Return To Forever

by James Frishkey

  “I’ve pulled your military file, Joe. You used to be a hell of a marksman. Still have the touch?” Kent did not expect Joe’s decision to take the fight to the enemy but liked his chances if he had a little help.

  “Time to fish or cut bait Marshall. Are you going to help me?” Joe knew he had to get moving and wanted protection for Mary before he left. “At least I expect you guys to get someone to look after Mary when I leave, which is pretty damn quick.”

  “I’m on my way Joe.” Kent replied. “I have a chopper ready to go. We will be picking you up in less than an hour at the Tucson airport so get over there right away. I also have deputies from our office in Tucson on the way to the Best Western to get Mary safe. Tell her not to open the door unless she sees a Federal Marshall’s credentials. She knows what to look for.”

  —

  Silvio’s plane was a little too small for the wide bodied dago’s and their arsenal but it got off the ground and landed easily in Nogales. They had a car waiting and drove to the Americana Hotel which faced the border crossing point and would be a perfect location to watch for Mary and her friend.

  The manager was an ex-mobster who knew when to look the other way. He gave Silvio a room with a balcony facing the street and in a matter of minutes their sniper’s nest was set up and ready. “Go get us some sandwiches and beer”, Silvio instructed the manager who sent his young daughter to fetch the food. The beer might be a problem, he thought.

  Jackie had his two palookas stay in the lobby to make sure the Regal didn’t slip past. They each had Uzi’s under their jackets which made them extremely uncomfortable in the desert heat. They were also instructed to keep any potential customers from checking in. “Tell them we have a health problem.” Silvio suggested.

  Jackie had given his crew pictures of Mary but they were old and looked nothing like the blonde version of today. They had no pictures of Joe so the car would be key in spotting them before they crossed in to Mexico.

  The Marshall’s chopper used the roof top heli port of the local ABC TV affiliate. Upon landing, Kent Wells led Joe quickly to the street where two Nogales PD patrol cars were waiting. “I’m Deputy Marshall Wells and this is my assistant,” Kent announced to the officers as they climbed into one of the cars. Joe had his bag with the sniper rifle and shotgun. His 1911 Colt was in his waist, locked and loaded.

  “Gentlemen, we are looking for a group of mob executioners that have murdered at least two people and are looking to kill a third that has been in WITSEC in Phoenix for a number of years. She is back in our hands for now but these people will not stop until they get to her, which is why we have to strike first and decisively.” The police officers were locked on every word Kent said and were eager for some action.

  “We have reason to believe they are already here, in Nogales and waiting to spot the car that our asset had been traveling in. We need you to sweep the most logical buildings that would be logistically positioned for their purpose. These men will be heavily armed and won’t hesitate to shoot anyone who gets in their way.” Kent continued to talk as they drove and upon reaching the station he instructed everyone to put on protective vests before making their sweep.

  CHAPTER 35

  The front door to Mazon’s Food Market was wide open to help let some of the heat out. There was no air conditioning and the ceiling fans were turning too slowly to have any effect. The hotel manager’s daughter wandered through the store, placing lunch meat and bread into her little cart. In the back she found the cooler where beer and wine was stocked and grabbed a six pack of the first brand she found.

  At the same time, Kent and Joe were moving on foot, hoping they would see something or someone that looked out of place in this dusty border town. Standing in from of Mazon’s, Joe pointed to the Americana Hotel directly across the street. “If I were laying for someone that’s where I would position myself,” he said to the Marshall. Little did he know that his head was filling the scope of Silvio’s rifle fifty yards away.

  Kent had a hand held police radio and called to the backup teams to move towards the hotel on foot. If Joe was right, the sight of two patrol cars might spook the shooters. “Let’s get a cold drink while we wait,” Kent said as he motioned for Joe to follow him in to the store.

  “No Sofia, you are too young to buy beer. You will have to put them back in the cooler.” The store clerk was trying to convince the little girl to obey the law but she simply would not listen.

