The BodyGuard Bk. 01

The Beginning

BodyGuard Trilogy Series

Copyright 2019 © Red Tempest

All rights reserved

This book and or any portion of this book may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the copyright owner.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously, and resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental.

I would like to thank my two fine editors, Barny-R & Aerosick, they helped to catch my mistakes. Any errors that are found are mine alone as I did do some revising.

The setting takes place in New York City in the early 1950's

Chapter 1

Kay Adams Corleone and her lawyer, Tom Hagen, were listening to the judge as he issued a verdict against her and her late husband Sonny. Kay had been married to Vito Sonny Corleone for just over four years. She was just in the process of getting a divorce from him, when he suddenly died.

"I can't believe this! I just can't!"

"Settled down Kay, it isn't over yet."

"It might as well be there is no way I can get out of this. I can't believe him! If he wasn't dead, I would kill him myself!"

"Easy now Kay, we don't want language like that, it could cause you some problems if the wrong person heard you."

"I know Tom, I couldn't help myself, it sort of just slipped out. It's just I can't believe he could cause me this much trouble."

******************

During their short marriage Kay's grandma passed away and Kay and her sister were her only living relative. Her sister was never mentioned in the will. She will never forget the day she went to the reading of the will. It was a very sizable estate, making Kay a very wealthy woman. She was so overwhelmed she couldn't speak. It took her awhile to settle down and get herself under control. She calmed down enough to call her husband's office, but he wasn't in. Kay thought it a little odd at that time of day. But he did have meetings now and again, so she never questioned him. Kay went back to her restaurant, but it was hard to concentrate on work after what occurred earlier in the day. Finally, she couldn't take it anymore and left. She was leaving the restaurant in the capable hands of Holly, her hostess and number two in the chain of command. She was going crazy waiting for Sonny to get home. When he finally got home, she almost knocked him over when he came through the door.

"Sonny, Sonny!" she ran up to him jumping up into his arms. "I can't believe this! I just can't!"

"Whoa! Settle down Kay. What did your grandma do, leave you a million dollars or something?" he snickered.

Kay stood back with the biggest grin on her face.

Sonny looked at her speechless for a second. "Oh my God Kay, don't tell me?"

Kay was nodding her head.

"We're rich! We're rich!" and she jumped up into his arms again.

Sonny was shocked he had to see for himself.

"Let me see what the will says."

Kay showed him the document and he stood frozen looking at it. As he stood still Kay noticed he had lipstick on his shirt collar. She cleared her throat. This wasn't the first time he had cheated on her. She always looked the other way, like she didn't know, but she did.

"I think we should talk with an attorney for some advice to help us. This is a lot of money."

Sonny was just grinning, still staring at the document.

"You know what this means? I can retire. I can get what I want, go where I want..." he was lost in his thoughts.

Kay was listening to him. He kept saying I and not we.

"Did you hear what I said Vito?"

She would call him Vito when she was mad at him. He did not like being called Vito, he always went by Sonny.

He looked at her quickly, "Yeah, yeah something about a lawyer. I can get one."

"Vito it's we, not I." she glared at him.

She just had that feeling that she wasn't going to able to trust him with all this money at stake.

"Yeah right us."

But he wasn't listening to her. He was thinking, booze, drugs, gambling and women. He could pay off all the money owed to his bookies. He only married Kay because his parents were badgering him to get married and start a family. He was dating Kay and a couple of other women at that time. She was the best of the three and she had a restaurant that was doing very well. Her restaurant could be very useful, so he figured why not. He was at a dead-end sales job going nowhere and his parents refused to help him anymore. He had a lot of gambling debts he must cover. This money would get him out of the hole. But he had one little problem, Kay.

