Never Far From Danger

Never Far From Danger

A Dangerous Novel by

Alan Guzzetti

Copyright © 2014 by Alan Guzzetti

All Rights Reserved

Other books by this author

No More Smoking in Bed

True Adventures of My Life

Riverview

A Novel of Crime and Punishment

Dangerous Professions

An Original Thriller

The Reluctant Nazi

An unusual spy story

For more information visit: www.americanpacificbooks.com

Contents

Chapter One: A New Life Page 1

Chapter Two: Nothing Is As It Seems Page 16

Chapter Three: More Pain Than a Body Can Take Page 30

Chapter Four: Soup’s On Page 49

Chapter Five: Opportunity Knocks Page 64

Chapter Six: Plans Don’t Always Work Out Page 79

Chapter Seven: The Hunt Page 94

Chapter Eight: Time to Regroup Page 104

Chapter Nine: An Apparent Return to Normal Page 115

Chapter Ten: Leverage Page 129

Chapter Eleven: Danger Signals Page 141

Chapter Twelve: The Odds Are Slim Page 155

Chapter Thirteen: Back to Work Page 169

Chapter Fourteen: The Soup and Salad Act Page 182

Chapter Fifteen: Damage is Done Page 204

Chapter Sixteen: Never Far From Danger Page 217

Chapter Seventeen: The Resurrection of David Page 232

Chapter Eighteen: Backfire Page 246

Chapter Nineteen: Lemons or Lemonade? Page 259

Chapter Twenty: Luck Be a Lady Tonight Page 271

Chapter Twenty-One: It’s Clear Now Page 281

Acknowledgements

A few of those who enjoyed my last novel, DANGEROUS PROFESSIONS, as well as friends and family who generously tolerate me, encouraged me to write this sequel. So, I thought it was only reasonable that some of them could help me with my creative struggle and through occasional bog-downs with plot direction as well as evaluation of characters and events.

Little did I give consideration to their busy lives and schedules as I boldly and mercilessly badgered them into reviewing sections of the original draft. I even managed to convince a couple of them to read the entire manuscript when I finally completed the work.

I want to sincerely thank Neil Goldstein, Phil Holland, my sister Anna Chavez, and my daughter Gina Bailey for their thoughtfulness, suggestions, and comments during the early stages. My gratitude also extends to Pierre Murphy and Pat Anconetani for their reviews of the final draft. Thanks to Rees Maxwell for his excellent work on the cover design.

I hope all who read NEVER FAR FROM DANGER enjoy the ride.

Never Far From Danger

Chapter One

A New Life

Shannon was surprised to see the light blue airmail envelope when she opened the mailbox. She immediately noticed the return address. She saw that it was mailed from Chicago, but she didn’t recognize the street or number. She ignored the other pamphlets and mail in the small metal box, and she opened the envelope with trembling hands. She used her index fingernail to slit it so that she could pull out the contents. The handwriting was familiar. She finally recognized it. The letter was from Jim Royce.

She thought how could he possibly know my address?

At first, the letter made no sense to her. Then, she realized that there was a hidden message. She read:

Dear Shannon, I trust that this letter finds you and your partner in fine health and good spirits. I just want you to know that you have both been in my thoughts lately. If you get a chance, please contact me about a matter that may be of interest to you. It could be of significant importance and would possibly benefit us all.

Best regards, H.S.

She was shaken and confused. How did the sonofabitch know where to mail the letter? They must have been watching her for months. Now, was he suggesting another assignment? The bastard! H.S. must be Homeland Security. He wouldn’t use his own initials, of course.

WHY WON’T THEY LEAVE US ALONE? She was screaming in her mind.

She decided not to mention the letter to Mike. She folded it and tucked in the waist pocket of the lovely flowered spring dress she was wearing. After all, the wedding was only three days away and she wasn’t going to let anything stand in the way of their big moment.

Shannon Racette became Mrs. Michelangelo DiNardo at 2:00 P.M. on May 6. It was a Tuesday. The couple was married at Surval Mont-Fleuri, in Montreux, Switzerland – the finishing school where Shannon was sent to spend two-and-a-half years as a teen-ager. Madame Jacqueline Lousse, the Head Mistress, remembered her fondly as the brightest and most beautiful student at the school. She was delighted to grant Shannon’s request to be married there, and even more delighted that the couple decided to live nearby. They were to become good friends.

