Even big guys squirm and Shadow tried his best to avoid Rachel’s penetrating glare. She didn’t think she would ever get the opportunity to question him about these matters. She had never really known the truth about her mother. Why she abandoned her when she was so young. Why she had left her father. Why she never came back for her.
The wounds were just as raw as they ever were.
Chapter 11
Mac had checked-in and was waiting in the hall before going through to the departure lounge at Piarco, Trinidad’s main passenger airport. He was holding his cell phone in one hand and a coffee in the other. He didn’t want to miss a call from the Chief. His ears pricked up as he heard his name being called out on the p.a. system.
‘Will Mr. Ewen McLeish please go to Information where he has an important visitor. Mr. Ewen McLeish to Information. Thank you.’
He didn’t hear his full name every day, to Stone, and his friends and colleagues he was plain Mac. He picked up his carry-on bag and strode over to the desk. He realized when he got there why he hadn’t got a call from the Chief yet. He was standing at the airport information desk with officer Khan who was holding a pouch. Mac walked over to where they were standing.
‘Morning Mac. Got time for a coffee?’ said the Chief.
‘Sure. Good morning Chief.’
‘Khan, go get three coffees and join us, we’ll be over there.’ The Chief pointed to some vacant seating in the food court area. It was still relatively early. Mac had about an hour before takeoff.
‘Mac. Good news. The ballistics is a hundred percent match. It’s proven that the gun you found is the gun that shot Guy Randall.’
‘Chief, it sounds like there’s a ‘but’ coming.’
‘Well, not exactly, although on its own, it doesn’t prove that the gun was Shadow’s, or that he fired the gun. He had obviously bought an unregistered gun when he got to Trinidad, and no gun residue, remember?’
Khan arrived with a tray of coffees, he sat down next to the Chief and put in the sweeteners and creams and stirred them, and he placed one in front of the Chief and one in front of Mac.
‘Thanks Khan. But Chief…’ Mac picked up his coffee, realized it was too hot to drink and started to probe further to see what they really had got in the way of evidence that might convict Shadow. ‘How do we make the connection?’
‘There’s one more piece of good news.’ The Chief took out a flimsy negative film from an envelope he had on the table and held it up for Mac to see. ‘We lifted a partial print from the gun. Now, although we had several sets of prints from the hotel room that match the partial, it’s still only circumstantial, we know Shadow was in that room but the DA in New York will need Shadow’s actual prints to string it all together. That’s all we’ve got for now. Late last night we faxed an enquiry to see if his prints are on file under his real name of Chadwick Isiah Loman. There’s no reply yet, it’s still early. These things take time. We might get an answer by the time you arrive there so keep your fingers crossed.’
‘Okay well that’s better than I expected, maybe there’s a way to get Shadow’s prints. I’ll get Stone out and…’
‘Mac, if you’re saying what I think you’re saying you need to be careful. Corner this guy and he’ll come out shooting. You’ve seen that for yourself haven’t you?’
‘I know. We’re not exactly amateurs at this business Chief.’
‘One mistake Mac, that’s all it takes.’
Mac acknowledged the Chief with a shrug and an ‘I know’ smile. Stone was in a jail cell taking a murder rap for a lowlife thug, he couldn’t just sit back.
The Chief picked up his coffee and they all sat in silence for a while.
Mac checked his watch and decided it was time that he should make a move.
‘The pouch, is that the…’
There were people passing by the table and Stone didn’t want to attract any unnecessary attention.
‘Yes, keep it with you at all times. In this envelope there’s a letter of authorization for you to accompany the contents to the New York police department. The other items of evidence, the bullet and the film of the partial print are noted also.’ The Chief slid the envelope across the table towards Mac. Mac picked it up and leant down and put it in his laptop case. He took the pouch from Khan and drank the last of his coffee and stood up.
‘This is it Chief. Thanks for all your help, and you Khan. I’ll keep you posted, I’ve got an idea how to close this out and nail this bastard once and for all.’
Mac shook hands with the Chief and then with Khan and picked up his bags.
