Ride to Restoration (Ride Series Book 2) (29 page)

Chapter
56

M
oving
my truck from the fuel island, I parked in plain sight of the Suburban, before
leisurely strolling into the adjoining Denny’s and ordering the Grand Slam to
go. Casually taking my time, I shopped in the store another ten minutes buying
John Grisham’s
Sycamore Row
on tape before picking up my breakfast and
traveling south.

Predictable,
that
’
s
how I
’
d
describe my escort
—
staying far enough back to keep me in view without causing
me to rabbit.
Stupid is as stupid does,
I convinced myself. How could I
rabbit in a truck pulling a trailer with an 800 lb. bike on it?

Fifty-five
minutes since my conversation with Donnelley ended, I took the Ina exit to the
right and drove straight to the boat launch area, a long mile off the
interstate. Thankfully there were only three trucks with empty boat trailers in
the parking lot and no one loitering in plain sight. I honestly hoped they made
it.

Pulling
as close to the lake as possible, I parked the truck at a 45-degree angle
facing out and waited. It didn
’
t take long. Three minutes later, the black Suburban slowly
crept into the parking lot, reconnoitering the surroundings before moving in my
direction and blocking my only exit.
If they only knew
 
... Escaping is the furthest
thing from my mind today. Live to fight another day is not an option. It ends
here or at least I hope it will.

I exited
the truck and set my breakfast on the Tonneau cover. Looking over my left
shoulder, I noticed subtle movement along a deeply overgrown fencerow fifty
yards away. Someone was taking up a defensive position.
That
’
s a good sign.
Two hundred yards to the
north and to the right of a shuttered public bathroom, I glimpsed a black-clad
figure crouched to the right of the building.
Another good sign.
Off to
my right, not 75 feet away, standing behind a bridge piling of the wooden pier
jutting out into the water was a man with what looked like a .50 cal. Barrett
M107 sniper rifle pointed directly at me. A little unnerving, nonetheless, I
took comfort knowing someone with that much firepower in his hands had my back.

For
the moment, however, if I was to get the answers I needed this was my fight.
Slipping into the truck from the passenger side as the Suburban continued its
snail
’
s
pace approach, I unlocked the glove box, retrieved the Glock and clipped it
onto my belt. Spreading my Styrofoam encapsulated breakfast fare before me, I
indulged, intensely watching the Suburban inch its way forward two hundred
yards, then a hundred, then fifty, before stopping less than a hundred feet
away. I acted completely indifferent, waving my hand in their direction, before
turning my back to them and gazing at the sparkling waters of Rend Lake.
How
you gonna play this, D?

I
heard multiple doors open and shut before turning to face four approaching
individuals, only one of whom I recognized. Donnie had arrived with his
entourage. He was sporting two black eyes, a distinct nose bandage and an
aluminum neck brace. By the looks of things he was not particularly happy to be
here. Displaying the cause and effect of my helmet
’
s impact with his face a
week earlier, I was suddenly not too happy to be here either. I grimaced.
“
Damn that had to hurt! ...
Bet he
’
s one pissed-off son of a
bitch!
”

Guess
I should stop them short.
“
Donnie, that you? Best you stop where you are until you
tell me what you want. I almost didn
’
t recognize you. Sorry about
that number I did on your face.
”

The
three other men stopped and looked straightaway at Donnie as he began to mumble
a string of words in my direction, which for the life of me I couldn't
understand at any distance.

“
I
’
m sorry, I got nothing,
”
I managed to say, holding out my hands palm side up before
him.

The
stocky, bald man next to Donnie spoke up, pointing his finger at Donnie
’
s face.
“
His mouth is wired shut.
Gotta be up close to understand him. Then it
’
s still tough when he gets
excited.
…
Kinda
like he is now.
”

“
If that
’
s the case, Donnie, why don
’
t you walk on over here? I
’
d like to talk to you and
only you. Alone.
”
Everyone
looked perplexed, so I continued,
“
Don
’
t worry, all my helmets are
locked up in the back of the truck.
”
That got a subdued chuckle out of three of them and
momentarily diffused the tense atmosphere that enveloped us.

