Ride to Redemption (24 page)

Chapter
45

O
nce
again, Candi and Joseph found themselves standing in the parking lot, where a
spirited discussion ensued. “I’m this close,” acknowledged Candi, holding up
her right forefinger and middle finger an eighth of an inch apart.

“Why
are you so confident you can find them, Candice? Especially now.”

“D
really likes me, Joseph. He doesn’t want to lose me. I’ve convinced him that if
he gives up what he knows, I will stay here with him. Otherwise, I’m going back
with you.”

“Continue,
Candice, I’m still not convinced you can deliver the goods.”

“I
can, I have, I will. But you’ll need to do your part. Be at the courthouse
tomorrow by 9 a.m. Convince Vic it is in her best interest to ride back with
you, otherwise, something will happen to D courtesy of Donnie and Mike.
Furthermore, D likes the bitch. He’ll give up what he knows, maybe even the ledgers,
to protect her. You just need to act mean and convincing. Make up some stupid
story that you’ll toss her out of the plane on the way home if he doesn’t
comply. I’ll work him from this end easy enough. Joseph, baby, there’s just one
of him and three of you. Surely you can take care of that one little thing for
me. Just think of this as a play and we’re all actors. You play your part and
I’ll play mine. This time tomorrow, we’ll be $10 million richer. I can’t wait
to be alone with you again,” Candi cooed as she stroked his arm and attempted
to give him a hug, before he pushed her away.

“How
do I know you’re not playing me, Candice? I mean, you are one conniving bitch
when you’re backed into a corner. There’s a lot of money at stake here. It
would be much simpler to turn Donny and Mike loose on your friend D, than to
risk you not coming through. You’re sure you’re really that close to pulling
this off? Really sure?”

“Come,
walk with me,” Candi said, grabbing Joseph’s hand and using it to slap herself
on the rear where the square plastic cases holding priceless commodities were
nestled in her back pocket. “Closer than you think, Joseph, closer than you
think.”

“Oops,” offered Vic. “I don’t think anyone in quite a
while has ever talked to him like that, let alone a woman. I’m sorry, guys, but
he deserved it. We’re here to help get you home, Gio, and nothing else. He’s
here to generate as many billable hours as he can for his firm first, and then
get you home.”

“
Sì,
”
said Gio. “Okay, I trust D. He trust you. We,” he said, looking over at Mile,
“troubled, he trouble.”

“Ladies
and gentlemen,” I announced, “Joseph’s anger is all because of me. Oh, Victoria
may have knocked him down a notch or two, but his fight is with me. Vic, this
guy is still in love with Candi. I saw it the moment Candi walked in the room
yesterday. His Harvard speech was his attempt to be the biggest cock on the
walk. Of course, that lasted all of 10 seconds because Vic went for his
jugular, then his balls all in one swipe. He’s gone now, and that’s all that
matters. Who wants a beer or two? I’m buying,” I offered, hoping to help
everyone breathe a little easier. “Can I bring you back anything to eat? I’m
sure you’re over hospital food.”

“Burgers,
fries,” suggested Mile.

“You
got it. Gio, what would you like?”

“Same.”

“Vic?
The same okay with you?”

“Yep,
D. That would be great.”

“By
the way, I’ve reserved a room for you where we’re staying. Is that okay?”

“Better
make it four,” Vic answered somewhat apprehensively. “It’s best if I explain
later, D. Just do it.”

“Okay,”
I relented, without argument. ”Four it is.”

My
eyes lit up as I met Candi, walking into the lobby. “Glad you’re back. Come
ride with me.”

As
we were walking, I called Josie and asked her to hold four rooms instead of
one. The additional reservations out of the way, I noticed just how troubled
Candi seemed.

“Why
did you reserve four more rooms, D? There’s just Vic, isn’t there?”

“There
was. You’ll have to ask her. I’m just doing what I was told.”

“Call
her.”

“You
call her. Here’s my phone.”

“Never
mind. I’ll find out soon enough.”

“Candi,
what else is troubling you?”

“It’s
Joseph. He said he plans on coming after you, and may use Vic as leverage if he
can’t get you away from me. I believe he may be planning to take her from the
hospital or maybe even the courthouse and trade her for you. He’s really bent
on collecting that money Standford put on your head. D, I need to call mom and
get her to intervene, even if she has to fly up here.”

Handing
Candi the phone from my side bag, I said, “Baby, you just stay here and I’ll go
grab the burgers and beer.”

“No.
I can’t … You can’t … I’m sorry. I can’t get out what I’m trying to say.”

