Masques and Murder — Death at the Opera 2-Book Bundle

by Blechta, Rick

  He drove across town to Jarvis, then south, peppering Shannon with questions, many of which had embarrassing answers when she admitted just how Alan Grant had always been one step ahead of them.

  “We just can’t figure out how he does it. Everywhere Dan looked, he found surveillance devices; really expensive, hard-to-get ones, too. Even so, it was as if he was always standing just behind us, listening in. Take what happened last night as an example. We thought we were in the clear. Do not underestimate this man, Les, do not.”

  Waiting for the light at King and Jarvis, Dobbin wrapped up the conversation. “Shannon, if you come across anything, think of anything, give me a call pronto. We’re all in the soup together and it’s going to need a team effort to bring this to a satisfactory close.”

  “Do you think we’re going to find Marta Hendriks alive?”

  Dobbin looked across the car at her. “I’d put the odds at no more than 50/50. How about you?”

  Shannon suddenly felt weary. “I’d put it less than that.”

  The light changed and the car continued south. If the despair flooding her brain hadn’t made her turn her head to look out the side window, she would have missed it. Even then, it was a close thing. A lot of trucks used this road and her view could easily have been blocked.

  “Pull over, Les. Stop the car!”

  He hit the emergency lights and chirped the siren and stopped, blocking the curb lane traffic.

  “What is it?” Dobbin asked.

  “I think that’s Hudson’s vehicle in that lot.” She flung the car door open. “I’ll be right back.” A few seconds later she was back. “It’s his, all right.”

  “So he’s down here.”

  “Yes. But why would he park there? Something is wrong.”

  “I’m calling for backup.”

  Shannon put her hand on his arm. “Tell them no sirens. Have them park here where they’ll be hidden by the market building. We can’t take any chances on this.”

  Dobbin nodded, then got on the radio to call it in.

  “We can’t wait, Les. We’ve got to move now.”

  “We should wait.”

  Opening the door again, Shannon said, “I’m not willing to do that.”

  Grabbing a mobile radio, Dobbin answered, “Always the hothead, O’Brien. Well, you’re not going in there alone.”

  As they ran along the colonnade of the market building, the detective was speaking rapidly into the radio, giving instructions on what should be done. “Cover all exits from the building. I want the block surrounded, but no sirens and nobody is to enter until I tell you. Everyone got that? We’re on our way to scope out the front lobby. Dobbin out.”

  They stayed close to the front of the market building on Front Street to minimize the chance of being seen from above and ran across the open space between that and Tony’s building. The few people on the sidewalk stopped to stare. As they passed by the bank at the corner of the building, Dobbin drew his gun.

  Moving forward the twenty feet to the first window of the lobby, Shannon peered through the corner of the glass for a few seconds.

  Over her shoulder, she said to Dobbin, “Lobby’s empty.”

  “Let’s chance it.”

  They moved into the building quickly. Shannon’s bloodstream was flooded with adrenalin, and it felt good. This was the one aspect of her former occupation that she really missed.

  A familiar smell hit them first.

  “Someone’s fired a gun,” Dobbin said unnecessarily.

  “There’s usually a doorman.”

  “He’s here, Shannon, behind the desk, with a bullet in the brain.” Immediately back on his radio, Dobbin asked for more backup. “And I want people in the bank and supermarket to either side of the lobby. Lock those places down. Cut off the street and sidewalk traffic. If there’s gunfire, I don’t want anyone in the way. I want coverage on both sides of every exit to this building. Our suspect is armed and dangerous. I repeat, armed and dangerous. I’m in the lobby of the building now with Shannon O’Brien. Look for me there.”

  Shannon was behind the desk looking at the monitor screen. “It’s showing the buildings cameras live. I’m not seeing anything.”

  Dobbin joined her, but keeping a sharp eye out. His gun was now up and ready. “Can you make this thing play back the last hour?”

  “I can try.” Shannon leaned over the keyboard and typed in some things. It took a few tries but a splash panel finally overlaid the screen. “I’m in. Last hour?”

