Kidnapped! (13 page)

Chapter XXVI

Wrapping up the Case

Angelica was very happy when I untied her and removed the handcuffs. Of course, it was not easy to tell her that I killed her father. I expected her to get very angry, or at least cry, but she was surprisingly calm.

“I’ve been expected that he wouldn’t die of old age,” she said, philosophically. “It is the nature of his business.”

We drove her back to where I had parked her SL500. I really liked that car, but had to return it to Angelica. I wouldn’t want people to think I’m a thief.

The police dropped by a little later, while I was resting in my apartment. I told them everything that had happened. Well, almost everything. Well, some things, mostly just what they needed to know. I left out the part about my kidnapping Angelica. And the part about the videos Raszini had sent me. I didn’t want them being introduced as evidence. I removed them from my cell phone and wanted to forget them forever.

There was, however, one piece of business to take care of before this case could be officially closed.

I knocked on his door and entered without being asked to.

Special Prosecutor Marvin Purvis was sitting behind his desk, a very surprised look on his face.

“Hi, Marv,” I said cheerfully. “I was just in the area and dropped by to say hi.”

“You… I guess you’re a hero. You killed Raszini and all. The department owes you a debt of thanks.”

“Oh, the department owes me much more.”

I reached across his desk, grabbed his collar and smashed my fist into his face.

Blood streaming from his nose and cut mouth, he jerked backwards, falling out of his chair, then scrambling back to his feet but across the room from me.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing!” he cried. “Assaulting a federal official!”

“Oh, you’re not a federal official any longer. I had a little talk with your boss a few minutes ago and he’ll soon be coming in here with a lot of questions. You see, I found out that you’re the one on Raszini’s payroll. You’re why the department couldn’t get a good case against him, because he was being tipped off by you.”

“You’re crazy!” he hollered as he tried to press a handful of tissues against his bloody nose. “You can’t prove that!”

“Oh, I can. You see, I know this friend of Raszini’s who will testify about your involvement. He’s anxious to cooperate with the feds to save his own skin. Does the name Carlo Lucarelli ring a bell?”

I’ve never seen a man with so much blood on his face turn so pale.

“Have a happy time in prison. You’re going to be there a long, long time.”

I left a stunned man leaning against the wall of his office. His boss, whose name I forget, was standing outside. “You can go in now,” I told him. “I softened him up for you. And thanks for letting me express my anger at his getting my little sister in so much danger.”

Linda was waiting in the car. Sweet, sexy Linda Goodbody with those long legs and top-heavy build. Wonderfully inventive Linda Goodbody with her insatiable sexual appetite.

“How about we drive up to Big Bear tonight, have a nice dinner and do a little of the vertical tango in a big hotel bed?” I asked her.

“Oh, sorry, honey,” she replied. “Susie and I and Ramona are going to have a sleepover party tonight and watch old horror movies. Just like I used to do back in high school. It will be fun!”

Sometimes life just isn’t fair!