by Gerald Lopez
“I’m glad she and Marcus are getting a chance to be happy,” Bart said. “And Julia, I have to admit, as mean as it was to say what you did about the bishop… he really deserved it.”
“Yeah he did,” Simon said. “And when we were leaving, Gabriel said he owes us all big favors for not ratting out Magdalena and his uncle—as if we would. Still, he did say he owes us big time.”
“Just don’t do something stupid, Simon,” Julia said. “Wait until you really need help.”
“Why do you think I’m gonna need help?” Simon said.
“She knows you… that’s why,” Bart said.
“If that’s how you two are gonna be, then I’ll turn on the radio for the rest of the ride back,” Simon said.
He turned on the radio, and the song Perfect Day being performed by Duran Duran was playing.
“No freaking way,” Simon said.
“For two people we know, I think today has been a ‘perfect day’,” Bart said.
Chapter 65
Catching Villains
WHEN THEY got back to the resort, Bart went to his apartment, while Julia and Simon went to Simon’s apartment. After checking in with Frank, Bart took off his suit and indulged in a lengthy shower. Then he dressed in shorts, deck shoes, and a plain black T-shirt. He was drinking a Coke when his cell phone rang. It was Gabriel calling to tell him he and James were in James’s office, and they had time to meet with him now, if he was ready. Bart said he’d be right there.
“I HAVE something to tell you both, and I hope it doesn’t mess up what I think is a good friendship between us,” Bart said to James and Gabriel, who were giving him their full attention. “My name is really Bart Farrow… Jeremy is my best friend and lover. I used his identity to come to this resort in order to save his life by finding out what was in the chupa cocktail that was slipped into his drink that landed him in the hospital.”
After a long and uncomfortable silence, James looked at Gabriel and spoke. “Did you know?”
“He didn’t,” Bart said. “He had suspicions, but I told him he was crazy.”
“Next time, share even crazy suspicions with me, Gabriel,” James said. “I understand why you did what you did, Bart. “But, I don’t really know what to say.”
Bart thought hard about what he could do to ease the tension in the room, then it came to him. “I understand,” Bart said. “You feel used and cheated. I’m sure Jeremy wouldn’t mind a friendly foursome, if you want to experience what it’s like to be with the ‘real’ him. He always did think of you as a good friend.” He smiled.
James was silent, then he laughed. “This is all rather silly, isn’t it? With everything that’s going on, I really shouldn’t get upset over nothing. You were trying to save someone you loved, who is a good man. And we’re currently working together to catch some truly evil villains, so, I need to focus on what’s important. Yes, Bart, we’re still friends. You brought Gabriel and me together and, for that alone, we’ll always be friends.”
“Thank you, James,” Bart said.
“Ditto for me,” Gabriel said.
“How are you feeling, Gabriel… about everything?” Bart said.
“My father’s dead, but the only thing I really feel is free. Finally free.”
“Not too free, I hope,” Bart said, looking at James and smiling.
“We’ll have a simple ceremony, to which you and Jeremy will be invited,” James said. “And I’ll put a ring on Gabriel’s finger as soon as we’re back at the island resort. So, he won’t be quite as free as all that.”
“Sounds good to me,” Gabriel said.
“Gabriel, can I cash in my chip with you now?” Bart said.
“What?” James said. “That sounds awfully sexual in nature.”
“It’s not,” Gabriel said. “I told you about how Bart and the others covered for Uncle Marcus and Magdalena with the police, and I informed everyone present I owed them a favor. Well, I believe Bart is wanting that favor.”
“Not so much for me, but for the valet George,” Bart said. “His wife got her hands on a video Mr. Orion had in his possession of George with ‘the boys’, and she’s using it to try and get full custody of their children. If there’s any way your people can get the video back, or destroy it… you’d no longer owe me a favor.”
“I’ll make sure it’s handled,” Gabriel said. “How are Julia and Simon doing? Are they up for their part in things tonight?”
“Yes, everyone wants this finished, so we can get on with our lives,” Bart said. “They were going to shower, then take naps to make sure they’re well rested before everything begins.”
