The Victim and I Pt. 02

Right then another alarm sounded and the monitor showed 6 individuals had come through the fence on the other side of his entry road and were also starting the half mile journey that would be the last one for most of this group. I quickly called for Beverly to awaken and prepare to go to war. I had no idea she could move that fast. When she was dressed, and had donned her winter gear and rucksack, I gave her a cup of cooled down coffee to help her alertness and told her to take her weapons and go back to the positions in the rocks they had been in the other day and I would take a positon on the other side of the drive.

I had wondered if some of Steflano's people might try to come in from the sides, but none of the sensors had picked upon anything as yet when suddenly the sensor for the main gate went off and when he checked it showed that some pickup had crashed my gate and that three police cars were making their way towards the cabin. Humm... Now this put a different light on things as without evidence of corruption on their part, they still represented the law in the area. One thing he thought of was that these were city cops and he was well outside the city limits, meaning they were well outside their authorized patrol area. Interesting, he thought.

I had been considering setting off a couple of the claymores but decided to wait for a bit to see what the "official word" from the cops might be. I took my shotgun and coffee and went to the front porch and waited as the first car pulled up in front of the cabin and stopped, followed closely by the others. Officers got out and took cover behind their cars. The chief of police himself stood by his left front fender and said that I was under arrest for murder and aiding a felon escape. I asked to see a warrant and the authorization for them to be outside their jurisdiction, much less on his property. This brought a laugh from the chief and put his hand on his pistol and smiled, saying, "This is all the warrant I need and my jurisdiction is whatever it needs to be."

"Don't you mean 'whatever Steflano says it is?"

"Whatever. Now, where is the girl?"

"What girl?"

"You know damn well what girl. Now, where is she"

"Again, what girl? I have no idea what you are talking about. And what murders are you talking about, Chief? Have you had this problem long? I think you need serious professional help. Maybe you have been at this job to long and need to retire. If there is nothing else, then you need to move along and crawl back into your hole that Steflano so generously provides you down at the pig sty, and take your ass kissing trash with you."

This provoked the chief into drawing his weapon, but before his pistol ever cleared leather he was looking down the barrel of a shotgun and was told to tell all his flunkies to drop their weapons or die right there.

"You are alone out here and there being several of us, it looks like we will do as we want."

About that time claymores went off on each side of the driveway, making the city cops drop out of sight behind their cars quickly.

"Hey, Chief... still think I am alone out here? You got any body bags in those cars? I am going to need them unless I just toss your useless asses into your cars and send them down the highway to Hell or something. So, what's it gonna be, Sport? You ready to die for your master. Right here, right now."

The Chief was thinking about how his chances were when small arms fire erupted from two locations up the mountain from them, then a shotgun blast quickly followed by another that sounded like it came from the boulders behind the house Beverly was hiding in. No return fire was heard so he felt sure she was okay.

"Sounds like your army is getting smaller by the minute there, Chief. How are those odds looking now? Tony Steflano sure doesn't have much of a retirement, does he, Chief. Or does he pay you so much you don't have to worry about retirement. Oh, well, I don't think you need to worry as the state will feed and clothe you the rest of your worthless life." I could see the chief thinking when I heard the sound of approaching helicopters. More than one from the sound of them. He sure hoped this wasn't more from Steflano.

The black painted Blackhawk helicopters came roaring in and stopped in a hover behind the police cars and a loudspeaker fired up ordering the police to lower their weapons as they were all under arrest and for everyone else to also lower theirs. The police chief looked like he wanted to argue the point but after a second warning and a rifle shot between his legs he dropped his pistol and raised his hands in surrender, as did the other officers.

One Blackhawk landed and several FBI agents in full combat gear got out and secured the area and then the other one landed and one person got out and the helicopter took off again in what proved to be a scouting of the area to check for bad guys or bodies. James excused himself and went through the cabin and out the back to Beverly's fortress and after reassuring her it was over he took her to the cabin.

