“Rene will help you from here, Mr. Weatherby.” The man shook Nick’s hand.
“I see you have your signature card all filled out. Sign and date the sign-in sheet and I’ll take you back to the boxes.”
Nick signed in and Rene let him into the back. She found his new safety deposit box number and inserted her key, gesturing for Nick to insert his. Once he had the box in hand, Rene led him to a line of small rooms.
“Let me know when you’re ready to return the box to the room, Sir.”
“I will, Rene, thank you.”
“Rachel,” Nick spoke into the cell-phone after closing the door. “We have contact. Rene’s working in safety deposit box land. You have her on your sheet.”
“Rene Santora?”
“Yep. What do you think about following her home tonight, trussing her up before work in the morning, and blowing all these complicated plans to hell? We could walk right in and back out if there’s no tipster in here.”
Rachel started laughing and took minutes to calm down before being able to speak.
“What…what happened to patience?”
“Patience took a hike the moment I saw a familiar face in here.” Nick leaned back in his seat visualizing what he would need to do. “We do it exactly as I outlined, only I won’t have to drop any guys on the way to the car. We get away clean.”
“You won’t kill her, will you?”
“It would be easier if I did.”
“You cold-hearted bastard,” Rachel murmured. “She’s just an employee. You’re screwing with me, right?”
No. “Of course I am. I’ll be out in a couple minutes.”
* * * *
“You haven’t said a word since we drove away from the bank.” Rachel pointed out as Nick drove their rented Pontiac. “Are you plotting?”
“I called Gus. He’ll be meeting us at the condo. I’ll get changed into a suit and tie. He and I will go over to Rene's house for recon. If our research reveals no dogs, children, or husbands, I’ll put her out of commission before dawn tomorrow.”
“Why use Gus instead of me?”
“Gus can immediately drive back to St. Pete and return the Pontiac,” Nick answered. She’s suspicious already. “The moment the bank opens tomorrow, we’ll make our flash drive withdrawal in the new rental Gus brings us. We’ll only be gone a couple of hours. I’ll have the condo locked down tight with a motion detector while we’re gone, which will alert me the moment it goes off.”
“You’re going to kill Rene, aren’t you?”
“What? You’re on a first name basis now with the woman who would have painted a target on you the moment your safety deposit box was accessed?”
“She wouldn’t have known why. Maybe they told her it was a police investigation.”
“Look, Rachel, I just need to disable her until around noontime. Once we have the flash drives copied, we’ll lay low at the condo until I’m certain there’s no heat on my Weatherby identity. I did have to give them the condo address to start my accounts. I’ll go fool around with my new accounts and visit my safety deposit box while you and Jean stay with Gus at the condo. It will give me a chance to see if our withdrawal stirs up anything. If we’re lucky, Santora won’t tell anyone so as to stay out of trouble with Tanus. The two teams may then be back in place watching each other while we hit the road.”
“When do we bring Grace and Tim back into the mix?” Rachel asked, her voice sounding slightly relieved at Nick’s explanation.
“After I arrange a get together with Suzan and her husband at a neutral spot and we decipher the information, I’ll bring the Marshalls into it. I’ll give Suzan’s husband unedited copies. Then I’ll tell them to set up a meet with Grace and Tim. We’ll lay low. I’ll plot targets until the shit hits the fan. Even with the drives and a corroborating witness, we’ll need to be in lockdown mode until I see Grace do the right thing.”
“What about Frank?”
“Frank stuck it to me with the setup in Denver. We’ll wait to find out if Frank survives the flash drive revelations. There’s no use in negotiating with Frank if he’s indicted. Our work for getting you and Jean back to a normal life depends on how many untouchables are on the flash drives.”
“Untouchables?”
“People who escape the taking down of Tanus and who might still pose a threat.”
“Can’t you make them do something about these untouchables?”
“We’ll see, but there might be a name or two only a.50 caliber solution will remedy. Frank would be an extremely valuable guy to have on our side if that happens.”
