Judith nodded. “Sure,” she said and then, with one quick hand, reached down into a black bag sitting beside her seat and yanked out the gun Tori had given her. “But first, I'm going to dispose of you.”
“What are you doing?” Tori said in a shocked voice. “Hey, wait a minute, we're a team.”
“We're a team,” Judith said. “You see, Edwin and I talked and we both agreed that you need to be eliminated. Edwin has a truth serum waiting for Flint in Gold Pot. Flint will talk one way or another.”
“I should have known better than to trust you,” Tori told Judith in a disgusted voice. “So much for us ladies sticking together.”
Judith smiled. “Tonight,” she said proudly, “I will walk away with all the gold. Edwin was such an idiot to trust me.”
“You never did care about Henry Parsons, did you?” Tori said. “All you ever wanted was to for him to reveal the hidden location of the gold.”
Judith kept her gun pointed at Tori with her right hand as she used her left hand to drive through the rain. “Henry was a blind old man. He would never tell me where the gold was hidden because he claimed the location was cursed and that I would die if I went near it.”
“You deserve to fry,” Tori snapped. “You killed an innocent man for stupid gold.”
Judith spotted a dirt road up on her left slowed down. “I'm going to enjoy killing you, Detective Arnold.”
Tori leaned back in her seat and grew silent. Ten minutes later, Judith pulled the minivan off the dirt road, next to an angry river that was throwing its waters over jagged rocks.
“I'm not getting out,” Tori said.
Judith stared at her with deadly intent. “Get out right now.”
“Why? I'd rather be shot with dry clothes on,” Tori replied, keeping her eyes on the front windshield. “Shoot away, girly.”
“Get out!” Judith yelled.
“Nah,” Tori said in a stubborn voice, “it's raining outside.”
“Fine,” Judith said, “have it your way.” She aimed the gun at Tori's head.
Tori smiled. “No last cigarette, huh?”
Judith gritted her teeth and pulled the trigger. The sound of a bullet exploding filled the minivan... only no bullet left the chamber. “What?” Judith asked herself and looked at the gun.
“Blanks,” Tori said, and slugged Judith in the face before the woman could react.
Feeling her head slam up against the driver's side door window, Judith saw her world temporarily go black. When she came to, Tori had her gun drawn and at the ready. “Oh, the games we play,” Tori said, staring at her right in the eyes.
Judith closed her eyes as pain filled her head. She kept her eyes closed. Tori carefully reached under the passenger's seat and retrieved a hidden pair of handcuffs. “Hands out,” she ordered. Judith stuck her arms out into the air. “Henry Parsons deserved better,” Tori said, and slapped the handcuffs onto Judith. “You're going to prison for life, sister. I hope you rot there.”
Judith opened her eyes and looked at Tori. “I'm too pretty. I'll make parole in no time and when I do, I'm coming after you.”
“Take you best shot,” Tori said, “because I love a good fight. But trust me when I say this: You will not make early parole. You just tried to murder a cop.”
Judith's eyes grew wide. Then she began to cry. “Oh, save it for the courts.” Tori rolled her eyes, pulled Judith out of the driver's seat and into the back, and got the minivan moving.
*****
As Tori pulled the minivan away from the river, Edwin arrived in Gold Pot with Flint. “My office,” he said.
Flint nodded, then jumped out of the passenger's seat and jogged through the rain toward Edwin's office. Edwin yanked the office door open and hurried inside. Flint followed, expecting to be ambushed by the two snipers who had previously been stationed in the deserted town. Instead, the office was empty. Only a desk and two chairs were present.
“Sit down,” Edwin said.
Flint sat as Edwin went around his desk. As Edwin sat down, he quickly drew out his gun and aimed it at Flint. “Hands up,” he ordered.
Flint bit down on his lower lip and raised his hands up into the air. “Where are your snipers today?” he asked.
“I sent everyone away,” Edwin explained. “The last shipment of guns has departed Gold Pot once and for all. After today, I'm leaving this miserable place with my gold. It's always been about the gold for me, Flint. My old man spent a good portion of his life searching for the gold and always came up empty handed. But not me... oh no, I'm going to find my gold and you're going to help me.”
“What about the mafia families?” Flint asked, hoping to shake Edwin.
“I can deal with Antonia LaGana and Paul DeDonato,” Edwin said, as thunder erupted outside and shook the office. “How did you know about Paul DeDonato though? How did you know I was playing family against family?”
“A wild guess,” Flint answered.
