A Case of Deceit Read online

  I turn on the hot water in the shower, strip my last set of clothes off and step under the water spray. I do a quick wash, step out and do a quicker dry. I dress and walk back to the kitchen.

  “Let's get this done,” I tell the three people there.

  I turn and walk to the front door, open it and walk out into the warm pre-dawn. I grab Tee, stick him in his satchel and hop on the Harley. I don't even look to see if the others are following. I know they are. I then head the Harley towards the Wenner estate.

  Chapter Twenty-one

  Not very much traffic this early in the morning, so we make good time. As we turn into the dirt road that leads to the manor, I shut off my headlights. If there are smugglers around no sense in giving them warning of our approach. Fedora turns off his headlights also as we cruise slowly toward the house. Stopping the bike, I get off and wait for the others.

  “Cynthia, you stay here. Fedora, Eric and I will take a look around.” Cynthia nods her head and the three of us start toward the house.

  “Eric, there are holes dug all over this property, so be careful. You go left, I'll go right and Fedora can head straight. We'll meet back at the vehicles once we're sure no one else is here.”

  Eric gives me the thumbs up sign and heads off left. I veer right and head toward the back of the buildings. The inky darkness of tall trees and long weeds hide the worn out façade of the buildings. Walking fast, but keeping an eye and ear out for anything unusual, I traverse the area behind the house. I know where the holes are back here from previous experience. The waning moon lights my way.

  Hearing a rustle in some of the underbrush, I stop as my eyes catch the small movement of disturbed branches ahead of me. I step back into deeper shadows and wait for a few minutes. I pat Tee to keep him quiet as he growls deep in his throat. His ears are alert as we both watch the bushes. My heart is racing and I feel the tension in me rise.

  I almost laugh aloud when a small red fox steps out from under the bushes. I didn't realize my nerves are so on edge until that moment. As the fox catches our scent and scurries off, I take a deep breath and try to center myself. It's going to be another long day.

  It takes Tee and I about fifteen more minutes to scout out the area. I head back to the vehicles and Cynthia. Noticing how far the sun has risen, I figure Xenos should be here soon. I turn the corner of the house and notice everyone there but Eric.

  Xenos was here already and so is a lineup of trucks hauling different types of big machinery. I knew I could count on the big guy. Mama is here too, taking out different types of bowls and even a small portable table from the back of what looks to be an old food truck with the help of Cynthia. I hope its breakfast as my stomach gives a sudden grumble.

  Half a dozen men also stand around talking in low tones. They look an able-bodied lot to me. Xenos spots me and smiles his megawatt grin.

  “There ya are. I got all the equipment I could on short notice. Da men too,” he nods toward the group.

  I walk up to him and give him a quick hug and a thump on the shoulder with my fist. “You are my hero, Xenos. No one but you and Mama could pull this off.”

  “Ah, now, don't be embarrassing me in front of da guys,” he says with a wink. “Let me introduce ya to them. They are all personal friends of my mine. We play chess every Tuesday night.”

  A chess club? I look at the group of men facing me. Xenos introduces them one by one. “The big one is Ted, don't let his ugly looks scare ya, he takes care of his ma and loves his cats.” I nod at Ted. Xenos goes on.

  “Next to him is Small Fry. We call him that because he's da runt of his family. Then ya got Jimmy, Sal, and Carlos, who’s the Chess Club president, and then Beans. If you stay upwind of Beans ya will be ok.”

  The guys all laugh at Bean's expense, I get the impression it's an old joke between the guys. All the same, I'll keep a distance from good old Beans.

  “Thanks for helping us out guys,” I tell them. “I'm sure Xenos has explained the situation to you and told you there might be some danger attached to this favor. I won't lie. There could be a danger.”

  I watch as the joking faces become serious. “I do think the danger to you will be small, but it is there. If anyone of you wants to leave, I'll understand.” No one moves. “Thanks, guys.”