Shannon was spectacularly beautiful, her natural beauty enhanced by the pale yellow wedding gown that she had specially made by Comme Dans Un Reve, in nearby Carouge. It had a satin bodice that accentuated her tiny waist, flared hips and derriere. She wore a large-brimmed wedding hat, decorated with gold and yellow fleurs, to which an organdy veil was attached that fell over the gown and trailed several feet behind. Her sea-green eyes and perfect features, with full luscious lips completed the picture. She appeared both angelic and lusty – the envy of all in attendance.

Mike wore a single-breasted charcoal Armani tuxedo, made of Merino wool, with three buttons and double-satin besom pockets. With his muscular, six-foot-two-inch frame, dark eyes and wavy black hair, he was the perfect complement to his new wife.

The venue for the wedding was set on a promenade, along a cliff that overlooked the magnificent Lake Geneva. The spring weather was comfortable, and the air had a crispness and clean taste. A light breeze whispered and stirred the leaves of the nearby trees as it dried the damp, green grass that grew up to the walkway. Beautiful, vivid red and purple pansies, as well as violet peonies were brought in pots to surround the white gazebo that was specially built for the occasion. The school, as well as some of the guests, also purchased bouquets and pots of chrysanthemums, pink gazenia’s, and yellow, white, and red roses.

Madame Lousse arranged for the Mayor of Vevey to perform the ceremony. He was resplendent in his formal black and grey robes. Madame Lousse appointed herself Mistress of Ceremonies and made all the introductions and announcements, much to the relief of both Shannon and Mike. The wedding went off flawlessly.

The families of the bride and groom all arrived the previous Sunday. Shannon’s parents, Dr. and Mrs. Howard Racette, and Mike’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. Antonio DiNardo, as well as his uncle Pete, all met for the first time that evening. They were staying at the Hotel Eden Palace au Lac, where Shannon arranged for the three guest rooms to align on the same floor. Shannon and Mike were spending their first night as man and wife in the Wedding Suite. The hotel was first-class, with views of stunning Lake Geneva and the Alps mountains.

For Howard and Cynthia, it was their first European vacation. They never visited Shannon the entire time she was at school in this place, because they were too immersed in their careers – hers as a television talk-show host, and his as a doctor of internal medicine in charge of a clinic in Portland, Maine. In fact, until now they never met Mike, and this was the first time in over five years that they saw Shannon.

As for Mike’s family, it was one of the few times that any of them left New Jersey, except for an occasional trip to New York City, Philadelphia, and one business trip to Florida when the men picked up a load of stolen iPods. They were meeting Shannon for the first time.

Tony and Pete DiNardo belonged to a New Jersey mob family and led their lives as soldiers, doing the nefarious bidding of their captain. Nina, Tony’s wife, lived the role of a typical Italian housewife, cooking and maintaining the household. She never questioned her husband’s whereabouts, but always secretly disapproved of his and his brother’s life style.

In spite of the diversity between the two families, they hit it off well, enjoying their accommodations. They looked forward with joy to the festive event that finally took place.

Shannon and Mike arrived in Switzerland six weeks earlier and already purchased a small home in nearby Vevey. It was very expensive, but their timing was good. Madame Lousse found it through an old and dear friend. It was an estate sale and was previously owned by an old woman with no living relatives who passed recently. There were only two bedrooms and it needed some work, but both Shannon and Mike were thrilled to be able to buy it.

The house had a small garden in back where the previous owner obviously spent much time fertilizing and grooming the soil. There was a vegetable garden with tomatoes, various herbs, cucumbers, and potatoes. Surrounding the vegetable garden, were colorful flowers, including roses of various shades of red, pink, violet, yellow, and orange. They were gorgeous and well maintained. Shannon loved the smell of the damp soil and the lovely fragrance of the flowers and even the vegetables. She never dreamed she would fall in love with cultivating plants, but she looked forward to it with great anticipation.

Shannon couldn’t wait to move in right after the wedding. She immediately purchased several books on growing and cultivating roses, as well as planting vegetable gardens. Then, she would turn her attention to the interior of the house. She talked to Mike about removing one wall in order to enlarge the tiny living room. Then, she wanted to replace several windows with larger ones to let in more light. She would pay special attention to the master bedroom. Modern wooden shutters would replace the tattered lace curtains, and the whole place would get a new paint job, white - with new hardwood floors, rugs, Mike’s art collection, and the furniture providing the accent colors. Later, the tiny kitchen would be enlarged and granite counter tops would replace the ancient tile, complemented by new stainless steel appliances.

From the beginning, Shannon orchestrated everything, including their relocation from San Francisco to transferring their accounts from Grand Cayman to a Swiss bank in Geneva, and arranging the wedding at her old school, all to Mike’s delight and approval. After all, she was the one who proposed marriage, so Mike gladly let her take control.

