Evolution of a Killer

by Robert Ullrich

  Rebecca said something that sounded like, “ain’t ever gonna happen,” around the toast.

  “It’s a nickname I was given by an old Chinese gentleman in Chicago,” he said for the umpteenth time. “I became very good at blending into my surroundings as a teenager in France where I was raised from the age of 7 by my Aunt Ziva.”

  Rebecca watched him closely him as he spoke. Lazarus understood she was vetting him in her own way for Angelique. He didn’t mind, so he continued. “I would stand in one place for hours, dressed to blend in with the background. I took acting classes and learned to do makeup, dye my hair and use wigs to add to the illusion. I learned the shape of my body with padding and prosthesis’. I became very good at it.” It wasn’t the complete truth, but it was good enough for Rebecca, whose nodding seemed to confirm his assumption.

  “That’s gotta be cool,” she said as she wiped her lips with a paper towel. “You’re gonna have to show me some of your tricks someday, that is, if it’s okay with you.”

  “You never know, Rebecca,” said Lazarus. “I just might.”

  “Look,” said Rebecca, who had suddenly become serious. “I know there’s a lot more to the story than you’re telling me, but that’s okay. It is. The fact you’re willing to share any of it with me tells me that you’d tell Angel the whole story, if she asked. Not that I think she will, actually,” she added. “She loves you. God only knows why,” she added with a roll of her eyes which elicited a chuckle from Lazarus. “I mean, hell, you’re rich and a total bad-ass, from what I’ve heard. You also ain’t too hard on the eyes, for a man and all, but I still don’t get it.” She smiled because she really didn’t.

  “That’s okay, Rebecca,” Lazarus replied. “I don’t understand it all either. I just know she’s right for me and I’ll spend the rest of my life showing her.”

  “That’s pretty cool, Laz,” she said as she sipped her coffee. “Can I call you Laz?”

  Lazarus laughed. “I’m pretty sure you already did,” which made Rebecca almost snort coffee out her nose as she choked. “What the hell,” he added with a grin, “I’ve been called a lot worse. My friends from Chicago call me Spike, by the way.”

  “Yeah, I heard them calling you that. You prefer Spike then?”

  “You can call me anything that suits you, as long as it isn’t intended as an insult and it’ll be fine by me.”

  “Laz it is then,” she said with conviction. “I hate long names. That’s why I call her Angel.”

  “I like it. It fits her and coming from you it sounds right.”

  Rebecca got up with her coffee and said, “Thanks for talking with me. It means a lot.” She came around the table and kissed him on the cheek. “Now don’t let that go to your head,” she said over her shoulder walking away. “You ain’t the first man I ever kissed, but you damn sure might be the last.” With that she laughed her way back down the hall and into her room.

  Lazarus shook his head and looked at the time. It was almost 7:30 now. Garza would be in the air on the way to Houston. He grabbed a cup of coffee from the pot Rebecca made and went out on the deck to enjoy his morning cigar.

  Chapter Forty-Three

  Garza arrived at the Corpus Christi airport an hour early. He took a cab, leaving his Mercedes in the garage at the condo. He’d stayed there alone, telling his girlfriend he wasn’t feeling well. Enrique spent most of the night going over his new identity papers, reading the back story and getting used to calling himself Eduardo. It would take some time. He knew that, but he didn’t want to react if someone called out Enrique or Garza. That could be the death of him, literally.

  The first flight was registered in his own name, with a connecting flight out of Houston to Miami. It was in Houston where he would become Eduardo Hernandez for the trip to Argentina. He planned to change clothes at the airport before boarding and picking up a hat at the terminal. Garza wasn’t sure how it all worked, but he was trying to be as inconspicuous as possible, acting as normal as he could, under the circumstances.

  The plane arrived at George W. Bush International ten minutes behind schedule. His flight for Panama City didn’t depart until 10:15, so there was plenty of time.

  He found a bathroom near the gate where he deplaned and changed in one of the stalls. Garza waited until there was no one else in the bathroom before he came out and stuffed the clothes in the trash receptacle.

  His boarding was surprisingly uneventful. Everything flowed smoothly and by 9:45 Garza, now Eduardo Hernandez, was seated in first class.

