The Wages of Cin (Cin Fin-Lathen Mysteries Book 4) (20 page)

Harry and I arrived at the Richardes’ home.  I leaned out of the car and pressed the call button on the gate.

“Yes?” Susan’s voice asked.

“Fin-Lathen and O’Rourke to see Mr. Richards,” I announced.

The gate started to open.  I squeezed Harry’s hand.  “Ready?”

“Yes, you’re sure you want to do this?” Harry said.  “It’s not too late.”

“I’m certain.  If I get a little mean…”

“PMS gone wild, no problem.”

I pulled the car around, facing out.  I left the top down.  There wasn’t a cloud in the sky.  I adjusted my hair and took a moment to check the straps on my high-heeled sandals.

We were greeted at the door by Tom.  He offered us refreshments which we declined.  We followed Tom to his office.  I sat down, putting my bag on the floor.

Tom sat down on his desk and flipped a folder open.  “I know none of us got the results we wanted from your consultation, but Elijah insisted that I pay you for your time.  He handed Harry a check. He looked at it and handed it to me.

I looked at the amount, and it really was fair considering.  “It’s not enough,” I said.

“Cin,” Harry warned.  “It’s fine.”

“Is it?” I snapped.  “Fine for you, you weren’t kidnapped and smacked around.”

“But that didn’t have anything to do with our case,” Harry pointed out.  “Just because you had to fool around with Sidney, that isn’t their fault.”

I looked over at Tom.  “Do you mind if we speak alone?”

“Cin!” Harry argued.  “Leave this be.”

“Here, take it.  We’ll pay our bills at least.  Now wait for me in the car,” I ordered.

Harry stomped off, leaving the door open.

Susan walked in.

“The young man looked upset,” she observed.  “If it’s about the payment, I assure you that’s all we can afford.”

“He’s fine with it.  I’m not,” I said.  “Can I be blunt?”

“Go ahead.”

“I know you guys are playing a game with us.  You have been from the beginning, and I’m sick of it, and you’re going to pay.”

“Have your lawyer…” Tom started.

I laid my hand on the edge of the desk as I stood up, and my thumb pressed the listening device under the lip of the expensive desktop.  “Tell Sidney, while I convalesced in the hospital, I remembered what Meyer told me.  If he wants that information, he’s going to pay for it.”

“I don’t understand…” Tom started, genuinely confused.

“Let her talk,” Susan insisted.

I leaned down and dropped an envelope on the desk.  “Inside is a sample of what I have to sell.  And the price, I assure you, I’m being decent about this.  It’s just business after all, folks.  Oh, and don’t call my cell. I’m not sure it’s not being monitored.  Here.” I tossed a burner phone on the desk.  “Just press one when you want to meet.  Don’t take too long.  I’ve got a flight to catch.”

I picked up my purse, pushed past Susan and walked down the hall.  Harry was at the wheel.  I got in.  We moved down the drive.

“What the hell, Cin?”

“Just drive.”

“What’s going on?”

“I’m getting some of my own back, you idiot.”

Harry set his jaw, and we turned out of the drive in silence.

We drove into West Palm.

“The car looks like shit.  Get it detailed,” I instructed.  We slowed at the light at CityPlace.  “You can drop me here.”

“Hell of a time to go shopping,” he said.

“Fuck you, Harry,” I said, getting out.

He drove off.  And I went shopping.

I walked into the parking garage and came out driving Harry’s jeep.  I drove to the detail place and picked him up.

“They did drop a bug inside.  Our guys have handled it,” Harry said.  “Did they call yet?”

“No, I figure that Sidney was in the wall or Gareth was.  I get the feeling that Tom knew nothing about this.  They’ll have to argue amongst themselves and then come to the realization that they have to part with $50,000 now and $50,000 after they sell their product.  They’ve got no choice.”

“What do you want to do?” he asked.

“I don’t know.  Do you want to go and get something to eat?” I asked.

“I could eat,” Harry said.

I turned the jeep in the direction of my favorite Irish pub.

My bangers and mash arrived just as the phone rang.  I excused myself and walked outside.  “Hello.”

“What kind of game are you playing, darlin’?” Sidney asked.

“No games, just business.  You owe me, you son of a bitch.”

“The redhead’s angry. Oh boo hoo,” he said cruelly.

“I believe I left you a business proposal. What’s your answer?”

“I’m interested.”

“How long do you need to get the money?”

“I can have it by three.  Meet me…”

“Oh, no, I’m not getting anywhere near you, sweetie.  Send Susan.”

“Hang on,” he said.

I waited and he came back on.  “Send her where?” 

“Macy’s Lancôme cosmetics counter at CityPlace.  Once I have the money, I’ll give her the number Meyer gave me.”

“That’s it?”

“Yes, I figure you’ll welch on the second payment.  I only need the fifty.”

“Fifty thousand’s not a lot of money.  How do I know you’re not going to show up for more?”

“You don’t.  But the fifty is fine for where I’m going.”

“Where?”

“Sorry, solo trip,
darlin’
.”

“We had some fun, didn’t we?” he asked.

“Yes, it was peachy.”  I hung up and walked back into the restaurant.

Harry looked up at me.  I nodded.  He pointed to the Manhattan he had ordered for me.

I sat down and took a sip.  It was delicious.  “Three o’clock.”

“Hey, at least it will give me time to eat and you to sober up,” he teased.

“Harry, if something happens to me, stay with the family.  They’ll need you.”

He looked at me.  I think he was seeing me for the first time. I was just a woman over her head, not a super sleuth.  “Do you think they’ll try and take you?” he asked.