Nick parked near his Cadillac in front of the condominium complex. Inside the condo, they said their hellos, and he went in his bedroom to get dressed. When he came out, he looked like a bank executive in the slate gray suit he had changed into. While Gus waited at the Pontiac, Nick made sure his alarms were in place and activated on the condo. They drove to Rene Santora’s home on Gillespie Avenue.
Nick pulled on white Nitrile gloves and exited the Pontiac as Gus drove away. He walked up to the house and rang the doorbell, noting no alarm pad was in place. He smiled when he pulled up a corner of Santora’s welcome mat and found her hideaway key, saving him the lost time picking the lock. Twenty-five minutes later, Gus picked him up in front. Nick opened his laptop and inserted the memory chip from his camera into the slot on the side. Moments later, he was scanning the inside pictures of Santora’s home on the computer screen.
“How’s it look?”
“Piece of cake,” Nick answered. “No squeaky spots, guns, dogs, or roommates. Her bed is only thirty feet away from the rear entrance. I copied the hard drive on her computer too. The woman is helpless.”
“It’s perfect if you kill her.”
“You barbarian.”
* * * *
“I like this. Very few houses and no traffic.” Gus scanned the area near Santora’s house at three in the morning. “I’ll be around.”
Nick nodded. He left the Pontiac, dressed all in black with a small bag. Seconds later, he stood outside the rear entrance to the house with his night vision goggles in place. He had earlier rigged the door so it could not be locked. Slipping inside, he gently closed the door and stood listening intently, leaning against the wall. Minutes passed with no sound, other than Santora’s refrigerator kicking on and the air conditioning going through a cooling cycle. He moved into Rene’s bedroom while the air conditioning covered the faint sounds he made. He wet a thick gauze-like pad and covered the woman’s face.
Nick heard her snore slightly. She quieted as he watched her glide quietly toward death. He cursed suddenly as a motion picture replay of Rachel, Jean, and Deke bombarded him. Son of a bitch! He pulled the chloroformed pad away and carried Santora into the attached garage. He maneuvered her unconscious body behind the steering wheel. Nick retrieved his bag, a small pillow from the bedroom, and a kitchen towel. After making sure movement on the steering wheel hub did not activate the horn, Nick put the woman’s head on the pillow and positioned her face sideways into the now padded steering wheel hub.
He duct-taped her wrists together, and then taped them draped around the steering column and wheel, adding numerous wraps around her upper body. He taped her ankles together and to the brake pedal. Slipping the seat belt around her waist, Nick fastened and tightened it until there could be no movement. He then carefully duct taped the kitchen towel in place around her mouth and head, ending with a final revolution of tape to keep her head immobile. Nick shut the car door. He left the garage open to the air conditioned air from inside the house.
Gus received his call and returned to Santora’s house where he picked Nick up.
“What did you do, take a nap in there?”
“Very funny.”
“You didn’t kill her!” Gus exclaimed in overly dramatic fashion, laughing in short snorts of derision. “Oh, you poor neutered puppy, someone’s cut your man bearings off.”
“Shut up and drive.”
>
* * * *
“I should have known you’d be up,” Rachel commented, walking into the dining room area where Nick was typing, already dressed in his suit, minus the coat. “I missed not slipping into your room last night.”
“Did you?” Nick looked up at the same time Deke did as the dog lay behind his chair. “I’d like you to be ready in an hour. I don’t want to be waiting at the bank entrance when it opens. I want you to go in about half an hour after they open the doors.”
Sensing a change in Nick’s demeanor, Rachel walked over, grabbed and shook Deke’s nose playfully for a moment, and sat next to Nick. He felt her reach around and run her right hand up and down his back. He clenched his teeth together, unable to halt the familiar passion sweeping through him at her touch. She leaned in against him, her head on his shoulder. He could feel the heat where her breast pressed into his arm through the flimsy silk nightgown, and her scent seared his senses.
