Chapter 58

 

 

Sitting in Java Jack’s coffee house just inside the main entrance to the Go For It, both Red and Jillian are drawing a blank when it comes to building a better lizard trap. They’ve gotten as far as determining that two is better than one which in their case translates into using both of them at once as bait to get the Chameleon salivating, but now the creative well appears to have run dry. They’re having trouble getting beyond this.

 

Jillian’s saying, “Frequently changing our daily routine is a good tactic for avoiding contact with the Chameleon, but it’s no help when you’re trying to set yourself up as a target.”

 

Nodding Red said, “At first glance you’re right, but what if we make one exception to the random scrambling of our daily routine. What if we start getting together for a cocktail after work, let’s say at 6:30 every evening. The Chameleon is no dummy. He’s going to immediately recognize the frequent changes in our daily routine as a deliberate maneuver to prevent him from zeroing in on us.

 

“As I said, he’s no dummy, but I believe his technique when it comes to analyzing situations has a major flaw. He views things through his superiority complex, firmly believing that no one is as smart or devious as he is. When he discovers our evening get togethers, he’ll quickly chalk it up to carelessness on out part and not to some sinister plot.

 

“When he starts stalking us, he won’t take the chance of coming after us on board the Floating Fantasies or in the Go For It because he’ll know there will be tight security all over the place. He’ll figure that we’ll leave sometime, so he’ll station himself someplace out of sight, but close enough to see us when we leave. He most likely knows that I’ve been living onboard the Floating Fantasies, so the chances are he’ll focus on you.

 

“Now, if we decide to go through with something like this, is there someplace we could meet where our presence would not be a danger to anyone else and how do we capture the Chameleon without getting ourselves killed?”

 

“I agree with your reasoning, Red, but finding a good place to pull this off and finding capable bodyguards who are willing to risk their lives to save ours is not going to be a slam dunk. Besides, we’ve been down this road before. Time and time again, our clever planning has blown up in our faces. Before, we were just trying to capture him with a slight risk of maybe someone getting hurt. Now, death is in the mix, his, ours or both. If something goes wrong this time, someone’s going to die.”

 

“You’re making good points, Jillian, but the only other choice we have is putting our fates, our lives, solely in the hands of others. I have trouble with that. I’ll go as batty as the Chameleon if I sit idly by and do nothing to help.”

 

Smiling he adds, “Your reticence is a sign of your intelligence. My desire to get involved is probably a sign that mine is abandoning me. If you want out, I’ll understand and go it alone.”

 

“Red, don’t put words in my mouth. I didn’t say I wanted out. I was just voicing some reservations that deserve serious consideration before we move ahead.”

 

“Then you’re with me on this, assuming we can find the right location and bodyguards?”

 

“When I agreed to help you with your Chameleon problems, it was for the duration. We’re a team, Red; you, me, Popeye, Bill, Rex, Chuck, Nate, Clyde, Joe and Tucker. I don’t give up and walk off the field because the play is getting rough.” Her eyes filling with anger and her fist pounding on the table for emphasis she finishes with, “That’s for losers and I’m no loser.”

 

Red just stares at her, but he’s thinking, “No, you’re definitely not a loser. You’re something extra special and I’ll do everything in my power to keep you safe.”

 

“I seem to have a knack for finding your hot button when it comes to your safety, don’t I?”

 

As quickly as it flared up, her anger dissolved into embarrassment. “Yes you do, but if the truth be known I kind of like it.’

 

Before Red could respond, Joe Amato walked into the coffee shop, plopped himself down next to Red and said, “I just spent a lot of loose change on keeping you guys alive and well. Some friends of mine will be flying into town early tonight and will want to meet you. Please make yourselves available.”

 

Looking at Joe with more than a little fear on her face Jillian asks, “Joe, what have you done? I hope it’s nothing you’ll be sorry for later.”

 

“Stop your worrying. It’ll wreak havoc on that pretty face of yours. Everything is going to be fine.”

 

Red asked, “Who did you call, Joe?”

 

“Some friends of mine in Atlantic City. They own a security company there and have a lot of experience in providing protection for all kinds of people, legit and otherwise and they’re not afraid to get their hands dirty if you know what I mean.”

Seeing the look on Jillian’s face he knows he’s scaring her to death, so he quickly adds, “These guys and everyone that works for them are big, tough and mean as a junkyard dog when the situation warrants it, but they’re not hoods. They operate within the law, they know all the tricks people use to get by security, but nobody in their right mind would physically challenge them.”

 

Red replies with, “Joe, we’re not dealing with someone in his right mind.”

 

Joe smiles and says, “Then your Chameleon troubles could soon be over.”

 

“Joe, you’ve been a good friend through all of this, letting Jillian work with me, convincing the other casino managers to go along with our schemes, contributing great ideas to help us catch this guy, giving me access to your local security personnel, risking the wrath of the Chameleon by helping me, but you’re really sticking your neck out with this latest gambit, both legally and physically.

 

“If your Atlantic City friends kill somebody, you could be found culpable, a contributing factor in the individual’s demise and have charges brought against you. And if somehow the Chameleon finds out what you’ve done, you could become one of his primary targets. Up until now, I don’t think he’s given you much thought, but that’s not cast in stone.”

 

“I’m not worried about any of that. These guys are good at what they do and as long as I’ve known them they haven’t broken one law, bent quite a few, but never broken any.

 

“Listen you two, Chuck doesn’t have the manpower to give you the protection you need nor does Tucker because he has all of his available personnel searching the surrounding countryside looking for this lizard. I have access to the manpower needed and I’m glad to tap that resource. Now, I don’t want to hear any more buts or get any more static on the subject. It’s a done deal.”

 

Not hearing a peep out of either one of them Joe rises and says, “Meet me back here at 7:30 tonight and I’ll introduce you to my friends and turn you over to them.” Without another word, he turns and goes back into the casino.

 

Staring after him Red turns to Jillian and says, “Well, I guess the bodyguard snag in our developing plot is no longer an issue. All we’ve got to do now is come up with a place to set it up.”

 

Jillian says, “I think we should hold off on that until we meet Joe’s friends and let them know what we have in mind. They might have some ideas that we could use.”

 

“Okay. That makes sense to me.”