One Hundred Years Of Tanner
Page 14
“I see police lights reflecting off the trees,” Spenser said. “They’re coming in silent from the other side of the store.”
Romeo found the spot that Ethan had told him about. He slowed, and the car thumped hard over a fallen hurricane fence.
They were on a side street that led out to the highway. Romeo pulled over and they watched as three more police cars sped toward the rear entrance of the store.
“Take us back to Andrea’s,” Spenser said.
“Aye, aye, Captain,” Romeo said.
Tanner’s phone vibrated. It was Sara.
“Will you guys be home soon? We cooked and figured we could have a late dinner.”
“It might be more than an hour, but we’ll be home tonight.”
“Goody.”
“Goody?”
Sara giggled and said, “I missed you today.” It came out sounding like “I mished you todaz.”
“I missed you too,” Tanner said, and in the background, he heard Amy and Nadya giggling about something.
When the call ended, Tanner made an observation.
“I think our women are drunk.”
“Nothing wrong with that,” Romeo said. “Drunk women are horny women.”
Andrea and Jasmine were glad to see them return, while Ethan gave Romeo a hug. From an upstairs window, the parking lot of the abandoned store looked like a police convention was taking place, and there were numerous ambulances sprinkled in among the cop cars.
“They’ll send someone to follow up on the call you made reporting that you heard shots,” Spenser told Andrea. “But remember. We were never here.”
“I won’t say a word,” Andrea said. “And thank you again, Spenser.”
The three men got into their cars and headed for Spenser’s home. They had a vacation to get back to.
28
It Wouldn’t Be A Party Without Them
Tanner twisted the throttle of the big Harley he was riding and gained enough speed to move past Spenser.
Amy held onto Spenser with her arms locked around his waist, the same way that Sara was holding onto Tanner.
Both Tanner and Spenser were losing the race, because Romeo and Nadya were tearing up the track. Up ahead, Romeo made the final turn at high speed while counter steering. Romeo’s Harley leaned over so far that his knee nearly touched the ground.
The skillful maneuver increased Romeo’s lead, causing Tanner to laugh. He had never beaten his friend in a race during the days they had traveled the southwest together, and it looked like nothing had changed.
Romeo won the race, with Tanner coming in second and Spenser a heartbeat behind him.
As Tanner brought the bike to rest, Sara ripped her helmet off and smiled at him.
“That was such a rush.”
They had borrowed three of four available motorcycles from Spenser’s guests, who were there for a party. The young men’s names were Johnny, Lionel, Eddie, and Sean, but they went by their nicknames of Scar, Abrasion, Bruise, and Wound. They were the Tin Horsemen.
Scar and the other horsemen played a role in Tanner’s victory over Alonso Alvarado. They had been mercenaries seeking to claim the price that had been on Tanner’s head.
After Scar realized that Spenser was the man who had helped his mother years earlier, the Tin Horsemen switched sides. They had even come away from the adventure with money in their pockets, thanks to a ruse played on Alvarado.
Abrasion had a girlfriend named Deedee. Deedee was also a friend and employee of Amy’s and worked at the store in town that Amy owned with her brother.
Deedee carried baby Florentina to her parents as Romeo and Nadya got off Abrasion’s bike.
“That was some kind of awesome, Romeo,” Abrasion said.
“Thanks, dude. It’s been a long time since I rode a Harley this big.”
As Abrasion rolled his bike over to rejoin Deedee, Tanner and Spenser walked over and congratulated Romeo on his win, while Sara, Amy, and Nadya discussed the ride.
They had raced along a two-mile track that was normally used for running. Romeo had gained the lead from Tanner on the third and final lap, and never gave it back.
Romeo walked over to see his daughter, leaving Tanner and Spenser alone. Spenser gestured over at the Tin Horsemen, who were hanging out under a tree and drinking beer.
“Remember when they were just a group of directionless boys?”
Tanner looked the biker gang over.
“Yeah, and now they’re a group of directionless men.”
Sara walked over with Amy. Both women were smiling. Amy had grown to like Sara, and they found that they had similar tastes in books and movies.
Tanner and Sara had stayed at Spenser’s home for two weeks, and the time had gone by quickly, but they had plans to fly back to New York City within a few days.