‘Just be careful Mac. Good luck. Call me okay?’
‘Okay Chief. Khan. Later.’
Mac walked up to the passport control entry point and disappeared from view up the escalator to the departures hall.
The Chief watched him go out of sight and stood, unable to move, he was deep in thought about the task ahead of Mac. Under his breath he sent a final message to Mac, he wouldn’t hear it, but he said it all the same.
‘Do it for me Mac. Do it for Alice, and Officer Boodram. God rest their souls.’
Chapter 12
‘You don’t want to know the truth. You won’t be able to handle it.’ Said Shadow to Rachel hoping she wouldn’t press him further. Shadow stood up off the leather couch and started to pace around the room. He walked over to the large window that looked out onto Central Park.
‘Try me.’
He realized it was time that she heard the whole story.
‘Things between Nat, your Dad and your mum had been getting steadily worse. Your father was always at work. Alice…your mother, felt so alone, she used to call me up almost every day, she was very unhappy. Then, a friendship with someone got out of hand, they got involved and Nat found out.’
‘Who, who did she get friendly with?’
‘You really do not want to know Rachel, believe me.’
‘You’re not leaving here until you tell me everything.’ Rachel reached across to the knife block and grabbed the longest, sharpest knife. She lifted it out, the metal made a metallic scraping sound as it came out, just like in the movies. She pointed it at Shadow. He was several feet away next to the window. She was angry, and holding the knife seemed to help her with the pain and anguish which she had never fully dealt with despite the years. ‘Go on Shadow.’
‘Cool it girl I’m only trying to make you understand why she came to me, okay?’
‘Go on,’ she repeated.
Shadow continued but he kept his distance. He knew she had no intention of using the knife. She had every right to be angry, it was all coming out and he was the only one she could vent her frustration on. Just to be on the safe side he decided to stay by the window and keep her in view at all times.
‘Alice had an affair with JJ.’
‘You mean Jack, oh my God, no.’
Rachel felt her knees go weak; she stumbled across to the couch and sat down. The knife was wobbling around in her hands. Eventually it dropped onto the floor. Shadow continued.
‘It started with dinner parties, which Nat was always late for, and they began to see each other privately. It got out of hand. Nat found out. He and Jack had a furious fight and Jack threatened to expose Nat about the affairs he had had.’
‘Dad? Affairs?’
‘I told you, you wouldn’t want to hear.’
Rachel burst into tears; she took a tissue from a box on the coffee table. Shadow realized just how much pain there was pent up in Rachel, best to let it all out, he thought.
‘There were threats and counter threats, Jack was going to go the papers, it would have ruined Nat’s career, Nat threatened to kill Jack but Alice was in love with him by this time and she knew she had to get out. There was a fight over custody of you, the children. At first Nat wanted her to leave and refused to listen to any talk about her taking you, Rebecca and Randy with her. They reached a compromise. Alice took Rebecca and had to leave you behind. She didn’t want to.’
‘What?’ Rachel said with moist eyes. ‘She didn’t?’
‘No. It broke her heart. But Nat, your Dad, was ruthless, he never wanted to see or talk to her again and that meant no contact, none whatsoever.’
‘So that’s why. I thought she didn’t love me. She never called or wrote to me, not once.’
‘That was your Dad’s doing, not hers. Don’t blame her for that.’
Rachel was trying to take it all in. The news was breaking her heart after all these years. She sobbed uncontrollably into the tissue. After a few moments she realized she was close to knowing the whole truth and had to press him for everything.
‘So,’ she began. ‘How did she die? Was it in a car wreck?’
Shadow knew this was coming, he’d come this far, he thought, she may as well know the whole story.
‘When she came up to me in the Bronx, she needed a job. She helped out at first, small stuff, nothing dangerous. A delivery here, a collection there but she got bored. She wanted in on the action.’ Shadow turned towards the window. This part was the painful part for him also.
It still hurt.
