Veiled Enigmas
Reagan Rothe

 



part 1




The woman took another drag of her cigarette, inhaled the smoke and released it into the air abruptly. Her right hand trembled, barely able to grasp the white cancer stick, and sweat bubbled on her forehead. She was nervous; waiting was her worst attribute.
  
  I wish Joseph would hurry, she thought to herself, glancing at her watch as she brushed her light brown hair from her eyes. The brunette flicked the cigarette from between her fingers down onto the cold cement and watched the fiery red cherry burn to nothing.
  
  �Angelica darling.� The voice startled the woman as she jumped noticeably, uncrossing her legs. The man leaned forward, kissing her cheek, and sat in the patio chair across from his fiancee.
  
  �Your late.� Angelica Stone (soon to be Angelica Lamb) replied. �Never mind that now, do you have it?�
  
  �Yes, of course dear,� the man responded.
  
  He caught a glimpse of Marcus as he slid the briefcase under the table with his left hand.
  
  �You know where to take it? And at what time, right?�
  
  �Why wouldn�t I?� Angelica countered with a question of her own, never aware of a third party. She never assumed someone else knew about the briefcase�s contents but her husband-to-be and Thomas.
  
  Mr. Lamb stood up, gave Angelica another kiss while gazing at Marcus, who was reading a newspaper on a street corner bench.
  
  �Fare thee well my love. I will see you after midnight,� he said.
  
  He turned and strode back into the restaurant, leaving the patio section behind and disappearing from Angelica�s view. She glared all around her, making sure of her secrecy, and proceeded to Thomas�s apartment.

      

Joseph closed his black Sedan�s door, assuring himself that Marcus would follow Angelica, and drove in the opposite direction. The tall, broad-shouldered businessman with flowing blond hair pulled into Hannah�s driveway around 2:30 in the afternoon.
  
  Simultaneously, his fiancee arrived at Thomas�s apartment.
  
  �I�ve missed you so much,� Joseph said, taking Hannah�s hands into his own.
  
  �Missed you too, hun�. Did Marcus take the bait as followed?� she asked.
  
  �Yes. Everything is perfect. We�ll be leaving for Paris in the morning.�
  
  �Oh Joseph, �tis so wonderful. Take me now, or leave me forever heartbroken.� Hannah proclaimed, pressing her hands upon her breasts and shutting her eyes. Joseph swept her into his arms and carried her into the bedroom.

     

�Did you purchase the tickets?� Angelica questioned Thomas after she told him the meeting with the Mystery Man would take place at midnight on the docks.
  
  �Of course. Your flight departs to Hawaii at eleven tonight,� Thomas responded.
  
  �My flight?� Angelica asked, raising her eyebrows. She removed a cigarette from her holder and placed it on her lower lip. Her smoking had increased dramatically these days; frankly, she couldn�t go an hour without one.
  
  �Yeah� your flight. I�m not going tonight,� he commanded. �And why do you have to smoke so much? You never smoked that much before.�
  
  �It settles my nerves,� she snarled, lighting the stogie in front of his face. �Plus, I�m not going without you. It�s too much stress on a woman.�
  
  �You are going without me, I�ve got to take the briefcase to the Mystery Man and make sure he never finds us. Just trust me. Or you can go back trusting that a-hole you�re committed to now.�
  
  �I do trust you, Thomas. And I will go, I�m just scared.� Thomas hugged her gently and caressed her long, straight hair with his coarse hands.
  
  �I�ll meet you in Hawaii, Angel,� Thomas said, finishing the conversation. If only Thomas would have ever locked the door to his place, preventing Marcus from eavesdropping into their entire conversation.

     

Marcus rose from his hiding place behind the sofa and tiptoed out of Thomas�s apartment. He shut the door with a diminutive thud and sprinted to his car. He crawled into his dark-tinted Rolls Royce and snatched his cell phone. He dialed seven digits, waiting for a hello.

  �Domingo. This is Manfredy. The briefcase was delivered on cue. I�ll see you after the pick-up.�

  Marcus didn�t wait for a response, but simply pressed the end button on his phone. You won�t be smiling that devilish smile tonight Domingo, I can guarantee you that.

  Marcus honestly believed killing on an empty stomach was sinful. He started his car and headed for an early supper.




part 2




�Where�s the money, Joseph?� Hannah asked, lying next to him with nothing covering her but the bed sheets.

