by Rusty Ellis
Ransom was impressed this young girl could go through such an ordeal and still think to ask about his wellbeing. Turing had done a good job with his daughter. An appreciation of single-parenting a daughter was not lost on Ransom. He couldn’t imagine having to raise his own daughter in such a situation. His divorce was difficult enough, but at least his daughter still had both parents.
Leesa returned with four brown pills and a bottle of water for Ransom. He thanked her and washed the pills down in one large gulp.
Leesa pulled a chair over next to Ransom to join the group.
Ransom held the cold bottle of water against his knee as he spoke, “So what are you going to do, Averett?”
Keeping his arm around his daughter, he responded, “What choice do I have? After this morning, I would think my only choice is to get out of town with Sara.”
The comment surprised Sara and she turned to look at her father’s face.
“Just run? Where? Where would we go?” she said to him.
Turing paused and shrugged. His short-sighted plan had no further explanation.
“You could do like you said and just run. But eventually you’ll have to stop running somewhere. And you’ll always have to look over your shoulder.” Ransom let the first thought sink in before continuing. “Two, you can stay here and you and Sara can testify against Gianni and his crew and see about taking them off the streets. You’d only have to look over your shoulder for Sartori.” Ransom again let the option set in before offering a final proposal, “Or three, find a way to take down Satori and his crew so you can stop looking over your shoulder.”
The choices hung in the air as Turing considered each possibility and their outcomes. He turned to his daughter and she smiled back at him.
With a deep breath, Turing decided, “What do I need to do to stop Sartori from bothering us anymore?”
Ransom smiled and looked at Leesa, “We need a stack of papers and a few manilla folders.”
58
Jimmy’s phone rang as he took a bite of his late breakfast with his employer. Sartori ignored the interruption and focused on his breakfast.
Jimmy looked at the unfamiliar number on the screen and picked his phone up off the table, “Hello.”
“It’s Tino,” the familiar voice responded.
“What do you need?” Jimmy answered and stabbed a piece of sausage with his fork.
“I can’t get ahold of Gianni. He’s not answering his phone.”
Jimmy remained quiet, careful of using any names and irritated Tino had dropped Gianni’s name.
“Where are you calling me from?”
“A burner,” he answered. “We’re safe.”
“What about the other two?”
“They’re not answering either.”
Jimmy turned to Sartori and relayed the information about the three men.
“Have Tino go check on the package,” was Sartori’s only response.
“Go check on the package and call me right back,” Jimmy instructed.
“Got it.”
Sartori took the napkin from his lap and tossed it across the food on his plate. His lip twitched as he turned to Jimmy, “Call the attorney.”
Jimmy nodded and dialed Turing’s number. Turing answered on the second ring, “Hello, Jimmy.”
“Mr. Sartori just wanted me to make sure you’re going to take care of that court case this afternoon.”
“Let me talk to my daughter first,” Turing replied.
Jimmy covered the receiver and turned to Sartori, “He wants to talk to his daughter first.”
Sartori motioned for Jimmy to hand him the phone. Sartori squeezed the phone and pressed it against his ear, “You’re not in a position to bargain with me. Take care of the hearing and you can talk to your daughter. Got it?”
Before Sartori could hand the phone back to Jimmy, Turing spoke up, “I’m in the parking lot and want to talk to you about that.”
Sartori pulled the phone from his ear and motioned to Boots, “Go look in the parking lot.”
Boots hurried through the rows of linen clad tables and peered through the glass door, “It’s Turing. He’s sitting alone in his car.”
Sartori returned the phone to his ear, “I don’t know what stupid game you’re playing but I hope you’re daughter’s life is worth it!”
“Her life is worth it, Mr. Sartori. We need to talk.” Turing’s voice cracked on the last word.
Sartori slammed the phone down and yelled at Boots, “Bring him in here!”
59
Averett watched as Boots unlocked the front door to the restaurant and walked towards his car. Boots reached the front of his car as Averett reached into the passenger seat and grabbed a stack of files. He dialed Ransom’s number on his phone and held the phone against the stack of files while sitting back up. Boots was now standing at his car’s front bumper and was pointing a gun at him through the windshield. Turing watched Boots make his way around to his driver’s door and open it with one hand while pointing the gun at him with the other.
“I was just reaching for these files,” Averett explained and looked down at the phone and the files.
“Climb out slowly and face the car,” Boots demanded.
Averett followed his instructions and stood and faced his car. Boot’s pushed him against the door frame and patted him down. He turned Averett around to face him and patted his chest area a second time.
“I’m not wearing a wire if that’s what you’re checking for,” Averett weakly offered.
“I didn’t think you’d be that stupid,” was the large man’s reply. “Let’s go,” Boots motioned to the front door with his gun, “Mr. Sartori wants to see you.”
