Rick Cantelli, PI: Into the Darkness (Rick Cantelli, P.I. Detectives Book 3)

by Bernard Lee DeLeo

  “I pray it stays like that, Rick.”

  “You and me both, Sis. Uh oh, here comes Jadie and Ken to break up the entertainment.”

  Jim introduced Jadie and Ken to Ellen. Jadie said hi and clapped her hands. “Okay people, let’s get to work. We have some pounds to lose tonight. I’ll be checking on all of you tonight while Ken leads the group, so don’t try phoning it in on us, especially you, Shortcake. I also see the two mentors of Cantelli-land over there. Can we please keep the disruptions down to a minimum tonight?”

  Lo waved compliance, while muttering, “in your dreams.”

  * * *

  Ellen and Temple bonded immediately, which jolted the hell out of me. I realized the fact Jim understood Temple had no girlfriend she could trust. He went out and procured one. The damn kid was so scary good at the subject of people interaction, I’m thinking I need to take lessons from him rather than the other way around. The two of them commented and giggled through the entire workout with Jim largely keeping silent, but smiling in satisfaction. Lois, however was not happy with this feel good turn of events.

  “Hey… young yuppie larvae… show some respect for us geezers, and keep the giggles to a minimum.”

  Oh my God did Lo walk into it. Silence reigned at first, but then a script played out no one expected. It cemented the fact I had a grandson capable of many things unheard of even in fabled Cantelli-land.

  First Ellen screeched out in true Lois Madigan form. “Cantelli! What the hell? Did someone resuscitate that dead gerbil in your idea wheel?”

  “Damn it! Stay out of my head, Harpy. You won’t like it in there,” Jim fired back on cue.

  Then an unreal imitation of Lo’s cackle sounded. “I read you like an old comic book, Hooterville! You’re a backslider!”

  “Stuff it, Spock-ella! Don’t try your monster mind meld on me. I won’t do it!”

  “You’ll do what I tell you to do, Sweetpea! You hold the P.I. record for the most killings ever! No one wants you around their loved ones, even their exes!”

  “I won’t do it,” Jim states.

  “You’ll do it, Popeye, or I’ll put you on installations for a month!”

  Instant mayhem. Temple dropped, flipped over on her back, laughing so hard her arms were pumping, and feet were drumming on the floor weakly. She was the first of many, as the Rick and Lo light duet hit a note of humor unparalleled in Jadie gym history. The worst or best part of the class disruption was Jadie having been too close to the mimicry. She was on her knees, incapable of movement other than waving her hands and howling. I sighed. I think it was the Popeye ace that sealed our doom.

  “Cantelli!” The real Harpy’s voice screeched out in retribution, which did not lessen the loud enjoyment of the kids’ Rick and Lo skit. I could tell she was enjoying it.

  I dropped down from plank form, grinning over at Lo. I shook my head in that ‘I had nothing to do with this ace’ manner. I wish I had. If I’d known how good these two were, I would have coached them more. Lo switched her angst to Ellen, pointing at her in supreme Gorgon manner. Ellen immediately launched onto her feet.

  “Pain is my friend! I fear nothing!”

  This of course did nothing to quell, but only enhance the chaos. There was nothing to do at that point, but enjoy what I had no idea how to control. Jim obviously had pumped everyone he conversed with on our staff. He filed their answers away, and coached his partner in crime. It became apparent as they launched into another series of one line Rick and Lo gems he could have only obtained the repertoire from our staff. They were even more funny doing the second set, as Ellen did a bent over impression of Lois with finger pointing perfection, while Jim remained in plank position firing back.

  Seeing Ken had paused at the front of class, enjoying Jadie’s complete collapse, I interceded on behalf of the workout group interested in working out and going home. “Hey, you little brats, stifle yourselves. Hard working folks here want to finish their work-out and go home.”

  Ellen began to snap to attention, but I was in her face in an instant. “Do the routine again, and I’ll put you in the corner until we finish.”

  She saluted, but kept her mouth shut. I hurried to help the helpless Jadie to her feet with an apologetic wave to Ken. “Sorry… sorry… it won’t happen again, Jadie. The twerps blindsided me. I’ll buy you and Ken dinner at the restaurant. There will be entertainment.”

