Unforgettable Heroes II Boxed Set

by Elizabeth Bevarly

  “Do you feel like a settled down family man?” she asked.

  “Sounds pretty good to me.” Nick looked over at her, overwhelmed by love and the certainty this was where he was supposed to be. “I don’t know what I’m going to say to Yancey Caldwell tomorrow. I know what I’d like to say. Screw you. But somehow I don’t think that’d go over very well.”

  Emily nodded. “Look, this isn’t connected, but I waited until Aunt Millie and Grady had gone to bed and Carlos was out so I could talk to you about what Carolina told me at lunch.”

  “Yeah?”

  “Yeah. She said her PI has discovered that not only are the two separate trafficking businesses here, but the ringleader hasn’t shared that information with the people working the two ends of the business except one or maybe two other people. And he said, they were people who lived here and walk around among us everyday.”

  “That’s scary stuff.” He frowned.

  “I know. It scares me even more for Carlos. Because I’m thinking his parents were killed because that was a kidnapping gone bad. So they just did away with them both.”

  He leaned over to rub her arm. “Try not to worry about it. I’d kiss you, but I have this tub of lard across my lap.”

  “I’m going to try and take my mind off of it.” She chuckled. “The end of our conversation was funny. Seems Andy’s been so tired coming home from work and she said her hormones are back and forth and sometimes all she can do is cuddle. So I told her about the striptease.”

  He smiled. “Just the thought of it turns me on.” He nodded toward the lamp on the end table. “Turn that thing off and let’s get this kid upstairs. Then I’ll turn you on and we’ll both get off.”

  She giggled. “You have such a way with words.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

  Nick camped out on Yancey’s Caldwell’s office site bright and early the next morning. Caldwell came strolling in, nonchalantly carrying a newspaper. He whistled as he walked.

  “Your mood is awfully chipper for this early in the a.m.,” Nick said, as Caldwell unlocked his office door.

  “Most days.” The man glared at Nick. “What blew you in with the dirt?”

  “As if you didn’t know.” Nick crossed his arms. “May I come in and talk to you?”

  “Give me ten minutes to get organized,” Caldwell said, his dark eyes spitting at Nick. “I think I may need a cup of coffee before I can stomach our, shall we say, conversation?”

  Nick sat in the waiting area, watching a huge institutional clock on the wall and listening to piped in music and groaned. Just like Chinese water torture. He was sure that was this guy’s intent, but Nick refused to snap under the pressure. No way was he going to get thrown out of here for assaulting a county official, even if doing so to this clown should be a lawful option.

  Twenty minutes passed by and the door finally opened. “Mr. Troy. Please feel free to enter.” He smiled with just a hint of the corners turned up, an “almost sneer.”

  Nick came in and sat in the side chair, which was purposefully placed so when seated one was below desk level. “Mr. Caldwell, your inspector came to the job site yesterday morning first thing. We hadn’t been there ten minutes. He discovered the specs were off again in the configuration of the excavation. They’d been right the evening before. I believe they were altered by someone other than our crew during the night.”

  Caldwell shook his head, not a sign of deceit or remorse showing on his face. Just deadpan. “What a pity. Is there any way to prove the site was tampered with? Employees of this office are more than willing to work with you.”

  Still no smile. Nick took a deep breath. “No. No footprints except ours. No proof. But the surveyor said you told him he couldn’t go out there for at least thirty days. According to the county building ordinance, we can give notice we’re ready for inspection by two p.m. and the inspector will be there the next day.”

  “Ah,” Caldwell said. “I thought you might bring that up, so I printed out that section of the ordinance.” He smiled for the first time.

  What kind of trap are you getting ready to set? Nick nodded as he read it. “So?”

  “You see at the bottom of that Section 4.2, it says as near the time as practicable, and frankly, it’s not right now. We’re down two surveyors in the nearby area.”

  “Now wait a minute…” Nick leaned forward, about to jump out of his chair and throttle the louse.

  “Hold on to your seat, Mr. Troy,” Caldwell said in a stern voice. “It’s a moot point anyway.”

