by Mac Fortner
“When was the last time you looked? Chad said.
“Couple of days ago.”
“We had better check again,” Chad said.
Robert looked at Chad and smiled.
“That is why you came. You need to see for yourself,” Robert said.
“I came to warn you. You might be in trouble if that money is in there. It would be a little hard to explain,” Chad said.
Robert pulled the car over at a Marathon station and retrieved his cell phone from his pocket.
He flipped through it for a minute typing in passwords and came up with his bank account.
“Here you go,” he said, handing Chad his phone. “Take a look.”
“You don’t need to do that,” Chad said.
“Yes, I do. It’s alright, just check them.”
Chad took the phone and opened the accounts. There was three hundred forty-five thousand in one account and five million and fifty thousand in the other.
Chad looked at Robert.
“Well?” Robert said.
“I think you had better look for yourself,” Chad said handing Robert the phone.
Robert thumbed through his accounts. His face turned white.
“What the hell,” he said.
“You had no idea Bill was going to deposit that money in your account?” Chad said.
“No. We never came to an agreement. I don’t think he wanted to be involved in the gay resort,” Robert said.
He looked at his phone again. “It’s been in there for two weeks,” he said. “It wasn’t in there two days ago when I checked.”
“Sometimes it takes a while to show up,” Chad said.
“It doesn’t make sense,” Robert said.
“We need to go to the bank and get records on the deposit,” Chad said. “We’ll see how long it has really been on the books.”
~***~
I must have slept sound, because when I woke I was alone, in bed. I remembered Kailey and got up to see where she was. She was gone. I looked under the sink. Not there either. How in the hell did she get out of here?
I called her cell.
“Good morning sleepy head,” she said.
“Where are you?”
“I’m at home,” she said.
“How did you get out of here?” I said.
“I looked through the peephole, and the agent was asleep, so I snuck out, but he woke up after I closed the door,” she said.
“Oh no,” I said.
“I told him I wanted to see you and asked him if he had a good sleep. He said he wasn’t asleep, that he had watched me walk down the hall to your room. He wouldn’t even let me in to see you,” she said.
“I should tell Robin about that,” I said.
“Well, it was two o’clock in the morning,” she said.
“That’s why he wouldn’t let you in, but he shouldn’t have been asleep.”
“Yeah, I know, but let it go,” she said. “There would be too many questions.”
“Okay,” I said. “Thanks for last night. You were good company.”
“Anytime, or all the time. Your choice,” she said.
“I’ll think about it,” I said. “Talk to you later.”
“Toodles,” she said.
I took a shower and dressed. My shoulder was sore but not as bad as I had anticipated. I decided I would go for a walk and maybe a doughnut. I opened the door and was met by an FBI agent. He stood and said, “Can I help you, sir?”
“I’m just going for a walk,” I said.
“No sir,” he said. “My orders are to not allow you to leave before agent Anderson arrives.”
“Robin,” I said. “When will she be here?”
“About fifteen minutes sir. Would you please step back into your apartment,” he said.
“Yeah, I guess, but I don’t like being held captive.”
“It’s for your own protection,” the agent said.
I acquiesced, closing my door behind me.
Kailey was free to come and go, but I am a prisoner.
Five minutes later Robin knocked on my door. I opened it.
“Are you alone?” she said.
“Of course. I am being held captive. I can neither leave nor have company,” I said.
“You’ll be free to go in a few minutes,” she said. “I need to talk to you first.”
No kiss yet.
“What’s up,” I said.
“We found Bloodshot’s apartment,” she said. “He was staying at the Roxy hotel. There wasn’t much there, but we did find his recording device. We listened to it to try to find who might have hired him. He didn’t record that conversation. We did, however, hear everything you and Kailey said last night and another time in your bath-tub. You can imagine how embarrassing that was for me in the room with my agents.”
“Yes, it probably was, but I could do nothing about it. I’m not about to physically toss her out,” I said.
Robin just stared at me. I could feel her daggers piercing my heart.
“Is that all you have to say?”
“No, but I have a feeling it wouldn’t matter what I say. You know I love you and you know I didn’t invite Kailey in, but, it is what it is. You’re the one who has to decide what you can do.”
She stared at me again.
“You know she want’s you,” Robin said.
“Yes, and she want’s you too,” I said. “She wants everyone.”
“On the phone with her you said, “I’ll think about it,” Robin said.
“I know. I was tired arguing about it.”
She just looked at me again.
“How did your man outside my door explain her being here?” I said.
“I haven’t talked to him yet,” she said.
“And she left and then asked him if she could come in to see me. He wouldn’t let her. He said he saw her walking down the hallway, when in fact, she had just stepped from my room. She said he was asleep.”
I thought if I gave her something else to think about it would take a little of the heat off of me.
“I’ll take care of him. You take care of Kailey,” Robin said.
She turned and left. I followed her to the door.
