Blood Brothers: A Jarvis Mann Detective Novel

by R Weir

  Jolene looked away in anger.

  “Honey, you have to understand that in this world, some people get away with certain actions simply because of who they are. It’s not fair or right, but it’s part of the society we live in. I’m not happy about it either. And if there was any way I could complete the task without putting you both in danger, I would. But, so far, no option has presented itself.”

  “You are scared of them and are going to run away, never to see us again!” yelled Jolene.

  The words rang true, yet still I lost my cool.

  “They will torture you and your mom in ways you can’t imagine,” I said in anger. “In a manner where you’ll beg for your life or beg for them to end it, because the pain and humiliation is beyond what you can bear. Do I need to spell it out in more detail!”

  She started to cry, so Helen moved over to console her, giving me a stern stare in the process. I felt like a first class heel for spouting off, but needed to get my point across. I was running away; and I was scared. Scared for them and myself. If there was a magic wand to correct it all, I’d use it. In this case, no miracle potion was forthcoming.

  The two ladies went to the restroom to clean up. I stood around waiting till they came out. Jolene stepped forward and hugged me tightly.

  “I’m sorry, Uncle Jarvis,” she said into my chest. “I know you aren’t scared of them and you did all you could. I’m going to miss you.”

  “Believe me, I’ll miss you both as well.”

  Her forgiving me was cleansing. It wasn’t the magic wand, but it was a start, the beginning of cleansing my tortured soul. I’d found a miracle potion after all.

  Chapter 50

  The rest of the day, and the next, were spent getting things ready for me to leave. Helen’s house was released by the police, the bullet damage repaired and ready to go several days before our seven day window closed. Insurance would cover the damage; no physical memory of the carnage would remain.

  I’d called FBI Agent Wilson, letting him know the pursuit was over, something he wasn’t thrilled about. He yelled endlessly at me on the phone, threatening to sue me for the money spent and to throw us out of the safe house. I told him to go ahead, I didn’t care. The threat was over and we could go to a hotel if needed. A couple more choice words from him and I hung up, not wanting to hear anymore. Another punch to the gut owed, but I would resist, since I didn’t need to be arrested.

  Detective Frakes called to let me know the remaining shooter had been out on bail but failed to show for his arraignment. We both knew he would never be seen again, and either was dead or somewhere far away from the Midwest. The likelihood being the former, the body never to be found, punishment by The Bull for his failure. Another mystery to the cold case file, along with my brother’s murder.

  “I’m leaving town,” I said to Frakes. “I won’t be back.”

  “So you are ending the quest for your brother’s killer?” Frakes asked.

  “I know who it is, but can’t risk bringing him down. I must leave it be or those I care for will pay.”

  “I’m sorry to hear this. We’ll continue on our end. I don’t like leaving unsolved murders, but it doesn’t look good we’ll ever get them.”

  “Even if you could, you would never bring him to justice. The Bull is too much to wrangle.”

  Once done with the call, I told Rocky he could move on as well, but he decided to hang around until I left, as he had nothing better to do at this time. It wasn’t his fight, but you could see he didn’t care to run from it either. For now, he was hanging out, reading his Kindle, always one eye out for any potential danger.

  While he was still around I decided to go to the cemetery and visit three graves, two together and one by itself. My parents had died within the same year, bringing a grief I’d not encountered before. My father was a tough man who refused to allow me to go down the wrong path in my teen years. “You must be responsible for your actions and become the man you deserve to be,” he often said during those trying times when I didn’t care what trouble I’d caused. I’d pretended not to hear him, but it still sunk in, buried deep somewhere in the back of my mind. I was better for it, though still prone to silly mistakes. Part of being human and my humanity often got the better of me. I left flowers on all of their graves, telling Flynn I was sorry I couldn’t complete what he started. Sorry he had died unnecessarily, sorry his stubbornness and human fallacies had got him killed.

  While driving from the cemetery, my main cell phone rang. It was a number I didn’t recognize, appearing to be an Illinois area code.