“Breathe
deep, Candi. Deep breaths, just like I asked you to do that first day in
Starbucks. Remember?”

“I
remember, D. My horrible birthday, at least it was until I met you. We
have
to ride together. I’m sure Joseph wouldn’t do anything to you with me on the
bike.”

“You’re
really worried about him, and me for that matter, aren’t you? I’m sorry. Just
so you know, I can take care of myself.”

“You
don’t know what he’s capable of, baby.
I
don’t know what he’s capable
of. That’s another reason I left him. When he gets that ‘look of rage’ in his
eyes, he has trouble controlling himself. He never hurt me or anything like
that. If not for my family and his position, I’m sure he could have.”

“I’m
glad you left him. No one deserves to live in fear, ever. For now, it’s good to
know you’re my insurance policy. You protect me, and I’ll protect you. Deal?”

“Deal,”
sighed Candi, though she still didn’t seem convinced she could protect me, even
being by my side.

Candi,
true to her word, would not leave my side as I made the two stops for the
burgers and beer. Back at the hospital, however, I convinced her to leave me
alone long enough to call her mom, while I delivered the fine assortment of
refreshments to Room 304.

“Where’s
Candi?” Vic asked, immediately upon my entering the room.

“She’s
talking to her mom right now. She’s really concerned about Joseph and what he
might do.”

“To
you?” asked Vic.

“To
you, to me, to the both of us. I told her I can take care of myself.”

“There’s
three of them, D. And for all they know, there’s only one of you. Won’t they be
surprised if they make a move on either one of us?”

“Eat up Gio, Mile,” I said as I passed out the burgers, fries and
Canadian Molson’s. “I’ll join you in a minute, but right now Vic and I are
taking this conversation elsewhere.”

Finding
a vacant hospital room a few doors down, I began, “What are you talking about,
Vic? There’s only one of me, unless you know something I don’t.”

“I
brought reinforcements with me, D. That’s why I needed the three extra rooms.
One of these guys you know, the other two are friends of his. They all served
together in Desert Storm. Right now, they’re out rounding up some firepower,
just in case.”

“Seriously,
Vic, who do you and I have in common in our brief history together? Who in
their right mind would come with you to Calgary on a long shot that I just
might need some help?”

“Think
about it, D. Why did I fly to the west coast to begin with? To meet up with
Frank. Remember? He told me then, which I relayed to you, that he would always
have your back. When you told me you were concerned about that ‘tidying up’
comment, I called him on a whim and bounced what you said off him. D, within
twenty-four hours, that man had ditched the reporters hounding him and was
driving to Victoria, BC with his two Marine friends, turned employees. Sucks,
doesn’t it, to have friends like that, especially those you barely know? Hey, I
resemble that remark, too. Who’d a thought?”

“I
don’t know what to say.”

“You
said that the last time, D, and I told you that you don’t have to say anything.
You were there for us when we needed you. Now it’s our turn to pay it forward.
Some guy who’s been flooding the country with bags full of diamonds has been
preaching that ‘pay it forward’ crap like there’s no tomorrow. It must be
catching on. Don’t ya think?”

“Evidently
so,” I mused. “I just didn’t think it would come full circle and wind up back
to me.”

“I
got it. Most people don’t do diddly-squat when you give them something
substantial and then ask them to use all they need and give the rest away.
That’s what is wrong with the world, everybody is too damn selfish and self
centered … present company excepted, of course,” countered Vic, beaming a smile
that would light up any room.

Candi
appeared in the doorway with a troubled look on her face. “D, mom can’t reach
him. He’s not answering his phone. Donny and Mike’s phones are turned off, too.”

“Guess
Joey wants to play,” I muttered. “Well, let’s play. Candi, remember that guy,
Frank, I told you about that I thought was going to be trouble? Well, Vic
brought him and two of his Marine pals with her this morning. Turns out,
Frank’s been doing his best to keep me out of harm’s way rather than put me in
it.

“Kinda
evens the playing field, doesn’t it,” I announced, smiling broadly at Vic.

“It
does, D. It does.”

“Remind
me sometime to tell you whose idea it was to bring Frank and his friends along.
Here, D, put your hand right here,” directed Vic, as she grasped my hand and
used it to pat herself on the back.

Candi’s
expression only got worse at this news.

“What’s
wrong, Candi?” asked Vic. “You should be happy. D now has help if he needs it.
You are, aren’t you?”

“Candi,
Vic asked you a question, didn’t you hear her, baby?”

“Yes,”
Candi stammered. “I think so.”

