Nathan March Investigations - Book Three: The Take Down - episode seven
episode one
episode two
episode three
episode four
episode five
episode six
Episode Seven
“Nathan, tell me you’ve got a trusted friend in the local FBI because my last association with them got them all the praise, and me and mine all the hard work, which led to a falling out of sorts. I’ve got some information they needed yesterday and today for sure, believe me,” said Det. Taylor Davis.
“It so happens that I do have such a friend so I’m all ears Taylor,” said Nathan.
“A very small fry in a crime family got caught distributing meth and in exchange for some good information, he’s hoping we’ll let him walk. It seems a special agent by the name of Matthew Leone is about to be terminated by one of the best on the mob’s payroll, because somebody in the FBI’s office exposed him as a fed, to the boys in New Orleans as a favor.
“I’d sure hate to see an FBI agent disappear and Gillian gloating over it with her hired assassin,” said Taylor.
“Okay let me get back to you,” said Nathan disconnecting the call.
“Hello Sharon,” said Nathan to Special Agent in Charge, Sharon O’Brien.
“Nathan March, it is so good to hear from you. How is my favorite Private Eye these days?” asked Sharon.
“Alright I’m told. I’m in Houston at the moment,” said Nathan.
“You do remember that you owe me a dinner,” said Sharon.
“Indeed I do, but there’s something I need to speak to you about that involves Special Agent Matthew Leone and his “relationship” with one Gillian Solomon.
“Why Nathan you do keep your nose to the ground. That’s information that’s “Need to know only,” or at least it was,” said Sharon now more than a little disturbed.
“I’m in a position to deliver to you one solid witness who has information that will make your millennium, but before we discuss him, you need to pull agent Leone ASAP. Another friend of the family revealed to the boys in New Orleans that your agent’s taking notes during some serious pillow talk with Gillian Solomon. Of course we both realize that you have a leak right there in your office and years of knowing you Sharon guarantees me, you’ll out him or her before week’s end,” said Nathan.
“Nathan, let me call you right back,” said SAIC Sharon O’Brien.
“Sharon, send him to 223 Liberty Street it’s a safe haven,” said Nathan.
Next he called Taylor. “Hey Taylor need your help immediately,” said Nathan after speaking to his friend at the FBI office.
“I’ll take a few boys with me and be there in five minutes,” said Detective Taylor Davis.
Hey boss, didn’t expect to hear from you,” said Matthew Leone getting ready for a shower.
“Matt, Gillian Solomon was ordered to put a hit out on you by her New Orleans bosses. We’ve got a leak here at the office which means you can’t come back. You need to head to 223 Liberty Street, that’s where March and his people are and it’ll be better than at any of our safe houses,” said Sharon.
“I don’t understand I was so careful,” said Matthew.
“Just go now, please,” said Sharon praying she’d gotten to him on time.
After being waved on in, Matt Leone’s navy sedan drove into that Liberty Street driveway ten minutes later with the driver wearing jeans and a sweater, hardly resembling the FBI special agent that he was.
“Glad you made it agent Leone,” said Nathan.
“There are more cops here then there are patrolling the city of Houston,” said Special Agent Matthew Leone.
“Good thing for you that there are,” said Detective Taylor Davis.
“How the hell did this happen?” said Matthew.
“Your name came up through a very reliable snitch who told me you weren’t long for this world,” said Taylor.
“Detective I don’t know how to thank you, I was within a couple of hours of heading to Gillian’s place where I’m sure a surprise awaited me,” said Matthew.
“You need to thank Nathan March here, because his people will be protecting you for a while,” said Taylor.
“It’s true Matthew, for the next little bit you’ll be residing here, until this matter is fully resolved. Meanwhile, you can sit in with me as we listen to County D.A. Frost who has a lot to offer in the matter of Gillian Solomon and her friends from New Orleans, that is if you’re interested,” said Nathan.
Mickey Stone and Mike Dempsey returned to the house with groceries they weren’t sure they knew how to prepare. Next John, George and Sam’s return from Dallas brought them home fifteen minutes later.
Det. Taylor Davis dismissed all the uniforms while Ken Hernandez and Farley Coombs continued to inhabit the house on Liberty Street with the all-male guests, on all their off-duty time.
