Vigilante Assassin

by Mark Nolan

  “Bail bonds.”

  “I need to talk to Anselmo Amborgetti.”

  “Sorry, Mo’s not here right now.”

  “I don’t care where he is. Get him on the phone. Tell him Jake the Knife is in jail, and I need him to bail me out immediately.”

  “Jake the Knife? I’ve heard of you. Can you hold on a minute?”

  “I can hold for exactly thirty seconds.”

  Jake heard grumbling from the prisoners waiting behind him. There were some static noises on the phone, and then Anselmo’s voice.

  “Jake, what’s going on, little buddy?”

  “A cop hit me on the head and tossed me in jail.”

  “That’s why you should work for me. I pay a couple of them every month to leave my people alone.”

  “We can talk about that later. Please get me out of here, and bring some large cash for my new friends.”

  “Of course. We all need friends. I’ll come down there myself, right now. I know everybody at the jail and the night court.”

  “I’m not surprised. Thank you, Mo.”

  “You did the right thing to call your family. We are always on your side—always. Capisci?”

  “Capisco.”

  Chapter 35

  Cody trotted to a bus stop Jake had taken him to several times. There was a crowd of people and he heard the sound of a bus engine approaching.

  The bus stopped, its doors opened, and people got on and off. Cody waited until the way was clear and then climbed the steps onto the bus. The driver smiled at him. “Hey, Cody.”

  Cody woofed at him.

  “Have a seat, boss dog.”

  Cody went to an empty bench, jumped onto it and sat there looking out the window.

  The driver spoke over the intercom. “Folks, this dog’s name is Cody. Please do not pet him; he’s a working dog, going to his job.”

  The bus passengers all started talking about Cody. They’d seen news videos of a dog that rode the bus in Seattle. Now they had one in San Francisco too.

  After a few miles, the bus stopped and the driver said, “Here you go, Cody. This is your stop.”

  Cody barked once.

  The driver opened the doors and held out his hand. “Have a good day.”

  Cody went down the stairs and onto the sidewalk. The passengers on the bus applauded. He ignored the distraction, ran down several streets, took some turns, and then arrived at a familiar home.

  Terrell’s wife, Alicia, worked as a teacher at an elementary school. Today, like most days, she got home before Terrell and spent a few hours of quiet time grading papers from her third-grade class.

  The doorbell rang, and Alicia went to the front door and looked out the peephole. She saw Jake’s dog, Cody, standing there on his hind legs with his face near the lens. As Alicia looked at him, Cody barked, dropped to all fours and tried to turn the doorknob with his mouth.

  Alicia unlocked the deadbolt and opened the door. Cody came inside the house and barked at her while pawing the floor.

  “What is it, Cody? Where’s Jake?”

  Cody howled and ran down the hallway and back.

  “Oh dear, I’ll get Terrell on the phone,” Alicia said.

  Cody barked once when he heard the word Terrell.

  She shook her head. “You must be the smartest dog I’ve ever seen.”

  There was some barking from her own dog, a corgi named Boo-Boo.

  “No offense, Boo-Boo.”

  Terrell answered the call. “Hey, babe, miss you.”

  “Hi, baby. Jake’s dog, Cody, came to the house and rang the doorbell. I let him in and he’s barking and trying to tell me something. There’s no sign of Jake.”

  “Uh-oh, I’ll be right there.”

  Boo-Boo barked and jumped around near Cody, wanting him to play like he often did, but this time Cody ignored him and observed Alicia as she talked.

  She ended the call and looked at Cody, getting a weird feeling he was studying her. Jake had once said that Cody was always looking at your body language, listening to your tone of voice and smelling the scents of your body chemistry to learn what you might do next.

  “Terrell is on his way here. I’m going to try Jake’s phone now.”

  She wondered why she was explaining things to a dog. She called Jake, but it went to voicemail.

  She sent a text. Cody came to our house. Where are you, Jake?

  There was no reply.

  “Cody, what happened to Jake?”

