The Miami Contract
Payback
Simo pulled up to Ari Ascher’s recently purchased new mansion promptly at noon. He parked by the steps, got out, and approached the two twelve-foot-tall double front doors. Andrew Wilcox opened the door, and Simo immediately did not like the expression on Andrew’s face.
Silently, Andrew gestured for Simo to come inside. Simo glanced around and expected to be greeted by Ari and Annabeth, with Christina bounding up to him all smiles and happy. It felt empty…
“This way, Simo.”
Simo nodded and followed Andrew to Ari’s new home office. Simo stepped inside and saw an unkempt Ari Ascher behind his desk. The man was staring off at nothing in particular. Simo met Andrew’s eyes and simply got a sad shake of the man’s head in return.
“Ari?” Simo called out. Ari spun toward him as if he were caught by surprise, which would be a first, Simo thought.
“Ah, my friend… please come sit down.” Ari pointed at the black leather chair in front of his ornate dark wood desk.
Sitting down, he saw the dark circles under Ari’s eyes. It was obvious there was something very wrong.
“Are Christina and Annabeth out shopping?” He saw Ari’s head drop as the man stared at the beautiful marble floor.
“Ari, what happened?”
“They are gone…” Ari replied, not looking up at him.
Simo had to calm himself from shouting. “What? Are they ok?”
Ari nodded. “I… I recently received Annabeth’s court papers.”
“What? What papers?”
Ari silently pushed a pile of papers toward Simo. Simo glanced down, and the top sheet read ‘Petition for Legal Separation. Clackamas County Circuit Court, Oregon City, Oregon.’
Simo stared down at the paperwork in utter shock.
His heart felt the reminiscent pain of his own failed marriage, and he suddenly felt horrible for Ari.
He felt his mouth open a few times before his words managed to come out.
“Ari? I don’t understand… Annabeth loves you more than any woman I have ever seen! ”
“Sometimes love is not enough, my friend,” Ari mumbled, still not meeting Simo’s eye.
“Can I ask what happened?”
After a huge sigh, Ari began to speak. “Annabeth…” Ari paused and cleared his throat.
“Annabeth is unhappy. She feels she is not being a good mother to our Christina. She fears for Christina’s safety…
due to our business. It has been a few years in the making.
I—I was so wrapped up in the business that I failed to hear what Annabeth was really saying. I had been neglecting her…”
“No. You are always with Annabeth. I don’t understand…”
“There in person, but not there in spirit, my friend. Hindsight is a bloody bastard, eh?”
Simo sat in shock at Ari’s words. Then the words hit true, and Simo slowly began nodding in agreement. “Yeah. Is there anything I can do?”
“Thank you, my friend. At this time, no. As to your query last evening, Gunnar is on security detail at Annabeth’s…” Ari paused and cleared his throat. “…home in Dunthorpe, Oregon. It’s a beautiful home…” Ari said, trailing off.
Simo gave Ari a few moments of silence then asked, “Chen?”
“Oh. Yes, Chen. He is in Miami. Which is why I asked you here today.”
Simo watched as the old Ari Ascher slowly replaced the broken Ari he had just been talking to. He nodded for Ari to continue.
“First things first… I understand that we almost lost you on your last CIA contract. Deputy Director Roark personally called and explained what he could… I am so sorry about what you had to do to that woman. How are you faring?”
Simo gave an involuntary shrug and replied, “I’ll be fine.”
“Simo. Just as you know that I am not ‘fine,’ I know that you are not ‘fine’ as well. I have been where you are. After all is said and this is done, we will sit down and drink a bottle of Ouzo together and get so soused we will forget our names, deal?”
“Deal.”
“On to business. Please prepare yourself…” Ari Ascher placed his laptop on the desk and spun it toward Simo. “You recall meeting Miami’s Club Aurae manager, Tammy? Becky found her partner first… this is what is left of Peggy, ‘Marty,’ Martinelli.”
Simo’s mouth fell open at the grisly picture staring at him.
He recalled meeting Peggy and Tammy as he set up the Miami Club Aurae’s security.
Marty, as Peggy preferred to be called, was a very thick, masculine woman and married to Tammy.
Staring at him was Marty’s dead, contorted face.
Her body was naked, tied to what appeared to be a kitchen table, and impaled by numerous metal spikes.
The poor woman had been ruthlessly tortured.
Aghast, Simo tore his gaze from the picture and saw in Ari’s eyes a mixture of pain and anger at what had been done.
“This is what is left of Tammy…”
Simo had to stare at the next picture for several moments before he made out what he was seeing.
His eyes widened as his belly turned. Tammy had been mercilessly butchered.
