The decoy

Chapt 11

Chapter Eleven

            Sebastian returned to his motel room sweating from his run through the streets of Winona. He had finished six miles and then he lay on the floor and did one hundred push ups. He was ready to jump into the shower when his phone beeped to signal that someone had called him while he was out.

            It was Grace. She sounded very excited and had left a jumbled message.

            "We got Ted Arsenault. Call me back. I'd like to tell you what he said. I followed up on what you told me and sure enough Ted was out of town the last three days. I went to visit him and he has been arrested for importing drugs for the purpose of trafficking. I owe you for this arrest.

            Oh and I found out who those guys were that you beat up the other night so call me."

            Sebastian showered and climbed into his car. Kristy Robinson was the last person to see Vail alive and he needed to speak with her. The file that Kelly had sent included Kristy's new address. She was living with a cousin in Salt Lake City and he had already decided to make a trip up.

As he left the parking lot and drove north he called Grace. The phone was on speaker and the car echoed with the sound of Grace's phone ringing.

His plan was to reach Utah by three o'clock in the afternoon, speak with Kristy for an hour and then drive back. He would be home sometime after midnight.

The ringing stopped and Grace's voice filled the car.

"Hello."

            "That was quite a message," Sebastian said. "You were a little excited and confusing."

            "It's great news. I got the arrest and I owe it all to you," Grace said. "Sheriff's office is pretty happy with me. I went over to pay Arsenault a visit and he was out of town. So I kept watch on his place. I made a point of stopping by three or four times every day, even when I was off shift. Sure enough he drives in this morning and tells me he was in holidaying in Mexico. I got a search warrant and we nailed him.

            Listen I owe you for this arrest. How would you like the favor returned? I'm thinking dinner and then another evening like three nights ago, except of course without the late night visitors."

            Grace was overjoyed about the arrest. Sebastian could barely get a word in.

            "Speaking of those clowns," he said.  "You said on the phone that you learned something about them too."

            "Oh right, that too. I thought that after you took care of them the other night they would need some medical care. Hospitals aren't always forth coming with patient information but a neighbor of mine is a nurse out at the county hospital. She told me two guys came in claiming they were in a fight. They didn't mention you.  They claimed that they were fighting with each other but they had buried the hatchet now and neither one was pressing charges," Grace said.

            "So what do you know?" Sebastian asked.

            "Both of them have priors. Their names are Vince Simano and Trevor Wright. They live in Denver and they have both been associated with organized crime although not with Cory Pezzo. They were telling the truth when they said they don't work for Pezzo but there is a connection there.

They work with a crew in Colorado. It's headed up by Pezzo's uncle. His name is Peter Rappelo and unlike his nephew Cory, he has done some significant time and for some pretty ugly stuff. He also has some associates in Vegas who would know Cory Pezzo.