Back
to reality and totally confused by her answer, I announced, “Let’s eat,” as we
made our way back to room #304.

Addressing
the Italians, I said, “We’re all going to have to leave shortly to take care of
something that’s come up. Gio, Vic will be in court to represent you tomorrow
morning to recover your passport. Vic, give him the document he needs to sign
for his plea deal. Candi and I may or may not see you before you leave, so I
wanted you to know that I’ll miss you.”

“Thank
you, D, for all things,” professed Gio, while signing the papers Vic placed
before him. “I help?”

“No
thanks. I believe we’ve got this. Mile, take care of him,” pointing at Gio.

“Bye
cousin,” expressed a teary eyed Candi, while she bent over and kissed him on
the cheek. “Tell mom I’m good.” Then she moved to the adjoining bed, “Mile, a
hug please?”

“Be
ready to go home in the afternoon,” shared Vic, speaking directly to Gio.

“Victoria,
call Frank. Tell him that you’re ready to be picked up. Oh, and tell him to be
prepared to come in ‘hot.’ He’ll know what I mean.”

Walking
down the corridor to the elevators, Vic made the call.

Candi
asked,” Just what does coming in hot mean, D?”

Before
I could answer her, Vic, hanging up the phone, replied in my stead.

“I’m
not that old and I know what that means. It means Frank and the boys are to
come in locked and loaded, prepared for anything. Isn’t that right, D?”

“That
pretty much sums it up,” hesitating to go any further with the conversation.

Chapter
46

C
andi
and I were waiting for Frank as I stood thinking about the two most important
women in my life right now. I was completely at a loss as to how I was going to
get the girls out of this mess without anyone getting hurt. Joseph was a loose
cannon and thinking irrationally right now, I surmised. A jealous rage consumed
him; he would not be predictable, no matter what game plan I managed to lay
out.

The rented black Suburban pulled up to the front door with
Frank in the driver’s seat. “Change of plans,” I announced before realizing
they didn’t know what my plans were. Come to think of it, neither did I. But I
did manage to grab my daypack and Sat phone from the bike before I left. I did
know that.

I
walked up to the driver’s door, and Frank rolled down the window. “Good to see
you again, sir.”

“Hi,
Frank. Hold on a minute. Ladies, if you please,” I called over to them. “We’re
all riding together. I’m leaving the bike here for now. It’s too exposed and
too much of a target. No matter how good of a driver I am, it won’t deflect
bullets like a Suburban.”

“You
got a point there,” mused Frank, as he got into the front passenger side,
immediately introducing his Marine pals. “Ron, Terry, this is D, and I’m sorry
miss, I don’t know your name.”

“It’s
Candi,” I replied. “Candi, this is Frank,” introducing them officially, while
Frank extended his hand to hers.

“Nice
to meet you,” she replied. “Thank you for coming with Victoria. I’m sorry I’ve dragged
you all into this mess. If it weren’t for me, none of you would even be here
right now.”

“But
we are. It’s best we get this show on the road. D, you can fill us in on the
way.”

Pulling
out of the parking lot and into traffic, I had the presence of mind to
constantly check the rear view mirror for a tail. I made a right on Crowchild
Trail, followed by a left onto 37
^th
Ave. Pulling into a parking
garage, I waited just a minute, before I pulled through to the exit gate where
I gave the attendant a twenty to delay the next car that came through for at
least two minutes.

When
I left, I made my way through a few cross streets until I found 16
^th
Ave. This would carry us to Hwy. 1, and eventually back to the Inn.

Confident that I had lost any tail we could have acquired,
I said, “We don’t have time for the long explanation guys, so I’ll give you the
short one. Jealous ex-husband with muscle for help, two to be exact. He also
has mob affiliations.” Looking at Candi in my rearview mirror, I added.
“Present company included.”

“I
think I got this,” said Frank. “Our job is to keep Candi’s ex-husband from
blowing your ass away, D?”

“Yep,
that pretty much sums it up, except that we’ve got to protect the ladies, too.
You think we can get Vic in and out of the courtroom tomorrow without a hitch?”

Frank,
looked at Terry and Ron, and asked, “We can do it, can’t we boys?” They both
raised, short barreled 12 gauge shotguns in both hands and responded,
“Double-Aught Buck!”

“Yep,
that should do it, but I hope it doesn’t come to that. For now, we’re going to
this really nice inn that belongs to a friend of mine where we can put together
a contingency plan. We’ve got to figure out all the ways Joseph and his pals
could get to us tomorrow, before Victoria’s appearance in court is over.”