“I’m with Billy, Tanner; he’s my guy.”
Tanner faced forward again, breaking eye contact, and Cindy finished cleaning the wound, before placing a bandage over it.
When he stood, she got off the bed as well, and Tanner thanked her for helping him.
She smiled. “We’re friends.”
“Yes,” he said, and put on the clean shirt he had taken from the closet.
The man of the house was bigger than Tanner in the waist and of shorter stature, but when he tightened his belt, the pants stayed up and the height of the cuffs didn’t look too bad, not with the boots he was wearing. The dark suit coat was large, but that too worked out, as it hid the gun tucked in his waistband.
Cindy made a stack of sandwiches while they waited for Billy to return, but then she received a call from him instead.
“Where are you?”
“Put the speakerphone on, I need to talk to Tanner too.”
Cindy hit a button and Tanner heard traffic sounds in the background.
“What’s up, Billy?”
“Oh man, we’ve got a problem. I was two blocks from the house when I saw a bunch of pickup trucks by the park here. I recognized some of these guys, and Cindy, I saw your dad.”
“Daddy’s here?”
“Yeah, and it looks like they’re getting ready to attack, like they’re planning the best way to do it.”
“Are you on this side of the park?” Tanner said.
“Yeah.”
“Go to the other side and we’ll pick you up in the motor home.”
“Tanner.”
“Yeah?”
“Take care of Cindy, man, okay?”
“She’ll stay safe, now get going and we’ll see you.”
Tanner ended the call, then he stared at the phone in his hand.
“How long have you had this phone?”
“About a year, why?”
“It’s how they found us. They must have a man watching the house too.”
Cindy spun around and stared at the kitchen windows. “What do we do?”
Tanner handed her the Glock he had taken from one of Aldo’s men.
“There’s a round in the chamber. If anyone tries to hurt you, aim at their chest and squeeze the trigger.”
Cindy looked down at the gun in her hand and then up at Tanner.
“Isn’t there a safety switch on it somewhere?”
“It’s built into the trigger.”
“Where are you going?”
“There’s likely at least one spotter outside, someone to peek in windows and try to figure out how many people are inside. I’m going out to take care of them. You stay here, and when you hear the motor home start, come outside.”
“Be careful, Tanner.”
“Right.”
Edwin “Buck” Seevers had worked as a bartender for over a year and had tangled and tussled with his share of mean drunks, but he never had to use a gun on any of them. It felt odd to be carrying one.
Buck considered himself an actor. He had done several plays and worked the dinner theater circuit in Colorado. Buck was saving enough to move to Los Angeles next year, which is why he came along with the others to Vegas.
He was getting an extra thousand for what should be one day’s work. If tips stayed good and he was frugal, he hoped to be in LA in six months.
Buck was outside the kitchen window of the home Tanner was using. He could hear voices, but couldn’t make out what they were saying. Still, it sounded like one was male and the other female. Since the signal from the phone was coming from inside, he assumed it was the girl and one of her abductors.
He was just about to call the rest of his group and tell them it was a go, when Tanner snuck up from behind and blasted him with a stun gun.
Buck fell to his knees and Tanner jammed the Mossberg against his side.
“How many are you?”
Buck couldn’t answer right away, as he was too busy drooling from the blast, but when his mind cleared, he stuttered out an answer.
“There’s, there’s, twelve, twelve of us, thirteen if you count the girl’s father.”
Tanner ground the shotgun into Buck’s ribs. “Did they bring the money?”
“Yeah, just in case.”
“Give me your phone.”
Buck handed over his cell phone and Tanner shut it off. When there was time, he’d remove the battery.
He told Buck to get on his feet and marched him into the motor home, where he gave him another blast from the stun gun, before starting the engine.
As Tanner waited for Cindy to join him, he gave Buck a third blast and then used strips of fabric to bind Buck’s wrists and ankles. The material had been torn from the window curtains hanging over the vehicle’s tiny sink.
Cindy appeared, holding the gun by its barrel like a club, and her eyes grew wide when she saw Tanner tying up Buck.
“He works for Mr. O’Grady. I’ve seen him around town.”
“Yes, and he’ll come in handy.”
Buck recovered again, and after shaking his head, he spoke. He used the voice he always used when he performed in Guys and Dolls, as he tried to sound tough.
“Mr. O’Grady isn’t someone you want to fuck with, dude.”
Cindy walked over and stared down at him. “This is Tanner, and you don’t want to fuck with him.”
Buck stared at her in shock, then at Tanner, and decided to keep his mouth shut.
Seconds later, they were on their way out of the driveway.
Cindy held out the gun for Tanner to take back and he told her to keep it.
“Really?”
“Yes, you may need it someday.”
“Tanner?”
“Yeah?”
“Thanks for helping us like this.”
“What are friends for?” Tanner said.
And then the two of them went to pick up Billy.
25
The Heart Wants What It Wants
Hank O’Grady watched his son enter his office and knew just what was on Ricky’s mind.
It was Cindy, Cindy Preston. She was the only thing the kid had thought about since coming home from college and discovering that the cute girl had blossomed into a sex kitten.