  Jadie accepted my hand up, shaking her head in humorous acceptance. “God, Rick, that was amazing. Did Jim actually set this up?”

  “Although I’d like to take credit for it, Jim owns this one. I’ll talk to him about timing.”

  “Screw it, Rick… that was a good laugh. I don’t know who Jim’s minion is exactly, except for her name, but she sure belongs in Cantelli-land.”

  “Bite your tongue.”

  Chapter Twelve

  The Last Dance

  Lo and I allowed our young wannabes to entertain everyone. I could hear Bone going into cardiac arrest as I’m sure he recognized his input for this blasphemous act, perpetrated by our newbie Ellen, and her mentor. Even Frank had stayed at the table to hear it at Lo’s insistence. Yep, Frank was enjoying the hell out of it too. I toasted Lo with my double.

  “Remember, Lo. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.”

  “Eat dirt and die, Hooterville,” Lo replied. “When does your directorial debut start?”

  “Any second now. Bone will be filming it. The moment Don appears and… there he is. Oh yeah, he looks good.”

  My ex-cellmate, Don Blanco approached the piano in custom fit tux. He sat down, all business, and began the haunting base rhyme of Je T’aime. Jim approached in hesitant form, joining Don.

  “I…I know that song. Je T’aime… Moi Non Plus. My Mom loved that song.” Jim began singing the opening gambit with Temple joining him. She didn’t speak. Temple joined into the song with perfect pitch and placement, grasping Jim’s hand. You could have heard a pin drop it was so quiet except for the words and gasping breathless rendering of the song.

  I was pleased with Bone nodding happily from the table, but the song ended. The passionate ending did not. The teens joined in an unscripted embrace I thought we’d need a fire-hose to end. Jim held Temple off at arms’ length, as applause erupted from the crowd. I saw Bone pump his fist, so I knew we had a good video capture for Cheech to look at. I also noticed an open mouthed stare from Ellen, directed toward Jim. Apparently, her aspirations were not completely like Lo and I.

  * * *

  “You two are awfully quiet.” I decided to break the silence. Jim and Ellen sat on opposite sides of the GMC back seat. “Is there a problem, Ellen?”

  “I didn’t believe Jim when he said Temple Donavan seriously liked him. I admit I didn’t believe he worked out and went to restaurants with movie stars.”

  “It looked like you were having a good time.”

  “I was until they did the song in the restaurant. I…I’ve never seen anything like that in real life. It surprised me.” Ellen met Jim’s worried gaze. “I’m sorry I doubted you. Temple really likes you, but isn’t she like twenty?”

  “She’s eighteen,” Jim answered. “She wasn’t happy I brought you tonight, but she really likes you. I didn’t think you’d get mad, because we’re partners, right?”

  “Temple and I are fine, Jim. She even asked if I wanted to hang out with her.” Ellen hesitated before going on. “I thought you and I would be more than friends.”

  “We are. We’ll be partners like Pa and Aunt Lo. They’d kill for each other.”

  “I think Ellen means romantically, kid.”

  “Oh… I’m sorry, Ellen. I figured you and Temple could be friends. She doesn’t have any girlfriends she can trust. Does this mean you don’t want to be partners, and learn the P.I. business?”

  “I need some time to think this through. We’re already friends. That won’t change. I’ll see you in school. Is it okay if I tell my Dad you thought it was too late to come in
tonight, Mr. Cantelli?”

  “Sure, Ellen. I’ll stop by some other time.” I let the conversation end. A few minutes later we were at Ellen’s house. We said our goodbyes, and she went in. Jim slipped into the front next to me. “You did a good thing, Jim. Temple and Ellen may yet be BFF’s. I could tell Temple liked her.”

  “I’m not as perceptive as you figured though, huh?”

  Here comes the geezer lecture. “You’ve had experiences no kid your age should have. They make you stand out from other boys even older than you. One thing I can tell you - no matter what she says, never doubt Ellen will have something more in mind than being partners with you. Your Aunt Lo is the only woman friend I’ve ever had in terms of a total friend and partner. Give Ellen some space. She may yet be interested enough in the basics of security and investigations to learn with you.”

