Vengeance Is Personal (A Colton James Novel, Book 2)

by Thomas DePrima

  I learned that the cottage Mia wanted was already booked for the first two weeks of our planned month in the sun, so I had to choose between delaying the vacation until I could get the booking Mia wanted or taking another cottage for the first two weeks. I put the reservation people on hold while I called Mia's cell phone, but she didn't answer. I didn't want to lose the four-week window currently available, so I booked the available weeks. It would mean a two-week delay on the start of our holiday, but it wasn't possible to accommodate her wishes sooner. I knew she was going to be disappointed either way, but at least she'd get the vacation she wanted once we arrived in Fiji.

  I was concerned that Mia hadn't picked up her phone when I called. It wasn't like her. She usually responded before the third ringtone. I got out the gizmo, placed it on the wall, and activated it. It took me just seconds to tag Mia from before I had left to go downtown, then jump to the present time. She was seated in a restaurant, and I could see one of her bodyguards standing near a wall in the far background. I breathed a sigh of relief that she was safe. I'd had a momentary concern that Delcona's men might have grabbed her. I swung the window around to see who she was dining with, expecting it to be one of the designers Mia had worked with when decorating the apartment or perhaps a new girlfriend. The sight that greeted my eyes ruined what had so far been a pretty decent day.

  ~ ~

  I was sitting on the sofa in the main living room when Mia arrived home. As she noticed me, I took a long pull on my beer bottle and drained it. Mia came over and leaned in to kiss me. I didn't respond.

  "What's the matter, sweetheart? Did you get bad news?"

  "You might say that."

  "What happened?"

  "I tried to make the reservations for the cottage you wanted in Fiji, but it's already booked for the first two weeks of our planned vacation."

  "Oh! Well, I suppose we could take another unit. It's just that I liked the view from that cottage."

  "The cottage you wanted is available for four straight weeks two weeks into our planned vacation period, so I booked that."

  "You mean we won't be leaving for another two weeks?"

  "I tried to contact you to ask what you wanted to do, but you didn't answer your phone."

  "Oh. Yes. I was occupied. I was having lunch, so I let it take a message. But you didn't leave one, so I figured it wasn't important."

  "Well, that's why I did what I did. I wanted you to have the cottage you wanted, and it's only a short delay."

  Mia smiled. "You're so thoughtful. That's one of the reasons I love you so much."

  "But not enough. Right?"

  "What do you mean?"

  "Why didn't you tell me your luncheon date was with Marcus?"

  Mia didn't respond right away, but the smile disappeared from her face.

  "You told me you were never going to see him again. That promise didn't last very long, did it?"

  The expression on Mia's face turned to anger. "You're spying on me, aren't you?"

  "Don't go there."

  "Don't go where?"

  "Into the realm of righteous indignation. I'm not spying on you. You always pick up by the third ring, so when you didn't, I was concerned that something might have happened to you. I traced the GPS signal from your cell phone and learned where you were. Then I called the restaurant to ask if you were there and confirm you were okay. A waiter confirmed you were safe and having lunch with a gentleman. I asked him to send me an image of the guy, and he did, using his smartphone."

  I held up my cell phone, showing her sitting at a table with Marcus. The image had clearly been taken by someone in the restaurant because the heads of other patrons were visible in the foreground. If I had been in the restaurant, she, or one of her bodyguards, would have spotted me. Actually, I had taken the picture, but it was taken from my office using the gizmo. I could never tell her that though. Following Billy's death, I'd made a silent vow that I would never again tell anyone about the gizmo. That included Mia most of all. I wanted her to be able to truthfully deny any knowledge of the device if it ever became an issue for any reason.

  Her mouth opened for a few seconds, but she didn't say anything. I was having trouble reading her mood, but she appeared genuinely pained. Finally, she said, "It wasn't a lunch date. I was already seated in the restaurant, waiting for service, when Marcus sat down at the table. I didn't invite him. I didn't even know he was in New York."