  “Mr. Mann,” said the voice on the other end I didn’t recognize. “I have a proposal you may be interested in hearing. I’m hoping we can meet somewhere private to discuss.”

  “Referring to?”

  “I would prefer not to divulge over the phone. I am in town and can meet you today.”

  “You have to give me a clue before I will agree.”

  There was a long pause.

  “It is in reference to a death in the family.”

  “I am no longer working the case.”

  “I believe I can assist you in finding a resolution which may be satisfactory to you in that regard.”

  “And who would this be who could provide this?”

  “Again, I would rather not say over the phone. I can tell you I’m in a position to bring a certain horned creature down.”

  Interesting to say the least. It could have been a trap, but curiosity got the better of me.

  “Where and when?” I said.

  “Walnut Woods State Park. In two hours, we’ll meet at the Limestone Lodge. I will be in a black Ford Taurus rental car. I will be alone. Please come alone too. If you don’t show, or bring someone with you the opportunity will be lost.”

  The line went dead and I contemplated my options. Ignore or pursue. I was being tempted by the lure, bait which could get me killed, though a lead I had to explore. I called Rocky on my burner phone.

  “I’ve got a meeting with someone in two hours,” I said. “If for some reason I don’t get back to you by this evening, I need you to take Helen and Jolene back to Denver and tell them they can never return. Can you do this for me?”

  “What are you up to?” said Rocky, sounding perturbed.

  I told him of the call.

  “Do you need backup?”

  “No, he said to come alone.”

  “Could be a setup.”

  “I know, but I’m planning on getting there early and look around. If it doesn’t look right, I’ll leave.”

  There was a huff in Rocky’s voice, but he agreed. I headed to Walnut Woods, which was south of West Des Moines, the Raccoon River bordering it on three sides. It had once been remote from any houses, only farm land nearby. But now, with city growth all around, it didn’t seem so far away. Still, the thick walnut trees, many standing a millennium, had the feel of living in the great outdoors. The moist air, smoke from campfires, and mosquitoes confirming it.

  Either with courage or stupidity, I finally listened to Melissa’s voicemail on the drive over. She sounded joyful and happy, having finished the semester of schooling on a high note.

  “I know you are busy but I couldn’t help calling you to say the semester is over and I aced everything. I did so well I’m going to take the summer off. I hope when you are done we can finally take the beach vacation we had planned at Christmas. No need to call me back. I’m sure you are neck deep in your case. So you know, I’m going to start looking at options for us. I still have the string bikini to model for you. With the diet and exercise I’ve already started, I’ll look marvelous in it, and even better when you slip it off of me. Love you!”

  Not believing I could feel any worse, I was wrong again. How was I going to handle this? What could I say to her? It was too much to chew on right now and I had to shove it to the outer reaches of my mind. One problem at a time.

  I arrived, finding a parking spot, and began strolling the walking path
s around the lodge. Being a Thursday, it wasn’t real busy, a few cars out and about, with people hiking. No one looked suspicious, or ready to jump out and shoot me. The trees provided good cover and the likelihood of a sniper was minor. I had grabbed a sandwich on the way over and enjoyed it while waiting. When I finished, I tossed my wrappers into a nearby receptacle. I saw the black Taurus pull up. Out stepped a familiar figure, though I didn’t know the name. It was the man who stood two steps behind Alexander in our meeting in Illinois. His face looked tense as he walked over to me, searching around for danger. He was dressed casually in jeans, a sweater, tennis shoes, with a ball cap and sunglasses. It was a minor disguise, but effective, for I wasn’t totally sure it was him until he removed the sunglasses.

  “Jarvis Mann,” he said from a few feet away. “Let’s go for a walk.”

  He didn’t appear to be armed, but I had my .38 in a hip holster covered by the tail of my shirt. I walked beside him until we were deeper in the woods, no one around to hear him.

  “You were in Illinois at the meeting,” I stated.

  “Yes. I’m his second in command.”

