The Pastor’s Daughter: Episode XXXI

I left the Marriott hotel soon after nine o’clock and drove a car I had hired out towards the harbor near the vacation house. On reaching the harbor, I left the car under trees and walked towards the three or four men I saw lounging outside the steamer station. I asked one of the men if I could hire a rowing boat for a few hours’ exercise. I also told him that I wanted to row myself.

From the way the boatman looked at me, I was convinced he thought I was crazy. But he got down to business when he realized I was willing to pay him for his boat. We haggled for about ten minutes, and we finally settled for one hundred dollars for three hours. I gave him the money and he took me down to the boat. He told me a few things about how to operate it so I won’t be stranded in the waters and shoved me off.

It was a dark, star-lit night and as I started rowing I was grateful for the gentle sea breeze. I rowed until I was out of sight of land. Then I put the oars down inside the boat and stripped off my clothes. I put on a pair of bathing trunks I had brought with me, and, thus clad, I again started rowing again, heading towards the vacation house built in the hill face. I was convinced that it belongs to either Grace Roselli or her father, Vito Roselli. I couldn’t understand why anyone would decide to build a vacation house in such an inaccessible place.

After rowing for about an hour, I saw in the distance a red light on the harbor wall. Deciding to rest for as while, I paused, letting the boat drift. I could see the outline of the vacation house above the harbor. I noticed that there was a light on in one of the rooms on the ground floor.

After resting for about five minutes, I regained some energy and started rowing again. Soon I reached the rocks only four hundred yards from the vacation house that Brittany had rented for both of us before her death. Just another few hundred yards further on would be Grace Roselli’s vacation house.   I decided to beach the boat, so I pulled it up on the soft sand, making sure that it will not drift off with the tide. Then I waded out into the sea and began to swim towards the lonely vacation house.

The sea was warm and that really made me comfortable and happy. Being careful not to make any noise, I swarm silently into the harbor. As I continued to make progress, I cautiously  avoided the red light that reflected down on the still water. I noticed that there were two powerful Bass Boats moored in the harbor and a small rowing boat. I started swimming towards the steps that led to the lonely vacation house. I swarm cautiously, looking along the wall of the harbor. I had my ears pricked for any suspicious sound. Soon, I was glad that I was on the alert, for I suddenly saw a little red spark make a circle in the air, and then drop into the warm sea and go out with a hissing sound. I definitely knew what that meant: someone who is somewhere in the shadows has just tossed away a cigarette butt.

I slowed down, trying not to make a sound. By now I was very close up against the harbor wall. I looked around me and saw a mooring ring just above my head. Again, being careful not to make any sound that might draw attention to me, I cautiously reached up and caught hold of it. While clinging to it, I looked in the direction from where the cigarette butt had come.

After straining my eyes for a while, I made out a dark figure of a man, sitting on something that I believed to be a bollard. He appeared to be looking out to sea. I told myself I need to be more careful now since he was not too far from where I was. So I waited. After about five minutes, he seemed to have became tired of sitting down, and he got to his feet and disappeared in the darkness.

I waited. Again, I was glad that I did because he reappeared and walked slowly along the harbor arm to the far end. This time I could see him clearly for he came under the red light. He looked like a strongman: he was tall and powerfully built. He was wearing a white t-shirt, black jeans trousers, and a black Ivy  cap. He lolled over the wall, with his back to me, and lit another cigarette.

I lowered myself into the water again, and swarm silently to the steps. I placed my hand on the lowest one, and then looked over my shoulder. The man was still there and he was staring across the lights of Atlantic City, his back turned to me. I pulled myself out of the water. I told myself that this is the time for action, only that I should be careful not to blew this opportunity. I moved silently up the steps, keeping in the shadows of the overhanging trees. I looked back, and was surprised that the man was still motionless, and was still staring across the lights of Atlantic City.

Moving silently, I climbed the steps. And when  I reached a terrace that was facing the harbor, I paused and starred up at the vacation house which, by now, was about fifty feet above me. Although I could see a big, un-curtained, lighted window, there was no sign of life up there. However, I could hear a faint sound of country music coming from what I believed was a radio.

I moved silently and slowly up another flight of steps, keeping to the shadows. This move brought me on to the second terrace. Opposite the lighted window was a patch of dark shadow, made by tulip tree. Again, I kept to the shadows and looked into a luxuriously furnished lounge, convinced that no one could see me.

