Remembering Dresden (Jack Turner Suspense Series Book 2) (18 page)

“So you want me to drop this then? Not pass on anything else I hear?”

“On the contrary, you’ve done well to call. By all means, call again if you learn anything more or anything new.”

“Great. I’ll do that. You have a good rest of the day, Mr. Vandergraf.”

“You, too, Officer Campbell.”

Vandergraf put his phone back in his suit coat pocket then quickly took it out again. Contrary to what he had told Campbell, the Senator had confided in him some information about his father. Though he got the clear impression what he’d been told was just a fraction of the story. He knew enough to know the Senator would not take kindly to the news that somebody was digging into his father’s past. And it’s never a good thing to hear the word
implicate
spoken by police officers in a police station.

He sat back in his office chair, swiveled around until he faced the picture window behind his desk. A plan was already beginning to take shape in his mind. No need to overreact at this point. It certainly could be nothing at all. And he was glad to hear that the two officers involved in the conversation were discouraging the professor from pursuing this matter any further.

Vandergraf had just thought of a way to ensure that the good professor did just that…and follow their advice. He hit the button to call Campbell back. Campbell answered almost immediately.

“Hello, Mr. Vandergraf.” He was almost whispering.

Vandergraf knew that meant he must be inside the police station.

“Something I can help you with?”

“Has that professor left the station yet?”

“He just walked by my desk toward the front door, not two minutes ago.”

“Could you quickly get up and watch him get into his car. Find out the make, model and color and call me right back?”

“I can do that. I can even get you the number on his license plate if that’ll help.”

The atmosphere inside the arcade was perfect, just how Jack remembered it. He hadn’t planned on coming here but as he’d driven by, it almost seemed to call out his name. He’d spent so many hours here years ago as a student at Culpepper. Used to be his favorite way to unwind. It was also a much cheaper hobby for a student on a tight budget than something like golf, or even fishing. After the meeting he just had with Joe, he could use a little unwinding time.

He was surprised to find the arcade still in business. These days, gamers could find ten times the sophistication and better graphics on their Xbox and PlayStation consoles. Really, even on their smart phones and tablets. When he had been in college, arcade games were the cutting edge.

Jack, however, wasn’t into hi-tech. Just lo-tech pinball.

To his great surprise, one of his favorite pinball tables was still here, in good working order, occupying the same spot it had so long ago. He decided to blow a few dollars’ worth of tokens then head back to the cabin and dive into his Dresden research.

Within five minutes, he had recovered his old rhythm with the flippers, had the bells and lights ringing and was running up the score.

“Aren’t you a little old for pinball?” a male voice said over Jack’s shoulder. Jack thought the words were directed at him but ignored them, hoping he was wrong.

“Didn’t you hear me? I’m talking to you,” the same voice said a little louder.

Jack turned to look for just a second. Two guys, college-age. One short and well-built, Hispanic, baseball cap on backwards, baggy jeans. On his left stood a much bigger and taller guy, thick-necked with a shaved head. Had a dumb look on his face, like someone with a room temperature IQ. Something about the way he looked reminded Jack of a big toe. Were they there to rob him? “I heard you,” Jack said, “but I’m kinda busy trying to keep this little silver ball alive. Why do you care anyway?” He tried sounding tougher than he felt.

The ball slid between the flippers. Jack turned to face them. Gave a quick glance at their hands. No weapons. Mentally, he readied himself in case either one reached behind them for a gun stuffed in their pants.

“I didn’t hear him ask if he could play our pinball table, Paco,” Big Toe said to the shorter guy.

“I didn’t know it was your machine,” Jack said. “So, this is your place?”

“Not really,” Paco said. “We just look after it sometimes. And when we do, people gotta pay a little extra. Like a cover charge. For you, I’d say fifty bucks should about do it.”

Jack looked around the arcade, hoping to locate a security guard. At least somebody who worked here.

“There’s nobody else here,” Paco said. “We checked.”

Jack couldn’t think of anything clever to say. He had no plan. But he felt surprisingly calm. Was it the grace of God or the fact that he knew how to take care of himself a little better now? He’d never had to test those skills and hoped he’d never have to but, if it came to that…“Well gentlemen,” he said. “I think it’d it be a good idea if you both just turn around and head back the way you came. Or, put some tokens in one of these machines. Either way, this isn’t your establishment, and I have no intention of giving either one of you a dime.”