  “I have a lot to learn. I know tomorrow’s my birthday, but could we put off anything until the weekend? You’ve already given me a lot of presents already, including clothes and an iPhone. Maybe we could go to your beach house again, if that’s okay?”

  “No problem. Your Grandma should be home by the time we get there. We’ll ask her if the weekend’s okay. Maybe she can get Saturday or Sunday off.”

  “Are you going to marry Grandma?”

  “That and many other things are under consideration. Why? Is it embarrassing having your grandparents living in sin?”

  Jim got a kick out of that concept. “No. I was just wondering.”

  “Tell you what. You worry about your female problems, and I’ll worry about mine.”

  “Okay, but it is living in sin.”

  “Thanks for the confirmation, Butthead.”

  * * *

  Since it was Jim’s birthday, I walked him to school. I called Lo and told her I’d be in a little late. It turned out Ellen was lying in wait. She smiled at us as we approached the school without any hidden angst left over from the night before.

  “Happy birthday, Jim.” Ellen handed him a small ring sized box. “Open it.”

  Jim did as ordered. He held up the keychain with ‘Partners’ scribed into the oval silver tag attached to the key-ring’s chain. “Thanks, Ellen.”

  “I cooled off last night. I want us to be partners.”

  “Well then, I’ll leave you two alone to plot out your next adventure.”

  I watched them walk off with a wave. I began thinking this would be the start of many more humdrum days, walking Jim to school, pissing Lo off and getting put on installs, avoiding the drunk tank at all costs, and somehow casting a more permanent light on Cantelli-land. Alas, that was not meant to be.

  My iPhone rang. It was Lo for a FaceTime meeting. “I’m on my way home now.”

  “Lock and load, partner. Trish didn’t come in. Bone says she is never late, always early. He’s placed numerous calls to her place, and no answer on any of their phones, including Sam’s – all go to voicemail. Since working with us, Bone worries every detail now when it involves people. I called the office number Sam gave me, where he could be reached by his staff – nada. You’re close to their place. Drive there, and call me. I’ll have Bone turn off their security system from here.”

  “Let’s assume the worst, Lo. Get Bone into Company satellite footage. See if they had a bird overhead anywhere we can pick up. The bastards owe us anyway. We deserve a live feed if we need it. Maybe Bone can trace what happened while I’m in route.”

  “On it. I’m pulling our ‘List’ out. We know Chet’s loose. He may have went after payback. We logged a lot of hours getting everything he and Trish did since they were kids.”

  I had already begun jogging toward the house. “I’ll call you the moment I reach Trish’s place.”

  “Rick… I don’t want to hold Trish in my arms while she bleeds out.”

  “Understood, Sis.”

  I put the phone away, tore off my windbreaker, and put my old ass into full throttle. Stacy stood in the doorway, beginning to reset the alarm system. “Hold up, Stace!”

  She turned to me, startled by my sudden appearance. “What’s wrong? Is Jim okay?”

  “He’s fine, babe. I have an office emergency to tend to.” I hugged her. “Have a good day. I’ll call you at work if I need you to check on Jim, okay?”

  “Sure. I…I’ll see you soon.”

  Inside the house, I stripped off my shirt, and donned my Kevlar. No playing around today. The hair on the back of my neck was standing up. I retrieved my Uzi, and the leather jacket I had it fitted for out of my safe-room. I shoved my butterfly knife into the jacket pocket, and threw two military grade flash-bangs into my ‘Go Bag’.

  I had the GMC speeding for Sam’s very nice estate in short order. It was a long half an hour before I arrived at the estate, already FaceTiming with Lo as I stopped. “I’m here, Lo. Have Bone turn off the system.”

  “You be damn careful going in there.”

  “I’m leaving you on in my pocket. I have the Uzi along with my Jennings. If they’re watching, I go in hard and fast. If I don’t tip off anyone on my approach, I recon the grounds, and let you know if anyone is inside.”

  “Acknowledged.”

  I saw no movement on my approach. It was a big place. It took me precious minutes to check the grounds, and then I saw it. “Shit!”

  I pulled out the iPhone, showing Lo the cut through sliding glass door at the back. “Was the alarm on when Bone deactivated, Lo?”