Ricky took a seat on the corner of the desk. He was twenty-three, good-looking, and spoiled rotten. Cindy’s rejection of his advances had only made him want her more, and he was convinced that he loved her and that they were meant to be man and wife.
When at home, Ricky was treated like a prince. The youngest of two children, he was O’Grady’s only son. O’Grady had always given Ricky anything he wanted, and he was determined that Cindy would not be an exception.
Ricky had cost his old man a small fortune over the years, as O’Grady had paid to cover up his son’s indiscretions or fulfill his desires. Ricky’s obsession with Cindy was proving to be expensive as well.
“Any news?”
“Yeah, I just heard back from Rossetti’s man, some dude named Ramone. He’s going to meet with Joe Preston and hand over Billy and Cindy.”
“It’s like a kidnapping?”
O’Grady stroked his chin. “I hadn’t looked at it that way, but yeah, you’re right.”
“Are they flying back tonight?”
“I have the pilot standing by in Vegas.”
“I should have gone with them.”
O’Grady shook his head. “It might get dangerous out there and I’m not putting you in harm’s way.”
Ricky stood. There was concern showing on his young face. “Nothing bad better happen to Cindy.”
“It won’t. I meant that the trouble would start after we get her back, that’s when the boys are going to teach that Rossetti a hard lesson.”
Ricky paced about the room, his eyes bright.
“I can’t wait to see Cindy again. And this time she’ll come around, I know she will, and then we’ll marry.”
O’Grady smiled, pleased to see his son happy. “Once you marry that girl
, I want grandsons.”
Ricky stopped pacing and stared at his father; he then walked over and leaned across the desk.
“What’s to stop Cindy from running away again? She might go off looking for Billy, or he might come back here.”
“That’s not going to happen, because it won’t be possible.”
“What do you mean?”
O’Grady waved off the question, thinking that Ricky was too young or too weak to hear the truth, but then he reconsidered.
“Listen, boy, you’ll be running this ranch someday, so you might as well know something right now; sometimes you have to play for keeps, do you get me?”
Ricky straightened, as his eyebrows went up in surprise.
“You’re going to have Billy killed?”
“Yeah, accident or not, the boy stabbed you; he doesn’t get to live after that.”
“Are they bringing him back here?”
“No, Joe Preston will probably drive his ass out into the Nevada desert and put a bullet in his brain.”
“Too bad,” Ricky said, his eyes narrowing in hate. “If Billy came back here, I’d kill him myself.”
O’Grady beamed at his son. The kid had grit after all, and he realized that the ranch would someday be in safe hands.
26
It Doesn’t Work That Way
Tanner had Cindy remove the battery from her phone, but kept the device, as he could later use it as bait.
Buck turned out to be personable, at least as far as Billy and Cindy were concerned. He kept them laughing as he told them stories about the theater and the acting life.
Tanner had even released him from his bonds. Buck was no threat, of that he was sure, and was equally certain that Billy could handle him if he tried anything. Tanner also promised Buck that if he caused him grief he would kill him. He saw by the man’s reaction that he was believed.
They were in a Walmart parking lot. Tanner had sent Billy and Cindy into the store to buy a few pay-as-you-go phones, along with other items and food.
Tanner had already used one of the phones to call Hank O’Grady and set up a meet with Joe Preston, Cindy’s father. O’Grady still believed that Tanner was Ramone and that he was going to trade him Billy and Cindy for fifty thousand dollars, but Tanner had other plans, and other calls to make.
As Buck began one more tale, Tanner left the trio to talk, while he went to the rear of the motor home. After sliding closed the bedroom door, Tanner called the number that was in the envelope Dwight had passed along.
His call was answered by a young woman who Tanner thought sounded hot, but snooty.
“Good afternoon and whom may I say is calling?”
“Tanner.”
“Please hold.”
She was gone for just over a minute, then she informed Tanner that someone would be calling him back on the phone he was using within the next few minutes.
Tanner ended the first call and waited for the return call to come in.
The sound of laughter drifted in from the front of the motor home as Buck continued to amuse Billy and Cindy.
Tanner sighed. If he kept picking up strays, he’d soon need a rooming house in which to board them.
The phone rang. Tanner answered it and said four words. “You wanted to talk?”
The voice that replied had a quality to it that spoke of money and power.
“Tanner, this is Frank Richards. While this line is secure, I would like to meet with you in person.”
“Are you in New York?”
“I’m in Las Vegas. I flew here to handle this problem.”
Tanner gave Frank Richards the location of the Walmart and told him that he would meet him inside, at the garden center.
“I can be there in half an hour. I’ll bring two men along, but I assure you, I only want to talk.”
“I understand,” Tanner said.
He had no concern about a hit or being grabbed up, at least not while Richards was present. Frank Richards managed people and incidents, but he didn’t do the work himself.
If he had decided to have Tanner hit, he would send someone to do it, but he would never be near when it happened. Not in as public a place as a Walmart. Being personally involved with a hit would go against Richards’ breeding and he would find violence distasteful, although he regularly ordered that violence be done to others.
