The man looked him over. “You’re a waiter?”
“Today they have me in the bar by the tennis courts working with Hank, to train to be a bartender.”
The man looked down at the towel in Henry’s hand. “What’s that?”
“There’s ice wrapped inside the towel. Someone out on the golf course sprained their wrist and asked for an ice pack to relieve the pain. We didn’t have any, but this is the next best thing.”
“I suppose it is. All right then, bring that ice outside then get back in here. There’s no dillydallying at this club.”
“Are you the owner?”
The man raised his chin higher as he said, “I’m Mr. Covington.” The way he said it, was as if Henry should automatically understand he was someone important. Henry figured the guy was just another employee and that he was paid to run the place.
“Yes, Mr. Covington. It was nice to meet you. And I’ll work hard for you, I promise.”
Covington said nothing but looked pleased by the deference Henry had shown him.
Henry walked outside, moved to the trees, and back to the spot along the wall where he had climbed in. He wondered what he should do with the glass wrapped inside the towel. It was too bulky to stick in a pocket, and he couldn’t hold it and scale the wall at the same time. He took a chance and chucked it over the wall first. He reasoned that it shouldn’t break. It was well wrapped up in the towel and there was grass on the other side of the wall. Even if it did break, they should still be able to gather fingerprints off the pieces.
Henry made it to the top of the wall and saw Cody waiting for him. Across the street, two teenaged girls were walking along together. They paid him no mind. They didn’t even pay attention to each other. They were both texting on their phones and oblivious to the world around them.
Henry jumped down from the wall, reclaimed the towel with the glass wrapped in it, and was pleased to find it hadn’t broken.
He slid into the car and smiled at Cody. “I have Reynolds’ prints, and I was able to get a close up look at the guy too. I think he is Strawbridge. Oh, I saw his wife again. Her name is Candide.”
“That was good work, and you were wise to buy those clothes first. I’m impressed.”
“Thanks. What’s next?”
“We head back to the hotel and I’ll see if the prints match. If they do, you’ll be paying Mac Strawbridge a visit.”
“I’ll have to wait until his wife isn’t home. Maybe when she goes out for one of her jogs in the neighborhood.”
“Nighttime would be better, because there’s less chance of you being seen. But yeah, it would be best to wait until his wife wasn’t at home.”
Cody started the car and drove toward their hotel. It was time to find out if Kyle Reynolds and Mac Strawbridge were one and the same man. If Reynolds was Strawbridge, Henry would soon make certain he paid for his crimes with his life.
Soulless and Gwen were on a boat at the Marina in Cancún. The owners of the boat were a couple named Todd and Jenny. They were Americans from Boston.
Soulless and Gwen had been in a bar looking out at the boats with the intention of stealing one. When they saw Todd and Jenny leave a thirty-nine-foot catamaran, Gwen said it would be an ideal vessel to make the trip to their next destination, which was Florida. Soulless knew little about boats, but Gwen was an expert. She assured him she could pilot the boat with no problems.
Soulless and Gwen were about the same ages as Todd and Jenny, but there was no way they could pass for the couple if stopped by the coast guard or other agency. That meant the boat couldn’t be reported stolen. And that meant Todd and Jenny would have to die.
Gwen made friends with Jenny while both women were inside the rest room of the bar. She had complimented Jenny on her dress and asked her where she got it. Jenny was flattered that someone appreciated her taste and was enchanted by Gwen’s Irish accent. The women left the ladies’ room together, and soon the two couples were sharing a table.
Todd was an insurance salesman. Soulless didn’t give a damn about insurance but he pretended to and told Todd that he was just telling Gwen he should consider getting some. Anticipating a possible sale, Todd began telling Soulless about the options available to him.
Jenny had rolled her eyes. “Todd, we’re on vacation. Leave the man alone.”
Todd took out his wallet and handed Soulless a card. “Give me a call when you’re ready.”
Gwen had swung the conversation around to boats, saying she liked several that were docked outside, including the one that belonged to Todd and Jenny. Twenty minutes later, the couples were leaving the bar and heading to the boat so that Soulless and Gwen could have a tour.
Halfway through the tour, Gwen nodded to Soulless, telling him that the boat was what they needed. Todd had mentioned they had fueled it recently, which was a plus.
When Soulless brought up the subject of taking the boat out for a short ride, Todd was willing. He was still looking to please Soulless, a potential client. Soulless had claimed to have a need for not only life insurance, but homeowner’s insurance, and also liability insurance for a fictitious business he claimed to own in Connecticut. If Soulless wanted to take a spin on the boat, why not?
They were several miles offshore when Soulless attacked. He clubbed Todd over the head first, then struck Jenny as she was opening her mouth to scream. Gwen had winced as she watched the violence take place. It was nearly bloodless, but it made her queasy for some reason.
“I wish we didn’t have to kill them,” she told Soulless.
“They can identify us. If we kill them, no one will know we took the boat or where we went.”
“I know. It’s just that I like Jenny.”
Soulless looked down at the woman. “She lived a life that was better than most, and she’ll die without knowing it even happened. That’s more than many people get.”