  �It�s safe. Don�t worry,� he answered, still exhausted from their evening of passion. Joseph rolled over to where he was facing her, nibbled on her ear, and inquired, �Does it matter where the money is as long as we�re together?�

  �Damn right it does,� Hannah replied with a sinister smile arising on her face.
  
  As she thought to herself, it matters where the money is lover, because you won�t ever get your hands on it.

  Hannah�s curious, yet tender eyes met Joseph�s. She frowned, giving him a look of sadness, and added, �Plus, if something happened to you, what would little old me do without any money?�

  �Maybe you�re right, baby. The money�s�� Joseph lowered his voice into a whisper. ��In my safety box in the bank. The key is in the top drawer of my dresser. The box number is 187. Does that make you feel better?�

  �You�re such a sweetheart. I love you, Joseph.�

  �I love you, too, Hannah.�

  God you�re so dumb, though. She crawled on top of him, and they made love for the final time.

     
 
Thomas was holding the briefcase in his hands. He looked at Angelica, then back to the case, and said. �Let�s open this bad boy and allocate you with your share of the money, honey.�

  Thomas tried to open the case, but the standard clicking sound of success was replaced with utter silence, and a briefcase that remained locked. �Dammit�! It won�t open,� Thomas stated. A look of surprise gathered on his face. � Go get my work case with my tools in it Angel.�

  �Where is it?� She asked.

  �Outside in the storeroom.�

  Angelica scampered out the front door of his apartment and opened the room immediately to her left. She grabbed the case and carried it back into the living room to Thomas. Thomas set the briefcase on the floor and took the work case from Angelica, placing it on top of the table.

  �I�ll open this damn thing with��

  Before Thomas could finish; the front door opened, and the sound of a single gunshot echoed in his ears.

  Thomas dropped to the floor, gripping his right side. Instantaneously, Angelica rotated towards the masked man, screamed, and darted for her secret lovers� bedroom.

  The attacker�hearing voices from next door�panicked and scooped up the case on the table. He sprinted for his car and a clean getaway, leaving one victim behind and knowing his job was unfinished.

     
 
Angelica peered out from under the bed, and waited until she was positively clear that the invader had fled. When she entered the living room, Thomas was sprawled out on the floor, unconscious to say the least, covered in blood.
  
  Angelica altered her attention to the table and laughed. Despite Thomas lying in a pool of crimson, she cackled until her stomach ached.

  �Sometimes my luck amazes me.� Angelica said as she picked the briefcase up off the floor and vacated the crime scene.

     
 
�Oh Joseph, you were so great,� Hannah exclaimed. She crawled out of the bed, wrapped herself in her robe, and headed for the shower. On her way, she turned to face Joseph and said. �Join me if you want.�

  �I�ll think about it.� Joseph replied, rolling over to read the time as Hannah dropped her robe and closed the bathroom door behind her. The small, digital clock with flashing red numbers displayed 11:27 p.m.

  Angelica will be making the drop in less than an hour. And when she does, I�ll be without my future wife.

  �Last chance Joseph. The waters steaming hot!� Hannah shouted over the running water splashing against her bare skin.

  �Just take your damn shower so I can get some sleep,� he mumbled to himself, resting his head on his pillow. He flipped the lamp off and shut his eyes. No more than five minutes passed before the sound of screeching tires caught his attention; followed by car headlights shining into the room.

  Joseph leaped out of the bed and darted to the wood-framed, glass window. He saw a shadowy figure get out of the car, but was unable to see any details because of the car�s blinding beam.




part 3




Prior to the headlights and the awakening of Joseph Lamb, Angelica headed east, hoping Thomas�s assailant wasn�t closing in on her. The brunette bombshell knew where she was going�a place where the briefcase would be safe. A rock pile surrounded by tall green grass, about one mile west of Montgomery Street.

  When she was a young girl, she had kept a personal diary here, writing in it on her way home from school everyday and replacing it back beneath the white rock. Today, it was going to secure a briefcase rather than a diary.

  Angelica hurried in the direction of the rock pile, the high grass brushing against her unclothed legs protruding out of her black skirt. She reached the pile, hesitated (reassuring herself she was alone), and commenced on the task of removing rocks. She slid the briefcase into the bottom, and covered it with the rocks.

