Thirty – Maggie?

 

 

Back in Vegas, Noodles and company were busy with numerous projects. Noodles himself and his son Sky were working on the Margaret Burns file.

“Sky, what have you found concerning the list the chateau uses for checking new residents? Is the company who pre-scans the list of ill repute?”

“No Dad, they are clean as far as I can see but you only need one employee who needs cash to make a change. They do have a good amount of safety features on their computers to keep their docs safe but in-house you or I could get into the computers within a few minutes.”

“Then we need to check the employees. How many do they have?”

“There are eight working the system and an office manager who keeps the place running but they replaced the receptionist three weeks ago.”

“Check her first.”

“Doing it as we speak.”

They worked feverishly to get this done in a quick and defining manner. Noodles wanted to give the chateau something substantial to go on. He still had a feeling of not getting it done concerning Gerald.

As Noodles worked on the Burns case, the real Margaret Burns was at a restaurant meeting with her son-in-law, Sean Malloy.

“I don’t trust Gerald, never have. Ever since I told him the story of the jewels he’s been trying to find a clue which would lead him to them.”

“How much longer do you think I have to stay at the chateau?”

“Shouldn’t be much longer Maggie. With the bugs in place we should hear something soon.”

Sean got in his limo. Maggie called a taxi and returned to the chateau.

Back in Vegas, Noodles was looking into every crack he could find.

“I got it!” yells an exuberant, Sky. “The receptionist is a college dropout named Annie Burns. Probably related to Maggie. She’s done her job.”

“Good work Sky,” says Noodles, “how do you think she managed to add Burns name to the top of the list?”

“Not sure yet, it wouldn’t be hard for the average hacker. Her college record shows she was studying computer science.”

“Who isn’t these days,” adds Noodles.

“Let me call the chateau, Dad, you know I want to talk to Mother about recording the songs I’ve written,” Sky asked with a bit of hesitation.

“Well… okay go ahead, but don’t get too pushy.”

“Me pushy? Come on Dad.”

Noodles laughed to himself, although he thought the songs were pretty good and hoped they would be well received.

Sky called and told Mother what he had found. Annie Burns, probably did the deed. She quit three weeks ago. They would give the details to Interviews Amalgamated.

Sky smoothly worked his way to the subject of music and slipped in the fact he was a songwriter. Mother asked him to send the songs over and they would let him know what they thought about his writing abilities. Mother did all this before he even asked. Sky thanked him before they said goodbye. He wondered, did he know I was a songwriter. Don’t tell me dad told him. As he turned his head he saw the smile on Noodles face.

“Thanks, dad,” Sky said, “I owe you one.”

 

~

 

“What have you been up to today, Mother?” asked Mudd.

“Oh, a little of this and a little of that.”

“So, you don’t want to tell me,” Mudd said with a hint of the nasty side showing through.

“Listen Muddy, I looked for you earlier today, you were nowhere to be found.”

“I’m supposed to be around for you whenever you need me, is that it!”

“No! I tried to find you so we could sit down and talk. We need to weed out what bothers you about me,” Mother responded calmly, pulling no punches.

“Oh, sorry I was out looking around the area where I once lived and took a walk on the Seaside Heights Boardwalk. Just looking at memories like seeing you at The Chatterbox without me in the band. After all the work you and I did getting the gig for the summer of 1960, I felt left out.”

“It was your choice, Muddy!” a not too happy Mother said.

“We’ll talk tomorrow, if you have time.”

“I’ll make time!”

Noodles had dug into Ms. Burns off and on all day. He called Mother but he was not answering. He would call back first thing in the morning.

Noodles was still thinking. He had an idea but wasn’t sure he could pull it off without a red light going off in Gerald’s head. Should he try or should he not. Mother wasn’t answering his phone or he would run the idea by him. Solly, I’ll call him, he’ll know if I can get away with this mischievous thing.

He called, “Hello Solly, this is Noodles. I have an idea I’d like to try but…

Noodles explained all to Solly.

“Could backfire, but I think it’s worth a try. Give me an hour, no make it two hours to set things up at this end and then you go ahead as you explained to me. I’ll ring you when I have all the marks set,” Solly said with a feeling of excitement. “This could bring everything to quick end. I’ll call Agent Weisman, run it by him; the same with the operative here at the chateau. Great idea, Noodles! Say, what’s your real name?”

“Thanks, Solly, I’ll be standing by,” Noodles said, as he explained, “I don’t remember my real name anymore.”

Mother still couldn’t understand the outbursts from Mudd. Well, he thought, tomorrow we’ll settle and move on.

He wondered what Gerald had to do with Sean Malloy. It didn’t seem like a good fit, then again what did he know about such things. He hadn’t discussed the chateau’s waiting list and the tampering which took place with Solly but figured Noodles had already talked to him. Little did he know the fiasco about to stir the pot, early morning.

Meanwhile, Solly was busy on his end setting up all Noodles would need. He did this as he continued to seat folks in the dining hall. It was a much quieter night as 28 of the residents had gone to a Broadway show produced by Mr. C.

Agent Weisman, thought the idea would work and gave his support. The FBI was going to close in on Sean and his crew first thing in the morning. False information about Jonas Lundberg’s list of possible sites for the whereabouts of the case had been left in the open hoping the mole would show his face. There were six agents standing by to follow and arrest the mole as soon as he gave himself away. All this political correctness was driving Weisman crazy. In the old days the guy would already be behind bars.

As Solly continued his walk around, getting things set for Noodles he noticed Maggie slithering around as if she was trying her best not to be noticed. He laid back in the shadows of the door out of her sight. Maggie was behind the front desk. She stepped on a chair reaching for, but not being able to touch the ceiling. Solly knew there was an audio device there; he immediately knew Maggie was the culprit. Should he arrest her, no that would tip off too many in the chain of felons, she would be caught after they were all in custody.

Solly was ready on his end. He called Noodles, who put the plan into action. The final results would not come to fruition until morning but many things would take place this evening.

Muddy had been unable to fall asleep so he watched TV with one eye. He wondered how to explain his misery to Mother without sounding like an idiot. Tell the truth, he said to himself. As he thought, the sandman took control of his mind.