Ride to Redemption

by D. J. Wilson

  “Do you remember me telling you about a couple of Italians we hooked up with in Sioux City and have been riding with them off and on, on this trip?”

  “Vaguely D, honestly no, especially now that it’s 4:30 in the morning, why?”

  “Well, they were involved in an accident yesterday morning. They ran into some moose.”

  “You’re kidding right, D. Moose, like the old fart’s that have nothing better to do but hang out in the bar and tell war stories or the Bullwinkle kind?”

  “Bullwinkle kind, Two of them, one didn’t make it, lots of blood and guts scattered across the highway. I had to set the guy’s leg, but the girl was just banged up. They are family, Vic, as in Italian. Oh and did I tell you, the guy Gio, is Candi’s cousin?”

  “Wait, D,” said Vic fully awake, “your sweetie, who's been banging your balls off, every morning, noon and night, is part of an Italian family, as in Mafia? Man you got bigger balls than I thought pal. I gotta give you that.”

  “Yep, that’s me, big balls and all. What is it with beautiful women and their Woo-Hoo's? I love them both,” I readily confessed, trying to lighten the conversation.

  “The problem lies in a conversation Candi had with her mom this morning. She used my Sat phone to call her family about the accident and it was something her mom said, that’s been bothering me.”

  “What did she say, D?” asked Vic solemnly.

  “Candi said her mom was sending up some people to get the cousins home and tidy things up. The first part I got, it’s the last part I can’t wrap my head around. Am I being paranoid?”

  “Let’s see, you’re banging the daughter of some Mafioso, you’ve just been in a wreck with their cousins, you’ve just crossed the country, mailing a convicted felons diamonds to everyone, but him. Yep I’d say you might have a reason to be paranoid. Have you considered witness protection? Oh, that’s right, you’ve been there, done that, and have the tee shirt already. But, let me think, your ass is in Canada. The Marshall’s don’t have jurisdiction there, or did you forget that one small item?”

  “I didn’t forget, Vic. That’s why I’m calling you. I’ve already pissed off a U.S. Marshall and I can’t confide in him right now. Look I’m going to send you a phone number, I captured from my Sat phone, when Candi called home this morning. If something happens and I suddenly disappear, send this number to Jim, my U. S. Marshall friend, I’ll send you his phone number, as well as, his email.”

  “You spooked, D?”

  “Not spooked, per se. Just concerned,” I humbly confessed.

  “Where are you, D, and don’t tell me Canada.”

  “I’m in Lake Louise, but I’ll be in Calgary later. Why?” I asked inquisitively.

  “Guess, I like you and I’m just concerned. If something, God forbid happens to you, I will at least know where to start looking. Remember, I’ve got your back, as much as, I possibly can from here, anyway.”

  “Thanks, Vic. Get some sleep. I’ll send you the numbers and email address via email.”

  “It’ll be okay, D. You’ve done too much good lately to have something bad happen to you. ’Night.”

  I wish I could believe that. But I don’t. Much of what Vic said is true. We’re not playing cat and mouse games anymore. We’re playing with our lives, precious ones at that.

  Chapter 38

  I returned to the room, without walking to clear the cobwebs from my head. I am truly disturbed, I thought, as I climbed back into bed, beside the sleeping and wondrously naked Candi.

  Spooning up against her from the back, Candi purred, “I’ve missed you,” as she placed her right hand on my backside, pulling me tightly up and into her, surprisingly wet and receptive Woo-Hoo. After much thrusting while spooning, I deftly rolled her onto her stomach, expertly placing two pillows below her hips. Grasping her shoulders with both hands, I pulled and she pushed in rhythmic motion until we both reached the edge. Moving my right hand and fingers to the top of her sensitive spot, while my left hand grabbed her hair, suddenly changed the sensations and brought us, climatically over the top.

  “Oh my,” whispered Candi, gasping for breath. “Pain and pleasure, D, that did it. I was about to scream when you grabbed my hair, but then your fingers brought on the pleasure. “Oh my, Oh my,” were all the words Candi could muster.

  “Enough said,” I replied, strangely content, totally mellow and aptly satisfied.

