Manhattan Hit Man (A Tanner Novel Book 18)

by Remington Kane

Ricky stepped out into daylight for the first time in weeks and felt the sun warm him. He’d been doing his running at night, partly to be less noticeable, but also because he was afraid and paranoid.

  After weeks going by with nothing bad happening, he was feeling confident that no one would find him. Once he made his way down to Miami and got his new ID and face, Ricky Valente would cease to exist.

  Ricky was stretching his muscles in preparation to run while thinking about what new name he would like to have, when Julie Ryan stepped out of her trailer with her dog.

  Ricky thought the dog was ugly, but he sure liked the look of its owner. He sent Julie a smile and said hello.

  Julie pointed at his trailer.

  “Are you new here?”

  “Um, yeah.”

  “I never saw the last person who rented that trailer, but I would see lights on at night and hear a TV playing.”

  Ricky had come up with a new name. He decided to try it out.

  “I’m Shane Ryder. It’s nice to meet you.”

  Julie gave Ricky a tentative smile.

  “I’m Julie and this is Missy.”

  Ricky smiled at Missy and the dog growled at him.

  “Were you taking the dog to the park?” Ricky asked.

  “Why do you ask?”

  “No biggie, but I was headed there. We could walk together and get to know each other, you know, like friendly neighbors.”

  Julie’s smile was genuine this time.

  “Okay neighbor, but there’s really not much to tell. I’m pretty boring.”

  “So am I,” Ricky said. “So am I.”

  Victor Fenner, the man who had framed Julie Ryan for drug theft, worked as an insurance investigator for a company owned by his family. Many people inside the insurance company thought it odd that Fenner would work in such a relatively low position, when he could easily be named a vice-president of a division.

  When asked, the other members of the family pointed out Victor’s record at catching insurance cheats, which was impressive. In truth, his family knew he was mentally unstable and let him do as he pleased. If Victor had wanted to be named the company’s CEO, none of them would have stood in his way.

  While Victor was still a teenager, his family had learned the folly of denying Victor what he wanted. One family member had paid with his life to learn that lesson.

  As an insurance investigator for a top company, Victor was allowed access to any of the thousands of facilities his company insured. And he did the work, was good at it, and could spot a liar with ease. Victor never handled the simple cases, the ones where factory workers faked injuries to receive worker’s compensation benefits, no, Victor liked a challenge.

  He had stumbled upon the thieving orderly at Julie’s hospital while working another case, and had planned to hand the petty crook over to the police. But then, he saw Julie, and Victor knew he had to possess her.

  She would be the fourth woman he possessed. The others were now deceased, and it had been over three years since he’d found one he wanted to own.

  He had demonstrated his power to Julie, had destroyed her life to rebuild it to his liking. Were she to contact the authorities and tell them that he had admitted to framing her, they would not have listened.

  Julie was an admitted thief. She had served time for those thefts after admitting her guilt in a plea bargain arrangement, and was banned from ever working as a nurse again. On the other hand, Fenner came from a prestigious family and was good-looking enough to attract any number of women. He didn’t need to go to extreme lengths to be with a woman.

  Despite his history, there was no record of Victor Fenner ever being accused of stalking. That was because his technique was so unconventional. He never approached the women he desired until after he had ruined their reputations, and it was rare that he spoke to them at all in front of witnesses.

  Fenner had no connection to Julie Ryan, and yet, he had altered her life forever. She had run away after their initial contact, and that was to be expected. She would need time to come to terms with her new reality. The fact was, Victor Fenner now owned her. If Julie Ryan ever hoped to have a moment of peace and a modicum of normalcy, she would have no choice but to give in to Fenner and become his lover.

  Fenner returned to his hotel in Portland, Maine, after a day of watching the thief who had stolen artwork from the home of an insured client. He was certain that the thief had stored the paintings in the home of the woman the thief was seeing, and convinced the woman had no idea.