“Take agent Van Winkle with you,” I said.
That got a dirty look from the agent.
I closed the door.
Chapter 63
Chad and Robert arrived at the Fifth-Third bank in Lehigh Acres the next morning as soon as it opened. They asked for the bank manager and were shown to her office.
She pulled the records and verified that the deposit was made on the fifth, which was two weeks ago. It took some time to clear since it was such a significant amount.
They asked where the money had come from and was told it was sent from William Arlington’s business account by mister Arlington himself.
They thanked her and left.
“Well Robert, if this isn’t a red flag to the FBI you just came into five million dollars free and clear,” Chad said.
“It’s not right,” Robert said. “We didn’t do the deal.”
“From a legal standpoint, though, the money is yours, and the transaction looks legitimate.”
“Is someone trying to set me up for the murder of Bill?” Robert said.
“Either that or Bill had a change of heart,” Chad said.
“What do we do now?” Robert said.
“I’m going back to New York and try to figure this out. You go on about your business. The money is yours. Spend it wisely.”
“Aren’t you going to stay for a few days?” Robert said.
“No reason to now. I’d be more help to you in New York,” Chad said.
“Okay.”
~***~
I filled my morning with a walk and a badly needed doughnut. I can’t wait to get out of this city. While I was wondering what my next move would be, I was mugged by two knife yielding, Hispanics gang bangers. I handed over my doughnut first, then pulled my nine millimeter from my waistband and told
them to lie face down on the sidewalk. One of them took a bite of my doughnut and called me a mother fucker. They turned and walked away.
Now I had to go buy another doughnut.
I’m going to leave as soon as Chad returns. I decided to go to the office and get my affairs in order.
Jackie was in my office when I arrived.
“Cam, what are you doing here? You were shot yesterday,” Jackie said, surprised to see me.
“Yes, I know. I was there,” I said.
“You should go home and rest,” she said like a mother.
“I’ll be okay. I just came in to see how you were doing with my files. I see you almost have my desk emptied.”
“Yes. Everything is good here. You don’t need to worry yourself,” she said.
I could tell I was being kicked out of my own office.
I held my good hand up in surrender and said, “Okay, okay, I’m going.”
“Before I do, though,” I said. “Is there anything I might need to sign?”
“Why? Won’t you be coming back?” she said.
“Maybe not,” I said. “I think it’s time to go to Key West.”
She laid out a few papers and I signed them.
‘Thank you. We’ll miss you around here. You were always good for a laugh,” she said smiling.
I hugged her and told her I would miss her too.
I stepped out of the office building, and Kailey pulled to the curb in her Porsche.
“Need a ride?” she said.
I didn’t know whether to get in or not. She was dangerous.
“Are you dressed?” I said.
“Yeah, but I can take it off if you want me too,” she giggled.
What the hell I thought. How much worse can it get?
I opened the door and got in.
“Were you following me?” I said.
“Maybe. I just want to make sure you’re safe. I almost shot those thugs that mugged you a while ago,” she said. “Then I saw you had everything under control.”
“You saw that huh?”
“Yep.”
“Check out the sack on the floor,” she said.
I saw a white paper bag on the floor by my feet. I opened it. Inside there were two chocolate covered cinnamon honeybuns.
“They’re from Key West,” she said.
“How did you manage to do that?” I said.
“Diane,” she said. “I called her and asked, what would be something nice I could do for you, for all the help you’ve been to me.”
“And you got them?”
“Voilà,” she said.
“I’ll be damned. That is incredible,” I said, and I meant it.
I leaned over and kissed her on the cheek.
“What’s our next move?” she said.
“Our next move?” I said.
“Yeah, I’ve decided you need help. You seem to always be getting in trouble.”
“Have you considered the fact that some of that trouble is because of you?” I said.
“Maybe, but this way we can keep an eye on each other,” she said smiling at me as if it were an excellent idea.
“I’m afraid I work alone,” I said.
“Not anymore,” she said.
“Robin heard everything we said last night and the night in my bathtub. They found Bloodshot’s recording device last night,” I said.
“You should have gotten rid of that bug. If I were there to work with you, I would have made you get rid of it.”
“Yes, in hindsight that would have been wise. I didn’t really fool anyone with it,” I said.
“So, I guess Robin is mad at me,” Kailey said.
“She’s mad at both of us,” I said.
“I’m sorry for that, but I’m not sorry for the time I’ve spent with you,” she said.
“Yeah, I’m not sorry for our time together either,” I said.
Kailey smiled bigger and drove on.
I had her drop me at my apartment. She wanted to come in, but I told her that I needed to rest my arm for a while.
“When will I see you again?” she said.
“You never know Kailey. I’m sure it won’t be long.”
“Oh, you’re messing with me because I keep showing up,” she said.
“Yeah, I am.”
“Enjoy your doughnuts,” she said.
