ThirtyEight — Hunt for the Case

 

 

Night came at the Chicago site. The neighborhood was quiet. Sky had been back to the used furniture store and found Barb Hudson had given directions to a woman. Sky’s not happy being second in line. He thinks about packing and heading home. He decides to try to get into the basement and see if the woman is there, maybe find out her intentions. Then he’ll decide if he should stay. Sky has never done anything like this and wonders about the ramifications he could face from the law and his father, mostly his father. He approaches the hole in the fence and finds it right where the young boy told him it was. He quietly squeezes through and looks for the entrance to the basement. It’ s exactly where Barb Hudson said. So far so good. He had purchased a flashlight on his way back to the site. A good move as it was very dark on the way down to the basement. He slowly worked his way through the boxes and sees the metal door he was told about. When he reaches for the key, following Barb’s directions, it’s not there.

“Is this what you’re looking for?” Comes a voice from behind him. It’s Belle. As he turns he sees she has a pistol pointed at him.

“Who are you?” She asks.

“My name is Sky,” stutters a frightened young man.

“What are you doing here?”

Sky relates a short version of the story which brought him to the basement of the old furniture store. Belle realizes he is scared stiff; she decides to trust him. Belle makes friends as she tells him she was protecting herself against dangerous people. Sky even blurts out he may decide to go home. Belle realizes she has a patsy to help her get things done faster. She tells him she has the key but was unable to open the door.

“The door may be rusted,” she tells Sky.

“Let me try, you’re right it is rusted but if I can find some sort of bar to pry it, I think it will open.”

Sky searches and finds a stack of re-bar generally used in construction work. He grabs a couple of them and starts to work on the door. Once he is able to get it behind the bolt attached to the door and place a piece of wood under the bar he gets the door to move slightly. He can now get the bar behind the edge of the door and starts to pry. It’s not as easy as he thought but he is able to open the door. Belle jumps in the room as soon as she can fit between the jam and the open door. She sees the file cabinets Barb had told her about and calls for Sky to come in. He does but places a piece of loose wood between the door and the frame. Belle is frantically ripping the files out of the drawer.

“Have you found the correct year?” Sky asks.

“Not yet, these are the early eighties, it can’t be far.”

Sky approaches as Belle opens the 1973 file. He tells her, according to what he has figured it should be in either 1977 or 78. She questions him a little and he convinces her he may know more then her. They start with the 1977 file, which is quite large.

“Here you take January, I’ll take February and we can continue as we finish each file.” Belle throws the file down and some of the paperwork scatters. Sky tells her it may be prudent to keep them together should they miss any information and have to go back for a second look. Belle hesitates as she realizes Sky will be a good match for her as they search.

“You’re pretty smart,” she tells him.

Almost an hour later, they are about to start September, when Belle yells.

“Here it is!”

“What does it say?” asks Sky as he wonders if this will get him to the diamonds.

“It says the case, and it gives a brief description, was received from a man. It looks like the man lived at, 312 East Wright Street, here in Chicago. Which coincides with what Lundgren remembered, she tells Sky.

“What about the sale?”

“Here it is. It was sold to a John E…no! It couldn’t be.”

“What couldn’t be?”

“Nothing,” says Belle. “The name is blurred out but his address is clear.”

“Where did he live?”

“Just a few miles down the road in Dolton. Let’s take the file and head to the address before it gets too late.”

“Do you think we should take the file?” asks Sky.

What a wuss, thinks Belle as she explains to Sky they can return the file after they find all the information they need. No one seems to be in a hurry to get them anyway. He agrees and they close everything up. Belle does not lock anything although she tells Sky she has. They quietly work their way out and head to Sky’s rented car.

“I’ll give you gas money if you drive,” Belle tells him.

Off they go to the next stop, on the way to millions.

 

~

 

Gerald has made it to Philly and settled in at his flat downtown on the corner of Eighth and Arch. A small flat, recently redone with all the amenities he needs. The latest high-speed Internet service, a super-fast computer to download his latest information and quickly send it to whoever has need. Lots of money had been spent on the finding of the case but the diamonds would give him the opportunity to start thinking about a retirement plan before he reaches senility. He walks up to the second floor and enters. He has told no one about the flat as he’s a stickler for privacy. He needs time to think and plan each day.

Tonight, would be no different. He would call Jewel within the hour and set the wheels in motion. They would head to Chicago in the early morning. Driving to Chicago from Philly would waste some time but he realizes he may be a wanted felon which leaves out flying. Anyway, the drive would give him time to set up his next steps to make the diamonds his and his alone. Jewel should have all the hired help ready to go. He’ll send two to northwest, South Carolina and two others to the small town in Kentucky which the list given to him by his half-sister showed as the most likely spots. He is sure Chicago will be the place. He also feels he wants to positively make sure there’s no chance of any connection to the other two places. Jonas apparently knows Chicago is the place, now he does as well.

