For Old Crime's Sake (Chase Charley Mystery Book 1) (20 page)

Dangerfield and I headed around the corner to the little café. We stopped at one of the outside tables. I handed Dangerfield the briefcase. “Here. You see what’s in it.” I looked over my shoulder, hoping that no one was watching us.

Now that we had the briefcase we had to find out what was in it. He placed it on the table and stared down at it as if he was about to defuse a bomb.

“What’s in it?” I asked.

We were about to find out. I’d hoped that it was a clue leading me in the right direction.

Dangerfield looked over at me. “Should I open it?”

“If you don’t, I will,” I said.

He repositioned the case in front of him. “Okay, I’ll do it.” He glanced over at me one more time before placing his hands on the briefcase.

I nudged him. “You’re killing me with the suspense. Open it already.”

Dangerfield popped it open and I leaned close to him. Of course he smelled good and my stomach flipped.

“What’s in it?” I asked, trying to distract myself.

“I don’t know. Looks like a lot of papers.” He pulled out some of the papers and flipped through the pages. “It looks like there is a list of transactions.”

I quirked an eyebrow. “What kind of transactions?”

He shook his head. “I don’t know. They are selling a lot of items.”

I looked at him and asked. “What do we do now?”

He tapped his fingers against the table. “I’m thinking of a plan. Wait for my genius idea to pop into my head.”

“We don’t have that kind of time, Dangerfield. Maybe we can find out if any of these papers mean anything to the murder,” I said.

He lifted up a few more pages and we both froze. I hadn’t expected to see what was at the bottom of the case.

“That’s a lot of cash,” I said.

Dangerfield pulled out a couple of the stacks of bills. We scanned the area to see if anyone watched us. As far as I could tell no one was watching us.

“How much do you think is there?” I asked.

Dangerfield sifted through the briefcase. “It looks like there’s twenty thousand here.”

“Oh, is that all?” I laughed.

“They probably have quite a bit more than this lying around.”

My phone rang and I looked at the screen. I didn’t recognize the number. I was a little leery of any number that I didn’t know.

“Maybe it’s them looking for the briefcase.” I figured with that much missing cash that they would want it back immediately. They probably wouldn’t think twice about killing to get it back either. I couldn’t say that I blamed them. I would want it back too. But I knew that this cash was probably made through crime.

“Aren’t you going to answer that?” Dangerfield asked.

“Chase,” I said when I answered.

“You have something that belongs to us,” the gruff voice said. 

Uh-oh. This was the call that I had hoped wouldn’t come. Who wouldn’t want their large sum of money returned? They probably thought we were on our way out of the country already. I didn’t want this money. In fact, I wanted it far away from me right now. The faster I got rid of it the better off I’d be. 

“What are you talking about?” I asked.

“Just give it back,” the man said.

I was almost sure this was Doug on the other end of the line.

“What makes you think that I have your briefcase?”

“Don’t make us play this game. We just want it back. If you don’t give it back we will be forced to do something that I know you will find most unpleasant.”

A flash of just some of the things they could do to us flashed through my mind. I shivered.

“If you bring it back right away nothing will happen to you.”

I didn’t even want to know what they had planned. I was sure it would not end well for us. This conversation wasn’t going as I had hoped. It looked like there was no way that I could avoid this though.

I released a deep breath. “Fine. We will bring it back.”

“That’s what I wanted to hear. We figured you wouldn’t want to cause any problems.”

Yeah, like I had a choice. They would bury me if I didn’t.

I hung up the phone. “They want us to bring it back.”

“We’ll take it back, but it won’t be at the time they think and it won’t have the documents that they want,” Dangerfield said.

“You are going to get us into even more trouble, aren’t you?” I asked.

“You have so little confidence in me. I have a plan.”

“That is not what I want to hear.”

“After we look into the names listed here we will take the briefcase back.”

“We can’t walk up and ring the doorbell. How do we give it back?”

“We can just break in like we did last time,” he said.

“I don’t think it will be as easy this time,” I said. “You do realize they are ready to kill us over this?”

“Yes, I realize that, and I don’t plan on keeping the money.”

“Well, that is a good thing. I think they could track you down if you tried to use it.”

I guessed it wouldn’t be as bad as long as they got their money back. This was a bad idea, but I had no other choice but to come with him to get the information I needed.

“Okay, I will go along with your half-assed plan, but let it be known that I think this is a bad idea.”

“I have made a note of that.”

“Don’t make fun of me,” I said.

He held his hands up. “I would never do that.”

