“Insulting toward you?!” Naseer moved slightly in open rage, only to be checked by Deke’s growling counterpoint. “You arrive uninvited to interrogate my niece and touch her inappropriately! Then you act innocently as if your affront would go unchecked! We are dealing with a family situation involving Dimah. You will not interfere! This is your only warning. Stay away from Dimah, or you will be dealt with.”
Nick knelt down next to Deke, stroking the dog in an affectionate way he could see angered the two in front of him. “I am sorry you had to confront me on this issue, Sir. My daughter noticed how strangely sad Ms. Kader has been while teaching her class. She begged me to find out what had upset your niece so badly. I obliged. I was of course unaware of any internal family problems. Please accept my heartfelt apologies in this matter. I will of course refrain from any further contact with your niece.”
Naseer pointed at Nick, who was rendering an incredible performance of being contrite. “Do not forget! This is your only warning!”
“I understand completely, Sir.” Nick watched the two stomp through the sand toward the stone steps, and exit the beach. He kept stroking Deke, whispering calming praise. Deke had saved him from having to simply execute the two right on the beach.
“Gee… I wonder how in the fuck they knew exactly where to find us,” Rachel said.
“There are obviously eyes on the school,” Nick replied. “Dimah is in a lot of danger. That those two would trek uninvited here to the Point with more than threatening in mind is a bad sign. We have to pack our things and go check on Joe. He’s the only way they could have found out where we might be after checking our house. If they messed with him, they will be a long time dying.”
Gus and Rachel did as Nick suggested without a word. Nick had spoken in Terminator voice. Light conversation played no part from now on. His two sidekicks trusted Nick’s instincts without question. Gus remembered instantly what had happened when he questioned Nick’s sixth sense. Nick enfolded Deke’s face in his hands.
“You will get steak tonight, my very good friend. That was an incredible intervention, buddy. Thank you.”
In response, Deke licked Nick’s face, and sauntered ahead as if acknowledging the compliment and displaying a ‘no big deal’ end to it.
Gus and Rachel followed Nick as he wordlessly kept pace with Deke. They knew the cold blooded killer woke with the Naseer visit. There would be no more talk or discussion in handling abstract scenarios. The Kaders had breeched their Pacific Grove plateau. They knew Nick hadn’t yet decided how exactly he would seal the breech, but they knew he would decide soon, and hell on earth would follow in the process.
*
Naseer Kader awoke with a painful breathtaking force on his chest. His eyes widened as he gasped for breath in wheezing attempts for air, arms pinned under the bed covers. The knee at his chest eased slightly. Naseer, drawing in air with quick noisy intakes, focused on the masked form over him. Dread, all too late, rampaged through both his mind and body.
“Please…” Naseer croaked out. His head whipped over toward his wife. She slept on in pleasant ignorance.
“Don’t worry about your wife, Uncle Naseer,” Nick whispered. “I gave her a little something to keep her sleeping peacefully while you and I have our little talk. My friend Joe said you threatened him and his family until he told you we were at Otter’s Point. That was a no/no, Naseer. No one approaches my family or friends without paying. That you did it without any fear makes me think you have too many connections. You’re going to tell me what those connections are, Uncle Naseer. Don’t worry. I know you and your wife live alone. She will not interrupt us. How did you know we are friends with Joe Montenegro at the Monte Café?”
“Get off. I will tell you nothing!”
“I’m glad you said that, Uncle.” Nick’s knee pressed into Naseer’s diaphragm to the point the man under him began to pass out. Nick eased pressure again, air rushing back into the gasping Naseer. “We have many hours until morning. I can do this all night long.”
“The janitor! I…I bribed the janitor.”
“What’s his name, Uncle?”
“Heredia…Santino Heredia.”
“So if you stop paying Santino, he’ll stop watching right?”
“Yes… I’ll stop paying him.”
Yeah I’ll bet you would, Nick thought. “Do you pay him or does your son pay him?”
“I pay him. Let me go. I have money.”
“How did you know to ask over at the Monte Café, when you decided to confront us with your son at the beach? Santino gave you my name I imagine, and then you found my address. You went to my house… and then?”
“When no one answered, we asked your neighbor. She was working on her garden, and told me you always walk down to Otter’s Point. She had seen you, a black man, and your wife walk by her yard with beach chairs and a bag. She said your wife worked at the Café. We confirmed it with the Café owner. That is all… let me-”
Nick’s knee returned to pressure Naseer’s chest, but also he covered Uncle Naseer’s nose and mouth with gloved right hand until only blank staring eyes of death returned Nick’s gaze. He then positioned Naseer into a comfortable pose on his side. Nick looked at his watch. It was only one in the morning. He called Gus.”