Detour Paris: Complete Series (Detour Paris Series Book 4)

by Dancer, Jack

  “Mother, you didn't,” Pau shrieks.

  “No, I didn't dear. It wasn't her finger, and it's not your concern.”

  “If not Monica, then who did the finger belong to, Drusilla?” I ask.

  “An admirer and that's all you need to know.”

  “It belonged to one of the two missing girls, Elena Basso or Sophia De la Riva, girls you kidnapped. Isn't that right, Drusilla? You cut off one of their fingers and put Monica's ring on it and sent it to me, right?”

  “Well, if I kidnapped them, it follows they'd be missing doesn't it?”

  “So, you're not only wicked you're snide too?”

  “I can be. Goes with the territory.”

  “I want to see Monica, Drusilla, and I want to see her now. Cut these ties and take me to her, or you'll never see that ticket.”

  “Fine, you can see her. You can spend the rest of the day with her for all I care but give me the ticket now.”

  “You think I'm stupid enough to bring it with me? I'll make a call as soon as I see that Monica's okay, and you'll have it within four hours of my call."

  “You're going to regret this, Mister Blue."

  "Don't even think that, Drusilla. You're already so screwed you won't live another day without my help, so cut the crap and take me to Monica, now."

  “Cut their zip ties, Pau, and put new ones on them with their hands behind their backs.”

  Pau makes theater of pulling a switchblade from her pocket and flipping it open. Everyone rolls their eyes. Pau loses her smile and cuts the nylon ties. We stand with our hands behind us, and she zips them together.

  “Let's go,” Drusilla says.

  Pau falls in behind Drusilla, and I follow Nanette, who's following Pau. I pull my hands apart to test the zip tie, and it starts coming unzipped. The moron Pau has zipped the tie backwards and, naturally; it failed to lock. I pull it apart and free my hands then reach up and tap Nanette's shoulder. When she turns to look, I give her my best Jack Benny pose, and her mouth drops open. She pulls at her own zip tie, and it too comes loose and falls to the ground. She holds both of her arms up signing, what are you going to do? I want to laugh at the incompetence.

  If Pau is this stupid, how did she manage to pull off the flight crew scams all this while, I wonder? Ah, yes, she used Nanette. Or, could she have mis-tied these on purpose? Naw.

  When we reach the door, I step quickly forward and reach in front of Drusilla for the knob. I open the door and say, "After you Madame.” Of course, she freaks that my hands are free.

  “Julia, you moron, you can't even tie these people properly?” Drusilla yells.

  “What mother?” dumb Pau asks, shrinking like a beaten puppy.

  “Never mind,” says an exasperated Drusilla. Turning to Nanette and me, she says, "I'd highly recommend you go childless. Don't take any chances.”

  “Too late for me,” I say.

  We all walk through the door and enter a room tiled from floor to ceiling where Monica is sitting in a chair in the middle of the room. She jumps up when we walk in then stops in her tracks when she sees Nanette.

  “Nan, what’s this? Don’t tell me. You’re the decoy so Tucker could rescue me?” she says.

  “Don’t ask,” Nanette says.

  Monica steps up to her and gives her a hug. "Thank you, Nanette.”

  She then turns to me, and I take her into my arms.

  She whispers into my ear, "Thank you, Tucker. I love you, and I've missed you so much you have no idea.”

  “I've missed you too, sweetheart,” I whisper back, "Are you all right? Have they harmed you in any way?”

  “No, they haven't harmed me.”

  “Okay, Mr. Blue you see she's all right. Now make your call,” says Drusilla.

  “Pau, give me the phone I saw you take out of my backpack.”

  “I didn't take your phone,” she protests.

  "Give him the Goddamn phone, Julia!” Drusilla yells.

  Pau reaches into her pocket and hands over the phone.

  Unbelievable what a friggin’ moron this one is, I'm thinking.

  “Thank you,” I say.

  “You're welcome, Tucker,” Pau replies.

  I punch in "Go” to Dick's, Claudia's, Jose's and Cese's cell phones. "Okay,” I announce, "Now we wait for Drusus and Tiber to show up with the ticket.” I look at my watch. "It's now 10:15. Should take them four hours, tops.”

