ThirtyThree — Would the Baddies Please Stand Up

 

 

Noodles had come up with a scenario, if worked correctly, would put Gerald in the position of no longer having the upper hand. The plan included using Maggie as the carrier of bad news. Solly would drop information when he gets a phone call from Noodles. He would talk as if the call was from his superior giving him details of someone named Elliot Grogzynski (a made-up name which would be used as bait). Elliot had come to the FBI and handed them a file in which Lucian Gerald’s name was listed.

There was a connection between the names on the list and a smuggling racket which had been perpetrated without success by Sean Malloy and Gerald. However, the FBI was about to reopen the case as some of the other information lead them to believe Gerald was involved with Sean Malloy. This was mostly untrue but Gerald would have to question himself and get in touch with Sean. This could help the FBI track him down.

Solly would have to be convincing as he spoke to Noodles on the cell, all the time sounding like a superior was giving him the information. Gerald would immediately realize the names on the list were legit. Once Gerald had an inkling of a possible problem cropping up as he was about to pull off one of the biggest capers of his criminal career he would have to act. Once Sean is involved if only in Gerald’s mind there was a possibility of many actions being taken which would put Sean and Gerald at odds with each other. That, thought Solly, would be the perfect storm.

Solly had seated all the breakfast fare when his cell sounded. He took a deep breath and answered. He listened intently to Noodles, who had a script in front of him. He told Solly he would read his lines to himself and then read Solly’s lines for him to repeat. Noodles read the first line, Solly repeated it almost word for word. Noodles read the next statement and Solly repeated again. By this time Maggie who was bored doing nothing had the volume of her headphones turned up hoping to get some information which would get her out of this goodie-two-shoe place. She sat up straight as she heard the story. The microphone she had installed was working flawlessly.

“Could you repeat the name please,” Solly asked. “Elliot Grogzynski…no, I don’t know him.”

The conversation continued as Noodles passes the information to Solly, who kept repeating the exact lines given to him by Noodles. When all had been conveyed, Solly repeated the final line.

“If it’s true Gerald will be questioned?” Solly paused then continued. “What about Sean?”

A short pause and Solly agreed; Finally, Noodles said to Solly, “Let’s hope this works.”

Maggie was excited, maybe this will get her out of Chateau 54. She copied the phone conversation onto a flash drive and called for a taxi. Solly watched as a taxi arrived to pick her up.

Something was going to happen soon if it was up to Maggie. The taxi dropped her in Toms River where she went to the nearby pub belonging to her uncle. She headed directly to the phone booth, one of the last of it’s kind. Sean answered, she told him she had a message. There had been a phone call at the chateau. She played the whole one-sided conversation. Sean listened intently.

Sean told Maggie, “play the phone conversation for Gerald, tell him you were directed by me to do so. After he listens see what kind of reaction you get from him and get back to me as quickly as you can. Don’t let Gerald see you leave the chateau. Wait 45 minutes, see if Gerald exits the place. If he hasn’t done anything by then, call me on the cell I gave you. You have it all?” Sean asked Maggie. She mumbled a confirming reply.      Maggie called for a taxi and was back at the chateau in less then 30 minutes. Fifteen minutes later she had calmed down, put on some fresh make up and was knocking on Gerald’s door.

“Come in,” came a pleasant, but phony voice from Gerald.

“Hi, Lucian,” said Maggie. “I have a message from Sean and a flash drive for you to hear.”

“Thanks,” he said, expecting her to leave.

“Sean wants me to stay while you listen and see if you have anything for me to relay to him.”

“You know what’s on the flash drive?” Gerald asked, somewhat annoyed.

“Yes, I do.”

Gerald put the flash drive into a USB slot on his personal computer. He listened. When finished he put his hands together as he paused a moment.

“Tell Sean I never heard of Elliot Grogzynski, but the list sounds like the real thing. Something covering the failed enterprise we were both involved in. Tell him I’ll get back to him as soon as I can ascertain if what I just heard is accurate. If it is I’ll have to make plans to get out of the area quickly. I’ll be in touch within four hours.”

“You will have to get in touch with me and I will relay the information to Sean,” Maggie told him.

“I can’t get in touch directly with Sean?” he asked.

“No, he’s hiding out. There was to be a raid this morning on one of his warehouses.”

“I’ll do what I’ve got to do,” Gerald answered as he ushered Maggie out of the office.

Maggie went to the café entrance, which was empty. The only thing she heard was the clatter of dishes and roar of the vacuum. She stood back in the entrance so as not be noticed should Gerald leave the building. Before a half hour was up she saw him leave. Maggie immediately called for a taxi and did as Sean had told her.

Solly, in the meantime, had a good vantage point himself from behind the front desk. What he couldn’t see Cassandra could. He headed to his office to call Agent Weisman and Noodles. What was to happen next was anybody’s guess.

One by one the baddies were standing up, now Solly thought we have to put them down!