by Dave Daren
I made a mental note to move buying a winter coat and gloves up on my to-do list, and then sat back on the couch with my laptop balanced on my legs. A quick Google of the latest crime stats for car thefts showed that Brooklyn alone had a twelve percent increase over last year.
No wonder the cops hadn’t been that worried about our report, since they had over a thousand other cars that had been stolen in the last few months, and that was just in one borough. The news articles that I found all seemed to suggest that the thefts were opportunities of convenience, like someone leaving their car on while they ran inside a store, or as someone was getting out of their car. One report from Brooklyn involved a carjacker that stole the vehicle with a two-year-old girl in it.
I sighed, laid my head back on the couch, and tried to put it all together. There wasn’t a clear pattern that would lead to a car ring, but if whoever had tried to follow me wasn’t part of the NYPD or the Serbian mob, then chances were there was an underground organization that was stealing high-priced cars. I could ask Alessia for more information about it later, if the busy DA could take some time away from her office, and then I’d have a better idea of where to focus my energy.
Anthony would probably leave the matter to Jovanni since he’d already called the capo in, but if I could find the theft ring before that, then I might be able to convince him to give it to the police. I didn’t think that Jovanni would normally kill someone just for stealing a car, but it was a two million dollar car, and the capo was a made man who didn’t like it when people disrespected the Febbo family.
“Hunter?” Tommaso asked, and his voice dragged me from sleep, and I realized that I’d dozed off at some point. I looked over at my watch to see the bleary numbers staring back at me.
“Good morning.” I blinked a few times to clear my eyes, and then realized that it was already eight a.m..
“Did you sleep on the couch?” the young paralegal asked as he dropped his briefcase and bag off at the dining room table.
“Yeah,” I said. “It was a late night. Anthony’s car was stolen so I wanted to look into car theft rings. And someone tried to follow me home. You’ll need to be careful, just in case they decide to put a tail on you. I don’t know if it was whoever jacked Anthony’s car, the NYPD, or the Serbians.”
“I’ll keep an eye out,” the dark-haired man said. “When was the coffee made?’
“Uh… five?” I said as I tried to remember when I came home.
“That’s still good,” Tom said as he started to fix his own cup. “Did you eat anything?”
“A yogurt,” I said. “I’ll grab something after court. I need to shower and head out if I’m going to be on time.”
“Okay,” my paralegal said. “The construction crew should be gone next week. They said that they’re making great progress. Though I’m going to see if they can work a little later so that they’ll beat that snowstorm that’s supposed to be on the way.”
“Good idea,” I said and then turned and headed into my room to shower, change, and shave.
My routine went a little faster than usual, and I was glad that I had a clean and pressed suit in the closet. I only had one left, though, so I’d need to drop them off at the cleaners’ soon. I debated whether I should ask Tommaso, but he already cooked for me, and I’d seen a place a few miles away that had pretty good reviews.
“I hope the court case goes well,” Tom said as I rejoined him in the living room.
The construction workers had just arrived, and one of them waved as he tossed a sandwich wrapper into the area where the raccoon had been sniffing. He grinned, turned to his buddies, and then started chatting.
“If you need to get out of the house today,” I said as I turned to my paralegal. “There’s a coffee shop nearby that has free wi-fi.”
“Thanks,” the young man said with a glance over his shoulder. “But I don’t want to leave them here alone.”
I nodded in understanding, grabbed my gear, and then headed out to the garage. The Mercedes was still in its spot, and I let out a sigh of relief that I really had lost my tail. I yawned as I slid into the driver’s seat despite my early burst of energy. After all, three hours of sleep would only get me so far, and I would need to refill on coffee as soon as I was finished with Michael’s case.
The drive to the city was relatively uneventful, though there was a wreck that slowed traffic, but I managed to squeeze into the far right lane in time to go around it. I took the exit for the Queens courthouse, found a parking spot near only a block away, and then stepped out into the brisk morning air.
I had ten minutes before court started so I walked fast and grinned when I saw that Michael was waiting for me on the steps to the large building. I waved, motioned for him to head toward the door, and then fell into step beside him.
Michael was an unassuming young man in his early twenties with mousy brown hair and glasses. His lips were thin, and his cheekbones were sharp enough to cut glass, and had piercing blue eyes that seemed to look right through me. He had a small frame, and his shoulders were permanently hunched in on themselves.
“Good morning, Mr. Morgan,” he said in his soft voice.
“Good morning,” I said. “I hope you slept well.”
“Yes, sir,” he said with a nod.
I sometimes wondered what he did for the Febbo family. He didn’t have that cockiness that Gabriele had, and there wasn’t enough muscle on him to be an enforcer. I could see him as a runner, but even they tended to have an air of violence around them as if they were daring someone to try and steal from them. I had been tempted to ask Anthony, but had decided that it was best for me not to know, especially since the young man was so good at blending in.
He even passed through security without the guard giving him a cursory glance. Even when the alarm went off when he passed through, he just gave a lopsided smile and blushed as he pointed to his belt. He offered to go back through, but the beefy older man just shook his head and waved him on.
“Our courtroom is over here,” I said.
