Chapter Forty-Six Jack Angelhart
Chapter Forty-Six
Jack Angelhart
Jack and Luisa walked into Marconi’s. It was late Saturday morning and only a few patrons sat at the bar watching college
football.
Once they had the name of the bar, Tess pulled the business records and found that the establishment was owned by Salvadore
Marconi Enterprises. She also pulled other businesses and holdings. If he wasn’t here, they had other places to look for him.
They had no evidence that Sal Marconi was involved in anything illegal. The coaster in Joe Carter’s house was a connection,
but nothing he could be arrested for. Still, Jack had questions, and if Sal didn’t answer, that might be answer enough.
Jack approached the bartender, a large guy who looked more like a bouncer. He had two detailed, full-sleeve tattoos, and looked
at Jack with cold eyes.
“Sal Marconi,” Jack said.
“Not available.”
Jack slid over his business card. “Give him this.”
“Not available.” The bartender continued to wipe out glasses without even looking at Jack’s card.
“His brother-in-law was just shot and may die. His half sister is at the hospital. And I need information.”
The bartender didn’t say anything. He nodded to another man in the bar, who came over, retrieved Jack’s card, and walked through
a secure door that read Staff.
A minute later, the bartender picked up a phone that blinked but didn’t ring. He put it down.
“You can go in,” he said and motioned toward the door. It buzzed open.
Jack and Luisa entered a dark and well-appointed second bar, with four poker tables in the center and several high-tops around
the edge. A sleek wood bar was empty of people. Only Sal and the large man were in the room. Sal sat at a table; the man stood
by his side, glaring at Jack.
“You have five minutes,” Sal said.
“Where is Peter Stockman?”
Sal didn’t say anything.
“I don’t have time to play games,” Jack said. “Stockman shot Roger Maddox and he is in surgery. I also know that Maddox hit
Stockman, and Mildred has a ridiculous story that she didn’t know why Stockman was there with a weapon. You and I both know
that Mildred Maddox is neck-deep in this Neurovantix fraud, but at this point, I can’t prove it.” Yet, Jack thought. “But
Peter Stockman is wounded and a threat to my family. I need to find him today.”
“Hypothetically,” Sal said, “if I knew where he was, I would go after him myself. For hurting my family. Because, hypothetically, if Stockman is a threat to your family, he’s also a threat to mine and everything we have
worked for in the last four years.”
He said it pointedly, and Jack knew exactly what he meant: That he was looking to kill Stockman because Stockman could turn state’s evidence against all of them.
“We’ll find him,” Jack said.
“May the best man win. Go.”
Jack had more questions, but Sal wasn’t going to tell him anything.
He and Luisa walked out.
“What do we do, Jack?” his sister asked as they walked to his truck.
“Find Peter Stockman.”
“How?”
“I don’t know.”
He got into his truck and called Margo. “Where are you?”
“Cal and I just arrived at the office. What happened?”
“Sal Marconi put out a hit on Peter Stockman. We have to find him first. Ideas? Remember, he’s injured, but we don’t know
how bad.”
“He won’t go home,” Margo said. “Do you think he’d go to Marconi’s place?”
“He’s not here at the club.”
“Maybe to kill him,” Margo said.
Jack dismissed the idea. “Too many people, security, and Marconi is in a safe room. He went to Mildred’s to get money to run.
He’s desperate. He may come after one of us, but at this point, his world is falling apart around him. He’ll want to lay low.
Targeting Mildred could have been simply to get the money he needs to disappear.”
“Makes sense,” Margo said after a beat. “So where does he go now that he’s been shot?”
“Somewhere he feels safe,” Jack said. “A place to literally nurse his wounds.” Jack had no idea where that would be.
“He’ll know the police are looking for him, so he can’t go home or to the border or the airport.
He has a car, but he’ll probably dump it.
Still, he could steal a car, head out of state.
He won’t use his credit cards, but he might have enough cash to lay low for a while. ”
“I can call his ex-wife. She might know of property he owns, friends, family,” Margo said. “Hold on.” Jack heard Cal talking
in the background, then Margo said, “Cal’s going to call the feds who took Tim Miller into custody. That guy might have an
idea where Stockman will go. He certainly knew a lot more than he shared with us the first time he talked.”
Jack said, “We’re heading to the office. We’ll be there in five minutes.”