The Body Mafia

by Stacy Dittrich

  “It was her.” Sal was out of breath and sat on his bed. “It was Gallagher. She knows everything. We’re in trouble, Petey.”

  Petey went to the bedroom window and closed it, then took a seat next to his father.

  “We’re not in trouble, Pop. We found her room and we know where she’s going.”

  Sal looked confused. “How?”

  “She’s hooked up with Joseph Filaci, and they were staying at a motel about five miles from here. She’s checked out, but he hasn’t.”

  “Filaci? That motherfucker!” Sal stood up.

  “We can’t get close enough because the feds are all over the motel, but I’m pretty sure she was at the warehouse and watched the pickup. They’re the ones that blew it up, too. Anyway, I suspect they’re gonna follow the van to Cleveland to get them at the drop-off.”

  “She’s got a room there too, doesn’t she?”

  “Yeah, but the feds are on it. We can watch from a distance and see where she goes from there.”

  “Take your brother and leave now. You’ll need to beat her there. I want her brought to me—you got it? I’ll make the arrangements. She killed Tommy.”

  “She did?”

  “Yes, and she’s the one who got to Frank’s body. We’ll deal with the Filacis later, but for now, I want her. And remember, we’ve still got Paulie on the inside.”

  Running like I’d never run before, I circled several houses before making my way back to the car. They weren’t following me and I didn’t know why. As I sat in my car with my hand on the ignition, I saw a car back out of Sal’s driveway like a bat out of hell. I flung myself down on the passenger seat as it passed by and waited a few minutes before pulling away. My hands were shaking terribly and it was hard to catch my breath. My chest seared in pain from the cold air I had breathed while running. Finally, turning onto the interstate, I pushed the gas pedal to the floor and sped toward Cleveland.

  “He’s back in Cleveland, Alan. Keith and Steve followed him from his motel room in Youngstown.”

  “That means she’ll be there soon, too. Keep the agents on her motel room there, and keep the other ones with Joseph. They’ll meet up soon. I’ll let him know the update.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “Before you hang up, things have changed. When you get the opportunity, take her into custody.”

  “What? Are you sure?”

  “Yes, I promised him. If we don’t, she’ll be dead by tomorrow.”

  It was safe to assume my motel room in Cleveland was being watched. Regrettably, I had no other choice but to go there. I didn’t think the Iacconas had found it yet, only the feds. At this point, I was almost grateful they were watching, but I would have to lose them later.

  Back in the room, I took a hot shower. I had less than an hour to meet Joseph. I was trying to stay positive and assume he hadn’t been injured or killed in the explosion. After throwing all of my belongings in the trunk of my car and donning my black wig and trench coat, I headed toward the bar. Underneath the coat, I wore a gold sequined tank top and black slacks. I was going to a nightclub and didn’t want to stand out.

  I parked in the three-level parking garage down the street from Club Siesta. I went up to the third level before taking the elevator back down. I then cut down several alleys, going away from the club, before I was satisfied that no one was following me. As I neared the entrance, I saw the doorman holding a weapons detector. Several of the patrons stood with their arms stretched out as he ran the wand up and down them. Of all places for Joseph to pick, he chose one I would be unable to take my gun into.

  A blue postal-service mailbox was a few feet from me on the curb. I walked next to it, bent down, and pretended to fix something on my shoe while sliding my gun underneath the box. This was when I saw the men.

  There were two of them across the street, and I recognized them immediately: Petey and Antonio Iaccona. They made no attempt to conceal themselves, but merely stood and stared. Cursing to myself, I stood up, ignoring their glares, and continued to the entrance, where I calmly allowed the doorman to wave his wand around me. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see the two crossing the street and heading directly toward me. Once inside, I threw money at the window and barely allowed the woman to stamp my hand before I hurried to the women’s restroom. The club was packed full of people dancing to the loud thumping music, lights flashing on and off. I saw the VIP rooms that Joseph had told me about. I ran into the restroom, pulled off my wig and coat, threw both into the garbage can, and fluffed out my hair.