“That’s a good idea. After I talk to my uncle, the one who’s helping us, I may take a nap myself. I suggest you do the same, if you can, Bart.”
“I’ll do that—if you don’t need me for anything, James.”
“The resort’s fine,” James said. “Go take a nap.”
“I almost forgot,” Bart said. “Lisa asked me to manage things here until Jeremy can take over.”
“Forgive me,” James said. “I forgot to ask the important question. How is Jeremy?”
“Skinny as can be, but he’s well enough to leave the hospital, as soon as we finish things. He can’t come home while the people who tried to poison him and Delia are at large. Delia is doing fine too.”
“That explains why you’re so anxious to catch the bad guys,” James said.
“It’s not just because of that,” Bart said. “It’s about time they were caught before they hurt anyone else.”
LATER THAT evening, Bart went to the salon and spa under the guise of needing a massage. He was accompanied by Simon, who pretended they were discussing resort business. Julia was back at work, dressed in a purple wrap dress, and heels. Her hair, which flowed down in loose waves, looked significantly better than it had earlier in the day.
When his massage was finished, and the coast was clear, Bart met Simon in the large supply room in back. They hid in one of the closets. It had a louvered door they could see through, if need be. Mere moments later, Julia turned the lights off and pretended to leave the building. However, she just doubled back, unlocked the rear door, which led into the supply room, and hid in the closet across from the one Bart and Simon were in. They didn’t have long to wait before the female housekeeper Ray had identified, pushed a supply cart into the room. She looked around until she spotted the large box Reese had left there. While she was opening it, Lorena’s friend Rebecca entered the room wheeling a stroller, which held two babies. There was a baby boy dressed in blue and a baby girl dressed in pink. Bart wondered how the presence of the children would change things, when Julia stepped out of the closet—as they’d originally planned.
“Well… well… well. Now I know who’s been stealing my supplies,” Julia said, looking at a shocked Rebecca and her cohort, before seeing the children in the stroller. “Oh, Rebecca, why did you bring the children… tonight of all nights.”
The back door opened, and Gabriel entered, followed by his uncle and three men dressed all in black. They wore gloves and carried guns.
“What’s going on here?” Rebecca said. She then saw Bart and Simon exit the closet they were hiding in.
“We’ll ask the questions here,” Gabriel’s uncle said. “Who’s in charge of making the chupa cocktails?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about?” Rebecca said nervously.
Unsatisfied with her answer, Gabriel’s uncle looked at one of his men and nodded his head. The man went to Rebecca’s cohort, grabbed her from behind and held her tightly as one of the other men took a roll of duct tape out of his pocket and used it to cover the woman’s mouth. He then grabbed her hand, took one of her fingers, and pulled it back until the noise of a bone breaking could be heard by everyone in the room. The woman’s whimpering could be heard slightly through the tape.
“Do you know anything, woman?” Gabriel’s uncle said to Rebecca’s cohort. When he saw her shake her h
ead no, he turned back to Rebecca. “They’ll break every bone in her body, if need be, until she tells us what she knows.”
“And why should I care?” Rebecca said. “She’s nothing to me.”
“Who put the chupa in Jeremy and Delia’s drinks?” Gabriel’s uncle asked the housekeeper, who was still in extreme pain. “Answer me.” He removed the tape from her mouth, so she could speak.
“I… I did… on Rebecca’s orders. Jer… Jeremy was getting too nosy, and they wanted to make an esss… an example of he… ee…m. I dressed up, fixed my hair, aaand went to the club. They never even rec…ognized me and I was ablllle to get close enough to put it in their drinks.” She looked at Gabriel’s uncle and spat at him. “I don’t feeeel sorry for what I did.”
Turning to the men, Gabriel’s uncle nodded again. The man behind the woman started leading her outside as she struggled against him.
“You, go with him,” Gabriel’s uncle said, to the man with the tape. “Send others in. Once you find out what else the woman knows, get rid of her.”
