook my head. “No, not yet. But I'm working on it. In the meantime be careful.”
I went over to Buck and explained what was going on. “We won't have to look for Eugene after all. That's him over there. He's helping me find the other two guys in the crew. I'm going to take him to Marathon. I'll call you on the way back.”
Buck looked at Eugene. “He give you any trouble?”
“No, none at all. Will you be okay staying here with the girls or do you want me to take you back to Boris' guest house?”
He leaned back in his chair. “I'm pretty comfortable right here. I think I'll just stay with the girls. If anything comes up, I'll let you know. And Walker, don't forget your date tonight. You don't want to give Katrina a reason to be mad at you.”
I had no plans to give Kat a reason to be mad at me, but I was wondering why Buck kept warning me about it. I guess I'd find out if I made her mad.
Eugene and I left Wiener Girl and walked back to the car. When we got in, he said, “You were right. I do feel better. I'm glad you made me do it.”
I started the car and we made our way back onto US 1 and headed north to Marathon. On the way, Eugene asked me questions about his new job, the restaurant where he'd be working and whether I thought the people there would like him.
I told him not to worry. As long as he showed up on time, didn't steal and did whatever they asked, he'd be fine. He seemed satisfied with my answer and we rode in silence the rest of the way. He didn't speak again until I pulled into Jimbo's parking lot.
“I'll be working here? This is a nice place. A lot nicer than I was expecting. Are you sure they'll hire me?”
“Eugene, calm down. I've talked to the owner and the job is yours. Let's go inside and meet him. Leave your new clothes in the car. We'll get them later.”
He followed me in. I told the greeter we were there to see Jim and she took us back to his office. His door was open and he was sitting at his desk. When he saw me, he waved us in.
“Walker, glad you made it. This the guy you told me about?”
“Yeah, this is Eugene. He's looking for work.”
“Good, we can use him.”
He turned to Eugene. “You'll be starting as our night dishwasher. We'll want you here from six in the evening until closing. Be on time, don't show up drunk or on drugs and don't steal from us. If after six weeks you're still with us, you'll get a pay raise. Any questions?”
Eugene smiled. “Only one. When do I start?”
Jim looked at his watch. “We'd like for you to start today. If that works for you, we'll assign you a locker, give you an apron and hat and show you how to run the dishwasher. Your shift begins in an hour. Have you eaten?”
Eugene nodded. “I have, but I might be able to eat a bit more.”
“Good. I'll have our kitchen manager set you up with a meal and get you ready for your shift. Walker said you might need a place to stay. We've got a guy in the kitchen looking for a roommate. The kitchen manager will introduce you and make sure you have a place to sleep tonight. Anything else?”
Eugene shook his head. “No. I think you've covered it.”
Jim stood and reached out for Eugene's hand. “Welcome's to Jimbo's. I hope you like your job here and stay with us a long time. Now, go get your things and I'll introduce you to the kitchen staff.”
When Eugene left to go to the car, Jim asked, “This guy have any problems? Drugs, alcohol? Running from the law?”
“Not that I know of.”
“Good. Hope it works out. Now, if you don't mind, I need to get back to work. Got to get ready for the evening rush.”
I left Jim's office and headed back to the car. On the way out, I met Eugene coming back in carrying his backpack filled with his new clothes. I wished him luck and he thanked me for my help. He said, “I'm not going to mess this up. You'll see. I'm going to make you proud.”
For his sake, I hoped he would. Not many people get a second chance like the one he was getting.
When I got back in the car, the clock showed five after five. That gave me a little under an hour to get back to Key West and try to find Freddie when he docked his rubber boat at Sunset Marina at six.
If I got to the marina in time and if Freddie actually showed up, I was going to do whatever it took to get him to shut down his part of the Wiener Girl extortion plan. That'd only leave me one person to deal with. Vincent.
Chapter Thirty-Seven
I called Buck to let him know about my plans. He answered on the third ring.
“Walker, you still among the living?”
“Yeah, I am. I took care of Eugene. He won't be bothering Summer any more. He told me I could find Freddie, their ringleader, at Sunset Marina if I got there around six, so that's where I'm headed now.”
“You still with the girls?”
“Yeah. We closed down Wiener Girl about an hour ago, did the bank deposit and right now we're sitting on the deck at the hotel, sipping tea. I plan to stay with them until you come get me.”
“Good. I'll call you after I talk to Freddie.”
I ended the call and started thinking about how to approach Freddie. He wouldn't know who I was or what I wanted. If I went straight at him, he might deny everything or might pull a weapon.
But if, as Eugene had said, he was in the business of installing satellite systems on boats, maybe I could use that to my advantage. I could tell him I wanted him to install one for me. Get him talking about what it cost and how long it took.
If that worked and he dropped his guard, I could let him know what I really wanted from him. As long as he listened to reason, we might be able to settle the Wiener Girl problem without resorting to violence. But if violence was what it took, I was ready.