  Fenner sent off photos of the man entering and leaving the woman’s basement by way of a window. The photos would wind up on the computer of the cop working the art theft, and the cop would owe Victor another favor.

  At the hotel’s front desk, Victor was told he had a package. It was a FedEx envelope. After returning to his room, Victor opened the envelope and smiled. One of his contacts had come through for him.

  Inside the envelope was a copy of the recent activity logged by Julie Ryan’s electronic toll payments system. It told Fenner that she had traveled south and was now in New Orleans.

  Fenner called the front desk, told them he would be checking out, and began packing.

  It was time to go to New Orleans.

  10

  Bad Boys, Bad Boys

  Tanner and Sara entered a restaurant on East 7th Street in New York and found that Jake and Jennifer Garner were already seated at their table.

  Tanner was dressed in a suit while Sara wore a dress. Jennifer and Jake were similarly attired and greeted them with subdued smiles.

  Jake stood to pull out a seat for Sara, who sat to his left at the round table, while Tanner sat across from Jake and on Jennifer’s right.

  When Jennifer reached over and placed her hand atop of his for a moment, Tanner realized that she was trembling a bit.

  “I want to thank you again for saving my life, Tanner.”

  “You’re welcome, and I appreciate the invitation to have dinner with you. It means a lot to Sara.”

  Across the table, Jake Garner was laughing. When everyone looked at him, he gestured at Sara and Tanner,

  “I’m sorry, it’s just that, the two of you, together like this, well, it’s one of the strangest sights I’ve ever seen. And yet, you do make a great looking couple.”

  “If you’ll recall, Jake, I wasn’t happy when you and Jennifer began dating. I was certain that you were just using her.”

  The waiter appeared and took Sara’s and Tanner’s drink orders, along with everyone’s choice for a meal. After the drinks arrived, Jennifer looked at Jake with a conspiratorial smile.

  “I’m going to tell Sara now.”

  “Tell me what?” Sara asked.

  “I’m pregnant. I just found out today.”

  Sara leapt from her seat and moved around the table to hug her sister. As she did so, Tanner offered his congratulations to Jake, who looked to have mixed feelings about the news. Sara took note of Jake’s solemnity and asked him about it.

  “Jake, are you nervous about being a father for the first time?”

  Jennifer looked uncomfortable and reached over to take her husband’s hand.

  “I was married once before, Sara,” Jake said. “When I was much younger. My wife and I had two children. All three of them died in an accident.”

  Sara’s hand flew to her mouth.

  “Oh no, I had no idea. Oh, Jake, I’m so sorry.”

  Jake shook his head.

  “I’m happy that Jennifer is pregnant, believe me I am, it’s just that I…it’s a little odd to think I’ll be a father again.”

  “You feel guilty about having survived when your family died,” Tanner said.

  Jennifer looked shocked, not by the suggestion, but because Tanner had stated it. She had been thinking of him as a simple thug devoid of understanding.

  Jake nodded.

  “Yes, I do feel guilt. I know I shouldn’t, that I couldn’t have changed anything by dying with them, but the guilt n
ever goes away.”

  “It won’t. You just have to live with it.”

  Jennifer was staring at Tanner as if he were a mannequin that had suddenly come to life.

  “Why do you know so much about this?”

  Tanner sat motionless, then turned his head to look at Sara.

  “You don’t need to say anything,” Sara told him.

  After releasing a sigh, Tanner spoke.

  “My family was murdered when I was sixteen, even my baby brother and younger sisters. Only I survived.”

  Jennifer fell back in her seat as she whispered, “Good Lord.”

  The table grew quiet, and before anyone spoke again, the food came.

  After the waiter left them with the promise of bringing fresh drinks, Sara looked around the table.

  “So much for casual dinner conversation, hmm?”

  Jennifer smiled.

  “I wanted to get to know more about Tanner tonight, and I’ve certainly done that. He’s not the typical bad boy that I thought he was.”

  “Bad boy?” Tanner said.

