Silicon Gulch, Chapter 28

Jeff finds himself in Silicon Valley where he is asked to investigate claims by a gregarious Frenchman that his neural network electronic technology actually works. He meets up again with the enchanting Nancy, the FBI agent he had worked with in Atlanta where they fell in love while he was still married, and again in Washington DC where fortune kept them apart. A surprise meeting with Kathyputs romance back into Jeff’s life as he finds himself hounded by financially-desperate Europeans so determined to push their questionable technology―men so desperate that they will stop at nothing, even Jeff’s murder. The excitement will make the reader gasp, tragedy will make the reader cry, romance will make the reader sigh.

 

Chapter 28 of Silicon Gulch … Jeff wants vengeance for Ted's murder!

Friday 9:52 AM: Vengeance!
Jeff is now certain he saw the Frenchman in the shadows last night! Jeff demands a vote that they want the Frenchman dead! Then they decide to tell Mikl he was defrauded, and Gerard that they are telling Mikl!
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Thanks for taking time, and enjoy!
- Chris Lamela

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Author contact: chris@chrislamela.com, 707-566-8790 PST
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Friday 9:52 AM: Vengeance!

 

     "The Frenchman?" the room gasped.

     "Yes," Nancy put her hand to her chin, "that makes sense. He was counting on Uncle Mondo to finish the job." She looked around the anxious faces, "He told us yesterday that he doesn't want to do it. He told us that Jeff was safe from him. The Frenchman is all panicked because of the meeting yesterday, the meeting with Mikl today, he is afraid that Jeff is going to expose him." She shook her head, "But I know, too. So that means that he would have to clean me up!"

     "Unless he's counting on fear." Arnie continued Nancy's reasoning, "We already figured that with Jeff dead that they could easily handle…what's her name?"

     "Paula," Jeff answered.

     "Yes, so they are counting on Jeff being killed again," he turned to Jeff, "man I've got to give it to you, you are one tough bastard to kill!" This made Jeff smile, god, I sure seem to be! "So my guess is he would wave you in front of Nancy and hopefully get her to be quiet to Mikl. He's too goddam stupid to know that that she's FBI, so that makes sense!"

     He turned to Jeff, "And you're sure it was the Frenchman. That you saw him?"

     Jeff nodded slowly, "Yes, I am certain that was him, he has a distinct shape," turning to Nancy, "you didn't even want to pat him down again, remember?" She nodded in disgust. "That shape I saw, it was for only maybe a half second, but I swear that's who I saw. I mean who else would be my stupid goddamned? Think about it, let me complete what Ted was going to say, It's your stupid godammed crazy Frenchman."

     Arnie stood up slowly in deep thought.

     "Okay, so this is all making sense. And we have this meeting set up at noon. The question is whether he thinks you're dead and if we can use this like you guys did the other night."

     Jeff turned to Nancy, "You remember the four options."

     She nodded looking around the room for confirmation.

     "I really want that last option," Jeff insisted.

     "We voted. We agreed that we would do your Sherlock Plan."

     "Screw the plan. I want just want that bastard dead."

     Arnie raised his hands, "Whoa, hold on Jeff. We don't do vengeance."

     Ignoring him Jeff stood up with his right hand raised high, "I want a vote!"

     The room pulled back in surprise.

     "I want a raise of hands, how many want this bastard dead?"

     The table instantly bristled with raised hands.

     Jeff turned to Arnie with a surly face, "Call it what you want Arnie. I don't care. But that bastard will not see the sunrise tomorrow."

     Arnie flopped back into his seat waving his hands up in resignation, looking to Jeff.

     "That's fine, Ted worked for me. I want him deader than you do, but we can't be reckless. People get hurt when we get reckless. Sit down Jeff. We need clear heads."

     Jeff looked to Nancy, she gave him the tiniest motion to sit down, he followed her cue with a satisfied smile.

     "So what do we have here?" Arnie motioned to Yvonne, "Yvonne, we are going to be selective on the record keeping if you can manage it."

     "Just let me know what you want on the record."

     "Fine, let's start on the record," turning back to the room. "Okay what do we have here? Anybody!"

     "We have two men who we believe have bilked eight million dollars from the DOD for falsified data," came a voice

     "Fraud for taking that Mikl guy's money for nothing," came another voice.

     "We have murder for hire with attempted murder," chimed another voice.

     "We have a murder."

     "Extortion for the threat to go to Jeff's boss."

     "Bribery for trying to give money to falsify endorsements."

     The room went quiet, Arnie smiled, "You guys are forgetting old reliable here."

     "Old reliable?" Jeff turned to him.

     "Conspiracy!" the whole room aaaaaahed at the word.

     "So that's quite a list. What are you going to do with this?" Jeff asked Arnie.

     "This will get to the Federal prosecutor's office in San Jose on Monday."

     Arnie motioned to Yvonne, "Okay Yvonne, going off record," she put her pen down.

     "Okay kids, now let's talk about the Sherlock Plan," turning to Nancy and Jeff, "give us a briefing about your little visit with Uncle Otto."

     "Uncle Mondo!" a voice laughed, "Uncle Otto is a cheesecake!" The room giggled.

     "Okay, okay, uncle whatever."

     "Well," Nancy started looking to Jeff, "it was an interesting meeting. He was there clearly looking for his nephews. He talked about the specialized business that his nephews are in, and of course we know their specialty of creating new widows, though with those two they also made all sorts of former relatives. Anyway, so he said he was here to find his nephews, so Jeff here," looking to him, "comes straight out and tells him that he is not going to find his nephews and then tells Mondo they were killed in the very room we were sitting in."

     The room's amazed face turned to Jeff.

     "So he says that he knew they were in trouble when they didn't check in after Tuesday night. He also said the he knew Jeff was the target."

     Jeff made a motion of holding a microphone to his mouth, looking around the faces in front of him, "Note to self, next time practice talking to hit-man before going in front of hit-man." The room tried to laugh but was too rapt in attention.

     "So this Uncle Mondo asks who was responsible, so Jeff," Nancy continued, "tells him that two people were responsible, the FBI who actually killed his nephews―what did you say about them?" turning to Jeff.

