12:40
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Okay, peeps - this is the wrap up. I noticed that a couple of previous chapters are twice as long as the others, so I may split them, if there's a convenient place to do so. I'll continue to edit, omit, amend and probably even add stuff too - not only to this chapter, but all of them - so don't be surprised if you return to them and find something different about them. And now - on with the show.
Chapter Thirteen:
Ted stepped quietly into 'Hasta La Vista' and was surprised to see that there was no one on the door. Then he noticed a poorly written and badly spelled scrap of paper on the floor saying 'Closed for repairs. Sorry for any inconveinence' and knew why. It must have fallen off the glass door. Two ostentatious drapes adorned each side of the actual entrance into the restaurant, so he carefully put his head around one of them and looked into the interior. There were no waiters in evidence, nor any diners - just Angelo, who sat at a far corner table at which, nearby, stood two of his goons. Their conversation could be heard quite clearly, so Ted remained still and listened to it over the sound of his heartbeat.
"Heard from Lou yet?" enquired Angelo as he stuffed what looked like lasagne into his over-wide mouth.
"Been ringing him all day - he ain't picking up," said one of his men.
"What about Larry? What's happening with him?"
"Just heard from one of the boys," said the other. "Larry hailed a cab at the far end of the next block less than ten minutes ago, asked to go to the station - train station, not the cops. He didn't know the driver was one of ours. You don't have to worry about Larry no more."
Ted wouldn't have to worry about Larry either. Good. That was one less complication to take care of.
"Chef left yet?" asked their boss.
"Went home right after making your meal - just like you told him to," said the first goon. "We're the only ones here."
"Good," said Angelo, continuing to shovel lasagne into his facial orifice. "We got plans to make."
Ted walked through the gap in the drapes and Benedetto's hoods immediately took a step forward, their hands edging into their jackets. Angelo waved them back.
"Ben," he said, "you've saved me the trouble of having to find you. Good. Come... come take a seat. I'd offer you something to eat, but the chef's left for the day. We're closed at the moment for repairs, but he came in special to prepare my food. Can't go a day without it." He seemed genial, non-hostile, but that was his way. Guys like him would kill you as they smiled, and then send condolences to your family. You could never take them at face value.
He looked at the case that Ben gripped in his right hand. "That my money?" he asked. "It was rather naughty of you to steal it you know... I trusted you. That's what hurts the most Ben... the abuse of my trust."
"Cut the crap," said Ted, "it's not as if you came by it honestly, so it's not really your money anyway."
"Ben... Ben," he said, looking pained, "why do you say such awful things? I'm a respectable businessman."
"As respectable as Donald Trump in a Russian whorehouse getting pissed on," said Ted. "Allegedly," he added.
"If my money's not in that briefcase, Ben, you'll be meeting up with Larry again before you know it. I have only so much patience, and if it looks like my money's irretrievable, there's just no point in keeping you alive any more. Two accountants... supposed to be looking after my interests and doing a little 'juggling' - in my favour, not yours - and both of you betray me by skimming off some for yourselves. I can't let that go unpunished, Ben. I have to set an example... just in case your's and Larry's replacements get the same idea. Boys, relieve him of the case... take his hand off if you have to."
"I wouldn't do that," barked Ted, suddenly holding the case up. "If this gets bumped, then it's liable to go off." He opened his left hand to reveal a mobile 'phone - the screen was lit up. "Or I could just press number three on this and save your boys the trouble of doing my job for me."
Angelo's two goons took a step back - he gave them a withering look - and then he pushed his plate away from him and sat back in his chair.
"You're bluffing," he said. The mask of geniality was now gone from his face.
"Do you really think I'd walk in here, knowing that I might not walk back out again, without insurance?" he asked, and stared unflinchingly right into Benedetto's face.
"What do you want?" asked Benedetto, and Ted saw beads of sweat beginning to form and glisten on his forehead.
The question threw Ted. He didn't actually know what he wanted from Benedetto, if anything; a promise that he wouldn't try to kill him? That was unlikely and, besides, Ted knew he could never trust such a promise - it would be worthless. Angelo broke promises like he broke people - often and with pleasure. Ted's original plan was to record the gangster admitting to ordering the bomb being planted that killed Ben, but as he now knew that hadn't actually been the case, he was merely improvising, hoping that Benedetto would say something that incriminated him in some other unlawful act - like having Larry killed for example. Ted's mobile's built-in mic was on, recording the entire conversation, but perhaps a good shyster could have it discounted on the grounds that Angelo didn't know he was being recorded. Was it worth taking the chance?
To hell with it, thought Ted. Why waste time and put the city to the expense of a trial for this worthless piece of shit? He opened his right hand in which he grasped the handle of the case to reveal a key - the key to the handcuffs - and taking it in his left hand, but still retaining a grip on his mobile, he unlocked the 'cuffs around his wrist. Angelo and his men watched him, wondering what he was doing. Then Ted threw the briefcase into the air and, as one man, The hoods and their boss dived to the floor in an attempt to escape the worst of the blast. Except there was no blast because there wasn't any bomb - there never had been - that wasn't Ted's plan. He stood up from the table and took out the gun he'd picked up in the alley, then shot one of the men through the neck and the other in the groin. Then, as Benedetto looked up at him in horror, he fired all but one of the remaining bullets into his face, and watched the pool of blood at the back of his head spread out over the carpet.
He picked up his briefcase and walked over to the hood writhing on the floor clutching his groin and groaning. "The service was lousy... I hope you're not expecting a tip," he said, and shot him right between the eyes, ending his pain.