“So the ladies are safely away?” said Nathan to John.
“That they are Nathan, and I think that was a great decision on your part, as the ladies appeared so much more relaxed as they headed for their flight with their new companions,” said John Barry.
Rifling through the bags of groceries Matthew Leone grinned at the fresh cuts of meat and the assortment of vegetables including his very favorite eggplant. In seconds he, volunteered to prove his culinary skills which he had learned from his father, a chef from Boston’s North End. Since no one protested, Matthew began preparing the eggplant, meatballs and copious amounts of tomato sauce as all the smell’s that were emanating from the kitchen, began to make the men’s mouths water.
Once everything for dinner was safely underway in the kitchen, Matthew rejoined the men at the large dining room table which included Mickey, John, George, Sam, Taylor, Ken, Farley, Nathan, and Monty Frost. It was Monty Frost who was about to give a preview of the story he’d lay on the Feds as soon as a deal was reached with them.
“Matthew I told Nathan already that the whole reason Gillian worked so hard to seduce you with money and other desirable things, besides the fact you are somewhat attractive to women, was to be certain that the feds were still chasing their tails with regard to the corpses removed from the abandoned church’s basement.
“Somewhat attractive, I beg to differ with you Mr. D.A. I know for a fact I’m more than somewhat attractive. I suspect she chose me because she knew that and later I proved that,” said Matthew with a broad smile on his face.
“You’re shouldn’t kiss and tell, agent Leone,” said Nathan grinning.
“I’m only saying we didn’t do much kissing. As I recall she asked questions about the case regarding the bodies from the church basement occasionally, and I reassured her that we didn’t even have them all identified yet. That answer put her in the mood to pillow talk and I listened carefully, collected my bribe money and left her very happy,” said Matthew.
“Seriously Matt we know of a guy they call “The Executioner” and he’s in our area awaiting your arrival at Gillian’s right now I’m sure,” said Taylor.
“We don’t want to set up a sting, because we think we have another plan that will work and our first obligation is to Mike Dempsey here who needs his father’s name officially cleared before he can get on with his life,” said Nathan.
“You’re talking about Claude Dempsey and his execution for allegedly murdering David Solomon some twenty-five years ago?” asked Matthew.
“Yes that’s right. My Dad never killed anyone and we are so close to proving it and getting the real murderer convicted,” said Mike Dempsey.
“Matthew we’ve proven that the accident that killed Mike’s Mom before his father was executed, was no accident and we know that two of the deceased men pulled off the bottom of Lake Houston, were responsible for that as well as a host of other murders,” said Taylor.
“Yeah, my boss was real excited after talking to an old friend that told her to look into the names of Carmine Ortega and Victor Scanlon as the primary executioners of the ten men from the church basement. That’s when I got assigned to get close to Gillian in order to do just that.
“I think I’m looking at Special Agent in Charge O’Brien’s friend right now,” said Matthew smiling into Nathan’s face.
“Guilty as charged. Sharon and I have done a lot of good work together,” said Nathan.
“And gentlemen never kiss and tell, I get the picture,” said Matthew excusing himself to finish providing a feast for ten hungry men.
The weight loss her body had endured over the last few months was hardly flattering to Gillian’s face or figure. Unable to contact Matthew Leone after keeping Luke Spano waiting over two hours to off him, as well as calling her FBI office connection on a private cell phone, and getting no answer, Gillian was more fearful than she could ever remember.
When Luke had finished a wonderful meal she had delivered for him from a restaurant in town, the big man finally called it a night for the both of them. She knew tomorrow he would meet with Angelo Tesla who would deliver the message for the last time that she take care of the fed, or Luke would take care of her. Nothing personal it was just business.
She also knew Luke liked her plenty, so she might have a chance to have him put a more positive spin on things when speaking to Tesla, if she gave him a real warm farewell.
However, it was Luke who took her arm and led her upstairs to her bedroom and finding the blue pills in her nightstand he continued his lovemaking all night, leaving Gillian bruised but sure he would defend her to Tesla.
