Putting the file back into the jacket, I laid it on a chair. I needed some more information from Roseman.
“Crusher, see if there is any smelling salts or water. I need Roseman awake.”
After about five minutes, Crusher came back with some smelling salts and I stuck it under Roseman’s nose. When he got a whiff, he shook himself awake.
“What the hell happened?”
“I have a few questions.”
“Why should I talk to you?” he said.
“Self-interest,” I said. “Besides if you don’t, I’m going to let Crusher squeeze your neck until you pop. Your choice.”
Roseman’s eyes darted toward Crusher. Crusher just shrugged.
“If I tell you, they’ll kill me,” he said.
“Worry about me,” I said. “Think about what I’m going to do if you don’t.”
He didn’t say anything. Just nodded his head. I laid the file on his desk and said, “What were you doing with this?”
Turning the file around, Roseman looked at it. “Someone from Sonny’s operation gave this to me. Said that I had to find you and let them know when I did?”
“Why did you need my sister’s personnel file from the casino where she worked?”
Roseman started laughing and said, “She didn’t work there. You sister worked for the Department of Homeland Security. She was a cop, you stupid ass. I thought you of all people would have known that.”
I didn’t react when he said that. “She wasn’t a cop,” I said.
“Whatever you say, smart guy, but she was a cop all the same. One of Sonny’s men found her going through some files at the Casino. That was her first mistake.”
“What was her second, Roseman?”
“Denying it. Would have gone easier on her if she hadn’t. She was in over her head. You think this is all about money? You’re going to find out that it is more than that. People in high places are in on this and they are going to squash you like a bug.”
As Roseman talked I felt my anger starting to get the best of me. He kept telling me how they tortured Susan. He should have quit while he was ahead.
“I heard she sung like a bird. Let me tell you, Malloy, I heard she worked hard to stay alive.”
Finally, I had enough. What I needed was to find this Sonny.
“Well, Roseman, I want to thank you,” I said.
“For what?” he said.
“That’s just the point, nothing.” Then I pulled out the business end of the Python and splattered his brains all over the wall behind where he was sitting. I wanted to say that I felt better afterwards, but I didn’t. All I wanted to do was get out of the place. Reaching over Roseman’s desk, I took the file, tucked it under my arm and left.
I put the file in the car and stood for a few seconds by my car. I felt like throwing up. I had always known that my sister suffered a very hard death. No one should be made to suffer that way. Apparently they had kept her alive for three days while they did her. I wasn’t sure who was worse, me or the animals that killed her. Over the last week I was responsible for the deaths of a lot of people. Maybe in a way I wasn’t any better than some of the people I killed. Hilary would have a few things to say about that.
Hilary, what the hell was I going to do with her at the end of this road? Would she stay with me? Would she try and change me? Crush was standing next to my car waiting for me to do something.
“I’m sorry, Lou. That was not a pretty story in there. I would have done the same thing you just did or maybe worse. Let’s go find these assholes.”
“I don’t think it is going to be that easy Crush. The possibility of my sister being a Fed throws a whole new wrinkle into the deal. If she was with Homeland Security, then she wasn’t interested in just the money.”
Crusher wrinkled up his forehead and for a few moments he reminded me of one of those kids from Our Gang. I wondered what Alfalfa would have to say about this.
“Where to, Boss?” said Crusher.
I didn’t know. I got in my car and told Crusher to follow me. I wanted to get back to the hotel and come up with something. So far nothing I was doing was working out the way I wanted it to.
Chapter 46
After we got to the hotel and parked the cars, I told Crusher to get his bag and come up to the suite. We had plenty of room and there was no sense in him driving back to Jasper in the Atlanta afternoon traffic. He would get home just in time to turn around and come back. When we got to the room, I made us both a drink while he called Bunny. After finishing his call, Crusher walked over and picked up his drink and sat down on one of the couches.
“I have to say, Lou, you sure know how to live. Beats anything I had in cell number ten twenty-eight, if you get my meaning.”
“Don’t get used to it,” I said. “This is temporary. The best is yet to come.”
After finishing his drink, Crusher stretched out on the couch and went to sleep. I was glad for the silence. Hilary left a note telling me she had received a message from her old boss at Consolidated and went to meet with him. I didn’t like the idea, but I had to trust her decisions.
I searched my brain for what could have been so important that Susan had to give up her life for it. If it wasn’t money, what? And then there was the issue of Homeland Security. What was that all about? I had to find out what Homeland Security did, besides checking people at airports. After a while, Crusher’s snoring was getting to me. I got up and fixed myself another drink. I felt like getting drunk, but knew that wouldn’t be a smart thing to do.
Walking out onto the balcony off the living room, I took the file I had gotten from Roseman, sat down and began reading it. It was all in there. How the Outfit set up the heists. Which casinos to hit. When the best times to make the hits. There was even a plan in the works to move the scheme to an international level. Some of the names of the biggest drug cartels in South America were even in the file. Apparently there was a plan to bring them into the operation.