He made himself a quick-frozen meal in the microwave. It quenched his taste buds as he worked out the details of his foolproof plan. He had a smile on his face as he thought about his half-sister and how his plans had worked so well. Between her and his FBI snitch he has confirmed all the information and now feels he will get the case with the diamonds. Surly if someone over the years had found the case there would have been news coverage of some sort.

 

~

 

Sean had spent the night in Philadelphia. His close friend and associate had a nice place in northeast Philly, a short distance from Cottman Avenue. They discussed the dilemma caused by the raid on their main storage facility. Both agreed the diamonds would put them back on the map quickly. They would go to Chicago; with some help from the local Chicago thugs they would give it their best shot at obtaining the diamonds. They were not prepared for what was to happen. Gerald and his people were on their way. Belle and Sky were one day ahead of everybody. Mervin Schlock had convinced some friends from Chicago he had a good deal working. He told them there was big money for all if they could obtain the case. Mervin was not much of a problem but could get in the way of anyone who was not prepared, namely, Sky, Belle, Gerald and Jewel.

Sean Malloy would have a large contingent of people who knew how to handle themselves in just this kind of situation. He did wonder about Gerald. What was he up to? Can’t trust him, he concluded.

The FBI would be there and more prepared then Sean anticipates. They would be ready for a small war if needed. This could be a win, win situation for them and vindicate Solly and especially Weisman. Both men have had a run of bad luck following them. Big plans with small results. Chicago could change everything.

Sky and Belle were driving south on route one when she spotted 138^th Street.       “Turn here,” she told Sky, “I’ll look for Indiana Avenue.”

“There it is,” said Sky and turned left. The third house on the right-hand side was their destination. They parked the car and walked up a few slate steps. Belle knocked on the door.

It opened slowly.

“Hello, what can I do for you?” The woman asked as she continued with, “if you’re looking for a place to rent, we won’t have anything for the next two months.”

“No ma’am, we are in need of information about a former tenant and are willing to pay for the information.”

“You two don’t look like cops.”

“We’re not,” Belle explained. “We are looking for a friend who lived here back in 1977. One of his children is not feeling well and we are trying to get in touch with him. We would appreciate your help.”

“Well, it might be a lot of work to find the old files but I think I can do it if the price is right.”

“How’s $100.00 sound?”

“Come on in honey; you too mister.”

They spent the good part of an hour watching the woman search for the records she had filed in one of the many boxes she had stacked in her helter-skelter office. She was able to find the information.

“Here it is,” she said, “it was a gentleman named John E. Mudd, his wife and four children. It says here if anyone needed to get in touch with the family they would be staying with his parents in Fair Lawn, New Jersey.”

“What about the address?” Belle added.

“Not here,”

“Wow… well, something to go on,” Belle told the woman. “But it’ll be tough to find the actual address. We’ll have to get someone who lives in the area to continue the search.”

Sky looked dumb founded as Belle continued complaining to the woman. She told Belle she would accept $50.00 but nothing less. Belle paid her. Sky and Belle left. Sky had done a lot of soul searching while they were in the house and immediately told Belle he was done.

“What do you mean done, we need to go to New Jersey. I need help driving,” Belle in a demanding voice told him.

“I can’t go, this is way over my head. You can do this better then me. You sound sure of yourself; I have no clue.”

“You wanna quit?”

“I do.”

“Drop me off at a car rental office near the airport,” Belle said. “Where will you be going?”

“Home, before it’s too late.”

“Where might that be?”

“Las Vegas,” Sky told her. “I should never have tried to do this.”

Belle had a quick thought. Maybe she should get rid of Sky. But her compassionate side takes over as she thinks he won’t be a problem. She thanks him as she gets out of the car heading for the closest car rental office. She was on the road within a few minutes, heading straight for Route 80 East.

Sky went to the motel, packed and headed to O’Hare airport for a return flight to Vegas and his dad, Noodles. He had learned a few things about himself. This venture was not a complete loss. He didn’t know how close he was to being a complete loss himself.

It was a little after eleven in the evening. Belle drove until she felt the need of sleep. She would drive to the next rest stop, get a quick bite and sleep in the car for a few hours.

Gerald and Jewel left Philly at 2:10 in the morning. They each drove while the other rested, stopping only for coffee and gas while on the Pennsylvania Turnpike.

