Chapter 5

Nash felt his stomach drop. He had been told that my many people over the years. And something very bad usually followed. He braced himself.

"A little piece of shit, bottom feeder by the name of Henry Carson." Sonny started. "He was beginning to carve out his own little slice of the Miami drug scene. We raided a house, supposedly his, seized drugs; a about a hundred kilos, drug paraphernalia, and a case of weapons and ammo. We suspected him of the murder of two lower-level dealers. But we couldn't make anything stick. Rumors have been around, for years, Mario Vega wants to open a west coast branch. Mario is huge in Miami drug culture. He wants to be the first of have both east and west coast operations. He's recruiting power-hungry bastards, like Carson, to get that done. But Vega is careful, and he takes his time. That's how Carson ended up in San Fran. Vega planted him here."

"He's slick, and he's ruthless when he's cornered." Rico added. The one time we had him he shot his way out, wounding 2 officers and killing 3 in the process."

"Carson knows us." Sonny picked up the story. "He knows what we look like. He blames me for everything bad that has happened to him since that collar, 5 years ago. All he got was a slap on the wrist. But it did make something of a dent in his business." He paused. "He went after my ex, Caroline and my son, Billy. After we divorced and Caroline and Billy moved to Savannah, Georgia, Caroline would call me at 3 a.m. and tell he that somebody was outside the house. She said that there were prank calls. She was followed to and from work. One of Billy's teachers reported a strange man standing outside the fence on the school playground staring at the kids. Last year Billy told me a black van followed him and a friend as they walked him from school.

Just talking about the bastard had Sonny seeing red. He paused to calm himself, then continued. "So, I started…every 2 or 3 weeks, I would drive the few hundred miles to my exes' house and stay for a few days. Nothing would happen…while I was there. As soon as I parked my car back at my place in Miami, my phone would ring. Sonny got up and started to pace. "The ONLY reason that piece of shit is sucking air is because I don't live in Georgia!"

Sonny continued to pace. "Meanwhile, we got to play Bureaucratic Pass-the-Buck. The Savannah PD actually told my ex that they couldn't do anything. They were too understaffed to investigate every stalking case. Plus, the fact, stalking was a misdemeanor and they couldn't devote manpower to those lesser crimes for any extended period of time. And, stalking cases are very hard to prove. The powers-that-be in Florida told me that since the said offenses didn't take place in Florida, Florida could not and would not prosecute. The harassment continued. About a year later we quit Vice and set up our P.I. office in Tallahassee, Florida, to be closer to Billy. That was when it stopped, everything stopped. I think I had gotten too close. Sonny paused. He grinned and chuckled. "I had offered to shoot Carson on Georgia and drag his ass over the Florida state line. But, as you might imagine, that didn't go over too well."

Nash couldn't help but smile. "Sounds like something I would do."

Sonny shook his head and grinned. "Great minds…." He got serious again. "Nash, this guy, he's not joke. And, since he came after my family…."

Nash nodded. Then he started giving orders. "Harvey, put out a BOLO on this joke. Bryn, go get Cassidy at school. Taker her home and let her pack a bag. Then take her over to my place. Evan, Lisa has an event at the zoo today. They're introducing a new panda or something. Tell her as little as possible, and keep an eye on her. She's spending the night, too."

Sonny looked at his brother. "Where do you live that's so secure?"

Nash grinned. "An abandoned, condemned building."

Sonny shook his head. "Wow, and people thought me living on a boat with an alligator was crazy."

"It's low rent and very quiet." Nash explained.

Then Joe and Nash realized something. They looked at each other, then at Sonny. "Alligator?"

Sonny shrugged. "The University of Florida said Elvis tried to bite a play who got a little too close. So, they didn't' want him as their mascot anymore. They were just going to set him free in the Everglades. He was too used to people for him to survive. So, he came to live with me."

"Elvis?" Joe and Nash said, at the same time.

Sonny nodded. "Elvis T. Gator, he was an excellent watch-gator."

Joe and Nash chuckled at the absurdity of the situation.

"Was?" Joe asked. "What happened?"

"When we left Miami, I sold my boat." Crockett explained. "I gave Elvis to The Dade County Wildlife Preserve. I go see him every few months. He's living it up in his old age."

"How long do gators live?" Nash asked.

"Anywhere between 30 and 50 years." Sonny replied.

Nash had n idea how he was going to tell Lisa and Cassidy about Sonny. And Nick…how was he going to tell Nick that his long-lost son was alive and wanted to meet him?

