Stairway to the Bottom - a Mick Murphy Key West Mystery (33 page)

“I could use it. How do you feel?”

“Not sure.” I swung my feet so they hung over the side of the bed. “What day is it?”

“Tuesday afternoon. You’ve been Key West’s answer to Rip Van Winkle for almost three days.”

“If I closed my eyes I’d go back to sleep.”

“You’re beat up inside, Mick.”

“Doctor Carpino tell you that?”

“No.” Norm turned to Padre Thomas. “Can you excuse us Padre. Go get something to eat, it’ll do you good.”

Padre Thomas looked like a rain-soaked dog trying to hide from the elements. “I’m going home,” he said. “I’ll be back tonight.”

“Rest and come back tomorrow,” I said. “I’m not going anywhere.”

“We’ll see.” He fingered the rosary beads and walked out.

I felt uncomfortable. I wanted to ask questions but they all came back to one, why did Tita have to die.

“Norm, I need to know what happened. And why.” The room grew quiet. I could hear the blood pressure monitor beep and muffled footsteps in the hall. “You owe me that.”

He stood over me, expressionless. “The marshals followed Walsh, hoping he’d lead ‘em to Bulger. You know that.”

I nodded. “Yeah. Will we ever know what happened to him?”

“When he took off on that Jet Ski and made the papers, it put a whole other group of people into the picture. They stretched the imagination to the breaking point. They came here hoping to find a Cold War agent with millions in diamonds.”

“It’s all about money,” I said. “Whitey’s money or diamonds. But there were no diamonds, just greed.”

“No diamonds and no Cold War agent,” Norm said. “Doyle is a cold blooded killer, but he had street smarts. For him it was survival. But we found him.”

“Where?”

“Years ago in Boston, he met a girl from Brazil and married her. He moved her to Rio and went back and forth with an Irish passport. They’ve got three kids. And you know what else?”

I shook my head.

“Brazil won’t deport anyone with Brazilian dependents. He also moved Bulger’s money to his own bank account in Rio. So you weren’t too far off on your guess.”

“How’d you find this out?”

“Chris’ people did a deep background check and when they found the Irish passport, pieces came together.”

“What do you do now?”

“Nothing. As long as he stays in Brazil.”

“What about the FBI? Were they real agents?”

“Yeah, once. Their claim to fame came with breaking up the Mafia in Boston. With Sullivan, they used Bulger as a snitch and overlooked his criminal activities. They got praises from Washington and thought they’d be able to control it. An unstoppable team.”

“They were wrong.”

“Big time, but wouldn’t admit to it.”

“Did they want Bulger’s money too?”

“I think they felt they deserved it,” he said. “They sabotaged the investigation into where Bulger was. New agents got involved and decided to look for Catherine Greig, Bulger’s girl friend.” He laughed. “No one thought of it before? Hard to believe. You know what happened. One day of TV commercials with her photo and Bulger gets caught.”

“What happens when the agents show up dead?”

“They won’t,” he said.

I waited for more. He wasn’t forthcoming. “Why won’t they?”

“Piersall and Williams, remember them? The two you thought were ridiculous.”

“Yeah.”

“Well, they weighed the four down with rebar and dumped the bodies in the water.”

“Padre Thomas…”

“He went to the hospital with you,” Norm said. “You owe that guy.”

“Many times over.”

“If he hadn’t followed the SUV here, you’d be the one hugging rebar. He called me. I was with Pauly and his crew when I finally got the message. We all came. Chris too, obviously.”

“How’d he follow them? He’s got a bike.”

“He pedaled fast, I guess. He waited here until we arrived.”

“What’s next?” A surge of energy charged me. It was better than pain medication.

“What’s next is you getting better,” he said.

“I want him, Norm. I want Alexei in front of me.”

“I know and if you remember what I told you before the Boston boys showed up, I’m gonna help you. But you need to be one-hundred percent, to do it right.”

“My trigger finger works.” I pumped my finger.

“Yeah. Your mouth works too, now let’s get your head working.”

“Norm, you gotta find him,” I said. “I’ve got to put an end to all this.”

“All this? All this what?”

“I walked away last time without settling scores. I won’t do it again.”

“Settling scores is for egos,” he said. “Padre Thomas knows walking away is sometimes the right answer. He’s not a bad example to follow.”

