Necessary Decisions, A Gino Cataldi Mystery (17 page)

I nodded. “He’s not doing too well.” I noticed Lonny had a slight reaction when I mentioned his name. “Why, do you know him?”

“Not personally, but he plays a mean game of football.”

“I know him by reputation,” Mars said. “He’s a
great
football player, and from what the guys on our team say, he’s a nice guy.”

“He goes to your school?”

“No, he plays for Klein.”

“Do you go to the same school as Alexa?”

He looked sheepishly to his mother, then back to me.

“It’s not a tough question. You do or you don’t.”

“He’s not supposed to,” Lucia said. “But Mr. Winthrop lets us use his address so the children can go to a better school.”

“I thought they checked those things out, compared to the tax rolls or something.”

Lucia lowered her head. “They do, Detective. But Mr. Winthrop…knows people.”

I nodded. I guess money and influence still wielded big sticks. But that did answer one question that had been bugging me. “Does Jada’s license have this address on it?”

“Yes, it does. Why?”

“I’ve been wondering why the kidnappers wouldn’t have realized they made a mistake when they saw her license—different name and address—but if the address is the same…”

“Maybe she concocted a story about the name,” Lonny said. “That girl can tell a story.”

“Let’s hope she can maintain that story. It may save her ass.”

I turned to Delgado. “Get the boyfriend’s number from Alexa. Talk to him. See if you think he’s straight.”

“You think he has something to do with this?” Lonny asked.

“I don’t know
anything
at this point. I’m chasing all angles.”

“I see,” Lonny said, then he got up to get coffee. “Lucia, you want to sit outside?”

“I’m fine here.”

***

Lonny walked out to the patio and sat in the chair by a small fountain. He leaned back, closed his eyes, and prayed.

God, I know what I did to deserve this, but please don’t take it out on my baby. She’s a good girl. She didn’t have nothin’ to do with my wrongs. If you got to punish someone, take it out on me. Lucia and my girl don’t need to suffer.

Lonny got up and walked around then sat on the edge of the fountain, his fingers dipping in the water.

And one more thing. I’m sorry for what we did to that boy and his family.
Tears flowed.
Lord, you know how sorry I am about that. Those folks didn’t do anything but get rich. And look what we did…Please don’t let that boy die, Lord. Please.

***

I got up under the guise of pouring myself coffee, but I really wanted to see what Lonny was doing. A change had come over him, and I didn’t know why. He had dealt with things well until a short while ago.
Something
had changed.

Chapter 25

Watchers

B
oss waited until everyone was there. “I wasn’t happy with the call, Number Four. You lost control.”

“Goddamn amateur,” Number Three said.

“Shut-up, Three. I’d drop both of you if I had time to train more people.”

Number Three mumbled something, but a glare from Boss silenced him.

“Maybe
you
should make the next call.” That from Number Two.

“I will,” Boss said. “And we need to transfer the girl to the motel.”

“Why?” Four asked.

Boss sighed. “Don’t ask so many questions.”

Number Four looked to the others for concurrence, but got nothing. “It’s just…if we got her here, why not keep her here?”

“It’s not in the plans, Four. She’s going to a motel where the clerk wouldn’t know if a motorcycle gang rented the rooms or a conclave of Cardinals that were in town to elect a new pope.”

“Rooms?”

“We have three. One for her and one on each side.” Boss looked to Number Two. “You know what to do?”

“Got it, Boss.”

“Take Three with you. I will send Number Five to relieve you by six AM.”

“We don’t need another person. We could—”

Boss grabbed hold of Three. “I do the thinking around here.”

Number Three turned away from Boss. “I don’t see why we needed another person, that’s all. Less money for us.”

“There will be plenty to go around,” Boss said, then turned to Number Two. “It’s getting late.”

***

Jada sat in a hard-backed chair, afraid to move. She shivered, and not from cold. She didn’t know how long she’d been in this place, but all she’d done since she got here was cry. And shiver.

A spasm seized her arm. She stretched it out, hoping to relieve the pain. Most of her muscles ached, and her legs cramped. They’d already fallen asleep twice, forcing Jada to stand on one leg while she tried shaking it out.

She couldn’t see anything, could barely hear anything except an occasional truck rumbling somewhere in the distance. And all she could smell was a dank, musty odor, like the basement at her cousin Anne’s house up in Maryland.

A door opened across the room. As she turned her head in that direction, a blast of cool air rushed across her skin, which was wet from sweating. The shivers started again. She didn’t hear anyone come in, but she had to try. “Can I have a blanket?” Her voice sounded hollow, not quite an echo but almost.

Footsteps sounded from the direction of the door. Jada focused, listening as they approached. It
was
a big room. “Is someone there?”

A hand patted her hair, making her jump, but then she relaxed. It was a gentle patting, a caress.

“Get ready to go,” a woman’s voice said. “We’re moving you.”

“Am I going home?”

The woman stroked her hair more. “Not yet. It won’t be long, though.”

She heard her purse being opened, someone going through her things.

“Why does your license say Jada
Hackett?
Why isn’t it Winthrop?” This was the voice of the man who took her.

Another shiver tortured her. They must think she was Mr. Winthrop’s daughter. Jada thought of what she knew about Alexa and her dad. Not much, but maybe enough. “My parents are divorced. I took my stepfather’s name. Then I decided I hated him, so I moved back with Dad.” It was difficult getting all that out without faltering. She prayed they believed her, and that she was doing the right thing pretending to be Alexa.

“Address is the same as his.” This voice was different. It belonged to the woman. She thought it was the one who took her. Jada’s stomach churned.

Someone’s hands grabbed her face and turned it, as if evaluating her. Fear subsided when she realized it was the woman.

