Odd Jobs (39 page)

Sev motions to a Special Service guy who is wearing a t-shirt under his regular button-down black shirt. The guy takes the shirt off and offers it to me. I take off my bloody t-shirt and, in a moronic move, offer the horrific shirt to the Special Service guy, like we are trading.

“Thanks,” he says sarcastically.

“Oh, shit, sorry.”

Curtis says, “C’mon, let’s go.”

No one speaks during the ride. I took down Balducci, but shit, Buster Wellington is just as bad, if not worse. Fuck. I want to talk to Sev about this but our car ride is over and we are parked in front of a helicopter.

Curtis says, “Let’s go; New Paltz to Manhattan in 30 minutes.”

The helicopter isn’t what I’d pictured an Army helicopter to look like. The pilot is separated from the passengers by a partition. We are in an area with two plush leather rows facing each other and a coffee table in between. There is burl wood veneer throughout the interior.

“Nice ride,” Sev says to me. “Curtis’ department busted a big Brazilian drug cartel and they confiscated about ten of these. Curtis gets a chopper for his department to use as they see fit. That’s how it works here; kind of a merit system.” The helicopter takes off. I’m feeling frustrated. I want to talk to Sev and Curtis about Buster Wellington, but it’s too noisy to talk. Curtis puts on a large headset with a big microphone and motions me to pick up a headset. Sev does the same. “You guys knew about Buster Wellington, didn’t you?” I can hear my own voice in the headphones.

Sev answers. “Yeah, we knew.” I can hear him perfectly now. Almost like we are on the phone, but we are looking right at each other.

“Why didn’t you tell me? You must have known for a while.”

Curtis says, “Is it my imagination, or am I correct in saying we gave you exactly what you asked for? Not only did we stop Balducci, we also waited till you were ready to terminate him. Think about tonight. It was like going to a fuckin’ Mickey D’s take-out for you. Don’t make it like we did something wrong.”

“Yeah, well fuck that. I want Wellington, too.”

Curtis says, “Sorry, kid, that one you can’t have.”

My frustration boils to a fever. “You can’t do that to me. He was Balducci’s partner. He was just as responsible for killing my father and sister. He ruined my whole family. Look what they did to Rocky! I need this. Please, guys.”

Curtis says, “Believe me, I know how you feel. I know how this stings, but we need Wellington. I threw a lot of resources at this; we can’t come up empty-handed. If it makes you feel better, Buster’s life is taking a dramatic turn for the worse tonight.”

“That’s why you needed me to finish Balducci in 30 minutes. You said you have a high-profile arrest to make.”

“Yes. Buster Wellington is at a fundraiser at the Waldorf Astoria. The room is filled with senators, businessmen and socialites. When we take Buster in, it will be all over the news.”

Sev laughs. “Kevin, you can’t believe how much shit we have on this asshole. Remember when you were getting antsy because we weren’t moving in yet?”

“Yeah, sure. Petro, too. We all were on the edge and you were eating pancakes.”

“Yeah, pancakes help me think. Anyway, that’s where the dominoes really fell. Balducci was a caged rat. He was desperate and he blew his cover with Wellington. There are direct phone calls, attempted meetings, and all the codes that they had throughout the years were revealed and deciphered. We located the money trails and linked them to both Balducci and Wellington. We have pictures and surveillance tapes. Balducci knew he was cornered, and he’d figured out that Petro didn’t have the resources to organize this effort. He knew something was up and that being arrested wasn’t out of the question. Shit, for Balducci, getting arrested was the best option. In the end, he was more scared of Buster Wellington than us. He knew Buster wouldn’t risk being exposed. He was right, too; Buster was planning to kill Jimmy.”

“No
shit?” I say.

“Yeah, Buster was more cutthroat than Balducci by a long shot.”

Now I’m even more frustrated. I went after the wrong guy. “Curtis, are you the one who’s going to arrest Wellington?”

“Hell, no. I can’t blow my cover. We have district attorneys for that. If people know me, I’d never be able to get things done. Tonight, we’ll be in a surveillance truck watching the whole thing.”

I ask Curtis if he can give me five minutes alone with Wellington.

“Why? So you can strangle him?”

“I want to, that’s true, but I understand everything you’ve been saying. You come away with a big-profile arrest and your department gets stronger. It’s easier for you to go after other scumbags now. I wouldn’t ruin that for you. But I’d still like to confront Buster Wellington. Can you arrange that for me?”

Sev looks at Curtis. Curtis pauses and says, “I’ll think about it.”

CHAPTER 31

I’m mad at myself. Did I let my feelings for C.W. Wellington blind me? Did I miss something while I was idolizing her? If I did a better job, if I kept my mind more open, could I have figured out Buster’s involvement? For Christ’s sake, I was at their house all the time. If I did the job better, maybe I wouldn’t have gotten Rocky killed. I’m such an asshole.

The helicopter lands on a pad near Chelsea Piers. Another black Escalade is waiting for us and rushes us to the Lexington Avenue side of the Waldorf Astoria. TV trucks are parked out front to cover this big celebrity charity event. Sev and Curtis lead me to an NBC TV truck parked in front of the Bull and Bear restaurant, a block north of the Waldorf. Immediately, I can tell this isn’t an ordinary TV truck. It holds an impressive array of TV screens that have every angle and every corner of the grand ballroom covered. One flat panel TV, bigger than all the others, is focused on a deserted table.

Curtis says, “That’s the Wellington table. No one is there now, but the main course is about to be served.”