Kay thought he loved her in the beginning. The way he looked at her and treated her when they first got together. So, when he asked her to get married, she jumped at the chance. But a couple months after their marriage, she realized he really didn't love her. Not long after they were married, he started cheating on her. She wanted her marriage to work. She didn't want to be a failure like her younger sister Constanzia. Kay always called her by her nickname Zia. It was hard on her knowing Sonny was cheating on her, but she thought he needed time. So, she tried hard to keep things together. She would stick with him, through thick and thin. But things started getting worse. He started losing his temper more and more. He began slapping her around. He always apologized for it afterward. She kept telling herself she shouldn't ask so much of him. She knew he hated his job and working so many hours. She should be more understanding. She was working at her restaurant fourteen hours a day, five days a week herself, but she loved it. Inheriting this money would help them so much. She figured he wouldn't have to work all those hours and maybe the phone calls would stop. And maybe, just maybe, their relationship would get better. Little did she know how bad things would get?

"Okay Kay tomorrow I will go see a lawyer."

"We Sonny," she said.

Sonny stood there looking at her. He knew she was going to be trouble by the look on her face.

"Okay, we." He said flatly.

Kay smiled sweetly and quickly plucked the document from his hand before he could stop her.

"I will put this someplace safe."

Sonny cleared his throat, "Don't you trust your own husband Kay?"

She took a quick look at his collar. "Sonny trust has nothing to do with it."

"Okay, Okay, put it someplace safe." He said to just shut her up.

Sonny figured she was too dumb to realize he was up to something. He let her have her way, for now. Neither of them could sleep that night. Both were excited. They talked a little bit about what they were going to do. Kay would say we, Sonny would say I. In the morning they both got up and ready. They were looking through the yellow pages for a law firm. Kay knew she had to protect herself. Something she saw in Sonny's eyes frightened her. She had to keep strong through this. She kept telling herself to keep calm.

"Who do you think we should see Sonny?"

They were both looking over lawyer's names.

"Hyman Roth," Sonny said to quickly.

"I don't think so, he is listed under criminal law and that's not what we need."

Sonny started getting angry, but he had to contain himself. The sooner they got this over with, the sooner he could get rid of Kay.

"Okay who do you think?" he said between gritted teeth.

"How about Tom Hagen? He helped me with my finances when my parents died. He was very professional. He got things done quickly and he might give us a break. He loves dining at my restaurant." She looked at him hoping he would agree.

Sonny rolled his eyes. "Fine Kay. Tom, it is."

Kay smiled. "Well let's see if we can see him."

Kay called Tom's office and the secretary told her he was book for the morning, but she had a 2:00 pm. available. Kay told her she would take the 2:00 pm. appointment time.

At noon, Sonny said, "Let's go it will probably take over an hour to get there and find a parking spot."

Chapter 2

With help from Tom, Kay and Sonny setup an account with an investment firm and had the money deposit there. They were advised to buy some stock and make investments. Kay followed the advice, but Sonny spent his share of the money as quickly as it became available to him. Soon threatening phone calls started again. Sonny became more abusive. Kay feared for her life at times. The look on his face at times gave her the chills. He seemed to become more hateful towards her. Kay couldn't take it anymore. She finally filed for divorce when she caught him in their bed with a strange woman. She had enough. A month later, Sonny was killed in an accident. But he seemed to owe just about everybody money, and now Kay was accountable to pay off those debts. Since they still were married, and the divorce wasn't final yet, she was responsible for them. Sitting in the courtroom was very unnerving.

The judgment finally came in and Kay almost fainted when she found out, she would be almost broke. She would probably have cash in all her investments to cover the judgment. But it looked like her house and restaurant might be saved. All of this because of Sonny.

"I'm so sorry Kay, I did everything I could." Tom said.

Tom helped Kay with her will and finances after her parents had died. Tom also knew that Sonny her husband was mixed up in the criminal world. Why she ever married Sonny was beyond him.

"I know you have Tom, I just can't believe one man could owe this much money."

She couldn't imagine where Sonny spent it all, somehow things just didn't add up.

"Guys like Sonny seemed to go through money. I could almost see it coming, but I think we should be able to save your restaurant and house."

"I sure hope so Tom. I wish I could have seen this coming. But I wanted our marriage to work."

"You're a strong person Kay. You will pull through." He smiled at her trying to give her hope.

What Kay didn't know was there were two types of judgments against her. One adjudicated by the courts and one decided by the criminals that Sonny owed money to.