Averett walked in front of Boots, carrying the files and his phone in his hand. He reached the door and could feel Boots’ gun between his shoulder blades. As he pulled the door open, Averett slipped the phone into his shirt pocket. He walked to the table where Sartori and Jimmy were sitting—Boots’ other half was in his normal position against the wall behind Sartori.
“Sit,” Boots commanded and pointed at a chair near Jimmy.
Averett set the files on the table between him and Jimmy and sat down.
“What are these?” Jimmy questioned and nodded at the files.
“These are the files for everyone I’ve represented on Mr. Sartori’s behalf,” Averett answered. “There are more files in the trunk of my car for Valentino’s case.”
“And why did you bring them here?” Jimmy questioned and looked at the names on the tabs at the tops of the files.
“Because I’m done. I will no longer be representing these individuals through my practice.”
“Excuse me?” Sartori interjected. “You’re telling me who you will and won’t represent now?” Sartori moved to the edge of his seat. His face flushed red as he gripped the table with both hands.
“Sorry, Mr. Sartori. I can no longer represent them in good faith as their attorney. Mr. Hurley here is more than qualified to take over the cases.”
“Listen you insignificant piece of garbage! Do you know what I’ll do to you? What I’ll do to your daughter?” Sartori was now standing and jabbing his finger in the air at Averett.
Jimmy jumped up to intervene, “Mr. Sartori, please.” Jimmy held up his hand to calm down his employer. He turned to Boots and asked, “Did you pat him down outside?”
“Yeah. All he had was those files and his phone.”
Jimmy turned back to Averett and looked for the phone on the table, “Where’s your phone?”
Averett stood and patted his front pant’s pockets, “Must have left it in the car.”
“Boots,” Jimmy motioned for the big man to come around and check.
Averett reached for his shirt pocket, “Wait a minute, here…”
Jimmy’s hand sprung out and grabbed Averett’s wrist before he could reach the phone. He reached into Averett’s pocket and pulled out the phone. Looking at the screen, he could see it was on an a
ctive call. He turned and showed the phone to Sartori.
“Really, Mr. Turing?” Jimmy shook his head and ended the call. “I’m disappointed.”
Averett stood there, speechless. He looked at Jimmy then back to Sartori. He noticed Boots was grinning at the uncomfortable and dangerous scene playing out before him.
Sartori continued to poke holes in the air at Turing, “All you had to do was handle these court cases. Instead, you’ve made things very difficult. You’ve forced me to make some choices I would have rather avoided, Mr. Turing.”
“Like I forced you to have my wife killed?” Turing had enough of Sartori’s justifications. He pounded his fist on the table. “You took her from me! You took her from my daughter!”
“Yes, a most unfortunate situation. An eye-for-an-eye, Mr. Turing. I lost my son. You lost your wife. It seemed a fair trade,” Sartori snarled.
“A fair trade?” Averett couldn’t contain his anger at the comparison. “Your son got 10 years, my family got a life sentence!”
“Too bad you weren’t a better lawyer, Mr. Turing,” Sartori sat back down in his chair. “If you were a better attorney your wife would still be alive today.”
“And what about my daughter?” Averett demanded.
“Again, the girl’s blood is on your hands. You made the choice,” Sartori laughed and picked up a coffee cup in front of him.
“The pathetic thing is that you don’t have the guts to do it yourself. You just order your legion of goons to do the dirty work.”
Jimmy started to intervene and keep his employer from speaking further, but was quickly hushed with a wave of Sartori’s hand.
“You get Foster to kill my wife and Gianni to kidnap my daughter!” Averett spat out the accusation.
“Very good, Mr. Turing. Maybe you’re a better detective than you are an attorney. Let’s just say I get things done in the most efficient manner using the best tools I have available. After all, I have a business to run.”
“I don’t care what happens to me. What are you going to do with my daughter?”
“The girl will be taken care of. My men have their instructions,” he took a sip from his coffee cup.
“Say her name,” Averett snarled.
“What?” Sartori set his cup back down on the table.
“My daughter. She’s not some girl. Say her name.”
“Okay, Mr. Turing. Your one last request,” Sartori nodded and laughed. “Sara will be taken care of.”
Averett glared at Sartori and slowly reached up to pat the top of his head with his hand. Jimmy stood and backed away from the table, staring at Sartori while he scrambled backward. Boots began to step around the table toward Averett when he froze. Averett looked at Sartori and noticed two red dots glowing on the mob boss’s chest.
“Boss, on your chest,” Boots nodded toward Sartori.
“What?” Sartori looked down and saw the double dots dancing in the middle of his chest. He waved his hand in front of them as if to attempt to brush them off his tie. The laser dots remained.
Averett backed away in the same direction as Jimmy. Seizing his chance, Averett dropped to the floor and scurried toward the front of the restaurant on his hands and knees. Reaching the front door, he unlocked the door and finished his crawl into the parking lot where he met Ransom and Leesa standing next to a SWAT vehicle. Looking back to the entrance, Averett could see SWAT officers dressed in green fatigues on either side of the front doors, waiting for a signal to enter.
