48. The Unmaking of a Confidence Man?
Chapter 1
A crash from upstairs caught the attention of Garrison at his desk on the phone with G-2, Actor in his chair, and Terry standing in the doorway to Craig's office. All three looked up with varying expressions. Actor shook his head and went back to his book and pipe. Garrison looked at his sister and jerked his head back as more sounds of fighting could be heard.
With resignation, Terry bounded up the stairs and flung open the door to the common room, just in time to get hit in the forehead by a flying china cup. For a second she stood, stunned. Blood began to run in a thin line down her forehead, onto her nose and down past the corner of her mouth to her chin.
Chief was about to launch himself at the thrower of the cup that had been meant for him, but stopped short at the wide-eyed stare that went past his right shoulder. The room had become heavily silent. Chief's eyes darted toward Goniff who was also staring wide-eyed at a point behind him. Slowly he turned around and stared in shock at Terry with blood now dripping from her face.
"Babe, if yuh hadn't flung open the door . . ." started Casino.
Terry's eyes narrowed as she slowly advanced into the room. Chief stepped to the side and back. Goniff scooted around and sprinted out the door behind the angry woman.
Terry walked slowly and deliberately up to Casino and without a word landed a round house punch to his chin with enough force to knock him down. He stared up at her.
"What . . .?"
Terry planted a foot on his chest and glared down at him. "You stay right there," she said in a menacingly calm voice.
GGG
Goniff leapt down the stairs. "Actor, come quick!"
Garrison had just hung up the phone and jumped up at Goniff's words. As he reached the door, Actor was already out of his chair.
"What happened?" demanded Garrison. He had assumed everything was under control when there was silence from above.
"Casino threw a cup," said Goniff quickly. "It 'it Terry. She's bleedin' pretty good."
Both men swore and headed upstairs taking the steps two and three at a time.
GGG
Chief was slowly moving back toward the game table.
"Chief," warned Terry in a too quiet voice. "I better not hear that blade opening or we're going to find out which of us is quicker on the throw."
"Ain't touchin' my blade," assured the Indian. He had never seen Terry look quite like this. Deadly came to mind.
She continued to pin Casino to the floor with her foot and her glare. The blood was running heavier now.
"Uh, Babe, you're drippin' blood on me," said Casino at an attempt to lighten her mood.
"And whose fault is that?" asked the girl with steel in her voice.
The other men reached the door in time to hear this exchange. Actor saw drops of blood rhythmically falling on the supine safecracker. He started forward, only to be stopped by Garrison's hand flashing out and grasping his arm in a bruising grip. Actor's head snapped around to look in surprise at the officer.
Craig shook his head, released his grip and moved forward one measured step at a time. The last time he had seen his sister this angry was in New York, when he had wrestled her away from Jake Bradford. Craig had come out the worse for wear from that encounter. He came to stand beside Terry.
Casino looked up and wasn't at all relieved to see the Warden watching Terry. The officer was balanced on the balls of his feet in a readiness to fight. The girl was ignoring her brother.
"You done now?" asked Garrison casually.
Terry seemed to think about it. She lifted her foot from the safecracker's chest and looked at her brother.
Craig's eyebrows rose at the liquid trail of red that went from her hairline to her chin. "Why don't you let Actor take care of that? It's – umm . . . "
"I know, I'm dripping on Casino."
"And the floor."
"And he can damn well clean it up," she spat out in disgust.
Her features relaxed and the cold fire in her eyes dissipated. Garrison breathed a silent sigh of relief. He really didn't want to get into a physical altercation with his sister in front of the men. It would be embarrassing when she won, because he would pull his punches and she wouldn't.
Terry turned toward the door and accepted the signature folded pristine white handkerchief that was held out to her. She held it to the cut on her head with a grimace.
"Let us go to your room and clean that up, shall we," said Actor, motioning her out to the hall.