  "What does he want this time?"

  "The same old thing— money. He said that if I didn't give it to him, he would tell you we'd been carrying on an affair whenever you've been away."

  "And this is the first time you've seen him since Amsterdam?"

  "Yes. It was the very first time since then."

  "And what did you tell him?"

  "That you know all about him. That you know he and I were married once. And— that I've been giving him money."

  "And he said?"

  "That he would make you believe everything he decides to tell you. He can be very convincing. I was frightened that you might."

  "How much does he want?"

  "A million Euros."

  I took a deep breath and said, "I believe you."

  She looked surprised. "You do? Really?"

  "When you love someone, really love them, you trust them and believe what they say unless you have proof to the contrary."

  "You love me?"

  "Of course I love you. I've told you that."

  "No, you haven't. I think I've known all along how you felt, and I've been waiting for you to say it, but you never have. We've talked about lovemaking, and the foods and drink we love, and you even told me once how much you love the look of high heels on a woman. But you've never told me you love me."

  I was momentarily speechless as I realized she was right. Perhaps I feared our relationship wouldn't really last, and I was trying to minimize the pain I would feel when it ended. "I'm sorry, darling. I should have said it before today. I do love you. Far more than I've loved anyone ever before."

  Mia wrapped her arms around my neck and kissed me deeply and passionately. As she pulled back, she said, "And I've never felt like this about anyone before. I love you more than life itself. I don't know what I'd do if I lost you because of some stupid lies Marcus tells to get more money from me."

  "It's time to say goodbye to Marcus."

  "Then I shouldn't give him the money he wants?"

  "No. And don't worry about him anymore. I'll take care of him and ensure that he never bothers you, or us, again."

  She stared at me for a few seconds, studying my face. "You have a look like I saw on my papa's face sometimes when he was having trouble with someone. That person usually disappeared and was never seen again. Are you— are you going to— kill Marcus?"

  "I'm just going to make sure he never bothers you, or us, again. Don't worry about Marcus. From this point forward he's out of your life."

  * * *

  Chapter Twelve

  Our lovemaking that evening seemed better than ever. Perhaps it was my open admission that I loved Mia, or perhaps it was my assertion that I would ensure that Marcus never bothered her again. Or perhaps it was all in my mind. But there did seem to be a higher level of vitality than in past weeks. All I know for sure is that when we were done, I fell into a deep sleep and didn't stir again until after sunrise.

  Following a hot shower and breakfast, I retreated to my office. Mia wasn't up yet and even the offer of hot coffee had failed to rouse her. I locked the wooden doors so she couldn't walk in on me, then set up the gizmo. I tagged Marcus in the restaurant meeting of yesterday and a quick check showed it was as she had said. She was as genuinely surprised to see him as I was.

  I tracked Marcus back to his entry into the U.S. and learned that he had flown coach from the U.K. From what little I knew of him, I suspected that wasn't his usual style of travel. I continued to follow his movements and learned where he was staying. It was an inexpensive hotel a few blocks fr
om Times Square. Then I studied his daily habits. He was spending a lot of time watching my building, probably hoping to see Mia leave so he could follow her. If she hadn't gone out by two o'clock, he'd walk to E. 57th Street and grab a cross-town bus to the West Side. At 9th Ave, he'd walk south until he was in the heart of Hell's Kitchen. I jumped to two-thirty on several days and saw that he patronized the same restaurant every day. He must really have been on the ropes financially to eat at the greasy spoon he'd chosen.

  Mia still wasn't up when I left the co-op at one-thirty. I knew Marcus was watching the building, but he'd never get past security. I also knew he wouldn't follow me. I grabbed a cab and headed downtown, then had the cabbie head over to the West Side after we were a few blocks south. After I had the cab drop me near Marcus's preferred dining establishment, it was simply a matter of concealing myself where I could watch for his arrival at the eatery.

