“You think it’s too much of a risk?” Milo took a deep draw on the cigar and slowly expelled the smoke. “Where do you think you will be if Hollander is able to put the finger on me?”
It was a question that went unanswered, in fact did not even require an answer.
Milo rose from his chair and crossed to the window. The last streaks of sunset faded from the sky as the city lights dominated more and more of the landscape. “There is a very specific reason for your presence. I’ll be face-to-face with Hollander. I have to see him, hear his voice. I want to make sure it’s really him. He will be on his guard. Gordon here will need to be with me so that Hollander can keep his eye on both of us. It will keep his attention focused and he’ll think he has control of the situation. I’ll offer him money to leave the country immediately, something to help him get established wherever he’s going. While he’s busy with us you’ll be able to get him in your sights without him suspecting that anything is amiss.”
Milo nodded toward Gordon, who produced a handgun and placed it on the table. “You won’t be more than thirty feet away at the most. You won’t have any trouble hitting your target.”
“Me?” Total shock and an extremely high stress level jumped into the response. “You want me to shoot him? Are you crazy? I’m not a hired killer. I work at a desk. I’ve never shot anyone in my life! What makes you think I even know to shoot this thing?”
A hard look crossed Milo’s face. “Don’t play me for a fool, not after all these years. I know everything there is to know about my associates. I know you went to the gun range for target practice last month.” He shoved the gun across the table. “Let’s just call this my insurance policy.”
Milo straightened up and glanced at his watch. “Another hour and it will all be over.”
Chapter Thirteen
Jim and Steve traveled north from San Diego County, through Orange County and into Los Angeles County, headed toward the airport before there was any more conversation.
“So, what happens now?” Jim’s question was addressed to Steve, but his thoughts were on Andi. Exactly where did her loyalties lie? And did she know about the change in the time of the meeting with Benny or that Milo Buchanan would be there?
“We meet Benny at the same place, only at eight o’clock rather than midnight. He’s expecting twenty thousand dollars in exchange for the name of Buchanan’s other inside man. He also thinks he’s going to walk away free and clear.”
“And is he?”
“Maybe yes and maybe no. It’s up to what Milo Buchanan has planned for him.”
This little bit of information grabbed Jim’s attention. The disbelief in his voice was edged out by the irritation. “Are you telling me after all of this that Benny is one of Milo Buchanan’s people? Since you were apparently able to get in touch with him and in a position to exercise enough authority to change the time of the meeting, I had assumed that he was one of your people. In fact—” Jim turned sideways to look directly at Steve “—it seems to me that this entire setup of Joey finding Benny, who claimed to have information for sale, was just that...a contrived setup. It makes me wonder exactly who got in touch with whom. Perhaps you engineered this entire thing for the purpose of getting information to Milo Buchanan that said you could supply my presence. Is that what happened or would you care to tell me exactly how Benny fits into this?”
“Benny is a minor-league crook and an informant for whoever has the money to pay him. He has a nasty little habit of liking to play both ends against the middle. He never really knows enough to get himself into much trouble...until now. I’d guess that Buchanan has no idea about Benny putting the squeeze on Andi for an additional ten grand and hinting at another inside person.”
“And I suppose you already know who this other insider is? Or would it be more accurate to say that there isn’t anyone else?”
“There’s someone, all right. I’ve suspected for a long time and now I know.”
“So what do you need me for? Tell what you know to the police and they can arrest this person. Then they can get the information they need to arrest Milo Buchanan.”
“The fact that I know the other person’s identity is not the same thing as proof.”
Steve took the airport exit off the freeway, then turned onto a dark side street. Even though they were only two blocks from a main thoroughfare, the street was deserted and the buildings dark. Jim recognized it as the same area where they had met with Benny the first time.
The tingle of anxiety nudged at his nerves and slowly spread through his body. Steve had revealed some of what had been going on behind his back, but he knew there was more that Steve was not telling him. He also knew that he was still nothing more than bait, a means to an end for Steve Westerfall. The only saving grace was that Steve’s ultimate goal seemed to be the same as Jim’s—to put Milo Buchanan behind bars. And Steve had the contacts to pull it off. Jim never would have been able to accomplish it on his own. But that did not change his negative opinion of Steve’s tactics.
Steve pulled into an alley, turned off his headlights and drove to the end of the block. He parked next to the building in the same spot where they had originally met with Benny. He turned off the engine and leaned back in the seat, making no effort to get out of the car.
“We’re about fifteen minutes early. The meeting will take place over there—” Steve indicated the entrance to a walkway between buildings “—just like last time. We can keep our eye on the spot to make sure things are on the up-and-up.”
“I’ve got another tiny little question.” Again, Jim made no effort to hide his sarcasm. “If Buchanan plans to be here in person, what does he think he’s going to accomplish? He tried to buy me off once before and it didn’t work. Surely he wouldn’t be trying that again.”
“I don’t know...you have been on the run for five years. He might figure that you’re wanting to leave the country and would now be willing to accept the money.”