Donnie,
hand signaling it was OK, motioned his enforcers to stand down while he walked
the remaining seventy-five feet to me.

Mumbling
through clenched teeth as he got within earshot, Donnie began halting,
“
D, you hard man to find. I
owe you big time. Mr. Joseph sent me collect you.
”

Looking
Donnie squarely in the face,
“
I know why
you
’
d
like to, but I
’
m struggling to see Joseph
’
s angle.
”

“
He say he promise Standford bring you back.
”
Donnie strained to get that thought out before shaking his
head side to side.
“
I say Ms. Candice always been your biggest problem.
”

“
I can see that. What did Joseph promise you if you deliver
me?
”

Hanging
his head, Donnie mumbled ...
“
Half a mil.
”

“
That
’
s not enough, Donnie. Two point five is what Standford has
offered for me, plus Candi split her take with him. Joseph is flush with cash
already and that
’
s without collecting on me.
”

“
I do as told,
”
countered Donnie.

“
What if I give you three times that to walk away
—
as in forever? Would you?
”

Donnie
’
s tone deepened, attempting
to sound tough,
“
You in no position to bargain. You outnumbered four to one.
”

I
raised both hands in the air hoping the individual who had my back would get my
not so subtle hint. Thankfully, he did. A blazing red circle appeared on Donnie
’
s chest.
“
That
’
s where you
’
re wrong, sir. See that dot
on your chest? It
’
s coming from a .50 cal. Barrett currently aimed at your
heart. I
’
d almost guarantee there
’
s three more just like this
one aimed at each of your pals.
”

The
color in Donnie
’
s face faded quickly to ashen white.
“
If I lower my hands and move
quickly, they
’
ll drop you where you stand. What will it be, Donnie? It
’
s your call.
”

Defeated,
Donnie strained to reply,
“
What you want?
”

“
I want you to buy me some time. Ten days, tops. Make the
call. Tell Joseph you took me out, dumped my body in Rend Lake here and were
taken into custody by the Marshal Service as you left the scene. Tell him I was
under their surveillance. They just arrived late. That will go a long way in
making him believe you.
”

Shifting
his weight from one foot to the other, Donnie weighed the consequences. Looking
over his shoulder, he turned back to me and asked,
“
What about them? They gonna
tell same story?
”

“
I believe I can get the Marshal
’
s to hold all of you on
something. None of you are lily white. Bet they can barter where everybody
wins. I just need time to sort out my current circumstances.
”

“
I do this, I can
’
t go back,
”
seethed Donnie.

“
Welcome to my world. You
’
re long overdue for a new
career
—
a new life. I
’
ll help you. I
’
ll honor the amount I told
you and then some.
”

“
Why me?
”

“
Because Candi says deep down you
’
re good people. A little
twisted maybe, but good. Been with the Family a long time, haven
’
t you? The way I see it,
Joseph has an innate way of bringing out the worst in all of us.
”

I
continued,
“
I
’
m going to slowly lower my hands now. Don
’
t make any sudden moves.
Good boy. Now, I
’
m sure you
’
ve got a stash of cash somewhere?
”

Donnie
nodded yes.

“
Use it to disappear somewhere far away. Remember Victoria?
I
’
m
going to give you her email address. When you
’
ve settled, email her and
let her know how to contact you. I
’
ll have a blind trust in
place, transferring ten percent of the balance I promised you every year until
it
’
s
gone. Who knows? It could last you twenty with the right investments. Do we
have a deal?
”

“
Yes,
”
relented
Donnie.
“
Deal.
”

Chapter
57

N
ow,
it was up to me to conclude this tense situation without bloodshed, mainly so I
could get back on the road in one piece.
“
Come on, Donnie. Walk back with me to
your guys. I
’
m going to ask them to lay face down
on the ground. Think they
’
ll do it if I ask nicely?
”

“Nope. St. Louis boys. Not a chance.” Donnie spouted, “Need
convincing.”

