Chicago/November
Though cold outside, it wasn't until 2:00 a.m. that Denise and Nick returned from their walk. For them the two- hour walk went fast. Denise clutched Nick's arm as they strolled around the block, occasionally stopping to look at something in a window, or to gaze at the early Christmas lights some had already hung. Nick, who never had a serious relationship with a woman, found himself intrigued and mesmerized by Denise's eyes. She too was taken by Nick's calm and sometimes mischievous manner. Both felt safe in each other's arms.
"Well, Mr. Nick Costello, I guess I'll see you in the morning," Denise told him as she stared into his eyes, smiling.
"I guess you will, Miss Denise Lazzaro," Nick responded as he kissed her on the cheek and walked away.
"That's it?" Denise said to him as she watched him walk away.
Nick turned, smiled at her as he continued his trek forward, running up the steps laughing as Denise watched him until he disappeared from sight.
"You are mine, baby," Denise said to herself with a big smile on her face.
***
Dianna knocked on both Tyler’s and Nick's doors at around 7:00 a.m. the next morning to remind them breakfast would be served in ten minutes. Tyler thought this was far better than renting a room in some hotel; this felt like home.
As Nick emerged from his apartment, he heard, "Good morning, Nick."
"Good morning, Tyler," Nick responded as he turned.
"Did you sleep well?" Tyler asked.
"Yeah, pretty good."
"You look good for a man who only had five hours of sleep," Tyler said with a smile.
Nick smiled back and responded with, "You do too."
Both men made their way down the stairs to the Randazzo apartment. Knocking softly, the door swung open. This time the apartment was not a flurry of people. In fact, there was only Ana, Denise, and Dianna in the kitchen, and Benito and Calito in the living room watching the morning news.
"Hi, everyone," Tyler said as he entered ahead of Nick.
The women all turned and greeted them both with a “good morning.” Benito and Calito just waved.
"Shut up and take a seat," Benito told them. Both Nick and Tyler laughed as they approached the couch.
The morning news was reporting an incident that happened in New York City; something about three gunmen being shot by the local police. The narrator was giving specific details of how the SWAT team brought the gunmen down. He chronicled the specific order of how the team eliminated the gunman on the right, then the one on the left and finally, with virtually no room for error, put a bullet through the last man standing, who was using a woman as a shield.
"Man, I never knew of any New York SWAT member that was so proficient," Tyler said.
Nick turned to Tyler and smiled. "Told you Theo was alive," Nick said. Tyler turned to Nick and stared at him.
"Are you serious? You really think it was him?" Tyler said.
"Yeah, that's Theo’s style," Nick said.
Both Benito and Calito turned and were now staring at Nick and Tyler.
"Breakfast anyone?" a voice from the kitchen yelled out.
The men rose from their seats and instantly grabbed a couple of plates of scrambled eggs, sausage and bacon, being carried by Denise and Dianna, and continued into the dining room as Ana brought up the rear with a plate of toast on her lap.
Everyone laughed when Benito looked up at Tyler and asked him, "Who the hell are you?"
"Uh... Tyler sir. Tyler Santiago," Tyler responded.
Benito looked up at everyone. "Did I forget again?" "Yeah," Nick said.
Benito turned to Nick, started to laugh, and said, “Crap! I don't know who the hell you are either."
This brought uncontrollable laughter across the room.
"And who the hell is the ugly one at the other end of the table," Benito said aloud.
"I'll give you ugly upside your head if you don't stop," Ana told him while threatening with a wooden spoon.
The rest of the meal went without interruption as each settled down to enjoy the company of good people. Calito, sitting next to Tyler, nudged him with his leg and made a gesture toward Nick and Denise who were caught up in a conversation of their own. In fact, all those sitting around the table would occasionally glance at them and smile; all but Benito who knew that only sorrow could come of any relationship between those two.
When Tyler told everyone that he and Nick would be leaving today, there was an uproar.
"You can't leave. You two have been away for over twenty years and next week is Thanksgiving. You have to spend it with us. We are your family. I will not hear of it," Ana said angrily.
The room fell silent, as both Tyler and Nick were taken by surprise by Ana's outburst.
"Well I guess if you people can stand us for another week and Nick is ok with it, we'll stay," Tyler said.
