Necessary Decisions, A Gino Cataldi Mystery (19 page)

“Masonry? A bricklayer, you mean.”

“Bricks, blocks, stone, concrete. About anything that has to do with masonry.”

I let that sit for a minute. “I don’t envy you. That’s hard work. Especially in this heat.”

He nodded, the kind that said “how the fuck would you know” but without actually saying it. I pegged him for a guy who might say it under different circumstances, but not with Lucia around. No way.

“My grandfather was a stonemason in Philadelphia,” I said. “He liked working stone the best.”

A spark came to Lonny’s eyes. “Me too. Used to be a lot of stonework. Hardly any now. Maybe a patio or the front of a house now and then.” He shook his head. “Hardly no work at all nowadays.”

“My pop pop—that’s what we called him—he wanted me to take up the trade. At times I wanted to, but he soured me on it with too many summers of hard work when I was young. I came home so tired I couldn’t go party, even on Saturday night.”

Lonny smiled. “That’ll do it to you. Carrying all that stone and mortar.”

“And dumping over wheelbarrows full of concrete, ’cause your arms are so tired you can’t hold them up straight.”

Now he laughed outright. “Yessir, I do remember that myself.” He stopped cracking his knuckles and leaned back in the chair. He’d lost the edge.

We continued talking about the trade and how it was dying, like so many others. From behind him, Lucia mouthed “thank you” to me and smiled. It was a tired smile, but warm and loving. She reminded me a lot of Mary.

As Lonny and I talked, she got up, picking some trash off the table where Connors had left it. She started to pick up more but then turned to her son. “Mars, get your sorry self over here and throw this trash away. You too, Alexa. No reason for it to be sitting here with a waste can half empty.”

I was willing to bet that was the first time anyone spoke to Princess Alexa that way in all of her long seventeen years. Lucia shot a sideways glance to Connors as she headed toward the sink. He blushed. I thought I heard him whisper, “Sorry, ma’am,” but it was so low I couldn’t be sure. I made a mental note to rinse my coffee cup.

She grabbed the teapot and filled it with water. “I’m making tea if anyone wants some.” She walked down the hall and poked her head in the study. “Mr. Winthrop, do you want tea? Or coffee?”

He came out a few seconds later. “I’ll have coffee, thanks. And Lucia, please, it’s Scott.”

“You go on back in there, Mr. Winthrop. I’ll bring it to you.”

“I’ll have coffee,” Lonny said.

“I’m making you tea,” she said. “You don’t need any more coffee tonight.”

I watched as she kept herself busy. A fine woman this was. She got a washcloth and brush and started in on the dishes, doing them by hand even though the dishwasher sat empty. I grabbed a towel and moved in beside her.

She never looked up. “No need for a detective to be doing dishes. I got this little job covered.”

I took the cup from her, dried it, and put it away, then grabbed the next one. “I was doing dishes long before I was a detective.”

She placed some saucers on the counter then dipped them into the sink full of suds.

“Besides,” I said, “if my wife were here, she’d argue that piece about no need for a detective to do dishes.”

Lucia smiled. “Call her up. Sounds like a person I could get used to.”

I stopped, suddenly choked up, but continued doing my duties.

“Well, Detective, get her over here. I could use some female company. Or is that against the rules?”

“My wife passed away a few years ago.” I said it quick, holding back emotion.

She stopped, shaking her head. “I’m sorry. I didn’t…”

I took a plate from her and dried it, trying to move on. For a few moments we were silent, and then I thought I heard her say something.

“What’s that, ma’am?” I realized too late she was praying—with tears in her eyes.

She shot a quick glance toward Lonny then back to me, whispering, “Is my baby girl gonna be all right?”

I set the towel down and looked her in the eye. “Lucia, I’m working this case like it’s my own child out there. And there is nothing I wouldn’t do for my child. I can promise you that.”

