Amanda's Return

by June Kramin

  “I’m wincing just thinking about it.”

  “Can we talk about something else? You know I only do what I have to. Trust me. I’d rather be making cookies for you and Hannah than taking James to the mattresses.”

  “How fitting. A Godfather quote.”

  “Well, I did literally take him to the mattresses.”

  “Touché. So, are you buying that he’s not holding anything back about Willy?”

  “I don’t know. I’ll dig into the transcriptions when we get back. If he is hiding something, it won’t be in there, but maybe I’ll find another lead or clue.”

  “Another day down and not much to go on again.”

  “Fun, isn’t it? We really ought to check on the kids.”

  “Angelo and company?”

  “Shhh, Hunt.”

  “We’re in the middle of nowhere, babe.”

  “Never underestimate the ears—”

  Mandy stopped. There was a woman walking by the window that was dressed more like a hooker than anything else.

  “Who is she?” Hunt asked.

  “Willy’s girlfriend.”

  “That Heidi you were just talking about?”

  Mandy flew out of her chair and rang for the front door. She cut the woman off.

  Startled, the woman shouted, “What the hell are you doing, you crazy bitch?”

  “Heidi, it’s me. Mandy.”

  There was finally a spark of recognition in her eyes. “Hey, girl!” They shared a quick hug. “What are you doing back? I heard you were doing time.”

  “Did. I’m out. I’m back for real and calling the shots now.”

  “You? Wait a minute.” Mandy could almost see her drug-induced haze lift. “Face said you were a fed.”

  “Face told a lot of people that. I think he was trying to cut a deal. Funny to run into you. I saw him today as a matter of fact.”

  “Well, whoopee for you. I haven’t seen him in over six months.”

  “You okay with that?”

  “Nothing I can do. He ain’t ever getting out. Can’t get conjugal visits with all the trouble he gets into lately. What’s the point? They kept making my visits shorter and further apart. Wasn’t ever much allowed in the first place.”

  “You miss him?”

  “Of course I miss him. Call me a fool, but I loved him.”

  “Will you come sit with me for a bit? I’d love to catch up.”

  “Sure. I’m not going anywhere in particular.”

  Mandy brought her into the restaurant and offered to buy her dinner. She declined. Heidi was barely skin on bones and most certainly did drugs more often than she ate. Mandy explained about Angelo and was surprised at the uncontrollable sobbing that erupted. Hunt passed her some napkins and excused himself to refill their beers.

  “I’m so sorry. I didn’t realize you were so close to him,” Mandy said when Heidi finally accepted her comforting hugs.

  “He was a great guy. Just too young to go, you know?”

  “Trust me. I know.”

  Chapter Thirty-Six

  When Heidi stopped crying, Mandy explained about being his sister.

  “No way.”

  “I’m serious. I didn’t even go into it with Willy. Things didn’t really go too well.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “He wasn’t cooperative,” Hunt said.

  “You hurt him?”

  Hunt ignored the question by taking a sip of beer.

  “I need to know what’s going on here, Heidi. Too many people are dying.”

  She fidgeted. “I know.”

  “What do you know about this?” She shifted her chair then reached for Mandy’s beer and drank half of it in one shot. “Heidi? Come on. Help a gal out. My neck is on the line now.”

  Heidi’s eyes darted between Hunt and Mandy. “I didn’t know Angelo was dead. I swear I didn’t.” She paused and wiped her nose. “But I do know they didn’t mean to kill him.”

  “So you do know what’s going on.” Mandy had to lower her voice. “You had to know once they took out Vince they were going to go after Angelo.”

  She fidgeted with her napkin and kept her eyes fixed on her lap. “No. It’s not like that. They didn’t mean to.”

  “Who?”

  Heidi stood. “I need to pee.”

  Hunt scooted over to Mandy’s side while Heidi walked to the bathroom. “Boy, can I pick a pizza place or what?”

  “She’s scared, Hunt.”

