Ride to Redemption (16 page)

Chapter
24

I
t
was around 7 p.m. before we passed a sign that said, Missoula, 18 miles ahead.
Unfortunately, not having spent much time here, all I could remember about the
town’s main claim to fame was that the University of Montana calls it home.
Beyond that I drew a blank. Taking the first exit into town, I pulled my phone
and Googled the best places to stay. Luckily, I found the Gleeson Mansion
B&B, rated #1, offered availability, where I was able to reserve the
master’s suite with a click of a button. Putting the address into my GPS, we
cruised through the city, built on the Clark Fork River and then across Montana
University’s main campus, before arriving at the Mansion, just a mile from downtown.

“Beautiful,”
breathed Candi, as we rolled slowly up to the massive front entrance, featuring
six large stone columns, reaching at least 30’ towards the arched roof. “Déjà
Vu all over again, I believe, somewhere in our past, we’ve been here before.
Excellent choice, D. Can we recreate our last B&B adventure again tonight?”

“Your
wish is my command, princess. We can do it, as long as they have a king sized
bed and a two person shower, or some combination of the above.”

“Oh,
and then we have to talk. Right, baby?”

“Right,”
I relented, as we made our way to the front desk.

“Hi,”
I announced, to our jovial looking receptionist, Robin. “I’m D and this is
Bambi, (just had to get that in.) I booked the Master Suite for tonight. Robin,
darling, does it have an oversized shower?”

“I’m
sorry to say sir, it does not. It has a standard shower for one, but an awesome
slipper tub. Will that work for you?”

Before
I could say no, Candi interrupted, “We’ll take it. I love slipper tubs. They
make me feel so elegant, especially while sipping champagne.”

“I
guess it works for us Robin, so much for fantasy night.”

“Pardon
me?”

“Never
mind, just point me to the nearest champagne store.”

Candi
had taken the keys and raced to the room where, after lugging in our gear, I
found her in a state of nominal undress, steamy, frothy water pouring into the
tub. “Hurry back with the champagne, baby. Kisses.”

Woo-hoo
demands much today,
my heart couldn’t help but pine.

Returning
with two bottles of chilled champagne, assorted cheeses and fresh veggies from
the Good Food Store, I found Candi enveloped in her element, naked, relaxed and
reading another steamy novel on her iPad. “Thank you, baby. I was beginning to
think you were lost. This book I’m reading is really hot. So hot in fact, after
you pour us some bubbly, I might just jump you … with your permission, of
course.”

“Really
Candi, just when have you had to ask my permission to jump me,” thoroughly
amused that my jeans were suddenly rising to her invitation, as I popped the
cork on the first bottle.

“To
us,” I toasted, handing Candi an almost full glass. Reaching down to kiss her
on the lips, Candi playfully tried pulling me into the tub with her, clothes
and all.

“Get
in, D. I am so hot. I want you, baby. I want you now,” pleaded Candi, as she
forcefully grasped my arms and pulled the top half of me into the tub, all the
way up to my elbows.

“Hold
on, baby doll, my wallet, my boots and my phone may not survive the rest of
your quest.” Quickly shedding my clothes, I slipped in behind her, raising the
water level in the tub, to the brink.

“Isn’t
this relaxing, D? I could soak here for hours.”

“It
is, baby. That is, if we don’t move,” I muttered, realizing any sudden movement
would send bath water over the tub and onto the floor. “Pull the plug, Candi,
and let some water out or we’re screwed.”

“Gladly,”
said Candi. “Those were my intentions exactly.”

Once
the water dropped to a manageable level, my hands massaged her tatas, as I
kissed her back. “I’ve missed you, baby,” I whispered, while rocking back and
forth in unison in the steamy, bubbling water. And then as quickly as it
started, it was over, at least for me.

“You’re
finished, already?” asked Candi disapprovingly. “Plus you made one giant mess,”
she added as the water pooled on the tile, then streamed toward the pristine
hardwood floors.

“Yep.
I’m sorry. It even surprised me. Stand up, please. We’re far from done,” I
said, as we climbed from the tub. I picked up two large bath towels to mop up
the water. Grabbing a third, I wrapped her in it and carried into the bedroom
and gently laid her on the bed. “Close your eyes, precious, this one’s for
you.”

