Highway from Hell
Chapter Fourteen
Joe's pinned eyes started bothering him so he put the shades back on. Hail reached a hand over to Joe, who took it in his own. "Welcome to the organization," Hail accpeted him, shaking hands firmly. Joe nodded but said nothing as a waiter arrived to take their order.
"Nervous?" Frank asked Biff as they stood in the park by the fountain.
"A little," admitted Biff. "Are you sure Chet's going to be able to get Cory here?"
"He's been looking for Toots, but her parents found out she was still hooked and sent her to her aunt's in Oregon. They have a facility there with a good turnout," Frank informed Biff. "Anyway, Chet's going to let Cory think she's been hanging out here so he'll come with him."
"And when Cory sees us together, thinking I'm Joe, he'll think I've been keeping her supplied and be twice as mad," Biff finished. "Are you sure we're not out here alone?" he asked, anxiously looking around.
"Positive," Frank promised him. "Relax. We're not going to let anything happen to you." He glanced at his watch. "Chet and Cory should be showing up anytime now."
Biff and Frank talked a bit more and then Biff opened his jacket and pulled out what looked like a small bag of heroin. Frank pulled some cash out of his pocket and handed it to Biff and took the bag. "Good luck," Frank told him as he left Biff alone.
"Guess I was wrong," Chet told Cory, looking around. "She was here last night," Chet added, looking back at Cory who was staring intently at Biff in the distance. Biff hadn't turned around to face them and from this distance, he was easily mistaken for Joe. "I've got to go," Chet said. "You coming?"
"No," Cory replied, looking over at Chet. "I'll wait a bit and see if she shows up."
"Okay," Chet agreed somewhat reluctanly, but he turned and left.
Cory watched the boy he thought was Joe for several minutes before moving slowly down toward the fountain. Biff heard him approaching but, remembering it was important Cory actually try to kill him, he remained facing the fountain, staring into the water as though fascinated by something there. Cory pulled a gun from beneath his shirt, which had been tucked into the area between his skin and jeans, and got a bead on the youth in front of him.
"Freeze" ordered a voice from Cory's right. Startled, Cory froze at the same moment Biff fell to the ground as he had been instructed earlier that evening. Cory was immediately surrounded by police officers. Frank and Chet came out of their hiding places as one of the officers put cuffs on Cory's wrists.
Cory looked at Frank, hurt and confusion written all over his face. He started to say something but at that moment, Biff got to his feet and came over. "You're not Joe!" he exclaimed in shocked amazement.
"No," Biff agreed. "Lucky for you."
"What do you mean?" Cory demanded, his eyes narrowing.
"He means you're lucky you never killed my brother," Frank told him.
"Your-- but..." Cory seemed too confused to speak.
"Joe's not a junkie," Frank told him. "He never was."
"He's been trying to find the supplier and put him out of business," Chet added.
"Trey!" Biff suddenly shouted, his eyes wide. He had seen Trey and Jenny taking off at a run for the park's exit.
"Get'em," ordered Sergeant Riley.
Frank, Biff, Chet, and most of the officers gave chase but they had too much of a start and escaped into the dark.
"Oh, man," Biff siad. "This is so not good!"
"Joe's cover is blown," Chet said, wringing his hands in worry.
"We've got to get to Jack's apartment," Frank declared, taking off at a run. Biff and Chet followed.
After dinner, Jack and Joe were having a final cup of coffee before leaving Terrances. Their dinner guests had departed after dessert. Jack leaned in close to Joe and told him he had finally remembered where he had seen Tara's friend.
"Where?" Joe asked.
"Turkey," Jack answered. "He was at the airport trying to find a new pilot."
"That's why you said you were handling the transport," Joe said, finally understanding why Jack had changed from new guy on the block to transient.
"Right," Jack agreed. He rose from his chair. "I'll be back in a few," he told Joe and headed for the men's restroom.
After Jack had gone, Tara and her friend came over to Joe's table. "Joe," Tara said. "This is Roger Filman," she introduced the man. Joe gave a curt nod of acknowledgement.
"We couldn't help overhearing your conversation," she continued. "Your new friend prefers transportation, flying perhaps, so maybe he would like to work for us."
