Mind (the) Game

by Kelly Shade

  Tylor came to the office and when Barrett filled him in with the new development, he turned to the LAPD team and said “Now, if you would like, you can assist us in finding Fred Macalister.” He waited for confirmation and when he got it he added “Lilia Jordan will be investigated, Adams will be put under witness protection.” Then he gestured them to follow him.

  They went after Smith, Ian stayed behind to call and inform Hunt about the Adams’s questioning but soon he kept up and they all gathered around Tylor’s desk.

  Smith quickly found Fred Macalister and it turned out he quit his job as a layer, shortly after Morse was caught, and moved to another type of business.

  “Macalister owns the Playa Del Mar Hotel, he bought it from the previous owner a month after Morse faked his death.” Smith said and continued digging in Macalister’s finances. “He looks clean, I guess he was smart enough to cover his tracks.” Smith added after a while.

  Barrett also joined them and when he heard that Macalister was in LA he offered “Let’s go get him, then!”

  Blake stayed silent through all the conversations, she didn’t say anything when Smith found Macalister’s home address and the fact he got a son, she didn’t spoke even when Nick and Ryan got far too excited over Macalister’s new wife. Blake had another plans for Fred Macalister and she had to share them, unwillingly, but she had to.

  “Don’t go!” Jane said loudly so she could out voice everyone in the small office.

  Barrett, Smith, Lee, Valdez and Gray felt silent at once and stared at her puzzled.

  “Not to go where, Jane?” Ryan dared to ask.

  “Don’t go to him now!” Jane was tense and looked more intimidating than ever “I have a guy who works there, he will gather intel about Macalister. It may be more useful than arresting him.”

  “Who?” asked Smith.

  Jane didn’t want to involve Erik in all of this but there was no chance making the feds trust her without anything on her friend.

  “Erik Marcelo. He is a bar manager in that hotel.” Jane spoke with difficulty, as if she had something stuck in her throat.

  Ryan made a grimace. He didn’t like the fact that Jane shared more of her secrets with Erik and not him. Gray knew there was no place for jealousy, Jane made it clear that Erik was like her little brother, but still. The feelings he had for her made Ryan become a cranky, jealous teenager when Jane was around another man.

  Blake had to explain who Erik was and why she trusted him. It took her almost half an hour in order to persuade Barrett to make a compromise.

  Jane called Erik and he was delighted by the fact he could help. He agreed to go to the FBI’s office, to meet the teams and discuss the mission. Erik promised to be there the next early morning.

  Now it was time for both teams to go home and take a rest.

  Chapter 12

  No one can escape the past

  After long couple of days with Erik and the feds, filled with training, explaining and repeating the plan for action, Jane was exhausted. She had to be at the LAPD to work on cases through the day and after that she had to go to the FBI’s office to supervise Erik and Smith. Several double shifts like this made her feel dizzy and with a nonstop headache. Blake realized she drank twice as much coffee, which was much more than usual and it felt like she was getting weaker with every cup. Jane thought that the fact she stopped smoking may be the reason for the unstoppable migraine or just because she was weary all the time.

  The end of Erik’s training put the end of Jane’s sleepless nights and now she was in her bed at the motel, half asleep, when someone knocked on the door. Jane jumped on her feet, reached for the gun under her pillow and slowly opened the door. All the irritation and anger she felt at the person who woke her up disappeared when she saw Ian’s pregnant wife, Alice, staying at the door. Alice looked frightened and nervous.

  “May I come in?” Alice asked quietly.

  “Of course,” Jane welcomed her and looked in front of the motel before closing the door. “What brings you here?” Jane asked when they sat at the small round table.

  “I have a problem and,” Alice said with a trembling voice “I didn’t think of anyone else but you. I know only you can help me!”

  “Calm down now,” Jane got worried “It’s better for the baby if you try to relax. I’m here.” Jane stood up, went to the kitchen and continued with a calm voice “I’ll make you a cup of tea and we will talk.”