A little twinge of discomfort tugged at Jim’s senses. Was it only coincidence or did Steve know about the phone calls he and Andi had made that morning about Jim Hollander having plastic surgery and leaving the country? “So, we’re just going to sit here and do nothing until someone else shows up?”
“Yes, that’s basically it. Until we see Benny we don’t get out of the car.”
Jim shifted his weight awkwardly in his seat. The total reality of what was about to happen settled over him. The worrying and uncertainty had just come to a screeching halt. In a matter of minutes everything would be out in the open...including himself. He had to focus his attention on practical and serious matters.
“If Buchanan has his gunman with him, then shouldn’t I at least have some sort of bulletproof vest to wear...or is that a little detail that you overlooked since it didn’t apply directly to you?” Jim knew the accusation and sarcasm were blatantly obvious and inappropriate, but at this point he was about at the end of his rope. He had been pushed, shoved, manipulated and used. All he wanted at that moment was for it to all be over. It was do or die...a choice he hoped he had some control over.
Jim continued to stare at the spot where they would be meeting. “And while I’m asking questions, other than the fact that you’re sitting here in the car with me, what steps have you taken to safeguard this entire meeting? It’s not like the last one. As you said, they couldn’t afford to make any moves against anyone then until they knew for sure where I was hiding. Well, the guessing game is over and here I am.” When Jim did not get an immediate response to his concerns, he turned toward Steve.
Something had grabbed Steve’s attention. He had directed his gaze down the street toward the corner. Jim followed the line of sight and saw a dark sedan round the corner and drive slowly down the street toward them. The car with its single occupant did not slow as it continued past their location.
Steve indicated the car’s retreating taillights. “That’s your answer. The two men who moved into the rental house across
from Andi were put there by me. One of them stayed behind to be there when Andi got home and the other one just drove down the street. So, you can see there really isn’t any need for all that concern.”
Jim was not convinced. “One guy in a car? That’s it?”
“Buchanan is so obsessed with you that he’s falling all over himself making mistakes. Everything he’s done since that blurb about Andi’s book appeared has been sloppy and not thought out at all—very uncharacteristic of his normally meticulous nature. He may seem cool on the outside, but right now he’s totally out of control on the inside. He’s reacting to everything emotionally rather than taking the time to figure things out logically, and that gives us a very big edge. He’s left an easy trail to follow. What’s even more surprising is that he’s allowed Gordon to use his heavy-handed techniques to accomplish things that should have had a much more delicate touch—”
“Such as breaking into Keith Martin’s office and ransacking Andi’s house?”
“Exactly.”
“That’s all well and good, but it doesn’t answer my concern about Buchanan shooting me as soon as he sets eyes on me.”
“To the best of my knowledge, he hasn’t contacted any local people. He has Gordon with him. He can’t depend on Benny for anything. Benny will cut and run the second he gets his hands on the briefcase with what he assumes is his twenty thousand dollars—”
“Assumes is his twenty thousand?”
Steve clenched his jaw as he shook his head. “Ten was all I could get. I wasn’t prepared for Benny to hit us up for another ten. He’s never been that brave before, which is what makes me think he plans to go into hiding, especially with what happened to Durant.”
Steve continued with his explanation of what he had arranged. “My man will have Gordon and Buchanan covered. He’ll situate himself in a second-floor window—” Steve indicated the building next to where they had parked “—as soon as he finishes cruising the neighborhood. And you won’t be out there alone. I’ll be right beside you.”
“You’re getting out of the car?” There was no missing the total surprise in Jim’s voice.
“Yes. I have a briefcase of money to deliver. Besides, it will help keep Gordon and Buchanan busy if they need to worry about why I’m there or who I am, in case they don’t already know. There’s nothing to be concerned about. In less than an hour we’ll be on our way back to La Jolla.”
“Why can’t you contact the local police? Buchanan’s not under investigation for anything in California. There isn’t any reason for the local law enforcement or prosecution personnel to be in his pocket.”
“That’s right, as far as it goes. But as you said, he isn’t under investigation in California. There hasn’t been any crime committed within the state of California that would allow the local authorities to become involved. As soon as we start talking about the original Federal charges or the local office of the FBI, U.S. Marshals or the U.S. Attorneys office is notified, that could provide a pipeline directly back to Buchanan.”
Jim digested Steve’s words. It all made sense. There was no mistaking nor any way to minimize what they both knew was the danger Jim would be in, but the end result would be worth the risk. At least one thing was for certain. Regardless of what her part was in all of this, Andi was safely away from what was about to happen.
Jim regarded the determined expression on Steve’s face as he let out a sigh of resignation. His voice was soft and his words reflective. “You know, not once during all of this have you ever asked me how much I would be willing to risk. You’ve pushed, shoved, manipulated and made my decisions for me—which I have to admit I’ve allowed you to do—but never once did you ask me.”
“I’m not expecting you to do anything I’m not willing to do myself. If someone starts shooting, I’ll be in the line of fire every bit as much as you are.”