"As opposed to running his own business," Joe couldn't resist adding with a tinge of sarcasm.
"But he isn't," Roger spoke for the first time. "Not really. He's expecting you to do it for him."
Jack returned from the men's room to find Tara and Roger sitting at their table. "Hello," he said, sitting down. "We do seem to keep running into each other," he observed.
Roger looked at Jack. "Let's cut to the chase," he said. "I saw you in Turkey a few months ago. I assume you were gathering supplies?"
Jack looked over at Joe who shrugged. "They are my old bosses," he told Jack.
"I see," Jack said, turning to look at Roger, all pretence of friendliness gone. "Joe has agreed to work for me."
"But you don't understand," Roger replied smoothly. "We, that is Tara and I, want you to work for us."
"Excuse me?" Jack asked, lifting an eyebrow in surprised amusement.
"You obviously need a distributor and Joe, while he is an excellent employee, hasn't had the experience you require," Roger stated.
"And you have?" Jack asked.
"I used to be in charge of procurement but, with the exception of Tara, my distributors have been," he paused, searching for the right word, "retired."
"Dead?" Jack asked, his eyes narrowing.
"Two of them," Roger admitted. "The others are enjoying state accomodations."
"And you would be willing to work for me?" Jack inquired, disbelief evident in his voice.
"I was actually considering a partnership," Roger contradicted.
"From your conversation earlier, we learned you have a healthy supply on hand," Tara said.
"I can get it turned into cash in hardly no time at all," he promised.
"Why do you want my supply?" Jack asked curiously. "Surely you have your own?"
"Alas, when my distributors were taken so was their supply and my cash," Roger admitted with a scowl.
"So you have no supply," Jack said. "But you have just admitted you no longer have distributors either. Why do you need a supply?"
"Distributors aren't all that hard to come by," Roger pointed out. "And we do have lots of buyers. And I do have a supply, a small one, but enough to see my best buyers through until I can get another shipment in."
"I have all ready found my distributors," Jack stated.
"Look, I've been running things in this area for well over five years now," Roger said, leaning closer to Jack. "Becuase of this fiasco with Kenny Wallace I have had to move out of the field and come here to clean up. You're a pilot. You got lucky once in finding a strong supply, but that doesn't mean you can keep it up. I know where the junk can be found at any time on a regular basis. I just need the pilots. I have already attained enough new distributors to pick up the slack. But I need a temporary supply to see me through. I'm offering you a chance to be my partner. Something I haven't offered anyone, ever."
"Partners?" Jack asked, leaning back in his chair and looking at Roger thoughtfully.
"Fifty-fifty," Roger offered. "Under the circumstances, I consider that fair."
"Indeed?" Jack asked, taking in Roger's stare. "Very well," Jack agreed to Roger's offer. "If you can proove what you say, then I will accept your terms."
"What kind of proof?" Roger demanded.
"I want to see the remaining supply you claim to have. If it does exist, then I will concede you control under the terms you have set forth."
"Let's go," Roger said.
"Right now?" Jack inquired.
"Why not?" Roger countered.
"No reason, I guess," Jack replied, looking at his watch. "We can always sleep late in the morning."
The foursome left the restraunt, Roger and Jack rode in the front of Roger's car while Tara and Joe rode in the back. They ended up out in the country at the same house Joe had been taken to earlier.
Tara put her hand over Joe's and squeezed it. He looked at her and she gave him a wink. "Roger is my first cousin. We inheireted the place from my grandfather several years ago," she told Joe.
Roger parked the car and they all got out and started up the porch steps. As they neared the top, Trey stepped out from the shadows, gun in hand.
"What is wrong with you?" Roger demanded sharply of Trey.
"He's a narc," Trey said, pointing the gun at Joe.
"Don't be ridiculous," Tara snapped.
"Tony Davis is really Frank Hardy," Trey informed them. "I saw him and some cops busting Cory tonight. Frank told Cory Joe had never been addicted. It was all an act to find the suppliers."
Roger never said a word. He turned and decked Jack with a right uppercut before he could blink. Joe started forward but Trey had already raced down the last few steps. He clobbered Joe on the side of the head with the gun. Like Jack, Joe fell to the ground unconscious.
