Missy's Gentle Giant (9 page)

“So I hear you have a problem not
involving drugs.”  Ben coldly moved toward a table holding a quart of
scotch.  “Care for a drink?”

“No, don’t like anything but
beer.”  Gonzalo nervously rubbed his hands together.  The time for killing
him wasn’t now, not when he needed help.

Ben’s attention went to the
phone.  “Might as well sit.”  Taking a big swallow of scotch he
pointed.  He shrugged and picked up the receiver.  “Yeah, Spinelli
here, how about sending down a six pack of—”  He glanced at Gonzalo. 
“Oh hell, a six pack of some kind of beer.  Yeah, it’s okay.”  Ben
clamped his teeth shut so the muscles in his cheeks rippled, dropped the
receiver and took another big swallow of scotch.  “So did you follow my
directions and get your sister home?”

“Yeah, sent her with Juan—told her
Mom wasn’t feeling well.”

“Good.”  Ben didn’t look at
Gonzalo.

“How did you know Missy was at the
shop?”

“Someone’s been keeping an eye on
your business.”

“The DEA?  Not you?” 
Gonzalo glared.

“Maybe you should be a concerned
son and call to see if they made it and your Mom is just not feeling
well.”  Ben ignored Gonzalo’s question, handed him the phone and walked
off.  Standing at the window, he closed his eyes and fought the pain and
anger growing inside him as Gonzalo called and checked.  While Gonzalo
talked to Juan, Ben smoothly answered the door and took the beer.  He
didn’t turn around until Gonzalo dropped the handset.  “Here have a
beer.”  He went to pour more scotch.  “Now tell me about the call.

“I—I answered the phone and he said
‘Too bad you’ve got a cute little sister you can’t take on runs with you. 
Told you we’ll get you where it really hurts’.”

“And so now you suddenly worry
about Mis—your sister?”  Ben bit back his anger.

“Look Charger—”

“I was Charger before; I’m Ben now,
so don’t call me anything else.  My charging days ended a couple of weeks
ago when I learned Missy died.”  Ben winced and stared through the window.

“All right.  Ben, I told you
about the call—”

“Why do they want your sister?”

“I don’t know.”

“That was your only call?”

“No, there were three others. 
They just said they’d get us—had lots of time.”

“Nothing else?”

“Marie took one call, and it scared
her because he said Tony might get hurt.  In one he asked if we thought we
were smart and said he’d get us where it hurts.”

“Is getting your sister where it
hurts you most?”

“Ben—”  Gonzalo looked down
and rubbed his hands again.  “None of us can stand the thought of
something happening to Missy again.”

“Oh, it’s okay not to be honest and
let me stomp in and hurt her like I did; right?”

“But the way you are—the girl just
now—”

“Yeah, your right.”  Ben
swallowed down the rest of the scotch.  “Missy’s your kid sister,
right!  I mean all I had were letters from her.  We were pen pals—no more.” 
Ben turned, back to the window to hide the pain slicing through him.  “Who
the hell cares about a little sixteen year old, snotty nosed tomboy
anyway?  I mean after all I have chicks like Wanda who know how to please
me.  She’s my kind of woman, not some—”

“Ben I’m sorry if I—”  Gonzalo
glanced up.

“Oh?  For what?”  His
eyes turned cold and he forced a laugh.  “For beating the hell out of me?
 Hell, you warned me you were going to.”  He forced himself to
smile.  “No apologies necessary, man.  Come to think of it, I should
be bragging it took ten of you to bring me down.”  He poured another glass
of scotch and then sat in a chair facing Gonzalo.  “Let’s get back to the
reason you came.  You and I will take care of our personal matter some
other time.”

“Yeah, sure.”  Gonzalo stared
at his hands.  “Are you still on the case?”  So their battle wasn’t
over.

“No I quit; not interested in
looking for small time coke runners these days.  Got more interesting
things to do.”

“Then why—”

“Heard about your distress calls
and did some checking around.  Got some information you might want.”

“What kind of information?”

“In the last two weeks, coke has
been planted on four of your runs.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah, DEA let them pass through
trying to find out who’s receiving it, so they can eventually catch everyone
involved.  But in your case, there was definitely a plant, and someone’s
trying to bring your company down.  Trouble is, the guy worked himself
into a hole and he’s trying to get out of it right now.  Someone is
extremely mad you replaced your trucks, and this other guy’s mad as hell
because you’re not getting caught.”