  Alice nodded nervously and waited for Jane to serve the tea for the unexpected guest and the whiskey for herself.

  “Now, tell me what’s bothering you?” Blake sat next to Alice with a worried expression on her face.

  “It is my father.” Said Alice quietly.

  “I thought he was dead.” Jane wrinkled her eyebrows and added “At least Ian told me he was.”

  “Yes, my father is dead for me and for my mom and Ian thinks he really is,” murmured Alice nervously.

  “Okay, but why didn’t you tell Ian the truth? He loves you very much, and I believe he would understand your reasons for hiding your dad till now.” Jane was confused, Ian and Alice were like the perfect couple and Blake thought they shared everything with each other.

  “Because,” Alice took a sip from her tea “my father is the definition of white trash. He is a drug dealer, alcoholic and the stupidest human being ever. I didn’t want Ian to freak out, so at the beginning of our relationship I told him he was dead. My mom also tells everyone that he is dead. It is a secret me and my mom hide for a long time.” Explained Alice and Jane noticed the disappointment and contempt written on her face.

  “I know a thing or two about alcoholic fathers.” Jane sighted then continued firmly “So tell me what is the problem and how may I help?”

  Alice couldn’t look Jane in the eyes, the thing she was about to say was apparently very embarrassing for her.

  “My father owes money to some people, bad people,” said Alice gazing her cup as if talking to her tea “these people couldn’t find him but they found me. They want me to pay his debt.” Alice looked up at Jane and continued with fear in her eyes “They threatened to kill me and my mom if I don’t pay!”

  “How much money?” Jane asked worryingly.

  “Fifty thousand.” Alice focused on her cup again “He lost their product, at least that’s what they claim, he said he was going to pay them back but he disappeared.”

  Blake drank her whiskey in one sip. This was serious and the worse part was that a pregnant woman had to deal with criminals and fear for her life. Jane didn’t say anything for some time which made Alice speak again.

  “I know I’m asking too much but, I have no one else… And we don’t have that much money saved and… I don’t want Ian to know about this! Can you lend me the money? I’ll pay you back.” Alice said quickly as if this would make her feel less embarrassed.

  Jane looked at her with surprise and said “The money is not the problem. But it will be stupid to give him what they want, don’t you think?”

  “What do you mean? If I pay them they will leave me alone!” Alice was stunned.

  “Or they will come back again with another amount, and again and again.” Jane said with a high pitched voice. “You can never trust people like those, Alice. You don’t even know if your father owes them fifty k!”

  “What should I do then?” Alice looked discouraged.

  “I believe I can think of something.” Jane said slowly, then went to the bathroom, removed a tile from next to the door and came back holding money rolled and tied with a rubber band. Blake handed them to Alice with the words “Here are ten k, you will give them to the people who bother you and you will say you need a week to gather the rest.”

  “Thank you, thank you!” Alice cried and stood up.

  “Hold up!” Jane gently put a hand or Alice’s shoulder and she sat down again.

  “What is it?” Alice looked even more frightened now.

  “Don’t be scared of me!” Jane laughed “I
’m a friend. But in order to help you, you have to tell me more about your father and these people, okay?”

  “Yes,” said Alice and breathed out “What do you need to know?”

  “Let’s start with your father’s name and the places he likes to visit.” Jane said and refilled her glass.

  “His name is Ben Toulon and he used to go in rocker bars out of city.” Alice started.

  “Okay, can you be more specific? Was there any place he hung out regularly?” Jane asked.

  “I remember one, from when I was little, before mom divorced him,” Alice was trying hard to remember “I think it was in Long Beach, the name of the bar was some sort of Crazy mouth or Insane mouth, something about a mouth… He played poker there and several times he took me with him because mom was at work and…” The memory was too painful for Alice so she preferred not to continue.

  “Great!” Jane encouraged her “What about a gang name or a friend name? Can you remember something?”

  Alice stared at the lamp again hoping to remember something. Jane left her think for several minutes.