Paco and Big Toe took a step forward at Jack’s remarks. Big Toe’s expression stayed the same, but Jack saw a tinge of fear in the shorter man’s eyes. Paco wasn’t used to being opposed.

“Maybe we should tell him the real reason we’re here,” Big Toe said. “Cause in a minute he won’t be able to understand a thing either one of us say.”

“Maybe you’re right,” Paco said. “We hear you been digging into somebody else’s business. Putting your nose where it don’t belong. Asking questions and stirring up trouble. We’re here as a friendly warning. It’s time for you to butt out.”

What were they talking about? Jack thought. This couldn’t be about his conversation with Joe and Hank, could it? That seemed impossible.

“He’s acting like he doesn’t know what you mean,” Big Toe said.

“He knows.”

“But we don’t even know,” Big Toe said.

“Shut up,” Paco said. “Doesn’t matter. I was told he’d know, and that’s enough.” He looked back at Jack. “You do know what I’m talking about, don’t you? And now, you’ve been warned. Walk away from it.”

Paco pretended to turn around, then quickly came back at Jack with an overhand right, aimed right at Jack’s face. Jack deflected it easily with his left forearm, then counter-punched with a right, straight into Paco’s exposed temple. A reflex reaction. Paco was off balance when the blow came and fell to the floor. Jack drop-kicked him full-on in the ribs. Paco moaned loudly.

“You’re dead, Mister,” Big Toe said, lunging forward.

Jack took two quick steps back. Big Toe grabbed for Jack and got a square yard of thin air. Jack sent two fast chops into his gut, bending him in half, then brought his knee up, hard, into his face. The big man dropped to the floor and grabbed his face. Blood began to flow between his fingers. He swore then yelled, “You broke my nose.”

Jack looked down at Paco, who was still holding his stomach, then at Big Toe. He grabbed the bigger man by his shirt collar and lifted him slightly. “What’s your name?”

“What?” he asked.

“Your name?” Jack repeated.

“Jeff.”

“Okay Jeff, this didn’t exactly go the way you guys planned, you agree?”

“Yes.”

“I’ve got some more things I could do right now, but I’m willing to stop. You guys said someone sent you here to warn me. I want to know who, and why?”

“I don’t know,” Jeff said, through his hands. “That’s Paco’s department.”

“Hey, Paco, are you listening?” Jack said.

Paco began to sit up. Jack saw him grab for his jean pocket. He was pulling out a knife. Jack quickly stomped on his forearm. Paco screamed. Jack bent over and slid out the knife. He pushed a button on the handle, and the blade snapped to attention. Jack continued to apply pressure to Paco’s forearm with his foot. “Paco, that wasn’t smart.”

“You’re gonna break my arm,” he shouted.

“No, I’m not. But I could. It wouldn’t be that hard to do at this point. You obviously haven’t learned your lesson. I’m not wanting to hurt you. I came in here to relax, play some pinball. You two came in here after me. Now I want to know who sent you here, and what this is all about.”

“I can’t tell you.”

“Can’t, or won’t?”

“Can’t,” Paco said. “No matter how many times you hit me. I tell you anything, and I’m dead.”

What in the world was he talking about? This didn’t make any sense. What kind of people were these guys involved with, and why would people like that want anything to do with Jack? “Well, the two of you get up and walk right out of here, now, while I decide whether or not to call the cops.” He lifted his foot off Paco’s forearm.

Paco stood up, so did Jeff. “Do I get my blade back?” Paco said.

Jack shot him a look. The two young men walked down the aisle toward the double glass doors. Paco looked back at Jack, just once, confusion on his face.

Jack put the knife into his pocket and walked back to his favorite pinball table. He still had two games left, but he wasn’t in the mood anymore. He went into the restroom and splashed cold water on his face. Then headed toward the parking lot. He had no category for what just happened.

Ten minutes later, as he drove out of the downtown area and over the Chambers Road Bridge, Jack tossed Paco’s switchblade out the window into the river. He didn’t need it. His Glock had been sitting all along in its holster under his seat. He had a permit that allowed him to carry it with him.

Would he have to start doing that now?

