Alternating Current: A Tesla Novel (14 page)

Lawson and Arnold
brought Turbo and Carrie back to her apartment. Turbo waited for them to leave
and then asked Carrie if she would come back to the shop with him.

She agreed.

“Hey, look at
Cosmo’s fancy new car. You don’t even need a key. Watch it just unlocks when I
walk up to it.”

“That’s cool. Where
did Cosmo get the money for a car like that?” Carrie caressed the leather
seats.

“That’s what I’d
like to know? He’s either running numbers or selling drugs. That’s the only
explanation I can come up with.”

Carrie was
shocked. “No there has to be another explanation, Cosmo wouldn’t do anything
illegal.”

“I’d like to think
not.” Turbo parked the Lexus in the same spot right in front of the shop. Cosmo
liked to stare out the window at it during commercials.

They had barely
entered the shop when Cosmo rushed outside to inspect the car for damage.

“There’s nothing
wrong with your precious car.” Turbo said. “Now go back to your soaps, we got
work to do.”

Carrie was
surprised to hear this. “Work? What kind of work?”

“First we need to
find Phillip. Do you remember the name of his Aunt?”

“Yes, Aunt Edna, from
Philly.”

“Maybe someone
from his church can give us her number.”

“Good idea.”

“I hope he’s
okay.” Carrie was sad.

“Hey, cheer up. I’m
sure he’s fine. When he gets back were gonna celebrate.”

“Celebrate? Celebrate
what?”

“Tesla Water. Don’t
you get it, we’re all gonna be rich; you and me and Phillip---and maybe
Cosmo---were gonna be loaded.”

“But the formula
doesn’t work?”

“The formula they
have doesn’t work. But I’d be willing to bet the formula Phillip has works.”

The small bell
attached to the door rang furiously. The gorgeous woman who entered the shop
blinded Cosmo. He sat frozen in his seat, not noticing the man with her.

Turbo and Carrie
were still in heavy conversation.

Alex Gaye cleared
his throat to get their attention, much as he did the first time he’d entered
the shop. “Hey, can I get some help here?”

Turbo was stunned.
“You got a lot of nerve coming back here.” He reached for the phone.

“Don’t do anything
stupid, at least hear me out.”

“Why, so you can
kill me like you killed Rudy?”

Carrie screamed. “You’re
Alex Gaye.”

Cosmo was finally
out of his seat. “Hey, the FBI’s looking for you.”

“Alex, you killed
somebody?” Mika was shocked.

“Yes, he killed
Rudy.” Carrie began bawling. Mika walked her over to the sofa and comforted
her.

“Let’s all just
calm down and talk about this, please.” Alex walked over to the sofa with his hands
raised in the air. “I have something to show you. It’s about your uncle.”

Turbo put the
phone down. “Okay, I’ll listen for a minute. Then I’ll call the police. Cosmo,
lock the front door.”

Alex introduced
Mika as Sava’s granddaughter. He thought the truth would only complicate an
already complicated situation.

“Pleased to meet
you all. Oh, I love that picture you have there. Where did you get it?”

“It was my
grandmother’s.” Turbo said.

“Do you know where
she got it?”

“Of course, her
brother gave it to her.”

“Her brother? Who---

Alex changed the
subject. “Mika is helping me find out about my father’s death.”

Carrie couldn’t
restrain herself any longer. “Why did you kill Rudy?” She screamed and lunged
at Alex with both fists clenched. Mika pushed her back.

“Rudy stole
ten-thousand-dollars from me, but I didn’t---

Carrie began
bawling, again.

“Maybe I should
kill you right, now.” Turbo bowed up, he’d kill him with his bare hands.

Mika interrupted. “Why
all this talk of killing. Can’t we all just get along?”

Cosmo was all for
it. He sat down next to Mika on the other side of the couch than where Carrie
sat.

“Alex, what do you
want?” Turbo wasn’t buying the whole Rodney King thing. “What happened, your
shortwave break again? Can’t get in touch with your Martian buddies?”

“No, Turbo. But I
need your help.”

“I’m listening.”

Cosmo was taking
turns staring back and forth between Mika’s boobs and his new Lexus through the
display window of the shop.

All of a sudden,
they heard a loud thud followed by a car alarm. Cosmo looked up from Mika’s
cleavage in time to see a white paneled van peeling out in front of the store. He
panicked. It was a hit and run. He slammed hard into the locked door, unlocked
it and ran outside to check on his car. The others followed.