  “I remember a logo he had on his jacket, his friends also had it,” Alice said slowly “it was like a fan of colorful feathers with a letter in it but I don’t recon the name, I’m sorry!”

  “It’s okay, Alice.” Jane took a sip and asked again “Tell me about the people who came to you, did you recognize someone?”

  “No, I have never seen them before.” Alice shook a bit before starting with the description “One of them was a Latino with a bold head and many tattoos on his neck and head, there was a cross between his eyebrows. The other two looked almost the same for me, muscular Americas with sunglasses, short black hair and leather jackets.” Alice spoke quietly “And the last was the one who talked to me, old with some kind of accent, with a suit and a Rolex on his wrist.”

  “Can you guess what was the accent?” Jane asked eagerly.

  “No, I’m bad with that stuff.” Alice shook her head “Once I asked a pure American where was he from originally, it was super awkward.” She smiled nervously.

  “That’s fine.” Jane calmed her and asked “Do you remember how they smelled? I know it is a weird question but…”

  “Ian told me about your methods, it is not weird for me!” Alice interrupted. “The old one was with heavy musky perfume and also smelled of cigarettes. As for the others, I don’t know!”

  Jane nodded and said “If you remember anything else, please, call me! All details matter!”

  Alice was about to stand up when Jane stopped her again.

  “Where does Ian thinks you are?”

  “With my mom.” Alice looked down embarrassed.

  “I will keep your secret for now but you have to tell him at some point.” Jane looked at her sharply. “Do you want me to call you a cab?”

  “Yeah!” Alice smiled sadly.

  Jane took Alice to the cab and went back in her room. It was a lot to take but Blake had to help Alice. She laid down in her bed again, thinking of a solution to the problem. But soon enough Blake’s exhaustion and the whiskey made her doze off.

  The next day Jane went to the station and since it was a quiet one, the team could finish work on time. Blake waited for Ryan in his car at the parking lot. Minutes after she broke in, Gray arrived and his shocked expression was priceless when he saw that the doors were open. Jane hid on the back seat and when he sat in the driver’s seat, she put her gun on his back and said

  “Drive to the motel!”

  Ryan turned around to see her giggling.

  “What got to you, Jane?” he said laughing.

  “I don’t know but you had to see your face!” Jane also laughed.

  “What’s up?” Ryan asked.

  “Seriously, drive to my motel, I’ll tell you there.” Said Jane while moving from the back seat to the passenger one.

  Ryan agreed, he was happy that Jane was in a good mood and especially that she was inviting him at her place.

  They spent the ride to the motel laughing about the prank Jane did on him, discussing if Erik would gather enough intel about Fred Macalister and if someone from the FBI or CIA tipped off Morse to move on time.

  They arrived and settled at Jane’s small table with glasses of whiskey in their hands. It was time for Blake to explain why she invited him. She shared everything Alice told her and at the end of the story, she asked Ryan for help.

  “I don’t feel right lying to Valdez!” Gray puffed.

  “I know, me too, but we have to help Alice.” Jane sighted “Besides, she promised to tell him, just not now. I think we should respect her privacy!”

  Ryan thought about it for some time. He didn’t like the idea at all, he was a loyal friend and colleague. But was it because Jane asked him to do it or because Alice was pregnant and desperate, Gray agreed to help.

  “How do we deal with these thugs?” he asked and Jane smiled widely.

  “I’m thinking we can get rid of them with style!” Jane said mysteriously.

  “Not the style again!” Ryan gazed at her worryingly. It was never good when Jane had this specific glow in her eyes. “What’s on your mind?” Gray asked eagerly.

  “We need to become one of them.” Jane said.

  “We what?” Ryan yelled a bit.

  “The con is easy.” Jane started to explain, Ryan stared at her with fear. “We go into their drug business as customers, one of the big sharks. Then we make them turn on each other.” Jane smiled deviously and continued “And the last thing we do, we persuade them that the cops are after them and we can help them move to a new turf. And we call Tylor to catch them with all of their product. How does that sound?”