  The monitor began playing back the multiple camera views.

  “Stop there,” Dobbin said. “Isn’t that Hudson?”

  Shannon got the system to show the lobby feed in real time. First Dan got on the left-hand elevator, then Tony, who turned to say something to a person standing about where they were, presumably the murdered doorman. Staying in real time, they now focused on the elevator camera.

  “Stop there. What button is Hudson pushing?”

  “Sixth floor. That’s the one above Marta Hendriks’s. Son of a bitch! That’s how he’s done his magic tricks. I’ll bet the bastard has the apartment right above Tony and Marta.”

  Dobbin looked incredulous. “You mean he brought her back here?”

  “That’s obviously what Tony and Dan thought.”

  They continued watching the video until the elevator door opened and the two men got out. She stopped the playback as there was a metallic tap on the window to their left. The cavalry had arrived, and they’d all followed Dobbin’s instructions to arrive silently, Shannon noted.

  He went outside to talk with two uniforms, but returned quickly. Even so, Shannon had enough time to do some fast thinking of her own. If Alan Grant had shot the little doorman, then he must have known Dan and Tony were upstairs. Following that line of thought, he must be tapped into the building’s CC cameras. It followed that he might well know the police had the building surrounded.

  Dobbin was followed by one of the detectives from his crew. Shannon quickly outlined her thoughts.

  “Jesus!” he replied. “I didn’t think we’d be getting into a full-scale assault here. What about the people currently in the building? We can’t risk them.”

  “We also can’t flood the building with cops. If he’s watching, he’ll freak for sure.”

  “Are you suggesting what I think you are?”

  “What other choice is there? We have to get this done quickly. Bring in Tactical and it’s going to be an hour before anything happens. Admit it.”

  “Point taken. Give me a workable alternative that won’t get one of us shot.”

  “Les, we don’t even know who’s up there — and we don’t have time to scope out the all the videos. My best suggestion? Get someone in here to check video while we’re upstairs. Call Tactical in so they’re here if we need them. You, me, and one or two others can handle a recce of the sixth floor and keep anyone in their apartment.”

  “If you weren’t Dave O’Brien’s little girl and a darn good cop in your own right, I’d tell you to take a flying you-know-what.” He turned to the detective he’d brought in. “Howie, you heard the lady. Find me someone to run this computer and grab a few uniforms to come upstairs with Shannon and me. You’re in charge down here.” As Howie nodded and turned for the door, his boss added, “And get me two vests.”

  Shannon was back at the monitors.

  Dobbin asked, “Are you carrying?”

  “In the current climate in this country? Are you kidding?”

  “License up to date?”

  “Of course.”

  “Here, take mine. I’ll borrow one.”

  Three minutes later, four people got into one of the elevators. As Dobbin pressed six, he said, “Everyone ready? When these doors open again, Shannon and I will be back on each side. You two will hit the deck. If we don’t see anything, then we’ll move forward. Clear?”

  Tony began to struggle against his bonds but Dan was curiously still. They watched as Grant unlocked the inn
er door at the end of the long hall. He paused to flick a switch next to it then walked into the room beyond.Under the intense lighting, they could see Marta, clad only in a T-shirt that hardly covered her, standing near what looked like a metal bed. A chain was fastened to her right ankle.

  Dan got Tony’s attention with a long, low growl. He then began tossing his head toward his left shoulder. Tony thought he understood what his companion was getting at, so he nodded.

  As Tony kept a close eye on the opposite end of the apartment, Dan began hopping, slowly rotating his chair. Another low growl and Tony realized if he were to also hop-rotate his chair, they would accomplish whatever Dan wanted in less time.

  When both captive men were back to back, Dan began pulling on Tony’s right coat sleeve. He had to do the same thing twice more because Tony’s attention was divided as he watched Grant direct his wife to lie down on the cot.