They found Phillip,
beaten and bloody, sprawled across the hood of Cosmo’s Lexus.

Agent Lawson went
straight to the micro-fridge and grabbed a Mountain Dew. Arnold flipped open
his laptop and got right to it.

“What are you
doing?” Lawson downed the soda in one breath.

“I’m checking
Washington’s relatives.”

“Good idea, but do
me a favor first. See if you can find something with Doctor Armaly’s
handwriting. I don’t care what, as long as he wrote it.”

“What do you want
it for?”

Lawson didn’t
answer.

Arnold looked up
from his laptop; Lawson was no longer in the room.

Arnold asked
again, only louder. “What do you want it for?”

Lawson came out of
the rest room. “I just need it, okay.”

“Okay, okay, did
you wash your hands?”

“Yes, I washed my
hands, who are you, my mother?”

Arnold didn’t
answer. He went back to his laptop and a few minutes later printed a copy of Doctor
Armaly’s hand written letter of resignation from NASA. “Here, look at this.”

“That’s perfect.” Lawson
grabbed a magnifying glass from his desk and moved closer to the light.

“What are you
looking for?” Arnold joined him.

“I want to compare
the doctor’s handwriting to the note I lifted from his workshop.”

“You took
something from the workshop?”

“Just a piece of scrap
paper.” Lawson retrieved the folded note from his pocket. “Yep, I’d say it’s a
match.” He showed the note to Arnold.

“It’s an equation
of some kind, and a bunch of scribble. It doesn’t make sense.”

“Yeah, but it’s
definitely in his handwriting.” Lawson grinned.

“Okay, so what? I’m
sure there are hundreds of notes like that in his workshop.”

“Arnold, look at
the date, four days ago, the same day his son buried him.”

Arnold’s jaw
dropped. “Why that little son-of-a-bitch. What do we do now?”

“You’re gonna find
Phillip Washington, and I’m going back to the Bahamas.”

Agent Arnold
balked at the plan. “Langley will have our heads for the first trip and you
want to go back.”

“Yep, I’m gonna
find out what the fuck is going on and I’m gonna find out now.”

“That moron son
isn’t going to tell you anything.”

“Don’t be fooled
by the moron act, his father is one of the smartest men on earth, I’m sure he
taught him how to be dumb.”

“Maybe so, but I
still don’t think he’ll tell you anything.”

“That’s okay, his
wife will.”

“His wife? Are you
losing it, his wife doesn’t speak.”

“No, but when I’m
done with her, she’ll sing like a canary.”

Turbo checked to
see if Phillip was breathing. He was. Cosmo helped bring him inside; they laid
him on the couch. Carrie was punching buttons on her cell phone, three of them.

“Who are you
calling?”

She didn’t have to
answer. Turbo heard the voice on the other end of the call.
“Kings County
911. Do you have an emergency?”
He grabbed the cell phone right out of her
hand and fumbled for the end call button, but he didn’t press it. Instead, he
answered the operator. “No, I’m sorry, no emergency. My six-year-old called you
by accident.” Then he pressed the button.

Carrie grabbed the
phone back. “Why did you do that?”

“We don’t need the
police involved, right Alex.” Turbo looked around.

Alex and Mika were
gone.

Cosmo brought a
clean towel and the first aid kit from the back room.

Carrie wiped the
blood from Phillips face, which only made all the cuts and bruises easier to
see. She had to turn away. Turbo took a packet of smelling salts from the kit,
broke it, and waved it under Phillip’s nose. He jumped up, nearly knocking
Turbo off the edge of the couch.

“Turbo, thank God
it’s you.” Phillip cried.

Carrie rushed over
to him. “Thank God you’re alive. I’ve been worried sick. Phillip you won’t
believe what happened---

Turbo put his hand
up to her mouth. “Hold on now. Let him rest a bit first.”

Phillip laid there
holding his head.

Turbo propped the
seat cushion from his chair under Phillip’s head. “I need to know one thing. Where’s
the trunk?”

Phillip looked
perplexed, disoriented. He didn’t answer.

“Phillip, where’s
the trunk?” Turbo took a deep breath. “Phillip, you remember your grandma’s
trunk, don’t you?”

Phillip’s eyes
welled up with tears.

Again, Carrie
turned away.

Turbo let it go. “Can
I get you anything? Are you hungry or thirsty?”

Phillip sat
upright on the couch. “I could really go for some White Castle.”

Turbo smiled. “Hey,
Cosmo, would you run out and get White Castle?”

