All barricades were now gone. Also gone were any other signs of Vince Terranova's abduction. The house that had once belonged to Carlotta, then to her son now stood vacant in the hands of the OCB.
In the dark of the night a blue Oldsmobile pulled up in front of the house. The headlights were turned off and then the motor. A lone figure emerged from the driver's side. He made his way to the front door where he jimmied the lock and entered. He knew where he was going. He made his way to what had been Vince's room. And using a crowbar pried open the secret compartment in the closet...
Several hours later
"There's three and three quarter million dollars here," Frank McPike told Josephine Lasker. He spilled it out onto the table from a canvas bag. McPike had known about the hidden money that Vince had gotten from Roger Lococco who had taken it from Mel Profit. Now he was handing it over to the head of one of the most powerful intelligence agencies in the world. "I want you to find Vince Terranova," he said evenly.
Josephine rubbed her temples. "Mr. McPike, I believe we've discussed this before. We at the institute are not for hire."
McPike bristled. "No what you said was that it would waste a lot of the institutes time and money to pursue this matter. So here's the money. Find the time."
Josephine leaned against the table. "This is highly important to you."
"Will you do it?" There was a pause. "And don't try to tell me the institute doesn't do this sort of thing. I'm in the same business. I know better."
"Very well," she relented as she made a cursory count of the money. "But only because you know of our existence."
"Thank you," McPike told her somewhat sarcastically.
"We'll be in touch," Josephine informed him.
Two months later
Frank McPike sat back on the sofa in his house. It had been a month since he had heard from Josephine Lasker. And the only new information given him was that he was to call her Yosha, the name she was called by other colleagues. But no word from the operative she had dispatched to find his friend.
As he went to lift the remote control from the coffee table the door bell rang. Wearily Frank hoisted himself from his reclining position and made his way to the door. Looking through the peephole he groaned, "Oh, no." But he opened the door anyway.
"Hello, Buckwheat."
Frank did not verbally acknowledge the greeting but waved Roger Lococco in to the house and closed the door.
"Hey, Frank, long time no see."
"Did you want something or is this a social visit?"
Lococco removed his dark glasses. "Hey, Frank, is that any way to talk to me. Who gave you some extra scratch when you needed more money to pay off that A team you hired to find Vinnie?"
Frank swallowed. "Okay. Hiya, Roger, good to see you," he said with feigned enthusiasm. Then to punctuate his point he gave Roger a hug.
Roger laughed at the phony display of affection. "Fine. I'll get to why I'm here."
Frank released Roger from the embrace and stepped back.
"I need a favor."
Frank rolled his eyes.
"I'm serious, Frank. I wouldn't be asking if it wasn't important."
Frank returned to the sofa and flopped onto the cushions. He rolled his head back and forth against the back of the couch. He let out an annoyed moaning.
Roger rounded the sofa to face him. "Come on, Frank, you owe me."
Frank relented. He knew this would come back to haunt him. Why had he ever asked Roger for money when the three plus million ran out? At the time all he could think about was finding Vince. Now he was in debt to Roger. And Vince still was not found. "What do you want?" he asked reluctantly.
"I want you to introduce me to Yosha Lasker," he informed him.
Frank sat upright. "That's Josephine to you and what for?"
"That's my business."
"Not if you want me to make the introduction." Frank was firm. "Especially since she is bound to ask what you want."
"I want to be placed in Israel. Her institute can do it."
Frank rose. "And I'm suppose to tell her your reason for this is what?"
Roger returned the glasses to his face. "Tell her anything. Tell her I'm bored. Just do it." He didn't wait to hear any form of protest from Frank. He simply went to the door, opened it and departed.
Frank looked after him. "Swell," he said out loud to nobody.
Five hours later Frank found himself in the luxury office of Josephine Lasker, having demanded to see her. Up until then she had called all the meetings and they were usually in the conference room.
Frank's eyes surveyed the room. "The institute treats you quite well."