     
 
The Rolls Royce sped down Colorado Avenue towards Domingo�s warehouse. The driver checked his rearview mirror for any sign of someone following him; whether it happened to be a hero or the police. He decelerated from eighty to seventy, sixty, and then fifty miles an hour before veering right down a gloomy back road.

  The man parked his car half a mile from Colorado, opened his door, and got out of the vehicle with the case and a flashlight. He walked thirty yards or so until coming upon a tree with a yellow dot spray-painted on its� trunk. On the other side of the large tree trunk was a knot with a hidden hole below it.

  The man stashed the mask and case in the hole, laying the case on top. I�ll be back to claim what�s mine tomorrow. The dark skinned, black-haired killer thought as he continued on his way to the warehouse.

     
 
11:59 p.m.

  �That bitch has one minute to get here with my case or she�s dead,� Domingo muttered from the back seat of his dark tinted Limousine. His bodyguard and the driver said nothing, waiting patiently for the delivery.

  Domingo wiped a small stain from his polished chrome PP7 resting in his lap. He stole another glance at his watch (12:01) and motioned for the driver to go back to the warehouse. �I don�t wait for anybody,� Domingo said clinching his fists.

  The driver pulled forward, reversed, and then accelerated towards the location they had previously departed.

     
 
Marcus Manfredy, professional hit man, parked his Rolls Royce behind Domingo�s warehouse in an alley, wanting Domingo to think he hadn�t yet arrived. Marcus entered through the backdoor and took his seat in the Mystery Man�s beloved, black rolling chair.

  He kicked his feet up onto Domingo�s glossy cedar-topped desk, and relaxed with a glock in his hand. Just come right on in and get some Domingo.

     
 
�Was that Joseph�s car?� Angelica asked herself as she passed by a one-story, cream-colored house scattered full of windows. The tires squealed as she slammed on the brakes and spun her Accord around. She speeded down the paved road leading to the house and shone her lights in what appeared to be the bedroom.

  �It is his car.� She said out loud, hectically marching towards the front door. �What the hell is that S.O.B. doing here?�

     
 
The man crawled into the bathroom, struggling, and leaving a trail of blood behind. He reached the tile counter with his left hand and yanked his body upward. Balancing himself against the counter, he lifted off his blood-soaked shirt. The pain stung and inflamed his entire right side.

  He dropped his shirt to the floor and turned the shower knob between hot and cold where the arrow pointed in the middle of the red and blue streaks. The injured man undressed, flinched as he stepped into shower, expecting the water to be either singing hot or freezing cold, and washed his wounds.

  Luckily for him, the bullet went clear through his skin and out the other side. In other words, it did nothing but tear apart the skin. After showering, he redressed�needing a momentary rest�and plummeted back first onto his bed.




part 4



Joseph headed for the door with a candleholder in his hand, believing someone was here to kill him. He peered through the window�s curtain (Hannah showering and unaware of the visitor) and saw Angelica hurrying to the front of the house. Joseph breathed a sigh of relief and made his way to greet his significant other.

  Angelica furiously pounded on the door, not caring whose house it was. Joseph answered the knocking with a warm smile, and said, �Hello my beautiful and charming Angelica.�

  �Cut the crap, Joseph. Whose place is this?� She snapped at him, pushing her way into the residence.

  �It�s a friend of mine�s. We were just working on some late night business, baby.�
  
  Before Angelica could retort, Hannah entered the room, dripping wet, wearing nothing but a towel.

  �Business huh?� Angelica asked, turning towards Joseph and pointing at the blonde in the towel. �Sure looks like a different kind of business than you were referring to.�

  Joseph stood speechless and then walked over to Hannah, placed his mouth near her ear, and whispered, �This will only take a second. Can you leave the two of us alone?�

  Hannah nodded and left to the bedroom to get dressed. Joseph calmly strolled over to Angelica, and the shouting initiated.

     
 
The Limo pulled into the warehouse�s parking garage and halted. Domingo stepped out of his luxury ride, following his bodyguard. The guard unlocked the entrance and opened the giant sliding door effortlessly.

  The prominent criminal flipped on the light switch, wondering where his hired gun was. The bodyguard positioned himself at the access door, awaiting Marcus. Domingo continued on the path to his office, showing no signs of suspicion. He twisted the door handle and entered his workplace.

