Between Right and Wrong Page 5

  Roo turned out to be a great traveler. Always ready to go get in the truck. Always ready to get in the boat. “If I could be so lucky to find a girl like that, I would marry her.” Phil thought, then realized what he was thinking, “No, now what’s wrong with me. There isn’t a girl like that.”

  After leaving a message, Phil waited for a response from Mickey. They needed to meet and have a long talk. The vet had called after the surgery to let Phil know Roo would be ok. The eye socket was sewn shut so he wouldn’t have to worry about infection.

  The doorbell rang. While Phil was in no mood for company, he trudged to the front door and swung it open.

  “Well, hello stranger,” Pam smiled. She could sense gloom in Phil. “Say, where is Roo?”

  “At the vet,” Phil cringed at the thought of his best friend’s tragedy.

  “Phil, what is it? Is he ok?” Pam’s brow was furrowed.

  “Someone shot him.”

  “Oh, Phil, is he?”

  “No, he lost an eye, but he should be ok.”

  “Phil you know I will help any way I can. He’s such a special boy.” She was sobbing.

  Without thinking, Phil reached out and hugged Pam. He needed it more than she did. He had never thought of just how much Roo meant to him, and now the thought of losing him brought out emotions that normally were subdued. Pam was hugging him tightly. The realization of just how intimate the hug became made Phil pull back.

  “Thank you Pam. The vet hasn’t told me what the treatment is yet, but you are a good friend for offering. I really could use your help.”

  “Oh, Phil, for crying out loud, half the time I feed him and walk him for you. It’s as much the way I feel about him as it is how much I like you.”

  “Pam, we never got that talk in.” her words brought Phil back to the reality staring him in the face. “Maybe we should sit down now.”

  CHAPTER 8

  “You are right Phil. We haven’t really had 2 minutes since the party and you left before I could talk to you. So, before you give me the good and righteous sermon, let me explain a thing or two.” She was stern. Phil was accustom to the happy go lucky Pam, but now she had an authoritative tone.

  “Ok Pam, you have the floor.”

  “I don’t know how to start.” Pam was pacing and looking as nervous as any time Phil could remember. “You know Don and I are not from here.”

  “I gathered from the accent, or lack thereof.” Phil smiled.

  “I couldn’t tell you of this until recently. So I don’t want you to think of me as, well as a liar.”

  “Now you have me curious, Pam.”

  “Ok, I’m just going to say it….Don and I are not married.” She stood in front of where he sat, wringing her hands in nervous habit and shuffling her feet about.

  Phil was a little taken off guard and even more curious so he consciously closed his mouth. He thought she was going to say their marriage was all wrong or some other pitiful justification to her behavior. Her words took him by surprise.

  “Don is my brother.” Now he was really surprised.

  “Last thing I would have thought.” Phil spewed. “Are you from part of the country where that sort of dating is ok?”

  Pam busted out a laugh. “Oh my goodness, Phil! No! I mean are you serious?” Her nervousness brought her out of character.

  “No, Pam, I’m just joking. You really know how to break news.” There was a strange twinge in his chest that he tried to suppress as vulnerability, given the situation.

  “You shouldn’t tell anyone yet. The truth is, Don has been testifying in Missouri. The DA brought us here for protection and to separate us from the news folks. It’s complicated, and I don’t know the whole story, but I am Don’s only living family, so I had to uproot and come here with him. Apparently the people Don is testifying against have a tendency to be violent.”

  “Is Pam your real name?” Phil was realizing he really did have feelings for her, but never allowed himself to think of her romantically.

  “No, but for now can you trust me enough to call me Pam? For a while longer, then I can tell you everything.”

  “Two questions.”

  “Ok, Phil, I will do my best.”

  “Are you on the right side of the law or the side where you could go to jail?”

  “I’ve never even gotten a traffic ticket.”

  “Second question. Why are you telling me this?”

  “Because, I really like you Phil, a lot; and well, I’ve been dying to for a long time, and now I finally can explain so…….”

  “So what?”

  “Like I said, I really like you Phil. I think we could maybe, I don’t know, um, date? Get to know each other better?” Pam was blushing. A tear was in her eye. “I was afraid you would find someone before I got a chance to tell you how I feel.”

  “Thank you Pam.”

  “Thank you? I don’t understand.”

  “Pam, thank you for telling me. I know it was not easy and you put your heart out there. The truth is, I really like you too, but I wouldn’t want to get in the middle of anyone’s marriage. Also, the neighborhood all thinks you and Don are married, so us dating could look messy.”

  Pam smiled, “soooo, you want to date?” She looked like a teenage girl on a first date, blushing and smiling shyly.

  Phil felt himself blush as well. “I, I guess I do.” Phil grinned, “After all, you pass the Roo test. That dog is seldom wrong.”

  Tears welled up in Pam’s eyes, “That precious dog,” She was across the room hugging Phil again.

  “Ok Pam, or whatever your name is, let’s behave until Don is through and we can fix the neighbor situation.”