  Finally he figured out that Dan wanted him to stick his fingers up his left sleeve. The two men struggled to get closer together so Tony could get his fingers farther up. It took more seconds than they could spare but eventually Tony felt something hard and rough. He pulled on it and it came free. It didn’t take long to figure out he was holding a short knife with a very sharp blade as he sliced open his thumb. The pain caused him to nearly drop it.

  Carefully he pressed the blade against the cable tie holding Dan’s hands together. With a slight sawing motion it cut through. Dan’s hands were free. He grunted loudly and Tony handed him the knife.

  That’s when they ran out of time.

  Both men looked down the hall as Grant was unlocking the chain on Marta’s ankle. Dragging his chair to which he was still fastened, Dan got up and spun Tony’s chair back to its original position, then did the same to his and sat down again. The last thing he did was shake his head in warning. If they were left alone again for even a brief period, Dan would have them both free.

  Alan Grant was striding down the hall toward them. Tony hoped his face looked suitably blank as Grant stopped in front of him.

  “This is a once-in-a-lifetime performance, Lusardi, your wife’s lifetime, that is. She was given a great gift, a gift that was denied my mother. It was something that cost her life eventually, because nothing my mother did was good enough for my father. Oh, it was never in public. He hid his abuse of us away. She and I became united by the way he treated us. I tried to get your dear friend Lili to help my mother as she sank further and further into depression, but Lili refused. Eventually, my mother couldn’t take the abuse any longer and ended her life. Do you know why? Because she found out my father was about to throw her onto the scrap heap. It was the final straw. She left me a note apologizing for leaving me alone with him, but urged me to be strong. I would triumph in the end.

  “As for your wife, I cheered as she rose from the ashes of her life, unlike my mother. But then I’ve watched in dismay as she squandered her gifts over the past few months: bad performances because of drinking, arguments with fellow cast members. It filled me with disgust. Venice was the last straw, and I knew I had to remove her. I couldn’t believe it when she called me out at her news conference. Who the hell does she think she is?

  “Audiences have watched Marta Hendriks die in countless operas, but today you’re going to see her die for real. I’m going to strangle her with my bare hands. You’re going to have to watch, helpless to save her as I squeeze the life from her body. And after that, you’ll die.”

  Grant bent lower and smiled. “What’s the matter, Tony? Cat got your tongue?” He turned to Dan. “You deserve to die, Hudson, just because you’re a royal pain in the ass.”

  Chapter Forty

  By raising my head, I could battle the lights enough to dimly see down the length of the apartment. My eyes teared up when I realized Tony was there with Dan next to him, but from the way they were sitting and by the things jammed in their mouths, it wasn’t hard to tell they were captives of this evil man, same as I.

  My enemy stopped in front of them and a one-sided conversation ensued. A few seconds of struggle made it clear the plastic bands holding me to the bed were too strong.

  It didn’t take much to realize what was about to happen. He’d already threatened to strangle me as he had Lili. Now he was going to do it and force Tony to watch. It was just too monstrous. Pulling and rolling my body, I could feel the plastic bands cutting into my flesh, but I didn’t care. If I could have pulled off my extremities to get free, I would have gladly done it.

  Eventually, the conversation at the end of the room finished. My enemy had clearly had his say and was walking with a purpose back down the hall. I looked closely at his face but could not recognize him.

  Without stopping he entered my prison, came over to the bed, and swung a leg over, straddling me. Reaching back with a knife he took from his coat pocket, he cut the ties holding my ankles to the bed.

  “I’ve decided I want your husband to see your struggles at least a little bit, Marta. You are going to struggle, I hope?” He reached into an inner pocket of his jacket. “I almost forgot this.”

  It was the last rose stem. No blossom adorned its top. With a tiny smirk, he dropped the bare stick on my chest.

  Then he leaned forward, wrapped his hands around my throat, and began slowly tightening his fingers.

  I did struggle as mightily as I could, legs thrashing, pushing up and twisting to try to throw him off me, but he was too heavy.