     "I said there were the people who sent them into the trap."

     "You said it just like that, into the trap?" Arnie asked. Jeff nodded. "God, Jeff, that was brilliant! Those were the exact words?" Jeff nodded turning to Nancy who offered a confirming nod. "So you implied that they knew it was a trap without actually saying they knew it was a trap!"

     "Yes," Nancy smiled, "and Mondo bought it! He had trouble pronouncing the French last names with that silent-t but said that by the time this deal was done that people would be calling them something else."

     "You mean like dead?" Arnie asked.

     "That's what it sounded like. Then he asks Jeff how did he know so much. Jeff said that he had met with the two culprits a couple times, that he was there during the shooting. So Mondo asks why Jeff didn't get shot, he said he was just lucky," looked to him, "and you were!"

      "So what else?"

      "He was surprised that Jeff knew so much because he was the target! It was just like we hoped! He said that how could Jeff be responsible for his nephews' death if he was the target, and if Jeff wasn't responsible somebody else had to be. He went on to say that he only talked to Gerard once, that he thought that the Frenchman sounded desperate, that he was going to meet with him again. He went on to say how he hates dealing with desperate people because they are so unpredictable." She paused, "God, what else. Oh yeah, he said that he is a good judge of character, that he believed us and also that he trusts us. Can you believe that? He trusts us!"

     Nancy paused to catch her breath, turning to Jeff, "Did I miss anything?"

     "May I?" She nodded, he continued her story, "He went on to tell us about some kind of code, some code of honor if you can believe it. But remember I said that yesterday about something I read. He said that because his nephews didn't finish the job that the code prohibits him from completing it, that god had shined on me or something. He said that the bad guys offered him the million dollars to finish the job, but that he doesn't want to do it. That it would be bad luck."

      "Bad luck?" came a voice from the room.

      "Yeah, these guys are superstitious. He went on to tell us that…what were his words…that desperate people do desperate things, that he does not trust desperate people. He flat out told us that I was safe, that he would not take their job to kill me." Jeff paused, "Actually that was the best part of the whole meeting," smiling. "I think that's it, right Nancy?"

     "No, there was one more thing, well two more. He was leaving, tells us that he had me figured for FBI all along!"

     "What!" Arnie burst out.

     "Yeah, he turns to me, says that they are Catholic and asked me to make the arrangements to have his nephews bodies sent back to New Jersey. I mean, he asked me, not Jeff. He had me made!"

     Jeff laughed, "And check this out, he knew the phone number of the funeral home by heart!" finally the room laughed.

     "You said two things," Arnie looked to Nancy, "what was the other?"

     "He hugged me!"

     Arnie laughed, "You get hugs all the time, don't you?"

     "But not from a hit-man. Don't you get it? He hugged me to seal the deal. He is definitely not going to finish the job! How he is grateful that I will make the arrangements for his nephews."

     "Wow!" Arnie sat back. "Wow!" He paused for a second absorbing all he had just heard. "So where are we on the Sherlock Plan?"

     Jeff sat up, "We now know that Gerard has been defrauding not only the U.S. government, but also Mikl, and Mikl doesn't know it." He raised his hands emphatically, "Yet!" Looking around to Tim he asked, "Tim, has Mikl managed to make contact yet with the Frenchman?"

     "No. Three more voicemail messages, but the Frenchman hasn't returned a single call. Not on their cell phone or hotel room lines anyway."

     "So as far as we know, the meeting is still set for noon, Nancy should call to confirm, right?" Arnie spoke to her.

     She held up her phone, "I'll make the calls when we break."

     "So how are those guys feeling about each other?"

     "Well, if what, five or six unreturned calls are any sign the Frenchman is laying low, he still hasn't come up with a way out of his pit of despair." Jeff laughed to himself at another line from The Princess Bride. "Now all we have to do is to find a way to get the word across loud and clear that the Frenchman defrauded Mikl, that the Frenchman's gravy train is cut off. After our little discussion yesterday he may be holding onto the slim hope that he may be able to find the expertise he needs to upgrade his technology."

     Jeff looked to Tim again, "Tim any news on the destination of the call to Europe by the Frenchman?"

     Tim jumped up, "Oh god, yes, with all this story I forgot." He fidgeted around in a stack of papers in front of him. "Yes, we have a transcript of the call from the phone number to Gerard Pallot. Let's see," he read, "it was a quick call, blah, blah, blah, oh yeah here. This person, a man's voice says that he has been instructed not to provide any additional funds to Pallot, that when he gets back to France a meeting will be set up to evaluate the future of Neurotek. Let's see here…Pallot gets really hostile, tells him to go to hell and hangs up."

      Jeff nodded his head slowly, "P-e-r-f-e-c-t."

      "Wait, there's more," he pulled out another sheet. "This guy calls Mikl about…three minutes later…let's see, blah, blah, blah. Yes, here, he tells Mikl that Gerard called him asking for sixteen million dollars. Mikl goes into a tirade about Gerard and that he is trying to skim a million dollars. There are a couple words our translator couldn't decipher, we think they are regional profanity."

      Turning to Arnie, Jeff smiled, "So there are no outside cash sources, at least that we can tell. Mikl sees that Gerard is trying to skim cash from this other possible source. Gerard's only hope is that Mikl will still keep the gravy train going, but it is clear that Mikl is done." Jeff rubbed his hands together. "God, this is perfect!"

      "So what about you, Jeff? Does the Frenchman think he killed you last night?"

      Jeff turned to Nancy, realized he was the only witness last night. "I just don't know. But I think we need to find a way to play that card just in case. Imagine if he thinks he killed me and I show up again!"

     "So what about this Mondo guy? Is he going to play into this?" Arnie looked concerned.

     "My guess is that these guys are going to make one more pass at Mondo. Probably up the ante," Jeff spoke, "But if Mikl knows about Gerard's fraud he will call it game-over and go home. We need to make sure that he knows about Gerard's fraud before the meeting. And we need to make sure that Gerard knows his gravy train is turned off before that meeting. My guess is that Mondo's opinion of those guys won't change. He may take their money from spite, but I think he will see the Frenchman even more desperate than before. He will definitely want to stay clear of him."

