really excited with the added intrigue that she had both the victim and the killer, meaning the case might very well represent war between two organized-crime organizations just as Lou had feared, since at least one of the victims was most likely a Yakuza member.
21
MARCH 26, 2010
FRIDAY, 10:13 a.m.
There was no doubt in Vinnie’s mind that Laurie knew he was acting out of character. Try as he might, he couldn’t help it even though he tried. The problem, of course, was that he took the Vaccarros at their word since he’d heard all sorts of stories over the years, and Carlo and Brennan had threatened his daughters. Vinnie could not help but take such threats seriously. Being involved with such people was a lose-lose situation, and going to the police, unfortunately, was not an option.
Having begged off helping Laurie, he reflexively answered his phone when it rang only minutes later, thinking it was Laurie calling back for some change in the plans. Instead, to Vinnie’s serious chagrin, it was Carlo, the Barbera hood.
“Good morning, Vinnie, buddy,” Carlo said with a false sense of camaraderie. “It’s me from yesterday. Do you remember?”
“I remember,” Vinnie acknowledged, trying to sound normal but failing miserably. Carlo was the last person he wanted to talk to. If only he’d looked at the incoming number.
“I had some questions, if you have a minute.”
Vinnie would have loved to say no, that he didn’t have time, but he didn’t dare. Instead he asked Carlo to hold on a minute until he could find a quiet spot. Quickly he ducked out of the mortuary office, where some of the other techs were gathered, drinking their first cups of coffee.
“Have you seen Dr. Laurie Montgomery yet this morning?” Carlo asked when Vinnie gave him the okay.
“I have,” Vinnie said. “I’ve already done a case with her.”
“Terrific,” Carlo said. “And how was she acting?”
“She was acting quite normal. Not like me.”
“I’m sorry to hear that. I hope your feeling out of sorts has nothing to do with us.”
“It has everything to do with you,” Vinnie said, vainly thinking that if he were up-front they might leave him alone. “Yesterday you said you just wanted to ask me some questions, and then, before you know it, you have me sending a threatening letter.”
“What did the letter say again? I know you told me when you called me back, but I can’t remember.”
“I said what you told me to say, that if she didn’t sign the case out as a natural death, she and her family would face serious consequences. I also said that if she went to the police about the warning, she and her family would suffer the same consquences.”
“Good, good,” Carlo repeated. “And you know she got your love letter?”
“As sure as I can be. I made it a point to check her office and saw it on her computer keyboard. It would have been hard for her to have missed it.”
“And?”
“And what?”
“Do you know if she’s read it?”
“I assume she has, but I wasn’t hanging around to watch.”
“Has her behavior changed?”
“Not in the way you want. In fact, like I suggested yesterday, the letter seems to have made her more intent on investigating the case. She even mentioned this morning that she’d learned something particularly interesting last night.”
“Like what?” Carlo demanded, his tone changing from mockingly humorous to dead serious.
“I don’t know,” Vinnie said. “She said that she wanted to investigate a bit more. I think she believes she’s made some progress, and my guess would be that’s not in the direction of it being a natural death but rather a homicide.”
Vinnie then heard muffled conversation, as if Carlo was trying to cover the mouthpiece of his phone. Fighting the urge to hang up, Vinnie waited, but while he waited he came to acknowledge that he was allowing himself to be drawn progressively into a situation that would not end well. Next Carlo could and probably would ask him to do something worse than compose a threatening letter, which already had been bad enough.
Vinnie hung up the phone, realizing as he did that he could be putting himself and his family in even greater jeopardy. So great was his panic that he made the sudden decision to leave town. It was his only choice. He had plenty of sick leave and vacation time available. Although he knew admin liked more warning, Vinnie was confident they’d make an exception, especially if he pleaded a family emergency.
With sudden resolve, Vinnie quickly put in a call to his wife, Charlene, who worked for her brother’s moving company in Garden City, Long Island. He knew she’d be able to get the time off; their business had been slow. The real problem would be the girls and school, but such was life. As he waited for the call to go through, he ran up the rear stairs to head to the first floor, where the chief of staff had her office.
“Hastings Moving and Storage,” Charlene said when she answered.
Vinnie didn’t waste words. Charlene was aghast at first but was understanding when Vinnie explained that the situation involved Paulie Cerino and the Vaccarro organization. Having grown up with Vinnie in Rego Park, Charlene knew all about the Mob and the danger they represented. She also knew Vinnie was indebted to Paulie Cerino and what that meant.
“We’ve got to do this right away,” Vinnie anxiously insisted, “like today! Get the girls and we’ll be off. At least Florida is nice this time of year.”
“I’ve got to pack some things,” Charlene said, sensing Vinnie’s panic.
“Of course, but don’t make it your life’s work,” Vinnie urged. “And don’t tell anyone we’re leaving.”
“What about my aunt Hazel. We can’t just drop in on her in Fort Myers. And I have to tell my brother.”
“Tell your brother, of course,” Vinnie said, “but tell him not to let anyone else know. As far as your aunt is concerned, let’s call her en route. We might be better off staying at one of those cheap motels near the beach.”
“When will you be home?”
“As soon as possible, within the hour,” Vinnie said. “At the moment I’m just outside the chief of staff’s office. I have to get Twyla Robinson’s blessing. I don’t think there’ll be a problem. It was just a week ago that she was reminding me how much vacation time I’m owed.”
“I’ll try to get some schoolwork to take for the kids.”
“Good idea.”
“Don’t you think you should warn Dr. Montgomery?” Charlene questioned.
“I already did,” Vinnie said. “That’s why I have to leave. I don’t want them asking me to do anything else. I know in my bones that’s what they were about to do before I hung up on them.”
“How long do you think we’ll have to be in Florida?”
“Not long. Maybe a week or two. My sense is that all hell is going to break out here in the next day or so, and I want to be south of the Mason-Dixon Line.”
22
MARCH 26, 2010
FRIDAY, 10:35 a.m.
