“Yeah, I’m really sure that’s eating at you,” Nick replied. “Spit it out before Gus, John, and Dan get back from paying off our helpers, and cautioning them all to stay low key. One thing you’ll have to realize is I’ll be meeting obligations for book signings in four different venues between here and Centalia. I will not be in Pacific Grove for two weeks.”
“We have a problem in Santa Cruz with a mob guy opening a protection racket down on the Boardwalk area motels. You’ve been there I’m sure with as close as it is to you. The motels in the area are old, and have a seedy worn out look about them. One of our people in the Witness Protection program works as a manager at one of them. She claims this guy, Chino Salermo is using one of the gangs in the area to shake down the small independent motel owners. We were told to stay out of it, and let the local police handle it. The only problem is our witness is due to testify in the murder case they built in New York City against Lino Verducci. Tim and I figured we’d yank our witness out of Santa Cruz, but she has a couple of teenage boys who love it there. She says if we move her, she won’t testify.”
“So give her a stipend to stay on a vacation leave until she testifies against Lino. Nice catch by the way. The East River in New York probably has at least a score of weighted bodies who crossed Lino. If you minions of justice would think about using… hey… wait a minute. I smell a rat. Why would you two be fretting over a WITSEC problem? You two are head district honchos now. After this Seattle Ripper exposure, you two will be golden at the DOJ. Why aren’t you ordering full time US Marshal protectors for this sweet-pea in Santa Cruz from your staff of minions? C’mon, tell Uncle Nicky the whole story or Uncle Nicky walks away right now. I’m tired of being fed this crap one factoid at a time.”
“I told you Grace. Tell him.”
“I should turn in my badge for even thinking it. That’s why,” Grace admitted. “This is the first time Salermo has surfaced in two years. We think he was hiding out in Columbia. Salermo worked for Verducci as a mob enforcer a few years back. He killed my Uncle Joe in New York when Joe wouldn’t pay protection money on his bakery in Queens. Salermo ordered the hit through a street gang near Joe’s shop. The cops got the ‘banger that did the killing, but couldn’t indict Salermo even though they got the ‘banger to point the finger at him. The kid was shanked at Rikers while waiting for the DA to make up his mind whether to deal for Salermo. The prick disappeared until now. Word was he’s been in Columbia making contacts for Verducci.”
“You have my attention,” Nick replied. “I don’t like coincidences either. Are you thinking Salermo’s staking out the Santa Cruz area for Verducci, and possibly taking out the key witness against Lino? That would mean either you have another leak in the program or your witness screwed up. Which is it?”
“One of the damn teenagers called his old girlfriend back in New York on a burner phone, so he thought he was cool like in the movies. Chino doesn’t know who the witness is yet, but it’s only a matter of time. We did exactly like you advised, and had our witness take a leave of absence. She’ll probably have to make a decision – die in Santa Cruz or let us relocate her to New Mexico or some other desert spot.” Grace pointed at Nick, who was smiling. “I know what you’re thinking, you prick.”
“No you don’t. If you knew what I was thinking, you’d probably try and arrest me.”
Grace gestured with her hand in a come on fashion. “Lay it on me, Muerto.”
“I’m thinking of the look on Rachel’s face when I tell her I’m going to Santa Cruz when we get back to Pacific Grove, and kill Chino Salermo. Then, I’m going to New York and kill Lino Verducci just so I can do it, tell you I’m doing it, give this woman’s life back to her, and turn the justice system upside down.”
“Works for me,” Tim stated.
“Tim?” Grace turned on her partner with a look of shock.
“Oh come on, Grace. Get the stunned look off your face. If you didn’t want Nick to do exactly what he outlined just now, or something very close to it, what the hell did you expect him to do – go to Santa Cruz and hold the woman’s hand?”
“He’s doing it again! He’s spewing out killer solutions outside the law, and rubbing our noses in it.”
“He’s rubbing in a whole lot of payback for your Uncle Joe too. I don’t mind pretending the law works,” Tim said. “When crimes are committed by run of the mill people, the law works pretty well. Where gangs can reach into our prisons, kill witnesses, terrorize potential witnesses, and do whatever the hell they want, I get a little tired of mouthing the mantra of working within the law. The people who wrote the laws never imagined the day where organized crime would simply kill anyone who made the laws work. If Nick hadn’t brought in his own crew to trap the Ripper, we would have never gotten him either.”
“We’ve sold our souls to the devil,” Grace muttered, her head down.
“That’s the spirit,” Nick said. “Hey… I think I resent that.”
Chapter Fourteen
Book Signings and Justice