Trying
not to let her excitement wane, I delved straight into her moistness with my
lips and my tongue, while my hands caressed her cheeks to finish what I’d
started in the tub. Arching her back, Candi's fingers clawed into the
comforter, as my tempo steadily increased. Sensing she was on the precipice, I
moved two fingers in and upwards towards her magic spot, while my lips began
their magic.

“Oh,
baby! Oh, baby!” screamed Candi, as once again, the waves of another successful
O enveloped her. Seeing her body thrashing, her legs moving up and down on the
bed,
 
re-awakened me. As her
excitement subsided, I moved up and on top of her.

“You’re
not done? What’s up with that? Oh I see what’s up, the better question is why,”
Asked a surprised and thoroughly amused Candi beneath me.

“I
can’t answer that. Evidently someone else is driving this train,” I surprised
myself with that reply, as I began round two, while looking into the wanton
eyes of the beautiful woman before me. “Hang your legs over my shoulders,
baby,” I pleaded, while assuming a plank like position.

“What’s
got into you, D?”

“I
don’t know, baby. But whatever it is, I’m glad I’m in shape for it.” By the
time I rose and fell to the occasion for the second time in under ten minutes,
Candi and I were totally spent, somewhat sore and extremely sensitive. (Her
words, not mine) And within five minutes asleep, wrapped and entwined in each
other’s arms.

Chapter
25

“M
orning,” I said softly,
kissing Candi gently on the cheek.

“What
time is it?” asked Candi, still in a fog.

“Its
5 a.m., precious. Are you up to walking with me this morning?”

“Can
I take a rain check, D?”

“Of
course. We’ve already decided you’re not an early morning person, so go back to
sleep. I’ll wake you when I get back.”

Walking
across the university’s campus to hike the 1-3/4 mile M Trail to Mt. Sentinel,
I turned my phone on to discover two voice mails and one text message from last
night. One number I recognized was Vic’s, the other number shown was unknown.
The text message, however, was all too clear.

Text 1:

D, remember me? Your shadow. Howz Sturgis and Ur
ride goin’? Need to check in ASAP. I’ve heard stirrings and rumblings through
the grapevine. Need to pass on. Jim.

Message 1:

Hi D, this is Victoria calling to check on you and
see how your trip is going. And to tell you, I’ve found an office, hired an
assistant and have taken on my first pro bono case, all thanks to you. Hope all
is well, call me.

Message 2:

D, Gio here. We leave
Wyoming tomorrow. Mile say she like Jackson Hole, the big brown deer, the
million-dollar bar, but miss ride with you. We come find you. You call, ok?
Tell me where you’ll be in three days. We’ll be there, Ciao.

Climbing
over 1900 feet in elevation in under two miles humbled me. Although the views
of Missoula and the Bitterroot Mountains were exquisite this early in the
morning, I did not realize just how out of shape I was. Thankfully, I left
Candi in bed for this walk, otherwise, I would have never heard the end of it,
asking her to climb this mountain with me at dawn. Much to my chagrin and her
delight, if she had managed to come along, would have been the hard bodied,
male runners, who continuously passed me with ease, running up to the top and
back down, without seemingly breaking a sweat.

Oh, to be 20 again.

On
my trek down, with my breathing now under control, I called Vic, who did not
answer and left her a message, congratulating her on her recent events. I also
asked her to email me with a time to talk and I would plan accordingly. I
didn’t call Gio, realizing I first needed to figure out where we would be, and
secondly, did Candi really want this reconnection to occur.

I
did text a reply to my shadow. You just never know when you will need a good
cop around to cover your back.

Jim,
trip is awesome. Glad you’re not here. Taking long way back. Stirrings can wait
till I get back. Can’t find what they can’t see. D

“Morning,
baby,” I announced, handing Candi a freshly made black and green tea, I grabbed
on the way up the stairs.

“Kisses,
baby. How was your walk?”

“It
was not for the faint of heart. I walked across the campus and up the mountain
to the concrete M we saw last night on our way here. You’d be proud of me, I
even made it to the top,” I exclaimed, as the sweat poured from my brow and
dripped onto the sheets.

“I
am proud of you, baby. I should have gone with you this morning, but you wore
me out last night. Let me clarify that, you, the champagne and the tub. I hate
to change the subject, but since we are alone with our clothes on, it is time
you fess up about the diamonds and just where they came from. Just what kind of
mess have I gotten myself into, riding off into the sunset with you?”