************

When Kay got home, she looked around. Everything might have to go, tears built up in her eyes. But she held on to the thought about keeping her business. She was in the kitchen getting a drink of water when the doorbell rang. She went and answered the door and got a surprise!

"Kay Corleone?"

"Yes."

There were two big burly men standing there. Kay suddenly got nervous. The men pushed their way in and closed the door. Everything happened so fast it made her dizzy.

"We here to collect money owed our boss." One of them growled.

"Money? What money? I have no more money." She cried.

She saw one of the men pull out a gun, and she began to panic!

"Sonny owes our boss a cool half a million. And he wants it now."

"Sonny's dead!" She gasped.

"We know he is dead. But you are his wife and you're still alive, for now. And the boss wants his money!"

Kay's head was spinning. She didn't know what was going to happen. She couldn't think straight. Then she felt the gun jam into her side.

"You get the idea?"

"I...I don't have any money. Sonny spent his share of the inheritance. What's left is mine and it is all invested." She choked out.

"Well find a way to get it. You have a week and we will be back. And next time we won't be so nice."

One of the men knocked her down to the floor and kicked her once.

"Don't get any ideas," and he pointed the gun at her.

Kay was in fear as she watched the men leave. She sat for a long time and finally got her

wits about her and got up. She ran to the door and locked it. She quickly called her lawyer.

"Tom!" she shouted into the phone all out of breath.

"Kay?"

"I need to sell everything now!"

"Hold on, you should be able to keep the house and business?"

He heard the panic in her voice.

"I have changed my mind. I want to sell everything and get out of this town."

"Kay what happened?"

She didn't answer.

"Kay are you alright? Kay!"

Kay was in a panic! She had to catch her breath. She was in fear for her life. Was she being watched? She took a deep breath trying to calm her.

"Tom please, I just want to leave this place and start new somewhere. And for me to do that I have to sell everything. How long do you think it will take?"

"It will take a while Kay."

"I don't have a while Tom. I need to sell now!" She couldn't contain the panic in her voice anymore.

"Something happened Kay, tell me. I can help."

Tom knew about Sonny and his dealings. He tried to protect Kay from it but couldn't. Tom was more than just a lawyer. When Kay and Sonny came to him for financial advice, it was a stroke of luck. But now after Sonny's death, it put a damper on the investigation. Now he must protect Kay and try not getting her more involved. Sonny has been under surveillance for the past year. He was into drugs, laundering money and had a gambling problem. But they were after the big boss. Hoping Sonny would lead them to him. Kay started to cry, and she could hardly speak.

"I just need to sell everything. And it has to be done this week."

Tom thought about the way things happened so fast. He knew they came after Kay trying to collect.

"Kay listen to me, carefully."

All she could do was sniff.

"How long?"

"A week." Her voice squeaked.

"How much?"

"Five hundred thousand."

"Damn!"

Tom squeezed his eyes shut. He didn't want to scare Kay any more then she already was. He knew how out of control things could get fast.

"Now listen to me carefully Kay."

"O...kay." She whispered.

"I am going to get a hold of an old friend."

"No, no! You can't! They will kill me!"

"Kay will you please listen! It will take more than a week to get that kind of money together. You need someone to protect you."

Kay just broke down. All Tom could hear was her crying. She wouldn't answer him, and she sounded hysterical. He kept talking to her as he used his second phone, which was a private line. He dialed a number. 'Pick up the phone Luca.' He said to himself.

"Your dime."

"Luca, Luca Brasia, thank God you answered!"

"What's the matter bud? You seem a little upset."

"I need a favor."

Luca laughed, "And what kind of favor?"

Luca was an ex-military man. He was trained in knives, pistols and rifles. He was rated a marksman in the use of the rifle. One of his favorite rifles was Winchester .44-40 carbine, 1892 model. He was licensed to carry weapons in New York City. He retired from the army after 20 years. He now works as a man for hire, something like a private investigator.

Tom quickly explained things to Luca. He told him where Kay lived and how hysterical she was.

"I need you to get there as quick as you can."