  Showered, dressed and fed, Candi and I collected Gio’s and Mile’s belongings, bringing with us their essentials in my trusty duffle bag, while shipping the remainder to her mom’s in Tampa.

  “I hate it we never made it to the glacier,” I told Candi, as I watched the Fairmont disappear in my rear view mirrors.

  “Next time, D, next time, we’ll stay here for a week, my treat.”

  If only that was something, I could hang my hat on, I concluded, as we rode east to Calgary. In just under two hours, we rolled up to the Foothills Medical Centre, where I parked the bike in a personalized and stripped off no parking space.

  “Candi, if you please, go find out what rooms they’re in, while I make a quick phone call.”

  “Hi Josie, this is D,” I began, “I told you we’d be back. Didn’t realize quite this soon, nevertheless, do you have any rooms available for the next couple of days?”

  “Yes sir, I do, Jon David,” announced Josie, most adamantly. “I told you it would come to me where I remembered you from, and it did right after you left. How dare you not tell me who you were, Jon David? You’re hair is much longer and salt and pepper, you have grown a beard and even put on a few pounds, (haven’t we all) but you are still my Jon David … aren’t you?”

  “I am Josie, but much has changed since I sketched out your Inn make over, what, twenty plus years ago?”

  “I followed your remodeling directions to the letter, and it worked. Lord, I would have never charged you a penny to stay here, if you’d been straight up with me. Are you in some kind of trouble? I can help you, if you are, you know.”

  “Something like that, Josie,” I confessed. “Right now, I’m trying to keep a very low profile and stay under everybody’s radar.”

  “You come right on back here, when you’re ready. I’ll have a room waiting on you, no charge.”

  “You don’t have to give me anything. Just knowing we’ve got a room there is sufficient. Bye now.”

  Got to check in with Jim, I remembered, it’s the least I can do. A text message is all that’s in me at this moment.

  I sent:

  Jim, back in Calgary, at hospital now, checking on Italians. Here for a couple of days. Thanks again for your help. D.

  Unstrapping the duffle bag from my trunk rack, I found Candi at the information desk, waiting impatiently on me.

  “They’re in room, # 304. It seems like we’re not the only people in the hospital looking for them this morning. The lady at the info desk over there said three well dressed men were just here,asking about them, too.”

  “Joy,” I exclaimed to Candi. “Bet your family, capitol F, capitol U, has arrived!”

  “Quit saying family like that, D. I’ve told you, I’ll take care of it. Let’s just take Gio and Mile their stuff, we’ll make sure they’re okay and then we’ll get out of here, deal?”

  “Deal,” I replied, knowing full well that my acknowledgement was going to be the easiest part of our arrangement, now that her family was in town.

  Stepping off the elevator on the third floor, my eyes converged on a monster of a man, midway down the corridor, dressed in a fine 3 piece Italian suit.

  “One of yours?” I asked Candi, as I led the way to the tall, dark stranger, standing outside room, #304.

  “How did you know, D?” Candi confirmed, the minute she opened her mouth.

  “I’m not blind or stupid, that’s muscle standing there. Besides, no one in this town would dress like that for a hospital visit,” I boasted, while trying to pat myself on the back.

  I nodded to Mr. Muscle,
as I walked into the room, while Candi stopped and gave the guy, (aka “Mikey the Muscle,” I found out later,) a hug.

  Damn, D! My mind now on full alert I wondered to myself, Just what kind of hole have you gotten yourself into?

  Woo-hoo; once again it’s entirely your fault!

  Quickly scanning the room, I noticed two other suits in our midst, one on the phone, the other intensely growling at me, until he saw Candi and changed his scowl to a smile

  “D, my friend,” announced Gio, “you save me. Doc say you no fix leg, I lose or die. Give me hug,” which I did, before I turned to Mile, resting in the other bed and gave her a hug, as well as, a soft and endearing kiss.

  Something or someone had startled Candi, because she never made it past the door. Her sudden shift in demeanor, reminded me of that day at Sweet Fanny’s, when she realized it was cousin Gio, coming out from under the helmet.