I led him through the corridors and arrived just in time to hear his name be called by the bailiff.
“Remember what I told you,” I said as we walked to the defense table. “Don’t apologize or say anything. They’ll see it as an admission of guilt. Just let me handle all the talking.”
“Yes, sir,” Michael said with a nod as he took his chair.
“All rise for the Honorable Judge Brown,” the bailiff said almost as soon as Michael had sat down.
Judge Brown was a woman in her late fifties with steely-gray hair that was pulled into a perfect bun and wire-rimmed glasses. She had an easy smile that made the severe lines of her face appear a little kinder, but she only flashed it for a moment before she motioned for all of us to sit and then scowled down at her case file.
“Let’s get this started,” she said in a surprisingly high-pitched voice that made her sound like a little girl despite her age. “Mr. Morgan, what does your client plead?”
“Not guilty,” I said.
“Naturally,” she responded. “And Mr. Stephens, do you have anything you wish to add?”
Joel Stephens was a middle-aged man with blond hair and light-brown eyes. A well-tailored black suit that wasn’t too expensive hugged his frame, and a knitted red tie stood out against his undershirt. He flipped open the case file in front of him, read over it, and then looked back up at the judge. He was new to me, but I’d heard that he could be a shark, though I wasn’t sure if he had the same inclination toward corruption that DA Ordman had.
“I do,” the man said with a nod. “I would like to dismiss this case. There is evidence that my predecessor filed charges a little early.”
I quickly hid the shock on my face, and gave Michael a small shake of my head to let him know that he shouldn’t show any signs of emotion. With so many cases being overturned because of the scandal, the acting DA must’ve decided that it wasn’t worth it. I had filed the video showing that my cli
ent had a green light, but Ordman never would’ve looked at it, and I was impressed that Stephens had at least taken the time to review the evidence.
“That’s a wise decision,” Judge Brown said. “Case dismissed.”
She banged the gavel, set the case file aside, and then reached for the next one as she waited for us to leave so she could move on.
“That was fantastic,” Michael said as he stood.
The blue-eyed man had the hint of a smile on his face, but if he was thrilled, he kept it well-hidden. I couldn’t see anything other than a small amount of emotion, and I wondered again what he did for the family.
“They didn’t have a case,” I said with a shrug and then looked over at Stephens, who was preparing for the next case as well, and nodded as a sign of respect before I hurried my client out of the courtroom.
“Do I need to do anything else?” the frail-looking man asked as we walked toward the front of the courthouse.
“No,” I said. “You’re free to go. Have a nice day, and call me if you ever get into any more legal trouble.”
“Yes, sir,” Michael said as he shoved his hands into his pockets and strolled out into the cool air.
“That kid gives me the creeps,” Hank said as he joined me on the courthouse steps.
I looked between the beefy Italian man to the hunched in shoulders of my client as he walked down the sidewalk. The young man probably couldn’t take my bodyguard in a fair fight, but there was something about the unassuming man that told me he played dirty.
“He’s an interesting guy,” I said.
“You have no idea,” my bodyguard said as we made our way to where I’d parked.
“Do I want to know what his job is?” I asked as I pulled my keys out of my pocket.
“No,” the large man said with a shake of his head. “And I hope you never have to find out.”
I shook my head at the cryptic words, but a shiver ran down my spine as I thought about the way the security guard had waved Michael through. It wasn’t hard to see him being a fixer or a cleaner, though he seemed nice enough, but I reminded myself that serial killers were notorious for blending in well.
“I need to go to the Brooklyn police station,” I said as a change of subject. “I want to see if they’ve made any progress on finding Anthony’s car.”
“Doubtful,” Hank said. “It’s only been a few hours. And I’m sure it went to the bottom of the stack as soon as they found out that he’s a Febbo.”
“Probably,” I said. “But I want to check anyway. And I want to get in touch with Alessia to see if she can have lunch with me.”
“The hot DA?” the large man said with a smirk as he sat in the passenger’s seat.
“Yes,” I said. “She’s the DA for Brooklyn, as you well know, so she’ll have more information on car theft rings than I can find on my own.”
I slid into the driver’s seat and pulled out my phone. One text later, and I’d messaged the beautiful Italian woman to ask if she had time for lunch, filled her in about Anthony’s missing car, and then told her that I’d be in Brooklyn for the next couple of hours.
“And those long legs have nothing to do with it?” my bodyguard teased.
I started my car and listened to the beautiful purr of the engine for a second before I started to back out of the parking space.
“It doesn’t hurt,” I laughed. “I may need to leave you somewhere if she’s available to meet me.”
“I have some work to do,” Hank said with a shrug. “And you should be safe enough in public.”
“Good,” I said. “You’ll have your own car again in a few days.”
“I miss my Chrysler,” the large man said. “Not that the AMG isn’t nice, but it’s a hassle for me to do all of my work without wheels of my own.”
I nodded my head and then drove toward the seventy-eighth precinct. There was a free spot half a block away from the building, so I parked, and then headed toward the police station. I said goodbye to Hank as the beefy man hoofed it toward the subway, since he avoided courthouses and precincts whenever he could, but I knew that he’d find me eventually.