Cameras are panning randomly through the crowd, highlighting the celebrity guests. There are major movie stars, models, athletes, senators and captains of business like Buster Wellington. They’re all here for the noble cause of saving the planet.

Curtis points to the left wall of the mock TV truck. He is showing me that one wall of this operation is dedicated to following the Wellington family. Buster is on the dance floor wearing his Armani tuxedo. He’s spinning his wife around the floor to the music of a 40-piece orchestra.

Another camera is focusing nearby on CW.’s younger twin sisters, who are dancing as well. They seem to be with some very proper young men.

One camera is locked in on C.W. at the bar, and that grabs my attention. She’s wearing a beautiful low-cut shiny brown dress. Very classy, but just tart enough to attract the attention that she thrives on. She’s at the bar with some preppy guy and working him like only C.W. can. I think to myself,
Enjoy these last few minutes,
C.
W. Trust me, it sucks having the world you thought was yours taken away.

Everyone has been called back to their seats for the main course. The master of ceremonies has taken the stage. It’s Debby Brooks, a popular comic. Behind her is a tremendous screen that projects her image throughout the room where the people who donated an insane amount are in front of the people who donated only a crazy amount. Brooks is barking her routine and the crowd is eating it up. She’s tearing into some of the CEOs in the crowd and everyone is enjoying it. Right now she is crushing Brian Richmand, the CEO of Limestone Private Equity.

Brook’s announces the keynote speaker, former Vice President Al Gore.

The flat screen TV shows the Wellington family sharing the table with the dates of the four daughters.

A voice reaches out to Curtis through his walkie-talkie. “Curtis, we’re behind a few minutes. They’re all there. Should we move in?”

“Not yet. I can’t do that to Gore. Shit, the man was the vice president. Don’t worry.
 
Wellington always makes a statement at these things. As long as I have him there, it’s all good.”

Gore is speaking with a southern drawl and I’m sure everything he is saying is important, but shit, can the man talk any slower? When Gore is well into his speech, Curtis says into the walkie-talkie, “Any minute now. Stay loose.”

When Gore finally finishes, Debby Brooks introduces the auctioneer for the silent auction. She teases Gore about the election he lost, and Gore jabs back pretty manfully. By most standards, this event is quite a success.

Curtis says into the walkie-talkie, “Okay, this is the spot I was looking for. We can make maximum impact and not ruin the event. Let’s go before the auction starts.”

In less than 15 seconds, 20 police officers burst into the Waldorf. They are fully armed and fully protected in riot gear for effect. It’s a long march to the front of the room and the Wellington table. There is plenty of curiosity, but I bet there are plenty who think this is a gag and part of the event. However, that thought is suspended when the United States attorney approaches Buster Wellington. The DA says, “Alexander Wellington, you are being arrested on charges of violating the federal RICO act, conspiracy to commit murder, grand larceny, violating international trade regulations and treasonous acts against the United States government. You have the right to remain silent, you have the right to an attorney.... ”

While Buster is handcuffed, the crowd tries to converge on the table. The chatter has risen to a clamorous roar.

Sev says, “This will be a long fall from grace.”

The Waldorf ballroom is huge, and the patrons from the back tables are wrestling through to get a look. The camera angle we have is well positioned and I assume that’s not by accident. Wellington’s wife is sobbing and trying to stay poised, you know, the WASP thing. The look on C.W.’s face is priceless. She knows it’s over. She is frozen in shock. I know she is maneuvering something in her head. She’s already in recovery mode and in denial about how bad things are about to get. What’s the proper reaction to a family scandal, anyway? It doesn’t much matter; her world is different now. It can change that quickly.

The police lead Wellington away. The oversized officers, puffed up by bulletproof flak jackets and riot gear, are plowing through the crowd, forcing a path for the man in the expensive tuxedo and shiny handcuffs. The Wellington family is close behind. It’s a long way from the front of the Waldorf to the back. Sure, there are side exits, but I guess either the guards don’t know about them or they have no desire to dilute the drama. Gee, I wonder which it is?

Curtis continues to give instructions to his department. Still transfixed by the TV screens, I listen to the crowd buzz and chatter with excitement.

After a few minutes, Brooks returns to the stage and gets the crowd chuckling and comfortable again. But it probably shocks the Wellingtons to discover that a huge social event can continue without them.

Sev pops his head back into the TV truck. “Coming?”

The black Escalade takes us to the federal building downtown by the Wall Street area, near the Brooklyn Bridge. When we enter, I can tell that Curtis is in a great mood, more spirited than I’ve ever seen him. Curtis says, “Sev, the politics suck, all the dead ends suck and all the scumbags we deal with suck. But I’ll tell you, when you win it feels good.”

Sev answers, “Yeah, but we could have picked up Wellington at his mansion and done this quietly. Did the attorneys’ office need the scene to be this dramatic?”

Curtis answers, “Look, they always want as much exposure as possible. The more TV time they get, the better their chances are for running for governor or something like that.”

“But guys like you prefer to go in stealth under the radar. Why did you go Hollywood this time?”

Curtis laughs. “I figured if we went big and bold, it would be a statement. So when this cocksucker Wellington reaches out to all his political and legal connections — and believe me, he will — I want all those connections to think twice. I want them to think that for our group to prance into the Waldorf and disrupt an event of that magnitude, that the guys running this case have a sure thing. I want everyone to know we’re beyond confident. Let them step up to this challenge.”