Nick Cappoleto was the head of Sixty-Six, Partners. It listed the other sixty-five partners. The file was what FBI agent’s dreamed about. I thought about Roseman and wondered what the hell he was doing with this kind of stuff.
Sonny Cap was in the deal up to his guinea neck. It was looking more and more like he was involved with the heists and may have even been involved with my sister’s killing.
Now that I knew where Sonny Cap lived, my idea of Hilary working at the Starlight Club was out. I needed to come up with a better plan, so I did. My plan was simple. Do nothing and see what happens.
Looking at my cellphone, I saw that I had a message. I recognized the number. It was from John Goodman. Hitting the redial, I called him back. After two rings he answered.
Chapter 47
“Lou, I was about to give you up for dead.”
“The word ‘Dead’ is a bad word, John. What have you got for me?”
“I will start from the top.
“The Sixty-Six, Partners is a partnership of loosely organized corporations and limited partnerships that own and operate casinos around the U.S. All of them are Indian based. These various entities from around the country are owned by people of dubious backgrounds in the underworld. In other words, Lou, these are mobbed up guys. The head of the group is Nicholas Cappoleto.”
“Sonny Cappoleto’s old man, I take it,” I said.
“The very one.
“Next. And I’m giving this to you in the order you asked for them.
“Next, comes Max Reynolds. From what I have been able to learn, he is a straight shooter. He began working for the government as an FBI agent and then, because he was so good, he was asked to join a special op group with the CIA. Remained there for five years and then, on September 11, 2001, joined a terrorist prevention unit of Homeland Security. Today, he heads that group and it is supposed to be one of the most secretive units within the Department of Homeland Security.”
“How did you find out about this if is so secret?” I asked.
>
“I have my ways. Let’s let it go at that, Lou.”
“Did you get a description of Reynolds?”
“Yes. He’s forty-four years of age. He is not married. Went to West Point and served ten years in the U.S. Army. Logged four tours of duty in the Middle East and when he got out, he was a full bird colonel. He is six foot four inches tall and weighs about two hundred and ten pounds. His most distinguishing mark is a small tattoo on his right wrist that simply reads, ‘Lenore’. Finally, he is a man who is known to keep his word and he’s no one to mess with.”
“Any idea why he would have an interest in this business of my sister’s killing?”
“Okay. Skipping to Kandi Kain, aka Susan Malloy. Kandi Kain is a fictitious name that your sister used. As you probably already know or suspect, she was an agent under the control of Max Reynolds. Her death was a blow to the group. Your sister was very highly thought of.”
“Why didn’t they do something to protect her?” I said.
“There was an agent that left the department before your sister came on board by the name of Joe Stanton. Somehow your sister got involved with him in some deal involving counterfeiting. Beyond that, I could not find out anything further.”
“You think that may have been the reason she was killed?”
“Lou, I don’t know. There could be any one of a dozen reasons. I don’t know. I wish I did.”
“What’s next,” I said.
“Well, you asked about Sonny Cap and Angel Garcia. Sonny is the son of Nicholas Cappoleto. That should be enough. Sonny is not the brightest bulb in the box. Is known to like the company of women. I am told he likes rough sex.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” I said.
“I guess it means he’s a pervert. But get this, he only likes hookers. Apparently he can’t keep a relationship beyond the bedroom. He was said to have had the hot’s for your sister, but the feeling was not mutual.”
When I heard that from John, I gripped the phone and took a minute to think. More and more things were pointing to this Sonny as a possible suspect in my sister’s death.
“What else have you got for me?”
“Angel Garcia is considered to be smart and a survivor. He grew up with Sonny and is probably the reason why Sonny is making the money he’s making with his operations. He’s also is not as callus as Sonny. He knows what he wants and generally gets it. Not someone to take lightly.”
“What did you find out about this Hightower?”
“Jonathon Hightower is just plain nuts. He’s about the size of a fire hydrant. People say he reminds them of Charlie McCarthy. The dangerous one is his wife. Name is Sabrina. Ugly as a junkyard dog, but very lethal. She and Jonathon own a company called Eclipse. It is based in Athens, Greece and it is said to have interests in everything from the sale of illegal arms, human trafficking, drugs, prostitution, you name it. If it’s illegal, they have a finger in it. But get this, they have never engaged in any of these activities in the United States. Here they are clean as a baby’s new diaper. The fact they are involved surprises me. It has to be something really big for them to get involved domestically.
“On an economical level, the Hightowers are very wealthy. They derive most of their wealth from a public corporation known as Atlas Industries. Sabrina inherited the company from her family. The company is as clean as fresh snow.”
“So why have this company called Eclipse?” I asked.
“They are said to live on the edge. Some people play golf and tennis and these two like things illegal.”
“What do you think John?”
“You want my opinion? I would stay the hell away from these people. They are dangerous and have dangerous friends. You paid your dues. You have the money. Take it and go live a life somewhere.”