What remained was her torso and head. Black tar covered the stumps where the poor woman’s appendages had been.
It was then that Simo realized that Tammy was not wearing a black shirt…
her chest was flat and covered with the same tar that covered her stumps.
His hand came up to his mouth as he fought nausea.
Ari brought up the next picture. It was a distant shot of Tammy.
Pieces of her hands, feet, arms, and legs were all hanging by chains in front of where she was tortured… where she could see them.
The next shot was of the medical equipment left behind to keep the poor woman alive. The next shot was a wall. On the wall was a message written in blood. It read: Get out of Miami or else.
“Mother of God…” Simo gasped.
“Yes, indeed,” Ari sighed.
“Who did this?” Simo nearly barked.
“Little Tony Marinaro of the Miami syndicated crime family. His father died suddenly a few months ago, and Little Tony has been on the rampage…”
His eyes bulging with anger, Simo replied, “When am I leaving for Miami?”
“Simo… I must warn you. I will be sending a terrible message to anyone who would ever think of encroaching upon our interests or our family again. I intend to do worse to those responsible for this calamity. Am I clear?”
“Crystal.”
“In addition, and before you decide, the Miami authorities have not been notified. Though, I have been given the ‘nod,’ so to speak, by our friends up high to eliminate the Marinaro crime syndicate completely. I will personally handle the grisly part for what he has done.” Ari’s wicked smile sent a chill up Simo’s spine.
“No matter. I am in.”
“Now on to details. A charter jet is awaiting our arrival at Santa Monica airport. Chen has located a man whom Little Tony refers to as his ‘turkey doctor’. The man is Turkish by ancestry and a failed physician. This was the man who reportedly tortured Tammy, Marty, and, apparently, many others. He is Chen’s first target. Are you still with me?”
“Until the end, Ari.”
The flight attendant opened the rented jet’s door, and the humid and rotting air rushed in from the Florida Everglades. The captain stepped out of his cubicle-sized cockpit and addressed Ari.
“Mr. Ascher, welcome to Dade-Collier Transition Airport. Your luggage will be waiting on the tarmac. We will stand ready for your departure at your convenience.”
Ari stood. “Thank you, Captain Liman.”
Simo looked outside his small window and pointed. “Chen is here.”
“Then we are ready.”
“Theo, bring up the rear and stay with Ari.”
“Nea.” Theo stood and waited for Ari to exit the plane.
Simo nodded to Chen, who was waiting for their gear to be unloaded. From the identical black Ford Expedition that Chen drove, Becky stepped out onto the hot tarmac and looked first to Theo, then to Simo.
Simo nodded to her, then greeted Chen. “Have you been there?”
Chen nodded grimly. “Yes. As Ari instructed, we have not disturbed the scene. We have a Doctor Mahmet Arslan secured at our apartment. He is… cooperating.” Chen smiled.
“Good.” Simo grabbed two big black bags from the plane’s cargo bay. Chen followed Simo’s lead. After they split the gear between both Fords, Simo directed Chen to drive the lead vehicle and had Theo drive the second Ford with Ari and Becky.
Once everyone was situated with radios, Simo gave the order to head out. Simo hopped in the front. “Where is the little prick now?”
Chen smiled slightly. “He is at home. His house is in an exclusive, private, gated community. The houses in the community surround a golf course called Indian Creek, and each home borders the water. The entire community is an island with only one road in. Every Sunday at 7 AM, the ‘Prick’ takes his yacht out and goes fishing. He is usually accompanied by three to five security, a girlfriend or three, or other guests. I have a seventy-foot yacht rented and standing by. Our yacht will only have two crewmembers: a captain and engineer… they have been paid well. That said, the location where Tammy and Marty were… murdered is approximately three miles inside the Everglades. When we are done there, we will drive to Bay Harbor where we will board the yacht…”
“What is the backup plan if the little prick decides to stay home?”
“That will be tricky. His home is near the Indian Creek Village police station. They are right across the bridge.”
“Daylight snatch-and-grab is dangerous… and maybe too messy.”
“Yes.”
“Little Tony is reported to occasionally have Sunday dinner at an Italian restaurant called Villa Castelli near Bal Harbour Beach. He usually drives one of his Lamborghinis there.”
“Too many variables with the limited timeframe… this is not ideal.”
“True. Have you spoken with Ari about observing Little Tony a while longer?”
“He wants this done. Like yesterday, as they say.”
“That is how I understood it. Has Ari discussed Annabeth with you?”
Simo nodded once.
“A shame. I believe that Ari feels that, if he can clean up all this mess, he can begin to reconcile with Annabeth…”
“Yeah, I hope so for Christina’s sake. I can tell they both own his heart.” Simo sighed.