     
 
Angelica sat on the living room sofa, sipping on a Scotch on the rocks. Joseph had finally quieted her down, and the couple had been able to communicate as adults.

  �Does she know to?� Angelica questioned him, rolling her eyes in the direction of the bedroom.

  �No, baby, of course not.� Joseph answered. �Just me and you.�

  �That�s the first good news tonight. What�s next?�

  �I�m not sure,� Joseph replied. He pondered over the question in his mind, and said, �Maybe we get rid of Hannah. Oh! Plus I have a surprise for you.�

  �What might that be?� Angelica inquired with intrigue.

  �Two tickets to Paris. Flight leaves in the morning.�

  Angelica smiled, hugged Joseph, and asked, �Aren�t you curious to where the briefcase is?�

  He backed away from her mid-hug, and responded, �Not at all dear. I trust that you have it safe and all under control.�

  Safe? Yes. Trust? No. You�ll never get your hands on that briefcase after you tried to screw me over Joseph. I�ll make sure of that.

  Joseph and Angelica kissed, intensifying the situation. Hannah watched through her cracked door, and then exited the house into the backyard. She silently journeyed to her car�Joseph and Angelica sneaking into the guestroom in each other�s arms. The two conniving, yet reborn lovers disappeared into the darkness of the room, never seeing Hannah�s dimmers switch on or aware of her departure.

     
 
Joseph�s secret infatuation made haste, wanting to be positively certain that her escape to his apartment went unnoticed. She planned to break into his dwelling, steal his safety deposit key, and ensure herself a share of the cash.

  What she hadn�t intended to happen at 1:13 in the morning was someone to run a stoplight and smash into the passenger side door of her Expedition. Her truck glided with the pressure of the four-door Oldsmobile that had slammed into it. Once the tires went off-road and into the ditch, the vehicle spilt over, crashing into the brush.

  Hannah survived the wreck, but the impact of her head hitting the window and causing a gash two inches long, left her out cold.

     
 
 Thomas Burke awoke from his snooze, refreshed to say the least. He had regained some of his strength, but he hadn�t any clue where to begin the search for his attacker. Or the search for Angelica.

  Where would I go if I were Angelica? He questioned himself.




part 5



 
Thomas traveled from his bedroom to recall what had just happened. The first item that caught his attention was the blood. One large puddle, and then a trail of scattered blood heading into the restroom filled Thomas�s eyes.

  He touched his side�recoiled�making sure what he was seeing now had actually taken place.

  What he saw next diverted his thoughts. Angelica�s small, black address book appeared to glow on the coffee table. Thomas walked over to it, picked it up, and began flipping through the book.

  Joseph Lamb. 1729 McKinney Street� Headed back to your fianc�s place did ya�? Well thanks for the address Angel.
     
 
Domingo�s eyes lit up as he saw Marcus spin around in his chair, aiming a gun in his vicinity.

  �How�s it hangin� Domingo?� Marcus asked Domingo.

  �Marcus!? W-What are you-you doing w-with that?� Domingo stuttered, but received no response.

  Domingo only heard the sound of gunfire rattle in his ears as Marcus pulled the trigger of the glock.

  The bullet split open Domingo�s cheek, blood gushing out of his face like a waterfall. The victim grabbed at his face, the flowing red now covering his hands as well, and collapsed to the floor.

  Marcus hopped over his body, stepped out of the door, and prepared for one of Domingo�s thugs. The bodyguard opened the entry door and rushed in with his gun drawn. Marcus fired two shots into his chest, the slugs dropping him immediately upon impact.

  He wiped off the glock with his shirt and laid it on the guard�s stomach. Marcus then took the casualties� weapon, and fled the scene.

     
 
Dazed and bewildered, Hannah began to stir in her demolished vehicle. She stretched to the passenger side and jerked the door handle. Once unlocked and unhinged, she kicked open the door and moved through the crawlspace above her.

  The person who ran the stop sign had obviously vanished, along with their means of transportation. Definitely another case of the ever so frequent hit and run. Hannah stumbled along the edge of the road, positive that no one would pass by at this time of the night.
 
  Lights! She blissfully shouted in her head. Hannah stepped closer to the road and waived her arms frantically. The late night traveler slowed his truck to a halt about ten yards past her and waited for her to get in.