“You don’t like me much this morning, do you?” Rachel asked, her left hand moving down Nick’s stomach and over his belt. “Well, okay, maybe you do like me.”
Nick’s hands knotted into fists on either side of his notebook computer.
“Did you kill her?”
“No, but I should have. Our excursion this morning is in jeopardy because I left her alive. I’m lucky Gus didn’t walk away from this last night. It puts his life in danger along with all of ours.”
“Knowing you, the risk will be small,” she whispered.
“I’m not in the risk business, Rachel. I’m in the dead bang cinch business. Better go get ready so we can make the risk as small as possible.”
“I love you.”
“What if I’d killed Santora?”
“You didn’t.”
“I would’ve in a heartbeat,” he replied, turning and locking eyes with Rachel.
The dark, cold, and lifeless nature of his piercing stare made her shudder and look away.
“I believe you.” She gave him a final tense hug before standing up. “I’ll go get ready.”
Chapter Nineteen
Old Friends
Gus arrived at eight o’clock sharp, laughing when he saw Nick with Jean out on the patch of lawn bordering the condo complex in suit pants, white shirt and tie, taking turns throwing Deke the Frisbee. Gus parked the black Lincoln Town Car under the awning-covered parking section near the building’s front. He exited the Lincoln, also dressed formally, and walked over toward Nick.
“I see you’re passing the time before our morning enterprise gainfully.” Gus grinned down at Jean, who came over and gave him a hug, while Deke dropped the Frisbee in front of him. “I’m beginning to see where you’re going with all this, Nick.”
“Good. Maybe you can fill me in. Danger’s going with you and Rachel. I’ll take the Escalade with Deke in the back. I’m not leaving anyone this morning.”
“It’s your show,” Gus agreed, his tone somewhat surprised.
“I’ll get Rachel.”
Nick entered the condo. Rachel met him at the door with his suit coat, and he looked her over approvingly. She wore a sleeveless burgundy dress with black high heels and tan nylons. The neckline plunged modestly. Her hair fell in waves past her shoulders. She turned after handing Nick his coat.
“Zip me, big boy.”
He did as ordered. “I see you have your bag. Do you have the ID’s you’ll need to access your box?”
“Yes, and I have the Ziploc bag for the drives. I’m not sure it’s such a good idea to take the pepper-spray and stun-gun though. I shouldn’t -”
“Leave them in your bag,” he directed, locking up after she cleared the doorway. “They won’t search you. The stun-gun and pepper-spray give you added insurance in case I missed something or Santora has been found. I checked the local news earlier. It was all quiet. I expect they haven’t seen you around at the bank in quite a while. They’re sure to give you a bad time at check-in. Stay frosty and don’t take any shit. Have them call over the branch manager if they give you the run around.”
“I will,” she acknowledged with some condescension, having heard the directions many times. “It won’t be so hard since you didn’t have me dye my hair red.”
“Did you just give me attitude?”
“Maybe…ouch!” She jumped as Nick smacked her butt with a resounding slap. “You…you spanked me!”
He smiled as he took Rachel’s arm and pushed her forward. When they reached the Lincoln, Nick opened the rear door for her, giving Jean a small wave.
“A couple hours from now we’ll be lying out by the pool,” Nick told them, closing the door. He turned, and took Deke’s leash from Gus. “I’ll call you the moment I go in. We’ll stay in constant contact once we’re in the bank. Anybody in front looking suspicious, let us know.”
Gus nodded. He walked around to the driver’s side of the Lincoln while Nick walked Deke two spots over, opening the Cadillac’s rear door and motioning for Deke to jump up. Nick left first as they had previously arranged. He drove to the bank, parking in the spot they had used for surveillance. Looking around with his spotting scope, he saw only a few cars parked near the shops along Main Street. The traffic was sparse. In the few minutes before Gus arrived, Nick only spotted one person going into the bank. He watched the Lincoln pull up in front of the bank, and then drive away, leaving Rachel walking confidently into the bank.