  *****

  Lazarus called Garza on ‘Cooper’s’ cell phone at 9:55. Garza answered his new phone, registered in the name of Eduardo Hernandez on the second ring. All he said was, “Hello?”

  “Good answer,” said Lazarus in his own voice, “just saying hello was a good call.”

  Garza replied, “I’m assuming you’re Cooper’s boss, although I didn’t expect to hear from you.”

  “I am, and you are,” said Lazarus. “I’m calling to make sure you made it to Houston, and there were no snags with your identity for the flight to Argentina.”

  “I appreciate that,” said Enrique. “Everything has gone extremely smooth.” He hesitated for a moment, “I want to apologize for the trouble I caused, especially for my wife. I never wanted her to be in any kind of danger.”

  “I don’t need your apologies. They’re wasted on me.” Lazarus said. “As for putting your wife in danger, don’t patronize me. You knew damn well if your brother found out it was you stealing his money, he would have her killed. Save your mea culpa for someone who cares about you. It isn’t me.”

  Garza was shaken by the tone and intensity of the Chameleon’s voice. He wasn’t shouting. In fact, his voice was low and measured. All the same, a chill ran up his spine.

  Lazarus continued in the same tone, “I’ll be relocating your wife and her housekeeper under new identities. The process is already underway. Your brother will never find them. If he comes looking for them, he’ll find me. That will be the end of it.” Lazarus dropped some of the edge from his voice, keeping it stern. “By the way, I want to thank you for the million dollars you put in an account for her. It was the least you could do, don’t you think?”

  Garza sighed, knowing it was pointless to complain. “That is more than fair considering the trouble I caused her.”

  “I’m glad you see it my way,” said Lazarus, dropping the rest of the tension from his voice, “because I didn’t do it for you. However, you can rest assured the balance of the 15.7 hasn’t been touched. It will be waiting for you as contracted.”

  “Thank you, senor,” replied Garza. The fear he was going to lose it all started to creep slowly back down his spine. A feeling of relief set in.

  “Remember,” Lazarus added, “you are Eduardo Hernandez now. Lose old habits. Change the way you dress and the foods you typically eat. Re-invent yourself right down to your hair style. Hell, grow a beard and shave your head. It’s a good way to change your look. Pick up a pair of reading glasses in Panama City and start using them. They can be clear, it doesn’t matter. It will add another facet to your new appearance.”

  “Thank you for the suggestions,” Said Garza, the fear now gone with the advice given, just as Lazarus planned it. “I hadn’t thought about things like that.”

  “Remember, act like you belong there and you’ll be fine. And don’t forget the driver in Buenos Aires. If you miss him, you’ll be on your own, and that’s not somewhere you want to be.”

  “I understand,” Garza answered. “I’ll be looking for him as soon as I clear the gate.”

  “Good,” said Lazarus, “you need to be at your new home tomorrow morning to sign for the delivery.”

  “I will be,” said Garza, and Lazarus ended the call before he could say anything else.

  *****

  While Garza was sitting on the runway in Houston, Derek was in Corpus, delivering the Vasquez family to the Exxon station on North Beach. Even he had to smile
when he saw the family reunion.

  Derek, operating for the CIA, had become somewhat jaded over the years. It did him good to be part of something positive for a change. Ernesto thanked him repeatedly over his continued objections no thank you was needed. He damn near had a heart attack when the two girls ran over and hugged him for bringing them to their daddy. As he pulled away from the Exxon, he knew that no matter how much he had done in his life or would ever do. There would never be another day quite like this one.

  As he headed up the Harbor Bridge, he called his dad and shared the story. Dan was proud of his son, as he was of all his children. He understood better than anyone how much this meant to Derek. He could hear the emotion in his son’s voice as he replayed the reunion. Emotions were rare with Grimsrud men. Hearing the catch in Derek’s voice told Dan everything he needed to know about the impact this had on his son.

  *****

  Helen took the wife and kids in the Yukon; the rental having been returned to CC International. Darnell had Ernesto in the Caddie with him. They all understood it was better to travel that way, so no one was upset. Helen stopped at the first McDonald’s they came to, which sealed the deal for the kids. She called Lazarus once they were back on I37, headed to San Antonio to let him know everything was good.

