Thin Ice 6 - Hangman & Socrates (31 page)

“
Why don’t you believe in God,” Cartier again questioned, waiting patiently for a response.

“
I just believe that everything happens according to scientific principles and reasoning, not some invisible be all, know all, being,” Rait responded as Cartier nodded and grunted.

“
Hmm, I see,” he replied once more as he examined the scalpel in his hands.

Without warning, Cartier cut his throat, leaving Rait gurgling, eyes bulging as he struggled to breathe.

“
Then you don’t need time to repent and get things right before you die, there’s no place you’ll be going,” he said calmly as Carlo burst into laughter and cut his chest cavity open.

Rait tried to scream as the pain descended, still very much alive and conscious.

“
I certainly hope for your sake, your assumption is correct Rait,” Cartier told him as Carlo went to work dissecting the doctor piece by piece and they watched him die a slow and painful death.

28

Blue was still smiling days later after his impromptu visit with the warden. He was being considered as part of an early release program for rehabilitated inmates. Blue had immediately finished his GED when he was locked up, even taking some bookkeeping and accounting courses. He’d learned about a little about investing as well from some of the guards and one of the accounting instructors. When he went into business this time, Blue wanted to handle his right. He had to consider the future he had planned for himself and Lauren, not wanting them to struggle at all, or her to feel she had to carry the load alone. If everything went right, he would get a hearing in the next six months, with release fifteen days after that hearing. Blue was ecstatic.
The sooner I get out of her the sooner I can find my girl and bring her home again,
he thought fully intending to relocate Lauren back to Chicago. They could move somewhere else later once he was established, but in the beginning he needed to be on familiar ground.

What if she won’t come back, or what if she wants no part of you,
his mind brought the lovely fantasy to a crashing halt. As much as Blue didn’t want to consider it, he had to accept that Lauren might indeed reject him and send him out of her life.

“
Not without a fight,” he murmured.

Blue would remind her of their love, of who and what she truly was.
You can’t outrun your blood or your past,
he thought concerning the woman and her new life. Blue double checked and made sure he still had Poncho’s information. Satisfied, he began making plans of which he needed to contact when he got out, deciding to start asking his mother about various friends in the letters he wrote. He knew how to word them so as not to draw suspicion or alert anyone why he was asking. Blue thought about Hangman Cisneros too, wondering how the man was coping the federal prison.
If I had cash like that, finding Lauren would be a snap,
he mused knowing the millions of dollars the man had amassed in his reign. Blue made a mental note to visit Lauren’s aunt. He’d heard she was trying to adopt Lauren but Hangman was fighting her.
Damn these six months cannot pass quickly enough,
Blue mused as he made his way to the kitchen to work his shift, his still lifted and optimism still alive.

*****

The black limo arrived and brazenly drove up to the prison entrance, parked and continued to idle as the driver sat at attention inside waiting for his patrons. Cartier smiled as they arrived at the dock area where prisoners were dropped off and the small prison van was waiting for them. Today was the day they were leaving Leavenworth and becoming free men once again. Carlo and Horse joined him moments later as the warden personally opened the door and allowed them entrance onto the van. The announcement of their deaths would come in due time, but for now, no one was any the wiser that the prisons most infamous inmates were no longer on roll. Glancing over at Carlo, Cartier smiled slightly. His complexion had cleared and he was looking stronger than before. He was in a very good mood today, talking cheerfully even cracking jokes here and there. Horse was excited too Cartier could tell. The man had pledged his eternal devotion to the two of them for freeing him from this place as well.

The drive to the front gate was short and they arrived quickly. Being smart until the very end, the men had planned their departure at the stroke of midnight when everyone would be asleep and darkness would afford them privacy. The warden again walked them to the front gate, opening it and bidding them good luck. The trio quickly departed the prison as Horse held the limo doors opened and they all jumped inside.

“
Hello Ernie,” Carlo greeted the driver.

Ernie grinned and greeted both his bosses, putting the car in drive and casually pulling away from the prison. Cartier opened the bottle of champagne Ernie had chilling for them, pouring everyone a glass.

