Fragmentation Page 17

  Colleen gave Michael the information and he was on his cell phone almost immediately, making plans to have the sample picked up in the morning. Michael also took the opportunity to have his office call Senator Land and let him know Colleen and David were safe and under the Department’s protection. They would also advise Colleen’s parents of their safety but leave the missing person report open as a cover.

  Chapter 39

  Dessert was homemade New York cheesecake topped with a warmed Cognac based cherry sauce, one of Mirko’s specialties. He served this with coffee, followed by their choice of either Grand Mariner or B&B. They both opted for the B & B.

  They held hands as they climbed the stairs to their room. Colleen felt a warm glow pulse through her as she stole a look at David. Inside the room, moonlight streamed through the bay window and someone, perhaps Mirko, had left a bottle of chilled champagne and two glasses on a stand near the window. David opened it and poured while they looked out over the moonlit vineyard. He glanced over admiring her; Colleen looked beautiful in heels and the soft blue sweater that matched her eyes. He turned and tenderly kissed her forehead. She stepped back, locked the door and pulled David to her, kissing him passionately.

  “What is this all about?”

  Colleen nibbled on his ear, “I have been thinking about you all evening and I want to know what you are going to do about it Mr. Albright.”

  “Well I, I’m going to…”

  Colleen began unbuttoning David’s shirt. “Have I told you lately how much I love you?”

  “Well no, not in the last couple hours; I was beginning to get a little worried.”

  Colleen looked incredibly sexy in the moonlight and David rose to the occasion, slipping her sweater over her head and undoing her bra. He began to kiss and caress her. Quickly, her skirt fell to the floor and they were on the bed making love.

  “I don’t know if it was the champagne, the moonlight or your red hair,” he said when they came up for air, “but that was incredible!”

  Colleen laughed and said, “I think we may have been a little tipsy, let’s try it again.”

  It was after nine in the morning when a soft knock on the door awakened them.

  Thru the door Mirko asked, “I trust you both slept well; breakfast will be in forty minutes on the veranda.”

  Colleen managed a thank you as she ran naked from the bed to the bathroom. “Wait for me,” called David, following her in. “I was thinking we should shower together since we don’t have much time before breakfast.”

  “That better be all you are thinking; we don’t have much time to get ready,” admonished Colleen as she noticed his arousal. Still, they managed to make it to breakfast just after 10:00 AM.

  Chapter 40

  The morning sun crested the surrounding mountains and cast a yellow haze across the vineyard while the smell of fresh coffee invited them. Colleen flushed a little when she noticed the others already seated at the table. She gave David a jab in the ribs with her hand as she took her seat.

  Mirko served coffee and took their individual requests.

  “Today, I want to give you a tour of Seneca Vineyards. Michael will be leaving shortly and heading back to work. With your permission, I would like to show you how we make our wine.”

  “That sounds like fun; we need something to take our minds off our troubles for a while,” laughed Colleen.

  “I have some news.” Michael went on, “This morning Agent Miles was able to recover the sample you left at your parents’ house in Ocean Beach. Right now, it is on the way to our FBI Forensic Lab. We are also looking at the person who signed the order to scuttle the USS Morgan. That should be relatively easy unless they have managed to cover up for him. We are also following up on the reported incident at the Packer Marine Terminal. Something just does not ring true there. It bothers me for two reasons: first, it was sixty years to the day after the USS Morgan was reported missing; and secondly, there was an element of troubled concern in the caller’s voice when we received the call at our offices. We have gone over the tapes several times and the person making the call seems to be telling the truth. This also smells like a cover-up.”

  Michael stood and said goodbye to everyone.

  “Colleen and David, It was a pleasure meeting you both. I will be in touch with you shortly. Enjoy your tour of the winery. Tony does an excellent job, although he tends to brag a little too much!”

  “All right, Paisano, have a safe trip.”

  Michael departed and they finished their breakfast. “Can you both be ready in fifteen minutes? We will take the golf cart around starting with the actual vineyard and finishing up at the bottling plant. Along the way, we may even sample a little wine.”