  “I will be in big trouble if I do not bring them the beers,” she pleaded. “They are bad men and may hurt my father if I upset them.” Joe and Kent heard the exchange and immediately thought of the same thing.

  “Excuse me for listening but it sounds like this little girl will be in trouble if she returns without the beer.” Kent spoke up to the clerk. “Why not just let her take it and it will be our little secret. OK”? Kent pulled open is jacket to reveal the holstered Glock and the clerk got the message.

  “OK, Sofia but tell your father this is the last time, OK?” The girl grabbed the groceries and ran out the door.

  Joe watched as the little girl ran across the street to the hotel. “I think we found what we came for.” Kent nodded in agreement. “Who sent that girl?” Joe asked the clerk.

  “Her father is the manager of the Americana Hotel. They have a kitchen but do not start making meals until dinner time. Some guest must have been hungry.” The clerk knew something was going on and wanted no part of it.

  A moment later two uniformed police entered the store and Kent pulled them aside to update them on what they had just learned. “We are pretty damn sure our friends are holed up in the hotel across the street. I don’t want to rush in with that little girl in there. Any suggestions?”

  Joe spoke first. “If I can get to the top of this building I will have a perfect view of the second floor of the hotel. I have my sniper rifle and with a little luck, should be able to get clean shots on at least one or two of our targets and maybe see where the girl is at.”

  “Is there a stair way to the roof?” Kent asked the clerk.

  “Yes, in the alley behind the store. The roof is very old and unstable so you must be careful.” Seeing the uniformed police was reassuring to the clerk and he was no longer reluctant to help.

  Joe sent one of the local police to the car they came in to retrieve his gear. When he returned, Joe pulled the deadly rifle out and wiped it down and inspected the scope which was attached. Everything looked functional and ready for deployment. He loaded the M25 with the 7.62 bullets he had modified for maximum expansion and penetration and headed up the metal stairs to the roof.

  Thank goodness it was still early as he needed the light to see where he could safely step without falling through the roof which had a short rise of stucco along the edge, perfect for cradling the rifle. Once Joe was in position, he radioed down to Kent. “Let me scan the windows to see if I can spot the girl before we move.”

  Joe focused the 10 x 40 scope and swept every open window or door. He quickly saw the prone gunman, in a sniper position on the balcony looking down on the square below. He could also see a second man in the adjacent bedroom, eating a sandwich and unarmed at the moment. Joe’s view of the lobby was limited but he did catch a glimpse of a big man in a heavy jacket walking past. Joe guessed he had a large weapon under the jacket. There was no sign of the girl. “I have a bead on two bogeys upstairs, one on the balcony and one in the bedroom. There is at least one bad guy in the lobby, heavily armed…maybe with automatic weapons.” Kent heard the report and was unsure how to proceed.

  “I can’t take a chance on hurting the girl. I have an idea. Sit tight.” Kent knew he had to get the girl out of there before the shooting started. He walked back to the store room to find the clerk cowering behind some large boxes.

  “Sir, I see you back there.” Kent yelled. “Please let me talk to you for a moment. You are not in danger but young Sofia is if we don’t get her out of the hotel. Will you help us?”

&n
bsp; Fifteen minutes later, the clerk was walking across the plaza to the hotel. As he approached the entrance a large man stepped forward, blocking his path. “We’re closed. Health problems.” This was not a man you wanted to upset.

  The manager saw the clerk and yelled out. “It’s OK. He works at the market across the street. What do you need, Julio?”

  The clerk responded, “Your daughter forgot her change. I had to lock the cash register. Can you send her over to get her money?” The clerk turned and started walking back, not waiting for a reply.

  Kent was on the radio to his team, including Joe. “OK, she should be coming out. Once she is in the store, Joe take your shots. The rest of us will breach the hotel entrance. You have to cover our ass Joe. I hope you are still the marksman you were in the Marines.”

  “Roger that.” Joe answered.