Garrison turned steely eyes to the safecracker who was getting up off the floor. "Explain!"
Casino looked guiltily at a spot past the Lieutenant's left shoulder. "I didn't mean to hit her, Warden. I was throwin' the cup at Chief. He ducked and Terry opened the door just then. It was an accident."
"I don't see it as an accident," said Garrison. "You two have been told time and again, no fighting!" He turned his glare to Chief also. "Both of you are restricted to base. And if I find either of you off base, you will be spending time in the stockade."
"Warden . . ." objected Casino, who had a date that night with a very willing woman at the Doves.
"Quiet!" Garrison's voice took on a harshness. "Or would you like to be put in the stockade now?" When nothing more was forthcoming from the volatile safecracker, Garrison turned on his heel and walked out the door with an order, "Clean this place up," tossed over his shoulder.
Casino and Chief exchanged looks. There was no longer any animosity between the two, but rather a comrades-in-trouble look. They both began picking up bits of broken china.
GGG
Garrison strode to his office door. The hapless Cockney was standing by the table in the common room.
"Goniff, office!" ordered Garrison in a no nonsense voice.
The Englishman followed him in, but stood close to the door. Garrison took a seat behind his desk and fixed the pickpocket with a stern glare.
"I got Casino's version. Now I want yours."
Goniff fidgeted. He hadn't done nuthin' except be a witness. "Well, Warden. Casino and Chiefy got into it over a card game. Casino was cheatin', but he always cheats. Anyway, they got to fightin'. Casino threw a coffee cup at Chief. Chiefy ducked. It was just bad timing Terry opened the door just then. He weren't trying to hit her or nuffin' like that."
"And what were you doing during this fight?" asked Garrison.
"I got out of the way," said Goniff. "Didn't want nuffin' to do with it."
That was what Goniff usually did; stay out of the way and try to talk the two into ceasing their fight. Not that it ever succeeded. Still, maybe if the three of them were in trouble, it would give them incentive to settle down. Craig looked down at the paperwork in front of him.
It wasn't even a minute before Goniff was sidling out the door.
"Did I say you could leave?" asked Garrison. "Get right back to where you were."
Goniff, wide-eyed, scurried back to his spot inside the door and waited. Garrison's head bowed over his paperwork. The pickpocket realized he was being ignored. He edged a foot closer to the door.
"Don't even think about it," said Garrison without looking up.
Craig was going to make the Cockney wait until he gave permission to leave. He knew the fidgeting would get worse, but the officer was going to make it perfectly clear he was in control of all the cons.
GGG
A while later, the Italian entered Garrison's office, still rolling his sleeves down. Goniff was standing and fidgeting just inside the door. Actor wondered at that.
"Goniff, why don't you make up an ice pack for Teresa to put on her head," suggested the con man, half because it was needed, and half to get rid of the man.
"Oh, sure, Actor," said Goniff nervously. "I can do that."
He shot out of the room with relief; freed from this uncomfortable and strange interrogation by the Lieutenant.
"So how is she?" asked Craig.
"It will be fine. It's in her hairline," said Actor, taking his usual seat in front of the desk and pulling out his pipe, long legs stretched out in front of him and crossed at the ankles. "I placed two sutures, just to be sure."
Craig lit a cigarette and took a long draw, leaning back in his chair. He shook his head.
"You stopped me up there," said Actor in seeming disinterest.
"If you had gone up to her right then, she would have decked you," replied Garrison.
"She might have tried."
Craig chuckled humorlessly. "Don't be so sure of yourself," he warned. "That's twice she has gotten Casino down now."
"I have 'gotten Casino down' more that once myself, Warden," said Actor dismissively.
"Yes," agreed Craig. "But except for that little bit of kick dancing you did a long time ago, you have never actually fought with her. I have."
"And you are saying she won?" asked the con man in disbelief.
"She did damage," was all Craig would admit. "Has she settled down now?"