“Rebecca,” Bart said. “We know you’re not in charge of this operation, just tell us who is.”
Rebecca spat at him. “Your thugs don’t scare me, I’m not a lowly illegal. I’m Puerto Rican, and we don’t scare easily.”
“I know some good, decent Puerto Ricans, but you’re trash is what you are,” Simon said.
Two more men entered the backroom dressed in similar fashion to the ones who’d left. The babies in the stroller started to cry, and Gabriel’s uncle walked toward them. He picked up the stroller, placed it on a table that was against the wall, then looked at one of his men who held a gun.
“The first time Rebecca refuses to answer my question, or do as I say, kill the baby girl instantly. The second time she refuses a request of mine, kill the baby boy.”
Julia gasped, then covered her mouth with her hand.
“Give your wallet and driver’s license to the man to my left,” Gabriel’s uncle said to Rebecca. She looked him defiantly in the eyes, but did as she was told, and the man took the wallet from her. “Where is the chupa mixture cooked up?”
“In my house, and the house of the girl who was here. Nobody else’s, I swear.”
After he turned to the man holding Rebecca’s wallet, Gabriel’s uncle spoke. “Go to Rebecca’s house, and the other woman’s house. Burn them to the ground, and leave no trace that chupa was ever there. Make sure the other woman’s body is in her house for the police to find.”
The man left.
“What happens to me and my grandchildren?” Rebecca said.
“Text your boss or bosses, and tell them to come over, because you need help,” Gabriel’s uncle said, before turning to the man next to him. “Watch her.” When he saw that Rebecca was finished texting, and his man beside her nodded, he continued. “Who’s been mixing the chupa cocktails?” Rebecca was taking her time answering, so he looked at his man who was watching the babies and nodded.
Rebecca saw the man point his gun at her granddaughter, knew he was serious, and answered the question.
“Me, uh… um… Lorena and Joe. But I tried to make a mixture that wouldn’t be as deadly. Lorena and Joe didn’t care if people died. They hate Americans, even though I’m always telling Lorena Puerto Ricans are Americans. Joe’s Cuban and a real bastard. Lorena and Joe only care about the money.”
They heard the front door of the salon open, and the uncle’s man quickly covered Rebecca’s mouth and dragged her to a corner of the room. Everyone else tried to hide in a corner as well.
“OK, what’s so difficult that you had to text me and Joe to come help,” Lorena said. “Lucky for you, Joe and I were here looking at his schedule.”
The minute Joe and Lorena walked in, with Lorena’s two children, they tried to turn back out, but there were already two of the uncle’s men behind them.
“I told you I thought someone was following us,” Joe said, while adjusting Milo, who he carried in the crook of his arm.
Lorena saw Rebecca in the corner and the others emerging from where they hid. Gabriel’s uncle stood in front of her, and Lorena smiled.
“You’re Hispanic, like us,” Lorena said. “We can work together in this place.”
Gabriel’s uncle just looked at her for a moment, then spoke. “How many people are involved in your operation?”
“I’m the one running the show,” Joe said, walking forward. “I want to provide a better than average life for the woman I love and her children, brother.”
“I’m not your brother, Cubano,” Gabriel’s uncle said. “Who cooks the cocktails?”
“You’ve got all three of the cooks in this room,” Joe said. “We got the idea for all this when we visited your country with the Kristoffs that time. A good percentage of the staff in this area are Hispanics, and will work with us to distribute the chupa cocktails.”
“We’re not interested,” Gabriel’s uncle said. “I’ll need the names and addresses of the people who work for you.”
“Why?” Joe said.
“Wrong answer,” Gabriel’s uncle said, turning to the man who was holding Rebecca.
In a quick move, using only his arms, the man broke Rebecca’s neck, and let her body drop to the floor.
Lorena gasped, and Joe jumped back. “It’s over, Lorena, give him your address book,” Joe said. “The people working with us have a smiley face by their names.”
“You fool!” Lorena said, “You’ve left us nothing to bargain with!”
