“Yep. I know that bitch. Tell Momma what she said.”
Jean cleared her throat comically, and launched into her incredibly good Clarice imitation she had perfected over the years with the slight Boston high class drawl. Coupled with her perfect mimic of Clarice’s facial tics, it was an entertaining delivery. “Really, Jean? You’re speaking of blackmailing me to obtain your help, dear? I…I’m the victim here. Can we not work together to fix this despicable crime against me without a hidden agenda on your part? You’ve been like a daughter to Phil and I.”
Momma went off again while the others were enjoying Jean’s show. Back went the hair, buttons undone, and shirttail out once again. “Oh…oh no she didn’t! She did not play the ‘like a daughter’ card! Momma gonna’ fry her grits for that one. Momma gonna’ bitch slap her so hard, it’ll kill Snow White and all seven of her dwarfs. War has been declared!”
Nick fronted Rachel with calming motions as the outburst amused everyone else. “Easy Momma. Jean hasn’t told us what she said in answer to Clarice. We need the rest of the story. We’ll get to the retribution part after we solve this dilemma.”
Rachel took a deep breath and pointed at Nick. “Listen to me closely, Nicky Pooh. If you ever pay another country club fee for those two dead beat hustlers, you’d best learn to sleep with one eye open cause Momma gonna’ tuck you in without some of your parts.”
Nick hugged her to him. “Done deal. That damn ‘like a daughter’ shot killed the country club golden goose. Now sit down with me, and let’s hear the rest of the story.”
Nick refreshed their drinks. Although he enjoyed the hell out of the interaction between Rachel and Jean, he would not touch the case without Jean’s assurance they would be relieving the Salvatores of their enemies database. “Go on, Jean.”
Jean patted her Mom’s shoulder. “I told Clarice if Sonny wasn’t her son, I would break every bone in her face for saying that. Then I told her we would have the database and all copies or she could kiss my ass. Then I walked out, telling her to call me if she decides to abide by my terms in writing, including a confession to creating the enemies database in the first place as my insurance.”
Jean grinned as Rachel pumped her fist. “That’s not all. She has to read the statement and sign it while on a digital recording. I thought Clarice was going to have a stroke. She was still gasping for air when I left. Phil called me today. He told me they agree to the terms, but he was disappointed in me. I told Phil he could shove his disappointment up his ass, and one more phrase like that and I’d help Cameron bury him.”
Jean was soaking up the laughs she garnered from her audience until she saw her Dad’s eyes. The killing beast she knew to be lurking only slightly below the surface still warred for control of her affable Father. She knew in an instant what solution crossed his mind about ending an enemies database and the people who created it. The solution would have nothing to do with extricating Phil and Clarice from anything other than life. “Don’t think about it, Dad! I’m serious. This is just business. You know how Phil is.”
“Yeah… I know how Phil is.” The silence after the statement ended the light hearted moment.
“They’re Sonny’s Dad and Mom, Muerto,” Gus said quietly.
“He’s a great kid,” John added.
Nick breathed in deeply as Rachel gripped his hand with a smile. “I know. If we’re doing this we have to have Sonny on board even if it’s for no other reason than to keep me from slitting his parents’ throats. We need him on the inside of the Salvatore home. Otherwise those flakes will find some way to screw us. If that’s a problem Jean, then we need to bail on this now.”
“Okay, Dad. I’ll call him tomorrow. Do you have some thoughts on how we proceed?”
“Yep. We find the boy in the movie first. Once we have the kid safely in our custody, we go after the film crew. We’re going to make it so Douglas Cameron couldn’t run for dog catcher even with the enemies database. We’ll start fresh in the morning after we talk to Sonny. Then we find that boy.”
“I’ll go over the film tonight,” Quinn said. “I may be able to get a line on the crew that did the filming by comparing their work on a broad scale spectrum.
Just then, a little white ball of fur with a huge head peeked into the room with a curious bark. Nick patted his leg. “C’mon, Sam, you can come in now.”
The puppy ran full speed and leaped into Nick’s lap, standing on his hind legs with forepaws on the table, looking around at the others as if he were calling a meeting into session.
“It’s time for the chairman of the board to walk down to the beach. Want to accompany us, Momma?”
Rachel patted the dog’s head. “Sure. You know if Sam’s body ever grows into proportion to his head, he’s going to be about twice Deke’s size.”