Steve turned toward Jim, cocked his head and allowed a hint of a grin. “Does that make you feel better?”
Jim returned the grin, breaking the tension that had existed between the two men from the moment they first met. “Yes, it does make me feel a little better.”
Any further discussion came to an abrupt halt when a car pulled up to the curb on the other side of the street. The door on the passenger side opened and a large man stepped out. The driver’s door opened and Benny quickly got out and ran around the front of the car to the sidewalk. The large man opened the back door and a slight man with gray hair exited.
Steve looked at Jim, took a steadying breath and reached for the door handle. “It’s time.”
Major anxiety churned in the pit of Jim’s stomach—anxiety and fear. Very real danger permeated the air. He could almost smell it. There was no point in his denying it—he was scared. When the car bomb put him in the hospital and then someone made yet another attempt on his life, the unexpected happenings had exploded around him without warning.
This was different. The total reality of the extreme danger had covered him like a blanket for the past few hours. He was walking into this with his eyes wide open and full knowledge of what could happen. He felt an adrenaline rush as he tried to swallow down his trepidation. His heart pounded hard inside his chest He swung his long legs out the passenger side of the car as Steve exited from the driver’s side.
Both men paused for a moment. Steve passed on one last bit of information. “We’ll be sort of winging it from here. What we say and do depends on what Buchanan does.”
Jim nodded his head to acknowledge that he under _ stood, then the two men walked out of the shadows and away from the protection of the car and building. They stepped off the curb and started across the street.
The air hung thick and still with the only sounds being a distant hum of traffic from a few blocks away. Each footstep echoed along the deserted street and down the alley. A shadowy figure situated himself in a recessed doorway about thirty feet down the walkway between the buildings from where Buchanan, Gordon and Benny waited on the street.
But that was not the only unannounced pair of eyes watching the drama unfold.
Andi had parked one block over and hugged the edge of the building, hidden in the shadows as she made her way toward the mouth of the alley were Steve had parked his car. She tried to fight down her fears while forcing all her energy into the task ahead. She did not have a clear-cut idea about what she was going to do, but somehow she had to make sure Jim would be safe. She saw Steve and Jim get out of the car and start across the street. Both of them were out in the open, exposed to whatever danger lurked in the shadows.
She squinted at the three men standing on the other side of the street. The plan had been for her to meet alone with Benny as she had done last time. She recognized Benny, but did not know who the other two men were.
The three men on the other side of the street watched as Steve and Jim crossed toward them. Milo Buchanan leaned toward Benny. “I thought you said this Sinclair woman, the writer, was part of this and that she would be with Hollander. Where is she?”
“I don’t know, Mr. Buchanan. She’s the one I met with and she’s the one I talked to on the phone.”
“And tell me, Benny. The other man—is that this reporter fellow? Steve Westerfall?”
“Yeah, that’s Westerfall.”
“I don’t like this change in plans.” Buchanan shifted his weight from one foot to the other as he continued to stare at the two men walking toward him. “That certainly does look like James Hollander, and if it is, then he hasn’t had any plastic surgery.”
Suddenly Milo Buchanan whirled around to face Gordon. “So what was that phone call about, the one talking about him changing his face and leaving the country? I have a bad feeling about this, Gordon. A very bad feeling. I think we might have overlooked something along the way.”
Gordon’s response showed his confusion. “I don’t know what it would be, Mr. Buchanan. Maybe it meant that he was gonna have a face job after he was out of the country.”
“It really
doesn’t matter, does it? After all, he probably won’t be walking away from here. I offered him money once before and he turned me down flat. I would imagine that will be his reaction again.” Milo furrowed his brow for a moment as if in thought. “However, he has been on the run for five years. He’s probably tired and broke. There just might be some truth to the call about him wanting to leave the country. We’ll soon know.”
“I don’t understand what the problem is, Mr. Buchanan. Why would you even want to offer him money again?”
“I guess you could call it a weakness, Gordon. He was an excellent employee who worked hard and was very dependable. Of course, in retrospect it seems that perhaps he worked a bit too hard. I’ve always liked James and felt badly about what needed to be done, but business was business and sentiment did not have a place. He did manage to survive two attempts on his life, to slip away from his watchdogs before they even knew what happened, and successfully disappeared for five years. I suppose you could say that I’m just reluctant to put an end to someone that resourceful.”
Any further speculation was put on hold as Jim and Steve stepped up on the sidewalk and stopped about five feet away.
A cruel smirk crossed Gordon’s face, while a frightened one plastered itself to Benny’s countenance. Milo Buchanan appeared to be the master of an expressionless facade.
Jim stared at Buchanan for a moment as if he were surprised to see his old nemesis. He then glared at Steve, indicating that the reality of what was happening had just dawned on him. Without saying a word he turned to leave. It was a little charade that they had not discussed, but it seemed to provide the appropriate impact. Gordon quickly grabbed Jim’s arm and brought him to a halt.
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