Manhattan Hit Man (A Tanner Novel Book 18)

by Remington Kane

  She saw nothing else of interest and drove away from the house. Tomorrow she would follow Kevin around again, because it was all she could think to do. Kevin and his group were up to something. She was certain of that much, and wouldn’t quit poking around until she figured out the mystery.

  Luis Zade closed the door on Tony’s empty apartment and saw a young woman coming up the stairs.

  She was Tony’s neighbor, as well as a customer who bought a line of coke now and then. Her name was Shawna, and she was just getting home from work. Tony never said so, but Luis suspected that his brother and the married Shawna may have had a brief affair.

  “Luis, hi, have you talked to Tony since his arrest?”

  “Yeah, and he was framed, Shawna.” Luis threw a thumb back at his brother’s apartment. “Someone placed that money in there. You know Tony, he didn’t rob any damn bank.”

  “I didn’t believe it either, but framed? Who would give up all the money like that? He could have been framed with just a few bills, and whoever did it could keep the rest.”

  Luis’s mouth opened slightly, as an idea struck him.

  “You’re right, Shawna. Who would do that? I think whoever framed Luis did it like a vigilante thing, you know, some holier than thou type that wouldn’t dream of keeping the money for themselves.”

  Shawna was nodding.

  “I know the type. There’s one in the building, a Mexican kid who’s like a holy roller or something. He wears this big silver cross around his neck, but he drives an old red sports car.”

  “This boy ever give Tony any shit?”

  Shawna smirked.

  “Not to Tony’s face, but he would badmouth him in the lobby. I’ve heard him.”

  “What’s his name?”

  “Juan? Or maybe it’s José, I’m not sure.”

  “Where’s he work, do you know?”

  “He’s a college kid. Him and his mother live up on the fifth floor. Why? Are you going to kick his ass?”

  “A punk like that wouldn’t have the balls to frame my brother.”

  “No, he wouldn’t, and he’d have to rob a bank first to do it.”

  Zade turned toward the stairs.

  “Thanks Shawna, and take care.”

  “Luis.”

  Zade turned back to look at her.

  “Yeah?”

  A smile crept over Shawna’s lips as she looked him over.

  “My husband works nights on the weekend. Why don’t you stop by and keep me company sometime?”

  “I’ll do that.”

  “All right then, and tell Tony I said hi.”

  Shawna went inside her apartment as Zade went down the stairs to the street. Once outside, he heard a car’s throaty engine before he saw it. It was an old Camaro in primo condition, and a Mexican kid was behind the wheel.

  When the traffic light changed and the car was parked near the apartment house, Zade knew he was looking at the boy he’d just been discussing with Shawna.

  Zade marched over, opened the passenger door, and slid in.

  The kid was startled by Zade’s appearance in his vehicle, and Zade decided to shake him up a little more, just to see what would happen.

  “I know you framed my brother, you little shit, so don’t even try to bullshit me.”

  The kid licked his lips, then spoke in a shaky voice.

  “You’re Tony Zade’s brother. You look like him.”

  “Why did you frame him, bitch?”

  Zade expected denial, a shocked or confused look, or maybe a threat to call the police. He never expected what occurred next.

  Juan Vega cried as he held the cross hanging from his neck.

  “I’m sorry.”

  “You did frame him? How, and who with? The papers said five people robbed the bank.”

  Juan wiped at his eyes.

  “I can’t tell you. They’re my friends.”

  Zade took out his gun and pointed it at Juan.

  “Kid, you’re gonna tell me everything.”

  17

  Duke Of Love

  In Manhattan, Tanner was inside a restaurant and sitting with Duke at the bar.

  Tanner had called Duke earlier in the day and requested information on Moss Murphy. Duke had gotten that info, and as they sat together, Tanner looked over the layout of Moss Murphy’s home. When you added the sixteen acres surrounding it, the place was more like an estate.

  “As a bonus, I called a contact I have in the area. He told me that Moss Murphy gave the order for more troops to guard the house. He didn’t know how many men would be guarding the man, but said it was in the dozens.”

  “That’s good work, Duke, now I’m going to need some other things.”

  Duke took out a small notepad.

  “What do you need?”

  “A UFO.”

  “Huh?”

  “I need a UFO, an Unidentified Flying Object, and it has to be big.”

  Duke hesitated for only a moment before taking out his laptop and looking at his contact list.

  “Do you need the thing to fly, you know, like a drone?”

  “Yes, but I also need to be able to operate it with something no bigger than a TV remote.”

  “Give me a few minutes. I might know just the right guy.”

  “That’s your business model, knowing the right guy.”

  “Or gal,” Duke said. “Also, I don’t ask too many questions.”

  “Is that why you haven’t asked why I want a flying saucer?”

  “It’s none of my business, and I’ve dealt with stranger requests than this.”

  “I believe that.”

  Duke took out his phone and Tanner ordered them both a second round of beers. A few minutes later, Duke swung his laptop around and showed Tanner a short video of a realistic-looking flying saucer. It looked large, maybe twelve feet across, and six-foot-high in the center, tapering down to a foot high at the edges.