“I will. I’m going to eat them slowly. I’ll try to ration them out,” I said.
“I love you,” Kailey said.
I looked at her for a moment. How could you not love this woman?
“I love you too Kailey, just not in a romantic way,” I said.
“I know,” she said, “but you will.”
I closed the car door. She said “Toodles,” and drove away.
Chapter 64
Robin called me ten minutes after I returned home. I was just fixing a Wild Turkey on the rocks.
“Are you busy?” she asked.
“No,” I said. “I was just about to have a drink.”
“Already?”
“It’s been a hard day,” I said.
“I hope it’s not your arm. Is it okay?”
“A little sore, but I’ll live.”
“Can we get together tonight?” she said.
“I don’t know. Are you going to shoot me?” I said.
She laughed, “No. I’m sorry for the way I acted this morning. Jealousy will do that.”
“I don’t blame you a bit,” I said.
“Have you talked to Chad or Alexis today?” she said.
“No, is something wrong?” I said.
“I’ve been getting some pressure to check Bills files. I think I’ll call Alexis.”
“Will you try to put that off for as long as you can? Give them a chance to go over everything,” I said.
“I’ll try, but I need to touch base with them anyway,” she said.
“Okay. Give her my love. I’ll see you around six?” I said.
“That will be perfect. I’ll bring food and booze to your place,” she said.
“Sounds great,” I said.
I called Chad's cell phone as soon as we hung up.
“Hey Cam,” he answered.
“Where are you?” I said.
“Getting in the limo at the airport. I just got back,” he said.
“How’s Robert?” I said.
“Same ‘ole guy,” he said.
I gave him a heads up on my conversation with Robin.
“I hate to hear that,” he said.
“Something wrong?”
“Can you meet me at The White House for a drink or is your arm keeping you down?” he said.
“I’ll be there. I have a lot to tell you too. You’ll get a kick out of it at my expense,” I said.
“Okay, I’m on my way,” he said.
The taxi dropped me off in front of The White House. When I entered Chad was at the bar talking to Ginger. She noticed the sling and asked what happened.
“Too many doughnuts,” I said.
“Those things will kill ya,” she said.
She left to get me a Wild Turkey.
“What’s up?” I said.
“You first,” he said, “I can’t wait to hear what trouble you’ve been in since I left.”
Ginger returned with my drink.
“Can I listen too,” she said.
“Why not,” I said. “First of all, I was shot in the park while eating a doughnut. After Robin dropped me off at home and got me settled in and left, Kiley walked into my living room naked.”
This got a big laugh from Chad.
“Who’s Kailey?” Ginger said.
“My mother-in-law,” Chad said.
“Eew,” Ginger said.
“She’s only thirty,” Chad said.
“Oh?” Ginger said smiling.
“Anyway,” I continued, “she couldn’t leave because the FBI was stationed outside my door. So we watched TV and talked all night.”
“Was she still naked?” Ging
er said.
“Yep, the whole night.”
“Robin would kill you,” Chad said.
“It gets better,” I said, “Kailey sneaks out in the middle of the night. Robin comes over the next morning and tells me she heard everything we said plus the conversation that Kailey and I had in my bathtub a few weeks ago. She had Bloodshot’s listing device.”
I thought Chad was going to fall off his stool. Ginger laughed out loud.
“This morning I was mugged walking down the sidewalk. They took my doughnut before I could pull my gun. Then they called me a mother fucker and left.”
“Oh shit Cam,” Chad said between laughs, “How the hell do you do it?”
“I don’t know,” I replied.
Ginger had to leave for another customer, but I could see her still laughing at the other end of the bar.
“And that,” I said, “was my last two days. How were yours?”
“Let’s move to a table,” Chad said, still laughing.
When he regained his composure, he said, “I went to see Robert because of a file Alexis found on him.”
He proceeded to tell me the whole story.
“That does sound bad,” I said. “And now Robin is in a tough spot. She doesn’t have any choice other than to review the files.”
“Yeah, I know. It makes Robert look guilty,” Chad said.
I thought about it.
“He couldn’t be,” I said, “The Bloodshot thing started more than two weeks ago. Robert wouldn’t have known about the death clause in time to get Andrei here and set all this up.”
“Your right. I didn’t think about that,” Chad said.
“See when that contract was signed,” I said.
“Yeah, I’ll do that,” he said.
We drank in silence for a minute, and Chad started laughing again.
“Sorry,” he said. “So I guess Robin, and you are kaput?”
“No. We have a date tonight. She’s bringing food and booze over.”
“You should get a personal taster,” he said.
“I don’t think she’ll try to kill me,” I said.
“Hope not. I’d miss all the funny stories.”
“Yeah,” I sighed. “Another thing, I stopped by the office a while ago and signed everything I need to in order to leave.”
“I can’t believe you’re going. You’ve had so much fun here,” he said.
“I know. What a fun town.”