I saw four men sitting around a table in the center of the room. They were busy playing poker, and beyond them, was Grace Roselli. She was lying on a couch and reading a magazine and smoking; by her side was a radio from which came the soft sound of the country music.

My attention turned to the men at the table. Three of them were the rough types you can see any day in a Twentieth Century Fox movie. I mean, their faces looked hard, thin and vicious and their clothes were flashy. It was the fourth man on the table who held my attention. He should be about fifty years. He was big, grossly fat and he looked Italian. I recognized him immediately. I had seen too many pictures of him in the papers. I could not believe my eyes! I felt a little surge of triumph run through my body. I had succeeded where the whole of Trenton and Baltimore police force had failed! I should have guessed before now that this inaccessible vacation house could be Vito Roselli’s hide-out but, somehow, I hadn’t thought of him being there.

The four men were seriously focused on their game of poker. It was very easy to see who was winning the game. Six tall stacks of chips stood before Vito Roselli. The other three players had scarcely a chip between them. As I watched them playing, one of them – a tall, thin man - threw down his cards with a gesture of disgust. He said something to Vito Roselli, who grinned at him, shoved back his chair and stood up. The remaining two players also threw in their hands,  and relaxed back in their chairs, frowning.

Meanwhile, Vito Roselli  looked over at  Grace and said something to her. She looked up with a face that is heavy with boredom. Then, she nodded and returned her attention to her magazine.

The tall thin man came over to the window and opened it. To make sure he didn’t see me, I crouched down against the low wall. I could hear the sound of the country music loudly now through the window.

“Lupton’s late,” the tall thin man said, speaking over his shoulder to Vito Roselli.

Vito Roselli got up from the table, stretched his big limbs and came to the window.

“He’ll be here,” he said. “Lupton’s a good boy. He’s coming from a long distance.” He looked over at Grace. “Turn the damn radio off. I can’t even hear my own voice.”

Without looking up from her magazine, Grace reached out and turned off the radio.

Vito Roselli and the tall thin guy stood by the window, listening hard. Well, since I want to be sure I was safe, I listened too. Soon I heard a faint sound of a motor-boat engine somewhere out at sea.

“Here he comes,” the tall thin guy said, sounding excited. “Michael’s down there, isn’t he?”

“He damn well better be,” Vito Roselli growled. He moved away from the window and left the room. A few minutes passed and I saw him again as he came out on to the terrace.

I knew if they finds me here, my life wouldn’t be worth a cent. So, I began to sweat. If any of them finds me here, they’d cut my throat and bury me at sea. And the place I was hiding wasn’t that safe either. If any one of them came over to the tulip tree they would definitely see me.  But, in any case, it was too late to move now. Squeezing myself against the terrace wall, I lay flat, holding my breath.

Vito Roselli sat down at one of the tables, about fifty feet from me. Soon, tall thin guy came out and stood looking out to sea.

“He’ll soon be here,” he said, pointing out into the darkness.

“Do you see him coming?”

“Yes, I see him,” Grace said. Putting her hands on the top of the wall, she leaned forward. Because she was so close to me, I could smell her perfume.

The red light from the harbor flicked off and the then came on again. There was a long pause, then I saw Vito Roselli lit a cigar. Grace  and the tall thin guy continued to stare down the harbor. I lay so still that a lizard ran lightly across  my bare back, mistaking me for part of the scenery.

Then I heard someone running up the steps. A man appeared, wearing a black t-shirt, black trousers and black loafers. He was young and good looking in a flashy, tough way, and he smiled widely at Grace as he came on the terrace.

“Hello sweetie,” he said.

Grace’s boredom vanished immediately, and she gave him a dazzling smile.

“Hi, Lupton!”

He crossed over to where Vito Roselli was sitting and dumped on the table a parcel wrapped in a blue plastic bag.

“Hello, Mr. Roselli. Here it is.”

Vito Roselli leaned back and smiled at him.

“Good job, kid,” he said. “Have a sit. Here, Kyle, get him something to drink.”

Kyle went into the lounge. Grace came over and Lupton took her hand.

“May I kiss your daughter, Mr. Roselli?” he asked, grinning at Vito Roselli.

“Go ahead,” Vito Roselli said, shrugging his shoulders. “Looks like she needs it, so why should I worry? By the way, did you have any trouble coming over?”

“Not really.”

