Final Justice, page 27
“I’ll never work under a Brattini, never!” vowed Peter, “and I’ll never forget what his family tried to do to ours.”
Latchman nodded again and gave him an encouraging pat on the shoulder.
“Whatever you decide to do Peter, count me in,” he said.
Chapter 29
Rebecca sealed up the last envelope. The past week had been filled with anguish, rage, frustration and regret, mostly regret. She remembered something Santino had once told her, “Fame is fleeting but regret is forever.” When she had received a frantic phone call from Jimmy Bono three days after her confrontation with Dudley and Jacobs, she knew all was lost.
“Rebecca, what did you do to Dudley and Jacobs?” asked Jimmy, real concern in his voice.
“Why do you ask?” she replied as her pulse and heart started racing, the sense of impending doom overwhelming her.
“There are some strange vibes on the street,” he answered, not wanting to tell her too much in case he was wrong. It had been a long time since he’d been interested in rumours of “a big hit coming down”. This time however, the target sounded too close to home—Rebecca.
“I’m trying to find out what exactly is going on,” Jimmy said. “Are you up to something again? It would be a great help to me Rebecca if you would tell me before I waste too much time sniffing it out for myself.”
“Jimmy, in the old days, when a score was settled, it was done,” Rebecca said quietely. “There was no further involvement with the families. Is that still true?”
“Rebecca! What kind of question is that? You must tell me what has happened. I need to protect you. I promised Santino!”
“Oh Jimmy, there is really nothing to be concerned about,” she answered, overwhelmed with guilt at the thought of sick, old Jimmy trying to take charge again as he had for so many years. And even if he was in better shape, his time for such things was long past. She was on her own.
“I think Dudley is worried that I might expect some favours from him, you know, because of the old days. Don’t worry. I’ll call him tomorrow and straighten everything out.”
Now it was almost six o’clock and she finally felt at peace with herself as she walked out to her secretary’s office. She intended to leave everything to be mailed as per her written instructions but Michelle was still there working.
“Hold these for me please,” said Rebecca as she handed her the envelopes. “Mailing instructions are on each one. Now, it’s after six o’clock. It’s time for you to go home.”
Rebecca walked back into her office.
Strange, how calm I feel, she thought. I suppose I could have called Giancarlo but that would have been a waste of time. He is one of them. At the end of the day, he won’t go against his own to protect me.
She took the picture of her late parents, Sam and Naomi Singer, off the wall and sat down on the couch.
As she stared at their images, her eyes filled with tears.
I wonder if you’re both somewhere else, she thought. It would be nice if the stories about another life turned out to be true.
Oh Daddy, why didn’t I appreciate you when I had you. I was wrong not to take the time to understand the demons inside your head. You had such a kind heart and gentle spirit. You tried not to let us down, and in your own way, you never did. I am so sorry for my insensitivity and impatience.
Memories from so long ago swirled around her head. We were like strangers for most of time we had together, she thought as she clutched her parents’ picture to her bosom. We rarely shared our thoughts and feelings, and yet I always knew that you loved me. I hope that Lisa knows how much I love her.
It was nearly seven o’clock when the elevator doors opened to the building’s underground garage. Across the floor, she noticed that the lights over the emergency exit door where her car was parked were broken. She walked very slowly towards it.
I could have taken a cab, or called Grant, she thought. But what’s the point? Delay the inevitable? For what? The wheels are already in motion, and there is nowhere for me to hide. Why put those I love at risk again?
She opened the trunk and put her briefcase inside. Then she walked around and got into the car, half expecting to see a face appear. She checked her rear view mirror. Hmm, no one there.
Oh well, she thought as she turned on the ignition.
The car exploded, and Rebecca Sherman died instantly.
Chapter 30
Grant was pacing in front of the window, becoming more and more concerned about why Rebecca hadn’t yet come home, or at least called.
“I’ll be there by seven, at the latest,” she’d told him earlier. “And the first thing I want to do is take a Jacuzzi with you. You will massage my legs, won’t you darling?”
“Among other things,” he’d answered.
And now it was almost nine o’clock. There was no answer at the office or at Michelle’s home. Grant tried Rebecca’s cell phone again. Nothing.
Maybe I should call Lisa, he thought. She might have heard from her.
But Grant decided against it, afraid of alarming her. He had an overwhelming feeling of dread in the pit of his stomach. Rebecca was never late and it was unlike her not to phone.
He didn’t notice the car until its lights were on the driveway. He rushed to the front door and stopped dead in his tracks when he saw Larry Lyons, accompanied by two strangers, walking slowly towards him.
Nothing was said until all four men were back inside the house.
“Rebecca is dead Grant. Her car was wired, and it blew up when she turned on the ignition.”
“If the car blew up, how do you know it was Rebecca inside?” asked Grant in a choked voice as he grabbed the bannister.
“I went to the morgue myself,” answered Larry. “There wasn’t much left to see besides her face. There will still be dental checks for a positive I.D., but it is Rebecca. I wanted to make sure that you knew before anyone else, and that I was the one to tell you.”