  Just as suit #1 hung up the phone, I announced, “I’m D, nice to meet you both. “And you are? Addressing suit #2

  “Donny,” came his deep throttled reply, (aka Donny the destroyer.) He did look like a tank, come to think of it.

  Looking at the “high” class in the room, as in suit #1, I extended my hand, expecting an acknowledgement and a reply. Oh well, one out of two ain’t bad, I thought as #1 wouldn’t acknowledge my extended hand. I wonder if he’d respond better to just a finger?

  “My name is Joseph,” he began, projecting eyes of steel, “I am the family’s legal counsel and we have been sent here to insure Gio and Candice are returned safely to Tampa. Therefore from now on, everything goes through me.”

  “Excuse me, Joey is it, I believe you are confused just a little. Mile is Gio’s girlfriend, Candice as you call her, is…

  “My wife,” nodded Joseph and he didn’t look like he was kidding.

  “Therefore you must be her husband?” I asked Joseph, but before I could continue the sudden interrogation…

  “Ex-husband,” echoed a voice from the door. Candi finally stomped into the room, where she calmed down and exchanged pleasantries with Donny, before coming face to face with Joseph. “Out of all the people in the world my family employees, why the hell did they have to send you?”

  “I volunteered.” Looking directly at me, he continued,” I thought it would be a good time for us to rekindle our relationship, you know the one we were hard at work repairing, before you ran off to Tennessee?”

  Trying to ease the tension in the room, I offered to gladly referee their current dilemma if they would just take it outside. “No biting, no spitting, no pulling hair. Hitting below the belt is optional, but only if necessary.”

  That didn’t work as well as I had planned, because Candi, after giving me the once over, immediately grasped Joseph’s arm and led him out the door, followed by the two suits, and no referee.

  “We’ll be back,” bristled Candi, tossing us a wave and a good bye with her unencumbered hand. And with that, they were gone. Hearing bits and pieces of their now animated conversation as I leaned out the door, I realized our ‘briefly’ planned visit might not be so brief after all.

  Chapter 39

  Moving my attention slowly back to the Italians in a deathly quiet room, I asked both how they were feeling, while I handed them their personal stuff, snagged from the Fairmont. “I grabbed what we could carry,” I announced. “The rest, we sent to Candi’s moms.”

  “Thanks, D. You’re the bestest,” said Gio.

  Mile concurred with, “Sì.”

  Casually observing them both more closely, I deduced Mile had a few contusions, a twisted ankle, plus a dislocated shoulder, as evidenced by the sling that held her arm. Gio, other than the fractured femur, I had so aptly set, (yeah me) seemed to have no other serious injuries.

  “You’ll live,” I professed, “hospital should release you in a couple of days. That’s my best guess, anyway.”

  “D?” called Gio, while motioning me to his bedside. “You, Candice be okay. I make sure. Me,” he continued, “not sure. Find gun in back belt. Polizia not happy.”

  “Gio, you brought a pistol into Canada?” I asked, as he confirmed by sheepishly, shaking his head yes. “Not good sir. Bad, very bad.”

  With my mind spinning, 90 miles a minute, I realized he would need counsel, someone who was licensed in Canada, and not this stuffed shirt, prick of an ex-husband. Grabbing my phone, I dialed Vic’s number immediately and to my surprise, she answered on the first ring.

  “Make it quick, D, I’m on hold with reservations.”

  “Can you possibly route through here, being Calgary, on your way home tomorrow?”

  “I can, I am, and we are. I gotta go babe. Will let you know when we land.” Click.

  What’s with all the ‘we’ stuff I asked myself? I don’t know, I can only surmise she’s found a new love interest on her latest gambling junket, compliments of me.

  Looking at Gio, I announced, rather excitedly, “My lawyer friend is coming here tomorrow. She will try and fix this gun problem. Do you understand, Gio?”

  “Sì, I trust you, D,” looking over at Mile he added, “we trust you. You do right.”

  Chapter 40

  Gazing out of the third floor hospital window, down into the parking lot, I recognized the two suits standing off far to the side of Candi and her ex. The conversation they were having was extremely agitated, as well as, animated. Arms flaying, fingers pointing, feet stomping on the ground, I’d pay almost anything to be a fly on a wall somewhere down there. Or would I? That’s the million-dollar question of the day.

