Posted By:
Booker (stargate.mtel.com)
Date: Wednesday August 11 [11:52:33 AM]
continued…
I asked her if she knew who “they” were. She said that she thought something called Jambo might be involved. I asked her about these “manly games”,…and got a blank stare. This was going to be a strange one…that’s for sure.
** ** **
But it wouldn’t be the first strange case that Lance Steele had worked on, that’s just as for sure. He figured he needed to get downtown pronto, and get on this while the trail was still fresh. It had already been more than a week since the, er….incident at this lawyers office. Steele knew that he’d better interview him first and see what he knows.
Steele: “Do you have a picture of your husband, something for me to go off of?”
Mrs. B: “Yes. Of course.”
With that, Andi’s wife produces a Polaroid out of her purse and drops it onto the private detective’s desk. Steele takes a look at the photo and nearly gags. His eyes pop wide open and, feeling his stomach starting to churn, he reaches for the waste paper basket beside his desk as he is about ready to puke.
Steele: “GOOD LORD! You didn’t tell me that they’ve BEATEN him!!”
Mrs. B: “This picture is a year old!!”
Steele: “Oh, sorry. It just looks as if,…..say (pointing)..what’s that on his face???”
Mrs. B. (leans closer to the picture): “THAT’S HIS NOSE!!!”
Steele: “Oh, then I really AM sorry. Anything else to identify him by? Distinguishing marks, scars, tattoos, clothing?”
Mrs. B. : “Not really, Andi’s a very plain dresser – usually jeans and a t-shirt, average height, average build. ……There is the watch though.”
Steele: “The watch?”
Mrs. B.: “Yes, he wears a Garfield watch on his left wrist.”
Steele (just when he thought this couldn’t get any weirder): “WHAT?!!”
Mrs. B.: “It’s a fourteen karat gold Garfield watch. I gave it to him as a gift a few years ago, he loves it and wears it everywhere. Its quite a unique watch really, there’s not likely to be too many people walking around New York wearing one.”
His meeting with Andi’s wife complete, Lance Steele has collected his customary retainer fee & hit the road. His first stop was at the law offices of Thomas Wallace, Esq.. In a brief meeting with Wallace he was given an overview of a day which is forever burned into the attorney’s memory.
Wallace (pointing at the still boarded up plate glass window behind his desk): “They crashed right through that window!”
Steel: “What!? What do you mean – through – it? How?”
Wallace: “What are you dumb? You don’t know the meaning of through? They came right through it & then threatened me if I took on the case that these three fellows were pursuing.”
Steele: “Three fellows?”
Wallace: “Yeh, yeh. Evan something or other, Forman, Fermen, Fromrad, something,…aaand…Jamie, Jezebel….JAMBO.
At the mention of the name Jambo, Steele snaps to attention. Remembering something that Mrs. B had said to him back in his office.
Steele: “Can you describe these three to me? Height, weight…?”
Wallace: “I can do better than that. We caught ‘em on building security closed circuit. Had to provide these to the insurance company to cover for the window.”
With that, Wallace hands two 81/2 by 11 black and white stills of Eben, Jambo & FroMan. One as they were entering the building, and one of them standing in wait at the elevator bank. Steele cannot believe his eyes.
**
After leaving the lawyer’s office, Wallace has methodically pieced together the case. He has interviewed eyewitnesses – the newsstand guy, taxi drivers, beat cops, receptionist in the Eisenhower Building. He’s handed out more than a few $20’s and $50’s, but he’s learned about events at street level on the fateful day that Wallace’s window was destroyed. He learned about the gathering of Andi & the boys in the street. About how two Maxima’s & a Lexus took off leaving Andi on foot. And about how Andi was followed down the street by three very strange looking characters.
**
Using his connections and informants in and around town, its taken Lance Steele less than three hours to discover where Jambo, Froman and Eben are – the Lazy8 Motel in Whiteplains – and he feels confident that where these three are, Andi is too.
**
Fast forward to 10:00pm, parking lot of the Lazy8 in rural Whiteplains, NY. Upon approaching the motel, Lance Steele spied two Nissan Maxima’s parked side-by-side on the far end of the lot – clearly placed at a distance from other cars to avoid door dings. A tell tale sign. Steele has already spoken with the front desk receptionist (nice girl), slipped her a fifty & got a peek at the guest registry. The owners of the Maximas & founders of the Jambytes are on the ground floor, room 28. Steele has been in the parking lot casing the joint since 7:00 & there’s been no sign of movement. Now, under cover of darkness, it’s time to make his move.
Steel slithers up to the door to room 28 and gently presses his ear to it. The television is on and there is banter within. He waits and listens.
Eben: “Do you think anybody will actually come LOOKING for this idiot Baritchi?”
One.
FroMan: “Are you kidding me? Nobody cares. We probably did his old lady a favor.”
Two
Jambo: “Don’t sweat it man, after we win The Manly Games – we’ll drive up to Canada and dump his sorry butt somewhere – let ‘em walk home. HAAA!”
Three.
Three distinct voices – they’re all in there, in the main room. Steele works his way to the next window and peers in. It’s a dimly lit bedroom, and….THERE he is! Arms and legs tied down to the bed, laying on his back with a smelly sweat sock stuffed in his mouth, is a figure that deftly resembles Andi Baritchi. To make certain, Steele pulls out the photo which Mrs. B. gave him from his jacket pocket. He looks at the picture and again, nearly pukes. He doubles over and dry heaves twice, then quickly stuffs the photo back into his pocket. He looks back through the window to compare the grotesque photo to the man on the bed. Getting his first good, long extended stare at Andi – he does vomit. After puking his guts out onto the walkway, Steele takes action. He slowly and silently lowers the window and climbs through. Now standing in the room a mere five feet from the immobilized Andi & only a thin plaster wall from the Jambytes.
Steele: “You Baritchi?”
Andi nods his head furiously, indicating that he is indeed himself.
Steele: “I’m here to help, your wife sent me. Just stay quiet.”
Steele starts to work. His years in the detective business has taught him that FIRST you grab evidence that you’ve done your job, then you assess the situation, then worry about getting victims out. Spying the Garfield watch on Andi’s wrist, Steele reaches for it. He works the watch loose & shoves it into his pant pocket. As he’s about to go to work on the ropes around Andi’s arm, he feels a presence behind him. Steele wheels around and comes face to face with Jambo. The six foot four Jambo is glaring down at the much shorter detective. Jambo is standing there with his hands behind his back, as if he’s hiding something.
Jambo: “WHO THE HELL ARE YOU?!!”
Steele: “I…”
Before Steele can finish his sentence, Jambo starts to bring his right hand out from behind his back. Steele senses that Jambo is about to hit him. He catches a quick glimpse of something shiny on Jambo’s hand – Brass Knuckles! And then *POW* - Lance Steele’s lights are out.
(I was a little bored last night)
Signed by - theBooker, Master of the dramatic; creator/author/editor-in-cheif of the hit series, "As the BBS Turns"; Shing's friend; loving husband; dedicated father, and all around good guy. Often seen driving a 96 Pebble Beige 5-spd SE.
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