Back home in Manhattan, their new apartment was being remodeled during their absence. The construction company handling the renovation was secretly owned by the Giacconi Family. One new addition to the condo would be a carefully concealed gun safe, and it would be fully stocked.
Sara fell into Tanner’s arms and gazed up at him.
“I’m glad we came here, and I loved getting to know your family.”
“What about your family?”
Sara made a worried face.
“Maybe someday, my father can be difficult.”
“Whenever you’re ready. Besides, I’m still getting used to us.”
Sara laughed.
“I know what you mean. I still marvel at the fact that we’re together. But we’re good together, and I’m as happy as I’ve ever been.”
Tanner kissed her.
“It’s working on my end.”
Nadya walked over and handed Florentina to Sara. The baby was crying softly as she fought sleep.
“Sing that song again, Sara,” Nadya said. “Florentina likes it.”
Sara began singing a lullaby to the drowsy baby. Florentina’s eyes closed within moments.
Nadya whispered to Sara as she took back her baby.
“You have to teach me that song before you leave.”
“I’ll do that,” Sara said softly.
“What was that you sang?” Tanner asked.
“Its name is, All the Pretty Little Horses. I’ve also heard it called, Hush a Bye. My mother used to sing it to me.”
Tanner had a faraway look in his eyes.
“My mother sang it to me when I was little, although I’d forgotten that memory until you sang the song.”
Sara smiled up at him.
“You’re different here.”
“In what way?”
“You’re more Cody than Tanner here.”
“I’ve had to be Tanner for most of my adult life. There was no Cody Parker to go back to. As far as the world is concerned, Cody Parker is dead.”
“I’ve never realized that,” Sara said. “Spenser and the other Tanners could carry out an assassination and go home to their lives, their pasts and true identities, but not you.”
“No, not me.”
“I want our home in New York to be that for you, to be a place where you can be yourself.”
“Myself, and not Tanner?”
“Yes.”
“Sara, I’m not sure I even know who that is.”
29
Homage
As Tanner and Sara prepared to leave for Manhattan, hugs and kisses were exchanged all around, as well as promises to get together again soon.
Romeo, Nadya, and the baby weren’t leaving until the following day, and so Tanner and Sara were making the trip to the airport alone.
After the goodbyes had been exchanged, Spenser walked Tanner and Sara out to their car.
“You’re sure you don’t want me to tag along behind and see you two off, boy?” Spenser asked Tanner.
“No, Spenser, we’re good, there’s no point in you driving back and forth to the airport.”
Spenser hugged Tanner.
“Take
care of yourself, Cody. I’m so damn proud of you.”
“I owe my life to you, Spenser. I never forget that,” Tanner said.
Tanner and Sara arrived at the airport a short time later. They both felt revitalized by the relaxing time they’d enjoyed at Spenser’s home.
When they learned that their flight had been cancelled and that they would have a three hour wait, Tanner turned to Sara.
“Are you in a hurry to get back to Manhattan?”
“I suppose not, why?”
“I’d like to make a side trip. There’s something I have to do, and it’s something I should have done already.”
ROSEHILL CEMETERY, CHICAGO, PRESENT DAY
As Sara watched from a stone bench, Tanner knelt and laid a wreath on the grave of Keane O’Connell. Afterward, he stood and stared down at the final resting place of O’Connell, as he thought about what the remarkable man had meant for his life.
If O’Connell had never become Tanner, had never passed along the title, handing it down through the years until it reached Spenser, a boy named Cody Parker would have died at the age of sixteen.
“Thank you, Keane O’Connell,” Tanner said, and once again he read the simple headstone.
KEANE O’CONNELL
November 2, 1884 – July 30, 1967
HE WAS THE FIRST OF THE BEST
TANNER RETURNS!
REVELATIONS - BOOK 20
Afterword
Thank you.
REMINGTON KANE
Introduction
During a visit to see Spenser in Wyoming, Tanner and Spenser discuss the first Tanner.
And after Spenser is contacted by an old client, Tanner and Romeo lend a hand.
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ONE HUNDRED YEARS OF TANNER
Copyright © REMINGTON KANE, 2017
YEAR ZERO PUBLISHING
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.
Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
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