‘We were out on a job, a kidnap job. Me, Chang and Alice. Alice had been looking after a hostage girl. We were nearly done. We’d got the money and Alice handed over the guy’s daughter.’
Rachel was listening intently; she was hearing this for the first time. The tears had dried up. She could feel a weight lifting off of her shoulders. It was painful…but necessary to hear the truth at long last.
‘And?’ said Rachel.
‘And…the guy got angry, he pulled out a gun. He didn’t know what he was doing, obviously never held one before and pointed it straight at me. It all happened so fast. Alice saw the gun and told the guy to put it down, she thought she could talk him out of it but…he fired. Just as she was talking to him, she stepped out in front of me…and took the bullet.’
‘Did, did she suffer?’
Shadow’s reply was instinctive, it was a long time ago and he remembered it as if it was yesterday but Rachel had now got the truth of how it happened. There was no need to hurt her any further. He blurted out his answer.
‘No no no. She died immediately; she wouldn’t have felt a thing. I promise you.’
Shadow walked over to the drinks tray, which sat on a beautiful walnut bureau at the back of the couch. He poured out brandy from a crystal decanter into two glasses and handed one to Rachel. She took it gingerly, her hands still trembling. The story put an end to all the years of speculation about her mother’s death.
They sat in silence for several minutes. Shadow realized there was nothing more to say. He finished his drink and took out a business card. Well not so much a business card as an address card. He was branching out into more legit operations, some protection work here, some security work there. The card had the details of his new office and a voicemail service number. It was too dangerous to have his cell phone number on it and he thought it was wise to leave out the title ‘Gangster’ also.
Rachel felt strangely calm. She picked up the card and watched as Shadow walked towards the door. Now that she was with Maloof she had no intention of getting involved again with Shadow. She decided to keep her options open though. Shadow reached the door and was about to walk through when Rachel spoke.
‘I’ll let you know,’ she said.
‘Good. You do that.’
The door slammed shut behind him.
Chapter 13
‘Hello Ma’am? Is that Mrs. Sandra Randall?’ The voice, sounding almost military like, was that of Officer Steven Myers of the United States Customs and Borders Protection department of Homeland Security calling from JFK airport to advise the next of kin of Guy Randall that his body had arrived on home soil. Mrs. Randall had been prior informed and had arranged for their family undertakers to collect his coffin and bring it back to their parlor on 76th Street, Upper West Side, Manhattan.
It took Mrs. Randall several moments before she could speak to confirm who she was and to thank the Officer for their services. She had been sitting by the phone for most of the morning in one way dreading the announcement but in another way relieved that after three weeks he was finally home. It still didn’t seem real to her that her husband was dead. She knew that once she saw the coffin she would have to accept it.
Mrs. Randall thanked the Officer Myers and remained holding the receiver to her ear long after the phone call had ended. After almost a minute she realized that she was listening to the dial tone and slowly placed the receiver down.
‘When will they find the killer?’ She mumbled to herself. ‘I need to see Brad Stone. He will find him for me.’
Upon returning to Trinidad, after rescuing Karla in St. Lucia, Stone felt obligated to call Mrs. Randall to explain the circumstances regarding Guy’s death at his home. He was careful to tell her only the important, relevant details. If she ever found out the truth about the real purpose of his visit to Trinidad and the affairs prior to that in New York, he was hoping it wouldn’t have to be from his lips.
Mrs. Randall was indebted to Stone for his kindness and temerity and when she learnt that he was due to fly back to the States she called him to request that he attend Guy’s funeral and visit her at her home afterwards. It was the least he could do, he thought, and promised her that he would.
Mrs. Randall, however, had another reason for wanting to meet with him.
She sat back, and tried to put her husband's funeral, set for later that afternoon, to the back of her mind. She had him in her heart for a few more hours, she thought, the ceremony would take him away from her forever to a different place.
His final resting place.