"I believe so." The con man took a pull on his pipe and watched the smoke swirl to the ceiling as he exhaled. "I should have made Teresa stay down here and handled it myself."
Garrison shook his head. "Then I probably would have had all three of you fighting."
Actor did not take offense at that. "Perhaps. But Casino would still have been down." The latter was said with a smile.
GGG
Later that afternoon, Terry was in the kitchen cutting vegetables for the supper meal. Casino slipped in and stopped short, eye on the knife in her hand. Maybe this wasn't a good time to approach her. Her hands stopped in mid movement from dicing a carrot. Her eyes moved to the safecracker and he noted her expression was not friendly. He also noticed the plaster at her hairline where she had been cut.
"I'm sorry I hit you with the cup," Casino said. He was relieved when she put the knife on the table.
"You're always sorry, Casino," she said. "But you just keep right on starting fights. You have a nice side to you. Too bad you can't stay that way." She picked the knife up and went back to cutting carrots.
"Terry . . ."
"Casino," she said a little sharply, pausing in her work, "I think it's time for you to get out of my kitchen."
"But, Babe . . ." Dammit, this wasn't going the way he had pictured it.
She turned her head and glared at him. "I'm busy, Casino, and I have nothing more to say to you. Now will you get out of my kitchen or do I have to yell for Craig?"
Sullenly, he shook his head and turned to walk out the door. She'd always forgiven him before. Why did she have to be so prickly this time? Well, if she didn't want his apology then he was damned if he would give her any more.
Dinner started out untypically with a heavy silence. Unfortunately, it was Actor who almost started the fight up again.
"Nice," he said with appreciation. "A calm, quiet dinner for once."
A booted foot connected sharply with his shin.
"Hey!" he objected in outrage, glaring at Terry seated next to him.
"It is and I'd like it to stay that way," said the girl.
Casino started to open his mouth in protest at the Italian's comment, but a look from Garrison made him shut it.
Craig was not in the mood to have to call the MPs and have all the cons tossed in the stockade. "Why don't all of you keep quiet and let us have some peace for once." It was more of an order than a request.
Chief looked sharply at the lieutenant. He was normally quiet at the table. Why was he getting lumped into it?
Goniff had already had a taste of the Warden's displeasure and wasn't about to say anything.
The meal ended as it had started. Garrison went back to his office. He had news from the earlier phone call from G-2, but it could wait until the morning, when things at the mansion may have settled down. Casino, Goniff and Chief left the table with no offer to help Terry with the dishes as they usually did. Actor stood, surveyed the dirty dishes on the table, and went into the kitchen.
"Would you like help with the dishes or would you rather be left alone, cara?" he asked.
Terry looked up in surprise. Actor did not like to do the housework that he considered a woman's job. It didn't look like anyone else was interested in helping.
"I would appreciate it," she said.
The girl started the water in the sink and added soap flakes. She took the soapy dishcloth and wiped down the table and the stove while Actor brought in the dirty dishes from the dining room table. The bowls of leftover food were set on the table and the rest on the sink. Terry began putting the leftover food into the refrigerator, covered with towels. She turned to see the Italian roll up his sleeves and start putting the glassware into the basin of dishwater. Terry came up behind him and put an arm around his waist.
"You don't have to do that," she said softly. "But I do appreciate you offering. I can handle it."
Actor turned his head to look down at her. "I will dry if you will wash." He hated the washing part. It was hard on the hands.
Terry knew that and chuckled. She handed him a muslin dishtowel and took over the dirty job.
"Did I hurt your leg?" she asked apologetically.
"I will live," he replied. "You do have a temper."
Terry laughed. "What do you expect? Irish and Italian blood? You're surprisingly not hot tempered."
"It's there. Believe me. And you don't want to see it."
Terry remembered the attempted rape that Actor had saved her from. "I think I have seen it," she said in a subdued voice.
