Where Darkness Resides, page 25
“If there is anything you need, Mr. Quintana, please let me know. I have Johnny’s contacts here in Arizona. I agree that is one way to get him back.”
Selinda was pleased as the prospect Chango would seek revenge on behalf of her and her husband.
50 DISCUSSION
Scottsdale, Arizona
Later That Night
Daniel Mendoza parked his car along the street near Pamela Williams’ house. He looked at her house and could see inside her front window. Inside, Milagros, Pamela’s sister, was seated at the dining room table smiling at her father who was apparently telling her one of his numerous adventures when he was in the special forces. She certainly adored her father even more so than Pamela.
Daniel walked toward her house somewhat apprehensive. Social gatherings were not his forte. But Pamela mattered to him in a way he fully did not understand. Ringing the doorbell, Daniel waited as he heard footsteps approaching in the distance.
“Who’s at the door?”
Daniel could hear Gavin’s voice through the door and the clanging of utensils.
“Don’t worry, Dad. Pam will get it,” the sister said.
As the door slowly opened, Pamela appeared smiling from whatever conversation she previously had. She became stoic when she realized who was at the door.
“Hey, Daniel. I’m surprised. What are you doing here?” she asked while closing the door behind her.
“I…I came to see your father,” he nervously replied unsure how she would respond because he hadn’t told her about any visit.
“You shouldn’t be here. You should be at home resting. Isn’t that what the doctor told you?”
“I made a promise and I always keep my promises.”
He awkwardly smiled given that his last comment sounded like a cliche. However, Pamela knew how Daniel was and knew his last statement was true. She grinned.
“That’s so sweet,” she said as she gently touched his shoulder.
She walked to chairs on her porch. The chairs faced the dimly lit residential street she’d lived on for the past decade. She sat down on one of them. Staring at the empty one, Daniel gave a confused look and pointed toward the front door.
“It’s alright. Sit down. They won’t miss me for a while. Dad’s preoccupied. So is Cameron.”
As he approached the chair and painfully sat down, Daniel said, “Cameron’s inside? That’s great to hear you two are finally getting along again.”
“I wouldn’t say that. It’s a start. One of many. But this time I’m hopeful we can make it work for the long haul. He seems sincere.”
Daniel listened quietly without responding. He saw the joy and concern on Pamela’s face and didn’t want to interfere in what she was feeling or thinking. He was simply pleased to see this softer side of her he hadn’t seen before.
Her father’s health issues must have reawakened them, he thought.
Not wanting to seem overly emotional in front of her client who was now slowly becoming a dear friend in recent years, Pamela restrained any sniffles and said, “Sorry, I couldn’t make it to court. I would have loved to hear what happened and watched all their faces reacting to it, especially Doug’s face.”
Daniel smiled. He also wanted Pamela there but understood why she wasn’t even though she played an intricate role in the initial investigation and apprehension of the captive and the other mafia members. During the flight back from Puerto Rico, she mentioned having to do other things in addition to seeing her father once they landed.
Wanting to fill her in, Daniel explained that the kidnapped resort guest owed money to some of the other mafia members and how he concocted a scheme to cause the car accident to sue Regal Wisteria. When his injuries weren’t severe enough to collect enough money to pay off the debt, he faked his death and fled to Puerto Rico to avoid discovery.
“Wow, what nerve? I guess the forensic pathologist was in on it?” Pamela asked.
“You mean, Dr. Weimar. It most definitely seems that way. Looks like he may be prosecuted for his role in the scheme. I’m sure the medical board is going to investigate as well. He may end up losing his medical license.”
“He should. It’s despicable behavior.”
Daniel was surprised at Pamela’s comment. She normally refrained from making judgments about an individual’s actions especially because she had seen so much as a private investigator nothing seemed to faze her. It was another slight change he’d recently noticed about Pamela.
“And plaintiff’s counsel. Was he in on it too?” she inquired.
“That’s the thing. We don’t know at this time. He vehemently denied it in court today. But to be honest, I suspect he was. He was the one who called Dr. Weimar. There was no way Dr. Weimar could get to the accident scene so fast given the traffic that day unless he knew in advance to be there just in case.”
Pamela shook her head in disbelief.
“I’m not surprised. I’ve seen far worse,” she admitted. “I suppose if he’s involved he’ll lose his law license too.”
“It’s certainly a possibility,” Daniel added. “After all these years he’s been in the profession, I’m sure Doug will just retire if it comes to that. His wife has been asking him to retire for years, but he loves practicing law even at his age.”
Contemplating a fellow attorney losing a law license concerned Daniel. The uncertainties of the legal practice combined with varying ethical issues consumed many attorneys over the years. Most who lost their license were blinded by greed or were unable to handle the unending stress accompanying their profession. Daniel counted himself lucky he hadn’t fallen into the same conundrum.
“I spoke with Gerry today about what happened,” Pamela tepidly admitted out of concern Daniel would think she overstepped her boundaries.
Instead, he perked up at the comment.
“What did he have to say about all this?”
“He told me that Mr. Hernandez, actually Mr. Quintana’s father was arrested by the feds along with two of his top men. Someone high up in the organization is working with the feds and tipped them off about the kidnapping and their whereabouts. He’s not sure who it was.”
Daniel remembered all the terrifying exchanges he heard while sitting there in the darkness.
“It sounded like something was going on with this mafia family. I just don’t know what it was. I heard they’re one of the largest mafia families on the island. I can only imagine what will happen as a result of this new power vacuum.”
“Gerry didn’t seem concerned. He hinted that there was already another head of the family. He didn’t know who, but I think it was the one who tipped off the feds. At least, that’s my suspicion.”
“I tell you, I went to Puerto Rico to relax. The last thing I wanted to do was get in the middle of some internal mafia dispute,” Daniel regretfully expressed.