  Jennifer pointed at Sara.

  “My sister has always liked bad boys, including Johnny Rossetti, and now yourself.”

  “I don’t like boring men,” Sara said. “And Tanner is anything but boring.”

  When dinner was over, they moved to the bar for coffee. Sara and Jennifer sat together, while Jake spoke with Tanner.

  “It’s a funny thing how there’s no record of you in the databases anymore, Tanner. How did you manage that?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Those mugshots the Mexican authorities took of you are gone from all official databases, along with the records of your fingerprints. You didn’t know?”

  Tanner wore a small smile.

  “No, but I think I can thank a man named Lawson for that.”

  “Thomas Lawson?”

  “You know him?”

  “Not personally, but yeah, he has that much clout.”

  “So I’ve noticed.”

  To Tanner’s left, Jennifer was passing along a telephone number to Sara.

  “Alicia Kincaid,” Sara said. “I haven’t talked to her in years. How is she?”

  “Great, she owns a dance studio in The Village. She said that there was something she wanted to speak to you about.”

  “I wonder what that could be. Anyway, it will be good to see her again, I miss her.”

  “She still resembles you so much. Remember when all the teachers thought you two were sisters?”

  “Some even thought we were twins, but by the time we reached high school I was several inches taller than her.”

  “Anyway, give her a call, and Sara?”

  “Yeah?”

  “I hope things work out for you and Tanner. If he makes you happy, that’s good enough for me.”

  “Thanks, now, how far along are you?”

  “Only a few weeks, and I can’t wait to find out the baby’s sex.”

  “Do you want a boy or a girl?”

  “I don’t really have a preference; I just hate not knowing.”

  “A good friend of Tanner’s had a daughter, and someone else we know is pregnant, and now you.”

  “What about you? Is that something you would want?”

  Sara nodded.

  “I definitely want to be a mother someday.”

  “How would Tanner feel about that?”

  Sara’s grin was wide.

  “He’d love it, although I doubt he knows that yet.”

  Jennifer looked past Sara’s shoulder, to where Tanner sat talking with Jake.

  “Tanner is deeper than I would have thought.”

  “There’s a heart there too, and a good sense of humor.”

  “I remember when you thought he was nothing more than a killing machine,” Jennifer said.

  Sara smiled in return. That was one opinion of hers about Tanner that hadn’t changed. The man was a killing machine, and the deadliest man alive.

  11

  Beantown

  Bosco confirmed that Moss Murphy had a Sean O’Doyle in his organization and Joe asked Tanner if he’d be willing to grab O’Doyle and bring him back to New York City.

  The request came as they were at a midtown gun club and practicing their shooting.

  “I know it’s not your usual thing, Tanner, but I can count on you not to screw it up and I don’t want our fingerprints on this.”

  “Aren’t you afraid I might kill him out of habit?”

  “No, but on the other hand, I don’t necessarily need him in one piece.”

  Tanner’s left arm still had some residual weakness from the injury he’d suffered in Siberia. He worked it hard by shooting rifles until he found it difficult to raise the weapon.

  “How’s that arm?” Joe asked.

  “It’s coming along.”

  “I want O’Doyle alive, but if you have to whack him, whack him. Anyway, the word is the guy hangs out with his crew, so you’ll have to wait until he’s alone.”

  “That’s easy. I’ll take him in his apartment.”

  Sammy had gotten a call while Joe and Tanner were talking. When the call ended, Sammy held up the phone.

  “Good news. Some ex-hooker down in New Orleans has ratted Ricky out for the reward.”

  “Are you sure it’s him?”

  “Yeah, the old lady took a picture of him in a park. He’s dyed his hair blond, but it’s him. Why don’t I fly down there tonight?”

  Joe thought that over, then shook his head.

  “Ricky will wait a day or two. I want you with me until we hear what O’Doyle has to say.”

  Sammy scowled with disappointment.

  “I don’t want Ricky to crawl in a hole somewhere.”