  “Yes. Those two young turds didn’t set the system last night. Chet, or whoever took them set the system on the way out to keep casual visitors from checking on them. Put the iPhone away, and go in hot, Rick. Take no chances.”

  “Acknowledged.” I went in with the Uzi out, praying for a confrontation. If Trish and Sam were taken, the chances of their survival dropped precipitously.

  I went in hard, fast, and murderous, combing all sections of the estate inside with an eye on any clue. The main bedroom had been the takedown zone. I could visualize it with the added input. I found blood spatter highlighting the disheveled bed, knocked over lamps, and upended nightstands. I gave Lo a viewing immediately.

  “Damn it all to hell! Why the fuck do we install security systems, Rick? Fuck! Trish is a pro for God’s sake!”

  “I hear you, Lo. Torture her with it for the next year when we get her back.”

  Lo nodded in tight lipped fury. “I called Van, and we have CIA clearance to use anything and everything we need. Bone’s working the time intervals from when they reached home last night to when they were taken. I found a cabin on Crestline Road in the Palomar Mountain area Chet owns under an alias. Head back here. By the time you get to the office, we’ll know if satellite footage confirms the direction they were taken. We can’t afford to blitz off in the wrong direction.”

  “Acknowleged.”

  At our office, it looked more like a Pentagon briefing room. I walked in, and kept my mouth shut. Bone’s fingers were flying over the keys at his station with images racing past his screen he didn’t stop at. I waited with Lo in silence next to him. Steve and Shelly awaited direction badly in hand wringing type anticipation. Lo and I stood together. Bone is the best. Interrupting him with useless feel good nonsense was not how Lo and I rolled. We waited in silence until he launched off his chair, pumping one humongous fist.

  “This shit from the satellites is the best! The asshole arrived at 3AM. He departed with Sam and Trish at 3:45.” Bone showed us the array of satellite photos. “From then on, he’s heading directly to the place you found, Lo. He doesn’t know we know. I’m all in. Trish is the best. I want a piece!”

  “That goes double for me,” Steve said without hesitation.

  I didn’t discount their passion, nor did Lo. I waited for her to explain the facts. She did it much better than me.

  “You three are in backup. Don’t fuck with me on this. Steve… I want you to follow us until you reach this point.” Lo made sure Steve saw the spot she wanted him at. Bone immediately printed it o
ut for him. “Bone and Shelly stay in place as our liaisons for new information or approaches to Chet’s cabin. This is not a game. We know Chet has Trish and Sam. There will be no bad guy survivors, whether our intervention goes well or badly. Any of you three unhappy with that, bale the fuck out of the office now.”

  No one moved. “Let’s hit it, Lo.”

  * * *

  It took us nearly an hour to reach the Palomar Mountain location, with Bone on every step of the way. He now had live updates as to what went on near the cabin. Nothing was stirring, which was what we hoped for. If Trish and Sam were inside, we had a good idea what they were going through. We were unsure if Chet cared about money or anything else. What we hoped for was he wouldn’t discount it as too risky. We planted Steve a mile away.

  We waited for darkness in spots at a thirty degree range of the front entrance. Confirmation that someone was in there appeared when we observed lights glowing at the main front. Lo and I have been in this position before. Yeah, Chet was a professional killer, but the facts never change. Hostage negotiation is not our strong suit. We move in quiet until we no longer can. Then the fireworks start. We take no names, no reasons, and no pray for hope. Lo and I know where we are, and what quadrants we have to hit. Game on.

  “No movement at all Rick,” Bone announced. “I’ll have heat signatures in three… two… one. There’s six, all grouped in the main room. Three are spaced around the room. Two are near each other at the room’s center. Only one is near those two while circling them. That’s Sam and Trish in the middle… isn’t it, Rick?”

  “Focus Bone!” Lo ordered. “Keep Rick and I apprised of any movement while we get into position. Let’s do this, Rick, or we won’t have any reason left to do anything.”

  I got ready. “Say when, Sis.”

  “Now!”

  I went through the front door. I had already gauged its resistance with my night-vision monocular. They didn’t have it barred. It shattered inwardly. My first Uzi burst stitched the guy nearest the door across his neck. We would aim high to keep from killing our friends as well. Two short bursts from Lo’s Heckler and Koch MP5 retired both other perimeter people, while I charged the center room.