Detective Taylor Davis had a great feeling about working with the FBI to convict Gillian Solomon for twenty counts of conspiracy to commit murder and when he told that to Nathan at breakfast the next morning Nathan asked him to recalculate and include her own son’s murder to her charges, making her accountable for twenty-one murders.
Monty could only shake his head knowing he had significant bits and pieces of conversations he overheard that would convince any jury of her guilt. He also hid some of her older bank statements in his safe deposit box. He knew that the huge money transfers listed on them would be of great importance if they linked Gillian to racketeering of any kind.
Sam Weiss now began the search for names given to him by both Monty and FBI special agent Matthew Leone. Large cash withdrawals along with evidence of money transfers needed to match the dates ten men with criminal connections went missing, in order to further implicate Gillian
John Barry teamed with Ken Hernandez and George Lopez, teamed with Farley Coombs. The teams took copies of the police files on felons reported missing, and left to talk to their families who they felt would be very cooperative.
Mike Dempsey’s knock and entrance into Nathan’s makeshift office made Nathan replay scenes from his youth when he was very young and went to talk to his Dad and seek his opinion about something important to him. The 6’5” male body that sat in front of his desk was more than well-toned and the fretful expression on Mike’s face, made Nathan take the lead in their conversation.
“You can feel it too, we’re getting very close to the outcome we’re hoping for,” said Nathan.
“Yes, I do sense that but I’m leaving the details in God’s hands,” said Mike.
“What’s on your mind Mike?” asked Nathan.
“Father Quinlan and I have kept in touch since I left Afghanistan, because I was contemplating applying to OCS and he was helping me sort out my feelings about it. He’s the one who got me into attending daily mass again, like I did for years when I was a boy. Dad’s imprisonment made me so bitter I stopped in fact I nearly stopped believing altogether.
It didn’t take me long once I got stateside to realize I don’t have the desire for OCS any longer. Instead I’ve been kicking another idea around, and Fr. Jeff suggested that I discuss with you,” said Mike who now wore a smile as he looked directly at Nathan.
“For weeks Detective Davis let me trail him everywhere to get a real feel for police work, since he felt I was a natural at it. I am so grateful for his faith in me because it did help me discover what it is I really feel I’d be happy doing for the rest of my life,” said Mike.
“You’re talking about becoming a parish priest, aren’t you?” asked Nathan.
“Yes. Father Jeff told me you have a special JUJU about things, now I know he spoke the truth,” said Mike relaxing and settling back in his chair.
“In my line of work I’ve found that some of the people, who have brought the most consolation and wisdom into a situation, were overwhelming priests like Fr. Jeff himself.
“Knowing that both your parents were murdered and nearly being murdered yourself does put you in a position to explore the depth of your soul for the right path and come up with the absolute truth to get you there. Frankly, I can’t think of anyone who’d serve others with more humility and love than yourself Mike,” said Nathan feeling the impact of his words on Mike.
“Nathan, thank you. I was afraid to be happy about all the peace and clarity flooding my soul on my second visit to St. Mary’s Seminary here in Houston, last week. My application’s in my room and I’ve made a list of references which I intend to gather to go with it. Fr. Jeff said it will be a four year time period before ordination, since I have a college degree that includes four years of Latin,” said Mike beaming as he spoke.
“You sound like a man who knows where his future lies, and I’m as pleased as you are my friend, said Nathan feeling so joyful to see Mike’s contentment as well as those like John and his two associates George and Sam, along with Ronnie, Dede, and now Mike, all feeling the winds of change in their lives and unafraid to start over.
It was after lunch and both John Barry and Ken Hernandez were anything but optimistic about their next interview with the family of a missing person. The three interviews beforehand, had both men shaking their heads in disbelief. Dysfunctional would have been an upgrade for any of the three families who blamed the missing people for everything bad in their lives including their inability to work or concentrate, their abnormal body weight, their loss of hair, and even their bleeding gums.
Not one of the three families interviewed so far had reported their relatives missing until one week had elapsed or more. Two of the cases involved men with ongoing health concerns and the third involved a man who was thought to be in rehab, but had actually never showed up.
Therefore neither John nor Ken could have guessed that their interview in progress at the home of the brother of Gino Previdi would yield such detailed information.