They headed east and deeper out to sea. When there were no other boats in sight, Soulless clubbed the couple again, before stabbing them and tossing them overboard. The bodies went under, then bobbed back up. The sun was setting behind the boat as night approached. By the time the sun rose, Jenny and Todd would be food for the fish and would never be seen again.
Gwen set a course for Florida, and Soulless looked up as the stars revealed themselves.
“How long will it take us to get there?” he asked Gwen.
“A few days.”
“We’ll take our time. I think I like sailing.”
Gwen smiled. “That’s something else we have in common.”
Soulless smiled back at her, but it was a false smile. If he knew how to handle a boat and could read nautical charts, he would have reached Florida on his own, and Gwen would have joined Jenny and Todd in the deep.
13
One Target, Two Killers
With Cody instructing him on how to do it, Henry verified that the fingerprints on the stolen glass belonged to Mac Strawbridge. They used a small brush with fluffy, feather-like bristles to apply a powder to the glass. The powder was a form of titanium dioxide. It was mixed with a trace of hot water and powdered kelp that would act as a wetting agent. The powder was essentially the same thing used by police technicians. All of the equipment was bought at a health food store and at a store that sold art supplies. The knowledge to use the materials came from Cody.
After brushing the substance on the glass, the prints were revealed. Cody used an electronic magnifier to get a better look at them and compared them to the copy of Strawbridge’s fingerprints that he had brought along. They were a spot-on match.
That meant the contract was a go. All that was needed to commence with it was opportunity. Henry had to encounter Strawbridge when he was alone, or his wife might get in the way or become a witness.
“She seems like an active woman,” Cody said. “She must leave the house at night sometimes.”
“I hope it’s soon. Otherwise, we could be waiting many days for an opportunity to strike.”
“This is y
our contract, but I have a suggestion,” Cody said.
“I’m listening.”
“Set up a hidden camera so that it’s pointed at Strawbridge’s house. That way, you can keep an eye on the home without having to be nearby.”
Henry smiled, dug into a pocket, and held up a round black object about the size of a dime. Cody recognized it for what it was.
“A camera. You had the same idea already?”
“I did. And I’m going to pretend to be a jogger so I can plant the camera on a tree near Strawbridge’s house.”
“Which is why you bought the running shorts earlier. Again, good work, Henry. I’m glad to see you’ve given this contract some thought.”
“I’m just doing what you’ve taught me. And I’m glad this contract isn’t a simple one. Having to identify Strawbridge first made things interesting.”
“Interesting is good, but let’s hope things don’t get too interesting when you go to the house to kill him. Remember, this man is on the run, he might be prepared to fight back.”
“I plan to go in the house during the middle of the night. I’ll also get a chance to use the tricks you taught me to disable an alarm system. I noticed the house has one.”
“I’ll go with you, but I’ll wait in the car again. If you get into trouble, I’ll be right there.”
“Thanks, but if everything goes right, I’ll kill Strawbridge in his sleep and be back at the car in ten minutes.”
Cody smiled. “It’s rare when everything goes right.”
Half an hour later, Henry was jogging on the block where Mac Strawbridge’s house was located. He slowed then stopped and bent down as he reached the front of the house, looking like he was tying a loose shoelace. As he stood, he pressed the palm of his right hand against a tree near the edge of the driveway, as if to help himself to stand. He was actually pressing the adhesive backing of the spy camera against the tree to secure it.
Candide came walking along from the rear of the house wearing a blue dress. She didn’t notice Henry and walked over to get inside her vehicle, which was a red sports car. Henry checked the camera app on his phone to make sure the spy camera was working. It was, and the viewing angle took in the home’s front door and a partial view of the driveway. Satisfied, Henry took off running again.
Candide started her car and backed out of the driveway. As she was driving past Henry, she slowed down and looked him over. When she smiled, Henry smiled back, and Candide lowered her window and spoke to him.
“I haven’t seen you in the neighborhood before, Have you just moved in?”
“No. I’m here visiting relatives that live a few blocks away.”
“Too bad. We need more neighbors that look like you around here. What’s your name?”
“I’m Bob. What’s yours?”
“I’m Candide. Maybe I’ll see you again sometime, Bob.”
“I would like that,” Henry said.
Candide drove off and Henry kept running until he had run around to the other side of the block. Cody was waiting in the car near the home that was at the rear of Strawbridge’s house.
“How did it go?”
“The camera is set. I also had a conversation with Candide.”
“How did that happen?”
“She was leaving the house right after I placed the camera on a tree. She slowed her car down and asked me if I lived around here. I got the impression I could have gotten her number if I wanted it.”
“You think she’s being unfaithful to Strawbridge?”
“I think it’s possible.”
“Let’s hope that she’s having an affair. If she is, that means she’ll be out of the house often, maybe even overnight.”
“Whoever the man is, he’s a lucky guy. That woman is hot.”
“Whoever he is, he’ll be luckier than her husband.”
Candide drove to a nearby supermarket, where she parked at the rear of the lot. The space was far from the store and also distant from the road. Dusk was approaching, as the sun sank in the sky and threatened to disappear behind a line of trees in the distance.