"You ain’t getting no argument from me," Nick said.
"Then it's settled. You two can help out in the store," Benito said.
"Sure, no problem," both Nick and Tyler replied.
"What store?" Tyler asked.
"Don't worry. I'll show you," Nick responded.
Around 10:30 a.m. both Nick and Tyler joined Denise and Dianna as they made their way to the store. As they entered, the girls were greeted with catcalls by the local men. Dianna's husband, who was behind one of the counters, laughed and shouted that the pretty one was his. "Hey!" Denise shouted back.
"I meant you," Carlos said to Denise.
"See if you score anytime soon," Dianna shouted back at him with a big smile on her face.
The place erupted with laughter.
***
As Tyler and Nick were getting situated in the store, Sheila and Sam were stepping out of a rented car across the street, just a quarter of a block away.
"The building can't be too far," Sheila said as they walked up the block.
"There it is," Sam said pointing to the building number.
As Denise and Dianna headed back, they noticed the woman and man now beginning to ascend the steps to their building.
"Hi, can I help you?" Dianna asked as she and Denise reached the bottom of the steps.
"Do you live here?" Sheila asked.
"Yeah, my uncle owns the building," Denise said.
"I'm Agent Cooper and this is Agent Williams, and we were wondering if you could help us?" Sheila said.
"Is this about the shooting that occurred a month ago over on 11th Street?" Dianna asked.
"Uh... No, we are looking for a man and I was wondering if you've seen him," Sheila said.
"Can we go inside? It’s kind of cold out here," Sam said.
"Um... sure," Denise said racing up the stairs and opening the door.
The four made their way to the lobby where Sheila pulled out the picture of Theo Gresco and asked them if they had seen the man.
"No. I've never seen that man," Dianna said shaking her head as Denise did the same.
"How about this man?" Sam said, catching them by surprise with a picture of Tyler. Both girls hesitated, then quickly nodded no. Sheila then pulled out the picture of Joey Escalla (aka Nick Costello) and asked if by any chance they had seen that man. Again, both girls nodded quickly that they had not.
"Are you sure? All three men are wanted fugitives," Sheila lied.
"No, ma’am," Denise said looking them right in the eye.
"Well, then, there is nothing more for us to say," Sheila said. And with that, both Sheila and Sam turned and bid them a good day and walked out.
Back in their car, they sat there staring back at the building. "They were lying," Sheila said.
"Yeah, I picked that up too. It was obvious that they did not recognize Theo Gresco, but they definitely recognized Santiago, and I think Nick Costello as well," Sam said. "Why would they lie to us?"
"I don't know and I don't care," Sheila said.
Just as Sam was going to suggest they call the captain, they spotted Denise rushing out of the apartment heading up the block. "Where the hell is she going in such a hurry?" Sheila asked.
They quickly got out of the car and raced across the street. Maintaining cover, they made their way up the block as they followed Denise. Just as they passed the Randazzo apartment building, a flowerpot came crashing down on the stoop causing them to jump and Denise to turn around. Caught by surprise, Sheila, by instinct, pulled her weapon and ducked, while Sam reached for his but did not draw it. Denise immediately turned around and continued up the block, not stopping at the store. Not noticing that Denise had seen them, they ignored the flowerpot and continued to follow.
Carmine answered the call to the store. "Someone is following Denise and they are headed your way," Ana told him. He immediately got out from behind the counter and headed toward the front of the store. He was in time to see Denise had already walked by. Following Denise, he saw a well-dressed man and woman go by.
"Feds," Carmine said to himself, then went to the back where Nick and Tyler were in the freezer-taking inventory.
"Hey, I think we got company looking for one of you two," he told them as he urged them to follow him. They quickly got up and followed Carmine to the front of the store. They peered from the store window, but the two agents had disappeared from view as they continued up the block following Denise. Tyler and Nick grabbed their coats and cautiously walked outside looking both ways as they crossed the street. As they quickly made their way up the block, Tyler recognized the duo.
"It's Sheila and Sam. They’re FBI," Tyler said, grabbing Nick by the back of his coat and gently pulling him back.
Now retracing their steps, they managed to get back to the store without being seen by the agents.
"What the hell are they doing here?" Tyler said aloud.
"Are they looking for you," Nick asked Tyler.