Chapter Fourteen
Joe's pinned eyes started bothering him so he put the shades back on. Hail reached a hand over to Joe, who took it in his own. "Welcome to the organization," Hail accpeted him, shaking hands firmly. Joe nodded but said nothing as a waiter arrived to take their order.
"Nervous?" Frank asked Biff as they stood in the park by the fountain.
"A little," admitted Biff. "Are you sure Chet's going to be able to get Cory here?"
"He's been looking for Toots, but her parents found out she was still hooked and sent her to her aunt's in Oregon. They have a facility there with a good turnout," Frank informed Biff. "Anyway, Chet's going to let Cory think she's been hanging out here so he'll come with him."
"And when Cory sees us together, thinking I'm Joe, he'll think I've been keeping her supplied and be twice as mad," Biff finished. "Are you sure we're not out here alone?" he asked, anxiously looking around.
"Positive," Frank promised him. "Relax. We're not going to let anything happen to you." He glanced at his watch. "Chet and Cory should be showing up anytime now."
Biff and Frank talked a bit more and then Biff opened his jacket and pulled out what looked like a small bag of heroin. Frank pulled some cash out of his pocket and handed it to Biff and took the bag. "Good luck," Frank told him as he left Biff alone.
"Guess I was wrong," Chet told Cory, looking around. "She was here last night," Chet added, looking back at Cory who was staring intently at Biff in the distance. Biff hadn't turned around to face them and from this distance, he was easily mistaken for Joe. "I've got to go," Chet said. "You coming?"
"No," Cory replied, looking over at Chet. "I'll wait a bit and see if she shows up."
"Okay," Chet agreed somewhat reluctanly, but he turned and left.
Cory watched the boy he thought was Joe for several minutes before moving slowly down toward the fountain. Biff heard him approaching but, remembering it was important Cory actually try to kill him, he remained facing the fountain, staring into the water as though fascinated by something there. Cory pulled a gun from beneath his shirt, which had been tucked into the area between his skin and jeans, and got a bead on the youth in front of him.
"Freeze" ordered a voice from Cory's right. Startled, Cory froze at the same moment Biff fell to the ground as he had been instructed earlier that evening. Cory was immediately surrounded by police officers. Frank and Chet came out of their hiding places as one of the officers put cuffs on Cory's wrists.
Cory looked at Frank, hurt and confusion written all over his face. He started to say something but at that moment, Biff got to his feet and came over. "You're not Joe!" he exclaimed in shocked amazement.
"No," Biff agreed. "Lucky for you."
"What do you mean?" Cory demanded, his eyes narrowing.
"He means you're lucky you never killed my brother," Frank told him.
"Your-- but..." Cory seemed too confused to speak.
"Joe's not a junkie," Frank told him. "He never was."
"He's been trying to find the supplier and put him out of business," Chet added.
"Trey!" Biff suddenly shouted, his eyes wide. He had seen Trey and Jenny taking off at a run for the park's exit.
"Get'em," ordered Sergeant Riley.
Frank, Biff, Chet, and most of the officers gave chase but they had too much of a start and escaped into the dark.
"Oh, man," Biff siad. "This is so not good!"
"Joe's cover is blown," Chet said, wringing his hands in worry.
"We've got to get to Jack's apartment," Frank declared, taking off at a run. Biff and Chet followed.
After dinner, Jack and Joe were having a final cup of coffee before leaving Terrances. Their dinner guests had departed after dessert. Jack leaned in close to Joe and told him he had finally remembered where he had seen Tara's friend.
"Where?" Joe asked.
"Turkey," Jack answered. "He was at the airport trying to find a new pilot."
"That's why you said you were handling the transport," Joe said, finally understanding why Jack had changed from new guy on the block to transient.
"Right," Jack agreed. He rose from his chair. "I'll be back in a few," he told Joe and headed for the men's restroom.
After Jack had gone, Tara and her friend came over to Joe's table. "Joe," Tara said. "This is Roger Filman," she introduced the man. Joe gave a curt nod of acknowledgement.
"We couldn't help overhearing your conversation," she continued. "Your new friend prefers transportation, flying perhaps, so maybe he would like to work for us."