  ~

  Marcus arrived right on schedule. I watched as he appeared just north of my observation point and entered the restaurant. I waited ten minutes, giving him time to get seated, and then followed him in. He was seated at a booth near the rear of the place. I walked sedately towards him, but he never looked up from the menu he was studying. I would have thought he'd have it memorized by now.

  As I slid into the seat across from him, his face mirrored the surprise he must have been feeling. Then he smiled.

  "I wondered when you'd approach me," he said. "I guess today is the day."

  I said nothing. I simply stared into his brown eyes. I had to admit that he was handsome, in a boyish sort of way, and he had an infectious and innocent smile.

  "Nothing to say?" he asked after a full minute of silence between us.

  "I'm a man of action, not words. I'd like to show you something."

  I had removed my service weapon from its underarm holster and placed it in my right jacket pocket before entering the restaurant in preparation for this moment. I took the Glock out and rested just the front of the barrel on the top of the table. When he looked down and saw it, fear filled his eyes. I then covered it with the cheap, frayed cloth napkin from the customer setup where I was seated so no one else would see it.

  The action hadn't been wasted on Marcus. He'd seen the barrel aimed at his chest and believed he might be about to die. All color seemed to drain from his face. There was something about a loaded weapon being pointed at a person that made them take you seriously. I knew I'd never use it in the crowded restaurant, but he didn't. The press about the people I'd killed in protection of my life should be enough to make him believe I'd shoot.

  "I want you to stay away from Mia forever."

  "You can't kill me," he said nervously. "I'm unarmed."

  I knew that was true because I'd watched him dress before he left his hotel room. If he was carrying, I wanted to know about it.

  "I always carry a cheap, unregistered 9mm handgun as an untraceable throwaway. If I have to shoot an unarmed perp, I can just drop it on the floor. The perp would be dead, so he couldn't deny it was his."

  I had worked on my expression before leaving the co-op today. I wanted Marcus to believe he was staring death in the face, and it seemed to be working.

  "Ready to order, hon?" a waitress said as she appeared next to the table.

  "Give us a few more minutes, please," I said.

  After she had walked away, I said to Marcus, "What's it to be?"

  His mouth opened slightly but nothing came out.

  "Well? Are you going to leave her alone, or do we settle this here, right now?"

  "I don't have to leave her alone. She's my wife, and you're sleeping with her. You'll never get away with killing me."

  "I'm sorry, your honor," I said in a calm, very subdued voice. "I tried to reason with the blackmailer, but he pulled a gun. I had no choice but to shoot." I smiled evilly and added, "You're not a citizen of this country, and I can build a great case for blackmail. You followed your ex-wife here to extort money, and things got out of hand."

  "She's not my ex-wife— she's my wife."

  I was silent for a minute as I tried to figure out his angle. "Won't work. Mia told me she gave a lawyer a million Euros two years ago as settlement for the final divorce."

  "There was no divorce. We're still legally married according to the laws of Greece. There was a prominent lawyer who was away on an extended vacation and the office was closed. I knew his law clerk and knew he had a key to the office. I convinced him to play the role of his boss. After Mia left, I tore up the papers. If you shoot me, you'll be shooting the husband of the married woman you're having an affair with. How will that play out in court?"

  "I don't believe you."

  "Check it out. I'm sure you have the resources to do that. Mia is a child in many ways— so trusting and innocent. She believed me when I told her I would follow-up on the process until the divorce decree was final. That was the supposed reason for fully half of the money. I told her we'd have to buy a few judges off to have the decree granted quickly. But, as I said, I never filed the papers."

  As I looked into his frightened eyes, I believed him. And it fit with everything else I knew about him. He was a swindler, liar, and con man. But he was also a coward. He might be lying now, but I didn't think so.

  "I'll check it out. If you're lying, it would be better if you're long gone before I learn the truth."

  "I'm not lying."