     "So how will we play you?" Arnie stroked his chin, "How will we use your appearance to our maximum advantage?"

     Jeff turned to Nancy, "We could pull the same routine as Wednesday night at the restaurant, have you go in, then I come in after. Do you think that will work?"

     She shook her head, "That wore me out. I think we should just walk in together like we are expecting the meeting we talked about. Pure and simple. Seeing you will be all the impact we need. I mean, what do you think?"

     The thought that Jeff didn't need to get more bloody hands from the maypole ribbon was very appealing, "Yeah, that will have all the impact we need."

     "What about backup?" Arnie turned to Nancy.

     "This could get really dangerous. I don't even want the recording guys in the next room. It could be nothing or it could be bullets flying everywhere." She turned to Tim, "Can your guys set up away from the room? I'd really like to get it all on tape."

     "We better get over there now if that's what you want."

     "That's what I want. Set up where you'll be really safe. We don't need any more dead agents."

     Tim stood up with his sidekick disappearing through the door.

     "So Nancy," Arnie turning to her, "you have a couple phone calls to make." He stood up, "Okay everybody, let's give them some privacy." Soon the room was empty except for Jeff and Nancy. Arnie stood at the door, "Let me know when you're done, I'd like to hear." He turned, left the room.

     Nancy nodded pulling her phone out. "Let's think about this then call Mikl first. He could say something interesting for the other call."

     She reached into her purse pulling out a small stack of business cards tied in a rubber band. Pulling off the band she sorted through them, pulling out two cards.

     "Okay, so I call to confirm the meeting, right?" He nodded. "Then I say what?"

     Jeff's voice was excited, "Tell him the truth. Tell him that we met with Gerard yesterday concerning the integration, that we quizzed him on the technology. That we discovered that Gerard is not the inventor, that it was his brother Gaston who is dead, that the patents have the name G. Pallot, but that the G is for Gaston not Gerard. Then tell him that we quizzed Gerard and it is obvious that he not only is not the inventor but that he has absolutely no knowledge about the technology. Then tell him that you cannot endorse the technology and will not present it to the DOD. That pretty much sums it, right? Wait, no, make sure to say that Gerard does not own the patent rights."

    She paused in thought nodding, "Anything else?"

    Jeff paused, "Yes, don't let on anything about my current alive-ness. Let's hold onto that card."

     "Alright, let's do it," she pushed buttons on her phone, pushed a button to activate the speaker phone. The call started quickly with Nancy telling him the facts they just planned.

     "This is some sort of joke, isn't it?" Mikl sounded befuddled.

     "No sir, it is not. Everything I am telling you about the plagiarized patents is absolutely true. Jeff is an engineer. He wrote out equations for the various kinds of recognition algorithms, Gerard could not even pick out a single one."

     "This is preposterous! How could that man be pretending to be the inventor? I have seen him make presentations!"

     "Yes sir, I believe you have. But he was only presenting brochure information. Nothing you can't learn yourself by looking at the company's literature I'm sure."

     The line was quiet.

     "Mikl, this man is a fraud. He plagiarized his dead brother's work so that he could convince you to invest your eleven million dollars, defraud the United States government of eight million. He does not own the patent rights. We believe that he hired contract murderers to kill Jeff, and we also believe he committed murder last night."

      Mikl spoke so softly they had to lean to listen to the soft voice, "This…this…it suddenly all makes sense that…but to kill people…this man…look! I must go. What about this meeting at noon, do you still intend to hold it?"

     "Yes sir, we do. As planned."

     "I will be there." A long pause, "Thank you. Thank you for bringing this to my attention. I will see you in the conference room. Goodbye." They heard the click of the line hang up.

     "Let's give him a minute to call Gerard and leave another voicemail. Want some coffee?"

     They both stood to leave, coming back into the room a couple minutes later holding steaming cups.

     "Okay then, next call!" She reached for the other card pushing buttons, putting the phone on speaker again, setting it between them.

     "Gerard Pallot here."

     "Yes, Gerard, this is Nancy Wyse."

     "How are you today Nancy. It is good to hear from you. I assume that you wish to confirm our meeting at noon."

     "Yes, we are still planning to meet there, at least I will be there because I have not heard from Jeff," she flashed Jeff a malicious smile.

     There was silence on the other end of the line.

     "Anyway, I did want to ask you about something else. We heard that Mikl intends to cut off your funding. We told him that because of the meeting yesterday with you that neither I nor Jeff will endorse your technology. We do not believe that it will be a prudent thing to encourage the U.S. government to provide any more money to you or your company. Mikl was very upset at this news."

     "Why are you talking to Mikl? He has not told me any such thing. Why are you interfering with my company?"

     "We are not interfering any more than we need to understand the status of your company and your technology. As you know, we know that you are not the inventor, that you have no knowledge of the technology. Also we don't believe you have any rights to the patents. We simply let Mikl know these facts that we learned yesterday."

     "You have no right to interfere! We have gotten along just fine without you, we don't need your help now! The deal to purchase your endorsement is off!"

     "Will you still be at the meeting at noon? Mikl will be there and it might be a chance to tell him your side of the story." She looked to Jeff who was pointing two fingers up with an anxious face. She read his message, "We still might be convinced that we came to the wrong conclusion, if that is so then Mikl might provide more funding still." She looked to Jeff who had a smiling two big thumbs-up.

     "Well in that case, yes I will be at that meeting."

     "And I'll see if we can find Jeff. Gee I really hope nothing has happened to him. I haven't seen him since last night."

     "I know nothing of that. I must go now. I will see you at noon."

     She pushed a button on the phone jumping up with her arms in the air, "SCORE!"

     For a second Jeff saw Kathy doing the same with her winning Miss Scarlet last night.

     Nancy flopped down in her chair turning to him, "You said you wanted it! And you are going to get it!"

     "What? What did I want? What am I going to get?"

     "Vengeance!"