  Even though the two Iacconas knew what I looked like, they thought I had my wig on tonight. They’d be watching for a brunette in a dark coat amid the crowd of people. Keeping my head down, I exited the bathroom and went immediately to my right, pulling back the curtain to the VIP room. Joseph sat before me on one of the couches.

  “Joseph! You’re okay!”

  “Hurry up and close the curtain.”

  After I closed the curtain, I couldn’t help but give him a big squeeze. He was nervous.

  “How did you get back?”

  “I have some contacts in Youngstown. One phone call and I had a ride. Are you okay?” He looked concerned.

  “Yeah. Petey and Antonio are out there right now. They must’ve followed me, but I was careful! I took my wig off, but I don’t know how long that’ll keep them away.” I peered through the curtain and didn’t see them. “Joseph, what happened at the warehouse?”

  “One flicker to the propane tank took care of it. As you can see, I got away in time. Were you worried?” He smiled.

  “Of course I was worried!” I wasn’t smiling. “Joseph, I have to tell you something. After I left the warehouse, I was angry. Angrier than I have ever been, so”—I paused—“I went to Sal’s house and confronted him.”

  His jaw dropped to the floor. “You what?”

  “Actually, I had every intention of killing him right there, but Petey came home, and there were some shots fired. I got out through a window. I’m okay, but as you can imagine, he’s highly pissed.” I gave a fake smile.

  “Holy Christ, CeeCee! He won’t stop until he kills you. God! What the hell were you thinking?”

  Before I could answer, Joseph had peered through the curtain again.

  “Fuck, they’re here.”

  “What should we do?” I was beginning to panic.

  “Just wait—I think they’re leaving.” He turned around. “We’ll wait here for about five minutes and then sneak out. I’m driving you directly to the FBI. They’ll be able to protect you.”

  “What about you?” I didn’t want anything to happen to him.

  “I’ll be fine, don’t worry. You have access to those files and tapes you mailed?”

  I nodded.

  “Good, they’ll be able to help you.”

  After waiting for ten minutes, instead of five, we made our way to the front of the club. Neither one of us saw the men anywhere inside, so we held our breaths as we walked out the front door.

  “Stay here. I’m parked down the street. I’ll get my car and—”

  Joseph was thrown backward the same time I heard the shot. He fell to the ground as the large red stain began to spread across the front of his shirt.

  “Oh, Jesus!” I screamed, kneeling beside him, and put my hand against the hole in his chest.

  “Run, CeeCee!” He was choking on his own blood. “Run!”

  Sobbing, I fell to the ground as another shot rang out. People were running out of the club, screaming and trampling each other. I half crawled, half ran to the mailbox to retrieve my gun, leaving Joseph behind. As another shot hit the mailbox, I stood up and started shooting, backing into an alley that ran alongside the club. I couldn’t even see who I was shooting at; my eyes were blinded by tears and hundreds of people running around.

  I had forgotten to bring extra magazines for my gun and was out of ammunition after my first round of shots. As I threw the gun into a nearby Dumpster, I saw Petey and Anto
nio at the end of the alley, running toward me.

  I kicked off my heels and launched into a dead run. I turned the corner as they fired another shot at me. I ran down alley after alley, avoiding Cleveland police cars that came screaming through with their lights and sirens on. I couldn’t ask for their help, since everyone at the club would’ve told them a blonde in a gold sequined shirt was responsible for part of the shooting. They would fire at me on sight. Somehow, I managed to find myself in an area that was familiar to me—the flats.

  The flats used to be the place where the clubs were lined up and down the Cuyahoga River. But since the Warehouse District emerged, most of the businesses in the flats closed up, leaving a few strip bars here and there.

  Standing on the wooden dock that lined the river, I heard running footsteps and voices. It was either the cops or the Iacconas, neither of which I could allow to see me. With no other choice, I sat on the dock and slowly lowered myself into the freezing river. Honestly thinking my heart would stop, I went underneath the water as the footsteps walked above me. I emerged up under the dock, held on, and waited, knowing I was on the verge of hypothermia. My bare feet, already numb from running in the cold, were most likely purple by now as I floated in the icy waters under the dock.