"Yeah, I just don't know why. They wanted to question me and I refused to come in. Whatever it is, I'm willing to bet it's not in my favor," Tyler said.
After collecting his thoughts, Tyler decided to return to the apartment and pack his things. Nick advised him against it.
"Look man, as long as we stay under cover they won't find us. I know this neighborhood like the back of my hand. Let me show you something your father taught me," Nick said as he went out the back of the store.
A few minutes later Nick was stacking piles of wooden boxes against one of the wood fences that separated the properties. "Now follow me," he told Tyler.
The apartment building was only three properties away and they were there in a matter of seconds. Nick easily opened the back entrance to the building.
"We can do this all the way to the end of the block, both ways," Nick said.
"My father taught you this?" Tyler asked somewhat amused.
Once in the building both men decided they needed to keep their belongings packed just in case they needed to make a quick getaway.
Sam and Sheila saw Denise duck into a restaurant and quickly stepped up their movements. When they got there, they saw her standing at the bar as if waiting for someone. Sheila and Sam were anxiously anticipating that they would see either Tyler or Nick. They were disappointed when they saw someone hand Denise a package. Denise waved at the person that handed her the bag, turned around and headed back down the street in the direction of Sam and Sheila.
Sam and Sheila quickly turned and stepped into an entryway of one of the apartment buildings that lined the street. A few seconds later they watched as Denise made her way back down the street toward her apartment building. When Denise arrived, Dianna had just finished cleaning the pot that accidentally fell from her uncle's window. Sam and Sheila crossed to the other side of the street and made their way back to the car.
"Shit, they made us," Sheila said.
"No. You don't really think that, do you? I'm sure pots fall out of closed windows in the middle of winter all the time," Sam said sarcastically.
Sheila looked at him and laughed. Sam looked back at her and smiled, understanding the frustration of this ridiculous situation.
"So where do you think she was originally headed?" Sam asked.
They both scanned the area and spotted a number of people going in and out of the butcher shop.
"Um... That's a pretty popular place," Sheila remarked.
"Should we check it out?" Sam asked.
"Let's call the captain. It'll be there when we get back," Sheila suggested instead.
Benito watched as the rental pulled out, as did Tyler and Nick.
"Looks like their gone for now, but they will be back," Benito said to Denise and Dianna. "Question is, when?" he added.
***
Finding a phone some three blocks away, Sam called Captain Connolly with a progress report. "Yeah, we're in Chicago tracking Tyler, and get this: we think Nick Costello is here too," Sam reported.
"Man, when it rains it pours," the captain said.
"What do you mean, Captain?" Sam asked.
"I think Theo Gresco is in town. There was an incident in Manhattan yesterday. Three would-be robbers made the mistake of taking on a hostage in broad daylight. In the span of five seconds, a sniper systematically took them out, splattering their brains all over the pavement. Sound familiar?" the captain asked.
"Holy shit," Sam muttered.
"Sam, believe me when I tell you, I want both of these guys. However, I want you and Sheila on the next plane back. I don't want you guys spending your Thanksgiving up there in Chicago. Things should be quiet over the holiday. We can regroup while taking some well earned time to be with our families," the captain said.
"Captain, your ass is on the line here," Sam said.
"Yeah, I know. It's always on the line. These two are not up there in Chicago to cause any mishaps. Tyler is there tracking his family. Who knows why Costello is there? Maybe he has family he ain’t seen in twenty plus years. I don't know, but right now I'd rather have you two back here. You know, just in case Theo decides to come out of the woodwork again," the captain said.
"Sure, captain," Sam said.
"You two have a great Thanksgiving," the captain told him.
"You too, sir," Sam said.
When Sam returned to the car where Sheila waited, he told her what the captain had said.
"Are you shitting me?" Sheila said, not believing what Sam was telling her. "Man, I can smell them close by," Sheila said.
Sam stared at her and waited until she was finished with her ranting. "You're welcome to spend Thanksgiving with me if you're going to be alone," Sam said.
Sheila looked at him and nodded. "Guess I'll be eating turkey at my favorite turkey's house," Sheila said.
Sam smiled at her, started the car, and pulled out heading to the airport. Sheila turned around looking back up Wabash Street and nodded saying, "We'll be back."