  �Where ya� headed miss?� The longhaired truck driver asked.

  �Just a couple of miles up this road,� Hannah replied and hopped into his rig.

     
 
Thomas shattered the window leading into Joseph�s apartment with his forearm and edged his way inside�twisting his body to avoid the broken glass.

  �Anybody Home?� Thomas shouted in the gloomy domain. No answer. I wonder where Joseph could be?

  Thomas searched the main room first, he then moved on to the kitchen, and finally, he explored the bedroom. All rooms left him empty-handed and without a trace of anything to help him.

  With his side starting to ache, he relaxed on the living room couch. Thomas�s mind strayed from his task at hand to thinking about Angelica, so exquisite and strikingly picturesque. He contemplated over what he would do to her if she were here with him right now. And what he would do if�

  The noise from an automobile motor interrupted his state of bewilderment. The purring of the engine was followed by lights and the slamming of a car door. Thomas snuck a glance out of the window�saw a woman heading towards Joseph�s apartment�and hid in the pantry closet.

     
 
Hannah, preoccupied with money on her mind, never saw the broken window or the scattered glass. She simply used her copy of Joseph�s apartment key to unlock the door and go straight in.

  She walked across the living room, past the kitchen, and entered the sleeper�s den. Before Hannah could even near the dresser, she was grabbed from behind, and a hand slipped over her mouth.

  �What are you doing here?� The voice asked.


part 6



The man removed his hand from covering Hannah�s mouth, but tightened his grip on her body. �Answer me dammit�. What are you doing here?�

  �I-I was looking for Joseph.� Hannah answered.

  �Oh yeah?� The questions continued. �And why might you be looking for him at this moment?�

  �Look Mister��

  �Thomas. Just call me Thomas,� he interrupted.

  �Okay Thomas,� Hannah said. �If you are looking for Joseph, I believe I can help you.�

  �Speak up lady.�

  �It�s Hannah. The man you are in search of is at my house with Angelica. Here�s my address,� she told him, handing him folded piece of paper from her purse. �Now please let me be.�

  �Fair enough Hannah. Maybe I�ll see you around,� Thomas ended the conversation. His eyes roamed up and down her body, and then he left the apartment.

     
 
Marcus checked into the Bayview Radisson Hotel at 2:43 a.m. He intended to get some sleep, especially after such an accomplishing day. He had gotten the case, taken Domingo and his bodyguard out of the way, and killed some loser who was sleeping the Angelica.

  He opened room 117 with the hotel keycard and went straight to bed.

      
Angelica arose from the bed Joseph and her had been sharing. Sound asleep. She thought, gazing at him. Angelica dressed herself quickly and stole of into the moonlighted night.

  Joseph opened one eye just in time to see her go, and he smiled from ear to ear before falling back asleep.

     
 
Hannah ripped through Joseph�s drawers, searching furiously for the key. She was down to the last one when she spotted a small, silver object. She lifted the key to eye level and read the numbers 187 imprinted in it.

  As soon as the bank opens in the morning, my life starts for the second time. Hannah crawled into the bed, pulled the bedspread over her tired body, and slept restlessly.

     
 
Thomas arrived at Hannah�s house at the same time as Angelica was leaving. He didn�t recognize that it was Angelica, so he canceled his thoughts of pursuing her, and focused his attention to the house.

  �I think I�ll just sit and wait,� he said aloud.

     
 
Angelica�s eyes blurred and her head stung with pain; all from a full day�s work. Her chinned dropped to her chest once again, and she knew that she couldn�t drive any further without falling asleep at the wheel.

  3:54 a.m. The clock appeared to scream at her from inside the dashboard. Angelica flipped the blinker switch on the left side of the steering column (not that she needed to, there wasn�t anybody on the road) and turned into the rest station.

  She made sure her doors were locked before tilting her seat back and receiving a much
needed forty winks.

     
 
Joseph awoke at 7 in the morning, refreshed and motivated for the new day�s events. He would get his money, travel to the airport, and fly away to Paris. It�s as simple as that, he thought to himself as he pulled on a pair of Khaki beige pants.

  He scooped up his car keys off of Hannah�s tile counter and proceeded to the back door. He stepped out the house, whistling, and walked along a rock path behind Hannah�s house to her greenhouse.