“Don’t
be that way. None of this has ever been about me. It’s always been about trying
to fix something that was irrevocably broken, without involving anyone else.”

“Answer
me this, D. How much do you estimate each one of these packages are worth?”

“It’s
hard to answer that exactly. I mean, they all vary.”

Pressing
the point, “Try, D.”

“Roughly
1.8 million to 2.8 million dollars, mind you, I’m guessing.”

“So
let’s see if I’ve got this straight. We’ve been mailing roughly 200 million
dollars of diamonds at each stop. How many stops are “we” making, D?

“Six.”

“Using
simple math, that’s over 1.2 billion with a capital B that you’re giving away.
Now, truthfully, wouldn't you consider me an accomplice? Go figure.”

“Yep.
That just about sums it up. I’m sorry I’ve involved you in this, but it is what
it is. Just think, Candi, one more stop and we’ll be completely through with
this nightmare. I’m sorry this troubles you. I want you to be comfortable,
regardless. I’ll take you to the airport and you can fly home right now if
that’s what you want. It’s totally up to you.”

“For
now, I’m staying. I have too many unanswered questions to leave you at this
juncture. The first question is, just who are all these fortunate souls who
receive your ‘gifts’? I mean, why isn’t my name on your list?”

“If
you’d invested in A.J. Standford’s Bank, aka. Ponzi scheme, I’m sure your name
would’ve been there. But thankfully, I didn’t see you on any of my lists.”

“Lists?
What lists?” Candi was sounding more like a detective than a girlfriend. “Lists
like from a print out or a thumb drive, CD or maybe even a hardbound ledger?”

“Lists
of people who couldn’t afford to lose their investments to some greedy SOB
—a man who promised significantly more in returns than he could possibly
deliver,” I added.

“Who
made you, God?” Candi continued defiantly. “Who told you which ones to save and
which ones to ignore? Did you just wave a magic wand and the names appear?”

“People
were drowning here, Candi. These were little guys who invested everything
trying to make a better life for their families, their employees and
themselves. When Standford collapsed, they did too, to the point many were
driven to suicide.”

“Where
did all these diamonds come from, D? One point two billion dollars worth of
them. That’s billion with a B, I stress again.”

“They
came out of Standford’s secret vault at his lake home in South Texas. ... I
know you’re wondering how I found out if it was secret. I built his home, as
well as the vault. Everything I build has a failsafe somewhere, just in case of
emergencies — whole house cut-offs for water, gas, electric, and yes,
even emergency exits and backdoors for walk-in vaults.

“He
took me down to the tune of $20 million, Candi. He forced me into financial
ruin. I went after him with all the strength I had left and brought that SOB to
his knees. I had thankfully gathered enough evidence of his shady dealings with
me during his home construction that I had something to give to the Feds. That
started the ball rolling and eventually brought his gold- and diamond-encrusted
house down around him.”

“What’s
the story on the diamonds, D? I’m still trying to wrap my mind around that one.
I cannot imagine how you managed to come into such a fortune and just to get
rid of it. What compelled you to give it all away?”

“First,
they weren’t mine. Then again, neither were they his. Can you imagine finding
over two hundred pounds of “polished Conflict Diamonds” in his vault? If the
government had seized them, since they’re considered illegal, no one would have
ever seen a dime of restitution. I did the only thing I knew to do. Clean out
his vault of everything valuable and worry about the consequences later.”

“Does
he know you took them? Does anyone else know about the diamonds? Does anyone
that you know of, consider you a person of interest?”

“That’s
the beauty of it, Candi. They were off book,” I said, embellishing a wide grin.
“Standford bought them with his client’s money. I’m just returning it to as
many of them as best as I know how. It’s theirs, Candice. The Feds would have a
hard time confiscating their own investments, but I guess they could argue they
were not dispersed fairly. But life is not always fair, is it?”

Candi
was now groping. “And where are the lists, D? Are they safe? Are they with you
now? Do you have copies of them?
 
Can I see them?”

Clearing
my throat, I began, “What’s with all the questions, Candi? Yes, I have them.
Yes, they are safe. Yes, I have made copies. I’m afraid there also may be some
very incriminating evidence associated with them. Extremely valuable to certain
families in the U.S. that Gio may be related to and come to think of it,” I
said in halting breath, “maybe you, too.”