  “Dangerous, you coming to meet me.”

  “Why I chose this location. I need to be certain you are not wired.”

  I pulled up my shirt so he could see.

  “I am armed.”

  “Yes, I noticed when walking up. There should be no reason to use it. May I pat down your lower region?”

  I nodded, and once he was sure no one was approaching, he did a basic search.

  “Satisfied?” I said.

  “Yes. One can’t be too careful when contemplating what I’m about to propose.”

  “Which would be?”

  “There are some within the organization who feel a change in leadership is necessary. I have come to offer you a way to avenge your brother’s death. Put an end to this messy situation.”

  “Which would be?”

  “To kill Alexander, so I may take over his operation.”

  I let out a low whistle, in surprise.

  “Why would I do this for you? It seems if you wanted to do it, you could simply do it without my help.”

  “There are factors involved. I do not wish to get my hands dirtied. I am a business man, pure and simple. Killing is something I don’t care to flaunt on my resume.”

  “Yet you work for him and know he has no qualms about killing.”

  “Alexander is from the old school where every violent solution is at the end of the gun or worse. I’ve seen what he has done to his enemies and even friends. Killing family members, women and children, like his threat to those close to you. Actions like his are frowned upon. It is unpleasant and unnecessary within our profession. It calls unneeded attention to the organization, especially when it comes to the FBI. If we worked more quietly, under the radar, our business would still thrive and the Feds would attend to more pressing matters like homegrown terrorism. We wish to succeed without bloodshed, or at least only as a last resort.”

  I could hear the birds and the locust songs through the woods. Their sounds were calming, as was this man’s words. It made sense, yet I still wasn’t sure I believed it.

  “Others in your organization agree with this?”

  “Yes.”

  “But you want me to take him out?”

  “Yes. We would assist in arranging the place.”

  “I’m not an assassin by trade.”

  “Did you not kill several people last year single-handedly?”

  I didn’t correct him.

  “To protect and save the life of my friends.”

  “Is not the death of your brother reason enough?”

  “It is, to a degree. But I have his family to worry about. If I leave it alone they will not be harmed.”

  “What if I were to tell you this isn’t the case. Even if you leave, they still will be harmed.”

  “He gave his word?”

  “He has been known not to keep it. As I said, he is of the old school. When someone betrays you, then you kill their entire family. You don’t want their children to grow up and hunt you down. Plans are in place to take you out one at a time.”

  “Why hasn’t he acted upon it yet?”

  “Because of his agreement with Mr. Sparks. He respects him, and fears him as well. He is not wanting a blood war among organizations. Also, this man Rocky is quite formidable. Once upon a time people under his protection were killed and he spent months tracking down the killers, taking them out one by one. I believe that is where he got the scar under his eye. He is a ghost Alexander would rather not deal with. It figures when you leave he’ll feel his job is finished, with no more obligation to protect. Toro will take out your brother’s family first and then finally come gunning for you. You would never see it coming.”

  I stopped walking, thinking over what I’d heard. The hope was my leaving would end this. Now it sounded as if this wasn’t the case. Of course, he could have been baiting me to do his bidding.

  “How do I know I can trust what you are saying?”

  “My word is not enough?”

  “I don’t even know you. For all I know, you are drawing me in where Toro can take me easily.”

  “I may be able to arrange for you to talk with someone who can confirm this. Who has an interest in his demise as well.”

  “Who?”

  “Are you familiar with all the players? Casey, her father, Edward, and Uncle Gabriel.”

  “Yes.”

  “One key part in all of this is Casey’s mother, Kellie. She is a strong woman who has been beaten down by Alexander ever since he married her. She wants out, but sees no way, other than his demise.”

  “Alexander touted family as being important to him.”

  “Oh, they are important as a means to an end. He treats his wife like crap. But she can explain better than I. Would you like to talk with her?”

  She was one part of the family tree I had not engaged with. Meeting with her wouldn’t be any more dangerous than meeting with this man whose name I still didn’t know.