Jack drove along the winding, hilly roads back to the cabin. A drive that normally relaxed him. Not this time. He felt all keyed up inside. Some of it was likely the adrenaline rush receding to its proper tide. His mind kept involuntarily replaying the incident over and over in his mind. It had all happened so fast, and none of it made any sense.

He had just gone into that arcade maybe twenty minutes after his meeting with Joe Boyd and Hank. He hadn’t told anyone he was going there. It was just a spontaneous whim. So how did these two guys know to find him there, and who could have sent them…and why?

He thought about calling Rachel, then thought again. She’d be so upset and worried if she found out what happened, even though Jack had made it through unscathed. Just the idea that two guys had jumped him like that, clearly intent on beating him to a pulp. A year ago, before Jack had started taking the Muay Thai classes, that’s exactly what would have occurred. He wouldn’t be driving leisurely back to the cabin; medics would be rushing him to the hospital in the back of an ambulance. He managed a smile as he thought about that.

He’d just taken out two thugs, barehanded, and pretty handily at that.

He might tell Rachel about it later, but not now. Instead, he waited until he pulled into the clearing beside the cabin, got out and called the Culpepper PD, the non-emergency number. The woman answering the phone said that Detective Boyd was interviewing someone and couldn’t come to the phone. “Is Hank Jensen available by any chance?”

“Hank? Yeah, I think Hank is still here. I’ll put you through.”

“Officer Hank Jensen, how can I help you?”

“Hank, this is Jack. Jack Turner.”

“Jack…what, did you forget something?”

“No.” Jack sighed. “I just got jumped by two thugs at the Fun Spot Arcade.”

“What?”

“You know the one on Franklin Street?”

“Yeah, I know it. Are you okay? Maybe you should be calling 911.”

“I’m okay. Actually, neither one laid a hand on me. I’ve been taking Muay Thai classes the last year. They came in pretty handy just now. Think I may have cracked one guy’s ribs and broken the other guy’s nose.”

“Whoa, Jack. For real?”

“Yep. The one guy was even going for a knife. I got it off him before he could do anything.”

“Jack, where are these guys? We need to pick them up.”

“They took off. I don’t know where. I’ve never seen either one of them before. I don’t think they’re students at Culpepper.”

“Were they trying to rob you?”

Jack walked over to the fire pit by the lake, sat in one of the adirondack chairs. “I thought so at first, but that’s not what this was about. It’s kind of crazy. Before they attacked me, one of them told me why they were there. From what he said, they were there to see me, specifically.”

“I’m not following you. This wasn’t random? They were targeting you?”

“Yeah, apparently.” Jack told Hank exactly what they had said.

“Someone had sent them there to warn you? Who?”

“I don’t know. I tried to make them tell me. The big guy didn’t know, and the shorter one—he’s the one seemed to be in charge—said if he told me anything they would kill him.”

“Kill him? You’re kidding.”

“I wish I was. That’s what he said. See, this doesn’t make any sense to me. First, they tell me that I’m butting into somebody else’s business, stirring up all kinds of trouble, then say they were sent there to warn me I better stop. I had just come from my meeting with you guys, talking all about Senator Wagner’s father and this old cold case murder idea. I’m wondering, how they could possibly know about that?”

“There’s no way they could know,” Hank said. “It was just you, me and Joe in that office. I haven’t told anyone, and Joe and I didn’t even get a chance to talk about it. Right after you left, he had to interview a witness about some car theft case we’re working on. He’s still in there with the witness now.”

“Can you see why I’m a little spooked?” Jack said.

“Sure, I can. But this has to be some kind of a mistaken identity deal. They must have thought you were somebody else. Did either one of them ever use your name?”

Jack thought a moment. “No, I don’t think they did.”

“Well, see? They weren’t targeting you. They must have had you mixed up with someone else. Maybe some other guy was supposed to be there at that arcade right then and by some crazy coincidence, you popped in instead. Wrong place, wrong time.”

Jack so wanted to believe what Hank was saying.

“Nothing else makes any sense,” Hank continued. “Even so, these are some nasty characters hanging around town. Sounds like you dished out your own measure of well-deserved justice, but I’d still like to get hold of these guys and lock ‘em up. Think you could come down here and go through some photo books. There’s a good chance guys like that have been arrested before.”