Actor looked at her curiously and then remembered. He cursed himself for saying that. He did not wish to bring back her memories of that incident. "Yes, I guess you have, cara."
Terry pasted a smile on her face. "At least it wasn't aimed at me, caro."
Actor changed the subject back to the present. "How long are you going to make Casino sulk?"
Terry shrugged. "The end of the war?"
Actor laughed. "I don't think he can sulk quite that long."
He was rewarded with a smile from the girl. At least she got over her anger fairly quickly.
GGGGG
Garrison eased Terry's bedroom door open and slipped inside. He was glad she didn't sleep with her switchblade or he would be skewered before he even left on the mission. Still, he was cautious and stopped at the foot of the bed.
""What time is it?" Her voice was a little groggy.
"Four," replied her brother. "Were you expecting someone?"
"Here?" she gave a short laugh. "Not hardly. What's wrong, Craig?"
Garrison took a seat on the edge of her bed as she rolled onto her back and looked at him in the dark. "I didn't want to bring this up last night. I have a mission. I should be picked up in fifteen minutes."
"Norway?" asked the girl.
"No, France." He paused a second. "I'm going in with Randy and his group."
"He needs two con men?" asked Terry puzzled.
"No, just one. Your favorite con man was shot on their last mission."
"Bad?" asked the girl with concern. "I don't like him, but I don't wish that on anyone."
"Leg," replied Craig. He grinned. "You get to con sit again. Think you can manage without killing Casino?"
"Terrific," said the girl in disgust. "Don't worry, Actor will keep me in line. How long are you going to be gone?"
"At least a week." Garrison looked at his sister curiously. "You think Randy is ever going to get the hang of this?"
Terry chuckled. "Randy is getting good. It's the morons he has for a team. Face it; you picked the cream of the crop."
Only to family would Garrison admit this. "I did choose them well, didn't I."
"Oh brother, you are beginning to sound like Actor," Terry laughed.
"I have to go," said Craig with a grin in his voice. "Stay out of trouble."
"Who, me?" laughed the girl.
Garrison gave a light slap to her covered legs, got up and let himself silently into the hall.
GGG
Chief was the first to miss the Warden. He had gone downstairs for their morning run and found the common room and Garrison's office dark. Curious, he went back up to the Lieutenant's room. A light tap on the door did not result in a response from the man. Cautiously, Chief opened the door. The room was empty. He thought it odd the man had not told them he was going somewhere. With a mental shrug, the Indian went downstairs and outside to run the perimeter alone.
The others figured out Garrison was gone when they came downstairs later. Chief was sitting in the window as usual. The office door was open and the room empty. There were sounds of cooking from the kitchen.
"So where's the Warden?" asked Casino.
"He left on a mission again," replied the Indian, not looking up from his view outside.
"Norway?" asked Actor.
"Nope," replied Chief. "Guess he went out with Lt. Johnson this time."
Goniff grinned gleefully. "London!"
"Not unless you want to spend the time in the stockade in London." Terry's voice came from behind them. "You guys are grounded. But I don't think a trip to the Doves or the Fox would be a problem."
"You'd turn us in to the MPs?" asked Goniff in disbelief.
"Sure she would," said Casino in disgust. "It's her fault we're grounded."
"Excuse me," said the girl, before anyone could object. "I'm not the one who threw the cup. I'm not the one who started the fight. But I am the one left in charge. Now you can object all you want, but if you do then I guess I will just have to rescind the offer of the Doves and you can all stay confined to the Mansion. It's up to you."
Actor wasn't sure whether to be angry or to laugh her manipulation. "I vote no more objections," he said.
"I don't have any objections," said Chief from the window.
"Dove's better than nuffin'," said Goniff. "Give it a rest, Casino."
Terry turned and walked back toward the kitchen. "Breakfast is on the table," she threw over her shoulder.
Actor hoped this meant there would go smoothly until the Warden returned. He should have known that would jinx things.