  “Absolutely,” I stated. “When can you arrange it?”

  “Right away, for your time will soon be up.”

  Yes it will!

  Chapter 51

  I finally learned his name and gave Max Groves my burner cell phone number. He would arrange a meeting, but it would have to happen somewhere remote. Kellie Toro lived in St. Louis, but he couldn’t chance flying her out. Her protection was on board and would drive her. The decision was to meet halfway Sunday at ten, since Alexander was in Chicago to watch his favorite team, the Cubs, play baseball from his expensive suite seats. Keokuk, Iowa, which sat on the southeastern border of the state, was the locale, the small town of ten thousand hugging the Mississippi. It was about three hours’ drive time for me so I left early. The plan was to avoid anywhere too public, so Bluff Park was chosen, a stone’s throw away from the mighty river, where the mosquitoes were the size of small birds. The wonder of GPS and mapping software provided precise directions, allowing me to arrive early.

  Everything I was doing was a calculated risk. Danger was part of the job, but I wasn’t sure if I’d ever get completely used to it. One case after another brought me to the point of risking it all. I longed for the simple cases of cheating husbands and wives without connections to gangsters. I longed for a simple insurance fraud case. I was more successful than ever, with money in the bank, though not happy in my success. I loved the challenge, though not the overwhelming stress and fear. I longed again for a string bikini beach vacation with Melissa, as she had proposed in her voicemail. Now, with my infidelity, it would appear that, unless she would once again forgive me, a sun and surf trip might be solo.

  Waiting in the cooling air conditioning of the Mustang, as I wanted the muscle car in case a quick escape was necessary, a large, white SUV pulled into a parking space a couple slots down from me. I sat and waited for the passengers to get out, one large man and a smaller, older woman. They
walked over to an open picnic table, where she sat down while he scanned the area. I stepped out slowly and walked towards them. The large man stopped me. I had left my gun in the car, chancing I wouldn’t need it. Once he was satisfied after frisking me, I went over and sat across from her.

  Kellie Toro was an attractive, fifty-something woman with bleached blonde hair, a robust tan, well-proportioned body, with too much makeup and bright, cherry-red lipstick for my taste. She was dressed all in white; blouse, knee length skirt and heels. Big square sunglasses adorned her face, a flowered scarf protecting her hair from the wind. When she removed the sunglasses, I could see why there was so much makeup, as it was hiding bruising around her eyes and cheeks. I doubted I’d get the clichéd story where she ran into a door.

  “I assume you are Jarvis Mann,” she stated.

  I pulled out ID to show her.

  “I’m Kellie Toro. Max said I should talk with you and hopefully convince you to go forward with his request.”

  “From the condition of your face, I believe I know why,” I said.

  “There is more that isn’t showing. My husband is an animal. The world would be a better place without him.”

  “May I ask why you married him?”

  “Why else for a woman like me? Money and power. I have all I want, all I need, other than love and devotion. I put myself in a position where I had no other option.”

  “How did you meet?”

  “Is it really necessary to know this?”

  “I am a detective, so I’m curious and cautious. Also, I’ve heard similar words from a woman in the past, where it wasn’t the truth. I’m trying to get a sense of the situation and how it came to be.”

  She looked uncomfortable, shifting her body on the hard bench. She let out some air, her eyes meeting mine.

  “We met while I was still married to my ex-husband, Edward. They were cooking up some type of business deal. Edward and I had what you would call an open relationship, from his perspective. He was screwing any skirt who would have him. When the opportunity arose, I would bed whatever stud I could find in revenge. So, Alexander and I were introduced and I thought what better way of getting back at him than by sleeping with a business partner. He was strong, powerful and a voracious lover. He dominated me, at first, and I truly enjoyed it. He would spend lavish amounts of money on me. Soon after, he told me to get divorced so we could be married. He would make sure Edward wouldn’t contest it. Next thing I know, we are on our honeymoon and I’m on top of the world, living with all the tea in China, if you know what I mean.”