  “It works by remote control, and hear the sound, like something out of a movie, right?”

  “Yeah, is that what it is, a movie prop?”

  “It was built by a special effects guy in LA for a movie that never got made. They also never paid him for the work.”

  “Let me see that video again.”

  Duke started the video as his phone vibrated.

  “It’s a text from my guy. He checked, and he can modify it to do what you want, but it eats battery power like crazy. It will only stay up in the air for about twenty minutes, and you’ll need to practice with it.”

  Tanner watched the video again while Duke spoke.

  “Did you tell him he won’t be getting it back?”

  Duke angled his phone toward Tanner.

  “Yes, and here’s his price. The damn thing must be made of gold.”

  Tanner pointed at the screen.

  “Those little alien mannequins he’s got propped up around it, how much would he want for those, and will they fit inside the craft?”

  “Just a second and I’ll ask him.”

  It took seventy-four seconds, but Duke had an answer.

  “They’ll fit, but their weight will cut into your fly time, and he wants two grand apiece for them.”

  “Done, and I need it all here by tomorrow morning.”

  “The greedy bastard will want more for that, you know?”

  “Pay it, and I’ll need a place to practice with it.”

  “I know a spot, no charge. Anything else?”

  Tanner nodded.

  “Oh yeah.”

  Sara joined Tanner and Duke as the two men were finishing their business. When Duke saw her kiss Tanner in greeting, his eyes grew wide, but he said nothing about it.

  “Hello, Duke. How have you been?”

  “I’m good, Sara, but I gotta get going. Tanner has just given me a lot of work.”

  “Duke?”

  “Yeah?”

  “Aren’t you surprised that Tanner and I are together?”

  “That would be an understat
ement.”

  “Then how come you didn’t say anything?”

  “Because it’s none of my business.”

  Sara smiled.

  “I think I’ve missed you, Duke.”

  “Same here, honey, and Tanner, I’ll see you tomorrow morning.”

  They moved to a table and ordered dinner.

  “I want to get a hotel room for the night, Tanner. I’m tired of driving back to Connecticut.”

  “That works for me, and Joe is lining up an apartment for us to look at.”

  Over dinner, they talked about their days. After Sara described what she’d found inside the van, Tanner offered an answer.

  “It sounds like they’re going to dress up like bicycle messengers.”

  “You’re right, but why?”

  “Maybe they’re running a con game of some sort. You should ask the kid about it.”

  “I will if I don’t discover what they’re doing soon, but I don’t think Kevin will talk to me. He knows I would tell his sister everything.”

  “You say he had a lot of money, but doesn’t appear to spend any of it, that’s odd. Maybe he’s being blackmailed.”

  “Maybe, but it still doesn’t explain where the money came from in the first place.”

  “I could have a talk with that professor if you’d like.”

  Sara laughed.

  “A talk, hmm? Would that talk involve broken bones?”

  Tanner smiled.

  “Maybe just a finger or two, but I would get answers.”

  “I appreciate the offer, but I think I’ll handle this my way.”

  “Fine, but I’m a phone call away.”

  Sara took Tanner’s hand in her own.

  “Please be careful with this Boston situation. I saw that van on the news and wondered how you survived the attack.”

  “I’ll be fine, and that attack happened because there’s a joker somewhere in the deck of cards called the Giacconi Family. Someone is leaking information to Boston, and it looks like Boston may be in bed with a street gang.”

  “And meeting with Duke tonight, what was that about?”

  “Preparations for war. If I need to hit Moss Murphy, first I’ll have to get past a small army.”

  “I’m a phone call away too. Remember that.”

  “I do.”

  Once they finished their meal, Sara asked Tanner if he wanted dessert.

  After his eyes roamed over her body, he answered.

  “I think I’d like a taste of something else.”

  Sara laughed.

  “And I think I know what that might be.”

  They left the restaurant, after skipping dessert, and went looking for a room for the night.

  In Tarrytown, Luis Zade was looking inside the green van that Sara had been searching earlier.

  He was with Juan Vega, who was a little worse for wear after being interrogated. Juan had told Zade everything, about all the bank robberies and the men they framed for them, including Zade’s brother, Tony.

  Zade would have been willing to go against his nature and involve the police if he thought for a second it would help Tony avoid doing any more time. But Tony already had a record when they arrested him and was going up on enough drug charges so that it didn’t matter.

  His lawyer was working a deal on the charges, so they’d run concurrently.

  Ten years for the drug charges, ten years for the bank job, but you serve the sentences together. So, ten years was ten years, and handing Juan Vega and his friends over to the cops wouldn’t mean a thing.

  On the other hand, if they went through with the next robbery, Zade could rip them off for the money, then get some payback.

  Zade slammed the van door shut and saw Juan jump in fright.

  He had played the bad cop with the kid, now it was time to play the good cop.

  “Yo, Juan, let’s get back in the car. It’s chilly in here.”

  They moved along in the darkness by navigating with light from their cell phones. Once they were back in Juan’s car, Zade let out a great sigh.

  “What am I gonna do with you, Juan?”

