Chapter 26 Religion Changes The Game
“Alright, Marvin, let’s get this body to the morgue,” Brick said as the chief of police walked in.
“STANTON!” he screamed. “What in the blue-blazes happened here? I’ve seen six different ambulances leave.
“Well, sir, this is a long story and I’ve been giving you monthly reports on my investigation of the Marsden Money Laundering and their involvement with the Pendergast Family.”
“What’s that got to do with the carnage outside and the ambulances?!” the chief demanded.
“Everything. That man there,” he said pointing down to the body bag laying on the floor just inside Greg’s door.
“That was ‘The Enforcer.’ The most dreaded hitman in mafia history with over four hundred thirty confirmed kills credited to him. He’s been targeting Greg Garrelson for months, which is in my report. ”
“And that explains the carnage?” the chief asked impatiently.
“I’m getting there, Chief. Do you remember that shot up and rear-ended mini-limo?”
“Yeah, what about it?”
“It was carrying Greg Garrelson and his girlfriend Veronica LaFayette at the time that ‘The Enforcer,’ and his nephew Lance Marsden tried to kill Mr. Garrelson on the twelfth street bridge heading down into the west bottoms.” He paused and looked at Marvin.
“They’ve been running a bait game trying to lure him out,” he said and pointed to the body, “for months now without success until they came back here. A few days after returning, this happened. Based on the CI Testimony, this was a plan right from the very top, from Jenny Easthaus herself.”
“And are these CI’s willing to testify?”
“They would be, but it isn’t necessary now. Forty-seven rounds saw to that.”
“What did you say?” Kelly asked the person on the phone.
“Yes, sir. Yes, Sir.” She scribbled the note down quickly.
“Yes, I’ve made the note of that. One moment, would you repeat that?
” she asked, her face turning ashen as the phone slipped from her hand, falling and clattering against the desk on its way to the floor where it bounced a couple of times before settling in place.
Her legs gave out from underneath her and the chair barely stayed upright as it caught her falling body.
Her mouth was as wide open as her eyes, with fear exuding from her entire body.
She clutched her chest, gasping for air, as if she were underwater—drowning.
A male servant was walking by and noticed as Kelly slumped from the chair to the floor.
He ran over to her, dropping down to check on her he could hear the voice coming from the handset.
“Are you there? I said The Enforcer is dead. Do you hear me? Millard Calput is dead!” A couple of seconds passed. “Will you confirm the message for the Matriarch?” The servant looked at Kelly as she collapsed into a fetal position, then he grabbed the handset.
“Understood. The message for Madam is that Millard has ceased to exist. I will relay the message personally. And may I get your name?”
“JASON!” he screamed. “JASON MARSDEN you idiot!”
“Yes, master Jason. I will deliver the message. Please come quickly as Madam will need you now that she’s lost both Suzy and Millard.”
“WHAT?” Jason screamed back. “WHO? What?”
“Mistress Suzy has quite lost her faculties over Lance,” he replied gently. “Please, you must come comfort Madam.”
“You must be Robere,” Jason replied. “At least you didn’t lose yourself over a simple report.” He paused. “Philip and I will be there in half an hour. Make sure we have medical personnel on standby. We’re bringing several wounded with us.”
“Understood Master Jason. I shall alert the staff. I’ll see you in half an hour.
” Robere looked down at Kelly before he replaced the handset.
“Miss Kelly,” he said gently. “You need to get up off the floor and take your post. Notify the medical team that wounded are inbound. I’ll deliver the other messages to Madam. ”
Kelly trembled as she sat up. She looked at him, then forced herself to stand.
“Chief, this is Keith Dankard, the head of security at Pimico,” Brick said.
“He’s been very instrumental in assisting my investigation of the Marsdens money fraud case.
We’ve been able to establish patterns of money laundering activity that we can actually track back to the Pendergast family thanks to Jack Martin who went undercover for me. ”
“That’s good, Brick. I need more information about those forty-seven hits.”
“Well, that would be all of us here. Myself of course, and Keith here. His guys Jeff and Randy there,” Brick said as he pointed to them behind Keith, “and Mr. Danny Blaine from the DEA who’s been coordinating our tracking of Fentanyl and other illegal substances through Marsden Imports, including Opioids, Heroin and Cocaine.
With the financials and movement tracking that Danny brought, we were able to tie this into the Melosa Cartel as well as some loose alliances with Asian organized crime. ”
“So, when is the DA going to prosecute?”
