Pieces of Truth

Chapter 10

Devon Lockley

~ ~ ~

Maybe the years had made me soft, but something about this felt wrong. I should have retired this year, moved across state, and found a nice cabin in which to spend my remaining time on this earth, fishing and hunting. I needed to find a place where I couldn’t see their faces anymore. The images that haunted me. It was my fate that one day my demons would come back to get me. I already knew where I would go once I met my end.

This would be my last job before my disappearing act, a common career end to many Lappell members. Faking our death and going into hiding. I should have just said no this time, but given what he knew and what he could do with it, I couldn’t. How he got that information, I’ll never know, but he somehow obtained it and I had to be careful. I had to maintain a steady course. I had to remember this wasn’t just about me or money, it was about safety for those I care about, and my allegiance to the Lappell.

Staring across the street, I watched Samuel Voltaggio. The Italian boy was the son of a very powerful man. He was known as an enforcer in their circle, but from what I had seen, he just kept to the business side of things within their organization. I had been keeping tabs on him with the rest of the Voltaggio group. Was he as dangerous as I was told? Not that I could see, but then again, I knew looks could be deceiving. He could be a cold-blooded killer and I would be none the wiser. I was the perfect example after all.

Over the past two months, I observed him frequent florists, ticket shops and jewelers. The type of places you go when you shower affection on your loved one, not when you had to enforce rules and punishment with his father’s particular type of business.

If he was capable of the horror I had been informed of, I hadn’t seen any such actions as yet. He just continued to frequent these shops and go to all these meetings with his group. What I did note was that something important was definitely going down where his family was concerned, something big, but it mustn’t have been bad, because the guy did not stop smiling.

I tipped my head and pressed it wearily up against the glass window of my Volvo, staring out. I was getting very tired of all this observation. Usually my directions were straight forward. Name, place, when, how. Quick and easy or slow and painful. It was how it always went. Now it was, wait for the call, follow the instructions, do what you are told and no one gets hurt. This was not a position I was used to, and being in it made me gravely uncomfortable. I didn’t like such variables because they always led to uncertain outcomes. Was it me, or was the youth of today more calculating than ever? They seemed more unpredictable than their predecessors. I knew I had to maintain my cool and just do what I had been told. Yes, this was something I had always done for the Lappell, and yes, I’d been paid a huge sum of money, but this wasn’t my usual deal. Something was off about this whole thing. How Kyser allowed this, I’ll never know, but then again, these sorts of games always did amuse him. I guess the higher up on the food chain you go, the admiration isn’t just for the hungry, but for the ones that go the extra mile to take a bite.

I felt the buzz in my slacks and rolled my eyes. I knew my actions at the club would result in this call. I snapped open my cell, and brought it to my ear.

“I gather this is about the club the other night?”

I gripped the steering wheel tighter, trying to keep my voice composed. I had quite the temper when I let it out, but this was not the situation to let my worst qualities fester at the surface.

“I had to. She saw my face. I had to drug her. I couldn’t risk it knowing the Voltaggio guy was there. Things could have gotten ugly, and she couldn’t be witness to anything. I know who her father is.”

I thought about the girl in the middle of this and what could happen if anything went wrong, and what her father would do. She needed to get away, and fast. I didn’t want to be associated with any of this if it all went south. I could lose everything and everyone.

“No, he didn’t see me.”

“Yes, I’m positive.”

“My associate was the one who got her to take the drink.”

“Perhaps it was the information about her favorite book that sealed the deal.”

“Yes I will keep tracking him. So when do you want me to...”

“Fine, but I wasn’t hired to watch you know.”

I snapped my cell closed. I relaxed back into the car seat and returned my gaze back to the Italian guy once again. He was laughing in the group as they mingled in front of a small cafe. My cell buzzed in my pocket once more. I almost didn’t pick it up, but quickly hit answer when I saw the name on the screen.

“Hey there, how are things?”

“You are? That’s great.”

“You know I can’t say why.”

“Yeah me too.”

“Don’t worry I will, and take care, OK. Remember what I told you to do. I will call you again soon.”

Well that was certainly the reminder I needed right now. I couldn’t forget what was at stake here. I just need to get into the mindset that this was my last job. Then I will be gone, and I’ll make sure my new destination remains a secret. There was no way I was going to be put into this kind of position again. I would go past Kyser if I had to. I had been around longer than him anyway. There were people much higher on the ladder and with more power. I didn’t need his help to disappear. I did feel more comforted with the hope this would be over soon. I just had to do my best to try and relax while watching the Voltaggio kid.

I stared out of the car again, and saw that Samuel and some of his group had gone into another store called Ronoldo’s Menswear.

Oh great! Now I get to see him try on suits. What fun!