  “If you'll set up the machinery like you would normally at a construction site that would be great. You just have to do a minimum amount of work, just to keep it looking like we really are working on this place,” I explain to the men what I want. They all nod and get to work. They start to unload the machinery.

  Mama calls out, “Get that done guys and then if you're hungry come and eat. I got all sorts of good food for ya.”

  Obviously, they know all about Mama's good eats as I hear a chorus of cheers. I walk over to Fedora. “Eric is still gone. We need to find him.”

  “I notice he isn't among us. Maybe he fell down a hole,” Fedora grins as he says it.

  “I thought about that,” I smile too because the thought of Eric stuck in a hole is funny. If he is, I won't let him live it down.

  “We better find him, he might actually be hurt,” I state as a quick thought of him with a busted leg comes to mind.

  Fedora points a thumb at something behind me. “I don't think a rescue will be necessary.”

  I turn and watch Eric as he approaches us. Doesn't look like he is hurt, so why is he so late joining us?

  “We were just thinking of sending out a search team for you,” I inform him as he stops in front of us.

  “I was watching a van that was parked under some trees about half a mile from here,” Eric says. “Two guys were asleep inside, so I stayed and kept an eye on them until they woke up.”

  “Smugglers?” Fedora asks.

  “Maybe. They didn't have much to say to each other. They woke up, took a leak in some bushes, smoked a cigarette, then climbed in the van and took off,” Eric says with a shrug of his shoulders. “They might have just been some travelers who thought it was a nice place to sleep for the night.”

  “That far off the road?” I'm skeptical about the innocent traveler bit.

  “There're gone now,” Eric says as he watches the men unload the big machinery. “Looks like you have what you need to make this look like a real construction site.”

  “Thanks to Xenos and his chess club,” I state.

  Eric turns to me with a laugh. “Chess club? Dee, you know some interesting people.”

  “Makes life worthwhile,” I tell him. Now, it's time to get things riled up a bit. I walk over to Cynthia.

  “Time to stir some shit, Cynthia. You ready?” I ask her.

  She nods and pulls out her phone. She punches a few buttons and I see her take a deep breath. I listen to her side of the conversation.

  “Angela? It's Cynthia. I'm over at the Wenner place.”

  Cynthia listens a few seconds, rolls her eyes at me and says into the phone, “Yes, yes, I understand. The reason I'm calling is to tell you I have decided to start the construction for the hotel and spa that my father wanted to be built here.”

  She pulls the phone away from her ear and frowns. Standing a few paces away, I can hear Angela screaming something over the phone. The woman has definitely lost it.

  Cynthia puts the phone back to her ear. “Angela, I'm willing to buy your part out. You only own thirty percent anyway. I realize we would not be able to work together. So, I have another investor lined up and they are willing to buy your share of the estate. Whatever you decide to do, I'm going through with father's dream.”

  A minute passes with Cynthia just listening, and then she ends the conversation. She looks at me and shakes her head. “Angela had some not so nice things to say. I won't even repeat them. She finally calmed down in the end and said she will think over my offer.”

  “I just bet she will,” I say. “I'm sure Sid and his fellow idiots will show up here at some point.”

  I pull my phone out of the satchel hanging off my should
er. “Now, it's my turn,” I say as I punch in a number.

  I listen as the phone rings, and then I hear, “Ward.”

  “Detective Ward, it's Dee Watson.”

  At first, there is nothing, and then I hear his cold voice. “Watson, you still in town? Find what you're looking for yet?”

  “Yeah, I'm still around and I do think I've found what I'm looking for. I understand you want to talk to Cynthia Bandoni.”

  “I do. If you know where she's at you better tell me, or I might have to arrest you for interfering in a police investigation.”

  “Cynthia is a friend of mine, Detective. I would hate to see her with a bullet in her head, so I'm afraid I will have to decline telling you where she's at.”

  “Are you accusing me of something, Watson?”

  “I know you work for the smugglers. I also know you killed Tony Bandoni and Nick Johnson. I have proof,” I lie to him about the proof. What the hell, I might as well make it sound good.