  Once inside, he realized what a green thumb Hannah didn�t have. Brown stems, dying leaves, not the most exasperating garden he�d ever seen. He picked up the small, red hand shovel near the opposing wall and starting digging in the corner. He pitched the pebbles and loose impediments aside until he heard metal strike metal. He dropped to his knees, swiped the rocks away with his hands, and revealed a rusted box.

  With the box under his right arm, he skipped to his Sedan and headed to the airport, Thomas right behind him.




part 7



The hired killer exited the hiding location, (the tree with the hole) case in hand; breakfast on his mind. He stopped at a diner called �Pete�s Place� and took his seat in a round booth near the restrooms.

  After ordering three pancakes, two eggs over easy, a side of bacon strips, and orange juice to drink, he placed the case on the table. Eager to see and smell the green-colored presidents, he snapped open the locks.

  Marcus glanced around the diner, making sure no one was paying too much attention, and opened his newly acquired item.

  He stared, mouth gaping, for only a few seconds that seemed like hours. Then he screamed, �TOOLS? NOOO! NO FUCKIN� WAY! I�ll kill them all for this!�

  Marcus�s rage flared. His temper was always violent, and today, he snapped. He tugged at the weapon sticking in the backside of his pants. He didn�t bother to aim; instead, he unloaded his chamber into the restaurant crowd.

  Marcus Manfredy killed two customers and wounded several others before the police arrived. His attempt to take hostages failed miserably, as Officer Brannon snuck into the restaurant from the kitchen and put a bullet between his eyes.

     
 
Hannah waited in United Bank�s parking lot for 9 o�clock, and the doors to open. The perky, business-dressed bank teller walked to the glass doors and used her keys to slide the bolt back to its original location.

  Hannah followed her into the bank and told one of the head bankers that she wanted to close her box. He took her through the vault and into the hall full of safety boxes. Upon showing her box number 187, he exited back to his office.

  Exciting and anxious at the same time, Hannah placed the minute key into its� slot and rotated it clockwise. The door swung open towards her, and she peered into the hole.

  �What the hell?� She said after viewing nothing in the box but a folded piece of paper.

  Hannah removed the paper from the square tunnel and unfolded it. Better luck next time, my love.

  �Joseph you bastard,� she mumbled. Hannah fell to the ground with her hands� covering her eyes, weeping uncontrollably.

     
 
Joseph entered the airport terminal with Thomas trailing him. He had switched the money from his box to a small backpack.

  He checked in for his flight, showing a valid I.D. and his passport. The clerk handed him a plastic blue card, and Joseph headed for the restroom � backpack in one hand and the card in the other hand.

  The bathroom was empty. Joseph moved to the urinal and initiated with the waste removal process.

     
 
Angelica shook her hair around her head, still trying to come alive from her deep slumber. She tilted her seat forward again and proceeded to the rock wall that hid her briefcase.

  She reached the location and pulled a small blade out of her glove compartment. I might need this to open the case, she pondered.

     
 
�Joseph? What a nice surprise to see you here?� Thomas questioned him, with a razor sharp knife drawn.

  �Huh?� Joseph responded, twirling around to face his death. Thomas lunged into him, inserting the knife into his chest. He shoved Joseph into the wall, and Joseph folded over onto the floor.

  Thomas grabbed the backpack and flight card and left the restroom to the waiting area. Someone screaming and security sprinting in the direction of the noise were the last things Thomas heard and witnessed before boarding Flight 1149 to Paris, France.

     
 
Angelica pried the briefcase open with her blade. The locks unsnapped, and she fanatically threw the top half of the case upward.

  Angelica Stone (soon to be Angelica Lamb) watched the blood trickle down from the cuts in her wrists. The sight of the briefcase�s contents had been too much for her to handle. The briefcase contained nothing. It was empty.

  Angelica would have died for what she thought was in that case; well� she did.

     
 
Thomas smiled as he stared out his window and watched the clouds pass by.

  I wonder what Angelica is doing right now. He leaned his head back and slept the rest of the way to Paris.


THE END




 




 





     

















 
  
   

 

 





  









   


 
 
   

  









  
  
    













              


 

  
 
           


     

 

 

Copyright © 2002 Reagan Rothe
Published on the World Wide Web by "www.storymania.com"