  “What do you mean?”

  Caldwell rubbed his hands together. “The county ordinance is always superseded by the Virginia State Construction Code. In this case, we follow its lead.” He put on his glasses. “Please let me read this to you.”

  Looking down at the paper, he started. “114.1, Issuance of order. When the building official finds that work on any building or structure is being executed contrary to the provisions of this code or any pertinent laws or ordinances, or in a manner endangering the general public, a written stop work order may be issued. The order shall identify the nature of the work to be stopped and be given either to the owner of the property involved, to the owner’s agent or to the person performing the work. Following the issuance of such an order, the affected work shall cease immediately. The order shall state the conditions under which such work may be resumed.”

  He grinned broadly. “Here is your stop work order.” He handed Nick a piece of paper. “You’ll see that it says at least thirty days for resurvey as practicable. And since we’re talking about excavation of the foundation, well, by law that means no work gets done on the site until we okay everything.”

  ****

  “I would have hit him,” Grady said, as he sipped on a glass of iced tea at Good Ole Boys.

  Nick shrugged. “He had all the regulatory cards on his side. I couldn’t. But I wish I could have proven he had something to do with the site. I guess we sit on our thumbs. Don’t know what to tell you, bud. Looks like any guys you’ve hired are on temporary unemployment.”

  Grady shook his head. “You and I know Taylor won’t let that happen under the circumstances. This is a personal vendetta between him and that asshole.”

  “True. But I don’t know.” Nick let out a deep breath. “Maybe Taylor will just write them all one of his personal checks and say it’s a gift. That’d make a whole lot of people happy. They wouldn’t have to count it as income.”

  “I expect Taylor will have his legal department working twenty-four-seven to find a loophole in all this mess.”

  “Better be somebody from Virginia heading the team,” Nick said. “These guys don’t like anybody from outside messing around with their laws.”

  “He’s from here. I doubt that’ll be an issue.” Grady stared at him. “So what do we do now?”

  Blue walked in and over to the table. “Okay if I sit down?”

  “Sure, Blue.” Nick nodded. “Here for lunch?”

  “Almost everyday for more years than I can count. Where’s Shirley?” He stared around. “Slow today. She usually shows up with a cup of coffee as I sit down.”

  Shirley popped a cup down in front of him. “Came up from behind. Didn’t see me, sugar? Whatcha want?”

  “The usual.”

  She nodded.

  Blue chuckled. “Old gal’s getting long in the tooth, but she still does a damn good job. What you guys up to? Poured the fittings yet?”

  Nick shook his head. “We have a stop work order because someone evidently messed with the measurements right before the surveyor got there.”

  Blue raked his hand through his hair. “Whoa, boy. That has the markings of Yancey Caldwell. He hates Taylor more than the Redskins hate the Cowboys and would do anything he could just to mess with his brain and his money. So what’re you going to do about it?”

  “I can’t do anything until the county clears me.” Nick groaned. “Unless Taylor can come up with a loophole.”

&
nbsp; Blue shook his head. “Son, that’s not the way things work around here. You’ve gotta go over the boy’s head. Cause a major skunk stink for Caldwell where it hurts. His pocket and his livelihood.”

  “How do I do that legally?”

  He winked. “You don’t. But leave it up to me. When you want to start working again?”

  Nick sat silent for a second, afraid to open his mouth in fear of stuttering. “Day after tomorrow?”

  Blue laughed. “Done. Just make sure you fixed the excavation site.” He elbowed Grady. “Did you ever hear tell about the guy with tarred balls?”

  “Is this a joke?” he asked.

  Shifting in his seat, Blue smiled. “The guy it happened to didn’t think so.”

  ****

  Kingpin stared at his employee. “It seems nobody likes you.”

  Monstruo shrugged. “Too bad. I’d tell them to eat me.”

  “I agree you’re very effective.” Kingpin laced his fingers together. “Have you managed to target any more women?” He licked his lips at the prospect. “Besides sending a shipment out, I’d like to test drive one. That last one you sent me would go down on me, but I don’t think she liked it. Next time, get one who won’t gag.”