“I’ll keep that in mind John.”
Chapter 48
After talking with John, I leaned back on the lounge and closed my eyes thinking about Sonny Cap and living on top of a building. An address like that had to have its limitations.
I wasn’t planning to sleep very long. Just rest my eyes for a few minutes. When I woke up, Hilary was sitting across from me nursing a drink and smiling.
“Did you know you look so innocent, Lou, when you’re sleeping?”
“Maybe I need to sleep more often.”
“Depends on where your sleeping and with whom,” said Hilary.
“I heard back from John Goodman.”
“What did he have to say?”
“A lot about a lot of things,” I said.
“I got time.”
While I told her of my conversation with Goodman, I handed her the file I took from Roseman and let her read it as I talked. When I finished, she sat and looked at me for a few moments.
“Where did you get this,” she asked.
“Roseman’s,” I said.
After a few minutes, she closed the file and looked at me.
“The Sixty-Six, Partners is a bunch of gangsters from something called the Outfit, which manages Indian backed casinos. Some of the top players are Sonny Cappoleto and his father, Nick.”
“Then why did they pay her expenses on the condo? It doesn’t make any sense,” said Hilary.
“Maybe it does if they didn’t want to give rise to any inquiries of an official nature, such as noisy condo managers,” I said.
“Okay. So if you want to get your fees paid for a year just get taken out by the Outfit? If you ask me, it still doesn’t make any sense.”
“Maybe there is something hidden in the condo that they need to find,” I said. “The place looked to be swept too clean to be my sister’s. Susan was a slob. It looked like a professional cleaning crew had gone through the place and straightened everything out.”
“Okay, so what?” said Hilary. “Could be someone trying to hide something rather than find something.”
I had to think about that. Hilary had a good point. The sixty-four dollar question was what?
“Only one way to find out would be to go back and look it over again,” I said.
“Need to find a way to get past Missus Allright,” said Hilary. “She probably watches the place like a hawk watches its nest.”
When I finished, Hilary said, “It sounds like there are other agendas here. If it was just the money, then I think they could get to us. There looks to be two sides here and maybe three. Column ‘A’ is the Cappoleto’s and whoever they are associated with. Next column is ‘B’, the Feds and whoever Susan was associated with. Finally, column ‘C’ are Hightower people and their crowd. As to the Hightowers, it doesn’t sound as if the money is winding their clock. As far as the Feds, I don’t think it is the money either. They could care less. So it has to be something from column ‘A’.”
“If it is, the answer to questions about what is column ‘A’ may still be in Susan’s condo,” I said.
“Lou, did you ever think it may be someone waiting for us to lead them to something and not the other way around?”
“Maybe, but the question is what?”
Chapter 49
“What did your boss have to say?” I said, wanting to change the subject of my sister and the reason for her death.
Hilary started laughing at my question.
“Get this. He wants to hire us.”
“Come again.”
“It seems they have struck out on all their leads. He tracked me down through my family. They, bless their little conniving hearts, gave him my new cell number.”
“How did they get that?” I asked.
“Good question. I must have given it to them,” said Hilary.
“You call your family since we hooked up?”
“No. I called once before I met you.”
“That’s it then. They saved the number.”
“Maybe I shouldn’t have taken his call. At first, when he called, I didn’t. Then when he called again, I figured I didn’t have anything to lose. I told him that I was not going to work the case any long
er. He asked what I was going to do. I told him I was helping a friend of mine find out who killed a relative.”
“What did he have to say about that?”
“Nothing, which was a bit unusual. All he wanted to know was if I knew anyone who could help them on the case. It was a dumb question. If he found me he could find someone else. I told him that I would have to check and see. He said that the company would pay a finder’s fee of ten percent of what was collected.”
“That figure has been batted around all over the park,” I said. “He had to get that from his minders.
“What’s your boss’s name?” I asked.
“Silvio Chancez,” said Hilary.
Sitting up, that name rang a bell. I got up and walked over to the file I had taken from Roseman and opened it.
“I knew I recognized the name,” I said. “He had been my sister’s lawyer on a case. Chancez was not a common name.
“Do you know where he might be from, as in country?”
Hilary nodded her head and said, “Says he’s from Cuba.”
“Hilary, we’ve been made. This is the same guy who represented my sister in a case before she died. This guy is a mob lawyer.”
“Should we be leaving?” she said.
“No. I want them to find us and we just got a heads up.”
“And I was just getting used to this place.”
“There will be other places,” I said. “Give me your cellphone.”
Taking Hilary’s phone, I opened the back and removed the SIM card and put the case on the floor and stepped on it.
“We’ll pick up a prepaid for you to use until the smoke clears,” I said.
“So what have you been doing here, sunning yourself, while able-bodied Crusher sleeps like the dead?”
“Don’t use the word dead. Too much of that going around already,” I said.
Dead Money Run Page 15