“My brother Gino was never absent from a family occasion, whether it was a first communion or confirmation celebration. He attended every wedding and college graduation with his dear wife. It’s just not like him to avoid everyone for so long so we knew there was something terribly wrong. We told all this to the police five years ago. Since then his precious wife Rose has died of a broken heart after their son took off to join the Navy, and never returned home on leave, not even once,” said Enrico Previdi.
“I know the rumors about Gino being involved with the mob, we heard them all, but Gino treated his family like gold, and we want to know what happened to him,” said his niece Natalie Previdi.
“What exactly did he do for a living?” asked John Barry.
“He was a landlord, and owned many properties including several restaurants and apartment buildings, which we’ve taken care of for years now without touching a cent of his money. If he continues to be missing for another two years we will declare him dead and then make a settlement with his son, to purchase it all,” said Enrico.
“Can you tell us the names of his closest friends, sir?” asked Ken.
Sure there was Jimmy Scarpeto, Ed DeFrancisco, and Paul Abruttzi. They were lots of other friends of course, but those four were like brothers. It’s a shame because none of them can help you because they went missing sometime before Gino did and the police weren’t any more interested in their disappearance either.
“Gino got drunk once which was a rare thing for him to do, and he told me that someone was cleaning house and he was afraid. I didn’t know what he meant and when I told the police what he said before he went missing, again they weren’t interested,” said Enrico.
“Mr. Previdi do you have any photos of Gino and maybe some with his friends that we could borrow?” asked John.
“I’ve had this envelope full of pictures on this side table for five years, waiting for the police to take them and really do a search for Gino,” said Enrico removing a large manila envelope and handing it to John.
“His address book is also inside. I thought maybe some of those names would help the police to question those closest to Gino, but again they said they didn’t need any of it,” said Enrico.
“I don’t want to hurt you or any of his family members, but it’s possible that Gino and his friends are some of the men whose bodies were discovered in the abandoned Catholic Church downtown,” said John.
“They could be some of the bodies mentioned in the papers you mean?” asked Natalie.
“We’re afraid so, but only DNA will prove it,” said Ken.
“I don’t care how many of us need to contribute our DNA to identify Gino’s remains, we will all do it. That’s a promise,” said Enrico.
“Thank you so much for your cooperation. I promise you as soon as we get some answers, we’ll share them with you immediately,” said John as he and Ken left the Previdi residence.
Although John Barry and Ken Hernandez thought the search for the identity of the ten men had just begun, they were unaware that the very bitter wife of one Johnny Argenzio, who was missing for over four years, was supplying George and Farley with all the information needed to give the FBI a real break in the case.
“Here look for yourselves and maybe then you won’t think I’m crazy the way the police do every time I call to ask them for any new information. That’s my Johnny in the center and next to him on the right are Mark Cantillo, Bruno Szarcia, Leo Conte and Pete Ferrante, on the left are Gino Previdi, Sal Reggio, Paul Abruttzi, Ed DeFrancisco and Jimmy Scarpeto.
“They all were friends and I was friends with all their wives. We raised our kids together, each of us were Godparents to each other’s children and we never needed to go outside our circle of friends for babysitters or recipes or just a shoulder to cry on.
“A little over five years ago it began, one at a time our men began disappearing. It was heartless the way the police treated us, and more than a little cruel the way they could care less about our heartache. When we were very young and newly married Johnny had told me where he kept things to provide for me if anything went wrong, and he said if he were gone more than three months, to presume he was dead and get on with my life. Men don’t realize that their women loose themselves in their families and take their worth and their identity from those families, especially from their husbands.
“Some of the other families didn’t do as good as we did financially so I shared the best I could with them,” said Gina Argenzio.
“Mrs. Argenzio, did Johnny seem upset before he went missing?” asked Farley.
“Not upset just more affectionate than usual, he even cried during an old movie and that was unusual for him too,” said Gina.
“Did the other wives come to you, when their spouses went missing?” asked John.
“No, not one of them did. I called a few of them but they told me they were terrified and they didn’t want to talk about it. Two of the wives passed away, there are only two of us left in Houston, the others moved to either to Austin, Dallas or back East to be nearer their birth families. When my daughter, who is my youngest, heads for college in two years, I’ll move to Arizona to be with my family there,” said Gina.