  My windpipe was closed off, and even though I’d sucked in as much air as I could when his hands moved to my neck, his weight on my lower body kept me from taking my deepest breath. What good would that have done anyway? It was only postponing the inevitable. Blackness was descending into my brain as I struggled futilely for life-giving air.

  As death stood over my enemy’s right shoulder, the bed under me jerked as if a great weight had been thrown on it. The hands around my throat relaxed for a moment, then tightened again. Drops of something wet spattered my face and I opened my eyes. Someone was on top of my enemy. More drops hit me as I heard voices shouting. My enemy’s hands finally relaxed and I gasped to fill my empty lungs as his body slid to the side and off the bed, taking whoever else had been on him.

  My addled brain heard noises I couldn’t quite recognize and I wished I could see what was going on but the lights in the room were too much for me.

  A shadow fell over me, and through the glare I could vaguely make out Shannon’s face.

  As if coming from far away, I heard her voice. “It’s all right now, Marta. You’re safe. You’re safe.”

  Darkness closed in on me again.

  But it was a good darkness.

  Chapter Forty-One

  One ambulance waited for the dead. Another ambulance had come and gone with the living.

  Marta had obviously needed medical help and Tony had been allowed to accompany her to hospital, but with one of Dobbin’s men in tow. Shannon didn’t think Tony would be charged with anything, but there you were. The big man had always been known as a careful cop.

  “I couldn’t believe it,” Dan was telling a detective who had been assigned to take his statement. “Our situation was dire, but once Tony got my knife free and I could cut my bonds, I knew we had that bastard Grant.”

  “And once you were free, you handed Mr. Lusardi the knife?”

  “Not exactly. Grant came back to taunt us some more. He told us what he was going to do to Marta. Fortunately, he didn’t check to see if I was still secured. Once Grant went down the hall to carry out his threat to strangle Marta, I cut the cable ties on my legs, and then handed the knife to Lusardi. My intent was for him to cut himself loose while I was going down that hall the way I was trained in Special Forces: swiftly and silently. I had everything under control, or so I thought. But I’d hardly gotten three steps when Tony blew by me.”

  “And that’s when Lusardi attacked Alan Grant?”

  “No. He tried to pull him off. When that didn’t work, he used my knife and stabbed
Grant in the back.”

  “How many times?”

  “I’m not sure. Obviously enough to kill him. I would have stopped him if I could, but it all happened so fast. My boss and your boss burst into the apartment and that caused me to hesitate for a moment. Don’t think it would have done any good, though, except to stop Tony from cutting Grant into a thousand tiny pieces.”

  “Was anything said?”

  Hudson shook his head. “I don’t remember it. Tony just went batshit. You would have, too, if you’d seen and heard what we had.”

  “So you felt Lusardi was out of control?”

  Dan shook his head in disgust. “It was his wife, man. And Grant had a gun. Don’t you have a drop of humanity in your veins?”

  “I have to ask these questions.”

  Dobbin stuck his head into the living room. “You got what you need, Mike? I need you down here to help go through these cartons with us. You won’t believe the stuff this bastard had stockpiled.”

  “Sure. I’m done here.”

  Shannon sat down next to Hudson. “This was just a preliminary chat, Dan. When you have to give your official statement, the one you’ll have to sign, make sure you say you think Tony feared for his life as well as Marta’s. That’s important. We have to make sure Tony’s not charged for manslaughter.”

  “Is that really a concern?”

  “I don’t think so because Dobbin and I saw what happened. It was clear that Tony tried to pull Grant off Marta, but you never know.” She clapped him on the back. “I’m sure glad I brought you onboard, Dan. Even though it didn’t quite end as we would have wanted it to, the bad guy got stopped. You did good.”

  He smiled tightly. “And you used to work like this every day? No wonder you got out. I thought I was a tough guy when I was in Special Forces, but this was up front and personal today. If old habits didn’t die hard and I’d stopped carrying that old blade, Marta would have died a horrible death, even though you and the cavalry got there in the nick of time. You didn’t see. She’d stopped struggling. It would have been over in seconds.”