  “Impossible!” was the only thing Ryan could think of. “How is that an ‘easy con’?

  Jane smiled widely and said simply “It is all about the attitude and bluff skills. And I have both!”

  “What should I do then?!” Ryan got puzzled.

  “You’ll be my bodyguard. I’ll be the scary boss who they will want to meet.” Jane explained.

  Ryan leaned back in his chair, thinking how impossible that was. He wasn’t made for a criminal and everything in this plan sounded like an impossible stunt for him.

  “How much time do we have?” Gray asked rubbing his forehead.

  “A week.”

  That answer made him feel even worse, if that was possible. His expression was giving him away so Jane added “If you want I can ask someone else to help me!”

  This triggered another feeling in Ryan and it wasn’t confusion or fear.

  “No, I’ll do it.” He said firmly but the curiosity prevailed and he asked “And who would you ask for that kind of favor? Erik?”

  “No, Ricky has enough on his plate now.” Jane smiled “But I have someone in mind.”

  “Who?”

  “You don’t know him.” Said Jane mysteriously thinking of the one person who was as good as her – Johnathan.

  Ryan made a grimace.

  “Okay then, tell me where do we start?”

  ◆◆◆

  For two days Jane and Ryan, balancing with their day job, searched for the location and the name of the gang. After they found it, the ‘Wind riders’, using the logo Alice described, and the “Mad Mouth”, which was a private biker’s club, they started digging up information on the members. Soon enough, they found most of the bikers, which were ex-cons and had long rap sheets. The main problem was, that Ryan couldn’t find the old man who visited Alice. Apparently, he was the boss.

  The third day of their investigation was the one in which they had to go in that biker’s club and try to buy product from them. Gray had found, that the most felonies, committed by the members, were caring and dealing methamphetamines and cocaine.

  “Okay, when are we going?” whispered Ryan because they were in the office and Ian was at his desk

  “Later, after ten pm.” Jane whispered back, trying to look casual.

  “Hey, no secrets in the tea
m guys!” Ian laughed when he saw them.

  “But if it is personal, it’s okay!” Nick teased.

  “Maybe it is!” Ryan said with a half-smile.

  “Or maybe it is not!” Jane added and looked firmly at Ryan.

  “Calm down, I’m just messing with them!” Gray said in a low voice.

  Jane didn’t answer but glanced at him icily. This was enough to make Ryan go back on his desk and do his work on the case they had. For the last days the team was investigating a man’s murder, and since Ryan and Jane weren’t paying full attention and were occupied with Alice’s problem, the investigation was going slower than ever.

  They finished their work day at seven thirty pm with several leads on the official case they had, which was enough for Hunt to let them rest. Ryan and Jane agreed to meet in Jane’s motel room an hour later to discuss the plan of action and to go together at the biker’s club.

  They had a nice dinner together, Jane was mostly talking about how to bluff and keep calm. Jane was teaching Ryan how to hide the fact he is a police detective. He had spent more than six years in the LAPD and all his body language was showing he was a cop. Blake had to make everything possible to remove that vibe because she knew most of the criminals had learn how to recognize undercover cops in the dark.

  It was time for Ryan and Jane to head to Long Beach and knock on the Mad Mouth’s door. Blake had rented a fancy black limousine which would show her money status. Gray was going to play it a bodyguard, with no smile he had the appearance for the role, and the driver was Garry Skinner, the old pawn shop owner which bought all of Jane’s stolen items in the past. Blake had called him and he couldn’t refuse because he owed her for keeping him out of jail. Ryan wasn’t too excited for Skinner’s involvement but they didn’t have much of a choice.

  “Hey, Garry!” Jane said while sitting in the back seat.

  “Blake!” Garry nodded. He was chubby, middle aged man with almost bold hair wearing a driver’s uniform and a cap. He fitted the limo driver’s role perfectly.

  “Hey!” was the only thing Ryan could say. For him, Garry should have been in jail and off the streets of LA.