  “I’m glad to hear it,” said Lazarus. “Tell Ernesto that at some point I will contact him. That is, if he pans out of course, to meet with him personally. That should help keep him motivated.”

  Helen laughed, “I think that just might do the trick, Spike. Anyway, you stay safe and we’ll see you in November if everything works out.”

  “I’m planning on it,” replied Lazarus, “and so is Kat, so you damn well better make it.”

  “As you wish, Spike!” mocked Helen, ending the call before he could rip on her for saying it.

  Chapter Forty-Four

  Lazarus went in the house to talk to Angelique and Rebecca about what they needed to do to avoid being caught up in his plans. He found them in the master bedroom with both the dogs. Rebecca was sitting on the floor, the dogs lazing about on the bed. Lazarus shook his head at the sight. Langston had never been on a bed before. “Damn, things are REALLY going to change in my world,” he thought to himself.

  “Ladies, I need to go over a few things with you. It’s important that you don’t arouse any suspicions with Enrique gone. It’s highly unlikely anyone will report him missing until Monday, when he doesn’t show up for work. Even then, they might not for a day or two. So, in order to avoid getting caught up in the investigation,” he looked at Angelique, “you’re going to report him missing tomorrow.”

  “What am I supposed to tell them?” she asked matter of fact, emotionless.

  “That you were expecting him home last night. Tell them you knew he was staying at the condo in Corpus Wednesday and Thursday but was planning on being home Friday by 9:00.”

  “Try his cell phone two or three times, make it three. Start calling around 10:00 this evening. Call the police in Corpus Christi first thing tomorrow morning. Let them know you are a little concerned because he isn’t answering his phone. Tell them he might just be hung-over, sleeping it off at the condo. But it isn’t like him not to answer when you call. Don’t oversell it. A little concern in your voice is to be expected, but not panic. Enrique is known to spend a lot of time at the condo.”

  “What do you think they will do?” asked Angelique.

  “It’s hard to say,” said Lazarus. “Ask the dispatcher to send a unit by the condo to check on him – I am sure they will. When they discover he isn’t there and the Mercedes is parked in the garage, it will arouse suspicions. Eventually they will conclude something is amiss, if not criminal.” Lazarus asked, “Can you do that and make them believe you’re concerned?”

  “Yes,” answered Angelique, “I can do that. It makes sense, too. If I don’t do something it will look like I knew he was leaving.”

  “Correct,” Lazarus replied. “It shouldn’t take them too long to discover he flew from Corpus Christi to Houston. It’ll also appear that he got on a flight to Miami. I had one of my associates take his place. If they use facial recognition, he looks quite similar Enrique, so it might sell. If not, that isn’t an issue. My man will be long gone from Miami by the time they figure out it wasn’t your husband.”

  “Will they be able to track him from Houston?” asked Rebecca, intrigued by the whole affair.

  “Maybe, but I know he’s taken steps to alter his appearance. It should be enough to make facial recognition more difficult, but there’s no guarantee. If they do pick up on him, he’ll already be in Argentina, and they’ll have one hell of a time finding him there.”

  “How come you’re so sure of that?” Rebecca asked.

  “I’m very good at what I do, Rebecca. When I make someone disappear, they stay disappeared,” said Lazarus, with a calm assurance they both felt.

  “It sounds like you’ve got it all pretty much worked out, Laz,” said Rebecca, clapping her hands. “You really are a bad-ass, aintcha?”

  Angelique looked at Rebecca like she had just farted in church, “Laz? What the hell?”

  Rebecca laughed. “It’s all good, Angel, me and Laz had a good talk this morning while you were in there all comatose from gettin’ laid last night.”

  Angelique turned bright red. “Oh my GOD, Rebecca, you are such a turd!”

  Soon they were all laughing, which garnered strange looks from Cheyenne and Langston.

  “See!” Rebecca snorted-laughed, “Even the dogs know you were bad last night!” She rolled on the floor, reveling in her own humor. It was a hell of a site and Lazarus couldn’t help but enjoy it.