Candi
turned ghastly pale. I had struck another nerve, for that I am sure. What was
it about the ledgers and list of clients that put her on notice? Something
happened just now to that sweet, wonderful demeanor of hers. She evidently
knows enough about the ledgers to be dangerous. God forbid, but could this
whole kindred spirit, lovemaking scenario, be a ruse of her making? Damn good
actress, if so, and an Oscar nominee for sure, if this turns out to be the
case.

Just
as I was about to press her with the hard and rather elusive questions, my
phone rang. Dang, I forgot to turn it off. “Hi Victoria, nope, it is not a good
time,” shaking my head in Candi’s direction. “But it will have to do.”

Victoria
let loose in a state of excitement, all the while failing to stop and breathe.
“D, have you seen the news? Of course, you haven’t, that’s why you hired me. It
seems like your gifts are popping up all across the country. People at first
thought the diamonds were CZ’s, till they started getting them appraised. You
have managed to turn the world, as we know it, upside down with your extreme
random acts of generosity.”

“Slow
down Vic, breathe. It will be okay. Answer me this … Do they suspect who their
anonymous benefactor is?”

“Not
yet, D, but the rumor mills are spinning. None of which, from all that I have
been able to discover, are pointing at you, I might add, for now.”

“I’m
almost done, Vic. I have one more stop to make, nodding toward Candi for
confirmation. Hopefully, we can get the last of them shipped out, before the
shit hits the fan, so to speak.”

“From
where I’m standing, D, it’s already hit the fan. Brokers all across the country
have been put on alert to notify the Feds of any and all unusual activity,
concerning large quantity sales of solitaries.”

“What
gives, Vic? No one knows where the diamonds came from and at least until now,
no one knows where they are going. I’ve been very careful to leave no trace
behind.”

“It
looks like I have to get the last of them shipped out and disappear off the
radar again. I hope that the Feds will stop looking and these poor people can
get on with their lives. Stay in touch please and keep me up to date with
what’s going on. Thanks for looking out for me.” The same closing question, the
same, now whispered reply. “Yes, we are good. I haven’t forgotten. You’ll be
the first, I promise, if the status quo changes. Bye Vic, whew!” She is
persistent, I have to give her that.

Candi
began her conversation immediately where I left off with Victoria, “from the
gist of your conversation, you have shocked the world with your sudden
generosity. And unfortunately, I’m right smack in the middle of your madness.
My guess is if you go down, I’ll be right behind you, screaming and kicking the
whole way.”

“No,
I’m pretty sure I can convince the powers that be, if it comes to that, that
you were an unwilling accomplice. You are, aren’t you, Candice?” I asked in all
sincerity, while knowing that I may have just asked the first hard question
that I really did not want to know the answer to.

“D,
it’s like this,” began Candi, rocking back and forth on the bed, sitting Indian
style. “I wasn’t completely truthful with you earlier, I kind of left out the
rest of the story. You’re not going to like it, but I need to get this off my
chest. If there is ever going to be anything more than just a good time between
us, I have to tell you the whole truth. It started out innocent enough. The
more we talked, the more you shared, the less I thought about what I was
originally supposed to be looking for. I mean, after a very short while, I just
wanted to be with you, because of the way you made me feel, period.”

“And
what, may I ask were and or are you looking for, Candi?” I conveyed this
question with urgency, while maintaining a tight grip on her shoulders to keep
her from rocking and focused. It was beginning to annoy me, along with this
whole damn conversation.

“The
ledgers, D,” confessed Candi, rather shamefully, as she looked away from my
gaze and down at the bed. “It was all about the ledgers, at least initially. My
family and its vast network were provided a list of names of all the people who
had a working relationship with Standford. You were one of the hardest to find,
being in witness protection and all, but my family has serious connections.”

“You
were also vetted as an unlikely prospect, because you had fallen financially in
disgrace, just like he did. The family figured if you had been tight with
Standford, you would have skated through his financial turmoil unscathed. I on
the other hand, realized after reading your bio, you had grit. When they said
you had gone into “the program,” I volunteered to find out what you had done
and why. Oh yeah, I was also hoping you had the ledgers. There is a lot of
money at stake for the one that finds them.”