  “And high as a kite. You sure you’re going to believe anything she says? She sure as shit wouldn’t count as a witness if anything became of it.”

  “You’re mistaking what we’re doing again for anything that could possibly have any kind of legal ramifications.”

  “True enough.” Hunt was silent for a moment before continuing. “You really think it’s going to be this simple? We accidentally stumble across this woman, and she knows who’s behind things?”

  “It’s a step in the right direction, anyway. She knows something. With Willy in jail, she’s getting her drugs from someone. There’s bound to be pillow talk.”

  “Must have been true love with Willy.”

  “He’s in jail for life with hardly any visitation, Hunt. What do you think she’d do? If we can’t get her to talk, maybe we can get her in there with Willy,” Mandy said.

  “They won’t be dumb enough to talk in there. You show that kind of pull, and he will know something is up.”

  “She was easy enough to convince that I’m Angelo’s sister. I’d have to sell it to her so she spread the—” Mandy paused, realizing too much time had passed. She stood and walked towards the bathroom, shoving the door open. It was a single stall, and it was empty. “Fuck!” She pushed through a back exit and went running into the alley. Hunt was right behind her. “You go that way!” she yelled as she ran in the opposite direction.

  Mandy refused to give up and ran frantically through a couple of blocks and alleys before coming back to the restaurant. “Nothing?” she asked Hunt.

  “No sign. We should have thought about her splitting, babe.”

  “Hindsight, Hunt. Not helping.”

  “What now?”

  “We’ll have to give it a day or two before she resurfaces. She will. I guess in the meantime, we could go for a drive.”

  “You want to go to the cabin?”

  “I think we should check in. There was too much going on, and he was in a lot of pain when I sent him up there. Maybe his mind has had some time to clear.”

  “And we can’t do this over the phone?”

  “Angelo never was one for conversation over the phone. If we get him relaxed and talking, his expressions will tell me what his voice won’t. We never could lie to each other.”

  “Except for the part about you being in the FBI.”

  Mandy grinned. “Except for that. Hopefully I can get some answers about Heidi from him. She took off because she’s scared. She knows something. He’s bound to know who she’s been with lately. That will give us something else to go on.”

  “Someone else to track down and beat the piss out of?”

  “Whatever it takes, Blaine. I want this over and to get home to my daughter.”

  “We’ll head out first thing in the morning. Just do me a favor and don’t freak out on Angelo over the answer to your question about who’s doing Heidi.”

  “Why would I?”

  “I have a feeling he was sleeping with her, too.”

  “Because of how she reacted?”

  “That and because of the position he is in. It seems natural to me to screw the significant other of someone you don’t particularly care for.”

  “He and Willy got along.”

  “All the more reason.”

  “So basically, liking or hating someone has nothing to do with it. You service their girlfriend when it’s convenient, and they are indisposed?”

  “Pretty much.”

  “Men are pigs.”

  “I don�
�t write the rulebook.”

  “You just keep the scorecard?”

  “It’s not like it’s my way. I’m just saying, Mandy. You are trying to help Angelo; I don’t want you getting pissed off at him. She wasn’t much to look at, but that isn’t going to stop a drunk and horny man.”

  “Heidi is gorgeous. What are you talking about?”

  “You think? Guess I couldn’t get passed the stoned look.” He held the back of her neck and pulled her close to him for a kiss. “That and I only have eyes for you.”

  “Quick thinking, Blaine. I know. Blair.”

  “Come on. Let’s get back and dig through the files. Hopefully no one has stolen the laptop from the car.”

  They arrived back to the house at eight, receiving only a grunt from the man on watch outside. With big-screen TV’s in every room, there was no need for anyone to hang out in a common area. They had no idea if anyone else was home or not. Mandy and Hunt went to their room undisturbed. After three hours of going over the log sheets and conversations, they were still at square one.

  “If these aren’t altered, James was telling us the truth,” Mandy said.

  “The key word there being if.”

  “Unless they keep a fake second set on hand, she produced these too quickly for them to be altered.”

