Page 52 of Breathless
Leland turned on some music as he went back to the living room area and rejoined Seth and his men. “Dinner will be ready in half an hour. I hope you are hungry.”
As they waited, they discussed his plans for moving from the Springs to another location.
“Have you given any thought of where you’d like to go?” Seth asked.
“No,” Leland admitted. “The Springs was an ideal location because of its connection to the interstate and the surrounding hills. It was easy for the missing girls to be suspected to have gotten lost there instead of being thought to have been taken for other means.”
Seth motioned to one of his men and he sat a briefcase on the cocktail table and opened it up. He removed some papers and unfolded a colored map, setting aside the briefcase. “I took time to scout out a location that I think would be perfect for your new location. I was glad to hear you had thought of moving as well so it wouldn’t be a shock if I brought it up.”
“Where exactly do you think I should head?” Leland asked, scooting to the edge of the chair so he could see the map easier.
“Show him, Oscar,” Seth said.
The man pointed to the circled area in red. “It’s like the Springs with its proximity to the interstate and its hiking attractions, making it a perfect relocation. A bonus is it isn’t as populated. There’s more land per capita, houses are farther apart, meaning neighbors are wider spread. It will take law enforcement longer to reach one end of the county than it does around here.”
Leland listened and started plotting. “Yes, that sounds like a good place to go.”
Leland poureda cup of coffee and helped himself to a generous slice of the coffee cake the chef had prepared for breakfast last night before he left. He settled at the round kitchen table and picked up the morning paper to see what was going on in the world. He might be old-fashioned, but he enjoyed holding a newspaper to read the news and he missed that. But he’d been keeping up with it on his phone. Another luxury he’d had to go without while hiding away in his RV.
His cellphone rang before he finished the first column of the headline story. He put down the paper and glanced at the caller ID to see who would dare call so early.
“Landry,” he muttered. Swiping to answer, he tried to sound pleasant. “What news do you have for me today?”
“Good morning to you too,” the attorney said. “I was working last night with Felty, and he informed me to be prepared to put together pre-trial motions next week because the US Assistant District Attorney will be in town for pre-trial prep.”
Leland frowned. “And I care about that because?”
“He’ll be meeting with Justus and Chaney for that prep, I believe you have been wanting to find them,” Landry explained. “He’ll be meeting at the same office where he held the deposition. It’s the perfect opportunity for your men to snatch them.”
“It won’t be that easy to get at them.” He pushed the half-eaten coffee cake away his stomach knotting at the thought. “Each have a Brotherhood Protector watching them.”
“I’m just supplying you with the information, it’s up to you to execute your attack,” Landry said. “But you might like to know that Felty has an informant at the FBI who supplied him with a juicy nugget about Chaney’s protector. Apparently, he has a lung issue.”
“Why would the FBI know this?” Leland questioned, becoming more interested by the second.
“The other protector had reached out to the agency for some reason which prompted a background check on him and his partner. Felty’s informant just happens to work in that department,” Landry continued. “Both were medically discharged, one for shrapnel to the knee, the other for damage to the lungs after exposure to toxic fumes from an explosion. I think you could use those injuries to your advantage to take the girls away from them.”
“Yes. Your call has been very useful to me,” Leland said, realizing his mistake in not valuing the attorney’s helpfulness. “If you learn anything else, be sure to pass it along.”
“Don’t you worry, Mr. Warshafsky. I always take care of my clients.”
Leland grinned. He wondered if Felty realized what an asset he had working for him in this junior partner. As he finished his coffee, he devised a plan on the best way to get to Justus and Chaney as they went to meet with the US Assistant District Attorney. He needed to find a way to separate them from their protectors. If not both, at least one.
Masters’ man, Oscar joined him at the table bringing a cup as well as the coffee carafe with him. “You look troubled, Mr. Warshafsky. Has something happened since last evening?”
“A new development that I’m trying to sort out. You seem to be a problems man for Masters.”
“I try. Is there something I can help you with?”
“If I wanted to get rid of someone from a situation, detain him really, so I could get access to what he is protecting…” Leland paused for effect. “Do you have any suggestions?”
“You’re being vague. I’d need more information to give you advice,” Oscar said.
Leland nodded before he leaned in closer and explained what he wanted in extreme detail. “I need to separate Justus and Chaney from their protectors. I want to get to them easily. Icannot afford for either of them to testify at trial against my men.”
“I’ll look into it for you,” Oscar said, leaving the table with his coffee.
By the time Master joined Leland to have his morning coffee, Oscar returned. “You didn’t tell me Chaney’s protector has been trying to get in with a pulmonologist. There’s your answer.”
