“Maybe? He acted awful funny at the mansion,” Tori whispered as she watched Flint. “I don't feel like crossing the mafia, sister. Cop or no cop, I know what happens when someone crosses a mafia family. Flint is stubborn... not me. I know when to raise the white flag and make a run for it.”
“With the gold?” Judith said hesitantly.
“Of course with the gold,” Tori replied. “That much gold can create a very comfortable life in a very nice European country for me… or us, if you play your cards right. Now be quiet, here comes Flint.”
Confused, Judith watched Flint yank the driver's side door open and jump up into the driver's seat. “Who's hungry?”
“I'm starving,” Tori said, changing her voice to please Flint. She winked at Judith.
“Let's move, then,” Flint said, and threw the minivan into reverse.
Twenty minutes later, Flint pulled up in front of a restaurant that resembled a log cabin. The restaurant sat in a lot surrounded by beautiful tall trees. Flint shook his head. The country was beautiful and it upset him that he had to treat the land as a threat instead of a friend. “This will do... not in town, but not too far away from town, either.”
“This place will give us enough room to escape if we need to,” Tori added.
Flint nodded. “The Sheriff should be paying us a visit soon. Let's get inside.”
Tori helped Judith out of the minivan and looked at Flint. “Handcuffs?” she asked.
“Take off the cuffs,” Flint said, then focused on Judith. “One wrong move, girly, and it's back to Los Angeles with you.”
“I'll behave,” Judith promised as Tori unlocked her handcuffs and pulled them off. Rubbing her sore wrists she looked at Flint. “If you were smart, you would listen to me, you stupid cop. We can work as a team and all walk away very rich.”
“I'm already rich.” Flint grinned at Judith. “I'm not stupid, girly. But before I walk off into the sunset, I have to get rid of all of my enemies.” Flint glanced at Tori with strange eyes. “Okay, Arnold, let's move.”
Tori nodded. “Let's get inside.”
Judith moved forward, walking past a silver truck with Tennessee license plates. The parking lot wasn't crowded but had enough vehicles to stop any criminal from be daring enough to rush in with their guns blazing. Glancing over her shoulder, she saw Flint bend down and pretend to check the back right tire. Flint quickly looked around, ducked his head, and spoke into his chest, and threw his head forward before anyone could see him.
Judith looked at Tori. “Your partner is playing a game with you. He has the map to the gold.”
“Seems that way,” Tori said, walking Judith up a set of wooden stairs leading up to a sitting area lined with picnic tables. “Just let Flint get rid of Edwin, Judith. I have a plan, okay?”
“You're playing with my life,” Judith snapped at Tori in a low voice and stopped walking. “I want to know what your plan is, and I want to know right know.”
Tori watched Judith bend down and pretend to tie the right tennis shoe on her foot. “I'm in control, do you hear me,” she snapped back. “Either you're with me or against me, Judith. If you want to rot in prison, go ahead. If you want to make it to Europe with me, then shut up and do as I say.”
Judith glanced up into Tori's face. The woman was serious. “Okay... okay,” she surrendered. “I'll do as you say.”
They walked together to the wooden front door. “After we go inside and we're seated, claim you have to use the bathroom,” Tori said. “When I walk you to the bathroom, take a hike, okay, and get to Edwin on time.”
“On foot?”
“I have a spare key to the minivan in my purse,” Tori said, and patted the yellow purse slung over her shoulder. “We'll follow after you, but not before Flint talks to the Sheriff.”
“Why is it so important to talk to the…” Judith began to ask but stopped when she saw Flint approaching. “Can we please go inside now?” she fussed at Flint.
“Keep your lipstick in your purse, sister,” Flint said. “We're standing outside until the Sheriff arrives.” Flint looked out into the gravel parking lot with careful eyes. The Sheriff was a deadly threat. Before he could go toe to toe with Edwin, he had to throw the Sheriff into a deep hole.
“There,” Tori said quickly, nodding toward the road.
Judith looked toward the road and saw a brown Sheriff's car ease into the parking lot. Her stomach tightened. With worried eyes, she watched the vehicle crawl up to the back of the minivan and stop. “Inside,” Flint said.
