Casino Capers

by Dan Kelly

  “There are eleven of us here and ten of you. Each one of you will have your own bodyguard with the exception of Ms. Prevot who will have two because it has been determined that she is at the most risk right now. When assignments have been made, you will be required to provide a daily calendar to your assigned bodyguard and to keep him updated with any changes in your agenda.

  “Mr. Riley has fully briefed us regarding what has been going on with the Chameleon and he has given us pictures of him. I have given Mr. Riley pictures of all of us, so he can get copies into the hands of his men that are tracking the Chameleon down. I want his people to know who we are and why we’re sticking to you people like glue to paper.

  “Are there any questions? Are any of you uncomfortable with us being in the picture and doing what we do?”

  Popeye spoke up with, “I won’t need any protection. I’m going to be in the field with Tucker and his men. Assign my bodyguard to Clyde or Nate.”

  Red looked over at Rex and Tucker and neither of them seemed surprised by Popeye’s announcement.

  Red’s thinking, “Now that’s an interesting development. When all this is over, I’m going to let my curiosity run wild and start asking a bunch of nosy questions. My gut’s telling me that there’s more to those two guys than we’ve been led to believe.”

  Vince said, “Okay, we’ll assign an extra man to Mr. Crowley. I’d say he’s number two in the Chameleon’s pecking order. You two men in Chicago can expect your assigned bodyguards to be knocking on your home doors within the next three hours.” Holding up three pictures, two in one hand one in the other, he added, “The two men in my right hand will be assigned to you, Mr. Crowley and the one in my left hand will be assigned to you, Mr. Borman.”

  Joe stepped forward and asked, “Well, how about it? Do you agree with me that these guys are the answer to how to keep us alive and well or do you want to do something else? I hope you understand why I called Vince without talking with you first. Tucker got through to me loud and clear that wasting time with this kook could be disastrous.”

  Everyone concurred that Joe’s actions might have saved some lives and agreed to abide by whatever instructions were given to them. The bodyguards were assigned and the group paired off with their assigned body guards with the exception of Red and Jillian who wanted to talk with Vince about their idea of making themselves a tempting target for the Chameleon. As they were walking up to Vince, Tucker and Popeye were running out the door.

  Red and Jillian explained their reasoning and Vince liked their idea. “It’s damn risky, but it has a good chance of working if we can find the right location. The right location being someplace that doesn’t put anyone else in danger and where we can strategically position men to take him down when he reveals himself either through carelessness or by making his move. The right location shouldn’t require more than the three men assigned to you.

  “I’ll feel better though if Giovanni and I are two of those three. Any of our men are capable of handling any contingencies that the Chameleon might present, but what you’re proposing is a little extra hairy and I’d feel better if we were at the scene and had some control over how our men positioned themselves and reacted to any attempt on your lives. I’ll make the changes in the assignments when we’re finished here. I’ll arrange for a man by the name of Ramon Rodriguez to be the third bodyguard in our little party. He’s especially good with firearms.

  Red and Jillian nodded their acknowledgement and Giovanni asked, “So, where are you two planning on having these little rendezvous?”

  Red replied with, “We’re still working on that.”

  “Well, wherever it is, don’t plan on driving your own cars to get there. You’ll take a cab that one of us will be driving. The other two bodyguards will escort you to the cab and then go back onboard the Floating Fantasies. They will wait two minutes and then get in their car and head for the rendezvous point taking a different route. This will allow all of us to get on scene without the Chameleon being any the wiser and still provide you with protection while your en route.

  “Also, plan on wearing vests when you’re embarking on these rendezvous and dress accordingly. Wear something that will conceal them.”

  Red said, “Okay. That sounds good to me. Why don’t you guys introduce us to Ramon and then Jillian and I can give all of you a rundown on what we have on our calendars for the next week? Then Jillian and I can get back to putting our heads together to come up with a workable location for what we’re planning to do.”

  After being introduced to Ramon and sharing their calendars with the three men, Red and Jillian headed back to the coffee shop to search visitors’ guides, the yellow pages, the internet and their own memories for the right location to put their plan in motion.

  Chapter 60

  After an hour and three cups of coffee have come and gone, Red and Jillian are still stymied over where to set the trap. They are about to give up and go home when a guy wearing a cap with a golf club logo on it enters the coffee shop. Red stares and then excitedly points at him and says, “That’s it. The perfect place.”

  Looking at where Red is pointing a confused Jillian says, “You’ve lost me. What are you pointing at and how is it the perfect place?

  “That guy’s hat has triggered an idea that I think will work. He’s wearing a golfer’s cap from Kaanapali, Hawaii.

  Incredulously she asked, “You want to go to Hawaii?”