For the first time
in a while, Cosmo was happy to do as Turbo asked. And he did so without
argument or sarcastic remarks.

Carrie wiped her
eyes and sat down next to Phillip. “Phillip, who did this to you?”

Phillip stared out
the window.

“Phillip, it’s
okay, you can tell me.”

“My grandma’s
dead?”

Carrie hugged his
neck, “Yes, sweetie, your grandma is dead. Remember, you spoke at her funeral.”

“Yes, I remember. She
was a good woman.”

“Yes, she was.”

Turbo stood off to
the side and listened. Tears came to his eyes as well.

“Carrie, did you
see those men at the funeral?”

“Men? What men?”

“They were wearing
black suits with white sneakers.”

“Yes, I saw them.”

“They’re the ones
who beat me up.”

Before long, Cosmo
returned with the food.

Still unsure if he
could be trusted, Turbo suggested they wait before talking about what happened.

Carrie suggested
they eat and then take Phillip over to her apartment. They didn’t tell him
about his house.

Cosmo offered no
resistance when Turbo asked to borrow his car again. He handed him the fob. “I’ll
lock up here and take the subway home. Just bring the car back tomorrow.”

“Thank you,
Cosmo.” Turbo gave him a big hug.

Cosmo smiled. “You
can get that big dent in the hood fixed while you have it.”

Turbo gave him a
stern look.

“Just kidding.”

***

Carrie came out of
her bedroom with a pillow, blanket, and a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt. “These
were you-know-who’s, why don’t you take a hot shower and I’ll make up the couch
for you to sleep on.”

“A shower would be
nice.” Phillip looked at Turbo.

“Go on, we can
talk when you get out.”

Phillip took the
clothes and went into the bathroom. He closed the door and then opened it. “The
trunk is safe. I put a lock on it and gave it to Aunt Edna. She took it with
her back to Philly.”

“Good thinking,” Turbo
said. “Make sure you wash all that blood off.”

While Phillip was
in the shower, Turbo and Carrie argued about what they should tell him.

“He’s been through
a lot. I don’t think we should tell him about the Tesla Water.”

Carrie was
flabbergasted. We have to. That formula started this whole mess to begin with. He’s
been racking his brain trying to figure it out.”

Turbo agreed with
her. “I know that, but we don’t know what just happened to him. Maybe he was brainwashed.
Maybe he’s working for them---whoever they are---maybe they really have the
trunk?”

“You don’t really
believe that?”

“I don’t know what
to believe. I just think we shouldn’t tell him about the Tesla Water until we
have the formula in our hands.”

Carrie agreed,
reluctantly. “I guess you’re right, but I don’t feel good about this.”

“I don’t either,
but it’s the right thing to do.”

“Okay, but we have
to tell him about Alex.” Carrie insisted.

“Okay, but let me
tell him---

“Tell me what?” The
sweatpants fit just fine, but the shirt was tight.

Turbo was ready. “Oh,
we have a bunch to tell you. Come sit down.”

Turbo and Carrie
both stared at him.

“You guys are
looking at me as if you’ve never seen me before. It’s me, Phillip, the guy who
drudged through a mile of garbage with you.”

“We’re staring
because we’re happy to see you.” Carrie smiled then looked away. “We were
worried.”

“Tell us what
happened,” Turbo insisted. What did those men want?”

He didn’t
sugarcoat it. “They want you, Turbo. They want you.”

Agent Lawson
rushed out of the terminal and jumped into the backseat of the first Taxi he
came upon. “Take me to Adelaide, and step on it.”

“Adelaide? That’s
on other side of the island, cost fifty dollars, Amer---

“I know, American
Dollars, now hurry.”

“Sure thing,
Meester.” The driver peeled out.

Lawson flew back
in his seat and then leaned forward to see the driver’s name on the license. It
was Tevin.

“You want to go to
same place, Meester?”

“Yes, Tevin, the same
place.” Lawson couldn’t believe his bad luck. “Tell me, Tevin, how many Taxis
work the airport?”

“About three or
four hundred. Why you ask that?”

“Oh, no reason. I
was just wondering what the odds were, that’s all.”

“Tevin no
understand.”

“Don’t worry about
it. Just drive.”

Lawson pulled out
his cell phone and checked in with Agent Arnold. “You’ll never believe who’s
driving me to Armaly’s house . . . yes, good ole Tevin, imagine that.” Lawson
moved the phone away from his face. “Tevin, Arnold says hello.”