“
Here’s to the happiness money can buy,” he toasted as they all burst into laughter and drained their glasses.

They knew the trip back was only about nine hours and they’d planned to get there without stopping over.

Ernie pulled into the gas station, spotting the young man standing casually beside the bathroom doors. Pulling up he unlocked the door as he got inside and closed his door.

“
Hey Spank,” Horse greeted his brother as the two men grinned ear to ear.

Spank was in the front with Ernie, looking back at all three men as they were all formally introduced. He greeted them all smiling thanking both Carlo and Cartier for not only paying him handsomely but getting his older brother out of prison too.

“
We look out for our own,” Cartier replied calmly as Carlo nodded his agreement.

Spank told them he definitely was happy to be considered a part of the Association as well. Everyone grew quiet as they continued to ride with Carlo and Cartier dozing off. Horse was too keyed up to relax just yet. The reality that he was a free man still hadn’t sunk in totally yet. He, Spank and Ernie chatted pleasantly with the two men catching Horse up to date on things going on in the world now. They were about two hours out now and the euphoria finally waned for Horse, who leaned his head against the window and soon found himself sleeping as well. Spank and Ernie smiled at the three men sleeping and continued talking to each other smiling as they passed the mileage sign and knew they were almost home.

******

Hope was resting, hoping the nausea she felt would pass quickly. She was once again undergoing chemotherapy for the cancer. The results were encouraging so far, but she was distant from calling herself in remission. As always her thoughts were on her niece, her former lover, and for some odd reason her brother. Hope had gotten a few calls from the online flyers for missing persons that she’d placed years ago concerning Lauren. Mostly they were trash magazines looking for a quick sensational piece on her brother. A few were from perverts looking for a way to try and arrange a pickup or date with Hope.
I pray to stay alive long enough to get a real hit and find the child before it’s too late,
she continued to brood finally rising and testing her legs. The dizziness didn’t return so Hope ventured into her kitchen to make herself a cup of tea. She continued to think of Lauren and all the years that were lost and how displaced her entire family was.

Walking back into the den, Hope sat down and opened the drawer on the small coffee table in front of her. The stacks of letters from Carlo cluttered it and she stared for what seemed like hours before deciding she still wasn’t ready to open them and read the contents. She knew Father James was right and for her own peace of mind and soul’s content she needed find a way to forgive him. How could she though? Carlo in Hope’s mind was solely responsible for everything that happened.

“
Why would he kill Auriel,” she murmured thinking about her fallen sister-in-law finally.

What was going on in my brothers head,
Hope continued to brood as she sipped her tea. Carlo hadn’t been the same since their parents suicide, Hope mused. She remembered how cold he’d become, withdrawn, cruel and sullen.

“
Now Lauren has to pay for his sins,” she again spoke aloud.

Hope could only imagine the nightmares the woman had or how hard she was running from her past.
What if she doesn’t want to see you, know you’re alive, or have anything to do with you,
Hope’s mind panicked. She had to pray that once she found her niece the young woman would listen.

“
I love her so much,” Hope whispered as the tears fell.

She cried for Lauren, for Piper, and even for Carlo and Roderick. She cried deep painfully wracking sobs as all her heartache came full circle. Time was so short and life had been so very cruel to Hope as of late. She cried thinking of her beautiful daughter who never had the chance to even draw her first breath. She cried for the lost love of the man who’d fathered that child and so coldly and callously left her life once again. Hope cried for the loss of her only brother, for the loss of his soul to whatever heartless and evil demon he had become. Lastly Hope cried for herself. She cried for all the years she wouldn’t see, the grand nieces and nephews, grandchildren she would never have or know. When she’d cried herself out, Hope once again lay on the couch and closed her eyes, saying a silently prayer for the turmoil that still tossed to and fro inside her. The phone rang as he eyes sprang open and she answered.

“
Hello,” Hope spoke softly, voice ragged from her earlier crying jag.

She heard nothing.

“
Hello,” she ventured once more, hearing background noise but nothing more.