He kissed Grace and then pulled her on to his lap, putting his arms around her.

“I guess this is a good place for a run,” he said. “But, how are you going to get the stuff into Cornwall, Mr. Roselli?”

“McCutchen is taking care of that,” Vito Roselli said. “McCutchen is a smart boy.”

Lupton’s face hardened.

“McCutchen smart? Give me a break!” He looked at Grace. “Are you still seeing him, sweetie?”

Grace’s eyes opened wide.

“What!” she exclaimed. “McCutchen? Don’t be silly. I told you he’s my half-brother.”

“I know you did,” Lupton said, frowning. He didn’t seem convinced. “Regardless, be careful with a guy like that.”

“You are so horrible,” Grace  said. “Dad, could you just tell him that McCutchen is just my half-brother.”

Vito Roselli  sat back, smiling and listening.

“Sure,” Vito Roselli. “McCutchen is my son, from my beautiful mistress. You don’t have to worry about him. He’s a good boy.”

“I guess I have no choice than to believe you boss,” Lupton said.

“So stop being jealous then,” Grace said. “Because you are driving me crazy when you are like that.”

“Aw, whatever,” Lupton replied. “So, what’s McCutchen taking care of then?”

“He’s got Harry, a newspaperman, to run the stuff into Cornwall, Ontario,” Vito Roselli said, grinning from ear to ear. “He works for Middle River Times.”

“Harry!” Lupton sat forward. “I know that prick! I’ve seen him around in Baltimore City. He agreed to do it?”

“That’s the idea,” Vito Roselli said. “McCutchen’s got him by the balls. We can’t go wrong with a guy like Harry acting as carrier. This is the smartest thing that McCutchen has ever done.”

“I give him that,” Lupton said. “That, indeed, was a smart move.”

Kyle came out with a vodka and a soda and gave it to Lupton.

“This is not what I requested,” Lupton said.

“Well, “ Kyle replied. “That’s what we have at the moment.”

Lupton shrugged, and started sipping the drink.

“Come on kid,” Vito Roselli said. “We don’t have all night. I’ve got the dough for you. Are you  sure you won’t stay for a while?”

“I will,” Lupton said. “I will go back tomorrow night.”

Grace got off Lupton’s lap and slid her arm through his.

“Don’t worry about the money now, sweetie,” she said. “Let’s go to my room. We need to talk.”

Lupton looked over at Vito Roselli.

“Are you cool with that, boss?”

Vito Roselli smiled.

“Sure, why not?” he said. “Grace’s a grown woman now so she has her freedom. The dough’s all ready for you whenever you are ready. When’s the next run?”

“In about three weeks from now. It’s all well-planned.”

Carrying his drink, Lupton followed Grace  into the vacation house. Kyle stared after them, frowning.

“McCutchen’s going to stick a knife into this prick one of these days,” he said, looking at Vito Roselli. “You know how protective of his step-sister he is.”

Vito Roselli laughed.

“Aw, forget it,” Vito Roselli said. “McCutchen’s a good boy and he will not pull a stunt like that. In any case, I want Grace to have her fun. It’s her time.” He tossed what remained of his cigar over the terrace, and then said, “Put the stuff in the safe,  Kyle . McCutchen  doesn’t want it until Thursday. You take it to Middle River on Wednesday night. …undedrstand?”

Kyle grunted. He picked up the plastic-bag package and the two men went into the vacation house.

I got to my feet as soon as they were out of sight. Here was the way out for me! I said this for one simple reason: If the package failed to get into councilman McCutchen’s hands by Thursday, then I wouldn’t have to take it to Cornwall, Ontario. So, as far as I’m concerned, there was only one way to handle this: I had to get back quickly and alert Lieutenant Reid.

Moving very carefully and silently, I went down the steps towards the harbor. When I reached the last few steps, I could see the red light on the harbor wall.  I paused in the shadows, looking for the man they had called Michael. But I couldn’t find him. Where was he? It will be too risky for me to slide into the water until I knew exactly where he was. I hesitated, and then looked along both arms of the harbor. There was still no sign of him.

Then suddenly a cold creepy chill snaked up my back as I became aware of soft breathing behind me. Before I could turn around, a muscular arm hooked under my chin and slammed against my throat. Dazed, I began to fight back and then I felt a hard, bony knee drove into my spine.

END OF EPISODE XXXI

P.S. Episode Thirty-Two will be published here next Monday.