  “Drusus and Tiber are coming?” asks an excited Pau, "You let them go, Tucker?”

  “Yes, Pau, they're coming and yes; I let them go.”

  “Okay, Julia and I will leave you three to have some time to yourselves. We'll return when the boys show,” Drusilla says.

  “Thank you,” I say as they leave the room locking the door behind them.

  “She'll come back and kill us,” Monica says.

  sixty-seven

  10:15 Hours, Friday, 12 September.

  Castello Llivia.

  "She may try," Nanette says, picking up her jacket and pulling out the Wham-O and a handful of ball bearings.

  “What the hell is that? A slingshot?” Monica asks.

  “It's what David used to take down Goliath,” Nanette says with a smile.

  “Have you lost your mind?” says Monica.

  “Actually, she hasn't. She's a pretty damn good shot. She killed a guy with it a little while ago,” I say.

  “Really?” Monica says.

  “Yep,” replies Nanette, "they call me, Little Sureshot.”

  “Little what,” asks Monica?

  “Sureshot,” I reply.

  “Okay, but I'm not taking that bait. Maybe you two've been spending a little too much time together if you can finish her sentences, Tucker,” says Monica.

  “I gave her the nickname,” I say.

  “I see.”

  “Monica, why do you think Drusilla will come back and kill us?” asks Nanette.

  “I saw her kill one of her guards in cold blood. She just walked up to him and shot him in the face.”

  “Why,” asks Nanette?

  “He fell asleep, and some other guys dressed in camo with guns got into the compound. They were after her,” she says, "I heard other guards say Drusilla has a five million dollar reward on her head, dead or alive and a bunch of her guerrilla fighters have turned against her to collect the reward. Have either of you heard anything like that?”

  Nanette and I look at each other, then Nanette says to Monica, "Tucker put up the reward. He put the same reward on Pau.”

  “You did, Tucker?”

  I nod.

  “And that's not including the one million euros in ransom, I told you, he's already paid to get you back.”

  “Oh, my God, Tucker.”

  I don't say anything; just let her throw arms around me and tell me how much she loves me, crying all the while. When I look over at Nanette, her head's down, staring at the floor. I'm pretty sure I see tears in her eyes.

  Great, I'm thinking, so much joy I bring. Should've never gotten myself involved with either of 'em.

  Suddenly, Monica breaks away and at arm's length she asks me the $64,000 question.

  "Now Tucker, tell me about this lottery ticket that the little bitch keeps asking me about. Do you have it?" Monica asks.

  "Yes, I do."

  “You mean you found a lottery ticket, and you never told me about it? Why not, Tucker?”

  “Monica . . .” I start to say.

  “You're telling me we went through all that shit on the train and even last week with those two thugs looking for us and you still don't tell me about the ticket; then I'm kidnapped?” she says with as much indignation as she can muster.

  “I know honey, believe me; I do. I wanted to tell you. It was killing me not to tell you, but I was afraid it might put you in even more danger than we were already in. I thought that you not knowing might help convince them that we really didn't have the ticket, you know, if they were to question you and all. They were only guessing we ha
d it in the first place because no one else could have, under the circumstances, you know, with the whole thing happening in the train compartment and all,” I say.

  “It just breaks my heart, Tucker that you didn't trust me,” she whines.

  “Monica, are you forgetting that Tucker is giving up the ticket to Drusilla to save your life?” Nanette says.

  Monica shoots Nanette the if-I-only-hadda-gun glance saying, "I haven't forgotten anything, and Tucker knows that I'd do the same for him. He's here because he knows how much I love him. And love transcends everything, Nanette, even money.” She turns back to me.

  There, just what I was hoping for.

  “You're not really going to give her the ticket, are you, Tucker? I mean; that's just a ruse to get her to let you in here and rescue me, right? Tell me it is, Tucker, tell me you're not really handing over €120 million.”

  Or maybe not, no, on second thought, she's only thinking like me. If you got to give up the money for the one you love, you gotta do it. Love transcends all. But, if you can have the cake and eat it too? Take the girl and the money and run!