He then groaned as his body subconsciously tightened from the pain he endured over the past few days. The topic was a subtle reminder of it.
“Are you alright?” Pamela asked while she watched his body writhe.
“I’m okay. The doctor said I’ll be in pain for a few days possibly a week or two with my bruised ribs. But I can take it,” he said while smirking so he could come across as more manly in front of her.
Pamela decided not to reply with her typical snarky remark. She just smiled in response.
Daniel’s cell phone rang interrupting what he was going to sarcastically say to express appreciation for her restraint. He glanced at the caller id and said, “I have to take this.”
“Okay. I’ll leave you alone.”
Pamela entered her house and rejoined the festivities with her family. The aroma of food and drinks wafted onto the porch before she closed the door.
“Hey, Ed. How are you doing?”
Daniel lowered his voice so he could have some privacy.
“Bro, I’m fine. How are you?”
“It’s a long story, but I’m okay. What’s going on that you’re calling me today?”
“I just got a call from Gerald Ravan. He told me your firm is counsel for his company. I’ve just got a new case from him. There was an explosion at one of the luxury villas at the Regal Wisteria Wailea resort in Maui just south of where I live. Gerry wants you to help me on this one.”
“Really? I’d love to work with you on this one. It’ll be the first time we’ve worked on a lawsuit together since we graduated from law school.”
“Let me get the paperwork together so you can get temporarily admitted into the court here in Hawaii.”
“Thanks, bro,” Daniel said with a beaming smile.
“Hey, I have to get to this inspection right now. It’s last minute. I’ll talk with you later.”
“Sure. Call me tomorrow.”
“Will do,” Ed replied.
Daniel was extremely pleased he heard from his fraternity brother from college. They had slowly drifted apart once Ed Steinmann moved from the Los Angeles area to Hawaii after he graduated from law school.
This new case we’ll definitely give us the chance to reconnect.
Daniel painfully stood up and walked to the front door.
Opening the door, Daniel asked, “Hey, what’s for dinner?”
All eyes focused on him when he entered as the ongoing boisterous discussion continued.
THE END
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Mr. Maldonado is an attorney in the Phoenix area that has practiced insurance coverage and employment discrimination law. He is a co-author/editor of Couch on Insurance, a multi-volume treatise on insurance law. Mr. Maldonado is also a contributing author on CAT Claims: Insurance Coverage for Natural and Man-Made Disasters. Mr. Maldonado also wrote the employment chapter for the Arizona Tort Law Handbook. He has contributed to various law reviews and other articles. Now, Mr. Maldonado takes his hand to an area of personal satisfaction: relationships and emotional experiences.
To learn more about Daniel Maldonado, visit his author page on Next Chapter's website.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
This is a list of books and short stories written and published by Daniel Maldonado:
Daniel Mendoza Thriller Series
May it Please the Court: Daniel Mendoza Thrillers Series, Book 1 – A realistic legal thriller involving the suspicious death of a civil plaintiff. Daniel Mendoza’s legal team is hired to defend the hotel and determine what really happened and if foul play was involved. It made the Short List nomination for the 2020 Drunken Druid International Book Award.
The Fleeing Felon: Daniel Mendoza Thrillers Series, Book 2 – After a fleeing felon is involved in a fatal crash, Daniel Mendoza’s legal team defends the corporate entity whose truck was involved. But was the crash an accident or a murder?
The Mendoza Memo: Daniel Mendoza Thrillers Series, Book 3 – During the deposition, a witness becomes fatally ill. Other individuals associated with the royalty lawsuit litigated by the Mendoza law firm also show up dead. Daniel Mendoza and his team don’t know why but need to figure it out before one of them are next.
Where Darkness Resides: Daniel Mendoza Thrillers Series, Book 4 – While vacationing at in Puerto Rico, Daniel Mendoza and his investigator witnesses an abduction of a hotel guest. While investigating the case, Daniel is missing. Is he still or the case or did something else happen to him?
Chambers Lane Series
From the Streets of Chambers Lane - The intriguing story of the Mendoza family's unexpected loss of their youngest son and sibling, Michael. Dealing with spiritual struggles and disillusionment as well as familial rivalries and quirky social interactions, the novella introduces the reader to each diverse family member's perspective of the tragic event while personalizing their cultural past and fears of the unknown future.
When Dreams Abound: A Return to Chambers Lane - Fatherless, Daniel Mendoza learns from a myriad of male friends and neighbors who come into his life from childhood to adulthood about what it actually means to be a man.
The Prodigal Son from Chambers Lane - The oldest son, Jose Luis Mendoza, Junior, battles a haunting past secret that has hindered his growth even into his adult years. He must confront his unloving and hard-hearted mother and others who have betrayed his desire to be loved before he is able to escape it and embrace his future.
Butterflies Blue: An Interlude in San Juan, Puerto Rico - While vacationing on the tropical Caribbean island of Puerto Rico with her newest boyfriend, Layla unexpectedly encounters her former jealous boyfriend, Leon, who desperately wants her back.
Collection of Short Stories
The Palace of Winds and Other Short Stories - A collection of poignant short stories addressing romance, failures, intrigues, and beliefs from a male perspective.
Through Thunder and Light - A follow up to the original compilation “The Palace of Winds and Other Short Stories.”
Thank You
Dear reader,
Thank you for spending your time reading Where Darkness Resides (Daniel Mendoza Thrillers, Book 4). I value your word of mouth and appreciate any efforts you can expend to let others know about my books. If you enjoyed this book, please consider supporting me by doing any of the following:
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Again, thank you in advance for your support. I look forward to reading your review and hope you enjoy the rest of the series and my other books.
Daniel Maldonado, Where Darkness Resides