  Sitting down and pulling out a cigar, Monstruo smiled. “They have to be broken in, get ’em used to it. Want me to train one?”

  Shifting in his seat, his dick growing, and considering fresh meat, Kingpin’s skin burned with desire. He shook his head. “No, thanks. You’d probably ruin them for me. Just bring one I can manipulate.”

  “How young do you want?”

  Kingpin shook his head. “No children for me. You can send them for processing. I know they get more money anyway.” He paused. “Look. My people are getting antsy and a bit too demanding. I don’t want to rock the boat and bring any unwarranted attention to any of this, but I need some help. I believe you can take care of the problem.”

  “What do you want me to do?” he asked. “I’m multitalented. If you need somebody silenced…” He tilted his head. “I can do it.”

  “The preacher.” He pulled a stogie out of his jacket pocket, hit it on the desk and lit it up. “He’s served his useful purpose. All he’s doing now is glamorizing hometown heroines. Just make him go away.”

  Monstruo frowned. “I didn’t in a million years think you’d ask me to do that. Do you know how many TV cameras, not to mention tabloid reporters, are trying to cover this?”

  Kingpin snarled, his breath short and labored. “I won’t say this again. Make him go away.”

  ****

  As the door of the small trailer opened, Luke looked up from his desk. Mark walked in and nodded. “Sorry to bother you at work, but I thought we needed to talk.” He smiled. “You still have quite a shiner.”

  Luke nodded. “Woman ought to be a professional boxer. To make matters worse, that all happened before we took up a collection. I think I’m about ready to fold in this town. At least I’ll be out of the preaching business. Tell me what’s so important you’d risk coming here.”

  Mark sank in a metal folding chair. “My partner is getting very suspicious of my asking questions. I think he also suspects I may be in on the drug deal in a way that doesn’t have anything to do with my job. His doubt gives me this really bad feeling down deep in my gut.”

  Luke tapped his chin with a pen. “Interesting. Your brother said much the same thing about his partner. Too bad we can’t divert each of them so they go after your partners instead of you two. Maybe we can figure out how to get those women in the mix, too.”

  “Very funny.” Mark’s brow furrowed. “I’m really concerned. You don’t know this guy I’m working with. He’s more than a bubble off plumb, but he gets smart when you least expect him to. That makes him dangerous. Not only that, he’s been with the organization longer than I have.”

  “Listen,” Luke said. “First we have to figure out how to get that last load of drugs out of its current location. Not going to be easy considering where it is. Then I think we can work on your problem. Game?”

  “Sure, but how do we do it?”

  ****

  “Congratulations, Millie,” Blue patted her on the back. “You and the ladies deserved this little celebration. Job well done. Even if it did take my bail money to complete the task.”

  Millie blushed as she entered the cabin with Emily. “Blue Moon, now you know I said I’d pay that back. As for the congrats, I thank you.”

  Emily patted her on the back as she looked back and forth between the two. “Blue was kidding about that, Aunt Millie.”

  Blue grinned. “Of course I was. Your money’s no good here. It’s the least I could do. You shot Clarence Palmer last year for me. Come on in and get settled. Maggie’s in the kitchen making a big pot of homemade chili, and I already made some stuffed jalapenos. Cindy’s on her way, but Chris stopped over for something.”

  “If it was a booty call, she ain’t coming,” Millie said with a snicker.

  “No, she said Chris knew she was coming over here and had a message, but he was on the way out to the country to deliver a breeched calf.”

  “I keep forgetting that guy’s a vet besides being our own personal snooping service,” Emily said.

  Blue’s eyes twinkled. “He delivers service many different ways. Where’re Carlos and the men, anyway?”

  “Grady’s coming.” Millie said. “He’s just slow.”

  Emily sighed. “Nick’s still bummed, so he rented a movie, and he and Carlos are going to watch it on TV. They’re making popcorn the old-fashioned way, and having hotdogs with all the fixings. Nick told him they’d play video games afterward. Carlos is in hog heaven.”

