“So he can forget,” she said sadly. “He wants to forget Catherine, Zinney, and not care about how his new promotion would fuck us all over even more.”
“You don’t think Eugene would bargain with them.”
“There’s nothing to bargain over. They shut Hell House down. I think if we don’t find him and Pamela soon, we won’t ever see them again.”
“This isn’t working, Chad,” Bones said.
“I know, man. Let’s continue on this course until we reach Illinois, and then head for Old Chicago. If we don’t find the van on the way there, then there may be leads for us in town.” Armstrong relayed instructions to Foote and Wrenn.
It was now past dark. Everyone wanted to know what to do. Chad Armstrong told them to just take turns driving, and try to get some sleep.
Chad turned to Bones. “I was just thinking of that day when I found Dennis O’Reilly after he disappeared for almost a year. I yelled for him on the other side of the street. He just looked queerly at me. I went over to him to shake his hand, and he asked me who I was. Imagine that, Bones, he didn’t even know me. Said he was on his way to Squad headquarters to apply for a job there.” Armstrong just looked away sadly. “Can you imagine that—Dennis O’Reilly applying for a job as a squad member?”
“Just fucked up.”
“I feel bad charging Ray so much money.”
“We gotta live, too.”
“I know. If I thought he’d have half a chance… well… we could work something out.”
“The only time he calls on us is to bail his ass out.”
“So far we’ve failed him. At least it’s those sicko doctors that are paying us this time.”
“What chance will they have if Eugene and Pamela can’t be found? They aren’t going to pay us the rest.”
“So? If we lose them we don’t deserve anything more.”
Armstrong was deep in thought until he turned to his friend. “I think I was the one who fell asleep.”
“Did you get much sleep last night?”
“No. I needed to think. I had to put a plan together to figure out how to lure Colderon to us if he didn’t go to the motel, and then figure out how to kill the Hogs. When I took over your watch I just remembered it got to dawn awfully early. Shit, I dozed off. That’s when the kidnapping occurred. I fucked up.”
Just then three motorcycles passed them. They never heard them coming.
“What do you think?” Bones said.
“I think we might have gotten a break.”
“The middle guy had a funny looking helmet on. Maybe Colderon?”
“Follow them at a distance, Bones. Keep the brake light of the rear pointman in view.”
“They’re moving across to the right lane. We’re coming up on an exit with restaurants. You think—”
“I think we got lucky. Look, they’re turning off. Don’t lose them.”
The cyclists turned into a burger joint.
“Follow them in, Bones.”
“Chad—over there. Isn’t that… yeah—the cargo van.”
“And it’s Colderon in the middle. I’d know that bastard anywhere. Lay back until they go inside.”
They cruised behind the van.
“That’s it,” Bones said.
“Pull around the front of it.” Bones parked the truck right in front of the van.
“If they’re in there, you may have to pick some locks. I’ll watch the restaurant for any sign of them.”
Bones got his stuff. He went over to the driver side. The door was locked. He went over to the passenger side. The door opened. He climbed in, carefully closing the door. He looked to the back and smiled. There they were. Their mouths were taped and they were handcuffed to the bulkhead. He crawled back there, and taking out his knife, cut the plastic cuffs. Both started to remove the tape over their mouths when Bones motioned to them not to talk.
Armstrong called Wrenn and Foote with the good news. Foote answered, but Chad heard Wrenn telling one of his dirtiest jokes. “…then the guy says ‘did you really think I was asking for a ten inch Bic?’”
“Shit, not that one again,” Chad said, laughing.
“I’ve had to listen to his jokes all day. What’s up?”
“We found them.” He heard Foote yelling to Wrenn with the message.
Ray and Cassandra were equally excited. They arranged to rendezvous at a motel on Rt. 89 to discuss new plans.
“They’re gone?” Dennis was flabbergasted.
Colderon steamed. Cocksucker.
“Are you there?”
“Yeah.” Fuckhead.
Dennis knew he couldn’t afford to lose his cooperation, so he dropped the attitude. “Look, just tell me what happened.”
“It was like I told you before. We found that jalopy she was driving—”
“Yeah. It took a lot of bribe money, but we got a lead. She bought the car from somebody we’ve been keeping tabs on for a while.”
“We rented a room above so we could check the registry. They’re still using the Mulligans. I brought three of my men with me, and leased a van. We parked right in front of their door and called for Eugene. I didn’t expect he’d answer, but he did. We got him and Pamela, but we didn’t know what to do with them. You weren’t answering your phone. We drove around for a while and stopped at a burger joint for supper. When we came back to the van they were gone.”
“Casimir had me on an assignment. I had to keep my phone off. I told you that when you told me you found them. I assumed you were bringing them here. My brother and his wife must have been with them, but how did they know where to go?”
“They must have figured it out. If they saw me go by, they’d have followed us.”
“Who would recognize the van? You told me that there was no one out there.”
“One of them must have stood watch from their vehicle.”
“Then how did you pull off the kidnapping?”
“I told you we parked in front of his room,” he said angrily. “We were quiet and fast. He’d have thought it was just a guest getting an early start. How the fuck do I know?”
“Then how did they know they were in your van?”
“Maybe there are more of them. These people were Blues. If Ray had help there, and I surmise he did, then I know they’re good. Christ, I trained under him.”
“All right, let’s focus on how to get them.”
“If I know Ray like I do, then he’ll let us come to him. We know all their plans now. It was with Pamela—maps and everything. They’re not going to go anywhere. My guess is they’ll go back to that same motel and wait for us. Then we’ll have it out.”
Chapter 20:
A Big Hog Showdown
Chad Armstrong was made leader of security with Ray’s blessing. He’d handle all security issues now. He got them four rooms at the “kidnap” motel; all singles. Armstrong and Bones would tradeoff every few hours with Foote and Wrenn, who would be on lookout from the Suburban. They all met in Ray’s room.
“Okay, I get that we have to face the Hogs now rather than fall into some trap later,” Pamela said. “But what’s going to happen when they get here?”
Chad nodded, acknowledging her question. “That’s what we need to discuss.”
“Terry Foote and I staked the place out,” Wrenn said. “We can get up on the roof with our pieces. We can shoot them with no witnesses and get right back down.”
“How are you going to get up there?” Eugene asked.
“Climb,” answered Wrenn, with a subtle grin.
Armstrong just smiled. “They can see better from up there. If the Hogs get past them, we’ll be waiting for ‘em.”
“How?” Eugene asked again. “What if they come to my door, or Pamela’s?”