Trifecta

Disclaimer: I don't own iCarly

A/N:

Chapter 15 (True Investigator)

"There, it's off." Freddie took a step back from Mrs. Papperman and watched as the woman rubbed her neck. "You might let the police know what he did." The woman let out a sigh and removed her hand, revealing a bright red square in place of where the device had been.

"Thank you. I thought for sure Nevel wouldn't get out of that asylum." She rolled her head to the left, then the right. The woman rubbed her forehead and started to groan. "He's been planning something. My memory's hazy, but I've got bits and pieces. I could see and hear, I just couldn't control my own actions."

"Take everything you know to the police." The police were now following this. Once he told them of Nora's involvement, they started to take more action and hired him temporarily when he continuously insisted that he wanted to continue investigating it. Only now, everything he found, he had to turn over to them.

A team of investigators had gone to Gibby's place to dig through the muck and see what they could find. "I'm going back down to the basement and see what I can find." The woman walked away rubbing her neck. With that, he returned to the basement with hesitancy, remembering the snake from before.

Once he was down there, he looked to the cage just to make sure the snake was inside. To his pleasure, the snake was coiled up inside the now locked cage. "So that won't be an issue."

Scanning the room, he caught a glimpse of something new. It was a large box with a variety of wires attached to it. "What does this do?" He walked towards it, studying it closely. To his surprise, Nevel had notes to the object seated beside it. "For a genius, he can be an idiot sometimes." He reached for the notes, then hesitated. "Unless he's doing that on purpose…"

Did Nevel want him to find these papers? If so, why? He had to know that if discovered, the papers could lead him straight to jail as evidence of his involvement in a conspiracy to either kidnap or attempt murder.

Freddie carefully scanned the notes and scribbles on the sidebar. The more he read, the more his blood ran cold. "So he was planning something." The device was as he suspected Nevel of creating, a monitor that would cloak any flying object from even the best military radar.

Alongside this were fake military IDs that could be used to get into the US Air Force Base. "I need to alert the police of this." Perhaps now would be a good time to alert Carly as well, but he didn't think there was an immediate danger at this point-the device wasn't even completed yet.

When he pulled his phone out, something on the desk caught his eye. Just beside the paperwork regarding the device was a document on the man that his father had been investigating nearly fifteen years ago.

A shallow sensation grew in him as he gently picked up the document and read over it. With each word, his heartbeat intensified and he could feel the heat of fear wrapping its deadly fingers around him. "Seattle mafia? They went into hiding ages ago, didn't they?"

He moved the top paper back and raised his eyebrows at a yellow, aged newspaper clipping. P.I. John Benson and Seattle Mafia Consigliere kill each other in gunfight. His blood ran cold as he studied the article, with each word his fingers and lips trembled to the point he was ready to burn the newspaper as if it did not exist. "Dad didn't know? The consigliere was…supposed to be transporting a book of names and Dad killed him." The man had stopped to rob a series of banks while transporting a list of mob associates to a rival family, thereby the police intercepted it and used it to take out the leaders of the mafia.

With that, the mob crumbled to select few. "I need to get this to Spencer, and fast. He might know something!" Without waiting to check anything further, he took off running.

At the law firm, he called out to Spencer, who was drinking another cup of coffee. Spencer jerked back and pounded his chest while coughing on his drink. "Goddamn it Freddie! What do you want now?"

He took a seat in front of Spencer and pushed the newspaper clipping forward. "The Seattle Mafia, what can you tell me about them?" Spencer's eyebrow rose and he slowly looked up to the man. "The police temporarily hired me, it pertains to Nora's case. I…think it has something to do with my father, the man he was following back then. Nora may be out for revenge do to this, somehow."

Spencer picked up the paper with his left hand and raised his right to his chin, curling his index finger over his lip. "Ah, I remember something about this, actually." He pulled his hand away with a sigh and furrowed his brow. "I was just entering college on my CJ major, this made current events for some time."

"Yeah?"

"The dead guy. Leroy Papperman-" Freddie's lips separated and Spencer's eyes flicked to him. "Yes, related to Nevel. Apparently he was betraying the mob, but got cocky and started robbing banks. Your father knew the man and had a hunch he was behind the robberies, so he tailed the guy. Didn't bother with the police because they weren't interested in a private investigator."

He crossed his arms and slanted his eyes as anger chipped away at him. "That ended up killing him." Spencer shook the newspaper clipping and Freddie watched as the man's eyes slid across the page. "So what do you remember of the case? Of the black book?"

"Not much, other than the fact that John Benson hit a proverbial gold mine and didn't even know it. He's a goddamn hero." Freddie's lips curved up into a bright grin as Spencer set the page down on the desk. "Unrecognized, but damn, that book held the names of every crime boss, every Capo and associate in the Seattle Mafia."

"I never knew."

"No one did, but I bet I can get that out. Now if you're wondering about Nora's involvement…" Spencer opened his desk drawer and removed the file on her family. Freddie leaned forward as though trying to see into the folder, but as he did so Spencer reclined in the chair and read from a document. "Seems here one of the crime bosses was a man named Ralph Trendon, the brother to Nora's mom. He was arrested and later sentenced to death because of this mishap."

"So, Nora's family?"

"Was all that was left of the mafia, I presume. Which would make sense when considering all the people Nora's parents had associated with them, and the lawyer they were paying off. Which crumbled…when they kidnapped you guys. With her parents in prison, she's the only person left."

"Then…" He took a deep breath and slid his clammy palms along his pants. What he was deducing here was not something he wanted to consider. "Rebuilding?"

"You think she might try to rebuild the mafia from scratch?" It was a wonder why she ever went after Carly or Sam to begin with, but then, if she were after him they'd be hit too. "Her parents may have got cocky trying to take you out with the girls all those years before."

