by Mac Fortner
~***~
My phone rang before I could take my first bite. I didn’t recognize the number, but only relevant people have my number.
“Hello,” I said, looking at my hot dog and wondering if it really would kill me.
“Cam, it’s Alexis.”
I didn’t like the tone of her voice. She sounded urgent.
“Alexis, what’s wrong?”
“It’s Chad. He’s been shot.”
Chapter 20
I tossed my hotdog into the trash can and hailed a taxi. I arrived at the Mount Sinai Hospital ten minutes later.
The receptionist at the front desk directed me to the waiting area for the ER. Alexis was waiting there.
I put my arms around her, “Is he alright?” I asked.
“I don’t know yet. I think he’ll be okay. The bullet sliced his shoulder. They said it didn’t seem to hit anything vital.”
“Was it a robbery?”
“No. We were just going to Marko’s for lunch. When he stepped out of the car someone shot him,” she said and started crying. I held her again.
I held her until she stopped. I sat her down in a chair and got both of us some coffee.
“Did you see who shot him?” I said.
“No, I didn’t even hear the shot.”
“Must have been from some distance.”
We waited. Twenty minutes then twenty more.
The door to the waiting room opened, and Chief McNally walked in.
“Hello, Cam. We meet again,” he said, removing his cigar from his mouth and sticking it in his coat pocket.
“Yes we do, but this time Chad has actually been shot. Maybe you’ll take us a little more serious now.”
“So you think Emanuel Barona took a shot at Chad?”
“I don’t know, but someone did.”
“Any thoughts.”
“None you would enjoy hearing.”
“Try me.”
“Well, to me it looks like the work of a professional hit man. It just so happens that there is one in town from Russia. The FBI is tracking him, but I’m sure you’re on top of that.”
“Why would I be? The FBI has a bad habit of not sharing with us,” he said gruffly.
“Guess they don’t want you in the way.”
“Ouch. Are you trying to hurt me on purpose?” he said, feigning insult.
I thought for a minute. This probably isn’t the best way to lobby for help from the NYPD.
“Sorry,” I said. “I’m just trying to blame someone.”
“No problem. Now, who is this assassin?”
“He goes by Bloodshot,” I said. “He’s from Russia.”
“How do you know this?”
“I’ve heard,” I said, offering no more.
“Okay, I’ll check on Emanuel. We have a little birdy close to him. If he ordered this, I’ll know.”
“Thanks.”
“Hope Chad is okay. I’ll check back when he’s feeling better.”
We shook hands, and he left. We waited another ten minutes.
“I’ve got to find someone and get some answers,” I finally said, rising from my chair. “We should have heard something by now.”
As I was about to open the door, it swung open. A doctor was standing there. We startled each other.
“Sorry,” I said.
He looked past me and said, “Alexis?”
“Yes, that’s me,” she said, standing.
“Will you please take this man home? He’s been a real pain.”
Chad walked from behind the doctor and entered the room.
“Hey everyone, what’s up,” he said in a jubilant voice for someone who was just shot.
Alexis started crying again and ran to him.
“Easy,” the doctor said. “He won’t be quite as happy once the shots wear off.”
I was never so relieved in my life. I didn’t know how much he meant to me until now. Good friends are hard to come by.
Chad hugged Alexis. Then he saw me. “What’s the matter, ole boy. Did you think you were going to get rid of me so you could have Alexis?”
“Well, yeah. That thought did enter my mind.”
“No luch suck,” he said, twisting his words.
Alexis giggled.
The doctor told us that the police wanted to talk to Chad, but they would wait until he was home.
“They think they already have a good idea of who shot him,” he said.
“Really, who?” I said.
“Don’t know. They didn’t share that with me, but if the shot had been a few inches to the left, he could have lost his arm. A few more inches and he would be dead.”
“Well, I guess it’s my lucky day,” Chad said.
“Doc, how long before the medication wears off?” I said.
“You have to put up with him for another two hours.”
“Thank you. Can we take him home now?”
“He’s all yours. My nurse will give you instruction on changing the bandage. She’ll be right in.”
“Thank you, kind sir,” Chad said to the doctor as he was leaving.
“My pleasure,” he said back over his shoulder.
~***~
I called for our limo, and the three of us went to Chad’s apartment since it was closer than her parent’s house.
My cell phone rang. It was Robin.
“Hello sweetie,” I answered.
“Cam, is Chad okay?”
“How did you know about Chad?”
“I got a call from the NYPD. They thought I might be interested.”
“Why is that?”
“They found a calling card from where the shot was fired.”
“You don’t mean….”
“Yes, I do. Was he shot in the arm?”
“Yes.”
“On the back of the card, he had written-Chad Kendall-right arm-$25,000.
I looked at Chad and Alexis. They were staring at me.
“I’m on my way there,” Robin said.
“We’re going to Alexis’s apartment now. We’ll see you there.”