  “Enough for tonight, babe. Let’s put this aside and take a long shower.”

  “You weren’t fond of shower action yesterday.”

  “That was yesterday. Now I’m thinking about you mopping the floor with James, and there’s all kinds of swelling going on.” He grinned. “Hey. Think you could flip me?”

  “Like a pancake.”

  “Put your money where your mouth is.”

  “I don’t want to hurt you.”

  “Like you could. Come on.”

  “I don’t want to, Hunt.”

  “Pussy.”

  That’s all it took.

  Hunt leaned against the side shower wall with both shower heads on full blast as hot as he could stand it, pounding at his back.

  “I said I’m sorry,” Mandy said as she gave the center of his back a kiss. “You asked for it.”

  “Yeah. I know. Kiss lower and I may forgive you.”

  “You would have landed on the bed if you let yourself relax and fall right.”

  “I’ll never hear the end of it from my favorite guard, Ricardo Montalban, out there.”

  “That’s who he looks like!” Mandy squealed. “That was driving me crazy. He’s your favorite?”

  “Sarcasm, babe. Who can have a favorite goon in this bunch?”

  “You’d go running if you heard a thud like that in this house, too. No worries, my love. If he picks on you again, I can take him.” She kissed his back again.

  “Lower. And more towards the front.”

  Chapter Thirty-Seven

  After a slightly less rigorous workout than the night before, they crawled into bed and shared one last goodnight kiss. After a couple of hours, Mandy found herself digging through the kitchen drawers in search of a spoon. The hall light flicked on, and she about jumped out of her skin. Spinning around, she was happy to see it was Milo and not one of the guards.

  “Doesn’t anyone ever sleep in this house?” he said before yawning.

  “Sorry to wake you.”

  “My kitchen calls to me when there are people in it that shouldn’t be.” He walked to the island and opened a drawer. “Big spoon or little spoon?”

  “Little.” He bumped the drawer closed with his hip and walked over to hand it to her. “None for you tonight?” she asked, accepting it.

  “Can’t. I’m watching your figure.” Mandy laughed at his word play. “Bad day?”

  “The usual, I suppose. It’s just that Hunt is up there snoring like a buzz saw from the cheese he ate tonight.”

  “I forced milk on him last night. Is that an issue?”

  “Milk doesn’t bother him as much as cheese. And not even that so much. Mostly only when we have pizza. You want to sit with me? I’d kind of like to ask you something.”

  Milo motioned towards the couch, and they sat together. “Fire away,” he said.

  “You know where I’m going.”

  “Yes, I’m afraid I do.”

  “Then kindly spill the beans. How do you know about me?”

  “Like I told your man, Vince and I were close. A man will tell two people things he doesn’t tell others.”

  “His barber and bartender?”

  “Oh…those are good too. In Vince’s case it was his chef and his tailor.”

  “Do I need to worry about the tailor?”

  “Died four months ago at eighty-six.”

  “Then I guess he’s okay. How doesn’t Eddie know that you were told about me? He went everywhere with Vince.”

  “I guess there are some things Vince kept from Eddie. I’m sure Eddie thought someone like me didn’t need to know details like that.”

  “Did he catch Hunt’s slip? I’d hate for you to be in any kind of trouble.”

  “If he did, he didn’t say anything. He probably doesn’t care one way or another.”

  Mandy enjoyed a few bites then talked with a mouth full of ice cream. “Is there anything else you may know that’ll help me?”

  “If I could help you, I would. There are some things I am not at liberty to share, even with Vince in the ground. Trust me, if something pertained to helping you, I would. You want to share a game plan with your favorite chef?”

  Mandy wasn’t sure why this made her uneasy. “Nothing to share. We ran into a friend of Willy’s, but that was a dead end. I do want to go check on Angelo tomorrow. I’m getting nowhere fast, and I need to be sure he’s doing okay.”

