The Frenchman's Revenge (50 page)

“According to Tom,” Nianzu said with amazement, “
e
very fourth
Friday
, Marcello rakes in
over
half a million dollars in earnings from more than fifty East
Coast
gangs. Christ, his cut
alone
is a couple hundred thousand.
That is
just
one month’s take. The rest of the suckers get about
a third
of their earnings back in laundered money.”

Wyatt
gave an appreciative grunt
.

“Goddamn, you have to a
cknowledge
the
gall
and the brilliance
,
even
if that son of a bitch conceived of it.
Of course
,
it helps that more than half the cops
in New York
are dirty and turn a blind eye to what they know is happening
.”

Bai’s eyes narrowed
. H
e leaned back in his chair
,
taking a long drag off his Turkish cigarette.

“
Indeed
, which will make it all the sweeter when we take it down.
A
ccording to Tom, this month
’s
booty will include the jewels that were stolen from the Boston
M
useum three months ago. Apparently
,
money isn’t the only thing Aldo launders.”

For the n
ext several hours
,
the three men created an audacious plan to
cripple the money
laundering enterprise, knowing that the loss of one month’s take would bring the wrath of fifty gangs
down
on Marcello
,
stripping away his mask of invincibility.

As they were about to wind up their discussion, Bai referred to the second element of Tom’s report.

“Tom is convinced that the political mastermind for Marcello’s operation is here in California. As surprising as that seems, he m
ay
be right. Someone is spearheading the political
enterprise
. Th
e smart, unexpected move would be to have that person on the
W
est
Coast
--away from the incestuous cesspool of Washington and New York.
I just have a hard time
believing that Governor Sampson is the lynchpin and we sure as hell know Martin
Quince
is barely smart enough to
wipe his own ass
.”

Wyatt puffed on his cigar and
added
with a
frown
.

“I agree, Bai.
I’ve known Brad Sampson for fifteen years
,
even before I was
g
overnor of Wyoming. Brad is as political as they come. He cuts a lot of corners and no one is better than he is at raking in the political dough
,
but this kind of crap?
I just don’t know if Brad
’s
up to it. I’d be more inclined to think of one of the other possible lynchpin
s
that Tom mentioned
, Louie
Sinclair, our esteemed United States
senator, for one.
”

“Well, he certainly fits the profile better,” Bai agreed with a
thoughtful nod
. “If ever there was a dishonorable son of a bitch, it’s Louie. He’s bought every position
he’s had
so, yes, he is a real possibility.
A
gain
,
it strikes me
that
someone has to be fucking smart to pull this off and
,
although Louie is as corrupt as they come, I don’t know if he is smart enough, subtle enough. At heart he is a showman, always looking for the public accolades
,
not the behind the scenes operator this requires.
W
e sure
as hell
know it can’t be Martin. So yes, if it isn’t the
g
overnor,
it could be Louie Sinclair.
Let’s put some eyes on him
.
I know Tom is watching him in Washington
. L
et’s see what we can find out her
e
in C
alifornia
.

“One more thing, Bai. It
seems you have garnered the interest of the largest
Irish
gang in
New York
and Aldo Marcello’s biggest rival. Sean Byrne called me a couple of days ago and said their leader
, Rory Calhoun,
is coming out here and wants to meet you. Sean invited us to dinner on Thursday.”

Bai grin
ned
.

“I always enjoy dinner with Sean. As long as we can cut though
the
Irish
blarney and see what his friend
’s
after, it will be an entertaining evening.
Let’s hope
Calhoun
hasn’t bought into that old saw about the enemy of my enemy is my friend.”

“
Let’s
assume
he’s smarter than that, Bai. If he isn’t
,
he sure as hell doesn’t know you.
By the way
,
where is Elena, sleeping off the excitement of the wedding?” Wyatt asked with a fatherly smile.

“No, actually she is with Greg Forester.
”

“Jesus, that’s interesting.” Wyatt snorted
,
not trying to hide his surprise.

“Yes, it is.
He
came
to bring her a wedding gift
,
or so he says,” Bai said with a grimace. “I am still convinced that son of a bitch is tied in
to
what is happening here. I know we’re watching the governor and now the senator, but I can’t believe that slimy bastard Greg isn’t involved in some way.”

“For what it
’s
worth, Bai, three of his cohorts did ask for our protection.
They specifically said that Greg had sent them.
It seems like he is counting on us for something,” Nianzu said.

“Yes, and Elena thinks he is too
‘
nice
’
to be involved
. She thinks I’m jealous and it’s clouded my judgment.”
Bai said with a snort and a roll of his eyes.