Nash was still trying to figure things out as he, Joe, Sonny and Rico got out of the ir respective cards and headed into the building.

"There's earthquake damage. But, the owner said if I signed a waiver of liability, I could rent the place. So, basically the whole building is mine. But, I only live on the third floor. It's nice. And, like I said, it's quiet." Nash told them as he led them through the building and to the freight elevator. "The building commission for San Francisco comes in every few months and checks things out. They reinforce, as necessary."

Sonny and Rico were looking around trying to wrap their heads around this peculiar living situation as they got off the elevator. They then noticed the hole in the wall with a platform and steps leading down.

"A cranky old boiler in the factory. It was a metal works, machine engine parts, I think. It blew the hole in the wall. That shut the plant down because of structural damage to the building and the cost of repair. Plus, its been through many earthquakes since." Nash said as they exited the elevator, then descended the stairs into the living area.

"Look at that view!" Sonny said as he took in the panorama of San Francisco through the huge windows in Nash's kitchen. He went over to the sink and looked out.

"Yeah." Nash grinned. "That's what sold me."

Nash came up beside Sonny. Sonny looked at him, then back at the water. "There is just something about the water." He sighed. "I lived on a boat harbored in Biscayne Bay for nearly a decade." He paused. "Water is quiet, peaceful. I needed peace after working a day in Vice."

Nash went to the fridge and pulled out 4 beers. He popped the caps on all four and gave each of them one.

Sonny took his beer and drank a long swig. "How…how are your ex and your daughter going to take this?"

Nash thought for a second. "Cassidy will be trilled to have an uncle and a cousin. Bobby died before she was born. Lisa will…she will be curious as hell, and probably ask you a million questions." He paused. "Nick will…." He shook his head. "He calls me Bobby sometimes. He told me that Bobby was by to see him last week."

Sonny nodded. "I went through that with my adopted grandmother. Her decline was gradual. It's hard to watch." He paused. "If you don't think it's a good idea, if you think that he can't take it, I can…." He held up his hands.

Nash shook his head. "Nick deserves to know you didn't…didn't die. You deserve the chance to get to know him." He sighed. "I'll just have to find a way…I don't want it to be too much for him. But, I will find a way."

Sonny continued to stare out at the bay. Bryn had not yet brought Cassidy over. Evan was still waiting on Lisa to finish her catering job. And, Nick was still at the community center. Nash knew that Nick would be okay until the center's van brought him home. The owner of the facility and the bus driver were both ex-police officers. And, they took excellent care of the elderly in their charge.

They all turned at the sound of the elevator coming up.

"That's probably Bryn and Cassidy." Nash said.

"How do you want to do this?" Sonny asked.

Nash had no idea. But he always came up with the best plans under pressure. "You and Rico can wait in my bedroom for…I want to talk to Cassidy first."

Sonny nodded and he and Rico headed into Nash's bedroom and shut the door.

Cassidy lumbered down the stairs head of Bryn.

"One moody teenager…special delivery." Bryn said. She looked around for Sonny. She didn't see him. She made eye contact with Nash and nodded. "See ya, Nash. Bye, Brat!"

Cassidy turned and rolled her eyes. "Only Daddy gets to call me that!"

Nash gave Cassidy a look.

"I'm sorry, Bryn. Thanks for bringing me over here." Cassidy said.

"You're welcome." Bryn replied. But, you're still a brat." She chuckled and turned to leave before Cassidy could say anything.

"Daddy!" Cassidy pleaded.

"When she's right, she's right." Nash told her.

"I am supposed to have a study date tonight with Brian." Cassidy grumped. "And, I was supposed to help Kelly with her makeup for her date with Kevin tomorrow night. And, I can't even chat with her. My laptop's not working, and you don't own one."

"Darlin'." Nash said hugging his daughter. "Your life with not end because you don't have Internet access."

"Why can't you have a normal job…like an accountant? Nobody shoots at accountants." Cassidy stated. Her life had been uprooted before, somebody was after her dad, so they targeted her and her mother.

Nash chuckled. "Me, in a 3-piece suit, crunching numbers? I wouldn't have lasted a day."

Cassidy flopped down on the couch. "It would just be nice not to have to do…this." She sighed.

Nash sat down beside her. "You are way, way too smart for your own good." He paused. "There's something I've got to tell you. Something…it's big. And I only found out about it a little while ago."

Cassidy was not sure that she liked this. Nash sounded much, much too serious.

TBC