“Mrs. Argenzio thanks so much for your time. I sincerely hope that not too long from now we will have some answers for you that will help you to move on,” said George.
“Just a moment I remembered something I don’t think I even shared with the police, because I honestly forgot about it,” said Gina.
“Please go ahead,” said Farley.
“It was Thanksgiving Day and we were just back from spending the day with family and friends when the doorbell rang. Johnny told me to get the kids to bed while he got the door. The kids just wanted to finish a Disney show so I went toward the kitchen intending to bring in the brownies and some milk for them. That’s when I saw a very attractive lady in the company of three men being shown to the den by Johnny. I could feel something was wrong and when I saw the expression on Johnny’s face I knew I was right.
The voices grew louder and louder and just as I was about to enter the den myself, out came the four of them never looking in my direction as they headed for door. Johnny was still inside the den and when I found him he was furious at their disrespect for him and our family.
“When I started to cry, he said not to worry that he’d had much tougher conversations with the same people at his office and they always worked their differences out. By the time I put the kids to bed, I’d forgotten all about it and so had Johnny. Johnny went missing the day after New Year,” said Gina.
“Mrs. Argenzio could you look at this photo and tell me if the woman you saw that night resembles the woman in this photo?” asked Farley showing her a photo of Gillian Solomon.
“Yeah that’s the lady alright, she was heavier and much prettier when I saw her, but that’s her,” said Gina as George and Farley realized Mrs. Argenzio had just brought the case of the ten murders full circle.
When Nathan March came through the door of one of the most expensive suites in the Hyatt in downtown Houston, the sight of Leslie Sawyer in a pink lightweight wool pantsuit with her blonde hair loose to her mid-back, he couldn’t contain his happiness.
Leslie loved what she saw in his eyes as well as the warmth of his mouth as he kissed her like a man completely in love with the woman in his arms.
As soon as one of them finished bringing the other up to date about their lives and their work the other began and continued until they both realized that their meal had gone cold and their wine had lost its chill.
“You missed me,” said Leslie much later as she lay in his arms.
“What gave you that idea,” said Nathan covering her mouth again with his.
“One would thing you even love me,” said Leslie.
“One would be right, wouldn’t they,” said Nathan as she buried her head in his chest.
Six hours was all the time they had together as Nathan walked the lady in his life to her security check, where he kissed her several times and then watched the beautiful woman he’d loved all afternoon, pass out of sight, returning to Boston.
Watching her flight lift off the ground Nathan felt certain that the time was coming when he wouldn’t be able to let her go. More and more her phone calls, the sweet emails she sent daily, her patience and constant support of him helped him to push aside the fear of a second marriage going astray because having to live without Leslie was an even more frightening thought.
George’s smile as he and Farley Coombs entered the house on Liberty Street, told Sam Watts that something great had just happened in the case of the ten corpses in the church basement. John Barry and Ken Hernandez had already discussed the information George had told them on the phone. When they arrived home the four men couldn’t believe how much information was learned using only the original Missing Person reports copied for them.
Matthew Leone and Sam Watts sat side by side running the names of the ten men obtained between the Previdi and the Argenzio interviews against the HPD files and the FBI databanks so that a clear picture of each of the men’s criminal backgrounds would now be available to them.
Johnny Argenzio, Paul Abruttzi, Mark Cantillo, Leo Conte, Ed DeFrancisco, Pete Ferrante, Gino Previdi, Sal Reggio, Jimmy Scarpeto, and Bruno Szarcia were first-class crime family members with criminal rap sheets that proved that somebody had kept the HPD detectives on each of their missing persons cases from doing the right thing. Again Gillian Solomon came to their minds.
Sam’s going that extra mile which he did in every case he’d worked on for Nathan, had him locate a story buried at the back of a Houston newspaper dated years earlier that told of Peter Ferrante’s shooting during his attempt to subdue a burglar in his home. In intensive care for weeks, Sam just had to know if any of the other men that went missing donated blood for Ferrante’s surgery.
