The decoy

Chapt 28

Sebastian had been waiting for the threat and now he felt it was time to play his cards.

"I made a few notes on my computer about what I heard and one of your boys, maybe Trevor there, stole it and that's when the bullshit started," Sebastian said.

"I never said Cory killed anyone. People tell me things and I write it down. Don't blame me. Blame your boy Trevor."

Rappelo was quiet. He was thinking.

Then he spoke.

"Cory learned from his father but he was different. His father was a good guy but he took some chances like a lot of us do and he paid for it. Nobody really knows what happened to Cory's dad. Went out one day and the family never saw him again.

No one wanted that for Cory.

Cory was smart. He went to school. He was good with numbers and everything like that. We didn't want him to see any trouble."

He paused to stare at Sebastian while he thought.

"I'm telling you this cause I want you to know Cory never had nothing to do with what happened to Vail. I don't care what you maybe heard.

Now I'm going to tell you something so listen up."

The old man leaned into Sebastian.

"Cory would have stayed out of trouble but he was thinking with his dick. That woman, Vail's wife, Cory got a little too cozy with her and it cost me some money."

They were out of Winona now. Driving north towards Utah on the same route where Sebastian had killed Big Mike and Vince and left them dead in the desert.

Sebastian knew he had to be careful now. He didn't want the old man to get angry but he took a chance.

"Was Cory sleeping with Jessie Vail?" Sebastian asked.

"Maybe he was? He didn't fucking tell me but I hear some things." Rappelo said. "But he knew that messing around like that makes it hard to do business and Cory was here to do business for the family. The kid fucked up and now this."

            It made sense to Sebastian. It all made sense now.

Jessie wasn't sleeping with Cam Starr. Starr was nothing to Jessie Vail. He was hired help. She was sleeping with the good looking businessman with millions of dollars to throw around. Starr was a body builder from the trailer park. Cory Pezzo was an educated businessman with a manicure and millions of dollars to romance a woman whose husband spent too much time at work.

Cam Starr wasn't sleeping with Jessie. He wanted to but that was why he had picked up the roofies. He was going to rape her.

Paul Vail didn't want anything to do with Cory Pezzo and his offer but Jessie wanted the money and she was sleeping with Pezzo to get it. Maybe Starr, who had wanted Jessie all his life, was jealous of Pezzo.

Maybe Pezzo did kill himself. He realized Jessie Vail was using him and he had lost all of that money. He invested all that time and money in Jessie Vail and then she was selling to Tal Harbord and Ashwood anyway. She had played Pezzo and he had lost his uncle's money. Maybe the guy even loved her.

Suicide might have been the simple way out of an uncomfortable situation and Rappelo could say what he like but he and Jessie pushed Cory to it.

They were two hours north of Winona and they were slowly approaching the area where big Mike had taken Sebastian to kill him.

"Where are we going?" Sebastian asked.

Rappelo looked at Sebastian but he didn't say a word.  Sebastian knew he was thinking about killing him. He was weighing his decision. This was business to Rappelo. You could see it in his eyes. He was weighing the pros and cons of killing Sebastian just like he would decide what sandwich to have for dinner. Sebastian had caused him a lot of grief and had even killed a few of Rappelo's men but then Sebastian had ties with the FBI and his disappearance would be no end of trouble.

"I hate this fucking town," he said, "Nothing worked right with this deal. Vail was a prick. His wife was a bitch. Cory screwed it up and now people are blaming Cory for killing the guy and then he kills himself. My sister's kid kills himself and you've been a pain in the ass."

Sebastian said, "I never said I had a witness. Your boys stole my computer and they read stuff they shouldn't have. I'm still investigating. This case is open. I am working with Agent Kelly. I work for Kelly and he is FBI. You can't kill me Rappelo. You know that. You can't kill someone who is associated with the FBI."

Trevor drove off the road into the dessert.

"This is where he killed Mike and Vince," Trevor said, "let's do this thing. Let me take him out there and look after it."

The car stopped and Trevor opened the door and climbed out. The short haired guy stayed in the car with Rappelo. Trevor opened Sebastian's door and told him to get out.

Sebastian knew that Rappelo was thinking it through. Trevor was mad and wanted to kill Sebastian but Rappelo understood the ramifications of killing someone associated with the FBI.

Trevor was getting pushy. He wanted to push the older man into making the decision.

"Get out asshole. It's you and me," he said.

Trevor was confident with Rappelo and the short haired guy sitting there. He hadn't even bothered to pull his gun from his jacket.

Sebastian stepped out and he didn't hesitate. He swung his leg around and kicked his heel into Trevor temple.

Trevor dropped like a stone. Sebastian stepped over and pulled the gun from Trevor's pocket.

The younger guy stepped out of the car now with his gun pointed at Sebastian.

Trevor was still lying on the ground and Sebastian had his gun pointed into his face while the other guy stood with the gun on Sebastian.

"What are we doing here Mr. Rappelo?" Sebastian asked. "Are you going to have a gun fight with an FBI employee?"

            Rappelo opened his car door and started to laugh as he stepped out.

"Get back into the car," he said to Trevor who was still stunned by the kick to the head.

Sebastian helped Trevor to his feet and back into the car as he held the gun to his head. The young guy ignored Sebastian and climbed into the front of the car beside his boss.

Rappelo took the wheel of the BMW and as he pulled away he stuck his head out of the window and said, "Stay out of Winona. If I see you there I'll kill you. I don't give a shit about the FBI. You're involved in this mess and I'll kill you for Cory. Stay out of Winona you asshole."

            The red BMW drove away south.

Sebastian stood at the side of the road and watched the car drive away and then he started walking in the same direction until ten minutes later he hitched a ride with a trucker delivering paving stones.

"Where too?" The driver asked as Sebastian settled in to the passenger seat.

"I am going back to Winona." Sebastian said and he closed his eyes.