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NOW READ THE NEXT EXCITING CHAPTER OF
SILICON GULCH!

http://chrislamela.blogspot.com/2012/10/silicon-gulch-chapter-29.html

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Silicon Gulch, Chapter 29

Jeff finds himself in Silicon Valley where he is asked to investigate claims by a gregarious Frenchman that his neural network electronic technology actually works. He meets up again with the enchanting Nancy, the FBI agent he had worked with in Atlantawhere they fell in love while he was still married, and again in Washington DCwhere fortune kept them apart. A surprise meeting with Kathyputs romance back into Jeff’s life as he finds himself hounded by financially-desperate Europeans so determined to push their questionable technology―men so desperate that they will stop at nothing, even Jeff’s murder. The excitement will make the reader gasp, tragedy will make the reader cry, romance will make the reader sigh.

 

Chapter 29 of Silicon Gulch … Uncle Mondo was asked to kill Nancy, too!

Friday 10:41 AM: Taking a Pass
Uncle Mondo calls for another meeting where he tells Mikl is a desperate man he can't trust, that they paid him another million to kill Nancy! 

If you enjoy this, please take time to LIKE this on Facebook!

 

Thanks for taking time, and enjoy!
- Chris Lamela

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Author contact: chris@chrislamela.com, 707-566-8790 PST
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Friday 10:41 AM: Taking a Pass

     "Come on, we need to tell Arnie," Nancy jumped up for the door.

     Jeff stood to follow, a minute later they were standing in front of Arnie.

     "How did it go?" Arnie fanning his hands anxiously.

     "Perfect!" she beamed looking to Jeff who nodded enthusiastically.

     "So we're all set."

     Tim walked up, "Thought you'd like to know that the Frenchman just called Mikl and they had a nasty argument―just a few words. It was in French, but I could tell it was nasty! The transcript is being translated right now. Should have it in an hour."

     "An hour," Jeff went to look at his watch but saw only his hairy wrist. "Damn, what time is it?"

     Nancy looked at her watch, "Ten twenty."

     "So that would be eleven twenty. Yeah, that would be good," turning to Tim. "Can you make sure to track us down so we can see it before the noon meeting? Not sure where we'll be."

     "How about instead if I meet you in the lobby of the Merdian at ten till noon?"

     "No. No, I don't want to be seen. But okay," turning to Nancy, "you can be in the lobby then, right?" She nodded. "Okay so do that."

     Jeff's cell phone rang, he held up his hand turning away. He walked off talking on his phone, Nancy and Tim planned the exact logistics for getting the translated transcript.

     Jeff walked up with an ashen face.

     "Jeff, what's wrong?" Nancy pulled at his shoulder.

     "That was Mondo. He wants a meeting. In twenty minutes back in that room."

     "That's easy, we'll go in with a couple agents, hold on," she walked away holding up her hand. A few minutes later she walked back with Frederick and Arnie.

     Jeff turned to Frederick, "Jesus man, don't you ever sleep?"

     Frederick laughed shrugging, "Hey, when we're short handed…"

     Nancy stepped in front of the group. "Frederick, Arnie, we got a call from Uncle Mondo. He wants to meet in the conference room in twenty minutes. We don't want to take any chances so we'd like you guys to come along. Visible muscle."

     "Look Nancy, I can't afford any more―"

     "It will be safe Arnie. I'm not saying this guy is a pussy cat, but he must want the meeting for a reason. I believe he wants to relay information from the bad guys."

     Arnie looked confidently to Nancy, "If this is your call then we'll follow your orders."

     "Good, let's take two cars. Meet in the lobby."

     A few minutes later they gathered in the lobby of the Merdian deciding that Jeff should walk in first followed by Nancy with the other two behind when they go into the room.

     Jeff turned to her, "And you're sure he's not going to just start shooting."

     "Look Jeff. Do you remember what Uncle Mondo said to us about being a good judge of character, how our lives depend on it?" He shrugged. "Well my judge of his character is that he wants to play straight with us. He met with those guys and he has information we need going into that noon meeting. Come on."

     She signaled to the other two, the four of them walked through the conference rooms entry, a few seconds later Jeff walked into their conference room.

     Uncle Mondo stood up, "Jeff! I am so glad to see you alive!" walking up to Jeff giving him a man-style hug of hands on the shoulders, looking past him, "and Nancy, good to see you too!" he stepped up giving her a definitely more than man-style hug. Jeff couldn't help but smile at the old man's good nature, feeling more relaxed with this man in a darker pink shirt today, still pink though, with his big smile coming out from under his pork-pie hat's brim.

     Arnie and Frederick walked into the room, Uncle Mondo stepped back performing an exaggerated gasp with his arms up, "And muscle! Ah, yes we can't be too careful in this world can we?" He leaned to Nancy, "But you really don't need them, this is for your benefit, not mine."

     Nancy turned toward the two men, "Guys, I think we're okay. Maybe outside and play watch?"

     Arnie gave a nod, they turned back through the door.

     The three chairs were left exactly as they were yesterday, Uncle Mondo pointing to them like he was the host, "Come, sit down, I just wanted to have little chat before you have your meeting with the other gentlemen. Please, sit," motioning to the chairs.

     "I thought you were going back last night," Jeff queried.

     "I suppose I could have, I met with one of those men last night the Swiss man, I forgot his name, but something bothered me, so I stayed. I met with the other one this morning and that is why I called you, there is some very disturbing things happening that I thought you would like to know."

     "What is it Uncle Mondo?" Nancy asked.

     "See? She called me Uncle Mondo! We are among friends!" they all laughed lightly together, the mood softening.

     "What did you want to tell us?

     "The meeting with the Swiss man was not very useful. I am not sure why he even wanted to meet with me. But I learned for sure what I suspected."

     "What was that?"

     "He is indeed a very desperate man. It seems that he has paid something like eleven million dollars to the other man, he does not know what to do. The other man is the inventor of something, I don't know what, the Swiss man is not sure if he is throwing good money after bad. Of course I know nothing about that business so I could offer no advice. But I did indeed learn that he is a very desperate man. I told you both that I don't like desperate people. Their minds get clouded, they do crazy things."

     "Yeah, you can't do business with people you don't trust," Jeff shook his head.