  When I couldn’t take it anymore, and no longer hearing any voices or footsteps, I pulled myself from the water onto the dock and curled up into a ball, shivering from the cold. Knowing I needed to move, and quickly, I got up and headed for a strip club on the other side of the parking lot that was in front of me. My feet screamed in pain from the cold.

  I barreled through the front door of the strip club, almost falling down, before I was immediately stopped by a large bouncer.

  “Hey! You can’t come flyin’ in here like—”

  “P-P-Please!” I shivered. “My—My boyfriend’s chasing me. I—I need a phone!”

  “I’ll just call the cops, lady. Come on in here and get warm.”

  “No—no! You don’t understand. He’s—he’s a cop! Please. I need to make a phone call and I’ll leave.”

  The man walked me back to the office just inside the front door and set the phone in front of me.

  “How come you’re all wet?”

  “He pushed me into the river.” I grabbed the phone and began dialing Naomi’s phone number.

  “Fuckin’ asshole. What’s he look like, in case he comes in?”

  I described Petey and Antonio Iaccona to the bouncer, and he walked out, leaving me to listen to Naomi’s voice mail, which kicked in after she didn’t answer the phone. Coop’s did the same. Where the fuck is everybody? my head screamed. Keeping my fingers crossed, I thought of Justin Brown and dialed his cell-phone number. Thankfully, he answered.

  “CeeCee! Hey! Long time no talk. How’s Florida? I was just thinking—”

  “Justin! Listen to me, I need your help!” I was hysterical.

  “CeeCee, what the hell’s going on? Are you okay?”

  “No! I’m not! I can’t get into right now, but I need you to come get me.”

  “In Florida?” he gasped.

  “No, no, I’m in Cleveland.” He started to ask questions again, but I cut him off. “I’ll explain it all later. Do you know where the Bermuda Triangle strip club is—in the flats?”

  “Does a bear shit in the woods?” he chuckled.

  “Pick me up behind it. How long will it be?”

  “Oh, give me half an hour or so. Will you be all right?”

  “Yeah, for now. Just bring a warm coat if you have one.”

  After hanging up with Justin, I did my best to warm up and calm down. I tried several more times to call Naomi and Coop, but neither one answered. Putting my face in my hands, I began to cry. Joseph was dead. He had died trying to save me, and it was my fault. A father out there had now lost both sons. Even though their choice of professions was less than respectable, no one deserved that. Thinking about it led my thoughts to my own children. I called Eric. Understandably, he wasn’t happy.

  “What do you mean, get the kids out of here?” His voice rose. “CeeCee, God damn it, what’s going on? Are you okay?”

  “For now, please, Eric. I can’t get into details, but the Mafia is after me. I know it sounds crazy, but they’re going to try to get at the girls to get to me. Please, please, get them out of there and go somewhere until you hear from me.”

  “Tomorrow’s Thanksgiving, CeeCee.” His voice quieted down.

  “I know that. Please, Eric.”

  Surprisingly, he agreed. “All right, I’ll take them to my parents tonight and call off of work.” He paused. “Please, Cee, be careful. These little girls miss you. Don’t make me have to tell them something happened to their mother.”

  “I’m doing my best, believe me.”

  After hanging up the phone, I checked my watch. Justin should have been arriving any minute. Sneaking past the bouncer, I was elated to see the taillights of a truck behind the building. I ran up to it, opened the passenger door, and almost started to cry when I saw Justin sitting in the driver’s seat.

  “Justin, thank God!” I said as I got into the truck. “Just go, now.”

  He pulled away. “CeeCee! You’re soaking wet! What the hell happened?”

  I let out a deep breath while I laid my head back on the seat and put my hands up to the heater vents. The heat felt wonderful.

  “Head toward the FBI office downtown, and I’ll fill you in. Please, give me a minute first.”

  Closing my eyes, I realized I had made it. Now I would be safe. As soon as I got to the FBI office, I would contact Alan Keane, give him the files, videos, and tapes, and allow him to do the rest. I was so tired.

  Music from Justin’s radio was blaring throughout the truck. I smiled. Sitting upright, I was about to comment on his music when I saw him—specifically, his shoes.