I programmed the marina's address into the GPS before leaving Marathon. It showed I only needed to make one turn off of US 1 to get there. I drove for almost an hour before GPS said the turn was just ahead, a right on College Road. I stayed on College until I reached the Sunset Marina parking lot.
The marina had two sets of boat docks, one on each side of the main marina building. Each had four walkways with boat slips on either side. Not knowing which of these Freddie would use, I walked to the farthest dock, the one every boat coming into the marina would pass as they entered from open water.
I found a shady place to sit and waited. If Freddie was coming in, I'd see him long before he docked his boat. My phone showed it to be six. He should be arriving soon.
Fifteen minutes later, I wasn't so sure. He hadn't shown. Either I'd missed him or he wasn't coming. It was possible Eugene hadn't told me the truth. I was about to give up and walk back to the car when I heard the putt putt of a small outboard coming in from open water. From where I was standing I couldn't tell much about the boat it was powering except it had a yellow hull.
As it got closer, I could see it had yellow pontoons and the words “Marine Sat” in large letters on the cabin. The boat matched the description Eugene had given me.
>
I watched as it motored into the marina and pulled into one of the empty slips. The lone occupant, a tall, thin, white male with graying hair, came out of the cabin to dock the boat. He was wearing a white T-shirt with the words “Marine Sat” on the back.
Looking more like a high school science teacher than a crime boss, the man started moving empty boxes from the bow of the boat onto the dock. Each box was white, about two foot by two foot. All had the words “Marine Sat” printed on them.
When he had moved all the boxes, the man I presumed to be Freddie stepped down onto the dock and started breaking the boxes down. While he was doing this, I walked over to him and asked, “You the guy who installs satellite systems?”
He looked up at me. “Yeah, that's me.”
“Good. I want one on my boat. What do you charge?”
“It depends. You want one for TV or one for TV and internet?”
“I want one that does everything. I've got a thirty-six-foot houseboat. Plenty of room on the upper deck for a satellite dish. What'll it cost me to get a system installed?”
The man smiled and introduced himself. “Freddie Tuttle at your service.” He pulled out a business card and handed it to me.
“For TV and internet, prices start around fifty-five hundred. A basic system will work well close to the coast, but won't work out in the open ocean. That what you want? A basic system?”
I nodded. “Yeah, that's what I want. Can we go over to my car and talk about it?”
Freddie looked at his watch and then up toward the marina parking lot. “I wish I could, but I'm meeting another client in a few minutes about another install. Give me your number and I'll call and schedule an appointment.”
I smiled. “Maybe I could stay and listen in to what you tell your other client. That way, you'd wouldn't have to repeat it for me.”
He shook his head. “Sorry, that won't work with these people. They like to keep things private.”
He looked at his watch again. “They're probably up in the parking lot waiting for me now. Give me your number and I'll call you later.”
I shook my head. “I'm not going to give you my number. But I'll give you a tip. If you're waiting for Eugene, he's not going to show. In fact, you're never going to see him again. And from what I hear, Vincent's not going to show up either. So it's just going to be you and me.”
Freddie looked at me, surprise in his face. “You a cop?”
I smiled. “No Freddie, I'm not a cop. What I am is the person who's going to stop you from trying to extort money from people in Key West. It stops today. Understand?”
Freddie didn't answer. So I decided to tell him more.
“Freddie, Eugene is gone. You'll never see him again. No one will. Vincent will be next. Then you. Unless you agree never to extort money again, you're going to be disappeared. You understand?”
This time Freddie understood. He said, “You got the wrong guy. I don't know what you're talking about. I don't know a Eugene or Vincent. All I do is install satellite systems on boats. ”
He started to walk away. I stopped him by grabbing the front of his shirt. “Freddie, what about Wiener Girl?”
The flash of recognition in his eyes told me all I needed to know. Still holding his shirt, I said, “Freddie, think before you answer. If you lie to me, you'll need an ambulance to leave this parking lot.
“So here's my question. Why are you bothering the woman who runs Wiener Girl?”
He looked around. Like he was hoping someone would come rescue him. But there was no help coming. Just me.
When he realized I wasn't going to let him go until I got my answer, he said, “It wasn't my idea. Vincent was the one who put this together. I never wanted to do it. But Vincent said he'd hurt my kids if I didn't help him. He wanted it to look like I was the boss, but he was the one calling the shots. Not me.”
He slumped to his knees. “I feel sick. I might throw up.”
I held on to his shirt and said, “Freddie, don't throw up. Not yet. Tell me more about Vincent. Where can I find him?”
Freddie looked up at me. “I'll tell you, but I gotta sit down.”
I released his shirt and he sat on a deck box near his boat.
“Like I said, it wasn't my idea. It was Vincent's. He's bad news. I met him here on the docks. I was unloading my boat and he came up and said he'd pay me to take him out to a boat in the bay. It looked like easy money so I took him.
