| Mystery and Crime Fiction posted July 23, 2014 | Chapters: |
...27 28 -29- 30... 
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Plans for the money, shots ring out.
A chapter in the book Bel Air: A Bard's Guide
Plans and More Plans, Shots Fired!
by michaelcahill
| Background Kidnapping and child trafficking. A homeless, mentally ill poet is on the case. All is in good hands. Millions at stake. |
Previously, the Bard, Lucy and Tenaya were on the trail of the transponder that they hope is with either the cat or cat carrier that is with Barry and on its way to Elsa who has Angela. Elsa is with Angela at the farmhouse where they have found two children squating on the property and now has them hostage as well. Barry is about to arrive and the detectives aren't far behind him. We continue now as Barry arrives at the farmhouse.
~~~~~~~~The farmhouse
Elsa got up to answer the hard incessant knocking at the front door.
She yanked the door open and Barry, holding the worse for wear cat box holding Samson, stumbled through the door his hand still in mid knock.
"Christ, Elsa, you knew I was almost here. Why didn't you just leave the door open?"
Elsa grabbed the cat box. "Well, look what the cat dragged in." She ignored Barry, reached in the box, and pulled out a willing Samson. "Whew! Have you ever heard of cleaning, you pig. Damn. How could you let this poor thing live like this. How would you like it? Don't answer. An animal like you wouldn't even notice."
"Meow." You're no daisy yourself, ma. But, anything's an improvement over him.
Barry spotted Angela and the two newcomers on the couch. "There's miss moneybags herself. Who the hell are these two miscreants?"
"Oh, them? Squatters. They were here making themselves at home when we arrived. Not sure what to do with them. They took all of our merchandise at the school. That whole operation is finito. I bet those kids sang like a choir... the staff too. Well, with Winston in custody I don't know what the play is. They have him guarded like he was the next coming. Fools. All those kids in one place. Well, I'm not going anywhere near there. It's gotta be hotter than hell's easy bake oven. These two, I don't know. We'll hold on to 'em for now. They give us any trouble, they're gone. Orphans. No one'll miss 'em"
Angela heard all of that. "They told me the Marshall comes out and brings them food once a week, milk and such. He's gonna wonder if they're not here. Got grandparents too. They just didn't want to burden them."
"Yeah, sure, moneybags. You haven't said a word to 'em. Ya think I'm an idiot. Nice try. If I off 'em, I'll make sure you watch and I'll let you bury 'em. You think law enforcement would leave two children out in the wilderness to starve? If they had grandparents, they'd be sittin' on their knees right now, not wishin' they'd a stayed out under a tree in the hills somewhere. Bringin' em milk. Christ eatin' a pickle!" Elsa smiled at Angela in the manner of a demon from hell, or that is what Angela imagined a demon from hell would sport for a smile.
Angela whispered to the two terrified girls, "Don't you worry. I'll protect you. I won't let that bitch lay a finger on you. My friends are coming. She'll be sorry." I'll get you myself, bitch. If it's the last damn thing I do. The last… damn thing.
~~~~~~~Lucy's car
"No, this is it. About a mile in through these trees. Google Maps shows an old farmhouse beyond this stand of trees. That has to be it. An old house… a barn. There's hills surrounding it. We can circle around behind unseen. That's our play as soon as the sun goes down. Yes?"
The Bard looked skeptical.
Lucy smiled. "What Tenaya said sounded pretty sound. What is it?"
Tenaya started laughing. "Yes! We get it for God's sake. Cat… atonic. One of your best bits. Now, I say we park right here and go on foot. Hide the car in these trees, yes?"
The Bard and a still laughing Lucy nodded in the affirmative.
~~~~~~~~~The eight floor Caesar's Palace
Ruby jumped at the sound of the phone. She wasn't the only one. Electronic equipment was switched on and a hush came over the room before the signals to hush could even be completed.
Ruby waited for the third ring and nervously answered. "Hello. Yes, I have it. The whole twenty-two." Ruby watched as one of the detectives made a signal that she took to mean stretch out the conversation. "I want to speak to Angela. Then we talk business. I have to hear her voice… "She watched one of the detectives put his foot down and fold his arms. "No. No. Put her on the phone. How do I even know she is alive? I'm not… Angela! Are you all right? This is Ruby… it's a long story. Don't worry honey… we're gonna… Damn it! Okay. Okay. What are your instructions?" One of the detectives was practically jumping up and down now. She nodded. "What was that? You're breaking up. No. No. Don't do anything crazy. I have the money. No. No. No cops. Just Mr. Blackwell. Yes, Junior. I understand. The money. Then you'll release her. But, how will… hello… hello… Shit! She hung up. Was that enough time? Was it enough? She sounded strong, Harpster. She sounded strong."
"Where do we drop the money? Where is Angela?"
"Utah. Just like Tenaya said. They are right on their ass. I have to fly there and drop the money at a Mormon Church. I have the address here."
Harpster got on his phone. "Get the jet ready. Utah. Now. Get the clearances. Emergency. We are on our way. Don't take no. We're taking off, they'll have to shoot us down if they don't like it."
~~~~~~~The abandoned farmhouse
Elsa punched in some numbers on her phone. "Time to get paid. Okay. Let's get this going. Do you have all the money? She's fine. You don't need to talk to her. There's no time for that. Crap. You say hello. That's it. Come here, brat."
Angela rushed over and grabbed the phone, "Hello. I'm okay. Who are you? Oh… are you going to get me… hey! bitch… "
"Okay. There's your little talk. Now listen carefully. Here's where you drop the money. When we get the money, we release the brat, get it? Don't play games. I can kill her right now if you think you want to try and trace the call. The Mormon Church. Elksburg City. There's only one. The last pew on the right. Just leave it. Her father deliver's it and leaves. I see anyone else, the milkman an alien from Mars… she's dead." Elsa hung up the phone and turned to Barry. "The money is on the way. We get that money, we are gone. I don't know what happened to your darling Susan and I don't give a damn. I've had enough of brats to last me a lifetime. We could tie em up and leave 'em here to rot. We could be humane."
"I'm not one to increase the heat. Let's leave 'em. Maybe they'll find them. Killing kids isn't something I'm particularly fond of." Barry looked at the kids and tried to give them some kind of reassuring look as though they weren't serious.
Angela knew that Elsa had made up her mind. She planned to fight when the time came. She planned to look for a moment before that time. She was committed. I'm gonna get that bitch or die tryin'.
Barry looked thoughtful. "There has to be over a hundred kids at that compound. With Winston out of the picture, that is ours for the taking. That's just this one location. That's a lot to walk away from. It's yours to command, you know. That's how everybody sees it. If you showed up there, they'd jump at orders from you as though they came from Winston himself."
"Yeah, sure. But, hell, if I'm right there are more cops watchin' that compound then there are at a special screening of the Untouchables. It's sundown. C'mon girls. Let's go enjoy the sunset." Elsa had her gun out and pointed at Angela and the two other girls. They rose and headed towards the back door.
Barry sat stoically, looking unhappy, but remaining silent.
A few moments' later three shots rang out in the crisp night air.
Rambling towards an ending somewhere in the near future perhaps. Any ideas or thoughts? All input and suggestions considered. Real life has been slowing me down a bit. Will try and get caught up and back on track. Thanks for your help and patience. mikey
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