After a very thorough search of the property and the 13 bodies recovered and the police officers handcuffed with their own cuffs, the interrogation began. The senior agent that James had been talking to asked what happened to the 8 people out in the grass and weeds. He said he could figure out the two Beverly had killed, and the three in the helicopter, but that the other 8 they found were a mystery. James just told him he did not know, may they got confused and killed each other. The FBI again laughed at that notion. The search had shown no sign of either of James' friends ever having visited the property. What happened to those gangsters remains a mystery to this day.

They did not wait to get the chief and his boys to the FBI headquarters to start the questions. After a little probing and a threat or two (off the record) the chief went on camera and recorder to start naming names and telling facts as he knew them. They now had enough to arrest Steflano and all his minions and to bring numerous charges against the majority of the local police department, sheriff's department, the District Attorney and most of his office plus several judges and some local attorneys. That was only in this county and it was fairly well known that Steflano had his fingers in the pies in other counties and some at the state level. This would be the largest investigation and set of charges ever in this county, or the whole state for that matter. The investigation could last a year or more before the last grand jury indictments came down and the trials could take a couple of years unless sentencing agreements were made. It would take forever it seemed to finally be put to bed and life return to whatever the new normal was going to be.

Steflano was not found dead in his office like they expected. In fact, he wasn't found at all. One of his secretaries told the agents that he opened a safe in his room and took a big pile of cash and left, saying he was going out of town for a few days. The FBI and justice Department would be starting a massive manhunt for him. He would be on every "no fly list" out there.

The FBI agent told both of them to go the kitchen and brew a new pot of coffee and that something to fortify it with might be in order. He also told them that he would be in shortly to talk to them, mostly off the record, and would ask some questions, give them what information he could, and would also offer some suggestions to them.

While the coffee was brewing, Beverly went into the bathroom to wash her hands and face and freshen up slightly. James Got three large clean mugs down and placed them on the table along with cream and sugar. Next, he opened a cabinet and took out a bottle of Bushmills Irish Whiskey and a bottle of E & J VSOP Brandy for the "fortifier" the agent had mentioned. Just as the coffee was finished dripping, the agent came into the kitchen and sat down at the table. As soon as James poured the coffee, the agent poured a generous dash the Bushmills into it and took a sip and then looked at Beverly and James closely before opening his mouth to say anything.

"You two have opened a can of worms of epic, if not biblical proportions. It will take this and other agencies ages to sift through all the suspects and make recommendations and/or file any of a multitude of charges, mostly dealing with malfeasance of office, along with dereliction of duty, taking bribes, conspiracy, aiding and abiding and countless others. Unless there is are massive bargain deals, the courts are going to be busy for years, which might cause problems due to the laws about time to try a suspect. They may have to move venues for lots of them. A lot will depend on the amount of money the suspects have so they can hire the slickest lawyers. There will be blood in the water, I assure you. At least it won't be yours.

"Right now, we have no idea where Steflano is hiding, but suspect he is trying to get as far away as he can, out of the country if possible. In his mind, you are still a problem to be removed and the cause of all his troubles. Unless he has a bunch of hidden money, he cannot afford to run too far, so we will find him. I think that if he tries to make contact with any of the other mafia dons that we will get an anonymous call about a body in a dumpster somewhere. Guess who that body might turn out to be... The families do not like to be shown in the public light and he has sure cast a bright light on things in this area.

"So, here is what I would suggest to you both. I would leave right away for an extended vacation. I hear Fiji is a nice place to visit, as are several of the islands in the Caribbean. Australia and New Zealand are also good places to visit for a while. Another sure-fire winner is Kruger National Park up on the Northeast border of South Africa, which is the closest thing any country has to being the way it used to be, where one might see all sorts of wild animals. With it is Victoria Falls which makes our Niagara Falls look like a leaky water faucet. Still Coming back this way from the east, there are a multitude of places to visit that should be safe from the Mafia. They prefer places like the South of France and the Meitnerium that has lots of sunshine, blue water, white sand, loose women, and that panders to their every whim, for a price of course.