  Justin’s boots, pants, and shirt were covered with mud. My smile faded and my mind flashed back to when he’d picked me up. As I ran toward the truck, I had quickly glanced at the plate, not giving it much thought. Until now. His plates were from Cuyahoga County, not Richland. And come to think of it, the drive from Mansfield to Cleveland was at least forty-five to fifty minutes, not thirty. I had been so excited to see him that I hadn’t paid attention.

  Everything started to come together, including the scene at the warehouse, when the delivery truck got stuck in the mud. The man driving, a man who looked so familiar to me, had gotten out to dislodge the van and was covered in mud in the process. With my chest heaving and my heart skipping, I did my best to remain calm, even as Justin drove right past the FBI office. I pretended to not notice. This couldn’t be! my head screamed. Not Justin!

  In my last attempt to prove my instincts wrong, I sat upright and spoke to him.

  “You really helped me out. Thanks, Justin.”

  “No problem.”

  “It looks like both of us took a roll with nature tonight.” I smiled. “What’d you do? Enter a mudwrestling match?”

  He smiled back at me as he got onto the interstate. “You know, don’t you, CeeCee?”

  “Know what?” I pretended to look confused, as my hand found the door handle.

  His smile was replaced by a look of pure contempt. “You stupid cunt. I told them you’d fuck everything up, but they didn’t want to listen to me. Nooo, not Justin! I told them to take care of you right from the get-go.”

  “What are you talking about?” Still playing dumb, I pulled on the door handle in an attempt to open it.

  Unfortunately, Justin was a step ahead of me. Before I could jump, the barrel of his pistol was staring me right between the eyes.

  “Shut the door and stay still.”

  “Justin, think about what you’re doing. You’re a cop, for Christ’s sake! I don’t know what they’re paying you, but I’m sure I could get you out of this if you just think for a second!”

  He began to laugh, the gun still pointed at me. He pulled off to the side of the highway and stopped
the truck. I thought for sure he was going to kill me right there. But instead, he made his own confession.

  “You’re right, CeeCee, I’m a cop.” He laughed. “But there’s one little piece of information you overlooked. The one little piece of this whole puzzle that you didn’t factor in, and it worked out wonderfully!”

  “Really?” I was almost hyperventilating in anticipation of the shot, but had to ask, “What exactly is that?”

  He grabbed the back of my hair, jerked my head forward, and kissed me, an act that almost made me sick. Allowing me to pull away, he laughed again.

  “You stupid bitch. Here’s where you fucked up and missed it all! You see, CeeCee, my name isn’t Justin Brown. It’s Paul, Paul Iaccona. I’m Salvatore’s youngest son.”

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  Even repeating his words back to him still didn’t allow what Justin had confessed to sink in. I was flabbergasted.

  “Salvatore Iaccona’s son? But how…how can that be?”

  “That’s right, CeeCee.” His expression was smug.

  “You’re a police officer!” I exclaimed. “You were a police officer before you even came to Richland Metro! I saw your file. There—there are background investigations that are done before anyone gets hired! How is that possible?”

  Tilting his head back, Justin began to laugh. Not the laugh that comes at the end of a joke, but the laugh of someone completely insane.

  “Because we’re smarter than you, that’s why!” His laughter and smile faded. “This is what I was raised for, sweetheart, a life on the inside of law enforcement. My father knew it would take years, but he is the most intelligent man in the world—and patient.”

  Still in shock, I began shaking my head back and forth in an attempt to deny the information. It didn’t work, since Justin continued his family history.

  “Most people knew Sal had a younger son, but thought he was killed in a car accident a few days after his twenty-first birthday. Actually it was some poor college kid that was reported missing and never found. That was the day Justin Brown was born and entered the Cleveland Police Academy. It wasn’t hard. We threw enough money around, especially at the low-paid cops. It bought my ticket in, and their silence. ” The smug look returned. “What I’m telling you, CeeCee, is that I am a cop. I put my time in just like everybody else to get to where I am now. When I was a child, my father had plenty of cops on the payroll, but they would get too scared and back out when it came down to it. But not me, no ma’am. I get off on it.”