She wiped her eyes, leaned over and kissed me on the cheek. “You’re a good man, Detective. I’m gonna trust in you and the Lord to bring my girl home safe.”

As I continued drying, I said my own prayer.

I sure hope you’re listening, God, because I don’t have the first damn clue how we’re going to get these guys without the ransom. Whatever happens, don’t let them hurt that girl.

Chapter 28

Early Morning

I
went to sleep about two o’clock, opting for a recliner in the family room. Delgado had the sofa across from me, and his snoring woke me every half hour or so. I made a mental note never to share a room with Delgado again. I was a man who needed sleep.

Sometime between dreaming about Salma Hayek and Scott’s girlfriend in the thong panties, I found time to pray we could bring Jada home safe. I also cursed myself for suggesting to Scott that he send the girl home, but the curse must have been vocalized, because Delgado woke, and sat up.

“What did you say, Gino?”

I looked over to him. “Did I say anything?” I hoped I did. I didn’t want to think that Delgado and I had the kind of connection that would allow him to hear me think.

“I think you said, ‘Why the fuck did I do that?’”

“Go back to sleep.”

“You said, ‘Why the fuck did I do that?’ What were you talking about?”

If I continued arguing, I’d wake up for good, so I spilled my guts. “I was cursing myself for telling Scott to send thong-panties home.”

Delgado lay back, pulling a cover over him. “I was already asking myself the same damn thing. Ruin my fuckin’ night.”

I drifted back off and woke to the smell of bacon, one of the most wonderful things in the world. I always thought someone should make an alarm clock like that. No noise, just the smell of bacon released into the room. It would get my ass up every time. I stumbled into the kitchen to see Lucia cooking. Sitting next to her was a bowl filled with eggs ready to scramble. Cheese eggs, I hoped.

“Smells good,” I said.

“It’s gonna be a long day,” Lucia said. “We all need nutrition to get through it.”

I poured water into the coffee machine then checked to be sure no one else was in the room. “Where do you find the strength, Mrs. Hackett?”

She set the spatula on the counter and looked at me. “I don’t have any. This is all fake.” She gestured with her head toward the other room. “But that man has been through too much. I’m afraid he’ll break if he has to worry about me
and
our girl. I figure I can help him that much.”

“Coffee?”

“You go ahead. I’ll have tea.”

When she was almost done cooking the bacon, she walked to the bottom of the stairs. “Mars. Alexa. Time to eat breakfast.” On the way back out, she leaned down and kissed Lonny on the head. “Come on, mister. It’s a new day. Gonna be a good day too.”

I envied Lonny Hackett. He had a wife like I used to have. A strong woman, full of optimism and goodness. And courage. “I’ve got to step outside and call my captain,” I said. “Be right back.”

I dialed Coop’s cell as I opened the front door.

“Good morning, Gino. Anything new?”

“I want off, Coop.”

“What the hell are you talking about?”

“Call the FBI or give it to someone else.”

“Once you start paddling downstream, you can’t turn around.”

“Don’t start, Coop. I’m not in the mood for any damn Texas sayings. I want off.”

A long pause followed, then, “Gino, you’re the one for this job. Didn’t you tell me you solved those cases in Philadelphia? Get another one under your belt. Those people are counting on you.”

“Maybe that’s what I’m afraid of—them counting on me. These are good people, Captain. I can’t let them down.”

“Then don’t, dammit. Find these sons of bitches!”

I hung up feeling worse than when I’d called. I didn’t tell Coop the cases I worked in Philly weren’t clean. The victims came back alive, but one had been raped and the other beaten so badly she spent four months in the hospital. On the nights I visited her, she mostly cried and told me how she wished she
had
died. The rape victim said the same thing. The worst part about her was that two years later, she was still saying it. I didn’t need another memory like those to keep me awake at night.

***

Number Two was up at five. She donned her mask, got dressed, and then poked her head in the door to check on Jada. She removed the girl’s gag then untied her hands. “You need to use the bathroom?”