  Blue shook his head. “The kid could’ve watched the movie over here. I told Nick not to worry. I have it all taken care of with the project.”

  Emily smiled. “I’m sure it is. Can you give us a hint what you have in mind?”

  He laughed. “You know I like to surprise y’all. But, if you don’t tell him, I’ll explain how things get done in Climax politics. Just get seated.”

  They gathered around him like a couple of anxious children waiting for a bedtime story.

  “See,” Blue started, “Politics here get done by paying off, hiding under or by following the demands of those who have the power.” He settled back in his chair, placing his reading glasses on his nose, and picked up his carving, whittling off a few places as he talked. “Now I figure Yancey isn’t doing this for money, though I sure as hell could be wrong. And I know he’s hiding under the pretense of following the law. But the one who has the power trumps both of those in spades. And his mama still wears the pants in that family.”

  “But how are you going to get to her?” Aunt Millie asked.

  Blue pushed his reading glasses up on his head. “A long time ago, Daddy Caldwell got in trouble with the law and the mob. Definitely not a good place to be. Either go to jail or go to hell. As I understood it then, he was attempting to steal profits from a local runner by confiscating moonshine stored for shipment. Police caught him at the warehouse. Mob caught him afterward.”

  “Wow.” Emily fell back against the sofa back. “I bet he just about shit in his pants.”

  He sighed as he leaned forward and clasped his hands. “You bet. I intervened both times. First time, since I’d already gotten out of the business and everybody knew it, I told the sheriff Yancey’s old man was there to save the stash until his wife reported they’d found it. Second time, I convinced the runner he was there to keep the police from knowing about his supply. The mob lost one load, and all they had to do was change the location. The moonshiner never even got involved. A trifecta.”

  “I wish I could figure things out like you do,” Emily said. “Most of the time I just manage to get in the middle and end up being the one who gets in trouble.”

  “It comes with age,” he said. “You’ll see you learn how to get around things with the least amount of energy. And the things that don’t count
too much, well, those you can forget about.”

  He stood. “So, you can imagine how grateful they were. Wanted to know what they could do for me. I told them they owed me a favor, and when the time came, I’d call it in.” He chuckled. “Time to pay up.”

  “When are you going to talk to her?” Emily asked.

  He glanced at his watch. “Might do it tonight if we don’t celebrate too late. Whatever the case, tell Nick to expect to see or hear from Yancey by noon tomorrow.”

  A short knock sounded on the door, and Cindy bounded in carrying a cake plate without waiting for come in.

  She stared at everyone, wild-eyed. “We gotta have a meeting right now. Everybody gather round.”

  Emily stood and strode over to her. “Let me have the cake. I’ll take it to the kitchen. You just sit down over there in a chair and I’ll be back.”

  Maggie peeked around the corner from the kitchen. “What on earth is wrong with you, honey doll?” She rubbed her hands on her apron and joined everyone in the family room. Emily was on her heels.

  “Sure thing.” Blue gestured for Cindy to sit down. “You walked in here looking like a blue tick hound watchin’ a coon in a tree.”

  Cindy’s hands shook. “So would you if you’d just heard what Chris told me. Y’all, there’s a sex ring operating round here.”

  Emily nodded. “We already know about the trafficking. Chris got word to us a few days ago.”

  She looked from face to face and nodded. “You already knew that. But there’s more. Seems the guy in charge of it is linked to the Mexican Mafia.”

  Millie nodded. “We knew that too. I agree it’s dangerous.”

  “Will all of you stop butting in like fast-firing automatics and let me get the whole thing out?”

  “We would if you’d hurry up and do it,” Maggie said.

  Cindy’s eyes narrowed. “You know you’re my dearest friend on earth, but that was a low blow.”

  Maggie shrugged.

  “If it wasn’t so danged important I wouldn’t even tell you now.”

  Millie sighed. “Hell, Cindy, you’ve created enough buildup, so spit it out.”