“Everything was normal on the way out, but when we got to the boat, he pulled out a gun and told me not to leave. He went aboard the big boat and after some shouting, came back carrying a suitcase. He pointed his gun at me and told me to take him back to shore.
“When we got back to the dock, he said if I told anyone what he did, he'd hurt me and my kids. That's how it started. Since then, he's been making me do things for him. He threatened to kill me if I don't do what he says.”
I nodded. “So you're telling me Vincent is the real boss. Why didn't Eugene know this?”
“Because Vincent didn't want anyone thinking he was in charge. He has warrants and there are people looking for him. People who pull guns and kill. He wanted it to look like I was in charge in case we were found out. He figured I'd take the fall and he could slip away. I swear this is the truth.”
Freddie looked like he was relieved to be able to tell someone about Vincent. I stared at him, giving him time to say more if he wanted to. But he wasn't talking. He just sat there looking down at his feet. Like a kid who got caught with his hand in the cookie jar.
“You mentioned you had kids? Where are they?”
“They're here. Living with me. Two girls. Twelve and fourteen. We plan to go back up north when I raise enough money.”
I nodded. “Does Vincent know where you live? Can he find the girls if he wants to?”
“No, not unless he gets a boat and follows me when I leave the docks. We live in a bus I've got hidden away down a dirt road on one of the keys. He doesn't know anything about it.”
“Good. Where can I find Vincent?”
“I don't know. The only time I see him is when he shows up here at the dock and wants something from me. He was here last night, but I don't know if he's coming back. I told him to leave the hot dog girl alone and got pretty mad. He pushed me to the ground, said he was done with me and took off. I haven't seen him since.”
“You say he shows up here? What's he drive?”
“A minivan. Can you believe it? Guy tries to act tough but he shows up in a minivan.”
“What color?”
“Black. With blacked out windows. I think he lives in it.”
“Where does he park it at night?”
“Don't know. I only see him here at the marina. After we meet, he leaves. Never seen his van here overnight.”
“He ever talk to you about places he hangs out? Clubs? Beaches? Somewhere I might find him?”
Freddie shook his head. “No. He doesn’t talk about that kind of stuff. He just talks about how we need to make money for him. His big plan is to cash in with the hot dog girl. Maybe if you hang out around her, you'll find him.”
“What does he look like?”
“You ever see the movie Pulp Fiction? The one with Travolta?”
“Yeah, I've seen it.”
“Well, Vincent tries to look like the character Travolta plays, his name is Vincent, too. You remember how he looked in the movie, long, greasy dark hair parted in the middle. Silver earring in his left ear. Wears a white, button up shirt and a black suit jacket. Even in this heat, he wears a black suit jacket.
“I've only seen him once without his jacket. He had a sleeveless shirt on. Tattoo of Travolta on one arm. On the other, a tattoo of the black guy who played Travolta's partner. Has the words 'Say what again' under it.
“He's all ate up with Pulp Fiction. Always quoting lines from the movie. You see it? The movie?”
“Yeah Freddie, I saw the movie. Vincent's partner's name was Jules. Samuel L. Jackson pla
yed him. Now give me your phone.”
“Why?”
“Because I said so. Give me your phone.”
Freddie reached into his front pants pocket and pulled out a phone. “I need the phone for my business. All my contacts on it. Please don't take it.”
I took it and punched in my number. When my phone rang, I answered and hung up. “Freddie, my number is now on your call log. If you see Vincent, call me. If I find out you saw him and didn't tell me, I'm going to come back here and hurt you. If you're lying about what you've told me, I'm going to come back and hurt you even worse. Understand?”
Freddie nodded. “I understand. I swear I'm not lying. I'll call you if I hear from Vincent, I promise. Like I said, I didn't want to have anything to do with him. He scares me.”
“Freddie, I don't care whether he scares you or not. You better call me if you hear from him.”
I turned and walked back to the car. Two crooks down. One to go.
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Back in the car I called Buck. He answered on the third ring. “Hey Walker, any luck?”
“Yeah, I found Freddie and talked to him. He won't be bothering Summer anymore. That's the good news. The bad news is there's still one guy we have to deal with. Name is Vincent. Freddie says he's dangerous and he plans to go after Summer.
“So Buck, what's the weather forecast for tomorrow?”
“Weather forecast? What's that got to do with anything? It doesn't matter what the weather is, we need to go after this Vincent guy.”
“Buck, just tell me it's going to rain tomorrow.”
“Yeah, Walker, that's what they're saying. Rain tomorrow. Why does it matter?”
“It matters because Summer said when it rained she didn't get many customers at the hot dog stand. So if rain is in the forecast, tomorrow would be a good day for her not to open Wiener Girl. If she's not there, it'll give me some time to look for this Vincent guy and not have to worry about her getting hurt while I'm looking for him.
“If she's at the hot dog stand, she won't be safe until we get Vincent. So here's what you need to do. Convince Summer and Lori not to open Wiener Girl tomorrow. Give them a good reason to spend the day with you, somewhere safe. Think you can do that?”