Rebecca, my darling, thought Grant as he struggled to maintain his composure. So many years apart, so many years of loneliness. We had so little time together. He stood in silence, his eyes closed, unable to think beyond the horror that engulfed him.
“Lisa! I’ve got to tell Lisa,” Grant moaned.
Larry put his hand on Grant’s shoulder. “I’m going with you,” he said. “I don’t want you to face all of this on your own. I’ve already called Elizabeth in New York and she’s flying up in DeViller’s plane. She should be here before midnight.”
“Any idea who did this?” Grant finally asked in a quiet voice. He wanted to smash his fists into the walls.
And to himself, who, who? Brattini? Why would he, especially now?
“Nothing yet,” answered Larry as he helped Grant on with his coat.
“By the way, this is Paul Jackson and Frank Simone from Homicide. They’re in charge of the investigation and will be staying here until you come back.”
Sure, they’re hoping that whoever did this might try to break into Rebecca’s house, expecting it to be empty, thought Grant as he got into the unmarked cruiser. But I doubt it. This was a standard hit. Deed accomplished. Score settled. Rebecca is dead. My love is gone. And I’m alone, again.
“Poor baby, I’m here.”
Grant held Lisa and rocked her gently while she sobbed and screamed for her mother.
“Let it all out.
“Yes, yes, of course I’ll stay with you.”
“I want to see her!” cried Lisa. “I want to see my mother!”
Grant looked over to Larry who just shook his head.
“Lisa honey, you need to remember your mother as she was yesterday,” said Grant as gently as he could. “Whatever you would see today wouldn’t be her, it would just be a body. Her spirit is now somewhere else.”
By ten o’clock, Lisa and Grant were sitting quietly on the couch sipping tea and she was clutching his hand. Larry had spent most of the time in the kitchen talking into his cell phone, trying to keep on top of the investigation.
“I have to call the rest of the family,” said Lisa, as she burst out crying again. “And arrangements have to be made.”
“You go ahead and call them Lisa,” said Grant. He put his arm around her shoulder. “But I’m afraid arrangements will have to wait for a while, at least until the investigators say that it’s okay.”
“But Jews have to be buried within twenty-four hours of their death!” cried Lisa. “I need to make sure that my mother is properly buried.”
“Do you belong to a synagogue?” asked Larry walking into the room. “Perhaps we can call your Rabbi and ask him to come over.”
“Our tradition says that there can be no autopsy,” began Rabbi Michael Dolgin, “and burial must take place within twenty-four hours. But, as in all things religious, interpretations may vary and compromises can sometimes be made. For example, if a parent, sibling, spouse or child is a long distance away when a death occurs, the funeral can be postponed until their arrival. Notice that I said can be. For the ultra orthodox, it is extremely rare.
“In the case of an autopsy, there is no compromise in Jewish law except when the laws of the land supersede ours. If it is deemed necessary that an autopsy, or a delay because of a police investigation is required, then we have no choice.
“And for those who worry about God’s position on these matters, it is written in the Torah that when extraordinary circumstances arise, affecting life or security, then an individual is forgiven any transgressions that occur as a result.”
Elizabeth DeLuca could see the lights of Toronto and the C.N. Tower outside the plane’s window. She looked over at Michael DeV-illers. When Larry’s call had been patched through to the New York office, she had been working late on last minute details for the President’s dinner. Michael, along with some of the other staff, had all come running when they’d heard her cries.
“You’re not going to Toronto alone,” Michael had said once she’d settled down. “The plane will be ready in half an hour and I’m coming with you.”
As the plane began its descent, she leaned her head back and closed her eyes.
“Are you okay?” asked Michael.
She opened her eyes and smiled wistfully at him.
“No, actually I’m not,” she whispered. “I’ll never be okay again.”
Michael leaned over and took her hand in his.
“Is there anything I can do to help?”
Elizabeth looked at him for a few moments and then made a decision. One door must close now, for good, so that another one can be opened.
“Your presence has already helped,” she answered.
After a few moments of silence, Elizabeth said, “most people could never understand how Rebecca and I came to be friends, because it was no secret that she and Santino were lovers for many years.”
She watched Michael’s face closely for a reaction, but there was none. He’s probably known all along, she thought, so what does it matter?
“I always suspected it,” she went on, “though I didn’t know for sure until.. Oh well that part isn’t important. Three years ago, circumstances brought Rebecca and I together again at the deathbed of my husband. And we have, as they say, been together ever since.
“Now that she has been so brutally murdered, I intend to sever all my ties with the past; and that includes people, places, and things. So I’m ready to take you up on your offer to buy the Tranby property. I’ll give you a price that you can’t refuse.”
Michael smiled at her words, but when she tried to smile back, her green eyes filled with tears.
“I’ve decided to live in Boston,” she continued, “for good. It’s where my family and I have spent the happiest years of our lives. But I promise you Michael that my work for Goldstar will not be affected, not even when we have a project out of the New York office. The Boston/New York shuttle will guarantee it.
“I intend to bring Lisa home to live with me,” Elizabeth went on emphatically. “I don’t have to tell you about that young woman’s talent. I’m certain that she’ll be offered an excellent job if she’s based in the U.S.”