“Welcome to the seventy-eighth precinct,” a short-haired man in his sixties said when I came up to the desk.
He had a mustard stain on his pressed uniform, and there were crumbs in his thin mustache. His face was filled with disdain when he looked me over, pursed his lips, and then sighed as he pulled release forms out.
“I’m here to--” I started.
“Let me guess, you’re here to have someone released?” he grumbled. “What’s your client’s name?”
“Actually,” I said with a warm smile. “I’m here to see if there are any updates on a car theft that occurred earlier this morning.”
“This morning?” the man scoffed as he set the clipboard down, and he looked up at me with an amused expression before he realized that I was being serious.
“Alright,” he said as he cleared his throat. “What’s the name?”
“The owner of the car was Anthony Febbo,” I said.
“Febbo?” the older man said. “Oh, yeah, I heard about that. The Ferrari Enzo. Damn shame. There’s nothing new about that one. And I wouldn’t hold my breath, kid. Cars like that sell like hotcakes on the open market. Hell, whoever stole it’ll probably have it on a ship by the end of the day. There’s no way we’ll catch them.”
“Thanks for your help,” I said with a nod.
“Don’t mention it,” the man chuckled as he turned to a scantily-dressed woman.
My phone buzzed in my pocket as I walked out of the precinct, and I pulled it out to see that Alessia had responded to my message. She didn’t have much time, but she would be available in half an hour if I wanted to go grab a quick bite. She sent me the address of a sandwich shop near the DA’s office building and said that she hoped to see me there.
I sent a text back saying that I could be there, and then strolled down the block. My car could probably stay where it was since I was only a few streets away from the diner that Alessia had mentioned, and I could use the extra exercise since I’d been sitting more than usual lately. I checked the Mercedes to make sure that it was locked, glanced back at the precinct, and then decided that next to a line of cop cars was probably the safest place in the city. I bought another two hours on the parking meter, just in case the meeting went long, and then sauntered down the city street.
The walk took longer than I originally planned, but I’d stopped at a chocolatier to buy a few truffles for the overworked Brooklyn DA. I arrived right as the leggy Italian woman strolled down the street in her bright blue kitten heels.
She had her long silky hair down around her shoulders and a thick black coat that hung down to her knees. The winter jacket she wore was open, and I marveled at the curves her black dress clung to.
“Hunter,” Alessia said with a dazzling smile as she opened her arms to give me a hug.
I didn’t need any more invitation than that, so I wrapped her in my arms and pressed a quick kiss to her cheek. The fling that I’d had with the gorgeous attorney during the time that I’d helped her with her campaign had been short, and we’d both agreed that it was best for us to remain casual friends since we worked such chaotic hours. Still, I was happy to see the beautiful woman, and I made a mental note to invite her over to the house whenever our schedules allowed it.
“I’m glad that you were able to meet,” I said.
“I am, too,” she said as I held open the door for her.
The sandwich shop was already crowded even though the lunch rush was just starting, and our conversation had to wait as we found a table and put in our order. The hoagies were ready in minutes, and soon I was sitting down at the table with a deliciously gooey Philly cheesesteak in front of me.
“How have things been in the office?” I asked before I took a bite of my pickle.
“Chaotic,” she laughed. “Luckily, I’d managed to get rid of most of Chief Flores and Mayor Webber’s lac
keys before the FBI came in, but we’ve been asked to help with the other boroughs until things settle down.”
“Naturally,” I said. “You are the best DA in the whole city.”
“Flattery will get you everywhere,” the attorney said with a smirk. “Speaking of which, I was able to pull up some information on car theft rings. It’s been getting worse, and I know that there’s an investigation into it, so I can’t give you too much.”
She leaned over to pull a folder out of her briefcase, and I found myself mesmerized by the curvaceous line of her body.
“I’ll take whatever I can get,” I said.
“And you’ll be grateful for it,” she teased with a wink when she caught me checking her out.
“Always,” I said as I took the file. “In fact, I need to thank you properly for your help. I recently bought a house, so you should come over, and we can catch up over some Chinese takeout.”
“That sounds fantastic,” Alessia said as she reached over to run a hand down my forearm. “I should be able to make that work in a couple of weeks.”
“We’ll put it on the calendar,” I said and then flipped open the folder and gave the papers a quick look. Some of the information I knew from my Google search the night before, but I saw something about the docks that I made a mental note to check out later. I remembered what the cop had said about the Ferrari being on a boat by the end of the day, and I wondered how many of the stolen cars ended up on cargo ships on their way to other countries.
“This is great, Alessia,” I said just as my phone started to ring and saw Anthony’s name flashing across the screen. “Sorry, I have to take this.”
“That’s fine,” the beautiful attorney said as she glanced at her own phone. “I should get going. I’ll text you in a few nights when I’m free, and we can have that Chinese takeout.”
She hopped up and gave me a quick kiss on the cheek before she grabbed the rest of her sandwich and chocolates and her briefcase. I saw that she was already on the phone with someone as she hurried past the glass window and shook my head with a smile.