  “One more day, or we could farm it out?”

  “No, that bastard is mine. I’ll wait.”

  They left the gun club and Tanner saw Joe’s chauffeur, Red, talking to a beautiful girl with long dark hair. Red was smiling a silly grin. When the girl spotted Joe, she waved.

  “Tanner,” Joe said. “That’s Johnny Rossetti’s little sister, Gina.”

  “I see the resemblance, and she’s not so little.”

  “Yeah, she’s a looker.”

  Gina walked over smiling, as her eyes wandered over Tanner.

  “Hi Joe, I was driving by and saw the limo, so I thought I’d stop and say hi.”

  “I’m glad you did, and meet a friend of mine. His name is Tanner.”

  Gina’s smile faltered just a bit when she heard Tanner’s name and Tanner wondered why. Perhaps she had heard that he’d been there when her brother was killed.

  “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Tanner, but Joe, I know you’re busy, and I have things to do too. I just didn’t want to miss a chance to see you.”

  “Be sure to let me know if you need anything, Gina, and I mean anything. Johnny would want me to look out for you.”

  “That’s sweet, Joe, but all’s right with my world. See you around.”

  “What did she study in college?” Tanner asked.

  “Chemistry, or something brainy like that.”

  “Hmm, so she’s good-looking and smart, just like her brother, but back to Boston. When would you like me to go?”

  “Tonight, buddy, and thanks.”

  Two nights after having dinner with Jennifer and Jake, Tanner was in Boston, inside the apartment of Sean O’Doyle.

  He’d been waiting for O’Doyle to arrive home for over two hours. During that time, he had given the apartment a gentle search, making certain that he put everything back where it belonged. After finding an envelope stuffed with cash taped to the back of a table in the bedroom, Tanner kept it to give to Joe. The money was possibly from the robbery of the bakery anyway.

  With his gun in hand, Tanner crouched behind a chair that sat in a corner of the living room, as O’Doyle was opening his front door. He almost revealed himself, but froze when he heard voices.

  O’Doyle wasn’t alon
e. There was a man with him who had an Irish accent. The two of them talked while standing in the open doorway.

  Tanner couldn’t get a look at the guy, knowing that if he were to lift his head up above the chair he’d be spotted.

  “I still don’t know why you’re here to see me,” O’Doyle said.

  “You seem nervous to me, Sean. Are you nervous?”

  “No, I’m tough and smart. Are you here to deliver a message?”

  “If I was here to deliver a message, the type you mean, you would already have received it loud and clear.”

  O’Doyle sighed.

  “Are you ever gonna tell me why you were parked outside my building, or do you want me to guess?”

  “There’s a rumor going around that the Giacconis got one of their cash drops hit. Do you know anything about that, Sean?”

  “No.”

  “No?”

  “No, I don’t know anything, and I wouldn’t make a move like that without Moss’s say-so.”

  “Where were you three nights ago?”

  “Gee, Officer, let me try to remember.”

  “Don’t get cute, just answer the question.”

  “Ah, me and my boys were hangin’ here.”

  “You sure?”

  “Yeah, I remember now. We watched the Celtics game.”

  “Who won the game?”

  “I did. I bet against the Celtics. They ain’t been right since Larry Bird retired.”

  There were a few moments of silence before the Irishman spoke again.

  “Keep an ear to the ground. If you hear anything, tell me or Moss.”

  “Sure,” O’Doyle said. That was followed by the sound of the door closing.

  Tanner was again delayed from revealing himself when O’Doyle plopped down in the chair he was crouched behind. By the sound of things, O’Doyle was making a phone call to someone. It was probably to the other members involved in the heist, to make certain they had their stories straight.

  A voice answered, but the sound was too faint for Tanner to make out.

  As expected, O’Doyle was calling to warn one of the other members of the heist crew. Tanner was sick of being behind the damn chair. He stood, reared back a fist, and delivered a solid blow to O’Doyle’s right temple.