Lazar's Intrigue (The Jack Lazar Series) (24 page)

TWENTY-FIVE

It
was early evening in San Juan Capistrano, and the sun cast an orange hue over
the horizon, spilling celestial beams of light through the scattered clouds
toward the azure canvas beyond. A smooth breeze wandered through the hills,
carrying with it the sweet fragrance of wisteria, and the trees ruffled
delicately in a splendid concerto.

Jack
paid the driver a healthy sum before emerging from the back seat of the cab,
and he gazed upon the front of his residence as if it belonged to someone else.
Moreover, his messy appearance and soiled military garb didn’t befit such a
home, and the cab driver voiced his concern over the scene’s discontinuity.

“Are
you sure this is the right house, mister?”

“Yeah,
I’m sure. Thanks.”

The
cab drove away slowly, the driver apparently still unsure, but Jack ignored the
man’s unsettled concerns and walked around to the garage where he lifted the keypad
cover and entered the code to raise the door. The entry from the garage to the
house was unlocked, as usual, and the alarm system offered its standard pattern
of beeps as he edged inside, the sound of it both familiar and unfamiliar at
the same time. Just one more code to enter, and he was back home.

The
fresh smell of the house permeated Jack’s nostrils as he walked through the
kitchen toward the front of the house, its combination of new fabrics, the
abundance of wood and freshly painted surfaces providing an aroma that reminded
him of his short history there. He stood inside the foyer for a while and appreciated
the quiet place, noticing that nothing had been disturbed since his departure
weeks ago. He was concerned that Antonucci’s men or the DEA would have searched
through his things during his absence, but they had apparently concluded there
was nothing to be gained, and he was thankful for that.

Jack
ascended the staircase to the second floor and turned into the master bedroom. He
noticed the spot on the bed from which Sarina had made her first advance toward
him, and he tried to smile about it, but he just didn’t have it in him.

He
moved on and disrobed in the adjoining dressing area before treating himself to
a hot bath where he tended to his wounds and sore joints, preparing himself for
this evening’s impending confrontation. Being a shower man, this was his first
experience in the oversized Jacuzzi tub, and he was reminded that baths could
be rejuvenating and luxurious—something to remember.

His
tuxedo laid out on the bed, Jack hunted through his armoire for the requisite
accessories, opening the first in a row of small drawers, only to reveal the
stunning emerald-and-diamond ring Sarina had left in his car that first night.
He had completely forgotten it was there, and his stomach sank, the reality of
her death once again rising to the forefront of his mind. It seemed impossible
to do anything without being reminded of her.

His
mood somber, Jack continued to ready himself for Harry Benson’s dinner party as
if he were an invited guest. Harry’s daughter, Lisa, had left some makeup base
at Jack’s house, and he used it to help cover up the scrapes and bruises on his
face. In no time his appearance resembled a refined gentleman again.

With
the Aston Martin’s place in the garage still vacant, Jack climbed behind the
wheel of the Range Rover and started toward the Benson estate. He wondered what
had become of his cherished Zagato as he drove along, and he considered whether
he would ever see it again. It could be sitting in the city pound by now,
lodged in between a couple of decrepit cars no one would ever pay money to bail
out. Then again, could it still be parked in his old space in the office garage
where he left it a few weeks ago?

The
valet tending the Benson party jumped from his folding chair as Jack rounded
the driveway toward the front of the house, the young lad apparently not
expecting any additional guests. Jack tossed him the keys and entered the house
self-assuredly, just as he had done many times in the past. He listened for the
gathering of people and detected that they had already been seated in the
dining room—a place where Jack had enjoyed many a meal prior to Sean Benson’s
tragic death. He straightened his jacket and took a deep breath before rounding
the corner into the room, the conversation halting immediately as he entered.