"I can get you new passports and such in a couple of days, made out in a false ID. We would need to redo them again when you get back so you can resume your real names.

"Here is another idea. I do not know what the relationship between you two is, but I know that the mafia does not know James' name. If you two were serious, you could get married in the next day or so and I can have all you ID changed and issued in your new name and it would all be legal. I need to go out and talk to my agents for a bit. Think about it and talk it over and I will be back in in a short while."

"That's a hell of a reason to get married." James almost shouted. "Yes, I care deeply for you, Beverly already but I don't know how you feel about marriage to me right now. However, let me assure you that it means keeping you safe, I would marry you right this instant and not regret it for a second. But I doubt you would want to be saddled with me and my name for the time it would take to make sure the danger is over and then divorce quietly somewhere."

I looked at Beverly and said, "Everything should be quietening down to more or less normal now. So, we can either continue to get to know each other like we have been, or just bull on ahead and be a couple and let the chips fall where they may, as the saying goes. It is solely up to you."

"I think I might like seeing chips fly, so let's try that route. I know I have never met anyone like you in my life. Hell, I have never even heard of anyone like you for that matter. I think I love you and I am desperate to be able to prove it to you and thank you for all you have done for me and so much more. Now kiss me and make my toes curl and my panties wet."

"Your wish is my command, my dear. And as willing as I am to try to fulfill your wish, how will I know if I succeed or not?"

"I will tell you when my toes curl and you can feel my panties for yourself."

I did as asked and then took matters in his own hands. After the FBI left, we never saw the light of day until midafternoon the next day, too tired and drained to even fix lunch until late.

When Lowell Andrews will was read, it was found that he had developed a great fatherly love for Beverly over the years she worked for him and more or less adopted her as a surrogate daughter to replace the one that had died while in college. He named her his only heir leaving her his bar, restaurant, home, investments, bank accounts and anything and everything else he owned. This shocked Beverly to no end as she had no idea he thought that much of her. She had loved him as a father figure and as a mentor but was now in awe of all that was happening.

When she discussed this whole thing with me she said that she was happy but like she had said, she had never intended to be there forever. I told her that I had more than enough money to last both of them for several lifetimes, so for her to do whatever she thought she needed to do about it all, but suggested that after they marry that she hire a good manager for the club and restaurant and become an absentee owner and also sell the house and that they could either tear down the old cabin and build themselves a nice home out there or any number of other things.

Beverly said, "that sounds like a plan I can live with. Did you just ask me to marry you or did you just tell me we were getting married? Either works, but I am curious."

"How about both?"

"Coward. Now come kiss your future bride and hurry. We have to go look at house plans and visit a jewelry store."

A few days later, the FBI agent called to inform us that Tony Steflano was picked up for speeding and driving with a suspended license in a neighboring state and arrested. After finding out about his ID and warrants, he was turned over to the FBI on the additional charge of Interstate Flight to Avoid Prosecution, and about a hundred other crimes. The US government will now be feeding and clothing him for a long, long time. Our state wishes to extend the same courtesies to him as soon as possible. He has friends and former associates here that will glad to see him. Sorta glad, that is. I wonder how glad Steflano will be to see any of them.

Beverly and I didn't get to take that 6-month trip, but we did manage to get in three one month trips that spring and fall. Summer was very busy. The start of those was delayed for several months as we had to get married, sell Lowell's home, reopen the club and restaurant. Hire good managers and a good accountant to monitor things. We also signed a contract to remodel and modernize Grandfathers old log cabin for my newly retired mother to live in. They would also build a two-car attached garage for her and install a remote operated electric gate down at the road for all of us. She would be taking care of her grandchildren for a few years and was anxious to get started on that.

We also let a contract to build the beautiful engineered log home of 4000 square feet we had picked out. It was designed for a large family to function and enjoy for generations to come. It would be located not far from the old cabin on a spot with a fantastic view of the mountains and the valley. My barn was not to be touched by anyone for any reason. Later it would be used for our horses.

