Roya Fetova
A Crowdsourced Novel
Read it here – Say what comes next.
“Roya, they’re pulling onto the expressway. Should I follow?”
“Naturally.” Roya’s climbed over the console into the front passenger seat of the big SUV. “Don’t lose them.”
When the Cadillac turned onto the ramp, Frank followed, closer than before. Soon they accelerated to highway speed under the glare of halogen lights. Strange, just how vacant the Eisenhower expressway could be that time of the morning.
Roya leaned across to the instrument panel. “Fifty five—they’re playing coy. Close on them. Now! Let them know somebody’s on their tail. Closer—ride their bumper. Go ahead and tap them.”
Frank glanced at Roya and then did as she asked. As soon as their bumper made contact, the Cadillac picked up speed. Frank glanced down. Seventy five. Eighty. The car ahead still pulled away. “They must be doing 90 by now.”
“Lay back, Frank.”
He dropped to 55.
Within a mile, a squad car appeared, its lights flashing. Even at that distance, Frank could hear the siren. The Cadillac and the flashing cherries gained more speed and disappeared around a bend. Frank flinched as two more police cruisers raced by him on each side, sirens blaring, lights flashing. He judged they moved at double his own speed.
Roya graced him with a smile. “Now we see what happens.”
In a few minutes, they slowed for a construction zone. Ahead, a ball of fire. A burning car, crushed hard against a huge bulldozer. Squad cars, stopped amid the construction, their lights making the scene into a carnival. As Frank cruised by, the car disappeared into a blinding eruption of flame lighting the scene like a summer noon and he felt the heat of it through the tinted glass of Tatiana’s SUV. Then it was behind them.
He drove in silence, stunned.
“Don’t let it trouble you Frank. That Nick killed, many times, with no conscience, no pity. His partner, Pete did it for pleasure.”
“We murdered them.”
“Frank, I’m surprised at you. I told you of the leak in their brake line. And that gas tank…ugh” She laughed lightly.
“You created that situation.”
“I did not. How was I to know they would stake out Delores’ house? Count your blessings, Frank. They were looking for Ferragamo, just as we were. Uomo Grasso knows nothing of you. He is hunting his own hit man.”
“So you arranged their deaths.”
She inspected her nails. “Do you really think I plan to meet with Don Grasso before I take down his organization?”
* * *
“No, Uncle Uomo—this is the first I heard.”
The crime lord’s low rumble came across Desi’s cell phone, angry, threatening. “I now have lost four of my best men. Four men I could depend on. Nicklaus and Petro served me well for many years. Would you step into their shoes?”
“Uncle Uomo, I wasn’t there. I was asleep—”
Uomo raised his voice. “You learn exactly how they died and who did this thing. Bring me proof if you do not want to be held responsible.” He paused, then shouted. “And when you do, you will find it is this Ferragamo behind it. Or Speck. Or Smith. Or whatever that man calls himself.” Three heavy breaths, then the low rumbling voice again. “This–this happened near his sister’s home?”
“Yes Uncle…”
The connection went dead.
What happens next? TAKE YOUR TURN [click here]
HOW TO PLAY–This is an interactive story based on Nate’s game in my novel. You get to say what comes next:
1.) KEEP IT SHORT – It’s easy to play Nate’s game. Just enter your idea as a comment like, “their jeep drives off a cliff.” Don’t worry about form—just suggest the next step in the story. I’ll pick one, write it, and post it as a scene in serial form.
2.) KEEP IT CLEAN – I hold the veto pen. In general, if it wouldn’t fly in an old 60’s Bond movie, then it’s out. Since this is an experiment, I get to add rules as we go along.
3.) SHARE – Your posts are a precious gift to me. Maybe you’ll help write my next novel. If so, I’ll list your name prominently as a contributor. If not, then we’ll just have a great time. I take you at your word that all ideas are your original thoughts. No criticism. No arguments. No lawsuits allowed. Let’s have some fun.
The Gamemaker's Father 
Credit to my publisher for the solution to the plot problem.
Lee wrote this great follow-up to Chapter 15 but I took a turn myself, so I’ve repeated his post here:
On June 27, 2011 at 2:27 pm Lee Jantzen said: |Edit This
Tony drove north along the Fox River to Batavia. He spotted a pickup truck idling outside of a busy convenience store. He quickly parked the stolen car he was driving and jumped into the truck and took off. As he glanced in the rear-view mirror there was no indication of being noticed. He knew he would not be able to keep this ride for long. A popular hideout for outlaws the likes of Dillinger was Lake Geneva, WI, just across the border and he figured he would have just enough time to get there and ditch the truck before the owner was able to finish the police report about his missing pickup.
The drive to WI was uneventful. He felt he was far enough out of Chicago to escape Uomo’s thugs and informers. He would find a cheap hotel and lay low for a few days.
Roya and Frank sat at the breakfast table with Tatiana. Frank was enjoying his second cup of coffee and still aroused by the aggressive and sensual behavior Roya had displayed the evening before. Part of him was glad it was cut short, and part of him wanted to pick up where they left off.
Tatiana had plans for the day and she suggested that Roya and Frank take a country drive up to Lake Geneva, just a short ways away. They could enjoy a walk along the lake and have a nice meal at one of the quaint restaurants. Frank thought it was an excellent idea. He was tired of the surreal life he had been experiencing the last few days and was ready for something more tranquil. Roya sensed his need for some normalcy and agreed it might be a good idea.
Roya and Frank arrived in Lake Geneva late morning and parked the car close to the lake. They decided to take a walk before they found a place to eat. Both of them stayed away from the events of the past few days and what Roya planned to do next. They made small talk and learned about each other. Roya was trying hard to cover her evasive responses to some of his questions, but Frank could tell she didn’t want to be completely open about parts of her past.
They found a small café and were seated next to the window. They ordered their food and continued their small talk over the meal. As they were enjoying a glass of wine with dessert, Roya stared out the window at a man sitting on a bench across the street. She said, “Frank, I think we just found your double. Look.” Roya’s experience told her that this was happenstance and they were not being followed. Her mind started processing a plan to take advantage of this new development in her goal of killing Uomo Grassi.
It seems sometime in the past 5 or 10 years there was a fiery crash similar to your post on the Bishop Ford that happened in the early morning.
Re my storyline. Perhaps Frank forgot about the amorous episode with Roya and only remembered how she arranged car crash???
I’ll have to look into that crash. As to the story line, the more going on in Frank’s head the more mixed up he’ll be and the better the story.
Have any of you reading this wondered who Tony Ferragamo was hired to kill? Why didn’t he fulfill the contract? How could it be worth so much money to Uomo Grasso, a Chicago mobster? Why is Uomo so set on killing Ferragamo? It’s got to be something big.