“I see you have your signature card all filled out. Sign and date the sign-in sheet and I’ll take you back to the boxes.”
Nick signed in and Rene let him into the back. She found his new safety deposit box number and inserted her key, gesturing for Nick to insert his. Once he had the box in hand, Rene led him to a line of small rooms.
“Let me know when you’re ready to return the box to the room, Sir.”
“I will, Rene, thank you.”
“Rachel,” Nick spoke into the cell-phone after closing the door. “We have contact. Rene’s working in safety deposit box land. You have her on your sheet.”
“Rene Santora?”
“Yep. What do you think about following her home tonight, trussing her up before work in the morning, and blowing all these complicated plans to hell? We could walk right in and back out if there’s no tipster in here.”
Rachel started laughing and took minutes to calm down before being able to speak.
“What…what happened to patience?”
“Patience took a hike the moment I saw a familiar face in here.” Nick leaned back in his seat visualizing what he would need to do. “We do it exactly as I outlined, only I won’t have to drop any guys on the way to the car. We get away clean.”
“You won’t kill her, will you?”
“It would be easier if I did.”
“You cold-hearted bastard,” Rachel murmured. “She’s just an employee. You’re screwing with me, right?”
“You haven’t said a word since we drove away from the bank.” Rachel pointed out as Nick drove their rented Pontiac. “Are you plotting?”
“I called Gus. He’ll be meeting us at the condo. I’ll get changed into a suit and tie. He and I will go over to Rene's house for recon. If our research reveals no dogs, children, or husbands, I’ll put her out of commission before dawn tomorrow.”
“Why use Gus instead of me?”
“Gus can immediately drive back to St. Pete and return the Pontiac,” Nick answered.
“You’re going to kill Rene, aren’t you?”
“What? You’re on a first name basis now with the woman who would have painted a target on you the moment your safety deposit box was accessed?”
“She wouldn’t have known why. Maybe they told her it was a police investigation.”
“Look, Rachel, I just need to disable her until around noontime. Once we have the flash drives copied, we’ll lay low at the condo until I’m certain there’s no heat on my Weatherby identity. I did have to give them the condo address to start my accounts. I’ll go fool around with my new accounts and visit my safety deposit box while you and Jean stay with Gus at the condo. It will give me a chance to see if our withdrawal stirs up anything. If we’re lucky, Santora won’t tell anyone so as to stay out of trouble with Tanus. The two teams may then be back in place watching each other while we hit the road.”
“When do we bring Grace and Tim back into the mix?” Rachel asked, her voice sounding slightly relieved at Nick’s explanation.
“After I arrange a get together with Suzan and her husband at a neutral spot and we decipher the information, I’ll bring the Marshalls into it. I’ll give Suzan’s husband unedited copies. Then I’ll tell them to set up a meet with Grace and Tim. We’ll lay low. I’ll plot targets until the shit hits the fan. Even with the drives and a corroborating witness, we’ll need to be in lockdown mode until I see Grace do the right thing.”
“What about Frank?”
“Frank stuck it to me with the setup in Denver. We’ll wait to find out if Frank survives the flash drive revelations. There’s no use in negotiating with Frank if he’s indicted. Our work for getting you and Jean back to a normal life depends on how many untouchables are on the flash drives.”
“Untouchables?”
“People who escape the taking down of Tanus and who might still pose a threat.”
“Can’t you make them do something about these untouchables?”
“We’ll see, but there might be a name or two only a.50 caliber solution will remedy. Frank would be an extremely valuable guy to have on our side if that happens.”
Nick parked near his Cadillac in front of the condominium complex. Inside the condo, they said their hellos, and he went in his bedroom to get dressed. When he came out, he looked like a bank executive in the slate gray suit he had changed into. While Gus waited at the Pontiac, Nick made sure his alarms were in place and activated on the condo. They drove to Rene Santora’s home on Gillespie Avenue.
Nick pulled on white Nitrile gloves and exited the Pontiac as Gus drove away. He walked up to the house and rang the doorbell, noting no alarm pad was in place. He smiled when he pulled up a corner of Santora’s welcome mat and found her hideaway key, saving him the lost time picking the lock. Twenty-five minutes later, Gus picked him up in front. Nick opened his laptop and inserted the memory chip from his camera into the slot on the side. Moments later, he was scanning the inside pictures of Santora’s home on the computer screen.
“How’s it look?”
“Piece of cake,” Nick answered. “No squeaky spots, guns, dogs, or roommates. Her bed is only thirty feet away from the rear entrance. I copied the hard drive on her computer too. The woman is helpless.”
“It’s perfect if you kill her.”
“You barbarian.”
“I like this. Very few houses and no traffic.” Gus scanned the area near Santora’s house at three in the morning. “I’ll be around.”
Nick nodded. He left the Pontiac, dressed all in black with a small bag. Seconds later, he stood outside the rear entrance to the house with his night vision goggles in place. He had earlier rigged the door so it could not be locked. Slipping inside, he gently closed the door and stood listening intently, leaning against the wall. Minutes passed with no sound, other than Santora’s refrigerator kicking on and the air conditioning going through a cooling cycle. He moved into Rene’s bedroom while the air conditioning covered the faint sounds he made. He wet a thick gauze-like pad and covered the woman’s face.
Nick heard her snore slightly. She quieted as he watched her glide quietly toward death. He cursed suddenly as a motion picture replay of Rachel, Jean, and Deke bombarded him.
He duct-taped her wrists together, and then taped them draped around the steering column and wheel, adding numerous wraps around her upper body. He taped her ankles together and to the brake pedal. Slipping the seat belt around her waist, Nick fastened and tightened it until there could be no movement. He then carefully duct taped the kitchen towel in place around her mouth and head, ending with a final revolution of tape to keep her head immobile. Nick shut the car door. He left the garage open to the air conditioned air from inside the house.
Gus received his call and returned to Santora’s house where he picked Nick up.
“What did you do, take a nap in there?”
“Very funny.”
“You didn’t kill her!” Gus exclaimed in overly dramatic fashion, laughing in short snorts of derision. “Oh, you poor neutered puppy, someone’s cut your man bearings off.”
