Momma Lupe, Book 1 in the Ty Connell 'Novella Series. A Mystery/Suspense Thriller. Cooking or killing -- Momma Had Her Funny WAys by Michael C. Hughes Page B

all
morning."
    The sons looked back and forth. Ma had
biker contacts across the state who monitored police radio bands
and tipped her when police activity threatened.
    "How could they know about the lake?" Alain
asked.
    "How? Probably because of
you two and your big mouths. It's good to scare the girls, you
said. Dis is what comes from talking to anybody , about any of our business."
    "Somebody must have talked," Alain said. "One
of Paulie's guys."
    Momma wheeled around.
    “ You talked,” she said. “Paulie’s men
don’t know about the lake. How would dey? Just shut up.”
    They could see that Momma was in that
quiet rage that came over her before decisive and brutal
action.
    "We'll find out who talked, ma," Theo said,
trying to appease her.
    "Oh, shut up. Both of you," she snapped. "
‘Oo do you think is going to talk to idiots like you and tell you
what 'appened."
    Momma threw down the dishtowel and stomped
from the room.
    "I'll ‘andle this myself."
     
     
    When
divers brought up the other two crates that had been recently
dumped they were in for a whole new kind of
shock
    The bodies weren’t of young women.
    They were of men.
    Men dressed in nice suits and over coats,
both with large gunshot wounds in the back.
    They called Connell with the news.
    “Any idea who they are?”
    “Not right now,” the State Trooper said. “No
ID and no hands. Maybe never know.”
    Weird , Connell thought, when he hung up. Who were these two? How did they fit into
Momma’s world?
     
     
    The bodies had been sent to the State
Police Forensics Lab in the nearby town of Sudbury, only twenty miles from the site. At the morgue, work
had already begun to establish identities of the girls.
    When Connell and Morgan relayed details of
the discoveries in the Lake to Nolan, Nolan was both shocked and
relieved. The prospect not only of solving the contract murder of
Vinnie Momesso, but also of rolling up Momma Lupe's operation made
it a very good day in a very sad way.
    And Connell had come up with a strategy. They
would get the tap back on her kitchen window, and he and John would
go to Ma's front door at a time when the sons would likely be home.
They would tell Ma that they would like to step in and have a word
with her, that they had some routine questions regarding the
activities of the late Vinnie Momesso. Connell predicted that Ma
would remain cool and calculating and would allow them to step in,
rather than make a scene at the door. Then she would buy time. She
would lead them to the kitchen, and attempt to deflect their
answers with vague answers and non-committal shrugs. When Connell
brought up The Reservoir Lake, Ma would continue to sit sullenly,
continue to shrug off all questions. Stay calm until they left.
    Then she’d blow.
    "My bet is that ten seconds after we're out
the door and down the steps she'll start in, ripping strips off to
those two sons. It'll be as good as a confession, and we'll catch
it all on tape from the van. Then we go back in with the
warrants."
    The plan was approved.
    If they brought in all three to the station
together, they felt certain that they could get one of the sons to
turn, to crack and spill. They weren't bright enough to withstand a
withering and prolonged Q and A session without getting tripped up
by their own lies.
    So, that evening at six, Connell and Morgan
donned their Kevlar under their sports jackets and —backed by a
heavily-armed SWAT unit— they mounted the steps to Momma Lupe's
front door.
    At the door, Connell paused and glanced back,
down the street. The police van was in place, the mike aimed at the
big window. To the left, just around the corner, one SWAT team was
in place and only steps away, hunkered low against the side of the
house. To his right, other SWAT guys were grouped behind the hedge
at the other side of the house.
    Connell knocked on the door. And they
waited.
    But no answer.
    So he knocked louder.
    They waited again.
    Still no answer.
    There were also no sounds