“I’m not in a ‘turn the other cheek’ mood. If you don’t want to help me, I’ll find him on my own.”

“If you find Alexei it’ll be because he found you.”

“That’s okay too, as long as I get my shot.”

“You’re buying a one-way ticket, hoss, and I ain’t going on that trip.”

“If that’s the only way I can get him, that’s what I’ll do.”

“You need at least three months to recoup, Doctor Carpino said. Take the three months. Hell, come back to LA and I’ll put you in the gym’s penthouse. All the equipment you’ll need to rebuild your body.”

“LA is far from Miami.”

“So is Alexei.”

I was quiet, fighting the anger and trying not to be too hostile. “I miss her Norm.” The image of Tita wouldn’t leave my mind.

“I know,” he said. “Killing Alexei won’t change that.”

“It will make me feel better.”

“No it won’t. Not even briefly. And I know that from experience.”

I knew he was trying to be helpful, but the angry side of me didn’t care. “If you’re not fucking with me, thinking I’ll change my mind, I’ll do what you say. But we never stop looking for him. No matter if it takes forever.”

“Forever’s a long time.”

“Forever ends when I put a bullet in his head.”

“It’s what begins after that, that should concern you,” he said and looked down the hallway. “Certain things you can’t take back, no matter how badly you want to. Be careful of getting what you wish for.”

“Point me in the right direction when the time comes and I’ll go it alone.”

Pauly stood in the doorway, looking somewhere between grim and relieved. “You’re up, that’s good.” He walked in and nodded to Norm. “What’s your opinion?”

“On the mend,” Norm said. “I’m gonna catch some sleep.” He checked his wristwatch. “I’ll be back around six. You want anything?”

“Hell yeah,” I said. “A ham and cheese, with everything, from Siboney.”

“Sounds good.” He walked away.

“You two okay?” Pauly moved closer.

“Yeah. I think he’s just tired.”

“You gave us a scare,
amigo
,” he said and grinned. “Turned out okay. About Tita,” he mumbled the words. “I’m sorry, Mick.”

“Your guys took out the shooter, so I owe you.”

“Didn’t see it coming.”

“No one did.”

Pauly stood there, fudging around, wanting to say more, but uncomfortable. “Anything I can do to help?”

“Help what?”

“You have to want Alexei.”

“Yeah, I do.”

“What can I do?”

“I need another Sig. The last two are in the water somewhere.”

“Done. What else?”

“Any idea where Alexei is?”

“Russian mafia rumors.”

“What are they?”

“Alexei’s people are cutting a deal with a Mexican cartel to distribute their product in Eastern Europe,” he said. “It would be a lucrative deal, so he won’t be too far away from the negotiators.”

“Keep me informed.”

“You’re going to need help.” He looked at the hallway. “Norm in?”

“I think so.”

“Count me in too. You know it will be bloody. Alexei has layers to go through before you get to him.”

I laughed and it felt good, even though it was the devil’s laugh. “In that case you’d better bring extra magazines with the Sig.”

Chapter 73

P
auly left and Norm came back with my sandwich and one for himself. I was hungry, but my eyes were bigger than my stomach and he ate half of mine too. It seemed as if a nurse came in every half hour, but it was my imagination. I think confusion helped keep me from thinking about Tita. Hate filled my waking thoughts as I planned my revenge, but I still hadn’t dreamt. I wanted to settle scores for me because Norm’s words were true, nothing would bring Tita back. Revenge was the driving power behind my wanting to get well.

I thought a nurse shook me awake to ask if I wanted a sleeping pill. Yeah, the hospital policy has them do that. Or maybe they woke me to make sure I was alive.

Doctor Carpino stood over my bed. “I had to come back.”

It took me a minute to realize she wasn’t a dream. “Sit up,” I said in my half-awake-half-asleep mode. She’d dealt with enough patients to know what I meant and slowly the bed moved into a sitting position.

“I told you not to mess up my work.” Her words came lightly, her nose wrinkled, and I think I smiled.

“Sorry,” I said.

“Norm said it wasn’t your fault.”

“Good of him.”

“He worries about you.” She sat on the side of the bed. “How are you feeling?”

“Like a steamroller ran over me.”

“Almost did, I hear.”

“Almost.” I pointed toward the I.V. bag. “Pain meds?”

“Yes and some antibiotics. You’ll be urinating blood for a while and you’ve more damage inside than before.”