Gabriel’s uncle spotted Lorena’s daughter Amy hiding behind her mother with her arm around her leg. She trembled as the uncle squatted down to talk to her. “Come here, little one.”
Amy walked toward Gabriel’s uncle, and Bart saw a look of absolute fear enter Lorena’s eyes. Bart tried hard to keep himself from shaking, and looked at Simon, who seemed frozen to the spot. He turned to check Julia, who still had her hand over her mouth. The hand was trembling slightly, and tears were falling from her eyes.
Gabriel’s uncle held Amy close to him and spoke. “Your mamá wants to bargain, so I’m going to give her the opportunity to do just that. Do you think your mamá loves you, little one?”
“Yes, but not as much as my daddy loves me.”
“Amy, shut up!” Lorena said.
“Yes, I agree with you Amy,” Gabriel’s uncle said. “Your mamá did a terrible thing trying to hurt your daddy. Didn’t you, Lorena?” When she didn’t answer, he stood, looked at one of his men behind them, and then at Milo in Joe’s arms. His man forcibly took Milo, and the man next to him placed his gun at Milo’s temple.
Lorena’s body shook as she looked at Milo, and her voice trembled when she finally spoke. “Yes. But, it was all Joe’s idea. He wanted to get the goods on George, so I’d have grounds for a divorce without anyone even thinking that Joe and I were having an affair.”
“So you set up this child’s father to cover the fact you were sleeping with his best friend,” Gabriel’s uncle said.
“Yes,” Lorena said.
“And George only did what he did to help your family pay the bills, after one of your children was sick, correct?” Gabriel’s uncle said.
“Yes,” Lorena said. “But it was Joe’s idea… all of it. He always wanted me, and he hated George.”
After squatting down again, Gabriel’s uncle looked at Amy, who was silently crying. “You needed to see this, so you understand the type of person your mamá really is.” He stood again, and addressed Lorena. “Give your address book to the man behind you.”
“I’m not sure I have it with me,” Lorena said, getting suddenly defiant.
“Then we bargain,” Gabriel’s uncle said. He turned to his man behind him and spoke. “Whoever she doesn’t choose, dies instantly.” After his man nodded, he turned to Lorena. “You choose. Either your lover or your children.”
Lorena laughed crazily. “This is all some sort of joke.”
“Choose!” Gabriel’s uncle said loud
ly, in order to jar Lorena back to her senses.
“I won’t choose,” Lorena said.
Joe looked at Lorena and pleaded with her. “Why be burdened with George’s children, when we can have some of our own, Lorena. Please.”
Lorena trembled from head to toe as she spoke. “You can’t make me choose between the man I love and my children. I won’t do it.” She leaned back against the wall.
“Mamá! Choose us, Mamá!” Amy said through her tears.
“I can’t choose,” Lorena said, looking at the wall.
“Understood,” Gabriel’s uncle said. “If you survive tonight, Amy, remember your mother did not pick you or your brother.” He looked to his man with the gun, then glanced at Joe.”
Bart saw Julia swaying as blood splattered in the air, and Joe’s body hit the floor. He thought she might faint, but saw her dig her nails into her hand to keep conscious.
“Go through her bag and see if the address book is there,” Gabriel’s uncle said. “If she struggles, kill her son.”
Lorena handed her bag to the man closest to her and turned back toward the wall. Bart thought she seemed to be in an almost catatonic state. The uncle’s man looked through the purse and lifted up a small yellow address book, which had tiny faux flowers in the top corner, so Gabriel’s uncle could see it.
“Are the smiley faces there next to some of the names?” Gabriel’s uncle said.
“Yes, the man said.”
Suddenly, Lorena jumped forward and attacked the man, trying to get the book he held. Gabriel’s uncle responded by shooting her in the back of the head. Blood splattered over him and Amy. Bart looked at Simon, and was worried he’d vomit at any moment, then he looked at Julia, who was leaning against the wall with her head bobbing up and down. He tried to give her a reassuring look and, even though he could tell she struggled to do so, she smiled at him. Gabriel stood tall and silent by the back door. His eyes seemed cold and distant.