Enzo
Antonucci dropped his fork to his plate, the clang causing everyone around him
to jump. “Oh my God,” he blurted carelessly as he exchanged an uneasy stare
with Gerald Hesterling, who sat directly across the table from him. Harry
Benson glanced at the two men for a moment, apparently wondering how Antonucci even
knew who Jack was, much less why he would be alarmed by his presence.

Harry
wrinkled his brow as he rose to his feet, clearly trying to hide his
discomfort. After everything that had been reported in the media, he probably
concluded that Jack was a dangerous man. Still, Jack knew it was Harry’s nature
to be polite to everyone no matter the circumstances, and the man did not
disappoint him on this occasion.

“Jack!
What in the world are you doing here?” He walked toward his surprise guest and
shook his hand firmly before lowering his voice. “As you can see, we’re having
a dinner party right now. Is there something I can do for you?”

Jack
leaned in conspiratorially and addressed him in an equally soft tone. “Harry, I
need to speak with you privately for a moment. Things are not what they appear
to be.”

He
noticed Lisa sitting near the end of the table across from her mother, and she
opened her mouth as if to say something, a look of true compassion in her eyes.
But she was instantly interrupted.

“No!”
Gerald Hesterling shouted as he rose from the table and walked toward them. “The
man is a criminal!”

Jack
held up his hand, indicating to Hesterling that he was to come no farther. “Harry.
I know this may sound crazy to you, but I’ve been involved with a DEA
investigation over the last several weeks, and the information we’ve uncovered
threatens to expose some very powerful people. They have been using their
influence over the press and law enforcement agencies to discredit us, and that’s
what you’ve been seeing and hearing on the news lately. It’s not the truth. I
assure you.”

“This
is insanity!” Hesterling interjected. “I’m calling the police!”

“That’s
a great idea,” Jack responded. “You go and do that while I talk to Harry.”

Hesterling
started to pull out his cell phone but turned back in frustration. “Harry! Aren’t
you going to do something?”

Harry
looked confused. “I’m not sure what to think here.”

“Then
ask yourself why Gerry is getting all worked up,” Jack offered. “Why is he so
afraid of what I have to say?”

Harry
looked toward the man and raised his eyebrows. “Well?”

“I’m
just concerned for your safety!” Hesterling said.

“C’mon.
Do I look dangerous?” Jack asked, opening his jacket. “I have no weapons of any
kind. All I want to do is talk. May I ask you to show us what’s inside
your
jacket, Gerry?”

Harry
and Jack looked toward the dumpy little man inquisitively, and they both raised
an eyebrow.

“This
is preposterous!” Hesterling roared, demonstrating his intolerance of the
situation. “He’s just trying to divert your attention away from the fact that
he’s the criminal here!”

“Open
your jacket,” Harry demanded. “I’ve known Jack for a long time, and I’m
inclined to give him the benefit of the doubt before I have reason to believe
otherwise.”

Hesterling
reached inside the holster at his rib cage for the .38 revolver, and he pointed
it at them in desperation. “You’re not getting away with this, Jack! Harry,
call the police!”

Harry
Benson finally became angry. “Good God, Gerry! How dare you pull a gun in my
house! Put that thing away!”

“That’s
enough!” Enzo Antonucci had risen from the dinner table and began walking toward
them. “I knew from the beginning that I shouldn’t do business with this man!” He
drew closer as if planning to physically intervene with Hesterling and the gun,
but didn’t. “What have you gotten me into, Gerry?”

“Huh?”
Hesterling responded, dumbfounded. “What are you saying, Enzo? We’re partners! Remember?”

“Partners?
We’ll see about that. But first I need to know if you’ve been doing something
illegal with my new trucking operation. I’ve had suspicions about it all along,
but now that I see what kind of man you are, I’m afraid it’s true.”

“What?
Enzo, please!”

“Put
the gun away, Gerry,” Antonucci instructed, calmly. “Everything will be just
fine. We’ll get you the best legal representation in the business.” He raised
his hands apologetically. “Harry, I’m terribly sorry about this. I had no
idea.”