Matthew Leone leaped out of his seat, just as Nathan March returned to the house. From Sam Watts he had learned that the hospital did in deed have DNA samples perfectly preserved for all of the nine male blood donors and the patient himself. That news sent everyone into orbit.
Detective Taylor Davis told Nathan that he had become a cop, never imaging that one day he would be a part of one of the biggest and most successful investigations in HPD’s history.
Three days later Special Agent in Charge Sharon O’Brien, with Matthew Leone at her side, along with Detective Taylor Davis, publically announced that the ten corpses removed from the vacant church in downtown Houston, were all identified comparing the DNA provided during the autopsies of the corpses, to DNA turned over to the FBI by Houston General Hospital who had kept it perfectly preserved since Peter Ferrante’s shooting.
As she announced the identity of all ten corpses found in the vacant church basement, Sam, John, George, Ken and Farley standing with Mickey Stone, Mike Dempsey, and Nathan March, all felt a part of putting to rest the questions from their families about what happened to their loved ones. It made each of the participants in the case feel they gave the families the outcome each was seeking, because despite what their loved ones did for a living, the families they left behind deserved the right to lay them to rest.
Carmine Ortega and Victor Scanlon both recently deceased themselves were credited with all ten homicides along with Tony Carpetti who was the third party involved in carrying out some of the murders. The warrant came as a result of a witness stating in a deposition that Mr. Carpetti had discussed the murders at length and his part in them during several dinners with the witness.
Whether it was denial or the substances in her body creating a false sense of security for her, Gillian Solomon never seemed affected by the news all over Houston about the murders and the warrant issued for Tony Carpetti, her deceased number one. She simply continued to do business as usual and send huge cash tributes to her bosses. She was certain Luke Spano was hooked on all the good loving he was now receiving from her regularly because his ability to defend her to the New Orleans bosses was evident as she continued to receive their compliments in their phone calls to her.
Gillian knew Luke’s idea to bury Tony Carpetti in the same casket as the old woman from the nursing home with no relatives to make any waves guaranteed Tony would never be found. Monty Frost was having a meltdown she was sure and since he could really hurt her, she’d take care of him too.
It was the newspaper photos of Matthew Leone standing beside his boss looking so pleased, that bothered her the most. She hated being the one used and the Special Agent of the FBI had used their time together to convince her that there was nothing to worry about regarding the church murders. Yet there he stood having done his utmost to bring the FBI’s case to completion and possibly name her as a person of interests in many crimes at a later date.
On Friday, two days after the successful conclusion of the joint FBI and HPD investigation into the deaths of members of a well-known mob family in Houston, Jonathan Meyers, Assistant County D.A., read and reread the letter of resignation received by mail from former County D.A. Montgomery Frost.
Frost listed a family emergency as the reason for his resignation and then profusely thanked the citizens of Houston and the rest of the county, for their faith and support of him during his tenure. He also asked members of the media to kindly allow him the privacy this troublesome situation in his life deserves.
During the press conference that followed, Jonathan Meyers formally announced the news of Frost’s resignation. He then proceeded to make it clear that the press and all media needed to abandon any ideas of an immediate interview with the former County D.A. as Meyers now acting County D.A. stated he intended to publically embarrass any news outlet that failed to respect Frost’s desire for privacy during this difficult time, in his life.
Nathan March watched the actions of Monty Frost now walking around the dense woods out back of the house, under the protection of Mickey Stone.
“I can’t imagine what he’s going through,” said Mike Dempsey referring to the disgrace that would be upon him, once the FBI sealed the agreement that would take into account his live testimony against Gillian Solomon, in order to enter the witness protection program.
“Mike I was so proud of you last night. During the taping of his statement, you heard from Monty’s lips about the corruption he took part in that made it possible for your mother’s death to be classified an accident, and your father’s conviction and execution to be carried out knowing for certain he was innocent. You showed no hatred or bitterness which proves to me that you’ve undergone some spiritual transformation that has allowed you to feel mercy for him,” said Nathan.
“He’s destroyed from the inside out Nathan, and thankfully I had no part in it. Now the door is open for me to help him find his moral compass and feel the presence of God in his life again,” said Mike opening the door to the back of the house and heading for Monty and Mickey Stone.