“You mean I’ve been hauling drugs
for a dealer?  I’ve been—”  Gonzalo jumped up.

“No there’s a little more to
it.”  Ben motioned.  “Sit down.”  I’ve got some questions. 
Have you seen Eduardo this past two weeks?”

“Yeah, he’s been hanging around again
a lot.  He—”

“Doesn’t he ever drive for his
father?”

“Are you kidding?”

“How about for you?”

“No, I tried to hire him a couple
of times when we were real busy, but he’s not interested in driving
trucks.  Why all the questions about Eduardo?”

“He’s related to someone who’s
trafficking drugs from across the border.”

“You lost me.” 

“I told you blood is thicker than
water.”

“You still lost me.  Is
Eduardo planting the drugs?”

“No, he’s just an unknowing
mouthpiece—one who’s been telling the dealer how busy you are lately and when
your trucks are moving.”  Ben watched Gonzalo closely.  “Do you know
a Moreno or Tijerina?”  He was surprised Gonzalo showed no reaction.

“No, who are they?”  Gonzalo
glanced up.

“You’ve never heard of either of
them?  How about a guy named Fernandez?”  Ben took a swallow. 
Gonzalo hadn’t heard of Moreno?

“No.  Should I?”

“Tijerina is one of two men
planting stuff on your trucks.  Tijerina’s distantly related to another
man planting stuff named Moreno.”  Ben stared at Gonzalo trying to see if
the name sparked any recognition, but there was none.  “Moreno’s the one
trying to shut you down; he planted coke and tipped the DEA when your men were
hauling both trucks.”

“How do you know all of
this?”  Gonzalo frowned.  “I don’t have anyone working for me named
Tijerina or Moreno—”

“My source just knows. 
They’ve been doing it when you’re not watching.  Trouble is when those
trucks were confiscated, Tijerina thought Moreno was trying to double cross
him, so Moreno’s had to prove he wasn’t the tipster.” 

“So he planted more and didn’t tip
off the DEA?”  Gonzalo made bubbles of his cheeks.  “If the DEA knew,
why didn’t they—”

“DEA wants to get the whole lot.”

“By using us?”

“Fernandez is the real dealer on
the other side.  But after those two busts, everyone got suspicious of
each other.  Apparently Tijerina and Moreno were given another chance
after plants they both made got through.  Fernandez needs a trucking
company he can use, and you somehow got through the last four times, so he
finally decided your company could push his stuff.  Only problem is, Moreno
is still really burning to get you, and Tijerina wouldn’t mind getting
Fernandez off his back because he’s in too deep.  Fernandez doesn’t trust
either one of them right now.  In any case, the DEA is in the process of
setting up Fernandez and hopes they’ll get all of them and the receiver on the
other end.

“Through me?  Man I don’t need
this!”  Gonzalo raked his fingers through his hair.

“If everything goes right, the DEA
can get the dealer and the main receiver.”

“And get some of us dead.”

“Every man has a weakness—besides,
it seems you asked the DEA’s help because you lost some trucks—”

“But to deliberately—”

“Truth is they knew Moreno was
after you, but they thought it was a false lead, so they were just watching
him.  Since your call—”

“What the hell could some Moreno
have to do with us?”

“You have no idea?”

“Hell no—I mean why would he target
us?”

Ben rose and went back to the
window.  “He has a brother-in-law named Miguel Torres, a young guy
twenty-six I think, who was sent to prison for rape—”

 “Oh damn!”  Gonzalo set
his unopened beer on the table with a shaky hand.  “Oh damn!  Cha—Ben
what can I say?”

Muscles rippled it Ben’s cheeks
again, and he downed the scotch before he turned around to face Gonzalo. 
“Nothing man, there isn’t a damn thing you can say now.  You should’ve
told me about it before.”  He dropped the glass on the table with a
clacking sound.  “It’s too late to say anything now.”  Ben reached up
and rubbed the back of his neck.  “Everything should have been said before
I—”

“Look Ben, I tried to tell
you.  Missy wanted me to tell you, but I thought—no even she knew it would
cause you to dislike her and—”

“Yeah, sure.”  Ben clenched
his teeth together and the muscles rippled in his cheeks.  “But SHE told
me you just had a special problem about keeping her single until she was
eighty—”  There was a knock at the door.  “Well, Wanda has
returned.”  A smile lit up Ben’s face.  “Sorry but you know how it is
with a person’s priorities—pleasure before—”  Ben opened the door and
hugged Wanda as she came in.