  The boy said nothing, but kept a hand over his stomach. Zade had punched him in the midsection twice as incentive to talk.

  “I could call the police, but that wouldn’t help my brother, not with all the drugs they found in his apartment. And those other guys you framed, I don’t give a damn about them.”

  Juan’s chin lifted off his chest, as in his mind, a light was seen at the end of a tunnel.

  “You’re not going to call the police?”

  “I might, but really, why bother? That professor should have known better than to fuck with people, but you and those other kids you told me about, you’re still young. A prison record would screw up your lives. I need to think about this.”

  Juan raised his head higher and swallowed hard.

  “I don’t want to go to prison.”

  Zade had to resist the urge to smash the boy’s face in. The little prick was whining about going to prison when he sent Tony and other guys up for years. It would be a pleasure to kill him, but first, he had to play nice.

  “I have to admit it; you dudes were clever. Do you think the robbery will work tomorrow?”

  “It would have, yeah, and Professor Seagate says that branch has a lot of money on hand. The wholesale merchants in that area still handle a lot of cash.”

  “Did he know how much you guys would get?”

  “Not really, but it could be more than twenty thousand dollars behind the counter.”

  “Hmm,” Zade said. “That would make a nice payday.” Afterward, he waited to see if the kid would come up with the idea, or whether he’d have to suggest it.

  “Mr. Zade… I’m sorry that I set up your brother.”

  “Your friends will be sorry too.”

  “You don’t have to turn us in.”

  “Why shouldn’t I? Where’s the downside for me?”

  After nearly a minute went by in silence, Zade figured the kid wasn’t bright enough to see his best move, but no, he figured it out.

  “I could give you the money.”

  “What money? The cops have all of it.”

  “No, I mean from tomorrow’s robbery. I won’t tell the others that you know about us until after we rob the bank. Then I’ll tell them and make them give you the money.”

  “Will they do it?”

  Juan was grinning.

  “Yeah, they’ll have to or you’ll call the police, but, if you take the money, then, it’s like you’re one of us.”

  “Hmm, that could work, and it would make us even.”

  “Right, right, just come here tomorrow after two o’clock. That’s when Kevin Kincaid will show up with the cash from the bank robbery.”

  “What’s Kincaid look like?”

  “If you give me my phone back I can show you pictures of everybody.”

  Zade handed Juan the phone. The kid had a lot of pictures of himself and the Kincaid boy. Zade pointed at one of the photos.

  “Are you two homos?”

  “What? No, but he’s my best friend.”

  Zade pointed at another picture. It showed Juan and Kevin with a good-looking woman. She was dressed in a leotard.

  “Who’s the hottie with you in this picture?”

  “That’s Kevin’s sister, Alicia.”

  “Is she a dancer?”

  “She was for a while, but now she owns a dance studio and teaches little girls how to do ballet.”

  Zade pointed at the barn.

  “Will everyone meet in there or at that old house?”

  “We always use the barn.”

  “All right, kid, we have a deal, but don’t tell the others, or they might call off the robbery.”

  “I won’t say anything until you show up. After that, they’ll see that it makes sense to give you the money.”

  “Okay then, drive us back to the apartment house.”

  “It’s a good thing my mom is
working the four to midnight shift today, otherwise, she’d be wondering where I was.”

  Zade smiled.

  Before long, the kid’s mother would always know where to find him. He’d be in the grave, along with his friends.

  18

  Like A King And A Queen

  The following morning, Tanner went to Johnny R’s after meeting with Duke.

  Duke had delivered everything Tanner had asked for, including the UFO. Tanner practiced flying the movie prop in an airplane hangar in New Jersey that was scheduled to be torn down and replaced.

  The machine’s controller was small and could be hidden in a pocket. One side had buttons for basic functions, while the other side was a small view screen for the cameras. The UFO had been created to hover in a pattern without an operator at the controls once it was airborne. When Tanner had the proper maneuver input into the machine, he practiced working the cameras.

  Before leaving the airport, Tanner went over the truck he would use for transport. It was old, but it would make it to the Boston area, and that’s all Tanner needed.

  Duke separated from Tanner a happy man after receiving a bonus, and Tanner was satisfied that he could get to Moss Murphy, regardless of how many men protected him.

  Tanner sat at the bar and talked to Tamir Ivanov. The strip club didn’t open until four in the afternoon, which was a later start time than the club’s predecessor, the Cabaret Strip Club. Joe wanted Johnny R’s to cater to a more well-heeled crowd, and ditched the lunch hours.

  Red had been seated at the bar when Tanner sat down. Red eyed Tanner with a worried look, as if Tanner might shoot him at any moment, just to keep in practice.

  “They call you Red, right?”

  “Yes sir, Mr. Tanner.”

  “Just call me Tanner, kid.”

  “Yes sir.”

  Tanner turned from the kid and spoke to Ivanov.

  “This is the last place I ever thought I’d see you.”

  “Retirement was boring, Tanner, and after what I did last year, I could no longer wear a badge.”

  “Joe says you’re a natural at running a strip club.”

  “My father had a bar, no girls, but a tavern is a tavern.”