"As opposed to running his own business," Joe couldn't resist adding with a tinge of sarcasm.
"But he isn't," Roger spoke for the first time. "Not really. He's expecting you to do it for him."
Jack returned from the men's room to find Tara and Roger sitting at their table. "Hello," he said, sitting down. "We do seem to keep running into each other," he observed.
Roger looked at Jack. "Let's cut to the chase," he said. "I saw you in Turkey a few months ago. I assume you were gathering supplies?"
Jack looked over at Joe who shrugged. "They are my old bosses," he told Jack.
"I see," Jack said, turning to look at Roger, all pretence of friendliness gone. "Joe has agreed to work for me."
"But you don't understand," Roger replied smoothly. "We, that is Tara and I, want you to work for us."
"Excuse me?" Jack asked, lifting an eyebrow in surprised amusement.
"You obviously need a distributor and Joe, while he is an excellent employee, hasn't had the experience you require," Roger stated.
"And you have?" Jack asked.
"I used to be in charge of procurement but, with the exception of Tara, my distributors have been," he paused, searching for the right word, "retired."
"Dead?" Jack asked, his eyes narrowing.
"Two of them," Roger admitted. "The others are enjoying state accomodations."
"And you would be willing to work for me?" Jack inquired, disbelief evident in his voice.
"I was actually considering a partnership," Roger contradicted.
"From your conversation earlier, we learned you have a healthy supply on hand," Tara said.
"I can get it turned into cash in hardly no time at all," he promised.
"Why do you want my supply?" Jack asked curiously. "Surely you have your own?"
"Alas, when my distributors were taken so was their supply and my cash," Roger admitted with a scowl.
"So you have no supply," Jack said. "But you have just admitted you no longer have distributors either. Why do you need a supply?"
"Distributors aren't all that hard to come by," Roger pointed out. "And we do have lots of buyers. And I do have a supply, a small one, but enough to see my best buyers through until I can get another shipment in."
"I have all ready found my distributors," Jack stated.
"Look, I've been running things in this area for well over five years now," Roger said, leaning closer to Jack. "Becuase of this fiasco with Kenny Wallace I have had to move out of the field and come here to clean up. You're a pilot. You got lucky once in finding a strong supply, but that doesn't mean you can keep it up. I know where the junk can be found at any time on a regular basis. I just need the pilots. I have already attained enough new distributors to pick up the slack. But I need a temporary supply to see me through. I'm offering you a chance to be my partner. Something I haven't offered anyone, ever."
"Partners?" Jack asked, leaning back in his chair and looking at Roger thoughtfully.
"Fifty-fifty," Roger offered. "Under the circumstances, I consider that fair."
"Indeed?" Jack asked, taking in Roger's stare. "Very well," Jack agreed to Roger's offer. "If you can proove what you say, then I will accept your terms."
"What kind of proof?" Roger demanded.
"I want to see the remaining supply you claim to have. If it does exist, then I will concede you control under the terms you have set forth."
"Let's go," Roger said.
"Right now?" Jack inquired.
"Why not?" Roger countered.
"No reason, I guess," Jack replied, looking at his watch. "We can always sleep late in the morning."
The foursome left the restraunt, Roger and Jack rode in the front of Roger's car while Tara and Joe rode in the back. They ended up out in the country at the same house Joe had been taken to earlier.
Tara put her hand over Joe's and squeezed it. He looked at her and she gave him a wink. "Roger is my first cousin. We inheireted the place from my grandfather several years ago," she told Joe.
Roger parked the car and they all got out and started up the porch steps. As they neared the top, Trey stepped out from the shadows, gun in hand.
"What is wrong with you?" Roger demanded sharply of Trey.
"He's a narc," Trey said, pointing the gun at Joe.
"Don't be ridiculous," Tara snapped.
"Tony Davis is really Frank Hardy," Trey informed them. "I saw him and some cops busting Cory tonight. Frank told Cory Joe had never been addicted. It was all an act to find the suppliers."
Roger never said a word. He turned and decked Jack with a right uppercut before he could blink. Joe started forward but Trey had already raced down the last few steps. He clobbered Joe on the side of the head with the gun. Like Jack, Joe fell to the ground unconscious.