“Doesn't matter. I have enough evidence on them hidden away in a private safety deposit box to send them to prison for life... murder... tax evasion... drugs... gun running… you name it.”
Flint kept his hands up in the air. “You and Judith made a deal, huh?” he asked, changing the subject.
Edwin looked past Flint toward the door. “I was going to kill her because I believed she betrayed me. But I was wrong. You see, Flint, I'm in love with Judith. I know that woman is going to be my end, but a man can't deny the way he feels.”
“Love hurts,” Flint said. “Where is Judith anyway?”
“She should be here any minute,” Edwin said and locked eyes with him. “You lied about sending Detective Arnold back to Los Angeles to speak with Paul DeDonato. I'm sure you're lying about speaking with Antonia LaGana, too. According to your face, the only thing you spoke to was a fist.” Edwin lowered his gun. “Detective Arnold should be floating face down in a river right about now.”
Flint stared at Edwin. “Maybe,” he said. “Tell me something, Edwin. Who did you send the guns to? The DeDonato Family or the LaGana Family?”
“Neither,” Edwin said. “I sent the guns to the Mexicans. I've paid them off to start making war with the LaGana Family in New York and the Fiore and DeDonato Families in Los Angeles,” he explained. “I needed a diversion.”
“You're a sick sewer rat,” Flint nearly spat at Edwin.
Edwin took his left hand and pulled opened a desk drawer. “You're going to pay for that,” he said and pulled out a syringe. “This is a truth serum, Flint. You're going to confess to me where my gold is hidden and then I'm going to line you with bullets and throw you down into the cave where I hide my guns.”
“Underneath the old hotel,” Flint said.
“So you know the location,” Edwin sneered. “Doesn't matter. I have a private jet waiting for me and Judith at the airport. After you tell me where the gold is hidden, we're going to leave the country and return when the dust clears and extract my gold.”
“If you say so,” Flint said, “but there's just one problem, I don't know where the gold is hidden. I did find the map, but I didn't memorize it. The map is with Detective Arnold, hidden in a location only she knows. And if she's dead... well then, you're up a river without a paddle, pal.”
Edwin stared at Flint. “You're lying.”
“Use the truth serum and find out,” Flint said in a brave voice.
*****
Outside of the office, Sheriff Call, Vinnie, and Dave inched toward the front door with their guns drawn. “We rush in and take no one alive,” Sheriff Call ordered Vinnie and Dave. “We…” Sheriff Call stopped. Catching movement out of the corner of his eyes, he turned. And there, with their guns drawn, stood Tori and Chief Cunningham.
“Drop your guns,” Chief Cunningham ordered in a low, vicious, whisper.
Sheriff Call, Vinnie, and Dave dropped their guns down onto the rain-soaked ground. Tori ran forward and picked up the weapons. Looking up at Chief Cunningham, she felt proud to have
him at her side, even though the green rain poncho he was wearing made him look like a green bean.
Inside the office, Edwin stood up from his chair. “Keep your hands up in the air,” he warned Flint.
Flint watched Edwin approach him with the syringe. He stopped at the corner of his desk when a soft knock hit the front door. “It's me, Judith, let me in.”
Flint watched Edwin take his eyes off of him for a second. “Better answer the door,” Flint said. “It's raining pretty good outside.”
Edwin tossed down the syringe, aimed his gun at Flint, and eased over to the door. Carefully, he opened the front door, only to be greeted by a hard fist. Dazed, he stumbled backward. Flint jumped to his feet, kicked the gun out of Edwin's hand with his right foot, and followed through with a hard fist to the stomach. Edwin doubled over and dropped to the floor. Chief Cunningham stepped into the office and looked at Flint. “Not bad for a couple of antiques,” he told Flint.
“Not bad at all,” Flint agreed and gave Chief Cunningham a high five.
“Oh yeah,” Chief Cunningham said and put his gun away.
Tori peeked her head in around the door. She saw Edwin on the floor holding his gut. “Well,” she said in a tired voice, “another case is solved and…” Tori stopped talking and yelled. “He's going for a gun!”
Flint and Chief Cunningham turned just in time to see Edwin reach for a hidden gun under his jacket. Flint went for his gun. As he did, two gunshots exploded. Edwin's body was thrown forward. Looking at the doorway, he saw Tori with her gun drawn. Smoke was coming from the barrel. “Not bad, partner,” he said, “not bad at all.”
Chief Cunningham looked at Edwin's body and then focused on Tori. He watched Tori slowly lower her gun.