  “Phil, I will find a way. It won’t be too long, I think.” Pam was smiling broadly as she touched his face gently with the palm of her hand.

  He allowed himself to really look at her, “My gosh, she is beautiful,” Phil found himself thinking.

  “You are hurt!” Pam grabbed his arm and turned it to see the damage from the shotgun pellet. “Let me work on that wound!” her brow was furrowed and she was obviously shaken by the sight of the hole and blood.

  Back from the master bathroom, Pam had gauze, tape, and salve.

  “How did you know where to find that?” Phil knew the answer.

  “I warned you long ago how nosy I am. Not telling what I know about the mysterious Mr. Warner.” She was enjoying the tease; Phil was not. There was a twinge inside of his chest that wondered just what she knew.

  The phone rang. Phil answered. It was the vet office, letting Phil know it was ok to pick up Roo early the next day.

  “Can I come along?” Pam asked.

  “Sure, Pam. Roo will be happy to see you. Don’t tell your husband.” Phil chuckled.

  As they drove to the vet the next morning, they small talked during the forty five minute drive. Phil found himself telling her of his military time, the unclassified version, and Pam talked of her dreams to be a first grade teacher someday. The trip seemed so much shorter with Pam’s company.

  Roo bustled with excitement when he saw Phil, running across the room wagging his body and whining like a baby would cry. Phil’s tears fell on Roo’s face as he looked at the stitched eye socket and thought of how close he came to losing his beautiful boy. Pam was crying and smiling at the same time. She lovingly petted and talked to Roo has he lavished the love he was receiving from the two of them. Roo reached up and licked Pam’s face as she bent over to hug him.

  After the Vet finished Roo’s care instructions and set a follow up appointment, they drove back to Dallas together, Roo hogging the middle so he could get love from both of them. Even with all he survived, Roo acted as if it was any other day. He was so happy to see Phil and Pam, one wouldn’t know he was wounded and recovering.

  At the house, Roo settled in, though he walked differently and was slower to move about in the back yard. In the house, the dog acted as if he still had vision in both eyes. Pam helped settle Roo back home
, straightening up the crate where he slept and putting fresh water and food in his bowls. After she finished she said goodbye and gave Phil a quick excited hug then went out the door and back home.

  Phil returned to the photos he had saved from the Elm Street spy-cams. He was looking for the man with the tattoo and any other things he might have missed previously. Convinced there was some type of connection with the shooting and this group of cons at the property, Phil went through all the photos and his old notes. The photos were time and date stamped, so he took the time to write down the times and dates of deliveries, boxes moving to the sub-basement, and crew sizes for each day. Finally, reviewing notes corresponding to photographs, Phil noticed something he had missed before. One man never had a tool, box, or work cart in his possession. He was a dark haired white man with a round face that never smiled. Also, unlike the other workers, he never wore a short sleeved shirt. His arms were always covered. And, finally, he was the man most often seen talking to Paul, though it was obvious the man was only at the property certain days.

  Phil had a meeting with Mickey set up for that evening. They would meet in the back isle of a local furniture store. The business was large and they could stand behind the cabinets where they could see if anyone was watching or approached them. Phil tucked the photos in his jacket and left the house. Parking a couple of blocks away, at a bar, Phil walked to the store, cautious of anyone following him. No one was.

  The meeting was short and to the point. Mickey confirmed the man in the photos name was Brad Revis. He had not been with the contractor long but rumor was he and Paul had a long history together. The reasoning was based on the fact that Brad never had to do any of the work. He came and spoke to Paul, sometimes hung around in the breakroom, and left. Mickey said Brad was never friendly and often wouldn’t even look you in the eye, which seemed strange for a convict, as it was a sign of weakness in prison and often would get you beat up or bullied.

  “One last thing Mickey. I need to know if this man has a particular tattoo.”

  “Dang boss, we all got tattoos.”

  “This one is different. Two pyramids pointing to each other like an hour glass. One triangle has what looks like tears in it.”

  Mickey’s eyes widened and face paled a little. “Mr. Phil I don’t know. He always wears long sleeves”

  “Mickey I never said it was on his arms.” Phil could feel an anger building, thinking Mickey was holding out on him.

  “Mr. Phil, I will try to find out, but, you know what that tattoo means don’t you?”

  “No Mickey, I don’t, except I need to know if this Brad has one.” Phil said sternly.

  “That tattoo is special. I mean it isn’t one someone randomly selects. It belongs to a group of folks, not a gang, but one of the old mob families. If Brad has one, he is really connected.”

  “What about Paul? Does he have one?”

  “No, not that I’ve seen. Normally they are on the lower arm, right above a shirt cuff. Paul rolls his sleeves up sometimes and I can double check, but I’m pretty sure it’s not there. If Brad has one, he’s probably not taking orders from Paul, just the opposite, I would think.”

  “Let me know, Mickey. You’ve been a lot of help, thanks.”

  “Mr. Phil?”

  ‘Yes Mickey?”

  “You the Law? You must be or why would you care so much?”