Tori yanked the wooden door open and stepped into a large dining room that smelled of the most delicious smoked barbecue chicken in the world. The room was lined with wooden tables, spaced generously apart, that stood on an old hardwood floor that would make any millionaire eat his heart out. At the back of the room stood a large stone fireplace surrounded by four large deer heads. The walls of the room were covered with photos of hunters holding up their prizes. One photo, Tori saw, held an old man who had to be at least a hundred standing over a dead grizzly bear. “Not really a place for the ladies,” Tori said, “but the food sure smells good.”
A young woman with short black hair walked up to Tori, Flint, and Judith. “Table for three?” she asked in a friendly voice.
“Yeah, three,” he said.
“This way,” the hostess said and grabbed three brown menus from behind the wooden hostess station. She then led them to a table next to the fireplace. “Is this okay?” she asked.
A window sat next to the fireplace with thick green curtains hiding the world away—which meant not outside sniper could see in. “This is fine, thanks,” Flint said.
“What can I get you to drink?” the hostess asked everyone.
“Water, please,” Flint said, “no lemon.”
Tori sat down next to Judith. “Flint, I—”
“I need to go to the bathroom,” Judith said. “You haven't allowed me a bathroom break since we left Los Angeles. That's cruelty.”
Tori sighed. “Yeah, I guess I kinda got to take a restroom break myself. Flint?”
Flint watched a large fat man wearing a brown Sheriff's shirt hanging over a pair of blue jeans, open the front door and step inside. “Make it quick,” he said.
Tori nodded at Judith. “Let's go.”
Flint watched Judith stand up and walk away with Tori toward a short hallway leading to the bathrooms. He counted the patrons gobbling down their food. At one table sat a young couple - maybe newlyweds? At a second table, a family of five were eating and talking. At a third table, an old man sat reading a newspaper and eating a salad, maybe waiting for his food? And at fourth table sat three women in their mid-sixties, talking and laughing.
“Got it,” Flint said and looked at the Sheriff. The Sheriff made eye contact with Flint and walked across the room to his table. “Nice day, fella,” he said in a gruff voice.
Flint looked up into a fat, rough face scarred with hate and a half shaven black beard. “Maybe,” Flint said.
“My name is Sheriff Call.”
Flint tossed his eyes at a leather gun belt wrapped around the Sheriff's fat gut. A Beretta was sitting in the right holster. “Yep,” Flint said and folded his arms together.
Sheriff Call grabbed a chair, swung it around backward, and sat down. “You're in dangerous water, boy,” he said, ignoring the other patrons.
“I have some good hooks,” Flint said back.
“Not this time.”
“Gold makes a pretty good hook,” Flint replied. “Listen to me and listen very carefully, Sheriff. I found the map to the missing gold in Henry Parsons’ mansion. Edwin Wayberry wants the gold. After he gets the gold, he's going to eliminate everyone that can incriminate him in a court of law, including you. I have his confession on tape.”
“You're a liar,” Sheriff Call growled.
Flint rolled his eyes. “Are you really that stupid?” he said. “There are satellites in space that can zero in on your hair nose. I’ve been
listening to every word Edwin Wayberry has been speaking. The only reason that criminal isn't behind bars right now is because the suits in Washington want the LaGana, Fiore, and DeDonato family first. Edwin is the middle guy.”
“You know about the families, do you?”
“I know you're part of the LaGana Family,” Flint explained. “You guys aren't stupid and you surely ain't gonna allow Edwin Wayberry to operate out here in Nevada without a watcher. But Edwin Wayberry is too dumb to see this. He thinks you're just a stupid backwoods Sheriff that will jump when he tells you to.”
Sheriff Call studied Flint with deadly eyes. “We want the gold.”
“You can have the gold. All I want is ten million dollars of the gold. That's fair,” Flint said. “But let me warn you, Edwin Wayberry has his own plans and his plans come in the form of a woman named Judith Morris. Judith Morris knows the DeDonato Family killed her parents and she wants revenge... or so she says. I think she's trying to set up the LaGana Family.”
“I'm listening,” Sheriff Call said.