Mike moved his computer enhancement distribution business to a small office near the house and, with the exception of obtaining certain licenses and permits, was set up in a matter of a few days. He was fully operational within three weeks. He managed to retain all of his suppliers and distributors. The business continued to thrive in spite of the interruption caused by the move from America, and the time he had to spend with the new home and the wedding plans.

The wedding party was small, including the families, Madame Lousse and her husband Pierre, the Mayor, and two of the young students that Shannon had befriended. The wedding reception was held in a separate suite. Fine champagne and Russian caviar served on whole wheat blinis were offered as appetizers. There was an exquisite buffet of cold Scottish salmon, vegetables, Mediterranean scampi, hot breads, and roasted pheasant. Several kinds of fruit tarts and bowls of flavored cream were also available.

The two girl students, Elise and Heather, prepared the blinis and caviar, and baked the tarts. Everyone raved about the lovely feast and all were in a festive mood.

A single guitarist, a graduate of the master Julian Breame, played beautiful and subtle classical pieces while perched on a high stool in a corner of the room.

At eight o’clock, Mike took Shannon’s hand and guided her out of the room and down the hall to the elevator.

I feel as if I’ve lived a fairy tale, he said to his new wife. I don’t think I’ve ever been so happy and in love. I just want to get you upstairs and ravage you.

Shannon looked at him lovingly, as she slipped her arm completely around him. Ravage away. Let’s do it in the elevator. Why wait?

There was another couple in the elevator. As the newlyweds entered, they were greeted in German with broad smiles and congratulations. Mike didn’t understand most of the words, but the meaning and spirit were clearly understandable.

Guess we’ll have to wait another few seconds, he whispered into Shannon’s ear.

They graciously acknowledged the German couple’s friendly greeting and stepped off on the sixth floor with them. The couple continued to wave and smile, as Mike slipped the magnetic key into its slot and opened their door.

The suite was spacious and well appointed, with the requisite white goose down comforter gracing the king-size bed. The hotel was built in the classic European style, and the rooms all reflected this classic architecture. Nevertheless, it was modern, with plasma televisions, Internet connectivity, and other conveniences. The furnishings were of dark wood, and the floor-to-ceiling drapes were done in pastel colors, covering huge windows that provided a spectacular view of the lake.

Mike and Shannon were anxious to unleash the heated desire that had been building in both of them. They controlled themselves all day, and because of the special occasion, they were careful to remove each others clothes before climbing under the sheets. They pressed their naked bodies together, first for warmth and comfort, and then to join in a passionate love-making session that lasted for a half-hour. Afterwards, they lay, spent and sleepy, talking about the events of the past month or so.

Shannon managed to stop thinking about the letter from Royce for most of the past few days, but it kept popping into her thoughts this day. She forced herself to focus on the current significant events.

I’m so excited about moving into the house in two days, said Shannon. I’m tired of living in apartments and hotels. It’ll be wonderful to finally have our own home.

She thought again about the letter and its significance, but again decided to wait to tell Mike about it.

I’m so happy, Mike. I love you so much. After all we’ve been through together, it’s awfully nice to feel safe and secure, with no one threatening us in any way.

She stretched luxuriously and yawned. Then, she continued. I can’t believe we were actually government agents. When I think of all those horrible people . . . and that Mohammed Al-Foud who would have destroyed our country . . . I’m just so glad we were able to get rid of him.

Mike stroked her beautiful face with his fingers and played with a lock of her long, blond hair. Yeah, but I never felt like a spy or anything. I just wanted to get the assignment over with and get back to a normal life.

Shannon chose her words carefully, Well, here we are. Do you think any of that stuff will ever come back to haunt us, honey?

Mike thought a moment. The only guys who knew you and could have possibly done us harm were Quereshi, Kashawarz, and that Said Farah character who kidnapped you – and they’re all tucked away in Guantanamo. Besides, none of them ever knew your last name, and they couldn’t possibly know where we are now. No, we’re safe and it’s all behind us.

Shannon thought, Are we? Is it?

Mike went on, Anyway, why are we talking about that stuff on our wedding night? Let’s get back to making a baby.

He pulled her toward him and kissed her deeply. Shannon forced her secret out of her mind for the moment and wrapped her leg around his as she pressed her lower body to his erection. They were both very aroused, and they made love again before falling asleep.

Friday was the last day for the family visits. Everyone was in fine spirits and happy for the newlyweds. Mike’s family was leaving that evening to spend a few days in Italy. The Racette’s were anxious