  Phil laughed at the thought. “No Mickey. I promise you, I am not a police officer, or any other kind of officer. I just hold a grudge. And that is all you need to know.”

  “Hell of a grudge. Hope it doesn’t kill you.” Mickey waved goodbye.

  “Mickey.”

  “Yes sir?”

  “What’s in the boxes?”

  “They won’t let us alone with them. So whatever it is, is valuable or damnable. I only see them going to the basement, but then they seem to disappear. I will keep on the lookout and let you know if I learn anything.”

  “Thanks Mickey. Keep in touch.”

  CHAPTER 9

  The day arrived for the ‘job’ the Gent had sent Phil. Coded in the magazine was the GPS coordinates to a stump where Phil would find the final instructions and information needed to work. A picture of a tall stump in one of the articles would be the place of hiding for the envelope and the GPS location. As usual Phil drove to the locked storage and traded his Volvo in for the truck. His truck was plain and white with no unusual markings, factory wheels and tires. This was by design. Nothing unusual in case he was spotted. There were hundreds of vehicles with the same description. Once Phil retrieved the envelope, he went to a service station to open it and read what was inside. As usual, there was a picture of the target, money and a map. A small dialog told Phil the person’s crime. Other information included the address, a layout of the property, and the target’s likelihood of violence.

  Phil listed his steps for the job and studied the layout. This would not be as simple as the last one. The target owned a business, though he had gone to jail for about ten years for rape, the original charge was statutory rape of a 16 year old girl. When the girl wouldn’t testify, another woman had come forward and the DA had made that charge stick. Police had said the man was a serial rapist but could not substantiate as most of the victims were dead. Today the man lived in a half million dollar home and apparently all of the comforts he desired. He was supposed to be alone this particular evening, according to the notes. Phil wondered how the Gent would know such things. As Phil developed his plan, he recalled how his military missions had offered more options. Collateral damage was encouraged to the enemy where these jobs had to be precise to insure innocent people would not get hurt. It would be easy to make the terrace fall, or the car brakes not respond, but someone innocent could get hurt and that was not part of the plan.

  Phil sent out the drone. Its camera gave excellent images at heights where it could not be heard or seen especially on a moonless night like tonight. The house was clear, except for the un-expecting host. Luckily bachelors don’t spend money on window treatments, Phil thought. He was able to see in almost every room. Phil put the drone back in the truck. He was down the blocks and over the fence in full black clothing, mask included, and found an outside electrical outlet in less than a minute. He had broken the ground prong off the new extension cord he brought with him. This would prevent a ground fault outlet from activating when the cord shorted. The back yard was well landscaped with small bushes and brick paths through the grass. Crouching behind a bush, he waited for the man to take his evening swim. While he waited, Phil was scrubbing the cord on the side of a brick to rub off the insulation near the cord’s plug.

  After a couple of hours the man walked out of the French doors from the house leading to the pool. He was overweight, with a pot belly and fat jowls. And he was nude, wearing nothing but a couple of rings on the fingers of each hand.

  “An image I could have done without.” Phil thought.

  The man was talking on the phone, which Phil notice the phone was in his right hand. The conversation seemed to be business.

  “I told you to clear out the inventory, damn it! You can’t hold on to these things this long and hope to be successful. Close it out now or I will close you!” He hung up the cell phone and slammed it down on the patio table, then walked down the pool steps and into the water. Phil let him go from one end to the other several times before plugging in the extension cord and walking up to the edge of the pool.

  When the man saw Phil, his eyes widened with fright.

  Phil tossed the cord to the man’s right hand and said, “Catch!”

  The man reacted by catching the cord. A good catch but a final catch. The electricity finished him immediately. Phil ran over and jumped the fence. He was down the blocks and around the corner to his truck in mere seconds; taking off the facemask and black shirt as he ran. He had insured there were no cameras that could catch his image on the path he chose. He was also sure the target had cameras on his property, but was certain the
pictures could never identify him. It was safer to allow the images to be recorded than chance leaving some evidence in the house as he searched for the recorder.

  He discarded the clothes and notes in the usual manner, leaving nothing for anyone to find. Following the steps he had determined before the job, Phil ended up at the storage unit with a clean truck and a tired body. A storm was rolling in. Phil could smell the rain in the air. As he traded the truck out for the Volvo, a power outage shut down all the lights in and around the unit. With caution, he closed up the storage door and locked it, getting back in the Volvo, he thought how it was much easier to do things with the lights on. It was at that moment he realized the day he was ambushed in the Elm Street building, the power was off, but all the pictures he had from the trail cameras and his other visits, the lights were on.

  Very strange, he thought, “now why didn’t I realized that before now? Did someone expect me there?”

  There were so many things happening. The power outage, the ambush, Mickey, the boxes, the phone call, and the shooting; something has to add all this up. But what? And why was this building so important to someone? So far the information Mickey was able to provide was miniscule in comparison the answers needed. Also, he had not heard from Gary since they visited the building. For a matter of fact, he hadn’t seen Gary at work since that day either.