Gumshoe Ghost Mystery: Dying for the Past Part 36

"He wasn't going to get a new name and new place to live? It was for the money?"

Andre nodded.

"What about me?"

"Yeah, Andre? What about her?" I already knew the answer.

Andre walked forward and wrapped his arms around her. "I'm still here, Bonnie. We can try again if you want-you and me."

Bonnie erupted in violent quakes of tears and sobs. "The book."

Footsteps approached us from outside and Angel walked through the side door.

"Andre? Bonnie? What-"

"Angel, you're not gonna believe all this," I said, "Andre's been working for Marcos-and Dobron killed Stephanos."

Angel's eyes flared and she looked from Bonnie to Andre and then fixed on the gun in Bonnie's hand. "Andre, what's going on? Agent Dobron killed Stephanos?"

"Yes, Angela. I'm afraid it's true." Andre took the last step and slipped his hand over Bonnie's gun and held tight. "And there's more-terrible things. I shot that man, Chevez. I found the book and went to your house looking for you."

"Did you kill Frannie Ma.s.seria?"

Andre's face tightened and his eyes went wide. "No. I found her dead. I found the book and went straight to your house. I wanted to explain everything to you. But Chevez was waiting there and jumped me. He took the book and ran straight here. Bonnie was with me, she saw it all."

Bonnie's face went blank. "This is insane. It's all insane. You're all lying. It can't be happening. I've got to get out of here."

"No, Bonnie," Andre said. "I'm telling you the truth."

"No. No. No. You're lying. It's the book."

Angel watched her for a second and then turned back to Andre. "Did you know Chevy worked for Simon Hahn?"

Andre shook his head. "No. What's it all about? I followed Chevy here to get the book back before it got into Dobron's hands."

"If you're working for Ruth-Ann, why didn't you just let her handle this?"

He looked at the ground. His face fell. "I should have. Things got out of control. When I lost the book, I called her but she was in Washington. I had to get it back fast. I went too far. When I confronted Chevez inside the house, he pulled a gun and we struggled. I shot him. It was an accident, I swear."

"All right, Andre, all right." Angel turned to Bonnie. "We'll wait for Bear and he'll figure all this out."

"No." Bonnie pulled the gun free from Andre's grip and jabbed it at him. "Both of you get back. I don't trust any of you. It's the book. It's always been the book."

"Angel, she's losing it," I said, watching the anger rising in Bonnie's face. "She's really gone-"

"Give me the book, Andre." Bonnie c.o.c.ked the revolver and leveled it at Andre's face. "I want it. You all killed Steph over the book. We wanted a new life. It's my turn. I'm gonna get what I want. Give it to me."

"Do it, Andre," Angel said. "Give her the book. Bear is on his way."

"So is Agent Dobron," Bonnie said in a strange, eerie whisper. "Then we'll see who's lying."

Andre took the book out of his jacket pocket and handed it to Bonnie. "Bonnie, please. Don't do anything rash. We need this book for evidence. We need-"

"I don't care." Bonnie backed toward the stall entrance to the tunnels. "Leave me alone. Both of you. If everyone wants this book so bad, then they can deal with me." She turned and ran through the entrance.

"Wait, Angel." I went to the pa.s.sage door and watched her disappear into the tunnel. "We gotta find Bear. I don't know what's going on, but we have to get the book back before Bonnie does something stupid."

Angel turned to Andre. "You've been working with Marcos? Why didn't you say anything when you were arrested for Grecco's murder? Why didn't you tell us?"

"I couldn't," he said, staring after Bonnie. "Dobron was involved and I couldn't let on I was. Ruth-Ann has been trying to trap Dobron for months. This was the last chance. The book will prove who he really is."

A car pulled up outside in the drive. I went to the door and looked out the window. "It's Dobron, Angel. If Andre's telling the truth, then we have to get the book before Dobron does."

"And if he's lying?" She said, ignoring Andre's stare. "What then?"

"Then he's up to his neck in four murders."

sixty-one.

At the bottom of the Carriage House pa.s.sage stairs and the tunnel entrance, Angel flipped on a flashlight application on her cell phone.

"Stay close, Andre, remember she has a gun."

"Then keep your flashlight low, too. It's a target down here."

"Good point. But it's too dark to see without it."

"Angel, I'll go up ahead. Move slow and be ready to get back if I yell."

I ran down the tunnel but found no one ahead of us. I reached the hub where the tunnels converged and called for Angel and Andre. When they caught up, I said, "I don't know where she went so let's go to the antechamber at the end and see if she went through into the bas.e.m.e.nt."

"All right. We'll need Bear's help searching the rest of the tunnels. She could be anywhere."

Andre leaned back against the wall. His voice was shallow and sad. "I'm sorry, Angela. I tried to help but made a mess of this. I killed Chevez. Dear G.o.d what have I done?"

"Chevy's alive, Andre," Angel said. "Let's find Bonnie and get the book. Bear will sort the rest out after. Focus on Bonnie and the book."

