GUMSHOES

Chapter 14 - Some decisions don't need a quorum

Lonny yelped and stumbled against the car, his expression one of surprise then dismay, as he slid down the fender and onto the ground. Bullets kicked up the dirt all around him, and he heard more screams before all sound ceased.

"Walter, I'm hit"

"Stay down. There's only two of them."

"Wrong, Walter."

The gun felt hot against his neck, and Walter turned enough to see one of the escorts scowling down at him. He heard a single shot, then he was yanked to his feet and shoved over the hood of the rental. He could see Gus lying, arms outstretched and eyes staring blankly at the sky - the single shot.

"So , Walter, let me introduce Raphael Ortega, and Jesús Amano."

"You're all dead, you know that, don't you. Hardy won't let you out of the country, and then he'll get DeTega."

"What do you say, boss?"

Walter turned to see who he was talking to, and his face fell.

"I'd say Walter here has run out his string."

"Boss? You . . .?"

"Surprised? It's Don Parco DeTega. He's my father."

"But why would you need to leave your country?"

Don Parco took out another cigarette, and a man rushed forward with a light.

"You're boss bungled the last extraction with that ridiculous car seat plan. That man was my father's nephew. He was wanted for tax evasion and fraud - we could not help him in his place of residence, so we agreed to send him here."

"It would have worked, but he sneezed--"

"I know the story. Unfortunately, it doesn't matter how it happened, it only matters that it did happen." A stream of smoke drifted into Walter's face. She studied him a moment, then added, "That mask was actually genius. At first I thought, no way, I'd suffocate. But after experimenting a while I realized it was simply genius. Not only that, we discovered it was reusable on two or three other people. Not as perfect, but close enough for jazz, as you people like to say."

Walter straightened up a bit at the change of tone, He dusted off his jacket and wet his lips.

"So what happens now?" The shot sounded like a large branch cracking.

"That's what happens, Walter." She stepped on her cigarette, flicked her fingers at the men, and walked calmly to her car.

The two hit men followed Don Parco's rental with her three escorts back out onto the main road, and eventually the highway. Behind them, a ragged column of black smoke rose above the forest of trees.

******

Hardy Menken glared at the dish of Serbian Prebranac, sitting untouched, as he listened to the report from his sources regarding the blown hijacking of Don Parco. He looked around at his retinue of gangsters, scowling. First Fletcher and Donnie go missing, then his crew sent to snatch the woman, and now he learns they are all dead, and the hit men are still on the loose.

He stuck his spoon into the thickening mass, and dug around absently as he processed the sudden change in advantage. Owen stood to one side, knowing he would be next on the block.

"Why haven't you located Fletcher?"

As expected. "I tried everywhere I could think of, finally I got Max Shine to tell me that Gary had been there, and he was planning on disappearing. He said Max should consider doing the same."

"And Donnie?"

"No clue, except he was supposed to get whatever those to PIs had uncovered. Haven't heard a word since."

Hardy tasted a small spoonful of his meal, made a face and tossed the spoon aside.

"Send a couple of the boys to follow up, and get me DeTega on the phone."

Owen dispatched a pair of men to find the PIs and then carried the special phone to Hardy, who had gone back to poking at his food with his finger.

"Hello, DeTega?"

"I am sorry, Mr. DeTega no longer wishes to converse with you, Mr. Menken."

"He what? Tell Mr. De Tega to pick up the phone or I'll rain hell down on him and his people."

"Mr. DeTega has asked me to tell you not call this number any more - he is having it cancelled." The line clicked and Hardy sat listening to a dial tone.

"He cut me off! Told me not to call again!"

Owen backed away cautiously in case Hardy threw the phone.

"You did get his money, boss." He ventured.

"Which he expects his hit men to get back!" Hardy swept the bowl of Prebranac from the table, and hurled the phone after it.

"Well, we won't let that happen . . ." Owen curdled inside at the glare, cursing himself for speaking. He nodded automatically as Hardy began issuing orders to the remaining five men, and nodded harder and faster as he received his own instructions.

The room cleared in less than thirty seconds.

******

Benjamin Underwood sat next to Audrey on the sofa, a cup of tea balanced on his knee.

"Thank you, Ms Hall, it's just the way I like it."

"You're welcome, Mr. Under-"

"Benjamin, please." He patted her thigh.

"You're welcome, Benjamin."

"Can we dispense with the tea party and get to the crux of this?" Wendell complained.

"The crux, as I see it, is your decision as to what you want done with this gentleman on the floor." Benjamin raised his eyebrows at Donnie's fiery glare, and sipped his tea.

"Ask him, he called you." Wendell waved at Fletcher with disgust.

"Gary?"

"Why do I have to decide, it was you guys he beat up?"

"Oh, I thought we were working together. That didn't last long."

"Gentlemen . . . and lady . . . I only provide one service, so if that's not what's required here, I'll just be on my way."

"Huh! Wait, no. Don't go yet. Audrey, get Mr. Underhose more tea."

Fletcher spoke loudly over the ensuing debate. "Do it, Benj."

A muffled cry came from Donnie as he kicked and struggled at his bindings.

"Do you all agree?"

"Hey, it's his decision, you don't need our blessing." Wendell and Jerome replied in discordant harmony.

"Gary?"

"Do it, Benj. If we let him go, he won't stop coming at us. Hardy signed off."

"Very well then." Benjamin finished his tea, gave a warm smile to Audrey, and asked the men to help him get Donnie out to his car.

The group stood in the driveway and watched the car out of sight, then shuffled around, unsure of what to do.

"Anybody hungry?" Jerome asked.