Since Dangerfield had taken the briefcase on the way out, he insisted that he be the one to give it back. It was me who’d found it, of course. I would have taken it out even if he hadn’t. If he was offering though, I would let him do it. I just didn’t want the criminals to think that I had kept the money.

He closed the briefcase. “Okay, I guess we should get this plan in motion.”

I released a deep breath. “I’m ready.”

As we walked toward the house, I spotted the men walking toward us.

I pointed. “They’re headed this way.”

Dangerfield grabbed my arm and pulled me into the alleyway. “We have to hide the briefcase. If they see us with it we’re definitely in deep trouble.”

“I think we’re in deep trouble regardless,” I said.

Dangerfield scanned the area. Moonlight accentuated the lines and angles of his handsome face. When he spotted a nearby trash can, he dumped the briefcase inside and then joined me as I huddled next to the side of the brick building. Dangerfield peeked out over the edge of the building.

“Do you see them?” I asked.

An arm reached out of the darkness and grabbed me. I tried to scream, but the man had placed his hand over my mouth. My legs dragged along the pavement as someone pulled me down the alleyway. I tried to look over to find Dangerfield, but the man’s hold on me was too strong.

I was stuffed into the trunk first. Next they tossed Dangerfield in with me. Talk about too close for comfort. At least they hadn’t taped our mouths shut. Dangerfield’s warm body touched mine.

The car started and then pulled away. Certainly we were headed to our deaths. There was no way we would be able to know where they were taking us. Of course they had taken our cell phones, so we had no way to call for help.

The car slowed down and then pulled to a stop. I had a hard time breathing in the enclosed space. “Do you have to take up so much of the air?” I asked Dangerfield.

“Please forgive me. I will try not to breathe so that you can have all the air.”

“Thank you,” I said.

The men were talking outside of the car. I waited with bated breath for them to open the trunk and take us out to kill us. I couldn’t make out exactly what they were saying, but I was sure they were plotting how they were going to get rid of our bodies.

“There is a safety latch. I will pop it and then we can slowly open the trunk lid,” Dangerfield whispered.

“Why didn’t you tell me about this safety latch earlier?” I asked.

“I assumed you knew,” he said.

Dangerfield slowly opened the trunk and peeked out.

“What do you see?” I asked.

“Dark. Looks like we are in the park.”

“Do you see them?”

“Not now, but we need to get out of here regardless.” Dangerfield climbed out and stretched his hand forward to help me.

I grabbed his hand and clambered out from the confined space. Finally fresh air.

I raced out of the trunk. I didn’t even know where I was running to, I just needed to run. I had to get as far away from that car as possible.

When I looked over my shoulder I realized that the men were nowhere around. Apparently they weren’t very smart. That was a good thing for us. For them, not so much. I wondered how they would feel when they got back and realized we were gone.

I looked for the license plate number. How would I remember it? I didn’t have a photographic memory.

“The license plate.” I pointed. “We need to remember it.”

From out of the shadows Doug and Russ appeared across the way.

Dangerfield grabbed my hand. “We have to get out of here.”

We ran away from the area without even looking back. If Doug and Russ were following us, I didn’t even want to know.

“I can’t believe they stuffed us in the trunk,” I said.

“I can. We’re just lucky we got out.” Dangerfield still held my hand.

We were out of the park and back on the streets of New Orleans again. “I think you can let go of my hand now.” 

He looked down at our intertwined hands. “Oh, right.” Dangerfield released his grip and peered into my eyes.

I shifted my focus to the street sign. “Look where we are.”

We were back at the alleyway where we’d left the briefcase.

Dangerfield grabbed my hand. “If it’s still there then we can get rid of it.”

Part of me hoped that it wasn’t there, but then I knew the men would come to us again looking for it. Better to try to return it now before they did something worse than stuff us in a trunk. Next they’d bury us alive.

Dangerfield and I hurried over to the trashcan. He lifted the metal lid and yanked out the leather briefcase. 

“That thing just won’t go away,” I said.

“Watch out for that pothole.” Dangerfield grabbed my arm and helped me navigate around the break in the pavement.

Once back onto the sidewalk we rushed toward the house on Royal Street. My feet pounded against the bricks on the ground. Dangerfield and I weaved around masses of people. We passed a jazz club. Music spilled out from the open doors. The house came into view. We paused for a second to catch our breath. A little further down the street and we would be in front of the house. It was as if fate had stepped in. This was our chance to get rid of this briefcase.

“I don’t want any part of any criminal activity that they have going on,” I said.

Dangerfield held the briefcase. “Do we dare sneak back in there? We can leave the briefcase and get out.”