His face fell. "Yes, of course. The book will prove everything I've said is true."

"It better," I said. "Or there are a lot of dead bodies for nothing."

Angel nodded, patted Andre on the shoulder, then led him to the antechamber.

We made it without finding any sign of Bonnie. But when we reached the chamber, Andre pulled Angel behind him and stopped.

The door through the bas.e.m.e.nt storage racks was open.

"Wait, Angela. Bonnie could be waiting inside. Stay here-"

A shot cracked and the bullet slammed into the stone wall beside Andre.

Bonnie stepped out of the darkness behind us. Her gun was level with Angel's chest. "Don't either of you move. I mean it. I'll shoot."

"Bonnie, no! Calm down." Angel held up a hand. "Let's get Bear and sort this out."

"No. I'm gonna get my money and run." Bonnie sidestepped us and moved to block our escape into the bas.e.m.e.nt. "Move away. I don't know who to trust-but I know it's not you. Just stay away." She jutted her gun toward Angel and c.o.c.ked the hammer. "Get back."

Andre shoved Angel onto the floor and lunged for Bonnie.

"No, Andre, don't!" I yelled.

A shot erupted.

Bonnie stood there, gun wavering between Angel and Andre. Her eyes were as big as the red blossom in her shoulder. Her mouth quivered-unspoken words-and she dropped to the stone floor.

We all looked back.

Special Agent Jim Dobron-aka Dmitry Alexandrovich Dobronranov-stepped into the antechamber from the tunnel behind us. His gun was still aimed at Bonnie lying at my feet.

sixty-two.

"Are you two all right?" Dobron asked. "I was afraid-"

"We're fine." Angel dropped down beside Bonnie and checked her pulse. "She's alive. We have to get a doctor."

"Angela, come over here," Andre said. "Get behind me."

Angel looked over at Dobron. Her voice was icy. "Call an ambulance, Dobron."

"There's one upstairs for Chevez. I'll get someone down here." Dobron lifted his cell phone. "No signal. I'll have to go back-"

"Jim, put your gun down. It's over." Ruth-Ann Marcos said from the cellar entranceway. "Put it down, Jim." She stepped into the chamber with Bear behind her.

Bear had his gun trained on Dobron.

"What are you doing?" Dobron looked from Ruth-Ann to Bear. "Detective, get your gun off me. I'm not asking."

Bear shook his head. "Drop your weapon."

Spence appeared beside Bear. His gun was aimed at Dobron, too. "One of us will get you. So put it down."

I said, "Thank G.o.d, Bear. Where have you been?"

Bear glanced at Angel. "Angela, you and Andre step back. Dobron, I told you to drop your gun."

Dobron's face tightened and his eyes went black. "All right, Detective, we'll do this your way-for now." He slid his handgun into the holster on his hip. "Bonnie was about to shoot Professor Tucker and Cartier. I shot her. She needs an ambulance."

"Bear," Angel said. "Andre shot Chevy-it was self-defense, I'm sure. Chevy stole the book from him and Agent Dobron-"

"Andre, you have the book? Good." Ruth-Ann turned to Bear. "Get an ambulance team down here. The rest can wait."

Bear issued orders into a radio but never took his gun off Dobron.

"Ruth-Ann, please," Andre said, "tell them about me. They don't believe me."

All eyes fell to Ruth-Ann. I said, "Yes, Ruth-Ann, tell us."

"Of course," she said with a strange, c.o.c.ky smile. "Andre has been working with me at Justice-to make a case against Dobron. I learned Stephanos was searching for the book for Dobron. Dobron wanted to turn it over to the Russian Mob. Bonnie's relationship with Andre gave me my chance to trap him once and for all."

"Agent Dobron?" Angel asked. "You're sure?"

"Yes, Angela, very. And the book may very well prove it." Ruth-Ann walked over to Bonnie's still form, stooped, and pulled the book from her pocket. "And we have it after all this time." She nodded to Bear. "Detective, Andre has been working under my authority. We'll sort out what he may or may not have done later. I'm sure we can reach a mutual accommodation."

Dobron tried to step forward but Bear's gun stopped him. "What are you accusing me of, Ruth-Ann?"

"Oh, please, Jim. You've been working for Anatoly Konstantinova. Once Grecco found the book-you'd give it to Anatoly. When Grecco decided on a different deal, you had him killed."

"Bulls.h.i.t!" Dobron's face flashed rage and he jumped forward. "You lying-"

Bear and Spence grabbed him and pushed him against the ante-

chamber wall. Spence pulled Dobron's gun from its holster and Bear held his on target. "Don't move again, Dobron. Let's all get upstairs and talk this out."

An ambulance crew called out from the cellar and Spence left and brought them into the antechamber where they went to work on Bonnie Grecco.

"Yes, let's go chat, Jim." Ruth-Ann looked at Dobron and smiled. "Isn't it odd, Detective Braddock, how Agent Dobron is alone here today?"

"I was thinking the same thing." Bear pointed into the cellar. "Spence, take him up and make sure he doesn't get lost."