  Colleen glanced at her watch and replied, “We’ll be down in a jiffy.”

  Tony was at the wheel of a very fancy four-passenger golf cart sporting a fringed canvas roof and the Seneca Vineyard logo.

  The sun was warm and the air clear as they started on the tour.

  Chapter 41

  FBI Division Supervisor of Public Corruption, Bruce Edward’s home: Saturday, June 23.

  Administrative assistant, Catherine Balkunow was on the phone with supervising Agent Bruce Edwards.

  “Agent O’Donnell just phoned. He and Agent Miles are both on their way in and will be here for a meeting first thing Monday morning. O’Donnell would like a short talk with you regarding the phone call from Senator Land several weeks earlier. He believes he has found a rather intriguing cover-up involving someone in the Department of the Navy or Defense that may be somehow tied to the Casey family.”

  “A call on the weekend, this must be interesting,” observed Bruce. “Did he give you anything for us to look at before the meeting?”

  “Yes, he faxed me a list just after his call. The number one item is for us to find out who placed the order to scuttle the old Navy vessel, the USS Morgan. After that, have someone look into the incident at the Packer Marine Terminal that took place on December 10, 2004. If possible, find out if there were any witnesses. Interview the

  O D and find out if he is connected to anyone of interest.”

  “He gazed at the burgeoning list and commentated, “That is a fairly tall order for less than a day, especially on the weekend.”

  “Agent O’Donnell asked me to apologize for the short notice; I think he really just expected you to get the ball rolling before the meeting.”

  “I’ll assign Agents Buck Hurley and David Calafato to this one. They just came off a Newark, NJ drug bust and at this point they should have all the paperwork completed.”

  “I’ll relay that to him and I’m sure he will be happy to have those two on the case.”

  “Thank you, Ms. Balkunow.”

  Chapter 42

  Seneca Vineyards bottling plant: Saturday, June 23.

  Following the tour, Maria joined the group for lunch and wine tasting at the winery. Afterward, Tony took Colleen and David over to the bottling plant to see how the wine was bottled, stored and shipped.

  Riding back to the house, Tony suggested they borrow the Hummer and go into Skaneateles to see a bit of the town.

  “Are you sure it’s all right Mr. Carbonara?”

  “Yes, of course it is and please call me Tony. You might even run into Maria, she is doing some shopping in Skaneateles. I think there is an antique boat show going on this weekend at the Village Pier. You might also like to take a ride on the Judge Ben Wiles; it’s an old steamboat that takes visitors on a tour of the lake. Here is some money. I want you to have a good time and I will see you all later. Mirko has the night off so if you want to eat in town that’s okay.”

  “Thank you, but you don’t have to give us money, I mean we have some,” responded David.

  “Think nothing of it. You kids go off and have a good time and don�
�t worry about a thing. Bobby will bring the Hummer around to the front door when you are ready.”

  “Thank you Tony,” said Colleen as they went up to their room to change.

  “He gave me five hundred dollars,” exclaimed David. “I guess we will enjoy going into town.”

  “That was very thoughtful of him. David, I think we better take some warm clothing if we are going on that steamboat ride.”

  “I agree and after that we can have a nice dinner out.”

  As promised, Bobby parked the Hummer outside the front door and handed them the keys and a gasoline credit card. “In case you need more gas,” he said. “Just go to the end of the driveway and turn left onto Route 41A. In about five miles, you will come to Route 20. Turn right and the town of Skaneateles is only a few blocks away, you can’t miss it.”

  David thanked him and they were on their way. It was a pleasant drive and they rode with the windows down and the radio blaring.

  The town of Skaneateles, founded in the 1790’s, stood at the north end of Lake Skaneateles. Named after an Iroquois word meaning “long lake,” it is a New England style village of approximately 2,700 people and centers at an intersection of about seven different roads. On the eastern shore of the lake, runs Route 41 also called East Lake Road and on the western shore is West Lake Road. In between, are the intersections of State Street, Jordan Street, Lakeview Circle, Woodmere Lane and New Seneca Turnpike, all of which form the hub of the village. Skaneateles looks like something right out of a Charles Dickens novel, with quaint stone buildings and inns along the waterfront dating back to 1790’s. In season, there are sidewalk sales, boat shows, concerts and community festivals.