Mac was trying to make his way through JFK airport, he was walking from the plane through a glass sided corridor connecting the arrivals gate to the baggage hall. He was following all the other passengers who had also arrived from Trinidad. There seemed to be something holding the passengers up ahead, they were all looking out of the window towards the apron where their plane was parked. Mac got closer and took a look for himself, and then he realized what they were looking at. Towards the rear of the plane, where the baggage is usually offloaded, there was a hearse like vehicle and behind that was a bogey draped in black velvet being pushed along by four men in formal wear. It was then that Mac realized that he must have been on the same plane bringing Guy Randall’s body back home to the States. The escort was moving slowly and reverentially towards the hearse.
On top of the coffin there was a Stars and Stripes flag, it was overhanging the sides and was gently flapping in the breeze.
Mac continued on past the onlookers, he cleared customs and passport control and carried the diplomatic pouch all the way through without a hitch. When he reached at the arrivals hall he decided to stop and call Mrs. Randall to advise her of Stone's arrest.
He sat down, keeping the pouch on his lap and in view at all times. He scrolled his thumb down his mobile’s contact list to find her number, punched it in and held the phone to his ear. The call was answered after five rings.
‘Mrs. Randall?’
‘Yes, this is Mrs. Randall, who’s speaking?’
‘This is Ewen McLeish Ma’am, please call me Mac.’
‘Mac.’ She had remembered his name and knew exactly who he was. How could she forget the name of one of the men who were there when her husband had been killed. ‘It’s so good to hear your voice, is Mr. Stone with you?’
‘Not exactly Ma’am. I just arrived at JFK, he came up yesterday and…well, it’s difficult, he’s run into a bit of a problem.’
‘So he’s here in New York? Good then as soon as he sorts out his problem you’ll both be at the funeral this afternoon won’t you?’
‘Umm no Ma’am, not until he’s released.’
‘What do you mean Mac, released? Where is he?’
‘I don’t want to distress you Ma’am, it’s complicated. I’ll get it sorted out as quickly as I can Ma’am.’
‘Mac. Tell me, please, I need to see you both this afternoon; I have a very important job for you. You must be there. Now tell me where is he?’
‘He’s in a holding cell Ma’am, he’s…he’s been arrested, for the murder of your husband.’ There was a moment’s silence on the line. Mac knew that the information would not be what she should hear on the day of her late husband’s funeral. ‘Ma’am. Are you okay? I’m sorry there was no other way of telling you. He’s being framed Ma’am, we’re pretty sure we know who’s behind it; we just have to get him released. I brought some forensic evidence with me that at least will prove that Stone is innocent. We have the gun, the bullet and a finger print.’
‘Mac does Stone have a lawyer?’
‘No Ma’am, he doesn’t think he needs one.’
‘I’m going to get Anthony Bloom my excellent lawyer down there. He’ll have Stone out in minutes. Where is he being held?’
‘The 113th precinct on Baisley in Queens Ma’am.’
‘Meet us there in two hours.’
Okay Ma’am I’ll see you then.’
Mac would just about have enough time to get over to the hotel in Brooklyn and then make his way over to Queens to meet Mrs. Randall at the precinct as requested.
Mrs. Randall called Bloom who was playing golf and told him to pick her up as soon as he could. He was about to complain that he was in the middle of a very important game with some new clients and then remembered just how much the Randall family business had contributed to his financial success over the last few years. ‘I’ll be over in about 45 minutes’ he said.
Bloom had been a close friend of Guy Randall and was saddened at the news of his death. He attended to all of the legal business for the Randall family; property matters; investments; and of course wills and probate arrangements. One of the last transactions that he undertook for Guy Randall was the preparation of joint ownership documents for the Central Park apartment, which he inherited from his mother who had passed away earlier in the year. In a shrewd, manipulative move, Rachel had successfully persuaded Guy to add her name as a test of his love for her. It was no coincidence that the property would become wholly owned by Rachel should Guy Randall succumb before her. Mrs. Randall had no knowledge of the apartment or certain other matters pertaining to Guy’s personal business.
DEAD MAN'S JUSTICE - A Place of Evil (Stone & McLeish Thriller Series of Stories Book 2) Page 5