“I can do that.” Pulling my Glock from the holster behind my
back, I placed the barrel directly on Donnie’s right temple. “Gentlemen, please
unholster your weapons and lay face down on the ground.” Convinced of my
sincerity they were not, each one looking at the other for the courage to take
our rising altercation to the next level. That is until a barrage of .50 cal.
rounds, echoing like thunder, blasted into the asphalt directly in front of
their feet, sending projectiles of rock and tar flying into their faces.

That sure as hell worked well
, I thought …
Or did
it?
With guns drawn, they charged us. Big mistake. Before I could tell them
to stop, muffled shots rang out in the distance — each one a kill shot,
dropping all three of these unfortunate souls mid stride. Turning to me, Donnie
gave me the strangest look.

Stupid, how could they have been so dumb?
“Thank you,
gentlemen, for not listening to me,” I shouted, watching a convergence of U.S.
Marshal’s appear from every direction. The first Marshal to reach me was the
one who had my back. The man, who with a few well-placed rounds tried to
prevent the carnage that was all too real from playing out before my eyes.

Extending his gloved hand, “D, I presume. I’m Marshal
Donnelley. I warned them. I made the call. Didn’t have a clear shot because of
you and—”

“Donnie. I’m sorry I didn’t introduce you. Donnie here is
changing professions, beginning today.”

Donnie grinned ... kind of.

“What’s wrong with his face? Why is he all bandaged up? Does
he need medical attention? Can’t he speak?” Donnelley fired off one question
after another.

I laughed. “He can talk, just not too loud or clear. Had a
motorcycle accident in Canada a little over a week ago. He’ll be fine,” I
continued, slapping Donnie on the shoulder. “Donnie needs to disappear for the
next ten days or so, Marshal Donnelley. After that, it’s up to him where he
goes. Right, Donnie? Can you help with making the short term and long term
happen?”

“I can. Glad to do it. Did you happen to get the answers you
were looking for in time?”

“I
think so, thanks to you. You’re very persuasive with a .50 cal. and laser
sight, I’ll give you that. Sure would’ve stopped me in my tracks. Too bad it
didn’t stop them.”

Donnelley chuckled somberly. “We aim to please. We serve at
your pleasure or destruction. Just one call brings it all. I know. It’s not the
time to make jokes with three dead wise guys bleeding out fifty feet away. You
tried to get them to stop. I tried to get them to stop. What was wrong with
them?”

Donnie did his best to chime in, “Three dumb, dead men.”

Yep, that pretty much said it all. “Walk with me, Donnelley.
Donnie, don’t just stand there, you too.” While the remaining Marshals secured
the scene, I explained in brief detail who Donnie was and what I needed him to
do. He had a call to make to Joseph while we listened. Not that I didn’t trust
him, but I didn’t. Donnelley and I monitored his conversation on speaker,
listening to him convey as best he could. “Package picked up. Damaged, no
repair. Underwater…Call in insurance. Three more. Five-O here. Later.” Donnie
pressed end and tossed me his phone.

“Wow, that’s it? I’m impressed Donnie. Nothing or no one
implicated. You said a lot in a little. Yep, you’ve been doing this far too
long.”

Marshal Donnelley concurred, nodding his head.

Donnie smiled, “Thanks to you, not no more.”

Assured the mess of our making would be cleaned up and
Donnie was in good hands, I said my good-byes and as I was leaving called Jim
on Donnie’s phone. He answered on the first ring.

“
Hey Jim, it’s D. Party over. You sent a good man to
assist. Left a mess to clean up though. Three wise guys are no longer —
the fourth has seen the light.

“Would it have gone
south for you if we hadn’t intervened?”

“
Yes, sir.”

“Are you sure you
don’t want to stay in the program?”

“Yep ... What I do know is, I’m no longer a threat at the
moment. Message was conveyed to Florida that I was erased. If anything, it’s
bought me some time.”

“Might be able to buy
you some more. I’ll get with Donnelley and have him issue a press release to
that effect. Unknown person in WITSEC was killed, along with three unknown
assailants in an operation involving the U.S. Marshal Service. Will that work?”

“
Yes, sir. Just reinforces what the Florida
connections have already been told. Later, thanks again.”