  “Well, that was the plan. But I suppose if she's intending to kill us anyhow, then the deal's a bust, right?” I say.

  “Right,” says Monica, "so we'll keep the ticket and kill Drusilla.”

  Wow, I'm thinking, that was blunt. "Yeah, I suppose so.”

  “What about Pau?” asks Nanette?

  “We'll have to kill her too,” Monica says, "I mean, we can't leave Pau to take up where Drusilla leaves off now, can we?”

  “So, exactly how're we to do this, Tucker? I mean, we're locked in this room, and the only weapon we have is this Wham-O,” Nanette says holding up the slingshot.

  “Oh, gee that's comforting,” says Monica. "Little Miss Sureshot with her Wham-O. They'll be begging to surrender.”

  “See that fly on the wall," Nanette nods.

  “Yeah, so,” Monica says, when, SPLAT, the fly bursts into a bloom of red.

  “Holy shit,” exclaims Monica, "you killed it. Mother of Christ, how much blood was in that fly?”

  “One paintball's worth,” Nanette says displaying another red paintball between thumb and forefinger.

  “Damn, you're good, girl. I'm impressed. You are Little Sureshot for sure,” Monica says, “Even so, we have to be realistic; they have guns, and we're still locked in this dungeon. How're we going get out of here? They'll just walk in and shoot us like sitting ducks.”

  “I suppose the answer to that is we won't be here when Drusilla and Pau return," I say.

  “Where're we going to be?” asks Nanette.

  “I don't know but not here,” I say.

  “And how're we going to get out of this room?” asks Monica.

  “Have no fear I've got that covered,” I say.

  “Okay. So, Tucker, what's this about Tiber and Drusus coming here with the ticket?” asks Nanette. "You've arranged all this? Where've they been all this time?”

  “Yeah, I arranged it. Dick's Dicks has had 'em since the day they came to the Fira looking for Monica and me.”

  “Since a week ago?” Nanette asks surprised.

  “Yes.”

  "I still can't get over that stupid name," says Nanette.

  “Neither can I. Makes you wonder what kind of logo they have,” Monica says.

  “Ha, ha,” Nanette laughs, "that's good. And their slogan? Let us poke around for you? Maybe?”

  We all get a laugh.

  “Is he the one who got us the room at the Hotel Arts?” asks Monica.

  “The same,” I say.

  “Hotel Arts? You were staying at the Hotel Arts?” Nanette asks.

  “Yes, and a very nice place it was too,” says Monica.

  “And he provided the apartment too, right?” asked Nanette.

  “Yes,” I answer.

  “What apartment?” asks Monica, and we spend the next few minutes bringing her up to speed. We fill her in on about everything except Nanette's flight crew Spanish Prisoner scam. I didn't want to throw Nanette to the wolves, at least not yet, maybe never.

  “Tiber and Drusus should be arriving within the hour. I think it's time we get out of here and find someplace else to hide,” I say. "Nanette, is there somewhere nearby we can hide, somewhere we can watch what happens when Tiber and Drusus show up, maybe up high where we can look down on the courtyard?”

  “There're rooms above us on the second floor, mostly guest rooms. We can find a good place up there but how are we going to get out of here?”

  “Easy. I've got just the thing. I need a cup of water.”

  “Over there, above the sink,” Monica points, "there're paper cups in the cabinet.”

  “Okay,” I say reaching into my underwear and pulling out a small plastic baggie.

  “What else you got in there, Tucker?” yells out Monica, “You mind bringing out that other thing and giving me a little taste? It’s been a long-time sweetheart.”

  Yikes. “Uh, I don’t think we’ve got time . . .” I start to say.

  “Honey,” Nanette says putting her hand on Monica, “I don’t think Tucker's in much of a mood for any sucky, sucky right now.”

  “Why? What’d you do to him, Nanette?” Monica says drawing away. “Hey, is that blood in your hair?”

  Nanette’s hand shoots to her hair to inspect. “Damn,” she says.

  “It wasn’t what she did to me honey. It’s what she did to the other guy,” I say.

  “Then what’d she do to the other guy? What other guy?” Monica says.

  “It’s a long story,” I say.