As we stood in front of the gate leading into the courtyard, someone cleared his throat from behind us.

The hair on the back of my neck prickled. We were in huge trouble now. When I turned around Russ was right behind us. He pointed a gun at us. I should have expected this turn of events.

He pointed the gun at us and motioned for us to move inside the gate. Dangerfield and I did as we were told and stepped inside the courtyard. I couldn’t take my eyes off the gun pointed at me. I knew I should have brought a gun with me. But then again, I hoped that no gunfire would be necessary.

We stepped inside the office where we’d taken the briefcase just a short time ago. I had no idea what they would do to us now. The doorknob twisted and then the door leading from the hallway opened. Officer West stepped into the room. He smirked at us as if we were about to be the losers in this game.

“What a surprise seeing you all here. You’re early for our meeting.”

I didn’t like his cocky attitude. He seemed so sure of himself.

“What makes you two think you are smarter than us? You don’t know when to walk away. You should have done as you were told.”

“It doesn’t matter if we had done as we were told, you would kill us anyway. Just like you did the man you shoved into the trunk of your car.”

“Don’t be so negative,” Officer West said with a smarmy smile.

He thought he was so clever, but I thought otherwise.

The cop waved his hand. “Do you have the goods?”

Dangerfield held up the briefcase. I knew once they got the stuff, we were finished.

“Just put it on the ground and don’t try anything funny.”

“I wouldn’t even know what to do. How could I try anything funny?”

Just then another man stepped through the doorway. He wore a dark suit with a black and white tie. His dark hair fell to his shoulders.

The man moved closer, his gun still pointed at us. “That won’t be necessary. I can handle everything from here,” he said.

“Are you Frank Powers?” I asked.

“The one and only.” He smiled.

The cop looked shocked and totally taken off guard. I figured he’d never had anyone tell him what to do like that before. It was about time someone told him though. Now I just needed someone to tell the other man.

Dangerfield eased the briefcase to the floor. Frank hurried toward the briefcase and then picked it up.

He backed away toward the desk. “Don’t make a move or I will not think twice about killing you.”

We continued to hold our hands in the air. My arms were getting tired.

“It had better all be there,” the man snapped.

“Would I try something stupid like that?” I asked.

Frank didn’t lower the gun. “Yes, you would try something stupid like that. I’ll just check this out and make sure everything is in order.”

“Of course everything is in order.” Did he think I would come here without things in order?

He moved over to the briefcase, but didn’t take his eyes off us.

“I did everything you asked of me, Frank,” Officer West said.

“You’re stupid if you thought this was going to go in your favor. I was only using you to get what I needed. Now I am finished with you and your services are no longer needed.”

“What are you talking about? We had a deal.” Officer West looked like he was in shock.

Even though Frank had turned on the cop, I still didn’t trust either of them. Frank had no reason to save anyone but himself, so he would be no help to us. How would we get out of this mess? Dangerfield didn’t act as if he had a plan. And unfortunately neither did I. Was it too late to think of a plan. Yeah, probably too late.

Frank fired his gun. The bullets whizzed past our heads. They hit the walls behind us and I hit the floor. Dangerfield landed on the floor next to me. Our eyes met and he looked as if he wanted to say he was sorry. There was no need. I was just as responsible for getting us into this.

More gunfire sounded and I held my arms over my head. It was the only protection I had and it wouldn’t stop a bullet, that was for sure. I had to know what was going on, so I eased my head up and took a peek. I released a sigh of relief when I saw Marc was there. Thank goodness he had shown up. 

“Thanks for showing up, buddy,” Officer West said with a smile.

Marc glared at him, but didn’t say anything in return. I thought the cop was shocked that Marc was treating him like this. I was shocked that Marc had found us. How had Marc found us?

Marc motioned for the other officers to enter the room.

“I’m afraid I didn’t show up to help you,” Marc said. “Place your hands behind your back. You’re under arrest.” He moved over to Officer West and placed the handcuffs on him.

“I don’t think you realize what you’re doing,” Officer West said.

“I completely understand.” Marc moved over and touched my arm. “Are you okay?”

I nodded. “I’m fine. Thank you.”

“I’m okay too,” Dangerfield offered. “Thanks for asking.”

Marc just stared at him, but didn’t respond. “I’ll be back to talk with you in just a minute.”

He walked away and Dangerfield said, “I don’t think he likes me much.”

More officers filled the room and escorted the men out. That had been too close a brush with death.

“How did you know where to find us?” I asked.

“We had been getting close to finding out what was going on. So I stopped by here on a hunch.”