Wyatt and Nianzu both raised a questioning eyebrow and even Bai had to agree that there was the possibility he was letting his possessiveness of Elena blind him
.

~~~

Greg smiled at Elena
,
basking in her appreciation for his gift, an original collection of
a dozen o
f DaVinci’s most famous anatomical drawings.
He pretended to make light of the astonishing gift, knowing that not everyone had
the
access to
stolen t
reasures that he did. He hoped she wasn’t aware that his gift was part of a spectacular burglary
of
one of Italy’s most famous museums.

“Greg, I can’t believe these.
This is a priceless gift.
It is too much, really it is.
I can’t accept it.”

“Nonsense, Elena.
Nothing is too good for you.
Obviously
,
being a public servant
,
I can’t compete with Bai’s resources
,
but I can give you a special heirloom that has been in my family for centuries.
”

“Greg, I’m astounded and grateful.
They will be a stunning addition to the healing center Bai
built
for me.
When I finish my studies
,
I plan to set up a practice here. I’m hoping at
some
point
that
Dr. Oleong will transfer his
internship
program to our compound.
With the herb garden, the healing center
,
and the
infirmary,
we could easily rival the one at the
u
niversity.”

Greg covered his distaste with
an unctuous smile.
The thought of Bai’s largess
e
and her appreciation
brought
bile
to
his throat.

“I’ve heard about the center
,
and you are correct, every
one
talks
about
its magnificence and I understand the garden has every healing herb known to man.”

“I’m impressed, Greg, with your knowledge.
Would you like to see the center?
It is adjacent to the infirmary
. We can
visit with some of the young girls who are living
in the infirmary
.
It w
ill
be helpful for you to meet some of these children
,
to better understand their hideous experience.”

Greg bowed his head in mock despair and said in
a patently
sincere
voice
,
“Y
ou will think I am a coward, Elena, but I can
’t
bear to see th
e pain on the faces of those young girls. I’m not strong
,
like all
the
men around you.
Governor Sampson chide
s me often
about
my sensitivity.
I don’t have to tell you how angry he was that Jim Thompson didn’t bring those girls back so they could be returned to the brothel owners.
I was relieved that Jim left them here where
you could care for them. I know I
shouldn’t criticize the
g
overnor. He
has to deal with all kinds of repercussions. As much as I hate to
admit
, he is tougher than I am
, used to dealing with hard men
.
T
o be fair, let’s just say he has a wide range of constituents he needs to please.
”

Elena reached out and took his hand.

“
Don’t apologize, Greg.
I’m touched by your compassion. I
’m
challeng
ed
,
as well
.
I am training to be a healer,
and I can
’t
bear
to see
the misery those young girls faced
.
I’m glad you understand why Bai would never return those girls.
It would be criminal to do so.
”

Greg saw the sincerity in her eyes and hoped tha
t his expression matched hers. He
also
hoped she accepted his reason to avoid
seeing the girls
.
The last thing he could do was go to the infirmary.
There wasn’t a chance
in
hell that one of those little cunts wouldn’t recognize him
, remember him overseeing their delivery from the wharf in San Francisco.
He thought about that night
,
unloading
them
on the
dock
. T
he memory of those terrified young girls tied and bound together ma
de
his cock swell
.
Looking at Elena’s beautiful face and her gorgeous body, he thought
o
ne of the things he will do is tie her down and make her watch him assault the little girls and vice versa
.

Greg had spent years working his way up to his current position.
When he thought of the asses he’d kissed, the bribes he’d taken, the lies he’d told, the deaths
he’d overseen, he was in a word--
proud.
Who would
think
that someone who Elena thought was “too nice
, too sensitive
” to see a bunch of
Chink whores
would be the man who was going to take down her husband
?
Because if he did nothing else in his lifetime, Greg intended to kill
t
he Frenchman
. And when he did, h
e would cla
i
m his prize--
Elena.

Greg
had
been consumed with Elena
since he
first
met her.
He
longed to have her in his bed, to
claim her
.
He’d
wrench out that haughty
demeanor, crush
her flirty ways.
He ached to see her
cry,
beg for mercy
, plead
to stop the pain
which he would give and take at his pleasure.
Over the years
,
he had
tested his baser needs
with whores
. H
e had to kill most of them; they hadn’t held up well under his tutelage.
H
e was sure Elena would be
different
;
she was made of better stock.
Of course, eventually she would collapse, give in, be crushed
,
but until then he would enjoy bringing her to
heel
.
He would m
ake her pay for her crime. How dare she?
The most beautiful, desirable woman he ever kn
ew
had
whored herself out
to a Chink.
He shuddered to think of her
pure white body
in
Bai’s
dirty
yellow hands, his obscene cock in her innocent cunt.
It was a sin against nature; one that she would pay for dearly.