Belle was ready to move on at 1:47 am, after a quick but refreshing sleep. She had driven quite a few miles, she watched as the dawn was breaking on a mostly cloudy sky. Her phone alarm went off, it was seven in the morning, EST.

The FBI was readying for their departure to Chicago. Solly and Weisman had Jonas packing for the trip. He was feeling low and depression was creeping in. Whatever happened to Belle? This was not like her, he thought. He had a funny feeling she didn’t sound like Belle the last time they spoke. Her accent, he said to himself, she didn’t have the accent of a southern girl. He called Mother, who came to his room almost before he had hung up the phone. Muddy was walking through the lobby and spotted Mother entering. He knocked on the door.

“Am I intruding?”

“Not at all,” Jonas told him, “come in.” Jonas repeated his thoughts; Belle had lost her southern accent when he last talked to her.

“Are you sure?” Mother asked. “You were pretty upset at the time.”

“You’re right but I think it’s what I heard.”

“You seemed on the worried side while you were talking to Belle. On the other hand, you sounded in control of yourself.”

“Thanks, Mudd,” Jonas said, “I needed that.”

“You think Jonas may be thinking clearly?”

“I do,” stated Muddy.

“Why don’t both of you come to Chicago with me and the FBI, I need some friendly advice and encouragement.” Jonas told them. “I’ll call Agent Weisman and see if there is room on the plane for the both of you.”

He called Weisman and explained he wanted M&M to travel with him to Chicago. At first Weisman was against them coming but Jonas explained Muddy had lived and worked in the area of Chicago they were going to and Mother had become a friend he could talk with about anything and everything. He told him M&M were both as close to a friend as he had.

Weisman put him on hold for a few minutes. When he came back he told Jonas they could come. Solly had explained to him how they had been helpful throughout the Gerald situation and the comfort they had been to Jonas with the music and studio. Bring them along he said.

Solly told Weisman they knew all about the Gerald situation and were working with Noodles to keep tabs on him while he was at the Chateau 54. Muddy had lived in the Chicago area while he was working in the shoe business. He may be able to locate some of the places Jonas seems to remember. Noodles also highly recommended them both. Mother, because he had known and worked with him for many years. Muddy had been a friend back as far as the sixth grade in Fair Lawn. Jonas told M&M to pack quickly. They are leaving for the airport in fifteen minutes.

Belle was ready to send a text. The trail has turned you need to go to Fair Lawn, NJ. The man who bought the case in Chicago is John E. Mudd. Am on the way there now. She pressed the send button.

Gerald was driving when his phone gave the text signal. As he read the message it seemed incomplete.

“Jewel, wakeup,” He nudged her.

“What?”

“Read this message and see if you can get anything from it.”

“Looks like it was cut off in the middle of a sentence. It’s incomplete, the trail has turned you need to go to … The man who … … maybe the battery went dead.”

“Send your sister a message, tell her what we received was incomplete.”

“Okay, do you want me to drive?” she asked.

“I’ve got it for now. You try to get in touch with your sister”

Jewel was not overly fond of Svetty, as she called her half-sister. They had the same mother but different fathers. Her father was Michael Brendan McGrath. Svetleva’s father was Mikel Andropov, a Russian defector who lived in San Francisco. He jumped ship while working on a Hungarian freighter in the late 60s. He married a young girl, Betty Vonn, who lived in Oakland, California. They met at a downtown San Francisco coffee house. Betty had a baby the following year. They named her, Svetleva. For the next few years the family was happy and prospering. On day Mikel disappeared. Betty talked to the police but they had no record of anyone called Mikel Andropov.

She was heartbroken until Michael Brendan McGrath came along. They moved to Ireland and married. Jewel was born. A year later Mickey arrived. They had many happy years together with their children. One day both Jewel, her brother Mickey and their half-sister, Svetleva, decided to leave home. The girls didn’t care for family life and Mickey wanted to see the world. They had started to live outside the law. Being different they split up and went their separate ways. Jewel was a killer, while Svetleva was a shrewd, calculating woman of the world. Mickey headed for adventure.

Belle continued driving when she heard the low battery signal from her phone. She would need to purchase a charger for the car or buy another phone. She looked for the next rest stop. She filled the tank and purchased a charger for her cell.

As she headed to Fair Lawn a plan came to mind. She would get into the house and search for the case. If she was lucky the case would be there and she would be on her way with the diamonds. The more likely situation would be they weren’t there. If she found the case at the house, good. On the other hand, if this was a dead end she would get in touch with Jonas and see how he was doing. Belle would return to the chateau and wait. She would tell Jonas she had second thoughts about her decision to go to Chicago. He would be happy and she could find out what he knew. Maybe the case and diamonds would fall into his hands. And then into hers.