“It’s her,” the woman said. A slight pause, then, “How did your father get so much money?”

Was this a test? Did they suspect something? They must know about Mr. Winthrop’s business. “He
worked
for it.” Jada didn’t mean for it to come out so harsh. She braced herself for…something. Sensing that the man was about to do something, she took a step away from where she thought he stood.

“Easy, Number Three,” the woman said.

So he
was
going to do something.

“It’s all right,” the woman said. “I’d be pissed off if somebody kidnapped me. Don’t try carrying it too far, though.” Her voice carried a threat.

Jada nodded, eager to have an ally.

“All right, let’s go,” the woman said, and took her by the arm.

***

After gathering her things, Number Two and Three loaded Jada in the van. Driver took them to the motel where Boss had rented three rooms. One was rented a week ago, the others, two days ago.

Driver pulled up outside the room, off to the side of the motel and waited to make sure no one was around then unlocked the door to all three rooms before getting back in the van. Number Three got out and went to the room on the left. Number Two took Jada to the room in the center.

Number Two led Jada to the bed, untied her hands and removed the gag, but kept the blindfold on, checking to make sure it was secure. “Do you need to use the bathroom?”

“No.”

“Don’t say that for spite. If you can go now, you should.”

“I said no.”

“Suit yourself,” Two said. “Lie down. I need to tie your hands.”

“What for?”

“Just lie down.”

Jada sat on the edge of the bed, then lay on her back. “I think I
do
need to use the bathroom.”

Number Two sighed. “Don’t make me go through this shit again. Cooperate. It will make things easier for you.”

“Okay.”

Jada used the bathroom then returned to the bed. “You don’t need to tie my hands.”

Number Two tied them anyway. Jada cried, big sobs that made her whole body heave. Number Two sat next to her, whispering. “If you do anything stupid, we’ll sedate you. Then you’ll mess your pants, and none of us will clean it.” She placed her hand on Jada’s arm, rubbing it gently. “You can make this time go easier, or you can make it really tough.”

“Okay.”

“I know you have a lot of questions. Ask me. I want you to feel comfortable.”

“What are you going to do with me?”

“As long as your father pays us, and you do as we say, we won’t hurt you. And I hope you’re listening, because that was a really big
if
.” Number Two looked around then leaned close and whispered again. “Some of the men are looking at you wrong, if you know what I mean. Don’t give them a reason to do anything. Follow orders, and I’ll make sure nothing happens.”

Jada nodded. “Okay.”

“Good. Here are the rules. You signal one of us if you have to use the bathroom. If you need water, same thing. If you hear a noise outside or people talking…” Number Two grabbed her by the cheeks and made Jada face her. Two made sure her own mask was secure then removed Jada’s blindfold. “This is
very
important. Do
not
try to attract attention. If you do, they will kill you.”

“I understand.”

“Good.” She smiled at Jada. “I’m putting the gag back in, but I’ll leave the blindfold off.”

“Thanks,” Jada said.

“All right. I’ll see you in the morning.”

Three walked into the room. “Girls getting cozy, are you?”

Number Two’s face twisted into a scowl. “Get back in your room.”

Three tried following Number Two into her room, but she stopped him cold.

“We been working together a long time,” Number Three said. “No reason to get uptight.”

Two nodded to the other room. “You’ve got your bed. Don’t let me see you until morning.”

Two watched him go, but she didn’t like the way he looked at Jada as he crossed the room.
I should’ve come alone.

Number Two took a quick shower then lay on the bed in her panties and a T-shirt. It was going to be a long night. During the middle of a dream about a small cabin in the mountains, muffled sounds jarred Number Two awake. She grabbed the gun from the nightstand and tiptoed to the door, pressing her ear against it. The fan from the air conditioner made it difficult to hear clearly.

Is that stupid girl trying to get out?

Number Two put on her mask and eased the door open. Number Three was hovering over Jada, his hands groping her. He was sitting on her legs so she couldn’t kick, and he was about to take his mask off.

Number Two took one small step at a time, never taking her eyes from him. She got behind him and shoved the barrel of the Beretta against the back of his head. “Take off that mask, and I’ll kill you.”

Three choked up. “Easy, Number Two. I just wanted to show the girl a good time. She’s itching for it.”

“If you take off your pants, I’ll blow your cock off.”

He turned to stare at her, hands twitching. “You’re a tough bitch, huh? That’s all right, I like ’em tough. Maybe after we’re done with this job, you and me—”

“Never, Number Three. You got that? Never.”

He turned to the girl, a look in his eyes so obvious he might as well have licked his lips.

Two shoved the gun harder against his head. “She’s off limits. Don’t forget it. If you think I’m tough, you ain’t seen shit. Boss will cut your cock off in pieces.”

“Okay, okay. You made your point. I’m going to get some sleep.”

Number Two waited until Three was gone and then removed the gag.

“Is he gone?” Jada asked, her breathing coming in fear-choked gasps.

Number Two patted her leg. “He’s gone. Are you okay?”

Jada cried. “Oh God, I thought he was going to…” She cried more. “I want to go home.”

“Don’t worry. I won’t let anything happen.” Number Two started to put the gag back in.

Jada panicked. “Don’t leave me. Please? He’ll come back. God, please don’t.”

Two paused, looking around the room. “Here’s what I’m going to do. You’re going to sleep in my room, and I’ll sleep out here.”

“Can’t you stay in the room with me?”

“I like to sleep alone.”

“What if he comes in there? He might…”

“He wouldn’t
dare.
” She moved Jada, secured her to the bed then took her place in the center room. Number Two put the gun under her pillow, resting her hand next to it. If Number Three tried anything tonight, he’d have a little surprise waiting.