Ted and Karen sat together on the sofa, and looked fondly at one another. "How was your day yesterday?" asked Karen.
"Oh, not bad," said Ted. "Tidied up a few loose ends on something I was working on. I should be able to relax now."
"That's good," said Karen. "Fact is, you've been more relaxed recently than I can remember. You're certainly not the man I married."
Ted looked at her and noticed an odd glint in her eye. "Does she know," he wondered, "or does she simply think that Ben's more chilled out these days?" He could ask her, he supposed, but thought it better not to. After all, some things are best kept secret. At least he wouldn't have to worry about Mary any more. She'd 'phoned earlier to tell him she wasn't going to wait for him any longer. She probably had other lovers to occupy herself with - poor saps, he thought. He still had to work out what he was going to do in the future, career-wise - he was certainly no accountant. Maybe he'd ring Gloria and see if that offer for an audition was still open? He could return her gun to her - after all, he hadn't used it so there was nothing for her to fear in being reunited with it.
"You hungry?" he asked Karen.
"Only for you, dear," she said, and taking his hand, she led him into the bedroom.
Do I really have to say it? Okay then...
The End.
"Cut the crap," said Ted, "it's not as if you came by it honestly, so it's not really your money anyway."
"Ben... Ben," he said, looking pained, "why do you say such awful things? I'm a respectable businessman."
"As respectable as Donald Trump in a Russian whorehouse getting pissed on," said Ted. "Allegedly," he added.
"If my money's not in that briefcase, Ben, you'll be meeting up with Larry again before you know it. I have only so much patience, and if it looks like my money's irretrievable, there's just no point in keeping you alive any more. Two accountants... supposed to be looking after my interests and doing a little 'juggling' - in my favour, not yours - and both of you betray me by skimming off some for yourselves. I can't let that go unpunished, Ben. I have to set an example... just in case your's and Larry's replacements get the same idea. Boys, relieve him of the case... take his hand off if you have to."
"I wouldn't do that," barked Ted, suddenly holding the case up. "If this gets bumped, then it's liable to go off." He opened his left hand to reveal a mobile 'phone - the screen was lit up. "Or I could just press number three on this and save your boys the trouble of doing my job for me."
Angelo's two goons took a step back - he gave them a withering look - and then he pushed his plate away from him and sat back in his chair.
"You're bluffing," he said. The mask of geniality was now gone from his face.
"Do you really think I'd walk in here, knowing that I might not walk back out again, without insurance?" he asked, and stared unflinchingly right into Benedetto's face.
"What do you want?" asked Benedetto, and Ted saw beads of sweat beginning to form and glisten on his forehead.
The question threw Ted. He didn't actually know what he wanted from Benedetto, if anything; a promise that he wouldn't try to kill him? That was unlikely and, besides, Ted knew he could never trust such a promise - it would be worthless. Angelo broke promises like he broke people - often and with pleasure. Ted's original plan was to record the gangster admitting to ordering the bomb being planted that killed Ben, but as he now knew that hadn't actually been the case, he was merely improvising, hoping that Benedetto would say something that incriminated him in some other unlawful act - like having Larry killed for example. Ted's mobile's built-in mic was on, recording the entire conversation, but perhaps a good shyster could have it discounted on the grounds that Angelo didn't know he was being recorded. Was it worth taking the chance?
To hell with it, thought Ted. Why waste time and put the city to the expense of a trial for this worthless piece of shit? He opened his right hand in which he grasped the handle of the case to reveal a key - the key to the handcuffs - and taking it in his left hand, but still retaining a grip on his mobile, he unlocked the 'cuffs around his wrist. Angelo and his men watched him, wondering what he was doing. Then Ted threw the briefcase into the air and, as one man, The hoods and their boss dived to the floor in an attempt to escape the worst of the blast. Except there was no blast because there wasn't any bomb - there never had been - that wasn't Ted's plan. He stood up from the table and took out the gun he'd picked up in the alley, then shot one of the men through the neck and the other in the groin. Then, as Benedetto looked up at him in horror, he fired all but one of the remaining bullets into his face, and watched the pool of blood at the back of his head spread out over the carpet.
He picked up his briefcase and walked over to the hood writhing on the floor clutching his groin and groaning. "The service was lousy... I hope you're not expecting a tip," he said, and shot him right between the eyes, ending his pain.
******
Ted and Karen sat together on the sofa, and looked fondly at one another. "How was your day yesterday?" asked Karen.
"Oh, not bad," said Ted. "Tidied up a few loose ends on something I was working on. I should be able to relax now."
"That's good," said Karen. "Fact is, you've been more relaxed recently than I can remember. You're certainly not the man I married."
Ted looked at her and noticed an odd glint in her eye. "Does she know," he wondered, "or does she simply think that Ben's more chilled out these days?" He could ask her, he supposed, but thought it better not to. After all, some things are best kept secret. At least he wouldn't have to worry about Mary any more. She'd 'phoned earlier to tell him she wasn't going to wait for him any longer. She probably had other lovers to occupy herself with - poor saps, he thought. He still had to work out what he was going to do in the future, career-wise - he was certainly no accountant. Maybe he'd ring Gloria and see if that offer for an audition was still open? He could return her gun to her - after all, he hadn't used it so there was nothing for her to fear in being reunited with it.
"You hungry?" he asked Karen.
"Only for you, dear," she said, and taking his hand, she led him into the bedroom.
******
Do I really have to say it? Okay then...
The End.
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