Jada nodded. She rubbed her wrists where the rope was, then her ankles. Number Two led her to the bathroom.

When she came out, Number Two led her to the bed and sat her down. “I’ll get you some food.
Don’t
move.” She walked to the other room, where she got some day-old bagels, donuts and a bottle of water. “This is all we’ve got. It should only be one more day, though. Then you’ll be home.”

Jada’s face lit up, but she said nothing.

“I’ll bet you’re ready, aren’t you?”

Jada finished munching a donut. “What if he doesn’t pay? What happens then?”

“Try not to worry. It will be all right.”

“I’m just asking.”

“Don’t.”

Jada nodded. “Are you staying with me today?”

“I’ll be back tonight. Someone else will be here today.”

“Not him!” she said, her voice trembling.

“It won’t be him. I made sure of that. It’s another guy, but he won’t give you trouble.”

“You sure?”

“I’m sure. Now finish up. I’ve got to tie you again.”

About an hour later, Numbers Four and Five came to relieve Numbers Two and Three. They called when they arrived, so Three and Two could vacate one of the rooms, leaving them a place to enter and put on the masks, one at a time. When each was done, he entered the center room. “Boss said to go straight to the meeting place. He’s making the call soon.”

Three started to leave, but Two stopped him. “You get everything you brought? Clean everything?”

“I’m not a rookie,” he said and walked into the next room. He alerted Driver that he was coming out.

Two took Five aside. “Some things you should know—”

“Boss already filled me in,” he said.

“I’ve got more to add,” she said. “The girl is ransom. You got that? She’s not to play with, or torture, or hurt in any way. Treat her as if she were worth
seven million dollars.
She
is.
”

Five nodded, but Number Two didn’t like the way he looked. “I’ll leave you with this, Five. If you hurt her, I’ll kill you.”

“Guess you bitches all stick together, huh?”

“Us
bitches
live for getting even with pricks like you. Remember that as you while away the hours.” Four was just entering the room. “Four, I just filled him in. If the girl gets hurt in any way, I’ll kill both of you.”

He said nothing.

She waited. “
Got it?
”

“I got it.”

Number Two walked into the room, ready to call Driver, but thought better of it. She called Boss. “This is Two. Change of plans. I’m bringing her in.”

“Why?”

“I don’t like what’s going on here. The men can’t be trusted.”

“Tell Five to stay and guard the rooms. And be careful.”

“No need to say that.”

She got the girl, making her wear a hoodie and keeping the blindfold on. She called Driver to let him know they were coming. When the way was clear, Two took the girl to the van. After putting on her mask, she got into the back with her. Three was already there. Two took her customary seat by the back door, perched on an old speaker covered in carpet. Jada sat beside her. Four came in a moment later.

Three glared at Two as Driver negotiated the roads. “You think you’re pretty tough. I’ll show you tough if you ever get out from under Boss’ wing.”

“I don’t need Boss.”

“Maybe I’ll see you on the street someday, and we’ll test that out.”

Silence.

“You’d like it; I can tell you that. They all like it from me.”

Number Two remained silent. She wanted to take out her gun and plug him…but she didn’t. The man was just running his mouth.
Like all men.
He didn’t know what she looked like and never would. Once this was over, they’d never see each other again. She’d make sure of that.

They drove for about twenty minutes before Driver announced they were pulling into the meeting place. A tapping sound on the ceiling signaled that they’d arrived. They got out and went inside to see Boss.

“How did it go?” Boss asked.

“No problem,” Three said.

“He tried fucking with her,” Two said. “If I hadn’t stopped him, he’d have raped her.”

“Bullshit!”

Two glared at him. “Ask the girl.”

Boss threw a lightning-quick jab to Three’s face, followed it with a kick to his groin and a massive punch to the left kidney. Three doubled-up on the floor, gasping. Blood dripped from his nose. “Disobey orders again, I’ll kill you.”