  Cody barked and ran to the living room. He went to an eight-by-ten-inch framed photo hanging on the wall. He stood on his hind legs, put his paws on either side of the photo, and growled.

  Alicia followed Cody and looked at the group photo of SFPD cops doing a fundraiser for a charity.

  “Did Jake get arrested by one of these cops?”

  Cody barked once.

  Alicia couldn’t believe she was doing this, but she started pointing at the various faces in the photo.

  “This person? No? How about this guy?”

  When she pointed at Ray Kirby, Cody barked once.

  “This man arrested Jake?”

  Again, Cody barked once.

  “Well, I’ll be…”

  The front door opened and Terrell came into the house.

  Alicia called to him. “We’re in the living room.”

  Terrell found them near the photo. “What’s going on?”

  “Watch this. Cody, is this the cop who arrested Jake?” She pointed at Kirby.

  Cody barked once.

  Terrell cursed. “I was afraid this might happen. Let’s go, Cody. Jake’s probably in jail right now. I’ll check the computer as we drive over there.”

  Terrell kissed Alicia as if he was going away on a ship for a year. Cody barked impatiently. Terrell ended the kiss and playfully swatted his wife’s ample rear.

  She smiled and shook her head as the man she loved went off to rescue his “brother from another mother” … again. Jake was a high-maintenance friend.

  Cody followed Terrell outside and jumped into the backseat of the police SUV.

  Terrell checked the dashboard computer. Sure enough, Kirby had arrested Jake and charged him with a long list of fabricated BS. Terrell cracked his knuckles and said a few poetic curse words. He had great respect for most of his coworkers, but every organization in the nation had a few employees who were a pain in the rear—police departments were no different.

  He drove toward the jail and called Beth to let her know what was happening. Beth might give Jake a ton of grief, but she knew that he’d always have her back. Jake had once said that if the cops were Terrell’s brothers and sisters, they were his family too.

  Chapter 36

  In court, the judge recognized Jake. “Young Mr. Wolfe, what brings you here? I thought you were going to stay out of trouble.”

  “I apologize, your honor. It was a misunderstanding. How is your daughter these days? That was a beautiful wedding.” The judge’s youngest had been married the previous spring at his parents’ winery in Sonoma.

  “She’s doing well. Enjoying married life, and you’re right; the wedding was worth every penny.” He set the bail and asked Jake to give his regards to his mother and father.

  Anselmo showed up and posted bail for Jake and for the guard’s sister.

  Jake walked out of captivity with the young woman by his side, helped her into a taxi and said, “Please be careful and stay out of trouble. Avoid gang members and hard drugs. Promise?”

  “Who are you?”

  “I told you, I’m your lawyer.”

  She looked him up and down. “Seriously? You’re the best my brother could do?”

  “I got you out of jail, didn’t I? But you’re welcome to go back inside and wait for a lawyer to magically appear who’s wearing a suit and tie.”

  “No, it’s fine. My brother doesn’t have any money; it all goes to pay his son’s medical bills, so I figured my lawyer would be sketchy.”

  “You
r boyfriend was sketchy. That’s why you were in jail. Raise your standards from now on. You can do better.”

  A black limousine pulled up to the curb in front of Jake. The driver got out, opened the back passenger door, and stood at attention.

  Two cops who were driving past the jail noticed the limousine and stared at Jake. He knew they were probably wondering if he had mafia connections. Who else gets picked up from jail by a limousine other than actors, rich people, rock stars and mobsters? And they knew he wasn’t among the first three.

  The limo driver recognized Jake. “You’re in trouble again? What is it with you?”

  Jake shook his head. “What can I say?” He turned to the young woman. “The cops will be watching you. Be careful to stay away from anybody who is buying, selling, or using hard drugs. Otherwise you’ll be right back behind bars.”

  She stared at the limousine and the dangerous-looking Italian man. Her face and body language revealed that her attitude was gone, and now she was frightened. “How do you know my brother?”

  “Wayne helped me when I was in jail. Now I’m helping you—returning a favor.”