  He placed a hand on her leg. “You sure care for that boy. He’s in good hands. You were smart to pull a switcheroo on the cabin. You never know who you can trust. Mind if I go up with you? I’m sure they could use a good home-cooked meal.”

  “I really wanted to get an early start, but I’ll let you know how the morning goes.”

  “I’m usually up with the birds, anyway. Think on it.”

  “I will. Thanks, Milo. I’m sure they’d appreciate it.”

  He kissed her on the head and said good night.

  “Can’t leave you two alone for a second.” Mandy smiled at Hunt standing there in his boxer-briefs. “Sorry. Was I snoring again?”

  “Like a buzz saw.”

  He sat next to Mandy and took her ice cream. “It’s your fault. You let me order the calzone.”

  “You’re the one that ate the whole thing.”

  Milo laughed. “Two of the best anti-criminal minds in New York and they’re arguing over cheap Italian food. I’ll make a note to keep the cheese dishes on a down-low. I’m going back to bed. Just leave the spoon in the sink. The dishwasher is full of clean dishes.”

  “Thanks, Milo.”

  After his door clicked shut, Mandy stood. “Fuck me.”

  “I thought you’d be good till morning but okay.” Hunt stood, pulled her up, and took her by the waist. She stepped back.

  “I think I’m going to cry.”

  “What?” He pulled her close again. “I’ll give you three again. Promise.”

  “I’m not kidding around, Hunt.” She slapped his hand away then pulled him onto the couch and lowered her voice.

  “Milo knows more than he’s telling me. If I thought I could trust anyone, it was him.”

  “What happened?”

  “He knows I didn’t send Angelo to the same cabin.”

  “You didn’t?”

  “I didn’t tell anyone except the driver right before they left. I spoke with Angelo, too. Darin, Angie, and the guards won’t know any different. None of them have been there before.”

  “You didn’t even tell me. What the hell is up with that?”

  “Like I need to worry about you, asshole. You would have found out tomorrow when we headed up. Anyway, Milo just said it was a good call that I did th
at.”

  “Only he shouldn’t have known.”

  “Exactly. He wants to go tomorrow. I can’t let him. We have to leave now. I can’t make a good enough excuse in the morning for him not to go.”

  “Are you sure he’s a worry?”

  “No. But I can’t be sure he’s not. Why else would he know? Who went looking and told him this info?”

  “Don’t know, babe.” Hunt stood and pulled Mandy to her feet. He picked her up, and she wrapped her legs around him. “I’ll drive us up there. You sleep,” he said as he carried her to the bedroom.

  “We can stop and get a room when we get closer. I’d feel better bugging out now.”

  “What are we going to do about Guido outside?”

  Mandy smiled. “Do you have names for all of them?” He grinned. “What do you call Edwin?”

  “Pinky dick.”

  Mandy laughed hard then covered her mouth. “I don’t even want to know.” She dropped two small carry-on bags on the bed. “We’re not prisoners. We’ll tell him we decided to get a head start since we couldn’t sleep, anyway. I don’t think Milo would be suspicious. I didn’t react in any way to what he said.”

  “You think he’ll catch his slip up?”

  “Doubtful. If he’s playing two sides to this, I’m sure it’s hard to keep straight. Eddie must have something on him if he’s taken to lying to me.”

  “Don’t tell me you’re really surprised, babe.”

  Mandy put her hands on her hips. “No, but would you let me live in my own little world for a minute? It was nice to think I had one person to talk to and trust.”

  Again he closed the gap between them. “That’s why I’m here.”

  Her hand went to his chest. “Don’t take this the wrong way, but you aren’t enough.”

  Chapter Thirty-Eight

  Not long after they left the house, Mandy fell asleep in Hunt’s lap. Even though he promised to pull over to a motel when he was tired, he didn’t stop. He had a few hours of sleep before joining Mandy downstairs and was plenty rested for the five-hour drive. Traffic was great at this time of night, and he made good time with no hassles. The route he took was so close to their old house, he couldn’t resist swinging in for a quick break.