  There is silence, then...” Watch what you are saying, Watson. Bandying statements like that around can get you hurt.”

  “I'm not worried, Ward. I'm not the suicidal type. I can also be persuaded to keep my mouth shut...for a price.”

  “Blackmail? The private eye business must not pay very well.”

  “It pays shit. If you want the proof I have, meet me at the Wenner place at six o'clock tonight with fifty thousand dollars.”

  “Or what?”

  “Or I go to the FBI with what I've got. I don't trust your buddies in the Ashville police department. Fifty thousand is a cheap price to pay to keep your little enterprise going, Ward.”

  “Bitch!”

  I was really getting tired of being called that particular name, “That's Ms. Bitch to you. Be here at six, or I go to the FBI,” I tell him, then hang up before he can say anything else.

  I look at the faces surrounding me. Cynthia looks worried, Eric is grinning, and Fedora is watching me with an eyebrow raised.

  “Well, that should set things in motion,” Fedora states.

  Yeah, that should get things moving. Or me killed.

  Oh, crap.

  Chapter Twenty-two

  Eric volunteers to keep an eye on the main road coming into the Wenner place. He takes off on foot and will call if he sees anyone show up. I make sure Cynthia is with Mama in front of the house. She won't be an easy target and Mama can be a formidable foe. Cynthia helps to serve the food to the men.

  Our construction crew is operating the machinery with Xenos acting as foreman. I decide that Tee will be safer with Xenos and hand over the satchel with my best friend in it. I know Xenos will take care of him if anything should happen to me.

  I don't plan on dying, but who does? I just like to have all my bases covered. Fedora and I decide to split up, he'll keep an eye on the north end of the property and I'll keep an eye out on the construction crew, Cynthia and Mama from a second-floor bedroom window. It faces the front of the property and gives me an advantage point of height. I can see most of the front of the property from up here.

  I set up a sitting spot in the dusty, spider web infested room. I fight the long-closed window open and am happy to note I can see quite a distance from up here. It will be hard for anyone to sneak up on us. I just hope we don't have to wait too long, as I find I'm longing for my little house and my own bed. I'm sore and tired. Seems like months since I started this case. Hard to believe it has been less than a week.

  It's hot up here in the bedroom. As time moves slowly forward sweat trickles down my back and stings as it hits still unhealed scratches from when I fell down the hole. The stinging keeps me awake as the heat wants to lull me to sleep. Occasionally I stand up and walk around the room to keep from stiffening up.

  The sounds of the men as they joke and laugh drift up to my window. The sun is heading west. The only communication I have had with Eric or Fedora was to let me know they haven't seen anything but a coyote and a few jackrabbits.

  I look at the watch on my wrist, courtesy of Fedora, as mine is gone but not forgotten. Five thirty. Time to keep an eye out for Ward. My phone in my pocket starts to vibrate, as I turned off the ringer earlier. No sense giving my position away with a ringing cell phone. I pull it out and see its Eric.

  “Dee,” I answer.

  “Someone just pulled into our road. A silver sedan with three men in it,” Eric informs me. It sounds like Sid and his merry bunch of idiots.

  “That will be Angela's hired men,” I tell him. “Just keep an eye on them and see what they do. Xenos and Mama are set up for them. I'm more worried about Ward. He's unpredictable.”

  I end the call. Maybe we won't have to play this game for much longer. Xenos, Mama, and Eric will take care of Angela's troublemakers. I sit back down in front of the window. I wonder if Ward will even show up. He has to. He's had free rein for too many years around here, knowing the smugglers need his services and will pay well for them. He's not going to give that up easily. He enjoys his extracurricular activities too much. He doesn't know if I have proof of his killings or not. He can't take the chance that I do. I am confident he will show up.

  I decide to look around the house. Something is making me antsy. Something feels off to me, I just can't put my finger on what. Things are going too smooth, too according to my plan and I'm not used to that. I haven't heard from Fedora for hours and that makes me a little worried, also.