Within minutes Mickey was back inside standing beside Nathan, amazed at the attitude Mike displayed toward the corrupt County D.A. who basically helped to destroy Mike’s entire family.
“He’ll make a great priest, won’t he?” said Nathan with eyes fogging over with emotion.
“A priest really?” said Mickey.
“Yes really,” said Nathan.
“Wow boss maybe in some way the lot of us helped him bring out the heavy need he has for a higher power,” said Mickey.
“This case has been nothing but brutal. It killed the Dempseys, John McArdle, Abby Carter, and even a host of bad guys because it was time for their lives to end. It damn near killed the three of us, you, Mike and myself, and despite the fact that we really shouldn’t be here, here we are. I believe that can only mean that our purpose for being here is still up ahead of us awaiting fulfillment,” said Nathan with Mickey smiling in agreement.
“It won’t be long Mike and you father’s reputation will be restored. No matter whether Gillian ever gets prosecuted or not, my testimony will see to it that your Dad, a very good and decent human being finally gets exonerated. If that’s the last act of my life, I won’t complain,” said a very sincere Monty Frost as the two men walked slowly, side by side.
“For that I am so grateful to you Monty. I have a feeling that had I been old enough or brave enough to speak with you years ago, our lives would have been so different from the way they are today,” said Mike.
“I finally worked up the nerve to talk to my parents about everything. I told them that if Sandra wants full custody of our children when I go into witness protection, it is my wish that she have it. Like myself Sandy’s undergone a lot of dark nights of the soul, and something tells me she’ll do fine with them now and they’ll treat her a whole lot better, once they realize what I’ve put her through. To make sure they know the truth I mailed a letter to them this morning to clear the air. It should give her back the respect that being humiliated by my relationship with her sister took from her,” said Monty.
Mike and Monty walked for several more minutes and then realized how far they strayed and turned and headed back to the house. It was a comfortable silence between them but when Mike went to ask Monty about the man replacing him at the County D.A.’s office, the vacant expression on Monty’s face and then the blood pouring from his mouth as he fell, face first into the underbrush, made Mike freeze in his steps.
Nathan was the first to reach them and witnessed Mike covering Monty’s body with his own. A quick check of his carotid artery told Mickey that Monty was dead before he hit the ground. Nathan felt immediately that Monty was the lone target of this hit.
Mike Dempsey was covered in Monty’s blood when they separated him from Monty’s body. His tears were so genuine even Det. Taylor Davis and Matthew Leone could not hold back their tearful response to the young man who should have hated Montgomery Frost, but chose to forgive him instead.
Mickey Stone held Mike Dempsey in an embrace trying to comfort him and yet couldn’t forgive himself for leaving Monty in Mike’s care, while Mike had no weapon to defend either of them once this atrocity occurred.
Nathan on the other hand, reminded Mickey of the conversation they had finished just minutes earlier. Everything inside Nathan told him, that a higher power knew that this was what was best for Montgomery Frost and Nathan was certain that Monty was ready whatever the outcome of his taped deposition regarding Gillian Solomon’s culpability in so many felony murders.
Dede McArdle and Sandra Frost couldn’t believe their eyes when Nathan alighted from his piper jet to shake hands with the men who had done such a fine job of protecting the two women while they were in the British Isles. Nothing either Dede or Nathan said to Sandra would change her mind about returning to Houston for her ex-husband’s funeral service.
John, George and Sam followed Nathan onto the tarmac to greet their counterparts and to discuss any strange characters loitering around the women’s hotel suite in Canada. Sandra said goodbye and hugged her Canadian angels then she followed George’s lead with Sam close behind her as they ascended the plane’s built in air steps until they were aboard as Dede already was.
Sandra hadn’t slept since she got the phone call alerting her that Monty was dead. Although he seldom resorted to trickery the fact that Sandra refused to close her eyes made George Lopez, under Nathan’s orders, serve her a mojito with two mild sedatives dissolved in it. Within fifteen minutes she was fast to sleep and tucked in for the duration of the flight.
Monty Jr. and his sister Isabelle were anxiously awaiting their mother’s arrival to take them to her home. Nina and Theodore Frost would stay at the Hyatt in Houston for the length of the funeral services for Monty Sr. with the hopes that the children would be returning home with them, unless Sandra had decided differently.