  “Will he be in your … debt?”

  “No, we’ll be even, as long as you stay out of trouble. If you don’t, he might end up in debt to these guys.”

  She looked at the limo driver and bit her lip, then nodded and got into the taxi.

  As the cab drove away, Jake saw her staring at him through the rear window.

  Anselmo, who had waited in the car after posting bail, got out of the limo and stood on the sidewalk.

  Jake shook his hand. “Mo, thanks again for bailing me out.”

  “You’re welcome. Speaking of bail, when are you going to do some fugitive recovery jobs for me again?”

  “Bounty hunter work? Maybe when I have some free time.”

  “Get in the car, little buddy. We’ll go have a drink at the restaurant. I’ve been saving an aged bottle of Barolo for a good conversation.”

  “I’d love to, but first I have to find my dog. That’s my number one priority right now.”

  “He’s lost?”

  “When I was being arrested, I ordered him to evade capture.”

  Jake’s phone buzzed with a call. He checked the display and saw that it was from Terrell. “Grinds, you’ll never guess where I am.”

  “My guess is you’re in front of the jail. Look to your right.”

  Jake looked down the block and saw Terrell standing next to his police SUV, smoking a cigarette. Terrell opened a back passenger door and Cody jumped out. Jake sighed in relief as the golden dog bounded toward him.

  Cody barked several times and ran up to Jake. Terrell closed the car door and followed after him. Cody stood on his hind legs, put his paws on Jake’s shoulders, licked Jake’s face and barked at him.

  Jake said, “Okay, okay—I missed you too, Cody.” He acted as if this was simply a happy reunion, but he had a lump in his throat and he took deep breaths and let them out.

  Cody ran in a circle around Jake and then stood at his side and pressed against him while looking around for anybody he might have to bite. Jake scratched Cody behind his ears.

  The limo driver said, “I remember him. He’s a good dog.”

  “When we met before, I never got your name. I’m Jake, and this is Cody.”

  “Yeah, I already knew you were Jake the Knife. I’m Vito.”

  Terrell walked up to Jake. “Cody came to the house—and get this—he rang the doorbell. Alicia answered the door and he ran inside, barking and trying to talk to her. I rushed home, and when I went in the house, Cody was in front of a photo, making a positive ID on Kirby.”

  Jake nodded. “Yeah, that sounds like him.”

  Anselmo said, “This is great. Now Jake can go to dinner at the restaurant. Let’s get out of here.” He stared at Terrell, challenging him.

  Terrell stared back. “No, Jake and Cody are riding with me. I need them to help me with a police investigation.” He turned to Jake. “Semper Fi, Marine?”

  Jake felt himself being pulled in two directions, but the choice was clear. “Sorry, Mo, but when duty calls, I have to answer.”

  Mo looked back and forth between Terrell and Jake. He noted how Jake stood up straighter when he heard the Semper Fi motto. “Once a Marine … always a Marine?”

  “That’s how we roll,” Jake said.

  “You should join the Family and make it official. Once in … never out. You’d be good at the oath of loyalty until death.”

  Terrell crossed his arms and shook his head at Anselmo. His body language sent a message: Don’t push your luck or I’ll eff you up.

  Anselmo just shrugged and smiled in admiration at Terrell, one of the many cops who could never be bought.

  Jake said. “Mo, if I ever decide to become a made man, you’ll be the first to know.”

  Anselmo gave Jake a bear hug and climbed back into the limo.

  Jake watched the car drive off toward the restaurant and thought wistfully about how their waiting list was a year long. His stomach growled as he and Cody walked alongside Terrell to the police SUV and he wondered if Terrell actually needed his help, or if he was just trying to keep him away from the organized crime branch of his family tree. That was just the kind of thing his Marine brother would do.

  Terrell opened his car door and slid into the driver’s seat. Leaving the door open, he lit another cigarette.

  “Chain smoking?” Jake asked.

  “It’s been one of those days,” Terrell replied.