“Have you thought about the possibility that Lisa won’t want to leave Toronto?” asked Michael gently, still holding Elizabeth’s hand. “She is almost thirty years old.”
“She’ll leave,” answered Elizabeth forcefully. “She is very much alone now. And her personal life hasn’t been very happy for a while”
“You still haven’t told me what I can do to help,” Michael said quietly.
“I’d like you to handle the immediate, and discreet, liquidation of Rebecca’s assets,” Elizabeth answered. “The amount involved exceeds a million dollars, and with all the publicity that is bound to go on over her death, it would be nice if Lisa’s inheritance could be quietly slipped into a safe place before too many questions are asked.”
“I can do that Elizabeth, and I will,” he said. “But aren’t you assuming that your wishes will be Lisa’s?”
“Yes, I am,” she asserted. “And they will be!”
Elizabeth was startled when she realized that the plane was on the ground. She had forgotten about her fear of flying.
Another irony, she thought as the plane taxied towards the terminal.
Oh Rebecca, Rebecca. How strange, that despite our differences, we reached out to each other so long ago. And we became more than friends—we were guardians of each other’s bodies and souls, compadres, sisters by choice and not by blood.
If not for your presence, first in Santino’s life, and then in mine, would I have become who I am today? Probably not. If not for you, my sons and I would be perilously close to financial disaster. And if not for you, I doubt if my sons and I would still be alive.
And now look at how it has ended. A car bomb—something that was once planned for me. How ironic. Who was so afraid of you that they would do this?
Oh Rebecca, we never had a chance to say goodbye. I’ll miss you so much. If you are somewhere and can read my thoughts, know that I’ll be there for Lisa for all of her life.
Rest in peace my dear friend.
“Holy shit!” Giancarlo Brattini yelled into the phone. “I don’t believe it!”
“Well, believe it,” said Pauly Bertusi. “She was blown into a thousand pieces.”
“Find out what you can,” said Brattini as he poured himself a scotch. “And if it was a hit ordered by one of the other families, call me back right away. And check up on Sherman’s daughter Lisa. Make sure that she’s protected.”
“Where yah gonna be Boss?” asked Bertusi.
“With my mother,” he answered. “And then probably in Toronto. I’m sure that she intends to go to Rebecca’s funeral and I’d better keep a close eye on what’s going on up there.”
When he hung up the phone, Brattini gulped down the drink, surprised at how upset he was at Rebecca’s violent death.
She kind of grew on me, he thought. She was an arrogant and mouthy dame, but boy, did she have balls. And when it came to business, she always kept her mouth shut. Whatever it cost DeLuca to keep her, she was worth it.
Who did this, and why? And what about Lisa?
Elizabeth arrived at Lisa’s house just before midnight. Both women started sobbing and collapsed in each other’s arms.
“Shh, shh,” crooned Elizabeth as she rocked the young woman. “You are not alone. I’m right with you. Let me try to be your mother’s surrogate.”
Larry strode into the room at the sound of Elizabeth’s voice and put his arms around her. Elizabeth stiffened and he quickly backed off. When she introduced him to Michael DeVillers, Larry’s body language didn’t go unnoticed by either of them.
“How is Meghan?” she asked Larry, hoping to ease the tension. “Matthew asks to be remembered to her.”
“She’s just fine, thank you for asking Mrs. DeLuca,” he answered in a cool voice.
Then Larry turned to Grant. “I’m going to leave now,” he said. “What about you? Let me take you back to wherever you want to go.”
“Yes, do go and get some rest Grant,” said Elizabeth. “I’ll be staying here with Lisa so she won’t be alone.”
“Yes Grant, please go back to Mom’s and get some sleep,” said Lisa as she walked over and put her arms around his waist. “I’ll feel so much better knowing that you’re watching over her home as you.” Lisa burst out crying again.
You mean, as I should have watched over her, thought Grant, finishing Lisa’s sentence in his head. I didn’t do too good of a job though, did I? First the Buffalo fiasco, and now this.
What did I miss? Was it right under my nose?
“Yes, I think you’re right,” said Grant as he leaned over to kiss Lisa’s cheeks. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Mom and Dad called from Vermont,” said Larry as he pulled the car out of Tranby Avenue. “They want to come up for Rebecca’s funeral.”
Grant smiled as he thought of Brian and Janet Teasdale, two loving and caring people who’d taken him and Larry into their homes and their hearts so long ago.
“They want to be with you Grant,” Larry continued. “Dad, in particular, said that he didn’t want you to go through this alone.”
Rebecca’s townhouse was only a five minute drive away and by the time Larry pulled the car into the driveway, Grant had given up trying to control his emotions.
“Everyone I love dies!” he sobbed. “Why? What did I ever do that was so bad? First my mother and father and brother Kevin, and now Rebecca. I waited so long for her, and I loved her so much!”
“You’ve never done anything bad,” answered Larry, choking back his own tears. “You looked after me in that hell hole of an orphanage and you gave me the only love and affection I ever knew. Without you, who knows what would have happened to me? And without the miracle of the Teasdales, who knows what would have happened to us?
“So I believe that we have been blessed in many ways, and the price for what we have is what we are asked to endure.