  “No, no! The Crestmont Golf Club on the north side of Bettendorf would be an ideal spot for what we’re trying to set up. Outside the clubhouse, in view of the 18th green, there are five or six gazebos scattered about where people can sit out of the sun and enjoy a drink while watching players finish their game.

  “As dusk approaches, soft lighting and music come up to create a very peaceful, soothing atmosphere. Around the base of the gazebos are all kinds of colorful flowers with a medley of aromas that that add a touch of romance to the entire scene. The Chameleon would think it an appropriate place for a guy and a gal to get together for a drink or two.”

  Getting a second wind from Red’s excitement Jillian starts firing questions at him. “Would the Chameleon have concealed access to us and are there places close by for the bodyguards to stay out of sight? How close are the gazebos to each other? What kind of protection do the gazebos offer us?”

  Before Red could answer any of them, Joe, Vince, Giovanni and Ramon come into the shop. They pull up another table and some chairs next to theirs and join them. Vince asks, “Have you selected a place yet for all of this to go down?”

  Red says, “I believe we just have.” They filled everybody in on what they had been talking about and then Red continued with, “We were about to get into accessibility and security issues when you folks came in. The gazebos are at least 30 yards apart from each other to provide some privacy and are scattered haphazardly instead of being in any particular order. There’s a long, wide ivy covered pathway leading from the clubhouse to the parking lot. All along the club side of this pathway are head high hedges interspersed with oak trees and some firs. On the street side of the pathway is a fifty foot high chain link fence to keep the golf balls on club property.”

  Giovanni asks, “Are there any screens, or bamboo shades in these gazebos?”

  “There are screens to keep the mosquitoes and other bugs out at night during the summer months.”

  “That’s good. How do you know about this place?”

  “I’ve frequently been a guest of a member of the club. It’s a private club that costs a small fortune to join. I like golf, but not that much.”

  “How well do you know the manager there?”

  “We’ve played in a few foursomes together and he’s been frequenting the Floating Fantasies ever since Rex hired me. Why?”

  “Do you think you could talk him into letting us make a temporary change to one of his gazebos?”

  “What kind of change?”

  “Switching the existing screens fo
r special ones that we’ll provide.”

  “What’s so special about your screens?”

  “They are made out of a material similar to the Kevlar Protera in the vests you two will be wearing, only stronger. The weapon that the Chameleon took from the officer when he escaped was an S&W 4046. It is standard issue for the Iowa State Police. This screening can easily handle the ammunition used in that weapon.

  “From what we know about the Chameleon, although he’s used a gun in the robberies of the Palladian Palace and the Go For It there’s nothing in his background to indicate that he’s very familiar with them and what they can do. Hell, he might never have shot one before.

  “With you wearing the vests and the screening in place, he won’t be able to shoot you no matter how close he’s able to get. Do you think you can get the manager to give us permission to make the switch?”

  “I don’t know. We get along pretty well, but he’s going to be worried about the safety of other people sitting in any of the other gazebos even if they’re not that close together.”

  “You could ask him not to seat anyone in them for the hour or so you’ll be there.”

  “Yes, that might work. Okay, I’ll call him first thing tomorrow morning and if he agrees you three can take a ride out there and check things out for yourselves. “You’ll need to take measurements for the screens and look for the most likely places the Chameleon might hide and the best places for you to position yourselves.”

  Although she tried to hide it because she didn’t want anyone to think she was getting bored with the flow of conversation, the yawn won out. “I’m sorry everyone, but I’m beat and want to go home and get some sleep.”

  Joe said, “That’s a good idea, Jillian. We’re all being pushed through an emotional wringer and caffeine can only do so much. We’re all tired and need some down time.”

  Vince said, “Okay. Until the Chameleon is apprehended, Ramon will stay overnight with you in your quarters on the Floating Fantasies, Red, and Giovanni and I will stay with you, Jillian, in your apartment. If you folks have spare beds, that’s terrific. If you don’t, we can sleep on couches, in chairs or even on the floor because we all brought sleeping bags with us. The important thing is that we stay close to you at all times, so we’re always in position to deal with any danger that might come your way. Having us around all the time will be a pain in the butt, but it’s a lot better than the alternative. Come on. Let’s get out of here. Some sack time will do all of us a world of good.”

  Chapter 61

  The next morning Red called Vick Manning, the manager of the Crestmont Golf Club, and after a half hour of some very creative persuasion which included Floating Fantasies comps, three strokes in an 18 hole head to head contest for five Ben Franklins and a little wheedling thrown in for insurance finally got him to acquiesce.