  “Yeah, it sure has.” Jake opened the cardboard box he’d been given when he’d left the jail. He took out his two pistols and strapped on the shoulder holster and the ankle holster. He remembered that he’d left his knife in the Jeep.

  “Is my Jeep in the impound lot being held for a hefty ransom?” Jake said.

  “No, I have somebody driving it to us. He’ll be here in a few minutes.”

  “How did you pull that off?”

  “Cops help cops, at least most of us do. You’re lucky I’m your friend.” Terrell’s phone buzzed, he looked at the display and thumbed the answer icon. “What have you got, Rox?”

  “I hacked into the thumb drive,” Roxanne said.

  Chapter 37

  Terrell had his phone volume up and was holding it two inches away from his ear.

  Jake heard Roxanne mention the thumb drive. He asked Terrell, “Can you put your phone on speaker so I can listen in?”

  Terrell thought about it and nodded. “Rox I’ve got Jake Wolfe in the car with me.”

  “It’s your call if you want to keep him in the loop,” Roxanne said.

  “Show us what you’ve got,” Terrell said.

  The dashboard computer lit up and screen caps began to scroll across the monitor.

  “Most of these file folders contain videos from the hidden cameras in the rental properties,” Roxanne said. “Judging by the video names, Gene Stephens was using them for blackmail.”

  “Let me see some of the names.”

  “Here’s one named Payments. It contains a collection of videos titled Payments by Vanessa, Payments by Melody, Payments by Sharon, etc.”

  “He made videos of women paying him money? Why?”

  “No, not money—sexual favors. Gene blackmailed women into bed and recorded them on hidden video.”

  Terrell cursed. “How many names are in that file?”

  “Several dozen. Take a look.”

  He studied the list. “Maybe that stash of jewelry and personal items we found are souvenirs from his sexual conquests—not from a serial killer.”

  “Besides the payment files, there are all kinds of blackmail files of activities that might be embarrassing or cause problems if they were made public.”

  A list appeared on the screen: assault, burglary, car theft, cheating husband, cheating wife, crossdressing, disability fraud, drug buying, drug selling, extortion, elder abuse, gambling problem, heroin use, insider trading, kleptoman
ia, medical insurance scam, motorcycle theft, paying for prostitutes, stealing from employer, illegal weapons—the list went on and on.

  Terrell said, “You never know what your neighbors might be up to.”

  Jake stared at the screen. “Rox, open that file about drug selling.”

  “I don’t take orders from you, Jake.”

  “Cody found that thumb drive for you. Come on—can you return a favor?”

  Terrell shook his head. “No, I found the drive in the coffee.”

  “You didn’t find it; you were going to boil it,” Jake said. “Cody found it and stopped you from destroying the evidence.”

  Terrell blew a stream of smoke out the window and then nodded his head. “Rox, go ahead and open the file. Jake and I both have a special hatred for heroin dealers. They caused the death of Cody’s former handler, Stuart.”

  Cody growled.

  Roxanne opened the drug-selling file. “One video is titled murder at heroin warehouse.”

  “Play that video,” Terrell said.

  Jake tapped his phone and aimed the camera toward Terrell’s dashboard computer.

  The video ran without any sound, and at a faster speed than normal. It showed the inside of a commercial warehouse. A yellow fork lift drove past, carrying a pallet loaded with clear plastic bags filled with white powder. Soon it passed by again going the other direction, carrying a shrink-wrapped pallet stacked with six-packs of bottled water.

  Two men and a woman walked into the scene, pushing a third man ahead of them who had his hands cuffed behind his back. They made him stand on a large blue plastic tarp in front of a padded wall and he appeared to be pleading for his life. Both men drew their pistols and shot him several times in the head and chest. He fell dead, and they rolled his body up in the tarp and dumped him into a chest freezer. A forklift arrived, picked up the freezer, and drove away.

  Jake tapped his phone and ended the video.

  Terrell blew cigarette smoke out of his nose in twin streams. “Good work, Rox. You just found a large-scale drug trafficking operation.”