Rough Ride (24 page)

“Will you be leaving early too Miss Lilly?” Dickie said with a wink and a smile.

“Actually, I
will
be leaving but I have to come back later.  I have a meeting with the boss.” She said

After watching the smiles and looks that passed between the guys she added “You guys enjoy your weekend.  Our
meeting
will last all weekend and maybe part of next week.”

With that she turned and headed back to the office.  As the door closed behind her she couldn’t help but let out a laugh as she heard the cat calls and whistling from the guys.

When three o’clock finally came around and the guys had all left, she grabbed her purse and after locking up the shop headed out to her car.  Her stomach did butterflies the entire trip to Sherri’s house.  As she walked through the front door Sherri looked at her from where she lay on the couch watching television.

“You’re home early…and wearing quite a smile.” She sang with a laugh

“I talked to him today and we are going on a trip when he gets back from his business trip tonight.” She said

“Yea!” Sherri squealed jumping up off the couch and hugging her.

“I guess we need to get you packed.  If there is one thing I learned from living with a biker, it’s how to pack a lot of stuff into a small bag.  Come on” Sherri said

They spent the next couple of hours talking and packing and then went downstairs to make some dinner.  She hadn’t realized just how much she missed spending time with Sherri… all those years wasted simply because Darren hadn’t approved.  Sherri hadn’t initially approved of Bobby but she had given him a chance… hadn’t judged him.  She had certainly taken a page from Sherri’s book and learned not to judge based on the cover. 

After dinner was cleaned up, she went and showered and got ready to go.  After hugging Sherri and promising to check in at least once while on her trip, she headed out the door and back to the shop.  As she pulled into the lot in front of the shop she noticed an older model Buick parked at the far edge.  There was no driver so someone must have dropped it off.  She decided to go inside and check to see if someone had dropped it off for repair and put the keys in the lock box.

It was pretty dark in the garage bay as she passed through on her way to the office.  As she unlocked the office door and started to go through it someone rushed her from behind clamping a hand over her mouth.



“I don’t care what kind of strings you have to pull… just find her before he does!” Detective Sanders yelled into the phone.  Slamming the receiver onto the cradle he grabbed his suit jacket and ran out the door.  He had a flight to catch and a witness to save.

Seven hours later he found himself driving around a rundown neighborhood in Florida hoping to either find Lilly’s car or the motorcycle shop she was supposedly working at.  He doubted the shop was still open at this time of the evening but he was willing to try anything at this point, even setting off the alarm since her cell phone went unanswered.  The owner would show up and then maybe lead him to Lilly.

Having driven past her sister’s house several times, it was obvious no one was home.  Glancing at his watch he noticed it was already almost eight at night.  Hopefully he wasn’t already too late.  He was so busy focusing on the area he nearly collided with a motorcycle driven by a young punk.  The kid wore slightly baggy pants and a t-shirt with a ball cap on his head.  The tattoos up and down both arms gave him away for the shit bag he probably was.

“Hey fucker!  You want to watch where you’re going there?” The guy said from his bike.

Desperate, he rolled down his window.  “Sorry about that buddy, I’m lost maybe you could help.  Have you heard of a repair shop called Bobby’s Custom Chop Shop?” he asked

“Yea!  I fucking work there.  Why?” The guy said

Finally his luck was turning around in this case.

“I am looking for a woman who works there named Lilly… do you know her?” He asked

“Yea, Lilly basically runs the place.  Who are you?” the guy asked suspiciously.

“Detective Sanders, Suffolk County Sheriff’s Department.  Do you by any chance know where I might be able to find her?  Its urgent that I speak with her… her life is in danger.  Please…if you can get a hold of her by phone or tell me where I can find her…” He said

“She was supposed to meet up with Bobby at the shop.  They are going away for the weekend.  They’ve probably already left.  Follow me and I’ll run you up there.” The guy said and turned his motorcycle around headed the way he’d just come from.

Following behind him, he prayed his luck would hold out.  As they pulled into the lot, the guy on the bike noticed Lilly’s car at the same time he did.  The guy killed the motor to his motorcycle and started towards the shop.

“Wait!  Let me go in first.” He said

The guy stopped walking and turned to him.  The young man’s face looked both angry and worried.  As he started past him he heard the rumble of another motorcycle heading up the street.  A dark haired man riding a very sweet looking motorcycle pulled into the lot.  The guy ran over to the bike as the man sat the kickstand down and killed the motor.

“You two need to wait here, let me check things out.  If I’m not back in two minutes with Lilly I need you to call the local Sheriff’s department.” He said handing them a phone number he’d written on a piece of scrap paper.  “Better yet, just go ahead and call them now.  Tell them there is a burglary in progress and the guy has a gun.” He finished after eyeing the Buick parked further out in the lot.

With that he headed in through the side door of the garage.  He gave himself a couple of minutes for his eyes to adjust to the darkness of the large garage bay.  He didn’t hear any movements or see anything so he headed first to the front of the garage bay to ensure the alarm on the wall had been tripped and then across to the doorway that had the word ‘office’ painted across the glass in wild flowing letters.

Trying the door he found it locked.  “Lilly Warner?  It’s Detective Sanders.  If you’re in there I need you to say something and then come out.” He yelled. 