  “When you too yahoos are done yuckin' it up in here, I was thinking we’d head to I-Hop for something to eat,” said Lazarus, still laughing. “Then it’ll be time to head back to the house on Barbados for the lot of you, at least until this situation gets worked out.”

  Angelique stopped laughing, displaying her best pout, “Aw, do we HAVE to?”

  “Yes, Mon Cheri, you have to. I’d much rather have you here, but it’s more important to keep you from becoming a suspect.”

  “Fine,” she said, still with a pouty look, “but no more hanky-panky for you, Mister Solaris, for a week.” She almost choked trying not to laugh. Rebecca totally lost it.

  Lazarus shook his head, smiling in spite of himself. “We’ll see about that, Miss Shaloub. We’ll see about that indeed.” With that, he walked out of the bedroom to call Katsumi.

  *****

  Katsumi answered on the fourth ring. “Good morning, Sir,” she answered, a bit out of breath. “Sorry it took so long but I was out by the pool with Baxter.”

  “Not a problem, sweetie,” he said with a chuckle. “It’s nothing important. I just wanted to check and see if you had picked up anything on Garza’s new ID.”

  “Not a blip on the radar, Sir,” she responded. “Did you expect anything less from my work?” Katsumi added, with a just a little bit of an attitude.

  “Nope,” said Lazarus. “Nobody does it like my baby girl.”

  “Dang right nobody does!” she said with a laugh. “Please excuse the um, attitude, Sir, I just couldn’t help myself.”

  “You don’t need to worry about that, Kat. I love the person you’ve become. I couldn’t be prouder if you were my own daughter.”

  Kat replied with unfiltered emotion in her voice, “Thank you, Lazarus. That means the world to me.” She truly meant it. Lazarus was the center of her world, and the rock upon which she had built her life. He had been since the night he took her from O’Brien. “I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.”

  “And I can’t imagine a life without you,” Lazarus said, with emotion in his voice. He waited a moment before asking. “Have you heard from LJ?”

  “Oh yes. He calls about three times a day to make sure I’m okay,” she said with a giggle. “I think once would be enough, but it’s kind of nice that he cares about me.”
r />   Lazarus felt a warm emotion deep inside him. “Perhaps,” he thought to himself, “there is hope for young master LJ after all.”

  “I’m sure he means well,” said Lazarus aloud. “I, for one, am glad he cares enough to call.”

  “Me, too,” said Katsumi, with a tinge of embarrassment in her voice. “I’m sorta getting used to him being around. I kind of like it, to be honest.”

  “There’s nothing wrong with that, Kat,” he said. “LJ is a good man. I like him, and I trust him with you. That’s all you need to know when it comes to how I feel about your attachment to him.”

  “I am, you know, getting attached to him that is,” she said whimsically. “That’s not a bad thing, is it?”

  “Quite the contrary,” Lazarus replied. “In fact, it’s a good thing and I approve of it.”

  The last comment made Katsumi feel that perhaps she could let a man get close to her. The memories of Chicago had faded but would always remain. Other than Lazarus and Darnell, no man had ever treated her kindly, with the exception of Leonard, and he never asked for anything in return. She was beginning to realize he was a lot like Lazarus in that regard. It made her feel brave.

  “I’ll be glad when he gets back,” she said, “and I think Baxter will be, too. He keeps looking around for him after dinner. Leonard usually takes him for a walk around the island in the evenings.”

  “He’ll be home in two days, sweetie. You can count on it.”

  “Thank you, Sir,” she said, her voice choking up as she spoke.

  “Thank you for what?” Lazarus replied.

  “Thank you for being so good to me. Thank you for helping me to the place where I’m able to trust someone, a man I mean. I never thought that would happen in my lifetime.”

  “You’re welcome,” said Lazarus. “I’m honored to be a part of your life.”

  “The honor is mine, Sir.” Katsumi added gently, “I love you Lazarus. I owe you my life.”

  Lazarus smiled a truly happy smile. “I love you, Kat. You’re as much a daughter to me as if you were born of my blood. You’ll always have a place in my life and in my heart.”