“Oh yes.  Susan will have insisted on it.  The only hope I have is that I’m feeling kind of lucky today.  After I secure the money, I’ll try to make it out of there in one piece.  I’ll trigger the theft deterrent alarm if they have me.”

~

I was at the counter early and enjoying the attention of the staff when Susan walked up.  She looked pissed.

“Why so upset, Susan? You’re getting what you want.  Soon you’ll be headed back into financial freedom on the backs of the future junkies of America.”

She shoved a gift bag at me.  I pulled out the wrappings and looked inside.  I didn’t bother to count it.  Money wasn’t the issue.  I handed her the envelope.  She opened it and extracted my business card with the numbers printed on the back.  She nodded.

“It’s just business,” she said and turned heel.

I pulled out the Federal Express Mailer I had brought with me and poured the contents inside.  I picked up the mailer, leaned across the cosmetic counter, and tossed it in the bin with the other packages ready to be picked up by the store’s mailroom.  I looked around me and started to walk out.  I spotted Gareth at the east entrance.  I circled around and headed into the store.  I rode the escalator up to the second story, and I saw Gareth follow me.

“It’s not the one you can see, Cin,”
I said to myself. 
“It’s the one you can’t see.”

I walked off the escalator and headed for the parking garage.  I got thirty feet from the exit when I felt a body close behind me. I turned, and Sidney stared down at me.

“Now where are you going in such a hurry, darlin’?” he asked, pressing something hard into my side with one hand, grabbing my purse with the other.

“Gee, Sidney, is that a gun or are you happy to see me?”

“Oh that’s cute.  Where’s the money?” he asked, looking through my purse.

“What money?”

He shoved it back in my arms, frustrated.  His hand squeezed my arm hard.

The top floor was populated with a handful of clerks and a dozen or so customers.  Some of which were planted agents.  Agent Morris wanted to catch Sidney and Gareth with the drugs, but they would come to my aid if I were in trouble.  I wanted them all to be prosecuted, so I kept my cool.

“Ouch.  You got your numbers.  Leave me alone or I’ll scream.”

He looked around and shook his head at Gareth who turned heel and headed back down the escalator.

He let me go.  “That code better be right or your family’s dead.”

“It’s the one Meyer gave me.  What does it open?”

He almost smiled.  “I don’t know what you’re talking about, Cin dear,” he said and turned around and followed Gareth down the escalator.  I walked to the nearest counter and pulled the theft control device I pocketed and set it on the counter.  I waited until I saw Harry’s jeep pull up before I ran out the door.

Harry drove me to Palm Beach Detail to retrieve my car.  The tech agent waved me over.

“Ms. Fin-Lathen, the car’s clean now.  We dropped the tracking device in a Waste Management truck.  If they are following, they will be in the land fill by now.

“White trash in the landfill, how apropos,” Harry said.

“I guess it’s time to go home,” I said to Harry.  “Want to follow me just in case?”

“It would be an honor,” he said.

The two of us had a little fun on the way west, weaving in and out of traffic, speeding.  Dave wouldn’t have approved, but we weren’t looking for approval.

~

I sat in the living room.  I was staring at the empty chair in front of me.  The chair Dave was supposed to be sitting in hours ago.

Harry had walked through a number of times, checking if I’d heard anything.

Dave was working with the DEA.  His guys were to stake out the Richards house and provide motor support for the agents in Palm Beach County.  Agent Morris wanted me available to make identification onsite, but Buslowski negated that, reminding him that I was a civilian.  I was out of danger, but I was also out of the loop.

“Waiting is hell!” I exclaimed.

Alex arrived in a heartbeat.

“Shit, sorry, Alex, nothing’s happening.  I’m just frustrated,” I said, getting up and walking to the window.

“Mom, you’ve got to chill.  Dave’s a professional.  They’ll get them.”

A car approached.  Alex pulled me out of the window.  “You’re supposed to be on a flight somewhere, remember,” he said.

“Shit, I forgot.  Tell me what’s going on?”

“The deputies have gotten out of the car.  They’re approaching the truck that’s slowing down.”

“What kind of truck?” I asked, hope rising to the surface.

“A Buslowski type of truck,” he said.  “He’s telling them something, and now they’re leaving.  He’s pulling in the drive and…  Mom?”

I had already launched myself out the door, running barefoot down the sidewalk to the driveway.  I opened the driver’s side door and pulled the surprised Buslowski out of the truck.

“What’s all this?” he asked as I wrapped my arms around him.

“You’re so late,” I said, holding on to him.

“Cin, I can’t breathe,” he managed.

I let go, and he put his hand on my chin.  He waited until I settled down before  telling me, “We got them.  All of them!”

“Woo hoo!” I shouted.

Harry and Alex walked out of the house.

“They got them!” I said, running towards them, dragging Dave.

Harry grabbed my hand from Dave and twirled me around.  Alex shook Dave’s hand while Harry and I rumbaed across the front yard.

“What are they doing?” Dave asked laughing.

“They’re dancing,” Alex explained.

“But there isn’t any music.”

“Not that we can hear. Those two are special.”

Noelle walked out with Luke behind her.  “What’s all the shouting about?” Luke asked.

“It’s over,” Dave said.  “You Lathens are free to go about your business.  Those two, however, should be locked up.”

Harry had just dipped me too low, and I fell on the ground laughing.  Alex stepped into the house and came back out strumming the guitar, Gypsy Kings style.

Noelle danced over and tapped Harry on the shoulder.  “May I have this dance?”

“It would be a pleasure,” Harry said.

I rolled out of the way and lay there on my back until Dave came over and looked down at me.

“Put your back out?” he asked.

“No, I’m just so damn happy.”

“Care to go inside and get me a beer?”