A shot rang out and splintered a portion of the door next to where he stood forcing him to crouch down.

“Detective?” A man’s voice said “If you’re still alive I’m going to bring her out there.  Drop your weapon or I will shoot her in the head.  I got nothing to lose here and I’m not going to prison.  I want to see two empty hands high in the air.”

His adrenaline kicked in and he laid the gun down on the cold garage floor. “Come on out.  I’m unarmed now… stay cool and don’t do anything rash.  I’m going to get you whatever you need to ensure Mrs. Warner’s safety ok?” He yelled back.

The door he had entered through opened and the dark haired man stepped inside.

“What are you doing? Get out of here and stay outside!  The man has her and is threatening to kill her.  I need you to go back outside and wait for the Sheriff’s department.  Let them know what’s happening.” He said to the man whose eyes never left the office door.

Looking up he noticed the man standing behind Lilly pointing a gun to her head.  Raising his hands in the air he backed away from the door.  Lilly opened the door and they both shuffled through it.  Upon seeing the dark haired man Lilly burst into tears.

Upon seeing first Detective Sanders and then Bobby standing in the garage bay, her fear erupted in a steady stream of tears.  Detective Sanders didn’t appear nervous but the look on his face told her just how serious the situation was.  Bobby looked… angry…
really
angry.

“Special Agent Brower…I thought I recognized your voice.”  Detective Sanders said.

“I’m betting a few light bulbs are going off in that pea sized brain of yours right about now huh Detective?” The man said “You can call me Leo even though we’re no longer playing for the same team.”

“You can call me Greg and I’m going to go out on a limb here and say you know exactly where the eight million dollars went, don’t you Leo.” Detective Sanders said.

“Why don’t you tell me Detective?  What do you think happened to that money?” Leo said

“I just want to know how much of it went in your pocket and if it’s worth your career and eventually your life.  You know what to expect on the inside for guys like us…kind of like throwing a mouse in a snake’s cage” Greg said “In your shoes I wouldn’t go easily, am I right?”

“All eight my friend and there will be more once I take care of this little problem.  Pretty hard to make a case with no witnesses no matter how bad… or shall we say circumstantial… the situation looks.” Leo said

“How much was there total?” Greg asked.

She noticed Bobby take a couple of steps forward as Detective Sanders and the man talked.

“Eighty… though the Bureau only caught wind of about half that much and was thrilled when I led them down the path to getting half of that back and was more than willing to overlook the last eight million they thought was missing.  Getting back even that amount of the victim’s money was considerable in their eyes.  Why weren’t
you
willing to let it go Detective?” Leo asked

“Even if you got back ninety five percent of the money for the victims, I would have gone after the remaining five.” Greg said.

She watched as Bobby made two more steps towards her and Leo. 
God!
  Why wouldn’t he just stay back, run out of the garage where he would be safe from this maniac.  It was too late for her, somehow she knew that… but not for him.

“Always the good guy huh Detective?  You and I will never see the kind of money those rich bastards have.  Three lifetimes and we still wouldn’t scratch the surface.  So you work your beat, risk your neck, watch your friends die and for what?  Fifty or sixty thousand a year?  That’s chump change my friend.  Wake up!  I made more than I will in my whole career in one deal…one transaction…in one day!” Leo said

She could feel the man’s whole body tremble from the conviction he had in what he’d done.  Her stomach nearly heaved but she forced it down.  It always came down to the all mighty dollar.  It had in her marriage and would now be the death of her.  Again, Bobby moved forward and was only a few feet away.  As Lilly looked at him, she noticed he wouldn’t look her in the eye.  He seemed to be focused on Leo but from time to time his eyes would move like he was looking in the office.

“So you think taking out me and Lilly will end the trail of fire that’s burning a path to your door?  Is that it?” Greg asked “Well just like you I got friends on the force too… guys who work their beat, risk their necks and bury their friends.  Those guys live by the badge and after they comfort my wife and kids they will come after you with everything they have and you damn well know it.”

“Well unlike you Detective, when and if they ever do catch up to me… when I die even more than eight million dollars will comfort my wife and kids… hell that kind of money will comfort my grandkids.” Leo said

“Well if you shoot me first, don’t kid yourself… Lilly here is going to fight for her life.  She’s a fighter… a survivor… never a victim.  If you shoot her first I guarantee you I will put a major hurt on you before I go.” Greg said.

Leo laughed “I don’t think so Detective.”

Her eyes didn’t seem to process the next few seconds due to the speed in which they occurred.  She was suddenly shoved forward and then yanked aside and onto her stomach.  Rolling over and scooting back she heard the gun crack on the concrete floor and saw Bobby on top of Leo punching him over and over.  Chuck stood to the side of Leo and anytime the man would attempt to curl into the fetal position, he would kick him in the back.

“You don’t touch her you fuck!  She’s mine!” Bobby yelled as he continued to punch Leo. 

Leo suddenly went slack but Bobby continued to punch him.

“How’s that you punk bitch!” Chuck yelled as he kicked Leo one final time.

“Stop now!” Detective Sanders yelled after picking his gun up from the floor and pointing it at Bobby’s back.