"I've earned it," she replied matter-of-factly. "Now what may I ask are you doing here?"
Frank was sheepish. "Roger Lococco would like to meet you."
Josephine rose from her grand leather chair. "Frank, be serious."
Frank had already anticipated her reaction. "Have you ever known me not to be serious?" he queried. "Yosha, I wouldn't be here asking if it wasn't."
Yosha folded her arms. "I suppose he didn't tell you what he wants from this introduction."
"He wants to be placed in Israel," Frank told her. "But I don't know why."
Yosha clenched her teeth.
"Look, I owe him a favor. This was his call on it."
Yosha sucked in her cheeks as she thought. She knew about favors in this business they were all in. It was practically the foundation on which is was built. She pushed out a breath. "Does Roger know Hebrew?"
Frank shrugged.
"Okay, here's the deal. You get him here in two days. I'll put him through the intensive language program. Maybe we can place him on a kibbutz or something." She shook her head. "You're sure you have know idea why he wants this?"
Frank gave her a look to which she nodded.
Yosha returned to her chair. "My counterpart in Israel is going to love this." She looked up. "Was there something else?" she asked Frank who had not yet departed.
Frank looked down then back to her. "Well, since I'm here. Any word about Terranova?"
"Nothing."
"Nothing," Frank grumbled. "Are you sure you're doing anything?"
Yosha was angry at this but spoke evenly. "Frank, one of our top men disappeared on this assignment. Now let me worry about what you hired us to do. You just worry about getting Roger here. And tell him to wear something comfortable. We'll be here a while."
The small conference room was readied. Yosha had set up a filmstrip projector and a tape player. She used a long wooden pointer with a hook at the opposite end to pull down the viewing screen.
The electronic door slid open. Frank McPike entered the room followed by Roger Lococco, clad in sweats and displaying his usual cockiness. Yosha rounded the table.
Reluctantly, Frank made the introduction. "Roger Lococco, this is Josephine Lasker."
Roger threw her a look. "Hello, Buckwheat."
"Oh, no," Frank found himself saying under his breath.
"Mr. Lococco, I have been called many things in my day. Some of them I will even answer to. Buckwheat is not one of them."
Roger tilted his head. "Hey, I call everybody Buckwheat."
Without any preamble Yosha hauled off and slugged Roger in the stomach.
Roger doubled and let out a verbal protest. "What did you do that for?"
Yosha shrugged nonchalantly. "Hey, I punch everybody in the stomach." She folded her arms. "Now you don't call me Buckwheat and I won't punch you in the stomach. Do we understand each other, Mr. Lococco."
"Yeah," he croaked. "We do...Ms. Lasker."
Yosha turned to Frank. "There's no need for you to stay."
Frank was still amused over what he had just witnessed. "I'd like to though... if that's alright."
"Suit yourself," Yosha replied as Frank took a seat. Then she turned to Roger. "Mr. Lococco, I would be interested in knowing what concern you have in Israel."
Roger started to give a smart answer but remembered his stomach and thought better of it. "With all due respect I'd rather not say. Just that I need to go there."
"And you can't just take a vacation?"
"No." Roger wished it was that easy. "I need an official placement." Then he tried something he rarely used. "Please," he said quietly. "I need this."
Yosha nodded. "Very well, you will spend forty-eight hours here learning Hebrew from the Ha bet U'Sh'ma program which I will teach. Then you may get cleaned up and go to processing. There your paperwork will be completed. You will be taken to Israel by private transport. Upon arrival you will be placed on a kibbutz. I expect that whatever your reason for needing this it will not interfere with the integrity of the institute."
"Yes, Ma'am." Roger took a seat facing the view screen. Yosha dimmed the lights and started the training with Lesson One: The Doron Family...
Frank sat back and observed. Whatever Roger was up to must have been dire. He just wished he knew what it was. But in two days Roger would be off to Israel taking that secret with him. And Frank and Yosha would never know.