The new house would have two large interconnecting offices in it. One for me and one for Beverly as she was getting her degree in Business and her MBA. She had wanted to be in a decision-making position with someone, so she is. She is the owner of a wonderful restaurant chain with 22 places open now and a major investor wanting to either buy in or buy her out for what amounts to several fortunes. She wanted to make decisions, so she gets to make this one, too. How did this come about if she did not want to work in restaurants you ask? Well...

When Beverly was working so hard to assume total command of Lowell's, now her restaurant and club, she found challenges she had never experienced before as an employee, and it both excited and scared her as she did not have the training or experience to know how to run a business. I helped as much as she allowed me to. She first came to me to ask what I thought about certain things that needed to be done at the restaurant to make it more in line with what she wanted.

"Honey, you know way more about the operation of this sort of business than I ever will, but regardless of the type of business one is in, certain things were consistent with all of them, not counting specialty training. Manpower, profit & loss, personnel issues, procurement, shipping and receiving, inventory and more are all potential problems and areas of concern no matter what kind of business you have

"This is your business and your money, so to do what you feel is best, but I or our accountant will be glad to talk with you about any issue if you want. Anything you think would be better for the business or make it better or run more smoothly then you should run with it. If it doesn't work out right, change it." She gave me a good kiss and took that advice.

By the time she was fully open and operating (and making money) she told me at supper one night that she had been thinking about changing her major to restaurant and hotel management. Not culinary arts to learn how to cook, but to learn how to operate and manage a restaurant or hotel. I told her it was a fantastic idea and helped her enroll in a college she could take most of her classes on line from, having only to go to class for major exams. This worked out great for her and she soon had her degree in hand. Proudly hanging on the wall of her office, actually with the tassel from her mortarboard attached to it. She was excited and happy, which made me happy.

Shortly after she graduated, she came to me again to ask what I thought about expanding her business a little by adding another restaurant as she knew of one whose owner was in bad health and wanted to sell quickly. I asked her if the other business was profitable and in good shape and about the employees. She told me that everything was perfect she thought, but that none of the people could come up with enough money to even make a down payment on it. It supposedly had a good reputation and was quite popular with the community there. I then asked the important questions, like how much and how was she going to pay for it.

Without batting an eye, she told me that she could get it lock, stock, and barrel for 1.1 million and that the family was ready to close now, today even. Then she told me that I was going to loan her the money, as it would quicker to get than a conventional loan, so she could close on it and it would also pay me some interest as she repaid the loan. I asked if she was serious, knowing she was but wanting to rattle her chain a little. She quickly told me that she was deathly serious and that if I did not loan her the money that I would be sleeping in the spare room until the divorce went through where she would get enough settlement money to buy this and 4 more places. Talk about chain rattling. I learned who the master rattler was in this family. She was joking, of course. At least I think she was. She did smile as I got my checkbook out and told her to come on as we had a restaurant to buy. I did get kisses and more, lots more later that evening.

So now my beautiful, smart, and educated wife was a businesswoman and owner of a growing concern. I just did not know how growing. Over the next three years she was somehow able to find and rehabilitate, for lack of a better word, 9 more restaurants, making the total 11. She tried to avoid clubs as much as possible. While they might make a huge profit when first opened, club patrons were vain and trendy, always looking for someplace new and more exciting so customers fall off fast. Beverly had a great idea and closed Lowell's old club, opening instead a banquet, convention, and meeting hall that she could rent out for various functions and remodeled it into a convention and meeting hall. She had found a company that could quickly configure temporary areas or rooms or pretty much whatever else someone might want. This venue turned into a real money maker for her. She made a pretty good profit on the rental, but the influx of customers to the restaurant was staggering. Profits rose dramatically. Beverly was ecstatic. I was in awe of her. Who was this titan that looked like the sweet little woman I rescued and married?