Before Flint could continue, Tori came running up to the table holding the back of her head. “She... I'm sorry, Flint… I turned my back to her for one minute to wash my hands and—”
“Where!” Flint yelled, jumping up from the table, causing gasps to spread across the dining room.
“It's okay, folks, go back to eating,” Sheriff Call called out. Standing up, he looked toward the bathrooms. “Stay here,” he ordered Flint and jogged away.
“Well?” Tori asked Flint in a quick voice.
“So far so good,” Flint whispered, “but we're playing a card game with some deadly people, Arnold. “Did you set Judith up?”
“I think so,” Tori said in a confident voice. “I programmed some more information into her mind before I let her go.”
“Good,” Flint said. “Our next step is to get arrested.”
“I sure hope you know what you're doing,” Tori said.
“Me, too,” Flint said.
A few minutes later Sheriff Call walked back to the table. “Bathroom window was open.”
“Judith Morris escaped,” Tori said in a miserable voice. “Partner, I'm so sorry. I guess you're going to have to tell the Chief about this, huh?”
Flint hit the table with his fist. “You let her escape, Arnold. I'm going to see to it that the Chief snatches your shield. How could you have been so stupid?”
“Hey, don't call me stupid,” Tori yelled back and threw her finger into Flint's face. “You're the one that took her cuffs off, smart guy!”
Flint gritted his teeth. “And you're the clown that let her escape. Who is the Chief going to blame? We came here to do a job and now we're empty handed. Without Judith Morris, we have nothing!”
Sheriff Call put his hand on Flint's shoulder and pushed him away from Tori. “Calm down,” he ordered. “You two, outside with me, now.”
Flint and Tori followed Sheriff Call outside. When Flint saw the minivan was missing, he exploded. “You let her take the van?”
Tori looked down at her feet. “I had spare key in my purse, okay,” she said upset.
Flint kicked a picnic table.
“Cool it,” Sheriff Call warned.
“How can I cool it,” Flint yelled at Sheriff Call, “Judith Morris knows where the gold is!”
“What?” Sheriff Call asked, alarmed.
“We found Henry Parsons’ journal in his mansion,” Flint explained. “Henry confessed in writing that he told Judith where the gold was hidden. Judith denies this, of course, but I know better. And now... she's as a free as a bird. My guess is she's running to Edwin and by dark, they'll have the gold found.”
Sheriff Call rubbed his chin. “I need to make a call.”
“No,” Flint said, “you need to play it smart and get out of town. Once Edwin gets the gold, he's going to eliminate anyone who is a threat to him. This guy has no intention on helping the LaGana Family anymore. His eyes on the gold and the woman.”
Sheriff Call continued to rub his chin. “Take me to the gold,” he ordered.
Flint shook his head. “I'm a homicide detective, Sheriff. I don't get paid enough to go up against the FBI. If I can take out Edwin by himself, that's a different story. But now... I don't know? Edwin isn't a stupid guy, Sheriff.”
“Take me to the gold,” Sheriff Call ordered Flint again and threw his hand down onto the Beretta.
Flint looked at the gun. “I want protection,” he said. “If you take me your jail and lock us up, then I'll help you.”
“Why do you want to be locked up?”
Flint rubbed the back of his neck and looked around at the beautiful landscape. “Let's make it look like you're still playing ball for Edwin. We have to slow him down, Sheriff. If make a call and inform him that you arrested Detective Arnold and myself, that might just toss some glue on the race track.”
“I get it,” Tori said. “You want to draw Edwin Wayberry away from Gold Pot.”
Flint nodded. “Sheriff, drive my partner to the nearest bus station and send her back to Los Angeles.”
“What?” Tori asked, shocked.
“You're no good to me,” Flint snapped, “but you can be some use to me back in the city. I need you to go the DeDonato Family and Paul DeDonato that Edwin Wayberry betrayed him.”
“What are you talking about?” Sheriff Call demanded.
Flint rubbed the back of his neck again and hesitated. Finally, he spoke. “Edwin Wayberry is running guns for both the LaGana and the DeDonato Families,” he said. “The DeDonato Family wants to rub out the LaGana Family and the Fiore Family all at once. The truth is, I have no say so over the LaGana Family, but I wouldn't mind seeing the DeDonata and Fiore Families taken down. I'm sick of their drugs, guns, money... How many bodies have I peeled off the streets because of them?”