“So, he’s okay?”
“Just a nick,” I said.
“That’s a first. He never misses, and I don’t think he missed this time.”
“Lucky for us this time.”
We hung up. I didn’t know if I should tell Chad or not. This presented all kinds of implications. Someone hired an assassin to kill Chad, or at least wound him. Quickly thinking about who would have done that, two names came to mind. Alexis and Robert. They both had a lot to gain. Well, Robert did. Alexis would get her money either way, but maybe she wanted it for herself.
“What was that about?” Alexis said.
What the heck. They would know as soon as the police arrived anyway.
“It appears that Bloodshot is the one who shot Chad,” I said.
Chad looked at me. I think it sobered him up. “You mean the assassin Bloodshot?” he said.
“Yeah.”
“Why would someone want me killed?”
Then another thought came to mind.
“Maybe Emanuel Barona,” I said.
“You think?”
“How did Bloodshot know we were going to be at Marko’s for lunch? We just decided that this morning and we haven’t told anyone,” Alexis said.
“Good question. He had to be there before you.”
The limo pulled to the curb in front of The Plaza. I told the driver not to wait. “We’ll make it home okay. Thanks.”
Barry, the driver, said, “I hope you feel better tomorrow Mister Kendall.”
“Thank you, Barry. I hope so too. Thanks for the ride.”
We took the elevator to Chad’s apartment. I could tell Chad was already starting to feel the pain a little.
“Anyone for a drink?” Alexis said. “I think I could use one.”
“I’ll have one too,” I said.
“I could use a big one,” Chad said.
We had our drinks and discussed the p
ossibility that Emanuel could have done this.
“Didn’t Robin say Bloodshot was summoned here a month ago?” Chad said.
“Yeah, about three weeks.”
“He was already coming before Emanuel threatened us.”
“You’re right. It couldn’t be him.”
Alexis was quiet, but I could tell something was on her mind.
“What are you thinking Alexis?” I said.
“Nothing, just thinking.”
Chad was slowly slipping into slumber. We walked him to the bedroom, and he lay down on the bed. I pulled his shoes off pulled up the covers and turned off the light.
Back out in the living room we made two more drinks and sat on the balcony.
“Do you want to tell me what you were thinking now?” I said.
“Well, I know I’m probably wrong, but I told Robert, Chads brother, a month ago that he would inherit five million dollars if Chad died. You don’t think he would do something like this, do you?”
I figured it was time, to be honest. “Robert told us about that. He thought it sounded as if you said that, hoping he would kill Chad. That way you would get your money and still be single.”
“No,” she said. “You don’t believe that do you?”
It was time to be–not so honest. “No, I don’t, but I could see how that would be strange for someone who doesn’t really know you.”
“Doesn’t know me?” she murmured.
“You mean, he does know you?”
“Please don’t tell Chad, but Robert and I have met. He came to my father six months ago to offer him a percentage of a venture, if father would finance it. We went out to supper a few times while the negotiations were going on. They couldn’t come to a settlement, so they called it off.”
“You haven’t told Chad?”
“No, I didn’t know they were brothers at first. Then when I found out I was scared of losing Chad, so I didn’t say anything.”
“Robert told us he was in Vietnam six months ago,” I said.
“No, he was here.”
“What did he want the loan for?”
“I’m not sure. I didn’t have anything to do with that deal.”
“Okay. Keep this to yourself for now. I’ll do some checking.”
“I will. Thank you so much for all you’ve done for us.”
Chapter 21
Robin arrived two hours later. I filled her in on what was discussed. She questioned Alexis about Robert.
“I want you to let me check on him first,” I said.
“I don’t know if I can do that,” Robin said.
“Please, give me twenty-four hours.”
She thought it over. I could tell her instincts said no, but her loyalty said maybe.
“Okay, but that’s all I can do,” she said.
“Why were you going to give Robert the five million?” Robin asked Alexis.
“It was the amount he asked father for. I thought Chad and I would back him. I told him that, but I wanted him to know if something happened to Chad, he would still get it.”
“How are you going to tell Chad that his brother wants you to back him and that the two of you already know each other?” I said.
“I haven’t figured that out yet,” she said.
“You need to figure it out soon. Like tomorrow.”
“I will.”
Robin put her arm around Alexis. “I’ll help any way I can.”
“Thank you,” Alexis said.
I haven’t told Robin about Robert’s thoughts on Alexis wanting Chad dead. I wanted to check it out myself, first.
Robin and I said our goodnights to Alexis and went to my apartment.
We fixed a drink and sat on the sofa.
“I’m trying to figure out how Bloodshot knew where Chad was going to be before he arrived,” Robin said.
“I know. Alexis asked the same question. She and Chad were the only ones who knew.”
“Do you think he placed a bug somewhere in their room?”
“I don’t know how,” I answered.
