Infinite Loop - Chapter 35

Negotiation

Chapter 35

Warren gripped the steering wheel while he wondered about the reason for Amber’s return to the motel. It might have been her dreams, or maybe she found out something from her father. He tried to put his worry out of his mind. Instead, a slight sense of relief filled him. No matter the reason for her return, Amber was the first person in a long time who he felt he could relate to.

Still, he forced his emotion away. Warren needed to get her away from the thugs holding her. He couldn’t go to the district attorney or the police about Amber. Worse yet, he had committed himself to getting the cargo of statues to Cassidy Hugh. As he crossed the state line, he felt the knot in his belly tighten.

I’m in a damn tight spot and she’s in just as deep.

The LaSalle turned on Harrison Avenue in the Chinatown district in Boston just after lunchtime. Mary steered the big car into a narrow alley next to the Carson office building. Warren slowly passed the alley before stopping about half a block away. He quickly got out of the car, dodging traffic to reach the other side of the street while he worked his way along the busy sidewalk. Warren turned into the first open door across from the Carson building, which held a small tea shop. Inside, a surprised elderly couple stared at the man who looked around, then immediately went back to the front window. He stood there observing the other side of the street while somewhat camouflaged by Chinese lettering which covered much of the store’s window. As he watched the pair of thugs push Amber into the building across the street, Warren asked about a phone. However, the couple inside the shop remained quiet. He turned back to them and pantomimed with his hands the act of using a phone. The elderly man wearing the Fu Manchu mustache narrowed his eyes.

“I speak English quite well!” he calmly informed Warren.

“Sorry for being a jerk,” Warren replied as he pulled a dollar from his pocket. “I need your phone for a minute.”

The old man pointed to the back of the store. Warren rushed by him while placing the dollar in the man’s hand.

After getting the operator, Baker asked for Quincy 552. Several moments later, the operator stated no one was picking up. He told the telephone operator to try again. This time, a female answered.

“Alright Mary, you’ve got Amber,” Warren growled into the receiver. “If you want those statues, you better play ball.”

There was a pause.

“Why, sugar, you just read my mind,” she finally replied.

The woman’s southern accent sickened Warren.

“Just shut your trap. I know where the statues are, and I’ll be happy to let the cops have it if you try any more of your crap with your gorilla. I’ll swap the trunk for the girl. But that’s only on my terms, you got that?”

He could almost see the woman’s eyes shooting darts at him through the phone.

“What do you have in mind?” Her tone told him she wanted his head on a platter.

“Tonight, I’ll call you with the place and time later today at this number,” Warren told her. “You get stupid and hurt her. I’ll send the cops your way. Got it?”

The woman on the other end of the line took in a breath and he sensed her growing anger at him controlling the situation.

“I’ll agree but don’t keep me waiting, Baker,” Mary said. “Harry has plans for your bitch. Can’t say I blame him. I might help him.”

“Go to hell, you damn whore. She has done nothing to you,” he answered angrily. “Trust me when I say this. I’d kill the pair of you just for the fun of it right now.”

Warren slammed the receiver down before he hurried back to the front window.

“Thanks for the phone. I need to stay a little longer. Someone is coming soon.” He nodded to the couple. The shopkeeper followed his look outside.

“As long as you don’t bring them inside,” the old man stated while taking his wife’s hand.

“Of course,” Warren replied with a smirk.

Something in the shopkeeper’s expression told Warren he overheard the conversation. A moment later, Harry Jennison came out of the building. The thug looked around carefully, and after a couple of scans up and down the street, he finally noticed Amber’s car. Warren could tell by the man’s reaction that the gorilla sensed a trap as he walked across the street.

Go on, I know what you want to do.

Almost as if he heard him, Harry slowly walked toward Amber’s car, then stopped. Instead, Jennison carefully peered into the nearby shop window. Slowly, Warren backed away from the shop’s front window while ordering the shopkeeper to go back to the counter. Harry passed by the door, and Warren slid his hand into his jacket where his pistol rested. However, the gorilla took another look inside before he continued walking to Amber’s car. Warren waited for a while before he exited the shop. With his hand on the grip of his gun, he followed the massive man who stopped to look into the shop window. Warren trailed behind, keeping a group of sailors between him and his target.

When Harry reached the Hudson, he glanced around. Then he opened the passenger’s side door to find the car’s registration. The sailors continued past the car as Warren stepped in behind Harry. The thug sensed trouble and started to turn.

“It’s her car, asshole. I have a .38 in my pocket pointed at your back,” Warren explained. “I can’t miss from here.”

“You’re bluffing, queenie,” Harry replied.

Still, the big man remained frozen with his hand still holding the open car door.

“There’s a clerk in Nashua with my 30 bucks who says differently,” Warren told him firmly. “Right now, I want to kill you pretty bad, so don’t tempt me. Now, carefully close the car door. You are going back to the Carson building, and I’ll be right behind you. You try anything stupid and I’ll blast you with a smile on my face. My hanging for three murders isn’t any different than hanging for two.”

Warren waited until a couple passed him. He gave them a thin smile as he stepped closer to his prisoner.

“Now walk or die,” he growled.

Warren gave Harry credit for more brains than guts. The thug decided not to try his luck. Harry headed to the back of the car and stepped into the street. He glanced back and noticed Warren’s hand in his pocket. With a grimace on his face, he continued moving to the other sidewalk. Warren noticed the thug hesitate before they got to the side door.

“Try it! I really want to put some bullets into that thick skull,” Warren warned.

“You talk big for a weasel,” Harry sneered.

Still, he continued to the door. Once inside, Warren pulled the gun from his pocket and pushed it firmly into the big man’s neck.

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