The call ended and Tanner informed Billy and Cindy that he would be meeting someone inside the store, he then stared at Buck.
“You’re going to behave while I’m gone.”
It was a statement, not a question.
Buck held up his hands to the level of his shoulders.
“I’m not a tough guy, Tanner. I just joined O’Grady’s posse for the thousand bucks it paid. I was also told that Cindy was being held hostage.”
“He’s cool,” Billy said, and Cindy nodded in agreement.
Tanner told them he would be back before an hour passed and then left the motor home and walked to the store’s entrance, where he stood and watched for Frank Richards’ arrival.
Frank Richards was not a mobster, not in the traditional sense. He was a businessman with deep corporate ties and a key member of the Conglomerate.
The Conglomerate’s members were Italian, Irish, Russian, African, and increasingly, Wasp, as people like Frank Richards influenced recruitment.
Tanner wasn’t a member of the Conglomerate, nor of anything else, although many of his contracts came through them and he had been asked to join them, but always declined. Tanner was a loner, a professional, and the best killer money could buy. He had been trained to be such by his mentor, Tanner Six. Tanner was the seventh in a line of assassins who passed down their knowledge and skills.
Richards’ limo appeared, and the man himself got out of it with two bodyguards. The bodyguards were both big men, but hardly what might be termed gorillas.
Tanner knew one of them by his first name, which was Gary, but he had never seen the other man before.
Tanner walked behind a large display of diapers and waited for the trio to pass, then he followed them to the garden department by walking parallel to them along another aisle.
As the three men entered the garden area and turned right, Tanner entered and turned left, to meet them at the rear by the fence, near a large stack of potting soil.
As the bodyguards’ eyes fell upon him, Tanner spread his hands and revealed them to be empty.
Richards greeted him with a nod and moved closer. It was a weekday, and although the garden department had a steady flow of customers milling about, they were far enough away to be able to speak in a normal voice.
“Your time in prison has left you thinner, Tanner; although I see the work detail on that building site gave you ample opportunity to get some sun.”
Tanner nodded. Richards was telling him he had kept tabs on him while he was in prison, or else how would he know about the work detail at the construction site? Tanner wondered if Richards had made certain he was on that detail and if so, why?
Would he want him outside prison walls so it would be easier to escape, or so that it would have made Tanner easier to kill? If the latter, it would explain why he was attacked for no apparent reason while working on the site.
“You wanted to talk, let’s talk.”
“Very well, I want you to leave Rossetti be. I know I engaged you to… do what you do, but things have changed in our relationship since that time and Albert Rossetti is off-limits and under the Conglomerate’s protection.”
“You paid me to kill him and that’s just what I’m going to do.”
Tanner saw Richards wince when he used the word “kill” as if not actually saying it made the act nicer.
Richards leaned closer and Tanner could detect the aftershave on the man even over the earthiness of the potting soil. It was a scent like Bay Rum, but richer. He filed the odor away in case Richards ever became a target, because you never knew what might give your quarry’s location away.
“If you harm Rossetti I’ll be forced to act against you, and Tanner, you are not the only one with your particular set of skills.”
“You mean you’ll send someone to kill me? Do that, and you’ll not only have lost Rossetti, but also whoever you send.”
Richards let out a long breath, while appearing to be annoyed, and perhaps surprised. He wasn’t a man used to hearing the word, “No.”
“I hired you, Tanner, and now I’m telling you to stand down. Rossetti is no longer a target. You can keep the money, that’s not a problem, but if anything happens to Rossetti, I assure you, the same fate will befall you.”
“Richards, I kill people and I never fail to take out a target once money has changed hands. There’s no off switch. It doesn’t work that way. Once I’m switched on, I’m on, and whoever I’m after will die.”
Richards had turned red while Tanner was talking. When he spoke again, it was through gritted teeth. “You’ll do as I say, or you’ll die. Is that simple enough for you, Tanner?”
“We’re done here,” Tanner said. “Now leave.”
“What?”
“You heard me, Richards. You wanted to talk, we talked, now go away. I’ve got work to do.”
Richards’ mouth dropped open and he sent forth an astonished laugh.
“You must be insane. You think you can talk to me that way?”
Tanner ignored the question, it was stupid, and he had been eyeing Richards’ bodyguards as the man talked. The one named Gary had slid his hand closer to the holster on his belt. Tanner caught the man’s eye. Gary held his gaze for a second, and his hand froze where it was.
“What do you want us to do, Mr. Richards?” Gary asked.
Richards flicked a glance at Gary, looked around at the nearby shoppers, and let out a long slow breath.
“I want to leave here and never see this man again,” Richards said. He spun around and stalked off, with Gary at his side, and the other bodyguard walking sideways and eyeing Tanner.
When they were out of sight, Tanner climbed up on the stack of potting soil and went over the fence. He landed on the balls of his feet, while steadying himself with the palm of one hand.
The Tanner Series - Books 1-11: Tanner - The hit man with a heart Page 9