Chapter 3 – Cable
Drake Hotel, Chicago
"Fujiko's all right," Lupin announced, closing his cell. "She's back with Tony Marcello."
"Well, isn't that friggin' great," Jigen said from the couch, where he was cleaning his gun. Beside him with a still very flustered Doctor Attelberg, obviously adjusting to his situation. Goemon was in the armchair.
"Your concern is always touching," Lupin said without venom. "Though I did notice you hopped the pond."
"Well, somehow I knew I might have to save your ass, Lupin," Jigen said with a smirk. "You've been here – what, a day? – and you've already had a hit put out on you."
"As much as this may hurt Lupin's ego," Goemon said, "I believe it was meant for the good doctor here."
"I must have missed something."
"Fujiko is marrying Tony Marcello. He's fighting with his cousin Chris Magnelli over control of the mob here, and for some reason, he wanted Fujiko to put the moves on Chris' doctor here. Just to recap. Oh, and Marcello has a very special diamond in his collection."
"Is THAT was this is about? A diamond?" Ben asked with disbelief.
"Maybe not for the mob, but for Fujiko, one can only assume," Lupin said confidently. "I don't know when she's planning to make off with it, but hopefully before this gets even messier."
"Yeah, well, that's just great," Jigen said. "Have fun with that."
"Jigen!"
"I said I wasn't getting involved in any of Fujiko's problems," he snarled. "I'm willing to bail you out once or twice, but that's it."
"How do you guys know Fujiko?" Ben interjected, to which Jigen chuckled but didn't say anything.
"She is both our friend and our enemy," Goemon said as politely as possible. "Depending on her whim, and Lupin's ability to control his libido."
"Hmph." Lupin crossed his arms. "I don't see you guys putting any effort into women. You know, I'm starting to wonder – " He staggered back as his tie slid off, curt in half vertically. Goemon had already resheathed his blade. "...As I was saying. Marcello has a diamond, and I think Fujiko is going to lead us right to it. Funny, it's usually the other way around."
"So you're going to tail Fujiko?" Ben guessed.
"Even better. The cops have done half the work for us," Lupin explained. "As it turns out, the FBI has had Marcello's mansion bugged for years. They haven't gotten anything from it yet, but we're not interesting in building a case against him. All we have to do is plug into their surveillance van and sit back until someone mentioned the diamond. Which, knowing Fujiko, will happen as soon as possible." He turned to Jigen. "I take it you won't be going with us."
"Go to hell."
"That's a no. A Jigen no, but a no all the same. C'mon Goemon."
"Why am I always getting dragged into this?" Goemon grumbled.
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"Call."
"Call? No way."
"Call."
"Fine! Two pair!"
"Straight flush!"
On top of the van labeled 'Cable Services', Lupin was still adjusting his own equipment. "So this is what American cops do on stakeout. Poker. Wish Interpol would take it up." While he tried to hone in on the actual signal from the house, they were stuck listening to the agents in the van below wile away the hours. "Wait – I think I've got it." The sounds of a television came in over the headphones. The big mafia boss was apparently watching the news. "Hmm. Maybe we should just tape it and listen to it later."
"Lupin." Goemon pointed with sword. "In the backyard."
Even though the television was still blaring, Tony Marcello had stepped outside, and was standing by his pool, talking on a cell phone. From their vantage point on top of the van they could see it perfectly, but the cops below them were still arguing over poker winnings.
He wasn't alone. A blond woman – definitely not Fujiko – had joined him and they were talking in earnest. "That woman – " but Goemon didn't know her.
"Silvia Magnelli. Chris Magnelli's wife," Lupin quickly explained. "What's she doing here becomes the obvious question."
It was an obvious question with an obvious answer. The two mobsters were not there to argue with each other. Lupin and Goemon had done enough scheming in their time to know it when they saw it. Tony finished with a kiss on her cheek, and Silvia slipped out the way she had come. Fujiko was still nowhere to be seen.
"Cheating on Fujiko! Really!" Lupin said with disgust.
"And one would think this news would be encouraging to you. Wouldn't it be that much easier to talk her out of her marriage?"
"I know! But call me a romantic, I don't like to see a man mistreat a woman!" He nearly destroyed the binoculars in his hands with his rage. Goemon was ready to stop him when they both noticed a handcuff on Lupin's wrist.
"What – Hey! Zenigata!"
It was indeed Inspector Zenigata, who was hanging off the side of the van, the connecting handcuff proudly on his own wrist. "Thought you could hide out in American, did you Lupin?"
"Hey, you should be grateful. Chasing me means you get to travel the world," Lupin said without missing a beat. "What are you doing here? Other than the obvious?"
"It's amazing, you repeat yourself like a broken record. All I had to do was follow Fujiko and I knew you'd show up," Zenigata said proudly as he climbed on top of the van. There was still no movement from inside.
"Well, if I'm so predictable, you must have seen this coming," Lupin said, slipping straight out of the handcuff. "See ya, Pops! Watch out for the bramble on the way down!" With that, he and Goemon leapt off the van and into the bushes. Zenigata attempted to follow them, only to find himself now handcuffed to the van antenna. "LUPIN! GET BACK HERE!" The van's side door slid open, and two men who didn't even remotely look like cable servicemen stared in befuddlement at the Japanese man hanging in front of them. "What are you staring at? I'm an Interpol officer! Now get me down from here!"
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"Well, I think letting Zenigata blow the FBI's cover is enough for one evening," Lupin said when they were back in the car. "Tell me, Goemon, have you ever eaten Italian food?"
"We were in Italy."
"Well, yeah, but you were still in that purist Japanese food phase." He looked over. "And from your expression, I see that you still are. You should expand your horizons Ishikawa-san." He added, "It's all basically noodles anyway."
"Why don't you ask Jigen?"
"Now what ever make you think he likes Italian food? But seriously, he seems preoccupied with moping at the moment. Let's get some dinner."
This seemed to be one of those times when Lupin would not be dissuaded, so Goemon decided it was best to go along with him. Lupin pulled up to a little restaurant nestled between convenience stores with all of the atmosphere from that movie Goemon had been made to watch one lazy afternoon. What was the name of that movie? It was about a father or something. Shimatta.
Lupin immediately sat down at the bar. "Give me the special."
The burly bartender spun around. "Hey – Lupin! Haven't seen you in years. Since you did the thing – with those guys. I can't thank you enough."
"It was no problem. I had never been to Belize," Lupin said. "Look, I need some information."
"What can I do for you, Frenchie?"
Lupin said completely seriously, "What can you tell me about Ben Attelberg?"
"Who?"
"He's Magnelli's doctor. They knew each other when they were kids or something."
The bartender paused. "...Yeah, I remember him. Little Jewish kid. He was in a gang with Chris Magnelli, with this other guy. His name was, uh, Jimmy Diesi. Dead now, or witness protection. Anyway, they used to run around the neighborhood and cause trouble. Nothing serious, just kids messing around and hanging out on the tracks and all that."
"But they're not a gang now."
"No, Ben's always been a civilian. He went straight and narrow as soon as he went to college, and the other two went into the business, if you know what I mean." There was some coughing on the other end. "One winds up probably taking a dirt nap somewhere and the other becomes a big mob boss." He added, "Oh yeah, and there, uh, is no mafia. Officially."
"That's good to know." Lupin put some money down on the counter next to his untouched drink. "Thanks a lot, Charlie." He turned to Goemon. "C'mon. I think there's a sushi place down the street."
To be continued...