A few minutes later the door chimes sounded. Nick went into his upstairs safe-room to check the front door monitor, and retrieve the ‘Hack Chip’ from his safe. After arming himself with a .45 caliber Colt automatic, he returned, making a come along gesture at Gus. “It’s Brody.”
Downstairs, Nick opened the front door, beckoning Brody inside. “Any reason Carol didn’t come herself, since she’s only in Sacramento?”
Brody turned after Nick shut the door. “I don’t know, Nick. She said you were in contact with her. Carol is still in Sacramento. Do you want to double check with her?”
“She gave you an envelope to give to me. Let me have it.” Nick watched Brody cover up his initial surprise with admirable dexterity.
Brody then went for his weapon. Nick drove his nose bone into his brain with a vicious right hand palm strike. It lifted Brody slightly and propelled the man backward to the floor, where Nick followed, ripping off his own pullover shirt. He wrapped Brody’s head in the shirt as the body twitched in its last signals of death.
“Get me some garbage bags, Gus. They’re under the sink.”
“Jesus, Nick! Why the hell was he drawing on you?”
“He didn’t have the feather I told you about. Carol’s dead. Oh, and bring the duct tape from the drawer on the right hand side of the sink. There are black disposable gloves in the same drawer. Bring us a couple pair.”
By the time Gus returned, Nick had stripped everything out of Brody’s pockets. With Gus’s help, Nick wrapped Brody in a neat duct taped, black garbage bag package. He had been fast enough with the shirt wrap, no blood had been lost on the floor. Nick retrieved the key fob from the pile of Brody’s belongings. He went to the door, and beeped Brody’s Mercury Murano unlocked.
“Open up my garage, Gus, and I’ll back the Mercury in for the Brody.”
“I’m glad we left Deke on the deck where he didn’t have to witness yet another backslide by his drinking buddy.”
“I did everything I was supposed to do, and this greedy prick killed someone I at least respected. I’m sure he had visions of gaining a fortune, disappearing, and living his life out in some tropical paradise. He had a bad day, and we’re going to have a long one because of it. No use cryin’ over the proverbial spilled milk. I’ll see you in the garage.”
Nick went out and climbed inside the Murano with his gloves on. He checked the glove compartment to find out if the vehicle was registered to Brody or not. It was, so Nick took a moment to call Jerry Burkhart on his private line.
“Damn Nick, two in one week?”
“I’m afraid so my friend. I have a nice relatively new Mercury Murano for you if you’re interested. I need to take care of a little business first, but I could have it to you at five. It pays overtime for a Saturday service.”
“See you at five, brother. Damn, boy, you goin’ to make me rich if you keep this shit up.”
“This is one you can feel good about in a patriotic way, Jer.”
“No need to run old Glory up the flagpole. I’m in.”
Nick grinned and started the Murano. He drove around the corner to his garage entrance, backed the Mercury all the way inside, and waited until Gus closed the garage door before exiting. “Good news, Gus. I caught Jerry on a slow Saturday. He’ll meet us at his shop at five.”
“Yeah… that’s good news.” Gus opened the rear hatch. “You give any thought as to what your next move is after body and vehicle disposal?”
“Yep. It’s time to get back in touch with our US Marshal friends, Tim and Grace. They’ve made their way up in the world of justice. The destruction of Frank’s covert empire, and the information garnered from Rachel’s purloined computer USB drive rocked the government world in favor of our two favorite peace officers. I plan to collect on the debt.”
Gus and Nick carried Brody’s body out to the Murano, and jammed him against the rear seat. Nick added garage items, empty buckets, and a couple of tarps to fill the space. Nick drove out to the Crypt of Horror in Carmel Valley, where they deposited Ty Brody in the freezer with the other freezer bunkmates.
“We have to find a way to slow this down, Gus. We only have room for one more. Either that or we have to go on a long cruise and feed the fishes. See, this is what comes of playing games where you live… someone always gets hurt.”
“Let’s meet with Jerry, and then go get some sleep.”
“We have a few hours until we drop the Murano off. We’ll take a nap here.”
“In the Crypt of Horror?” Gus scanned his surroundings for a minute. “Screw it. Turn on the black lights and music. I’ll take gurney number one. You can take your pick of the others. Wake me when you need to, Mr. Alarm Clock.”
“Kader died on gurney one, Gus.”
Gus was already lying down on gurney one. “Do I look like I care?”
“That’s the spirit.”
*