“Give me a count,” she ordered Flint and Chief Cunningham.
“I'm unhurt and clear,” Flint sounded off.
“I'm unhurt and clear,” Chief Cunningham said proudly. “Good work, Detective Armold. You saved our lives.”
Tori smiled, even though her smile came out nervous and scared. “I better check on our prisoners.”
Flint folded his arms together. “She's coming along pretty good, wouldn't you say, Chief?”
Chief Cunningham folded his arms too. “You know, Flint, I think Tori is going to surpass you someday.”
“I wouldn't doubt it,” Flint agreed, “I wouldn't doubt it at all.”
*****
Dressed in a beautiful blue evening gown, Melinda walked into a fancy French restaurant with Flint at her side. Feeling silly dressed in a gray suit, Flint rubbed the back of his neck.
“Stop it.” Tori slapped Flint's hand.
“I feel silly,” Flint said and looked over his shoulder at Tori. His partner was wearing a lovely pink gown. Even though she was going solo for the evening, Tori appeared happy.
“You look nice,” Melinda said to Flint. “Now let's have a nice evening.”
A tall thin man in his sixties escorted Flint, Melinda, and Tori to a private table. Speaking in a thick French accent, the man asked Flint what wine he would like to start the evening with.
“Just bring me a chocolate milk,” Flint told the man.
Melinda and Tori rolled their eyes. But they quickly smiled when they saw Chief Cunningham walk up to the table wearing a well-pressed blue suit. Chief Cunningham sat down next to Tori. “Sorry I'm running late, everyone,” he said and looked up at the waiter. “Bring me a water, please.”
“No wine?” the waiter asked, disappointed.
“No, just one water and three chocolate milks, I guess,” Melinda sighed. Feeling beautiful and lady like in her gown, she felt grateful that Flint agreed to the restaurant. So what if the man wanted milk instead of wine?
“So what's the word, Chief?” Tori asked.
“Judith Morris will spend the rest of her life in prison,” Chief Cunningham said, searching the table for some bread. “Hey, bring some bread, will you, please?” he asked the waiter.
“Bread, of course,” the waiter said and walked away.
“What about the crime families?” Flint asked.
Chief Cunningham shook his head. “We still can't locate the evidence Edwin Wayberry claimed he had hidden away in a safety deposit box. I guess that evidence will remain missing, just like all the gold we found remained hidden for all of those years.”
“And the mystery of Fiona Parsons,” Melinda said. “I used every resource at my disposal to track her down and came up with only bread crumbs. Why did she leave all the gold behind?”
“Good question,” Tori said. “Judith did tell me Henry Parsons claimed the gold was cursed. It sure seems that way, doesn't it?”
Flint grew silent. He rubbed his chin and then looked into Melinda's beautiful face. He began to think about how much Henry Parsons loved his wife. “Henry Parsons relocated to Nevada to track down a legend in order to save his wife. He walked away empty handed and eventually lost the love of his life. Sometimes...”
Melinda looked at Flint. “Sometimes what, Flint?” she asked softly.
Tori and Chief Cunningham looked at Flint. “What is it, Flint?” Tori asked.
“We brought down a dangerous, corrupt FBI Agent. We caught two killers. We cleared Virginia City of its threat by getting rid of Call and his two thugs. I guess I should feel pretty good... but I keep thinking about Henry Parsons. You would never know what stories hide within the walls of those mansions down on mansion lane... Henry Parsons’ story is... a tragic love story.”
“Why Flint, you old softy,” Tori said and patted Flint on his shoulder.
Melinda smiled proudly and touched Flint's hand. “I knew he was.”
Flint rolled his eyes. “I'm not a softy. I just happen to think it's sad that the old man lost out. Yeah, sure, maybe he wasn't an ideal person to have around, but... never mind.”
Chief Cunningham helped Flint out. “I understand what you mean, Flint. It's always the case, isn't it? As cops, we try not to get emotionally involved, but sometimes, we can't help it.”
“Yep,” Flint said. “Well, the case is over and we're back home. So, let's eat, huh?”
Tori watched Flint pick up his menu. She smiled at her partner. The man was brilliant, brave and daring—but underneath the tough look was a man who possessed a caring heart toward his fellow man. “Don't order frog legs,” she joked.
“Shut up, Arnold,” Flint growled.
Tori giggled. Well, maybe Flint wasn't that soft.
THE END
*****
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Detective Flint Box Set: A Detective Story Box Set Books 1-3 Page 38