Luca stopped laughing and listened carefully to what Tom was saying. He read about the case in the paper. He always thought it was a shame. She was such a beautiful young woman and it was a tragedy she had gotten tangled up with a guy like that Sonny Corleone.

"On my way. It will probably take me more than a half an hour to get there."

"Make it twenty. They already paid her a visit."

"Will do."

They hung up. Luca hated to see men pushing around a woman. It was uncalled for. And when Tom told him he became infuriated and he hasn't even met Kay yet.

Tom kept talking to Kay to try and calm her down.

"Kay, Kay listen to me. I have someone on the way. Stay patient and try to calm yourself."

Through her crying, "Who is on their way? How can I calm myself?"

"His name is Luca Brasia. He should be there in twenty minutes."

It didn't seem to long after and Kay heard a knock on the door, she jumped and began to panic.

"Someone's here." She whispered as she held her breath.

"Kay listen, go peek out the window. What does his look like?"

She put the telephone down and went and peeked out. All she saw was a giant of a man. She raced back to the telephone.

"Oh my God! Oh my God! They said a week! They are sending a giant here already!"

Tom smiled. He knew how big Luca was.

"That's Luca. Is there a black truck out there?"

Kay looked out her front window and sure enough there was a black Ford truck parked across the street.

"Yes."

"Good that's Luca's truck, let him in."

"You mean giant man is your friend?"

"Yes, now open the door or he will kick it in."

"Okay."

Kay put the telephone down and went to the door.

"Are you Luca?"

"Luca Brasia at your service."

Kay slowly opened the door. She looked up at him and froze. "Holy sh..."

"Can I come in?"

He was looking her over. She was much prettier than the photo's in the paper. Even though her eyes were all puffy from crying and mascara was running down her cheeks.

"Yes... yes sure come in." Kay said quickly.

The size of him totally shocked her. She stumbled back trying to get out of his way. He chuckled as he closed the door behind him. Luca was used to getting that kind of reaction. It put a smile on his face. He picked the telephone up.

"Tom?"

"Yes?"

"I am here now. She will be safe. We'll be waiting for you."

"Okay I will be there as soon as I can."

Luca looked around. The place was neat and tidy. He was also looking for escape routes, places people could break in at. He started checking her house top to bottom.

"What are you doing?" She was following him around.

She thought he was being too nosy. He wasn't listening to her, so she quickly went around him and stopped him before he got any farther. He looked down at her then he started to laugh. She looked so cute standing there trying to stop him.

"What's so funny?"

Luca cleared his throat he shouldn't be laughing but he was. It took him a second to stop.

"Tom asked me to come over and protect you darlin'!''

"Yes protect, but not to snoop! And I am not your darlin'!" she snapped.

He had a hard time keeping himself from laughing at her.

"Never can be too careful... darlin'. I have to check for places that people can break in at and to escape from if we need to."

Soon the laughter he felt disappeared when he saw her turn white as a ghost. He knew that look. He grabbed her before she hit the floor. Kay heard his words and the true meaning finally hit her. She got dizzy and her world went black. She didn't know how long she was out. But she was wakened by voices and she sat up on the couch. Her movement got Tom and Luca's attention. She had a frighten look written all over her face.

"Kay, calm down. Kay." Tom softly said.

It seemed like forever, but her brain finally caught up to her senses. She realized where she was and who was there. She let out a breath of relief.

"Tom."

And then she looked at Luca.

"You fainted." Luca said.

"Really!" She turned red with embarrassed.

Luca smiled.

"Are you okay now Kay?"

Kay tried to hold back the tears.

"No, I am not okay! I need all my money by the end of the week. How... how are you going to help me?" she looked at both men.

Tom took a deep breath. "Why don't you go freshen up and will talk about it when you get back."

Kay gave him a questioning look for a second, then she realized what a mess she must look. She got up and went to go to the bathroom, but Luca was right behind her. He stopped her before she got into the bathroom.

"Oh, come on now!" Kay looked up at him.

He glanced down and decided to have fun with her. It has been a long time since he has had some action. Things have been slow for a while. That's why he jumped at the chance when Tom called him. He figured it would be a... piece of cake... and help with the restlessness.