     "You know, Jeff, I used to think that," slapping his leg, "never do business with people you don't trust. That is pretty obvious, really. But I learned never to do business with people I don't like for the simple reason that it never works out anyway!" He laughed out loud looking between the two. "Think about it, when have you ever had successful business with people you don't like?"

     Jeff thought for a second realizing what sage advice this is.

     "Look, I've been in this business for fifty years." Jeff was doing the math in his head, he started when he was sixteen!

     "I have been on some very big jobs. This job, a million, maybe two million. But my first million dollar job was like taking candy from a baby. I had been in the business for fifteen years when all the sudden this falls into my lap because the target was so big everyone was afraid of him." He bent over pulling out his wallet, rooting through it, handing Jeff a worn-looking piece of paper the size of a credit card. Jeff looked at it realizing it was an old driver's license.

     "Go ahead read the name."

     Jeff read slowly, "James Riddle Hoffa." Stunned he looked at Nancy, they stared at each other incredulous. "This is Jimmy Hoffa's driver's license!"

     Uncle Mondo reached for it, looked at it with a satisfied smile, putting it back into his wallet, bending over again to put the wallet into his back pocket.

     "Yes, so you see, I don't have to do anything I don't want to do. That Frenchman. This morning I met with, what is his name?"

     "Gerard, the Frenchman, right? Gerard."

     "Yes, that one. He is treacherous. He told me he murdered you last night! Came right out and said I shot him."

     "If he told you that he murdered me, why did you call me on my phone just now?"

     "Remember, I am an excellent judge of character. As he was telling me this, I could see the tiniest seed of doubt about if he had actually killed you. I figured there was only one way to find out. And you answered your phone! Dead men don't answer their phones, do they? See? I am a good judge of character! So this morning he offers me another million dollars to kill you Nancy."

     "ME?!" Nancy's voice rang with terror.

     "Yes, he said that you know a secret that must not get out. I don't quite get his math. If he says that he killed you, Jeff, why would he give me a million for killing you? And a million more to kill Nancy?"

     "Why do you think?"

     He laughed, "Two things. First to make sure that I don't kill him! The second is desperation."

     The room was quiet.

     "So now what?"

     "He asked me to be in the meeting at noon, to kill Nancy there."

     "In front of them?"

     "That's what he asked."

     Jeff turned to Nancy, "But it's no big deal. We take Arnie and Frederick in with us."

     She sat quiet, nodding slowly. "Yes, that's what we will have to do."

     "What? You think I'm going to kill you?" Mondo frowned offended, "after I told you I won't?"

     "He's going to pay you a total of two million dollars, right?"

     "He already paid me two million dollars! And five hundred thousand to my nephews. But I told you that I will not do the job. Sorry."

     "But you took the money!" Jeff was confused.

     "Yes, because I have a favorite new charity that I want to give that money to."

     "So you're telling me that we don't need to bring our guys in with us, that you will not shoot us?" Jeff asked.

     "How can I shoot you when you're already dead? And how could I possibly shoot such a beautiful woman?" smiling to Nancy. He leaned to her in a loud whisper, "Of course I have shot beautiful women before, but none as nice as you."

     "I don't know," Nancy shook her head with furrowed brow.

     "Okay look, bring your guys if you want. It probably won't matter. But the only way I'm shooting anybody is if they shoot first."

    "So what about me? The Frenchman thinks he murdered me last night. What do you think I should do?"

     "I think the two of you should walk in like you're at the beach. Calm. It will totally freak that idiot French guy out."

     "So," Jeff looked down at his watch that wasn't there again. "Damn it, what time do you have Nancy?"

     "Eleven-forty almost." She turned to Uncle Mondo. "I'm going out with Jeff. We will watch for when those guys are here, then we will both come back in. How about you?"

     "I could seriously use a bathroom right now, my poor prostate won't let me go an hour sometimes. Look you guys go ahead and get here after they arrive. You guys come in and let's play it by ear. Does that sound like a plan?"

     "Was there a plan in there?" Jeff wondered.

     "Look, you don't care about no plan. There's only one thing you both need to know. I don't know how many times I have to tell you two."

     "What's that?"

     "That when it comes to killing you two," he looked at them smiling.

     The two leaned forward for his next words.

     "I'm taking a pass."

 

 

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Silicon Gulch, Chapter 30

Jeff finds himself in Silicon Valley where he is asked to investigate claims by a gregarious Frenchman that his neural network electronic technology actually works. He meets up again with the enchanting Nancy, the FBI agent he had worked with in Atlantawhere they fell in love while he was still married, and again in Washington DCwhere fortune kept them apart. A surprise meeting with Kathyputs romance back into Jeff’s life as he finds himself hounded by financially-desperate Europeans so determined to push their questionable technology―men so desperate that they will stop at nothing, even Jeff’s murder. The excitement will make the reader gasp, tragedy will make the reader cry, romance will make the reader sigh.

 

Chapter 30 of Silicon Gulch … Gerard and Mikl murder each other!
 

Friday Noon: The Showdown

The Frenchman is stunned when Jeff shows again up after being murdered! Then Jeff defies him to write a neural network equation, but he can't! Suddenly Gerard pulls a gun, now all guns drawn! Mikl pulls a gun! The good guys slowly back out of the room ... Jeff has second thoughts about this plan and goes back to the room to witness Gerard and Mikl murder each other!
 

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Thanks for taking time, and enjoy!
- Chris Lamela

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Author contact: chris@chrislamela.com, 707-566-8790 PST
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Friday Noon: The Showdown

     They all stood, Jeff shook hands with Uncle Mondo who reached out again, hugged Nancy.

     "Thanks Uncle Mondo," she said, they turned going through the door.

     The two men at the door followed them into the lobby. Nancy assigned Frederick to watch for when the bad guys arrive, that they would be in a back corner booth in the restaurant. Arnie was to keep a general watch over the lobby.

     Nancy and Jeff walked into the restaurant, pointed to a booth, the waitress motioned for them to sit down.

     Jeff desperately wanted a beer but ordered ice tea, Nancy ordered the same.