  —

  Mary reviewed the credentials of the Marshalls at her hotel room door and let them in. “Thank God you are here,” she said to the three men who entered. “Have you heard any news from Kent or my friend Joe?”

  “Not yet ma’am,” the senior Marshall responded. “As soon as they have completed the mission I will be getting a call on my service radio. Nothing much we can do for now but wait. Would you like us to move you to our office?”

  “No”, Mary answered. “Joe will be expecting me to be here when he returns. I owe him that. If you don’t mind I am going in to the bedroom to take a nap.” She left the room and closed the bedroom door behind her.

  Sitting on the side of the bed, she listened to the hum of the overhead fan, trying to clear her mind of all distractions. Joe and Marshall Wells were putting their lives in grave danger to protect her, as so many others have done since they joined witness protection. Allison’s death haunted every waking moment. Bob brought on his own punishment for being greedy and untrustworthy. Allison’s only mistake was being a loyal sister and loving her.

  Mary dozed off but when she awoke she knew what she had to do.

  CHAPTER 36

  “She’s not coming out,” Kent said in to the radio. Twenty minutes had passed and it was looking like they either had to abort their plan or risk hitting the girl with a stray bullet. Suddenly the white dress was visible and little Sofia bounced across the plaza towards the store. When she entered, one of the police grabbed her, holding his hand over her mouth but assuring her she was in friendly hands.

  “OK, Joe, its show time!” Kent whispered and the assault team chambered a round in their weapons and waited for the first shot to ring out.

  Joe filled his sight screen with the head of the sniper across the street and squeezed the trigger. The bark of the M25 echoed through the plaza forcing everyone to look towards the store. Joe saw the target’s skull explode into a shower of skull and brain matter. Joe quickly found his second target and fired again just as Silvio was taking another bite of his sandwich. The round went through his cheek, shattering his jaw as it existed into the bedroom wall. Silvio was seriously wounded but not dead.

  By then, the assault team was locked in a heated gun battle with the two mobsters in the lobby. Joe could not get a good angle to take them out from his roof position so he dropped the sniper rifle and headed down the stairs to street level, retrieving his 12 gauge along the way. The front of the store was riddled with bullets and Kent had taken a position behind a row of stacked water melons and was blazing away with his AR-15. “We need an RPG,” Joe screamed above the din of the gun fire. “I got two upstairs, one KIA for sure and the other probably bleeding out as we speak.”

  “Sorry buddy,” Kent yelled back. “This is Nogales not Fort Bragg. I was surprised they had any automatic weapons at all. They have to be running out of ammo pretty soon.”

  “Cover me!” Joe screamed as he dashed across the street to the side of the main hotel entrance. The police let loose with everything they had and the fusillade of bullets forced the mobsters to hold their fire. As Joe ran he could see one of the shooters hiding behind the check-in counter, the other on the opposite corner shooting from behind a cushioned chair. Joe still had his radio and softly instructed Kent and the others to focus all their fire on the counter. He would count to five and then roll into the entryway unloading his 12 gauge on the shooter behind the chair. When he got to five they were to cease firing.

  Joe signaled with his hand for the covering fire to start and began to count slowly to five. When he reached five the firing stopped and he rolled across the entrance way, firing round after round towards the chair. The slugs ripped through the fabric and in to the chest of the mobster, killing him instantly. Joe pulled out his 1911 and aimed towards the counter but the other shooter was not there. Joe panned his weapon across the foyer and saw the other killer crawling towards the manager’s office…unarmed.

  Joe called in to the radio, “We’re clear in here. Send in the cavalry.” Joe walked towards the man on the floor and stood over him with his .45 aimed at his head. “Today’s your lucky day asshole. Don’t move a fucking muscle.”

  Joe heard the crack of the Smith & Wesson a second before he felt the .38 round enter his shoulder. Jackie Torelli was standing on the stairs with his weapon aimed at Joe who had fallen to the ground. “Where’s the bitch, asshole?” Jackie yelled as he moved closer to Joe who had dropped his .45 when he was hit.