“When I was in the shack my insides felt like scrambled eggs.”

“You know you’ve ruined my next few breakfasts,” she said. “How do you feel?” She tapped her forehead. “Up here?”

“They didn’t hit my head,” I said. “My nose and eye, yes, but not my head.”

“Your brain feel like scrambled eggs too?”

I knew what she meant. Maybe she was a shrink. I huffed a brief laugh but even with the pain meds, it hurt.

She saw the look on my face. “Hurts when you laugh?”

I nodded, trying to catch my breath.

“I’ll try not to tell any jokes.”

“Thanks,” I whispered.

“The priest was here when I arrived,” she said. “Strange fellow.”

“My friend.”

“Yes. He’s worried about you too. Norm and a priest.” It was her turn to stifle a laugh. “Never would’ve put those two together.”

“They don’t always get along.”

“I wonder why? But they share concern for you.”

“I’m getting better, ain’t I?”

She tapped her head. “Why does someone with your education often resort to talking like a street-wise person?”

I hunched my shoulders.

Doctor Carpino waited a minute and when I said nothing she went on. “I know about Tijuana.” She looked for my reaction but got none. “Why aren’t you in mourning?”

“You’ve been talking with Norm,” I said.

“A number of your friends, but Norm’s known you the longest.”

“He was with me in Tijuana.”

“Yes, that too. He said your reaction back then was expected, since you were close to the woman.”

“I killed her,” I said.

“It was an accident.”

“The bomb was no accident.”

“You didn’t know the woman would be there.”

“Water under the bridge, doc.”

“What about now? Norm said you’ve been calm. Angry but calm. When will you let go and get the anger out?”

“When I kill Alexei.”

She got a hard look on her face. “That it? Kill Alexei and all will be right with the world? With Murphy’s world?”

“The world’s never been right,” I said. “But it will be more balanced when I’m done.”

“When you get your pound of flesh?”

“Yeah.”

“Then what? Are you going to live in her house?”

“I can’t think about that, right now.”

“Can’t or won’t?”

“Doc, what’s with the questions? You trying to analyze me?”

“Doing my job. You need help physically and mentally to get better.”

“You think I’m crazy?”

“I don’t know. Do you?”

“I’m focused. If I wasn’t…”

“Go on.”

“I need to do this. I have to get well and find Alexei. It keeps me focused.”

“Keeps you from mourning.”

“Keeps me from thinking, from remembering…”

“From breaking down?”

“That too. Later, there’ll be time for that.”

“Who are you doing this for?”

Her comment was not unlike Norm’s earlier, Tita wasn’t coming back no matter what I did or didn’t do.

“I have a hole inside.” I tapped my chest. “An emptiness. Someway, somehow, I am responsible for her death. She told me the other day my life is one successful failure and missed miracle after another. I know this won’t change anything, can’t change anything, but it will help fill the hole and then I can move on.”

“No boat, no house. Move on to what?”

“To whatever’s next.”

“Lots of space there. No thoughts of tomorrow or dreams?”

“None. One purpose.”

“You’re a determined individual, Mr. Murphy. Luckily, you have friends and you should listen to them.”

“Listen to them or do what they say?”

“You’re a smart person and not because of your education, maybe in spite of it, so I’m sure time will heal your body and mind. Give it time, Mr. Murphy. Go back to Norm’s and heal. Get better.”

“You leaving?”

“For now. But I’ll see you again.”

“It’s always a pleasure.”

“I asked you a few things that had to make you angry. Why didn’t you show that anger?”

“Anger is a negative emotion and I don’t have time for negativity. And I knew you were baiting me.”

Her nose wrinkled as she stood. “Take time to heal Mr. Murphy.”

She walked away without waiting for me to answer. Maybe she was smart too and knew whatever answer I came up with would be a lie because I found myself without answers.

I feel asleep soon after but woke feeling strange, out of place.

Padre Thomas stood in the shadows at the end of my bed, still in clerical clothing and clutching rosary beads.

“Praying for Tita?” I said but the words sounded muffled.

He shook his head. “For you now.”

I had to listen carefully to hear his words. “I can hardly hear you.”

“I pray for Tita’s soul each morning and night,” he whispered. “Now I’m praying you will make the right decision and move on with your life. I’m praying you’ll not turn into what you hate.”