     "Let's go over this," Nancy looked to the ceiling, back to Jeff, "well as much as we can. We will walk in. I want Arnie and Frederick to come in with us. The Frenchman will be freaked out seeing you and I want our guys there until he calms down. Then depending on how it feels, I may dismiss Arnie and Frederick like we just did." She put her hands to her forehead, elbows on table in thought, looking up to Jeff. "I don't know, then I guess we just see how it goes."

     The waitress walked up with their ice teas. Jeff asked for the check which she pulled out, he signed, billing it to his room.

     "I don't know what else we can do. Our only job is to foment the hell out of those guys and get the hell out. Like Atlanta." Jeff felt a chill run from his feet up his spine to his brain remembering the room full of people with guns pointing every-which-way but at him and Nancy.

     Frederick walked up near them signaling it was time. Standing, Jeff took a long drink of his ice tea setting the glass down on the table.

     They walked through the lobby, Jeff stopped, paused looking at the front desk in thought, "Wait a minute," he walked up to the front desk, coming back a minute later holding a pad of blue-lined paper. Nancy looked to him questioningly, "Insurance," he smiled.

     A minute later they were standing at the Parlor Three door. "Well here goes," Nancy grinned looking back at her entourage.

    She opened the door stepping in. Jeff could hear Mikl and Gerard greeting Nancy when Jeff stepped from behind her.

    Mikl called out, "And Jeff, hallo!" Jeff looked to Uncle Mondo sitting in a chair, small wave from the arm propped up on the table.

    The Frenchman stood next to Mikl paralyzed, jaw dropped, eyes the size and color of huge white eggs with tiny brown dots in the middle, color running from the his face, complexion matching his egg-colored eyes.

     Jeff stepped forward with his hand outstretched, "Gerard, aren't you going to say hi to me?"

     Gerard pulled back, "You…you…what are you…you are alive!"

     With a fierce growling grimace Jeff spit, "Yeah, you murdered my friend instead last night! Can't even do a murder right can you?"

     "So it's true!" Mikl coughed turning to Nancy, "It's true what you said that this man murdered someone?"

     "Last night," Jeff scowled, "he was trying to murder me so that I wouldn't tell you that he is a fraud!"

     Gerard suddenly shook himself looking to Mikl plaintively, "I am the inventor! I am the inventor!"

     "This man has been bilking you for millions for his high-flying lifestyle. He doesn't know shit about neural networks. He is a fraud!" Jeff barked.

     "He is lying! I am the inventor! You are not investing in me, you are investing in my company! He is lying!"

     Jeff looked to Uncle Mondo who sat shaking his head with a big smile watching this spectacle.

     "Can you prove it, that you are the inventor? You can prove it, right?" Mikl looked to Gerard still not convinced by Nancy's phone call. Jeff wondered why this was so important given the murder accusation.

     Jeff walked up to the table slapping the writing pad onto it THUMP! so loud it echoed in the room, Uncle Mondo pulling back in surprise. Jeff pulled out a pen turning to Gerard. "Here's your chance you fraud. Show us you are the inventor. Here, I'll make it easy. Blank paper." Waving the pen, "A pen! Show me the thin plate spline equation. It's what Neurotek's gear does, right?"

     Mikl looked to the pad on the table, to Gerard, "Gerard, do as he says, show us that you are the inventor. Do as he asked!"

     Jeff turned to Mikl, "I am asking him to write an equation with only two elements. Two! An eight year-old could do this."

     "Gerard, take his pen, show us that you are the inventor!"

     Jeff glanced back to Arnie and Frederick, both with right hands inside their coats, he glanced to Nancy holding her purse over her left arm with her right hand inside the purse.

     Gerard stood looking vacantly around the room. Wheels were turning up there, Jeff could see.

     Desperate wheels.

     Gerard reached into his coat extracting a pistol, from instinct Jeff pulled his Colt out of his jacket pocket, the room filled with the single synchronized sound of CLICK! five triggers pulled back. Jeff held his gun straight-armed toward the Frenchman who held his gun out toward Jeff.

     "So I did not kill you last night, too bad for that other man. You would not die when I sent the boys. You keep refusing to die. But this time I will not fail!"

     Jeff glanced around him, Arnie and Frederick and Nancy all with their guns straight-armed at the Frenchman.

     Jeff turned to watch Mikl reach slowly into his coat producing a gun which he aimed at Gerard.

     The room held its breath.

     Jeff glanced to Uncle Mondo sitting casually, legs crossed, small amused smile, elbow on the table.

     "Gerard, you may shoot me, but you will die," Jeff said calmly.

     "It is better to die than to live with dishonor."

     Oh, brother!

     "Don't you dare defile that word! You don't even know what that word means!" Jeff was surprised at these words streaming from his lips.

     Jeff spoke with a slow deliberate voice, "Gerard, here's what we are going to do. We are going to walk out of here. We will leave you and Mikl here. Uncle Mondo, you can do as you please," Jeff couldn't believe he was saying this.

     "What? Leave and miss this show?" Uncle Mondo answered flicking his finger between the two culprits with the same pleased smile looking around like he was at a carnival.

      Nancy took a half-step back, "So Gerard, we are going to back out. What you do once we are gone is not our concern. But so you know, there are Federal agents outside waiting to arrest you on the charges of fraud, murder, and conspiracy. You can take as much time as you need, but make no mistake, you will be arrested when you leave this room."

     "You cannot touch me. I am not a citizen. I will make such an uproar that your pathetic little jobs…I will see that you are all…" he did not finish.

     She turned to Mikl, "And Mikl you will also be arrested for money laundering and conspiracy."

     "I have done nothing. Nothing! This man, this…this man if he can call himself a man…he is the criminal! I am innocent!"

     "That is not for us to decide here."

     The room held its breath.

     "And so Gerard, we are going to leave." She glanced quickly around her, "Gentlemen, let's leave now."

     Nancy nodded to Jeff signaling him to leave first, slowly slowly slowly the four of them backed to the door, taking nearly a full minute to walk fifteen feet until Jeff was in the hallway, in another minute the other three were out.

     "Jesus Christ you guys, I'm tired of this," Jeff moaned continuing backing down the hall until they were in the lobby. Sliding their guns away before anyone in the lobby noticed, they turned to the small group of couches in the center of the lobby.