A man dressed in the same uniform stood next to Ransom and Leesa with a bullhorn in his hand.
“Put your hands on your heads and don’t move,” he called through the bullhorn in the direction of the restaurant.
A woman stood next to him with binoculars and said, “Four bodies. All clear.”
The man lowered the bullhorn and yelled at the anxious line of officers near the doors, “Clear! Breach!”
An officer at the door barked orders and the SWAT team filed into the restaurant yelling instructions and taking command of the room.
A microphone on the commander’s shoulder sparked to life a minute later, “All clear, sir.”
Averett stood dumbfounded at the sight. The thought of it really being over hadn’t settled in. He looked to Ransom and Leesa when he heard a voice over his shoulder.
“Daddy!”
The door to the SWAT vehicle clanged open and Sara jumped out to rush to her father’s arms.
Averett looked at Ransom, “Is it really over?”
Ransom smiled at Averett, “We’ll be right back.”
60
Ransom walked with his cane alongside Leesa as they passed through the front doors of Sartori’s restaurant. The mob boss was sitting in his normal chair—Jimmy to his left—though his bodyguards had left their posts on the wall and joined them at the table. A look of discomfort etched on all four of the men’s faces, a pair of handcuffs restraining each of their wrists.
“Mr. Sartori. I’m Ransom Walsh.”
“I know who you are,” Sartori commented back.
“You seem to be in a little trouble here,” Ransom grinned.
Jimmy interceded, “A simple misunderstanding. I’m sure we can clear this up.”
“Who are you,” Leesa asked.
“I’m Mr. Sartori’s attorney, Jimmy…I mean James Hurley.”
“Well, Mr. Hurley, your client said some pretty incriminating things,” Leesa directed at Jimmy.
“He didn’t say nothing, the phone was turned off,” Boots smiled and looked at Jimmy.
Jimmy closed his eyes and shook his head. He looked around the table and proclaimed, “I’m the attorney for all three of these men and they aren’t going to answer any more questions.”
“That’s fine. I think we have enough anyway. Don’t we, Detective Gardner?”
“I think we do Mr. Walsh. Would you like me to check?” Leesa smiled.
“Please do.”
Leesa stepped over to the files Averett had brought with him and pulled the top file off the stack. She opened the cover to the second file and removed the top three pages from inside exposing a hollowed out section from the remaining pages. Inside the area was a small digital dictaphone.
Leesa clicked the off button to stop the player from recording. She pushed play and held the rewind button down and watched the time counter on the digital screen. Releasing the button, the speaker came to life with Sartori’s voice, “…let’s just say I get things done in a most efficient manner using the best tools I have available. After all, I have a business to run…”
“You can’t use that!” Jimmy objected. “Mr. Turing is our attorney! That’s attorney-client privileged information!”
Ransom turned to Jimmy, “Sorry, counselor. You said that you’re the attorney for these guys. I can have Detective Gardner replay that for you if you’d like?”
Jimmy slouched back in his chair.
Sartori grumbled and shook his head, “Idiot.”
61
Ransom and Leesa stood talking with Turing and Sara while Sartori and his cohorts were escorted out of the restaurant and into waiting patrol units.
“Now is it really over?” Sara asked.
Ransom’s phone rang and he held up a finger to take the call, “Hello, this is Ransom.” He turned back to toward the group and covered the mouthpiece of the phone, “It’s a friend of mine, Assistant United States Attorney Tiffany Waters.” Ransom returned to the call, “Hey Tiff, thanks for calling me back…great…I have a case you might be interested in. How would you like to put together a RICO charge against the Sartori crime family?”
Leesa smiled at Sara, “Now it’s over.”
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Acknowledgments
To my Lu.
* * *
And a large thanks to Gabi Rosetti
and her dutiful beta reading of my book.
Also by Rusty Ellis
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The Ransom Walsh Series
Picture Perfect Murder
Book 1
Also by Rusty Ellis
The Ransom Walsh Series
Politics of Murder
Book 2
About the Author
Rusty Ellis is the eldest of seven children born to Paul and Shari Ellis. He grew up living in several cities, due to his father's career in the U.S. Air Force. Rusty has lived in California (where he was born), Utah, Florida, Alaska, Virginia, Idaho, Wyoming, and in Las Vegas, Nevada, where he now lives.
Rusty met his wife in Rexburg, Idaho, while attending college. The two married a short time after (six months later!) and have continued to date and court to this day. Rusty and DaLea have six children, five daughters-in-law, one son-in-law, and 10 grandchildren.
DaLea works as a Realtor and Rusty retired from active law enforcement duty in 2018.
Rusty publishes short family stories and articles on his website (rustyellis.com) and on Medium.com. He enjoys spending time with his family, his two dogs, and riding his Victory motorcycle.