“Am I back too soon?”  She
smiled brightly.

“No sweetie, you timed it just right—gives
you enough time to run in the bathroom and put on what you bought to make me
feel good again.”  Ben stuck his tongue out and touched her bottom lip,
and Gonzalo saw his hand snake down near her crotch.  He shuddered and
watched the grinning girl run off to the bathroom.  Ben’s eyes longingly
followed Wanda and then he glanced coldly at Gonzalo.  “Tell you what man,
the best thing you can do is keep Mis—your little sister home for a while and
try to carry on as normally as possible.  It’s the only way to clear you
since your damned family ties stop—”  Ben turned to the window.  “All
I can do is warn you something big is coming down and tell you to hang loose.”

“Ready or not, here I come.” 
Wanda giggled from the bathroom.

“Wait until this guy leaves and I
can get my clothes off.”  Ben glared, no forced a smile at Gonzalo and
watched him get up to leave.  “Like I said—”

“Yeah DEA is using us.” 
Gonzalo scowled.  “Just like you used Missy.  Thanks a heap.”

“You’re most welcome.”  Ben
slammed the door and leaned his forehead against it.  Damn, if only he
knew! Oh damn, if only he knew!

“Oh lovie, is it time yet?” 
Wanda called from the bathroom.

“Can it.  He’s gone.” 
Ben turned away from the door, dropped in a chair and put his face in his
hands.

“Now what?”  Wanda walked out
dressed as she’d been and sat in the chair.

“Now we’ve got something more to
worry about, I think.”

“So much for having a good time.” 
She smiled.  “Should I be surprised?”

“Get lost for a while Wanda, I need
to do some thinking.”

“Yeah, sure.  When you need me
I’ll be in the lounge trying not to drum up business.”

Ben watched Wanda leave, reached
for the phone and made two calls.  Half an hour later his worst fears had
been confirmed.  Davis said Moreno had flown in and was staying in McAllen,
so he planned to make a move.  With Eduardo providing information, this
run would leave Missy vulnerable even at home during their run.  He buried
his face in his hands knowing now just how much danger Missy was in.  He
must make sure she was safe!  Slowly he looked up, poured another drink
and then called the lounge.  There was no way around what he had to do.

“This is Spinelli, tell Wanda I’m
sorry I got mad and I’d like for her to come back to my room.”  He put his
finger on the button waited five seconds and dialed a number.  “There’s
been a slight change of plans—”  Ben’s expression defied describing. 
There was anger, worry, pain and even frustration in his eyes.  “We need
to put everything on hold for another twenty-four hours or so.  I’ll need
the big rig too.  Now here’s what I want you to do—”  Ben nodded when
Wanda came in and motioned for her to sit.  Her eyes opened wide as she
listened to Ben’s plans, and she shook her head.

“What’s wrong with you?”  Ben
dropped the receiver and turned to her.

“What in the world have you got on
your mind?”  She stifled a smile.

“We’re going to do a kidnapping.”

“Oh really?”  Wanda’s eyes
opened wide.  “We get deeper all the time.”

“We’ve got to do it.”  Ben
raked his fingers through his hair.  “Trouble is, I don’t know how we’ll
do it and not hurt someone worse.”

“By someone I assume you mean a
Sanchez?”

“Yeah.”  Ben wandered to the
window.  “A Sanchez who was kidnapped once before.”

“Well it sure as hell wasn’t the
one who was here.  I saw no love lost between you two.”

“Better get some sleep Wanda. 
You’re going to be busy tonight.  Later I want you to look so cheap any
guy will follow you.”  Ben grimaced.  “Especially a certain nine
Sanchez brothers I know.”

At eleven thirty Marco grumbled
when he heard a knock at the door and got up.  “Yeah what do you—” 
His eyes nearly popped out of his head.

“Tell me sweetie, is Gonzalo
around?  I have a message from Ben, Ben Spinelli.”

“I’ll get him.”  Marco backed
away from the door.  “Just sit right there.”  He didn’t take his eyes
off Wanda as he went upstairs.

Wanda sprawled out on the sofa and
wasn’t surprised when three Sanchez men came down.  Gonzalo was the only
one showing suspicion.

“You have a message?”

“Yeah, Ben thought I should warn
you someone’s planning to break in your shop and fix a couple of your trucks
tonight.”

“Why didn’t he just call?” 
Pedro wondered.