     "Come on guys, might as well sit down, this could be a while." Nancy pointed to Arnie and Frederick, "Can you guys make sure nobody goes into that hallway? We don't need innocents catching stray bullets." They nodded turning back to the corridor entrance.

     They sat next to each other for ten minutes, the tension and wonder about what was going on in that room with the three men was a dome surrounding them. They sat wordlessly.

     Jeff turned to see Uncle Mondo meandering through the conference rooms entryway waving amused at a woman walking by with a little girl in tow, Arnie and Frederick stepping back with wonder on their faces, Uncle Mondo strolling casually toward Jeff and Nancy.

     Jeff stood with a baffled expression. "What are you doing out here?"

     "The discussion is really between them, so I excused myself."

     "You just excused yourself? What discussion?"

     "Well I wouldn't exactly call it a discussion. More like an argument. A fight, really."

     "Argument? Fight?" Jeff gasped.

     Uncle Mondo pulled out a toothpick, peeled the little plastic wrapper from it tossing the wrapper onto the floor looking back to Jeff casually, "I don't know if you would call it an argument, but you got to call it something when you have two guys standing there holding guns on each other, right?"

     Jeff jerked toward Nancy to say something, but couldn't find words. He sat back on the couch. His expression showed the churning, his brain trying to grasp the events that had unfolded, that it was his plan that had put those two men facing each other's guns.

     Nancy turned to Jeff reading is sullen face, "Jeff don't!" she reached to his right arm.

     "They really are going to kill each other in there." He stood, his arms out imploring Nancy, "I know it was my plan. But somehow I'm not sure now. Not sure it's right."

     "Jeff we don't care! We voted, remember? Sherlock Plan? The man tried to kill you. Twice! He killed Ted! Good riddance!"

     A couple walking by turned their heads to the loud voices. Jeff stood looking over to Uncle Mondo sitting with a leg over the other, toothpick protruding from his mouth holding a small pocket knife casually cleaning under his fingernails whistling softly to himself.

    "Yes I know we voted, and I know that we did this in Atlanta!"

    "Yes, and it worked in Atlanta! At least there are only two of them here!"

    Nancy reached up pulling his arm down so hard he fell onto the couch next to her, she turned to him with fiery eyes, "Jeff, these guys tried to murder you! They murdered Ted! They are frauds stealing from the government! They are foreign nationals that will be impossible to prosecute! What more do you need?" She shook his arm so hard his teeth clacked. "Don't go in there! This is no different than Atlanta. You were perfectly fine to leave that bar, why is this any different than Magic Town? What's different now?"

     "Those people were all holding guns on each other!" He looked to her plaintively, "Jesus! Just like now! I thought I was okay with this. But now I don't know. Mikl was duped, he shouldn't die for the crazy Frenchman. I know he's not innocent, but this is all the Frenchman's doing! Maybe we can stop it!"

    Jeff pulled loose from Nancy's grasp jumping up dashing for the meeting rooms entrance, Nancy two feet behind him. She glanced at the other two men, "Guys, stay here and guard the hallway!"

     Thirty seconds later Jeff and Nancy were leaning to the door, shouts streaming through the door into the hallway.

     "You told me this was your technology! You did this just to take my money! Eleven million dollars! My money!"

     They could hear the Frenchman's disgusted growl, "You didn't care where it came from, you only cared that I could win contracts!"

    "And what good did that do me? All you did was fly around the world and feed your whore!"

    "Don't you dare call her a whore! She is my confidant!"

    "She is your mistress! A woman that is consuming two hundred thousand dollars a month of my money!"

    Jeff wondered what the hell a mistress can do with two hundred thousand dollars a month! That was over two million dollars a year!

     They heard Gerard's voice say something in French, Mikl responding angrily in English, "Don't talk to me in your peasant babble! There is nobody here!" Jeff laughed to himself that the Swiss man didn't want to feel like he was wallowing in the mud with the slimy Frenchman's crude language!

     Oh, this is precious!

     Jeff had forgotten his concern about these two murdering each other.

     "And what about the endorsements? We need to get those two back in here!" Gerard pleaded.

      "I told you I am done with you―I don't care! You've burned through twenty million dollars in two years, you could burn through two hundred million dollars and still have nothing! I don't care, I am done!"

     "You owe this support to me, I brought this to you. I can let you have the patents. What will it take to convince you?" the Frenchmen's tone was whining.

     "What patents? You don't even own the patents! You don't understand the technology! You are a FRAUD!"

     "What will it take for you to give me the money I need!" the Frenchman screamed.

     "You dying! I am through!"

     Suddenly Jeff's confusion ripped through his brain―without thinking he pushed on the door, swinging open, standing with his feet planted in the opening, Nancy looking over his shoulder, her gun suddenly appearing over his right shoulder.

     Jeff stared at the sight before him. The men were standing ten feet apart, arms extended with a pistol in each hand facing squarely at the other.

      Suddenly Gerard turned his face to Jeff, "YOU! THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT!" turning his gun toward Jeff. "WHY WON'T YOU JUST DIE!" PAP! CLUNK! a bullet hit the door jamb to the right of Jeff's face looking up to the Frenchman's anger-tormented face his gun held to Jeff PAP! PAP! PAP! Jeff saw Gerard stumble backward, smoke curling from Mikl's gun PAP! PAP! Mikl's gun fired again the Frenchman turning his gun to Mikl PAP! PAP! PAP! PAP! Gerard's gun jerked in his hand, Mikl gasped flopping backward onto the floor. Jeff pulled his gun from his pocket pointing it to Gerard, but Gerard did not move his gun away from the direction of Mikl's body turning his face to Jeff gasping "You, you ruined this, you ruined everything…" his eyes rolling up falling flat forward with such force his body bounced on the floor before resting spread-eagled, his head pointing toward Mikl's body laying on its back.

     Nancy pushed around Jeff, they both stepped into the room only ten feet from the bodies. Mikl's chest covered in blood, eyes half open. Jeff stood, the ringing in his ears raging W-E-E-E-E-E-E-E!