Sheriff Call looked deep into Flint's eyes. He was an assigned watcher, sent to keep tabs on Edwin Wayberry and to make sure the illegal guns being shifted through Nevada ended up at the front door which opened right up into the LaGana Family's house. Now he was dealing with a homicide detective from Los Angeles who seemed possess deadly knowledge that could endanger his mission. “Stay here.”
Flint and Tori watched Sheriff Call walked back into the restaurant. A few minutes later he walked out with the young hostess who had seated them. “This is Amy. She will drive your partner to the bus station.”
The young woman looked at Tori with scared eyes. “Yes, ma’am, I'll be glad, too. I believe in doing my civic duty.”
“Get lost, then,” Sheriff Call growled and tossed a thumb toward the parking lot.
Tori looked at Flint. Flint nodded. He had full faith in his partner.
“Let's go, then,” Tori told Amy and walked away.
Flint watched Amy walk Tori to a small white car. Amy glanced back at Sheriff Call and then quickly opened the driver's door, swung herself inside, and buckled up.
“A lot of people are scared of you in this town,” Flint said to the Sheriff.
“That's none of your business,” Sheriff Call said in a cold voice. “Let's take a ride, Detective.”
Flint walked with Sheriff Call. “No games,” he warned.
Sheriff Call snatched open the passenger's side door. “Get in and shut up.”
Flint shook his head. “I'm not playing games, here,” he said. “My whole day just went up in smoke. I have no idea what Judith Morris is doing right now. I can take some guesses, and those guesses lead me straight to Edwin Wayberry and the gold. Our only chance of getting to the gold is to slow down Edwin Wayberry... get him in town, somehow.”
“And kill him, is that it?” Sheriff Call asked.
“No,” Flint said. “My goal is to arrest the man and take him to the DeDonato Family. Paul DeDonato—”
“Is roadkill,” Sheriff Call interrupted in a deadly voice. “You're walking on deadly ground, Detective, and playing cards with a rope around your neck.”
“Paul DeDon
ato,” Flint continued and folded his arms together, “is a scumbag, sure, but he's also the man who was going to give evidence against the Fiore Family. Now, if you want the LaGana Family to have one less bully to worry about, let me play Paul DeDonato my way. All I'm asking in return if for ten million dollars on the gold and...”
“And what?”
“A rope around my neck,” Flint said in an unsettled voice. “I'll... give you evidence that can take down the DeDonato Family without a single shot being fired. Man, I never thought I'd see the day where I would actually help a crime family.”
“So why help?”
“Because,” Flint exploded, “I've pulled bodies off the streets, out of alleys ways, from dumpsters... bodies left as a present from the DeDonato and Fiore Families. And what happens? I'm slapped with restrictions and told to look the other way by City Hall who has blood money in their pockets. I'm sick of it. I'm sick of it all. It's time for me to take my cut and fade out of the scene. But not before the DeDonato and Fiore Families take a very hard fall.”
Sheriff Call looked at Flint. The man seemed to be telling the truth. Nodding his head, he threw his fat hands out, pulled Flint's overcoat back, and patted him down. “No wire.”
“Nope,” Flint said, and leaned against the truck of the Sheriff's car. “I want ten million dollars. Call your people and make a deal. In the meantime, throw me in the slammer and play nice with Edwin.”
“If you're lying,” Sheriff Call warned Flint, “I'll cut your ears off myself.”
“If I'm lying,” Flint said, “then why would I be standing here? I could have gone after the gold already.”
“Let's move,” Sheriff Call said.
Flint sat down in the passenger's seat and closed his eyes. “Play it wise,” he whispered patiently. “Play your hand wisely.”
*****
“Stop here,” Tori told Amy, and pointed at a gas station.
Amy swung her car into the gas station and parked on the side of the store. “What's wrong?” she asked Tori in a worried voice. “Please, I have to drive you to the bus station.”
Detective Flint Box Set: A Detective Story Box Set Books 1-3 Page 36