When a figure approached, Candide saw it was her lover. As usual, he was early, and surely eager. Candide’s lover was the boy who lived across the street from her. His name was Willy Neer. He was eighteen, pudgy, and most importantly for Candide’s purposes, easily manipulated. Candide seduced him after coming up with the plan to kill her husband.
It would be Willy who would kill him, while using one of his father’s guns. And if anything went wrong, it would be Willy who took the fall.
After getting in the car, Willy leaned in for a kiss. Candide gave him one, then asked him if he was ready.
“Are you sure that you still want me to kill your husband, Candide?”
“Yes. I told you, he beats me. I want him dead. If I divorced him, I might get nothing because we haven’t been married that long.”
“Where should I shoot him, in the chest or the head?”
“Shoot him in both. And before you do it, let him know I sent you. I wish I could be there to see his face.”
“And what about your alibi?”
“I have one. I’ll be spending two days with my friend, Gina. She asked me to come with her to a spa that’s in Myrtle Beach. That’s two hours away, and I’ll be there when the police contact me. And Gina will swear I was there the whole time. Now remember, Willy, after you shoot Kyle, you’ll have to hurry and make it back across the street before someone sees you.”
“I know. Don’t worry. I won’t screw up.”
“And you remember the alarm code?”
“Yeah. I’ll kill your husband for you, and then you’ll get all his money.”
“I’ll give some of it to you too.”
Willy reached over and cupped one of Candide’s breasts. “You know what I want.”
Candide resisted the urge to shove his hand away and faked a smile. “I want it too.”
Willy began unbuckling his pants, to slide them down around his ankles. Candide pulled up her dress and straddled him, and sixteen seconds later, Willy was a happy young man.
Candide used sex to control him. When she was done using him, she would send a message to the police anonymously accusing Willy of committing the murder. The boy would talk if the police ever grabbed him and sat him down for an interrogation. But so what? She’d have a solid alibi; they’d find the murder weapon in Willy’s home. Plus, three days earlier, Candide had snuck out of the house after midnight and hidden some of her jewelry under the front seat of an old car that sat rusting in the driveway of Willy’s home. Candide would claim that the man who killed her husband must have also stolen her jewelry, and once the police searched, they’d surely find it.
Willy would tell of the affair and get laughed at. He was a tubby little nothing with bad skin. Candide was sure no one would believe that she’d look at him, much less let him touch her.
Willy left the car as if he were floating on air, and with orders to kill Candide’s husband. He wasn’t the only one who wanted Strawbridge dead, and it was a question of who would kill him first, Willy, or Henry?
Cody and Henry kept watch on the feed from the camera positioned in front of Strawbridge’s home. They saw Candide return and enter the driveway and noticed that she headed toward the rear of the house.
“She must come and go through the back door,” Henry said. “She came out that way earlier.”
“That might be a good way for you to get in. Locks on back doors are usually not as good as front door locks.”
“And there’s less chance I’ll be spotted too,” Henry said.
They were eating food they’d had sent up from room service when the camera showed Candide again. She was holding a makeup case, and Strawbridge was lugging along a suitcase. The suitcase was pink. It appeared that Candide was going away for a while.
There was no sound, but they could see the couple embrace and kiss. As Candide backed out of the driveway, Strawbridge was waving goodbye.
>
“It looks like tonight is the night,” Henry said. “That suitcase must mean she’ll be gone for at least a day.”
“I’d say so.”
“I’ll head to the house around two a.m. and sneak in the back door.”
“Get some sleep between now and then. It will help to keep you alert later.”
“I’ll try, but I doubt I’ll sleep.”
“Are you excited?”
“More like pumped up. Completing this contract gets me one step closer to being a Tanner.”
“It does, but I’m not ready to retire yet, and you’ve more to learn. This contract is a part of you gaining the experience you need to be on your own when the time comes.”
“I know. But Strawbridge will be an easy target. I mean the man will be asleep.”
“You can’t count on that, Henry. Life is full of surprises. And you should never assume anything.”
Henry nodded, and Cody knew he believed him. He also knew there were some things that had to be experienced to be absorbed. He hoped that Henry wouldn’t learn that lesson the hard way.
Hours later, Henry was dressed in dark colors and wearing a ski mask as he moved along the driveway at the side of the Strawbridge home. It was after two in the morning and there hadn’t been a light on inside the house for over an hour.
Upon reaching the back door, Henry took out a set of lock picks and a pen light. Before using them, he tried the handle on the door. To his surprise, it was unlocked. It was unusual, but he figured that Strawbridge had forgotten to lock it after seeing his wife off on her trip earlier. Whatever the reason, it made his life easier, so he tucked away the lock picks and eased open the door.
He entered a kitchen that was darker than the world outside. There was some illumination. It came from the small control panel for the alarm system. Henry read the display and saw that the alarm was unarmed.
Strawbridge must be used to his wife locking up at night and setting the alarm, Henry thought, and chalked it up to a bit of good luck.
Soulless (A Tanner Novel Book 43) Page 12