  They parked the Hummer across the street from the Village Pier off East Genesee Street and found the antique boat show in full swing. David spent some time talking to the owners of wooden boats while Colleen went to the Mid-Lakes Navigation Company to see about tickets for a lake cruise aboard the Judge Ben Wiles. The vessel was built in the style of the nineteenth century steamers that toured the lake more than a hundred years ago.

  When Colleen walked back to the Village Pier, she had a great big smile on her face.

  “You look like the cat that stole the cream.”

  “David, I was able to book us on a two-hour Champagne Dinner Cruise! We leave at 5:30 PM.”

  “Looks like you have solved the dinner and entertainment question all in one shot.”

  They browsed around the boat show for a while, then headed to the dock and boarded the Judge Ben Wiles. Promptly at 5:30, the whistle sounded and they were underway on the two-hour cruise. The air was decidedly cooler out on the lake and Colleen snuggled up to David to keep warm. Although diesel powered, the old boat seemed to hiss and puff as it took them southward along the eastern shore toward the end of the lake. The sixteen mile long lake, carved by ancient glaciers eons ago, offered a contrast of pastoral views and rugged cliffs. Shortly after leaving the dock, the ship’s crew started serving champagne and a musician began playing music on the piano. By the time they were midway to the southern end of the lake, dinner was served. Along the way, the captain pointed out historic places including a great mansion once owned by President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s family. They finished their dessert of Strawberry Shortcake and coffee, shortly before returning to the dock.

  Back on shore, they strolled about the town, stopping at the Sherwood Inn for an after dinner drink. The old Sherwood Inn possessed a commanding view of the lake and boasted a tavern from the early nineteenth century.

  It was after 8:00 PM when they strolled back to the Hummer and slowly drove out of town. Seneca Vineyards was just a short drive down 41A. A curtain of purple twilight began to settle over the mountains silhouetting them against the darkening sky. As music played softly on the radio, Colleen closed her eyes, enjoying the night and the sounds. In the distance, David casually watched an array of flashing blue lights grow larger.

  He came out of his thoughts when he realized the lights were coming from an area near the gate to Seneca Vineyards.

  “Looks like some kind of accident up ahead.”

  There were three police cruisers blocking the gate to Seneca Vineyards. Across the driveway was a yellow tape.

  “It’s something else.” Colleen’s jaw slackened and her face whitened as David slowed the car for the officer. The police officer approached the Hummer and shined his light in David’s face.

  “I’m sorry Sir, but you cannot go in there. This is a crime scene.”

  “But we are staying here with the Carbonara’s. Wait,” Colleen said, “I’m not sure that you understand; we are friends of Tony and Maria. We are their house guests.”

  “Madam,” emphasized the officer, “I cannot allow you to pass the gate. This place is now a designated crime scene.”

  “What are you saying?” David asked in a thin voice. “Where is Tony Carbonara, what has happened here?”

  “Just a minute, I’ll get the Lieutenant.”

  A mythic silence began to settle in. Shadows edged closer as the darkness of night approached and Colleen’s heart began to pound in her chest.

  Another officer approached the car and again he shined a flashlight in David’s face. “I’m Lieutenant Cunningham. May I see your identification please?”

  David produced his driver’s license saying, “I’m David Albright and this is Colleen Gilmore. We are house guests of the Carbonara’s.”

  “Can you tell me where you were at 5:00 PM this evening?”

  “Why yes,” stuttered David, “we were on the Judge Ben Wiles for the Champagne Dinner Cruise. Fumbling in his pocket, David produced their tickets from the trip. “Here, these are our tickets.”

  “All right Mr. Albright, I’m sorry to tell you that Mr. Carbonara was shot earlier this evening and has been taken to Auburn Memorial Hospital in Auburn. An incident took place here around 5:00 PM. There were a number of shots fired, killing two men, in what appears to have been a break-in and robbery attempt. Maria Carbonara is with her husband at the hospital now. I am afraid you will have to find other accommodations for the evening while we complete our investigation.”