Nick waited fifteen minutes. Leaving the Escalade with notebook computer bag in hand, he walked quickly over to the SunTrust bank and went inside, phoning Gus as he did. A woman was signing Rachel into the safety deposit box area when Nick came through the entrance.
“Rachel’s in,” he relayed to Gus. “Open up a three way for us with her.”
“You’re on,” Gus replied simply.
“Everything okay, Rach?”
“They’re all here. I’ll be out in ten minutes.”
“Hang up, put your cell on vibrate. Once you’ve left the drives with me, sit down in the waiting area. I’ll call you when we’re clear.”
He walked over to a teller’s window in the nearly empty bank and deposited two hundred dollars before moving to the forms desk, where patrons could get deposit and withdrawal slips. They also had forms for obtaining ATM cards. Nick took one of those and began filling it out carefully. Rachel walked out of the safety deposit box area a few minutes later, spotted him, and walked over to the form table. She put the Ziploc bag with flash drives on the table, picked up some deposit slips, and went to sit on one of the chairs in the waiting area.
Nick put the filled out form in his bag with the flash drives. He signed into the safety deposit box area and retrieved his box with the help of Rene Santora’s replacement. Inside the private viewing room, he opened up his notebook computer and started the tedious process of copying the flash drives over to his hard disk, and to a new set of flash drives. When he completed the process, he put the original flash drives in his safety deposit box. After storing away the new copies and notebook computer in his bag, he waited for the attendant. When she came over to help him, Nick returned his safety deposit box to its slot and left.
“Gus, I’m on the way out of the safety deposit box area. Are you across the street?”
“Yes, and there’s a woman pacing out here: brunette, mid-thirties, designer blue and green jogging outfit. She’s moving around as if waiting for a running partner. I don’t like it.”
“I’ll take a look. Get Rachel back on with us now.”
Nick walked to the entranceway and stopped near the security guard. He knelt down as if to rearrange or check the contents of his notebook computer bag, all the while watching the woman doing small stretches out front. She finally glanced at the bank entrance, giving Nick a facial view. Nick took his partially filled in form out and walked to the forms desk once more.
“I know her. She’s not Tanus or Fletcher. Rachel, I want you to go get the security guard at the front to walk you out to where Gus is going to be. Don’t engage
the woman at all. Don’t look at her. Don’t pause. Have your stun gun ready even with the security guard next to you. If she so much as asks for the time, zap her. We have to flush her partner out. Gus, is that warehouse place we used a couple years ago on the dock between here and St. Pete still abandoned?”
“Yeah, the rebuilding money fell through during the mortgage dump.”
“Take a drive around Sarasota for the next thirty minutes, and then take them there. You know the drill. Don’t drive anywhere you’re not in the middle of traffic. Use the approach near the water, where the buildings are on your left. Stop fifty yards from where the access winds around to the left.”
“Got it.”
“Leave now, Rach.”
“What if the security guard won’t walk me?”
“Make a fuss if he bulks, but don’t go out to Gus without him.”
Rachel stood up with bag in hand. She walked quickly to the security guard, engaging him in conversation for a moment. The man nodded agreeably, and held the door open for Rachel.
“She’s on her way, Gus.”
Nick went to the front entrance and watched her progress. When the woman saw the security guard, she took out her cell-phone and made a call. She did not approach Rachel. The Lincoln was waiting when Rachel reached the street. She thanked the security guard and slipped into the passenger seat next to Gus. A white Lexus drove by in front next, stopping long enough for the apparent jogger to jump in before it followed the Lincoln. Nick left the bank and jogged toward the Cadillac. He opened up the cargo area and stripped off his coat and shirt, throwing them in the back. Deke sat up on the passenger side front seat when Nick opened the driver’s door.
“You’re going on a field trip with me, Deke,” he told the dog, slamming his door and gesturing Deke into the back seat.
Cold Blooded Page 23