     Arnie and Frederick ran to the door panting, "WHAT THE HELL!" Arnie yelled, his feet planted apart gun held out, looking down to the bodies on the floor lowering his gun speaking quietly, "Ah jesus. Atlanta."

     Stepping toward the bodies Nancy put fingers to the neck of the Frenchmen shaking her head, stepped over to Mikl scanning the bloody man on his back not bothering to check his pulse, instead sweeping her fingers over his eyes closing them.

     Jeff walked to her putting a hand on her left shoulder.

     He looked around the room in resignation. It was exactly like Atlanta. He hadn't done a thing. They murdered themselves.

     Suddenly an enormous sense of relief washed over him.

     It was done.

     He looked to the walls seeing no bullet holes.

     "Well at least they only have to fix the carpet this time!" he surprised himself with his big laugh.

     She looked to him, turned to the door, "And the door jamb! Carpets and the door jamb!" she laughed with a resounding tone of relief.

     Jeff could see her expression showing the same liberation he felt, wanting to gasp at this sight of this horror before her, but in this enormous release of anxiety she knew they were through.

     It had been accomplished.

     They were done.

     She stood quietly shaking her head, "Come on, we need to get a crew in here."

     "He turned his gun," Jeff spoke almost to himself, his pistol hanging at his side. "It really is true. We saw it in Atlanta. We saw it in DC. They were terrified to turn their guns. Petrified. Knowing that if they turned their guns they would be shot. Gerard turned his gun. Mikl shot him." He shook his head, "Wow, it really was true."

     She shook her head, "It's amazing how self-defense is just built into us."

     "He broke the rule. He turned his gun. Mikl killed him when he turned his gun."

     They stood side-by-side looking at the carnage before them. The two men who had terrorized them, murdered their friend, laid quiet.

     Bloodied.

     Dead.

     A woman wearing a hotel uniform appeared at the door, "What was that noise―" she slapped her hands to her cheeks, "Oh my god! Are they dead?" She turned to run back to the lobby―Nancy was on her before she could scarcely make it away from the door.

     "Wait!" a second later Nancy had the woman by the shoulder walking her away. She turned back, "Arnie, Frederick, can you guys secure the room?"

     Jeff looked to Arnie talking to Frederick, "Listen, I have to make a drive to Pleasanton, can you keep the lid on this? Make the call to get this cleaned up." He looked to Jeff, "Good job there, make sure to thank Sherlock for me okay? Look, I've got to make this drive."

     Jeff stepped to the door, shook Arnie's hand wordlessly, they both turned back once more to look at the scene Jeff had just witnessed.

     "I just knew this is how it would end. Don't ask. I just knew," Arnie frowned.

     "Arnie, we planned it like this!"

     "Oh, yeah right. We did," he shrugged walking away looking over his shoulder, "Jeff, you need to get away from this room. I don't want any trace of you in this."

     Frederick stepped into the hall in front of the door, Jeff turned with a half wave.

     Three more hotel staff walked briskly down the corridor toward Jeff, as he walked toward the lobby, "What's going on here, what was that noise?"

     Jeff reached into his coat for his cell phone holding it up like it was some kind of badge, "This is an FBI matter, you are not allowed into that room. Please just turn around and go back to the lobby. You!" he pointed the tallest man among the three, "you need to guard the corridor entry, do not let anybody except someone showing you an FBI badge into this corridor. This is a matter of national security, and we need your help!"

     The man seemed to like being suddenly deputized turning to the other two, "Come on guys, we better do as he says," they all turned away.

     Jeff emerged into the lobby. Uncle Mondo was sitting in his same seat reading a magazine like he was sitting on the deck of a cruise ship on vacation.

     He looked up as Jeff approached.

     "So then, all done right?"

     Jeff nodded still standing. Numb. He realized he had no idea how he was feeling at that very moment.

     Nancy walked up, glanced at Jeff still standing, sat down where she was before. She patted the couch for him to sit next to her. "Come on, sit down."

     Tim walked up holding a piece of paper, "I got the translation of the transcript, the call, the Frenchman and Mikl."

     Jeff looked to him weakly, "I can't. Can you just read it?"

     "Sure, it's pretty short. The Frenchman calls Mikl, said only five words then hung up."

     Jeff looked up to Tim, "What did he say?"

     "You son-of-a-bitch I am going to kill you. Huh, well it was five words in French anyway."

     "Thanks Tim," he turned to walk away.

     "So Uncle Mondo, this is all done," Nancy turned to him with a tired smile.

     "Yes it is." He glanced at his watch. "Nice, I can be home by midnight."

     Reaching into his sports bag Uncle Mondo pulled out a large envelope, handing it to Jeff. Jeff took it in wonder.

     "Remember me telling you about my new favorite charity?"

     Jeff nodded.

      "Well, it turns out that you are my favorite new charity. I figure you are the Jeff Needs A Break Charity. Go on, it's the money they gave me to kill you and Nancy. But Nancy is FBI, she can't take any. So it's all yours." Nancy shot a startled expression to Uncle Mondo at this open revelation, he returned a knowing nod, glancing toward the conference rooms entrance, "And I'm pretty sure they sure can't use it!"

     Jeff opened the envelope sliding twenty embossed sheets of Bearer Bonds, one hundred-thousand dollars each. Twenty!

     Holding them in his hands Jeff looked to Uncle Mondo then to Nancy.

     "I can't take this!"

     "I can't either." Uncle Mondo shrugged. "It doesn't belong to me. My nephews didn't earn it because they didn't kill you. And I didn't kill Nancy so I didn't earn it. It's yours."

     Jeff turned to Nancy. "What do I do with this money?"

     Nancy stood, glanced at Uncle Mondo, looking back to Jeff, "What money?" she walked toward the hotel exit, a second later she was gone.

     Uncle Mondo stood up, "Come on, let me at least buy you a beer." He smiled at Jeff, "Come on, it will do you good!"

---------------------------------------------------------------------
NOW READ THE NEXT EXCITING CHAPTER OF
SILICON GULCH!

http://chrislamela.blogspot.com/2012/10/silicon-gulch-chapter-31.html

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