“
Who is this,” she questioned becoming slightly unsettled.

The line went dead in her hands as she frowned deeply looking at the receiver. Dismissing it, Hope lay back down and closed her eyes, sleep quickly overtaking her.

*****

The loud grinding of the garage doors woke the men as everyone blinked and began stretching.

“
We’re here,” Ernie informed as they all exited the car and walked inside down the short hallway into the main house.

Cartier smiled seeing the furnishings and décor just as he instructed.

“
Nice,” Carlo murmured wandering inside finally. “Who’s where,” he asked, wanting to shower and change.

The instructions had been giving to furnish each room with clothing and accessories for everyone according to their tastes and size.

“
Your suite is down one level Hangman,” Ernie told him as Carlo nodded and followed the man.

Cartier followed Spank to his suite on the other end of the level they now stood on. Spank and Horse had rooms upstairs. Cartier smiled again with approval as he took in the rich purples and lavenders encompassing the room. Purple was his favorite color and the decorator had done a magnificent job on his room. The purple and gold interweaved tapestry on the drapes was regal, as were the matching bedding ensembles on the hung king bed the room held. The chaise was a purple and white paisley pattern with large soft lavender throw pillows and a deep purple shawl blanket draped over it.

“
Do you and Hangman want some company this evening,” Spank asked alluding to women.

Cartier told him they would let him know after they were showered and settled in a bit more. Nodding, he left Cartier alone and headed to Carlo’s room to see if he needed anything. Alone, Cartier took a deep breath and exhaled deeply, exhilarated to be outside of the dank, depressing walls of Leavenworth. He made a note to check with Ernie about the specialists they’d enlisted to treat Carlo. Being who he was they couldn’t go to a doctor’s office like regular patrons, but finding one who made house calls and knew how to keep his mouth shut wasn’t hard when you had the means to make it worth his while. Heading into the bathroom, Cartier was once again pleased with his findings as the plush royal purple towels and lavender infused facecloths greeted him. He turned on the shower and stepped in, enjoying the steaming hot water that cascaded down his body. As he lathered his body, he decided some female companionship was just what he needed to complete the first day home. He let Horse know once he’d dressed and joined everyone in the massive dining room.

*****

Carlo was eternally grateful that Cartier had stood by him and not left him at Leavenworth, locked in a cage. There was still the matter of him dying, but even more pressing, the matter of his finding his daughter. Carlo knew he couldn’t be seen in public and he accepted that, but he was going to enlist every contact he knew that was still free and alive to find her, using Spank as his inside man. He had so much to apologize to her for, so much to make up to his precious baby girl. Carlo also decided he needed someone to keep an eye on Hope. If anyone had an idea where Lauren was, she would. Carlo was also hoping that Roderick was still sniffing around from time to time. He and Cartier had definite plans to put several bullets in his snitching skull. Horse handed Carlo a juice and his medication. He obediently took the pill, needing to fight for every additional moment this life would afford him.

As far as the world knew Carlo Hangman Cisneros was rotting away in a dirty cell in Kansas. Out of sight and out of mind, everyone was once again safe, Carlo thought and chuckled slightly. He hadn’t stopped kicking just yet, and before he did, he had a few more good days of havoc left inside him that he planned to loose and let run free. The thoughts and the medication lifted his spirits and he anxiously looked forward to the women coming to party with them tonight. Carlo hadn’t slept with anyone for a while, even though they were readily available to him. His illness kept him weak for the most part, but Carlo honestly was tired of lying women and their games. At least with the whores coming tonight, they knew what time it was. They opened their legs and their mouths, took what you gave them and went about their business, Carlo fumed, Meredith screaming into his mind’s eye again. He’d seen the pictures of the child she claimed he fathered. Carlo secretly admitted the girl was probably his, but he didn’t want any part of her. Lauren was his first born and she would always be his first priority. The one created with Meredith was a mistake in every sense of the word and he didn’t give a damn if she or her mother lived or died. Carlo pushed them from his mind as the music started to play, the liquor started to flow and the doorbell rang, announcing the arrival of their guests for the evening.