  “Tell it anyway. Nanette you tell it while Tucker does whatever he’s doing,” Monica says.

  “Alright," she says looking at me like this is the last thing she wants to do. "We got surprised by this guy coming in here. He had a gun. I offered him a thousand euros to let us go.”

  “So he let you go?”

  “Well, not exactly. I had to give him more.”

  “How much more?”

  “A blow job,” I say.

  “You’re kidding. He wanted a blowjob? Fuckin’ men. Is there ever anything else on their minds? So you gave him one. So what?” Monica says.

  Pause.

  “Wait. Is that where the blood came from? This guy?”

  Pause

  “Holy shit! You didn’t!” Monica says.

  “She did,” I say.

  “You bit his pee-pee?” says Monica.

  “Off,” I say.

  “What? Off! You bit off his cock?” Monica says.

  Nanette nods her head.

  “Bloodiest mess I ever saw too. She tore that thing from the guy like a pit bull gone mad. She also stabbed the shit out of him while she was doing it. The woman went totally berserk,” I say and see Nanette's dropped her head in shame.

  “Oh my God,” Monica says, her hand covering her mouth.

  “But if she hadn’t done it, we probably wouldn’t be here right now. The guy would have killed us for sure,” I say trying to blunt the incident a little for Nanette. “She saved our lives is what she did.”

  Nanette looks up, and tears are running down her face.

  “Oh Nan honey,” Monica says taking Nanette in her arms, hugging her. Then pushing her at arm's length she says, “Good for you Nan. That’s something I’ve wanted to do I can’t tell you how many times. Fuckin’ men!”

  While this is going on I’ve retrieved a cup from the cabinet and poured the contents of the baggie into it, added water and am now stirring the concoction with a pen.

  “You know you’re both starting to make me a little nervous talking like that," I say breaking the tension and getting a couple of giggles while I’m rolling a sheet of paper into the shape of a funnel. “Don’t start looking at me like it’s lunchtime.”

  “It’s past lunchtime now that you mention it,” says Nanette.

  “Then call Pau cause the granola bars are in my backpack,” I say pushing the small end of the funnel int
o the door’s keyhole and pouring the mixture into it.

  “What is that stuff?” both girls ask almost simultaneously.

  “Did either of you ever see The Blob with Steve McQueen?”

  “No, but I saw the remake with Kevin Dillion. God was he a hottie,” says Monica.

  “Well, this is the new blob. It's called Dexpan. It's a powder and when mixed with water it takes on amazing expansive properties. It’ll expand and keep expanding until the locking mechanism of the door breaks apart. It's better than an explosive because it's completely quiet. They use it mostly to break up concrete. It's incredibly powerful. Just watch.”

  Within moments, the Dexpan has expanded to the point that the doorknob pops off, and the lockset is pushed apart and falls to the floor.

  “Wow, that’s cool,” says Monica.

  “Now let's get outta here before someone comes to check on us,” I say.

  Nanette leads the way and Monica, and I follow her down the hallway and up some stairs to another hallway. She checks the first room, and it's empty, so we pile in and close the door, throwing the deadbolt. Nanette goes to the window and peeks out.

  “I don't see anyone in the courtyard,” she says.

  “Can you open the window, so we can hear the car when it comes through the gates?” I ask. She does, and we take seats and wait.

  “How're we going to do this, Tucker,” asks Monica. "I mean, when Tiber and Drusus show up with the ticket. Drusilla's going to kill us, and then they'll all disappear from the face of the earth. How're we going to stop them? How're we going to get the ticket and get outta here? Surely, you've planned something. Right?” Monica asks.

  “Tiber and Drusus won't be the only ones showing up,” I say.

  “Who else is coming? Dick's Dicks? The police? Who,” she asks?

  “Do you remember the secret agents I told you about?”

  “Those guys you met at Paulo's funeral in Perpignan?”

  “Yeah, they'll be here.”

  “Secret agents? There are secret agents?” Nanette asks, and Monica goes on to explain.

  Just then a car is pulling through the main gate into the courtyard and we all three peek over the window ledge and Nanette says, "Too late they're here.”

  “We need to get the hell out of here now,” says Monica.