  I suddenly hear shouts from the yard and look out the window. I see Eric running toward a group of men in the middle of the yard. It's Sid and his two sidekicks. Only, Xenos' chess club has them surrounded. I almost laugh at the look on Sid's face, he actually looks scared. That is one fierce looking chess club.

  I can't hear what is being said, but Sid is not breaking the circle around him. I see Xenos confiscate Sid and his crew’s weapons and give them to Eric. It looks like the situation is well under control. Fewer things or bad guys to worry about.

  I make a quick call to Fedora. I need to know he is ok. He isn't answering. Now I'm really worried. Ward is smart, tricky and right now unaccounted for. I glance at the watch on my wrist. Five fifty-eight. I need to find Fedora or Ward.

  As I pocket my phone, I hear a creak on the stairs in the hallway. Before I can take two steps toward the door hoping it's Fedora, it opens and Ward is standing there with those dead eyes and a live gun. The gun is pointed right at me. Crap. He's too far away for me to do anything, but close enough to kill me if I tried.

  “Nice to see you again, Watson,” Ward says.

  “Detective Ward.” My mind is racing on how to get out of this, alive preferably.

  He steps inside the room and waves the gun toward the door, “Let's go for a little walk.”

  I hesitate, wondering if I can get someone's attention in the yard. Ward points the gun at me again. “Now!”

  I walk. I don't have much choice. He backs up as I walk past him. I don’t have an opening to get the upper hand so I walk out the room and down the steps. The front door beckons me, but before I can make a move, Ward tells me to walk to the kitchen.

  Entering the kitchen, I see the back door open. So that's how he got in without anyone seeing. The last time I saw the door it had boards nailed to it from the outside. The loud machinery must have stifled the sound of Ward taking off the boards as I spot a crowbar on the floor. Ah, crap.

  I walk out the door and into a mini jungle. Lots of bushes and trees. An elephant can sneak through and no one would notice. I never thought to check the back door earlier. It’s something to remember for the next case, if I live to have a next case. Always check all possible exits and entrants.

  Ward must have known about the back kitchen door from his earlier visits to the estate. I’m sure he has been here many times. He looks like he knows his way around the place quite well. I should have figured that into account. Lesson learned.

  We keep walking toward the back end of the property. Maybe I can get Ward to talk, buy me some time. Also, I'm curi
ous and if I'm going to die, might as well have my curiosity satisfied.

  “People will notice that I'm gone,” I tell him.

  “Maybe, but not for a while. Your friends are busy with those three idiots in the front yard.”

  True, but I sure hope Eric misses me soon. If not Eric, Fedora. Where is Fedora? Did Ward find him first? “What did you do with my friend Fedora?”

  “Don't know a Fedora. Keep walking, we're almost there.”

  “You know you can't get away with this Ward, too many people know I was investigating you for the murders of Tony and Nick.”

  “I don't plan on sticking around after I get rid of you. I have plenty of money. I'll disappear for a year, and then get another job along the coastline. My smuggler friends are always looking for someone to help eliminate enemies and rivals.”

  My heart sinks. If he is planning to disappear, killing me means nothing to him. Just another job. I stay quiet, keeping myself open to any opportunities to get the jump on Ward. I hope Eric or Fedora comes looking for me. This is one time I wouldn’t mind being rescued like a maiden in distress.

  We've been walking for close to fifteen minutes when we come to a small clearing within a natural outcropping of stone. There is a hole dug in the middle. Looks like a grave to me. Looks like my grave.

  "Walk to the front of the hole, Watson and stop." I do it. I face him and he's still too far away for me to do anything without being shot before I can make a move. I take a deep breath and steel myself for what is most likely going to be my execution.

  “You just had to go snooping around. This is what the end result is,” Ward tells me as he points the gun at me. “I told you to stay out of things. You should have listened to me.”

  “So you're just going to shoot me and figure no one is going to know who did it? Come on! You're smarter than that! Everyone is going to know you did it, especially if you disappear.”