Chapter 9

Confession is good for the soul

Ben hadn't told Lane the reason he needed to go to the station was that the man they'd arrested was his brother. His youngest brother, Paolo Raffaelle Bellini was in med school at Saint Louis University and Ben stood outside the interrogation room wondering how the hell Pauli was mixed up in all of this.

Ben didn't know what was going on, but he was sure that Pauli wasn't involved in a drug ring. Pauli had better not be involved; their mother would kill both of them. First Pauli for being involved then Ben both for letting Pauli get involved and for getting Pauli caught. If he didn't handle this right, they'd both need a lawyer before morning.

He opened the door and avoiding Pauli's eyes he nodded to Detective Boyer. "I'd like a word with my client, alone." He waited for the detective to leave the room, then turned his chair so that his back was to the camera in the corner of the room and told Pauli to do the same. Then, calmly in Italian, he began talking to his brother.

"So, tell me what you were doing at the warehouse Pauli. They're going to charge you with possession and intent to distribute. There was enough meth in that building to put you away for a very long time."

Pauli rubbed his hands over his face and began in English "Ben, it's not what you think."

"Parla Italiano!" Ben snapped as he slapped his right hand hard into his left. He knew that conversations between lawyer and client weren't supposed to be recorded or eavesdropped upon, but he knew the chances of whoever might be listening understanding a conversation in Italian would be small.

"Me lo dica che cosa è successo." Ben said.

Pauli started again this time in Italian. "It's not what you think. There was a girl."

Ben nodded. Of course, there was always a girl.

"She came into the clinic earlier today with her uncle. We talked. She didn't want to give me her number, but she took mine. She called me tonight and asked me to meet her. She said she was in trouble and needed my help. When she gave me that address in the warehouse district, I knew it wasn't a safe place for her to be, and I had to go." He sighed loudly. "She was a really pretty blonde, Benito."

Ben shook his head. Nonna had told all of her grandsons "Pretty is as pretty does." Pauli hadn't figured out what that meant yet. To him, pretty was just pretty, and if she'd given him a lady in distress story, Pauli would have done anything she asked.

Pauli was as tall as Ben and there was a strong family resemblance. Since Pauli was five and carried their four-year-old neighbor Hannah Stevens home after she fell off her tricycle, Pauli had been attracted to beautiful women in distress like a compass pointed true north, unwaveringly.

"I had her text the address to me. When I got there, the door was open and I went inside. The next thing I knew I was on the ground, my hands in a zip tie and my rights were being read to me." He shook his head. "That's the truth, Benito. I've told the police, but I don't think they believe me. But you believe me, don't you?"

In English, Ben said, "Yes, I believe you." But, he knew his brother and Detective Boyer didn't.

Then in Italian, he asked where Pauli's cell phone was. Pauli replied he'd left it in his car. Ben needed to find out if the police had impounded the car or if it was still parked on the street by the warehouse. He rapped on the door.

Detective Boyer came into the room. Ben asked, "Are you charging my client?"

"Not yet, but we are holding him while we check his story. We need that cell phone, Bellini."

"Yeah, I know. Have you impounded his car or did you leave it on the street to be stolen or stripped?"

"It's where he left it. I can give you his keys. But, if you recover that phone, we need to see it. You know I can get a warrant for his phone records, but having the phone would be faster." They walked back to the desk and retrieved Pauli's personal effects. Boyer handed over the keys and Ben called Tanner who was still staking out the warehouse.

"I've got the kid's keys. You got eyes on his Beemer?"

"Yeah, the idiot parked it in front of the warehouse. The kid's not involved in this is he?"

Ben walked toward the door. "No, he got suckered in by some chick. Do you have that app on your phone that Lane used to open the Donaldson kid's truck? Pauli's cell phone is in it and the phone will corroborate his story. The sooner we get it to the cops the better." Tanner had the app and they used it to open the car. Tanner got the cell phone and scrolled through the calls and text messages.

"Yep, there's a text message with the warehouse address and a call just before that. Want me to bring the phone to you?"

"I'll get a cab and come to you. The police abandoned the surveillance after they grabbed Pauli. I don't want to take a chance that the real drug lord comes while no one's watching."

Ben called for a cab. He checked the time, eleven o’clock. He wondered if Lane had left the hospital yet. He decided to take a chance and call her while he waited.

"Ben. You must have ESP." It was weird, but he often called when she was thinking about him. "I'm just leaving the hospital and realized I don't know where the Navigator is parked."

"Hey, Red. You know I'm always at your disposal." He gave her the information on where he’d parked the SUV. "Did you get a chance to talk to Jeff? Did he tell you how he happened to end up in Saint Louis?"

"Yes, it seems he was kidnapped by and I quote here, a really hot blonde."

Those were almost Pauli's exact words. While the world was full of hot blondes. Ben would bet it was the same girl.  "Listen, I know it's late but I really need to talk with you tonight. I can meet you at the hotel in an hour. Will you wait up for me?"

"Sure, since we're in adjoining rooms, you know where to find me." Lane clicked the remote access to unlock the SUV. "I'm at the SUV now, I'll see you later."

Chapter 10

A tale of two guys and a girl

It was almost three hours before Ben was able to get to the hotel. He opened the door between his room and Lane's and wasn't surprised to find that the door on her side was already open. She was sitting in bed and had was reading her e-reader, but looked up when she heard the lock on his side click.

"You're a little later than you expected. Did you run into trouble along the way?" She patted the bed indicating a spot for him to sit.

"Not trouble exactly." He sat next to her, leaned over, and gently brushed his lips against hers.

"I have a little story to tell you. It's a tale of a couple of twenty something hormone charged guys being duped by a really hot blonde." He reached over and took her hand in his.

"The police staked out the warehouse and arrested a guy when he entered the door. The guy was my youngest brother Pauli." He paused giving Lane time to let that tidbit soak in.

"Pauli's in med school at Saint Louis University. He was in a clinic earlier today, well yesterday now, when, and I quote here, a really hot blonde came in with her uncle. Apparently, through some flirting, he gave her his number. She called him tonight, said she was in trouble, and needed his help. Then she texted him the address for the warehouse. When he showed up, there was no blonde in sight and the police grabbed him. When you told me Jeff said a really hot blonde had kidnapped him, it seemed unlikely that there was another girl. I retrieved Pauli's phone and gave it to the police. That's where I've been."