“It can be done.”
“You know, there is the chance Alexis could have something to do with this,” I said.
“I know. She was my first thought.”
“She was?”
“Yep. I always look at the wife or husband first. And one more thing.”
“What’s that?”
“How did the NYPD know we were working on a case called Bloodshot?”
“I might have slipped a little in the heat of an argument.”
“You shouldn’t do that.”
“I know. Sorry.”
“Well, this time it was a good thing. We were informed right away, but I did get a little ass-chewing from McNally.”
“Sorry again.”
“Forgiven.”
“Why would someone hire an assassin just to wound someone?”
“That’s a good question. It doesn’t make any sense.”
“This is going to be a tough one. I don’t want anyone to be guilty,” I said.
“I know the feeling. When friends are involved, sometimes you have to back off and let someone else do the dirty work.”
I took a drink of my Wild Turkey and held it in my mouth. The warm liquid perked my senses.
“No, I can’t do that. What if I would have backed off in Key West when I was told to? I might have never found Melinda’s killers,” I said and instantly tried to push the thought from my mind.
“I had you covered on that,” she said.
“Are you forgetting I also saved your life?”
“And I saved yours.”
“Well aren’t we just a couple of hero’s?”
“Yeah, Super Heroes.”
~***~
The next morning when I woke, Robin was in the shower. I made my famous omelets and fried some bacon.
“Smells good,” she said from the kitchen entry.
“Thought it might be a big day. We need our energy.”
“You only have sixteen hours left to find the goods on Robert. You shouldn’t waste your time cooking.”
“I’m already working on it. I have a call into Johnny Craddock.”
“Who’s Johnny Craddock?”
“Robert’s friend. Supposedly they were in Vietnam together last year. Johnny came home, and Robert chose to stay. He just returned last month, and Alexis said Robert visited her father then. I’m just a little concerned about the timeline. Why did he come home just in time for the wedding, and why Alexis’s dad? Not to mention, Chad and I were defending her at the same time, and Robert never contacted Chad.”
“You sure don’t sound like someone trying to defend a friend.”
“It’s just that I have to find a logical explanation for all of this. I know there has to be one,” I said.
“Good luck, I hope your right.”
We dug into our bacon and eggs.
“This is good,” Robin said. “I could get used to this. Why don’t you just quit work and take care of me?”
“Is that a proposal?” I said.
She got a funny look on her face. “I don’t know.”
“I was just kidding. You can relax,” I said.
“What if it was a proposal?”
“I think you would make an excellent partner in life, but we would have a lot to discuss before making any permanent commitment.”
We just stared at each other.
“Wow, that was intense,” she said.
“Yeah, but think about it and I will too.”
I was confused now. I already had my mind made up to return to Key West.
She finished her eggs and said, “Thank you, it was awesome. I’ll call you tonight, and you can fill me in on Robert.”
“I’m working on it,” I said.
“How long will Robert be in New York?”
“He said he'd be here for another two weeks.”
“Okay, it doesn’t sound like he’s running.”
I walked
her to the door and kissed her softly. “I love you.”
“I love you too.”
.
.
Chapter 22
I decided to take the day off and concentrate on Robert. My first stop was at The Barclay, where Chad lives. I wanted to talk to Tom Carrington, Chad's friend, and neighbor. Adrian Boykov told me that Tom invited him to the bachelor party. I thought this was a good place to start since I hadn’t heard from Johnny yet.
I found his apartment on the sixth floor. No one answered my knock. I knew it was a chance anyway. People do have to work.
As I was leaving a neighbor opened his door. “Excuse me, sir. Are you looking for Tom?” he said.
He was a young man, around thirty-five, dressed in a well-tailored blue suit.
“Yes, I am. Have you seen him?”
“No. Not for a couple of days. We had an appointment with a broker this morning, but he hasn’t shown up. I’m a little worried.”
“Do you have a key to his apartment?” I inquired.
“No, but the concierge does.”
I introduced myself to the man who said his name is Jerald Banks. I gave him my card and asked if he might contact the concierge and try Tom’s room. Would he please call me and let me know if it gave any clue as to where he might be.
“Sure. I’ve been thinking the same thing myself,” he said.
I left the building and hailed another taxi. “The Hilton please,” I said.
I thought I would check there to see if Adrian had returned. The Desk Clerk said he had checked out. Another dead end.
My cell phone rang. “Hello.”
Mister Derringer?” It was a question.
“Yes, this is he.”
“This is Johnny Craddock returning your call.”
“Johnny, thanks for getting back to me. I’m a good friend and associate of Chad Kendall’s. I was calling in regards to his brother Robert.”
“Is he okay?” panic in his voice.
“Should I worry that he isn’t? I said.
“No, I guess not. I just haven’t heard from him for a while.”
“He’s fine. He was telling me about your adventure to Vietnam. You haven’t seen him since he returned?”