  Suddenly Kent burst into the lobby with 3 uniformed policemen and emptied the clip of his assault rifle into the torso of the mob boss. The muzzle rise of the AR sent a string of bullets up from Jackie’s waist and split his head in half like an opened zipper. “Check the rest of the rooms. I don’t want any more surprises,” he shouted. “And get an ambulance here pronto!”

  The CSI team was there in a matter of minutes along with an ambulance and Joe was lucky the round that hit him went through without hitting any arteries. The paramedics taped him up for the ride to the hospital. Silvio was found gurgling blood but died as they put him on the gurney. None of Kent’s team had been hit. Score one for the good guys, he thought.

  As Joe was riding in the ambulance to the hospital, Kent called his men with Mary to let them know the operation was a success. “We got them all. My buddy Joe was hit but it doesn’t look serious. One of the hit men survived and will sing like a canary. Can you put Mary on the line?”

  The Marshall set the radio down and went to get Mary, knocking softly on her bedroom door. “Ma am, are you awake? Marshall Wells would like to talk to you.” No response. He knocked harder this time and spoke louder to wake her if she was still sleeping. Again no response. “Ma am, I’m coming in”, he yelled as he opened the door to the empty room. A window was open and an envelope was sitting on the night stand…addressed to Joe.

  “She’s gone!” the startled Marshall yelled to Kent. “No sign of a struggle. She left an envelope addressed to Joe. Should I open it?”

  Kent could not believe what he was hearing. Why would she leave? Where would she go? Didn’t she love Joe and want to be with him? “Do NOT open that letter,” he instructed. “We’ll be there within the hour. See if her car is gone, a bronze Buick Regal.”

  Kent swung by the hospital to see if Joe could travel. He found him waiting in the ER lobby with his arm in a sling but otherwise looking pretty fit. “He buddy, you ready for a chopper ride to Tucson?”

  On the short ride to the heli pad Kent never mentioned anything about Mary’s disappearance. “I can’t believe this is finally over.” Joe said with a sigh. “You are one brave mother fucker Deputy Marshall Wells. Thank you.”

  “You’re the hero Joe. I just mopped up for you. I think it may indeed be over. With the Torelli family head dead, I don’t think any of the remaining lieutenants will have the stomach for more revenge.”

  The chopper set down in Tucson and Kent drove Joe to the hotel where Mary was to be waiting. As they entered the room Joe sensed immediately that something was wrong. None of the Marshalls would make eye contact with him and Kent’s demeanor was different as well. “Sit down Joe, pl
ease.”

  “Where’s Mary? You said she would be here when we got back. Did you guys move her?” Joe’s head was spinning. What the fuck was happening?

  “She’s gone Joe. She slipped out the bedroom window on her own.” The other Marshall confirmed that her car was also gone. “Joe, I can’t for the life of me understand why she did this. It just doesn’t make any sense.”

  “You guys are fucking lying!” Joe screamed. “What did you do with her…tell me god damn it!”

  “Bring me the envelope,” Kent ordered his associate who pulled the letter from his jacket pocket and handed it to him. “She left this for you, Joe.” And he handed the envelope to the wounded lover. “We’ll give you some privacy,” and they walked out into the hallway leaving Joe with his letter from Mary.

  Dear Joey:

  Words cannot express the sorrow in my heart for all that I have put you through. Everything and everyone I touch has suffered on my behalf. My sister is dead and I will carry that scar to my grave. Oh how I wish we were still the silly innocent kids at Lansdale High, learning about love with our whole future ahead of us. I am not good enough for you. I know that now and wish to God you had never found me. Whatever good I have left to offer the world I will distribute as an instrument of the Holy Mother Church.

  In time you will forget about me and build a life of happiness you have earned and deserve. I will never stop loving you and will pray for you every day of my life. That is a promise I will never break.

  Mary

  Joe read the letter over and over, tears falling on the now crumpled paper. He finally stood up and walked outside where Kent and the others were waiting. He handed the letter to Kent and walked away. It really was over.