"But she's got Nevel and Gibby involved." He scratched under his chin and stared at the article. "Nevel I can understand, but Gibby?"

"Yes well, while you try to figure this out, I'm going to have a talk with the police department next door." Spencer rose up from the desk and Freddie glanced up at him with curiosity. "I'll see about getting your father instated on the hall of heroes down at the station, maybe we can give him a little recognition for his efforts."

"That would be an honor."

"I think the old man deserves it." Freddie's heart skyrocketed and he practically fell out of his chair with enjoyment. Spencer walked around the desk and Fset a hand to his shoulder. "And Freddie?"

"Yeah?"

"Be careful if you're really investigating this. Your father didn't know what he was getting into, and for all intents and purposes, neither do you."

"I will."

Freddie entered his car and began the drive to Sam's hotel, he wanted to ensure she got to a safe place so that Nora wouldn't be able to get her. When he arrived and knocked on the door, no answer came

"Sam, it's me, Freddie!" He knocked again and still there was no answer. "Okay…" Turning, he pulled his phone and dialed her number.

This time it went straight to voicemail. He leaned against the door and closed his eyes. "Sam, when you get this, call me. I think I've stumbled on something and need to get you someplace safe. Gibby and Nevel are sure to be working with Nora, and even if you're not their intended target, I want to make sure you're protected."

Most likely he was at the top of the list of targets, especially since he'd done the most to piss off Gibby and Nevel.

The next number he called were the police officers he'd been working with. "I've found evidence at Nevel Papperman's home of a device and various notes, but I've left them for you to investigate and collect as you see necessary. Still no sign of Nora, Nevel, or Gibby."

"You've found solid evidence that they are working with her?"

"Yes, I've found a connection between Nora and Nevel."

"After a thorough investigation of Mr. Gibson's apartment, and interrogation of his girlfriend, we have discovered a connection between the suspect and Nora. There is also reason to believe they may be hiding out in the warehouse district of Seattle."

"One of the old Seattle Mob hideaways I bet." He would have to find exactly what warehouse, but he didn't want to take on the task by himself. While he was mentally preparing his next step, the phone vibrated in his hand. Tearing it from his ear, he studied the unclaimed phone number. "Hold on, I'm getting a call. It could be important."

When he answered, Pam's frantic voice spewed into his ear. "Something's wrong with my child!" Freddie's brow furrowed as the woman's incoherent rant reached him.

"Ms. Puckett, slow down. What's going on?"

"I don't know. I know I wasn't supposed to, but I called Sam. She was doing something, I don't know what, and the next thing I know she's screaming and I'm hearing punches or something." His hand moved down to his stomach and he turned to the door.

"I don't understand. Sam said she was going to stay in the hotel."

The woman began to fidget and stutter, which was greatly concerning to him. "Nora…I think, maybe, yes it was Nora." A chill shot down his spine and he took a step back, examining the hotel door closely. If Nora had her, then his fear had come true. He had to find her. "Sam mentioned her name, but that's about all I know."

"Why come to me? Why not the police?"

"I don't know, you seemed like an investigator or something. I'm on probation and not supposed to be in contact with either of my children, you think they're going to listen to me? Just find my daughter-I might not be the greatest mother but I don't want anything bad to happen to her."

"Relax, Ms. Puckett. I'll find your daughter." Any other person, or situation, and he'd be excited about the possibility of this being his first actual investigative case. "Do you know anything? Voices, sounds, or did Sam mention any surroundings?"

"Let me think." Pam paused for a few minutes as Freddie leaned up alongside the door. It was cracked, much to his surprise. "I know I heard a man's voice along with a woman, someone was fighting. Sam asked where you were, I think she was led into thinking you were in some sort of trouble."

"How-" It was always possible for Nevel to come up with a way to manipulate vocal levels and use his voice, but Freddie couldn't be sure that was what transpired. "Okay, just let me do my work. I promise you, I won't let anything happen to her."

"Thank you. I know I've been a shitty mother, I just-I've got problems, and I know I might never see my children again…" Her voice shook with each word, and a sob took him by surprise. "But at least let that be their decision."

Hanging up phone, Freddie pushed it into his pocket and hooked his thumb around his belt. "Sam went looking for me, but I've no idea where she is. I'll need to look around for clues, see if anyone might have seen her." He opened the door with a gentle push and furrowed his brow when he spotted a maid cleaning up the room. "No wonder it was cracked."

The maid turned her head over her shoulder and pressed her lips together. "Good afternoon, sir, can I help you?"

"Yes, this is my friend's room. Sam sent me to grab something." His eyes darted to Sam's purse. Seeing it was a good clue for him, since the purse was something Sam was never without. "She was definitely in a hurry."

"I'll step right out, then, sir."

"Thank you." As the maid walked by him, his eyes drifted to the laptop on the bed. He opened the computer with care and studied the screen that appeared, it was a Skype group conversation with Cat and Sam. Both were offline now, and neither left an indication of what had been discussed. "Conversation ended nearly an hour ago." He leaned back and glanced to the ceiling. "Hang in there, Sam, I won't let anything happen to you."

It had to be as Pam suggested, Sam would not have confronted Nora unless she thought someone she cared about was in danger. Freddie's eyes closed and he relaxed his muscles, breathing out with a heavy breath. "Give me some of your skills, Dad…"

Well Pam, got something going there, though sacrificing her probation. Don't get killed Freddie. As someone said, Sam will bring you to life only to kill you again, and then Carly shall do the same. XD. One thing, Pam alerted him before Nora and them could call him and prepare, so a trap won't truly be ready