“Tell Meester
Arnold hello, too.”

“He says hello.” Lawson
cupped his hand over the mouthpiece of the phone. “How’d you make out with
Washington’s relatives?”

“. . . What do you
mean he only has one . . . then call Philly . . . well keep trying. I’ll call
you when I’m done here.”

“Meester, I been
to Philly.”

“Tevin shut up and
drive.”

Lawson had dozed
off in the back of the Taxi. Tevin was eager to wake him. “Meester, we are here.
Meester, we are in Adelaide.”

“Oh, thanks Tevin,
I must have dozed off.”

“Meester, I no
wait for you this time.”

“No Tevin, I’ll
take my chances with another driver.”

“You no like how
Tevin drive?”

“No, not really.”

“Fine, pay
me---Fifty Dollars.”

Lawson paid the
driver.

“Oh, by the way,
Meester snore.”

***

Lawson climbed the
rocky hill to Doctor Armaly’s house. He hugged the trees along the path and
walked around the far side of the workshop toward the back of the house. He was
in luck. The boat was gone. Hopefully, husband and wife were out fishing. When
he reached the back patio, he knew that wasn’t the case.

Aluna was there on
the patio, sunbathing topless.

Lawson peeked, and
then stepped back. He peeked again, and then stepped out into the open.

Aluna jumped up.

Lawson grabbed her
and held her until she calmed down. “It’s okay, I’m not gonna hurt you.” He
took the towel off the chair and covered her. “Where is your husband?”

Aluna pointed out
to the ocean.

“Fishing. Good. When
will he be back?”

Aluna held up 4 or
5 fingers, Lawson couldn’t be certain.”

“Is that 4 or 5?”

She just nodded.

“Well, which one
is it? 4 or 5?”

She held up her
fingers again. Still, Lawson couldn’t tell. She had definitely raised four fingers,
but he was uncertain about the fifth one, the pinky. Was it raised or not? He
took a wild guess. “Okay, he’ll be back at 4.”

She shook her head
“no.”

“Then it must be
5.”

She still shook
her head, “no.”

“Well if it’s not
4 or 5, maybe it’s 6?” He could tell she was getting frustrated.

She raised her
fingers again, and then quickly put her hand down. “Ah, fuck it---4:30 you
idiot---he’ll be back at 4:30.”

Lawson made
himself at home on the couch while Aluna went to put on some clothes. What she changed
into was inviting. Sure, it covered her from shoulder to ankle, but it was as
shear as the curtains that offered a panoramic view of the Atlantic. He
preferred her view.

“So, what are you
doing here, Mr. Secret Agent?”

“I came to see
you.”

“The hell you did,
you came to see the doctor. How did you know he was still alive?”

“You just told me.”

“That’s not
possible, you see, I don’t speak, haven’t in years.”

“I’m flattered.”

“Don’t be.”

Lawson couldn’t
help but stare at her, but he needed to stay on task. “So where is he?”

“The doctor, who
knows. He left with the blonde bitch.”

“Does your husband
know where he went?”

“I doubt it. He
came inside, packed a bag, and told us to tell anyone who came asking for him that
she killed him.”

“That’s
it---that’s all he said.”

“Yep, that was it.
He knew that day would come. He talked about it all the time. I think he was
looking forward to it.”

“This doesn’t make
any sense.” Lawson scratched his head.

“That’s the
Armaly’s for you.” Aluna brushed her body up against him. “Would you like a
glass of wine?”

Lawson hesitated. “Uh,
no, sorry, I better get going.”

“It’s only 2:15,
we have plenty of time.”

“No, I have to go,
please don’t tell your husband I was here.”

“Don’t worry, I
don’t tell him anything.”

Lawson kissed her
cheek and rushed out of the house.

He tried calling
his partner the whole way down the hill, but there wasn’t a signal. Out of
breath at the bottom of the hill, he finally reached Agent Arnold. “Arnold, pa---A---B---Armaly.”

Arnold didn’t
understand. “What did you say? Lawson, are you okay?” There was heavy breathing
on the other end of the line.

“Yes, okay, wait a
minute.”

Arnold hung on the
line.

“Okay, I can
breathe, Arnold, are you there?”

“Yes, I’m here.”

“Put out an APB on
Doctor Mike Armaly. He’s alive and probably traveling with a tall blonde woman.

“Wow, you are one
hell of an agent. I can’t believe you got her to talk. Was it hard?”

Lawson didn’t answer
him.