  "We'll see. And I'll be seeing you again."

  The Glock was back in the holster before I slid out of the booth and stood up.

  "You'll have nothing more to do with Mia. If you approach her again, I'll know and I'll find you. When I've learned the truth about the divorce, I'll be in touch."

  I didn't look back, but from the corner of my right eye I watched his reflection in the mirrors behind the lunch counter. If he had so much as twitched, I would have hit the floor and pulled out the Glock. He didn't, and I didn't.

  ~

  After leaving the restaurant, I didn't grab a cab. I wanted to think, so I began walking north, turning east on 58th street, walking until I reached Columbus Circle. After crossing the street, I entered Central Park and walked aimlessly along the pathways for perhaps three hours before heading home.

  As I entered the apartment, Mia stuck her head out of the bedroom, then came out to greet me. "Sweetheart, I didn't know you were going out to today," she said as she reached me and then kissed me on the cheek.

  "I went to see Marcus."

  "Marcus? Is he…?"

  "Darling, do you remember when you first arrived here? You told me you paid Marcus a million Euros for a divorce."

  "Yes."

  "Marcus says he never filed the divorce papers."

  "What? But he promised to follow through."

  "I don't think promises mean very much to Marcus. His failure to file the papers isn't the worst of it. According to Marcus, the lawyer you went to visit wasn't a lawyer at all. He was the lawyer's clerk whose boss was out of town for an extended time. Marcus said he convinced the clerk to play the role of the lawyer, but I suspect Marcus blackmailed the clerk because the legal penalties for that kind of impersonation are stiff. So the divorce process wouldn't have been legal anyway."

  "That bastard," she said with venom in her voice. "I trusted him. I once told you I didn't love Marcus anymore but that I didn't hate him. That's changed. I never want to even see him again."

  "Marcus insists you're still his wife, and we need to know for sure. Can you verify the status of your marriage through your contacts in Greece? Your uncle, or perhaps your attorneys?"

  "I'm sure my uncle can check to see if Marcus filed divorce papers and learn the current status of our marriage."

  "Good. Why don't you call your uncle today. Now in fact."

  "It's very late there, darling. There's a ten-hour difference. It has to be about four in the morning."

  "Then call tonight once they're up."

  "I will. I'll call around eleven p.m. That will be
about nine a.m. there. Thank you, darling."

  "For what?"

  "For believing me. For believing in me."

  "When you love someone, really love them, you trust them and believe what they say. I know I haven't said it enough, but I do love you with all my heart. And I'm going to say it often."

  Mia smiled widely and took my hand. "Come with me," she said, then pulled me towards the bedroom. I went willingly— as always.

  ~ ~ ~

  I didn't know how the bombshell about Mia's divorce was going to play out or if we'd have to cancel our vacation plans, but in any event I had two weeks of time on my hands before we were scheduled to leave. There was probably little I could do about Delcona before then, although it would be highly satisfying to know the matter was settled as we lay on the beach in Fiji.

  And another matter was plaguing my thoughts these days. I had long ago decided that I would see Delcona pay the ultimate price for his crimes even if it meant my death. But now I had Mia to think about. She had whirled back into my life at a time when I was at one of my lowest points and lifted my spirits to the heavens.

  I still intended to see that Delcona paid for his sins against humanity and his crimes against my friends, but I was no longer so willing to walk into a gunfight where I might be outgunned twenty to one. However, no matter what I chose to do, I could do nothing while he was under maximum twenty-four seven surveillance. If only there was some way I could use the evidence I had filmed on the gizmo. There was no statute of limitations on murder. Morris's murder alone could be enough to put Delcona away permanently.

  I had solved one of the two most recently assigned cases, so I decided to begin work on the other. I logged into the FBI system with the intent of getting a hard copy of the files. As the printer began spitting out the first sheets about the case, which promised to consume a full ream of paper, I pulled off the top few and began reading.