“Not
at all. It’s clearly not your fault, Enzo. If anything, I should be the one
apologizing.”

Jack
laughed in dismay. “Oh, for chrissake. This is getting really twisted.”
Everyone stared at him as he explained. “Antonucci is part of this, too, Harry.
He’s just so smooth that no one wants to believe it.”

“Mr.
Lazar, is it?” Antonucci said as if he had never met Jack before. “If there’s
something illegal going on, you can rest assured I don’t know about it. I make
millions of dollars every year through many legitimate businesses. Why would I
want to risk all that by doing something illegal? What could possibly be in it
for me?”

Harry
looked to Jack for an explanation this time.

“I’ve
asked myself the same question over and over again,” Jack replied, “and all I
can think of is pure and simple greed.”

“You
have quite an imagination,” Antonucci chuckled. “Now, why don’t you join us at
the table, and we’ll all have some dinner?”

“Boy,
you are a piece of work!” Jack turned back to his former boss. “Harry, this man
tried to have me killed this morning.”

“Preposterous!”
Antonucci shouted.

“I’ve
had enough of this!” Harry cried. “I don’t know what’s going on here, but I don’t
want any part of it! Get out of my house! All of you! We’ll solve all this at
another time!”

“Fine,”
Antonucci agreed thankfully. “You’re absolutely right. This is hardly the place…”

“No!”
Jack protested. “Don’t you see, Harry? That’s exactly what they want!”

“And
you,” Harry continued. “Jack, how dare you come into my house uninvited and
stir up this kind of trouble?”

“The
trouble was already here, Harry. I’m just trying to bring it out into the open
before you get hurt. You must know that you’ve been like a father to me these
last few years, and I’ve cared for your entire family as if it were my own. I
would never do anything to hurt you. You have to believe me.”

Harry
jolted his head, not knowing what to think, and he turned back to Hesterling
with a look of grave disappointment. “Gerry? I don’t know what kind of
contemptible business you’re involved in, but I really don’t give a damn
because you’re fired! Do you hear me? I have never liked you with your racist
attitudes and vulgar sense of humor! The only reason I kept you around all
these years is because you’ve brought so much business to the company. But what
you’ve done here is inexcusable. You are out! You hear me? Out!”

Hesterling
looked as though he was going to explode. Everyone had turned on him, backed
him into a corner, and it was clear that he felt the only choice was to strike
back. Sweeping the gun to his right, Hesterling unloaded a single round into
the center of Antonucci’s chest, his teeth crushing with hatred.

“Take
that, you miserable son of a bitch!” Hesterling growled as Antonucci dropped to
his knees. “I’m goddamn sick and tired of being treated like your errand boy!”

“Go
to hell,” Antonucci snarled as the next shot caught him squarely in the
forehead, and he fell face forward onto the floor, his body instantly lifeless.

“Oh
my God!” Harry screamed. “Gerry! What have you done?”

“You
naïve bastard!” Gerry shrieked as he turned the gun back toward Harry, his lip
curled in anger. “You have no idea what’s been going on right under your nose,
do you? For years now we’ve been fronting for other businesses while you sat in
your big corner office all high and mighty, collecting the profits and paying
for your grand lifestyle, thinking all along your business was virtuous and
good!”

“What
the hell are you talking about?” Harry asked.

Hesterling
cackled with delight. “The last time you got close to figuring out what we were
doing, we arranged a little distraction for you. Remember? Of course, it didn’t
take much to convince Sean to take all those drugs. The weak little bastard
probably would have ended up killing himself anyway!”

The
room fell quiet except for the gasp escaping Marjorie Benson’s lips. Both she
and Lisa shielded their faces with their hands, clearly refusing to witness any
more of the dreadful scene.

The
look of horror and desperation on Harry Benson’s face was so powerful that
everyone knew he would lose control, and it would be impossible to blame him after
the murderer of his son was so revealed. He lunged toward Hesterling in a
screaming fit of rage.