“Well, that’s where this goes sideways, Chief,” Marvin stepped in.
“Brick and I were planning on capturing Millard there,” he said pointing to the body bag on the floor, “and flipping him on the rest of the family. We just weren’t expecting him to burst in here.
We had no warning this was coming, only a reaction to a drive by reconnaissance minutes before he shot the doors off the hinges and managed to shoot the owner of the residence and one of his guests. ”
“Brick,” the chief said, clearly agitated. “Who is the owner?”
“That is Mr. Greg Garrelson. And before you ask, the guest that was injured is Miss Veronica LaFayette.”
“The singer?” the chief said flabbergasted.
“They were taken by ambulance to The General Clinic just a few miles from here. We’ve not had any information since they departed. If you don’t mind, I’d like to go follow up on this where they were taken.”
“Marvin,” the chief said. “Would you manage the scene here while I take Detective Stanton to this General Clinic?”
“Happy to boss. We’ve got more than enough men and the CSU on site.”
“Carry,” Cassie began as she was driving down the road. “What are they going to do with Wendy?”
“I don’t know,” she said softly.
“They’re going to arrest her butt for giving away the security details to her dad,” Katie snarkily called from the back.
“WHAT!” Carry yelled as she snapped around in the passenger seat to the back seat where Katie was sitting. “Did you just say Wendy gave the security coverage to her dad?”
“Of course I did,” she replied matter of fact like. “Why wouldn’t she? She was the one who worshipped the man. She’s going to do whatever it takes to make daddy proud of her.”
“Katie,” Cassie interjected as Carry slumped back into her seat, it starting to set into her that Wendy had betrayed Greg. “Do you know this as a fact?”
“Not a fact, but I’m sure mom could confirm that. I know Wendy went to see her dad after talking to Veronica about her concern that we’d be safe.”
“Wendy betrayed Greg and Veronica,” Carry eeked out. “We don’t even know if they are going to make it. She’s the reason they might die,” she said as anger built in her voice. “What the hell did Greg Garrelson ever do to Wendy?”
“He pissed off her daddy and the Matriarch by stopping their takeover of Tashugi Enterprises and the Melosa Cartel,” Katie said like it was common knowledge.
“What?” Cassie said. “Are you saying that Greg’s been standing in the way of the Family?”
“DUH. Why else would the Matriarch mark him for death,” she added almost in contempt this wasn’t understood already. “Veronica was just collateral damage in his eyes,” she added like they should have known this too.
“Katie! How can you be so unfeeling?” Carry nearly demanded.
“Because it’s the only way I keep my mom and I alive!” she stated in anger.
This hit harder than either Carry or Cassie wanted to admit. They looked at each other with sudden realization. “Do you want out of the Family?” Cassie asked.
“THERE’S NO FREAKING WAY OUT OF THE FAMILY!” she screamed. “You damn well know that!”
Cassie took a breath and Carry felt shock roll through her body. “What if there was?” Cassie asked in a softer voice as she turned in to The General Clinic. “If there was a way to escape, would you want out?”
“HELL YES! Mom begged me to find a way out!” Katie yelled. Carry turned back and looked her in the eyes. Katie’s eyes were welling up with tears. “I want out!”
“Then stick with us, Katie,” she said in a calming voice. “We’ll get you out with us,” Carry assured and gave her a soft smile. “We have been working on a plan, and if you stick with us, we’ll all get out together,” she offered. “So, just follow our lead.”
“Okay,” she humbly said in response. “I’m going to trust you for my mom’s sake.”
“This is Steven,” Doctor Sanderson said as he answered his cell phone.
“Steven, Darren. Get to the Clinic ASAP. Greg and Veronica have been shot. I need another surgeon STAT!”
“I’m on my way. I’ll bring my team!”
“Thanks, I’ve got Greta preparing our OR’s, but we are short staffed.”
“In that case, I’ll drag Erica along. She’s got some skills in the OR as well.”
“Good, because I don’t know what we’re facing yet. I only know they’re on their way,” Darren said with concern starting to break in his voice
“We’ll be there immediately. I’ll bring the ambulance,” Steven declared.
“Ambulance? What do you need an ambulance for Steven?” Erica asked entering the lounge.
“Greg and Veronica were shot. They’re being taken to The General Clinic.”