  Vince, Giovanni and Ramon quickly headed out to the golf club for some reconnoitering. They figured their charges would be safe enough in their workplaces under the watchful eyes of the expanded private security coverage which Chuck managed to supplement with a few Bettendorf police officers until they got back.

  By next evening they were ready to roll. The screens had been installed and the gazebo area had been thoroughly scouted. Vince would seat himself on the veranda of the clubhouse where he would have a clear view of the gazebos and the pathway leading to the parking lot. Giovanni would be at the other end of the pathway in a van in the parking lot close to the entrance to the covered pathway. Ramon would be situated in one of the gazebos with a high powered rifle as company.

  At six thirty, Red and Jillian were sitting in one of the gazebos sipping martinis and Jillian was saying, “Under other circumstances, this could be a very pleasant evening.”

  Red was thinking, “Anywhere with you under other circumstances would be a pleasant evening.” but said, “Maybe we could try it under other circumstances.”

  Jillian responded with, “I think I’d like that.”

  Red’s thinking, “Hot damn. I’ve died and gone to heaven.”

  Then abruptly Jillian changed the mood with, “What do you think of Popeye and Tucker being out in the field together. His announcement really floored me. There seemed to be too much friction between the two of them from the first time they met for that to have happened.”

  “Well, to be honest with you, Jillian, I don’t think that was the first time they met. Popeye’s been acting strangely ever since Tucker came into the picture, but the tension between them seemed to be diminishing the last time I saw them together. I think Rex knows some things about the big guy that he’s not sharing with us. Maybe we’ll get some answers when this Chameleon mess is over with.”

  Jillian’s thinking, “By nature, Popeye’s not a blabbermouth, especially about himself. I don’t think he’s ever told anyone else about his sister but me and it was difficult for him to do that.”

  The rest of the evening was uneventful which was expected as it was going to take a little time for the Chameleon to catch on to their little rendezvous.

  Five days later they were wondering if he would ever catch on. There has been no sign of the Chameleon anywhere. Tucker and his men are drawing a blank and the media blitz of the Chameleon’s picture has produced no leads.

  Then things began to happen. Jillian had stopped by Red’s office to go to lunch when Rex called. “Jillian’s with me. I’m going to put you on the speaker.”

  “Popeye just called to tell me that as of yesterday afternoon the Chameleon was still in the Bettendorf area.”

  Red asked, “How did he find that out?”

  “Popeye’s head is not just a hat rack. He’s read the directions on how to use what’s inside too. Since they weren’t having any luck picking up any signs of where the Chameleon was headed, he called Sam Ferguson, the Chameleon’s friend in Chicago, and asked him if he knew of any places that the Chameleon habitually patronized; fast food joints, hobby stores, bars, places like that. Sam told him that he loved Chinese food, especially when it was served buffet style because these kinds of restaurants offer a decent selection on an all you can eat basis.

  “Popeye started making the rounds of all these types of restaurants in Bettendorf and hit pay dirt in a joint up on Adelaide called, get this, Chop Suey Louie’s. When Popeye showed the cashier a copy of the Chameleon’s picture, she said he had lunch there yesterday. She remembered him because the clothes he was wearing looked like hand me downs. Nothing matched. She’s going to call Popeye if and when he shows up again.”

  Jillian’s thinking, “That’s my Popeye. Yeah, my Popeye. He’s the big brother I always wanted to have.”

  “Thanks for the info, Rex. I’ll pass it on to Vince.”

  When Red hung up he went to his office door and called out to Vince who was standing by the railing across the deck from Red’s office with Giovanni and Ramon.

  “Vince, if you can stop ogling the women for a minute, I’ve just learned something you should know.”

  Walking into Red’s office with a mischievous smile on his face and a glance in Jillian’s direction he says, “Man, what does a guy have to do to get a job in a place like this? This is a bachelor’s dream come true.”

  “It helps if you know the boss.”

  With his smile broadening he says, “I’ll keep that in mind. What have you got for me?”

  Red tells him about Rex’s call and adds, “Evidently he’s living on the streets. Money is in short supply, so he probably got the clothes from someone like the Salvation Army and the money to eat at Chop Suey Louie’s by panhandling or picking up day jobs at places like the parking lot at a Home Depot. We know from the last time he escaped that he knows how to survive with very little. It looks like he wants to stick around and look for an opportunity to have a go at Jillian.”

  “You’re probably right, Red. Turning to Jillian he says, “Try not to worry too much. I know it will be impossible for you not to worry some, but it’s not just ego talking when I say no one’s
going to hurt you while any of us are around. We’ve been here before and know what must be done. It never hurts to have an extra pair of eyes though, so stay alert to what’s going on around you and let us know of any negative vibes you pick up, no matter how silly they may seem to you. Okay?”