  “Joseph, I can’t believe you’re here. I’ve made great strides in gaining D’s trust and you suddenly show up, telling him I’m your wife. You know better, or at least I thought you did,” wailed Candi, while the suits stood silently by, far out of earshot.

  “You’re mom instructed me to fly up here and bring Gio and his new squeeze, whatever her name is, home. And hopefully, you and Mr. Happy Pants, for that matter,” stated Joseph.

  “Her name is Mile, her name is Mile, remember it,” huffed Candi. “Mom didn’t say anything about me going home, you’re lying. Why would she do that now?”

  “Call her,” said Joseph. “Here’s the phone. Oh, and I was instructed to bring Mr. Happy Pants you’re riding with, back too. She wants to talk to him about why Standford has a hit out on him. Personally, I’m more interested in collecting the reward from Mr. Standford, than taking him back to your mom.” Looking over at the two suits and nodding, Joseph continued, “That’s the main reason, I brought Mike and Donny with me.”

  “You can’t do that, Joseph. That’s not who you are. You’ve always managed to stay above the fray, keeping yourself far and away from the inner workings of family business.”

  “Two million dollars is a lot of money, Candice. That’s hard to pass up, I mean, he’s right here.”

  “I get it. And you think he’s all that stands between me and you? Nothing could be further from the truth,” cooed Candi, as she lovingly, grasped his hand in hers. “What if I could show you how we could collect ten million dollars another way? Would you walk away from this madness and leave D alone?”

  “I’ll consider it Candice, but only if you agree to come back with me. Answer me this, do you really think he has the ledgers or knows who does? I mean, why else would Standford put out a hit on him, especially after all this time? Recovering those docs for the reward is the main reason you persuaded me to wait. It’s also why you started this whole charade to begin with. Remember? You better call your mom. I’ll wait,” Joseph concluded, before handing Candi his phone.

  Tearing the phone out of his hands, Candi dialed her number.

  “Mom, what’s going on, why is Joseph here with the boys?”

  ”Hi Candice, I can tell by your tone you’re not happy right now. Joseph’s there to make sure all of you come home safely.”

  “Why do you have to talk to D in person? I mean, I have no idea why Standford may have put out a hit on him,
and neither does he,” confessed Candi, somewhat truthfully.

  “Neither do we, that’s why we want to talk to him. If he knows where the ledgers are, and returns them to us, we can protect him, Candice. Tell him that.”

  “But mom, he’s already in Witness Protection, remember?”

  “And just how did that work out for him so far? We found him in less than a year. It would have been even quicker had we thought he actually knew something. Honey, you’ve been with this guy, going on what, three months? I’m sure you’ve done your best to find out what he knows, but now it’s our turn.”

  “I forbid it,” shouted Candi. “If he’s got them, I’ll find them and bring them to you. Mom he’s special. He’s kind, considerate, nothing like anyone I’ve ever met. And most of all, I like him, a lot.”

  “That’s all for the better then, that Joseph and the boys bring him back where we can keep an eye on him; at least until we figure out what this hit business is all about. Tell me if I’m wrong, but my guess is, he now knows about you and who you really are. Bet that’s not going over too well with him, and now Joseph, is it? I’m sorry Candice, but the fewer people that know about this the better. Joseph is, well, you know, family.”

  “Was family mom, was family,” corrected Candi. “Let me talk to D one more time and I’ll let you know what I find out. Not that you seem to care, but Gio and Mile are going to be okay. They were lucky. We were all lucky, for that matter. Had it not been for D, Gio could have lost his leg or worse.”

  Sigh.

  “I know, I know, you don’t want to hear anything else about D. Bye, Mom.”

  “Well?” asked Joseph, walking back into the conversation.

  “Well, I told her I would talk to D one final time. Suppose, he does know something and I can use what he knows to find and recover the docs. Would you be willing to split the 10 mil reward with me?” plied Candi, sauntering up to him. “With a cool five million dollars each, we could try again in grand style, couldn’t we? Just think, you’ll be their hero and mine to. I’m willing to try and make it work between us. Just you wait and see.