  Colleen’s face seemed to collapse and a chilling numbness began to spread along her arms. “Is he going to be all right, is Mr. Carbonara okay?”

  “I’m not sure, he had two bullet wounds but was conscious when the ambulance left,” revealed Lieutenant Cunningham.

  “How do we get to the hospital?”

  “It is on West Genesee Street in Auburn. When you get back to Route 20, turn left and there will be signs for the hospital. It is about six miles from that point.”

  “Thank you.”

  David turned the Hummer around and headed toward town. The indigo sky had changed imperceptibly to black. A bitter hopelessness was spreading from thru his body as he robotically drove toward the hospital. A paralyzing thought struck him. “This is our fault, I just know it is.”

  There was a brief silence, then, “Yes, I think we have to face that possibility. They may have been after us,” quietly sobbed Colleen.

  Chapter 43

  Auburn, NY, Auburn Memorial Hospital: Saturday, June 23.

  David and Colleen made their way into the hospital and found Maria and Vinnie in the waiting room.

  “Oh Maria, is…is, Tony going to be all right?” wept Colleen.

  “Yes, he is a tough old bird, but he does have two bullet wounds, one in the left shoulder and a small flesh wound in his lower right leg. Sadly, they got Bobby Vaccaro. The poor man, they shot him four times and he still managed to kill one of them and perhaps wounded another. He managed to save Tony’s life. We will miss him terribly. There were three of those bastards in our house, but let me tell you, they made one big mistake coming here and doing this.”

  There was an unmistakable air of authority in M
aria’s voice. She had taken charge of the situation.

  “They expect Tony to be out of ICU in about two hours. I have booked three rooms at the Sherwood Inn in town; one for you and Colleen and one each for Vinnie and myself. I am afraid the police will not let us go back to the house. They will most likely not finish their investigation until tomorrow afternoon. I am going to wait here for Tony, but I suggest you all go to the hotel and get some rest. He will be rather groggy and perhaps even on painkillers so it is best that we wait until morning to speak with him. Vinnie will ride to the hotel with you and Colleen in the Hummer. I have my own car.”

  The three of them left the hospital and drove to the hotel in silence.

  Chapter 44

  Maria, Vinnie, Colleen and David arrived at the hospital as visiting hours began. Tony was sitting up in bed, but looking a little pale. He smiled as they came into the room.

  After a few minutes Tony began to speak, “I’m glad you are all right. If they came when we were all at home, this could have been much worse. David, they were looking for you and Colleen. I don’t know how they knew you were staying with us, but I believe their plan was to kidnap both of you or perhaps even worse. We have to get word to Michael about this. The local cops here are like Keystone Cops. The State Troopers, for that matter, don’t know what to do in this kind of situation; they think it was a robbery for God’s sake. Those guys were a professionals. It’s lucky for us poor Bobby smelled a rat and acted fast. I heard a noise at the front door and these three goons were standing there. When I asked them what they wanted they pulled out 9mms and barged in. They wanted to know where you two were. When I told them I didn’t know you, one of those bastards said, ‘you’re lying’ and shot me in the leg. Bobby must have been in the library because he stepped out of the door and took out the guy who shot me. The other two crouched and opened fire on Bobby. As he went down, he hit one of them in the gut. When I tried to get his partner’s gun, the other bum turned and shot me in the shoulder. He and the one Bobby shot in the gut, fled out the front door. Vinnie was in the hangar working on the chopper when he heard the shots. He came out just in time to see a van leaving through the front gate. It was too far away to tell what kind of vehicle it was. Vinnie called 911 and that’s about it. Bobby was dead where he fell, hit four times. The poor bastard saved my life. I’ve known him for over thirty years. It ain’t right for him to go out like that; we’ll all miss him. This is pretty much what I told the police when they came. I left out the part about them asking for you two and the fact that they looked like a professional hit squad. I figure the less said the better.”