Nathan’s discussion with Jonathan Myers and Sharon O’Brien regarding the funeral itself made him contact Monty’s parents who Nathan knew had been told by Monty Sr. about all the charges he was trying to offset by testifying against Gillian Solomon.
The Frosts still at their home in Dallas when Nathan spoke with them agreed that after his autopsy was performed they would hold a very private Memorial service after a very brief viewing period and then have Monty cremated as he himself had requested in his updated will.
Hoping Nathan would side with them, the Frosts were very unhappy when Nathan told them that Sandra’s wish was to parent her own children, removing Monty Jr. from Military School immediately and putting both children into a Catholic Junior High School and Senior High School in Houston taught by the Dominican order of all male instructors. Both schools enjoyed a sterling reputation with High School graduates admitted to college at a rate of 93%.
Again Nathan ran interference when the parents suggested that they had a right to raise the children and they would be hiring a very powerful law firm to help them gain permanent full time custody. When Nathan reminded them that Monty’s wishes were documented with the help of his attorneys and they specified that custody of the children would be returned to Sandra at her request, they finally acquiesced and assured Nathan they and the children would be arriving in Houston in forty-eight hours.
The Frost children were fascinated with the three huge men who arrived at the Hyatt suite they shared with their grandparents. Isabelle was the first to race to her mother who held her tenderly and heard Isabelle repeat over and over again, “I love you mother, so much. Please forgive me for acting like such a spoiled brat,” said Isabelle sobbing in her mother’s ears.
Monty Jr. cried as well telling his mother how wrong he was and that his father’s letter explained everything. Sandra could only embrace the two for a long time and then hand in hand the three left with a powerful protector assigned to each of them.
Another less astute man would have been far more insistent that the funeral of Monty Frost be cancelled for the time being. However Nathan knew that the children, their mother, and Monty’s parents needed this solemn event to put the past in the past and move on.
Four days later, the small Methodist church surrounded by police uniforms, took on a holy essence with the stained glassed windows sending a shaft of color streaming onto the simple stand holding Monty’s ashes. Over fifty people attended the service by invitation only and not one of them missed saying something comforting to Montgomery Frost’s family.
For Sandra watching her son and daughter graciously receive the kind words of their father’s associates and police authorities made her realize that the five days spent in the house on Liberty Street before the funeral, where adults respected each other, shared meals together, slept comfortably wherever they found space, and spent time talking about things that truly mattered, had righted Monty Jr. and Isabelle Frost’s outlook on life and gave them a hopeful perspective.
Of course as he always was, Nathan became the go-to-guy. Both of the Frost children sought him out when the odd questions popped into their minds, and they couldn’t find any answers that made sense to them. In fact Sandra was told by both her son and daughter, that they’d rather sit and talk to Nathan because he made them feel good, like they felt in church.
Sandra shared that with Nathan and admitted that the respectful manners of the Frost children were due to Monty’s parents and that neither Monty nor she could take credit for their posture, their much improved social graces and their proper speech. Both children loved staying at the house on Liberty Street instead of their mother’s home as there was always someone to talk to or watch a movie with, or to challenge them to a video game.
When Sandra realized, that Monty Jr. would turn twelve in two days, she set about putting together a respectful celebration with the help of Dede. In the company of over a dozen birthday guests who the children had spent so much time with in the last few days as well as his grandparents, Monty Jr., blew out his candles and made a wish. His birthday gifts included video games, sweats and new sneakers with a few gift cards that allowed him to buy some pretty expensive things by himself.
Later Nina and Theodore Frost stood on the porch with Sandra as she asked them both if they could see themselves sharing her large home with her and the children, as she realized that she needed them both so much.
It was Nina who admitted to Sandra that she was prepared to beg her for access to the children as often as possible. Theodore agreed that he’d happily accept her generous offer to live with her. Sandra’s only request was that the two of them interview the applicants for the household help who would replace those she’d furloughed days earlier. Nina couldn’t thank Sandra enough for wanting them as members of her day to day family.
Nathan could feel the harmony between the five Frosts who now were all his guests at Liberty Street until the close of this investigation.