by Don Bruns
Beeman nodded. ‘I thought the same thing. There’s a loophole there. If she’s not specific, then we go about our business. And, Detective, our priority is to stop these killings. If you think you can make an arrest tonight …’
‘So we’re clear on this?’ Archer looked up at him.
‘No. Not at all.’
‘We’re safer if there is mass confusion?’
‘Off the record, Archer, yes. And, off the record, do you want to tell me how you are going to capture this suspect?’
‘No. I think, due to the message from the Feds, it’s better that you don’t know. We will need patrol backup tonight, but I’ll arrange it.’
‘From upstairs, Detective Q, it’s official. Hands off on anything regarding human trafficking.’
‘From downstairs, Sergeant Beeman, I’m just doing my job. No interest in the trafficking element.’
‘I’m glad we had this conversation, Archer.’
‘I was a little foggy this morning, sir. If I missed something, I’m sorry.’ He gave Beeman a tired smile.
‘Be careful. I’d hate to have something happen to you.’
‘I’d hate for that as well, sir.’
Archer had the early-morning thug brought into an interrogation room. Jazeel Jefferson stuck to his story. He didn’t know who had paid him, and he was never introduced to his partner, the second attacker. Yes, the man who hired him was short and stocky. No, the man had not instructed Jefferson to kill the detective, just rough him up a little. Archer tried but couldn’t shake his story so he sent him back to lockup. Once the paperwork was filled out, charges would be filed. For now, simple assault. Archer felt certain there would be more to follow.
He and Levy grabbed an early lunch at Lil Dizzy’s on Esplanade at the top of the Quarter. Fried chicken and a trip to the salad bar. When they returned to the table, their plates full of healthy greens and fruits to compensate for the greasy fried chicken, she was sitting there.
Archer paused for a moment, always surprised at how taken he was with her. She’d added a touch of color to her cheeks and a hint of lipstick, giving her a more grown-up appearance. Her dark eyes looked up at him and he felt a slight jolt in his chest.
Recovering, he asked, ‘How’s Kathy?’
‘She’s fine, Quentin. I’ll tell her you asked. Took a day off from work, but I think it’s more a mental thing than physical. She’ll probably stay at her place this evening.’
Solange smiled at Levy as he sat across from her. ‘Detective, so good to see you again.’
He nodded. ‘As you know, I’m here because of you, Ms Cordray. The last time we met, you saved my life.’
‘And I appreciated the thoughtful note and flowers.’
‘You seem to have an uncanny way of showing up at opportune times,’ Levy said. She’d pulled a weapon and fired a shot, taking out a gunman who was threatening Levy.
‘If your life is in jeopardy again, I hope I can be there.’
‘And I’m hoping my life won’t be in jeopardy again.’
‘Solange,’ Archer interrupted, sitting down next to her, ‘can we buy you lunch?’
‘No. I wanted to talk to you personally. Both of you actually.’
The waitress poured coffee and there was an awkward silence as the two men each took a forkful of lettuce and sliced tomato.
‘How did you find us?’
‘Look around, Quentin. There must be five tables of officers. It’s a police hangout. I had a hunch.’
He smiled. ‘Your hunches are unbelievably accurate. So what do you want to tell us?’
‘You asked me if your project would be successful.’
Glancing at Levy, Archer nodded. ‘I did.’
‘What project are we discussing here, Q?’ Levy shifted his attention, gazing at both of them.
‘Our project tonight, or early tomorrow morning. She tends to have good instinct, Josh.’
‘So she knows?’
‘No. I simply told her it was a project. No details.’
Levy shook his head. ‘The entire town is going to know soon.’
‘I can’t tell you if it will be successful or not,’ she interjected. ‘I know that Detective Levy is involved and I can tell you that people will get hurt. If you proceed with this plan, some may be killed.’
‘You believe that?’
‘Pappa Esplan Ghede believes that. He stands at the crossroads of life and death and ushers passed souls to the spirit world.’
Levy shook his head. ‘Ms Cordray, while I am in awe of your sense of timing and thankful for you stepping in to save my life, I’m not sure I can buy into some guy named Pappa who is a death god.’
She smiled. ‘And I don’t expect you to. I often feel somewhat foolish when I make a prediction, but it’s what I see. It’s what I know. And all the candles, gris-gris bags and spells will not stop tonight from happening.’
‘You’re sure of this?’ Archer asked.
‘There is a good chance there will be casualties. Whatever you are planning, people may die.’
‘Ours?’
‘I can’t say, Detective Levy. I pray that won’t happen.’
The coffee was cold, the chicken no longer appetizing.
‘Do you drink, Detective Levy? Alcoholic beverages?’
‘Occasionally. Why?’
‘Pappa drinks. The reputation of the spirit god and his consumption is huge. Ghede means tipsy, due to his love of fermented grass spirits. The two of you would get along well.’
‘Why do you say that?’
‘White rum is his beverage of choice.’ She gave him a wry smile.
Levy stared accusingly at Archer.
Archer put his hands up. ‘Hey, I’ve never been drinking with you, Detective Levy. I have no idea.’
‘Gentlemen, be very careful tonight. Please, don’t take any unnecessary chances.’ She turned to Archer. ‘I really want to see you again. In a less stressful situation.’
He nodded, not sure how to respond.
‘Detective Archer, if you want to minimize the danger and the chance that people may die …’ She paused.
‘Yes?’
‘Cancel the project. It’s the best advice I can give you.’
She stood and without any hesitation walked to the door.
‘What the hell was that all about, Q? She warns us about dying tonight, then makes a date with you?’
‘Do you drink white rum, Josh?’
‘Yeah. Mojitos. Every time. How the hell did she know?’
‘I think it’s more than parlor games and Ouija boards with her.’
‘But a drunken god named Pappa who takes you to the other side?’
‘We won’t know until we get there, will we?’
‘I can wait. I’ve got plenty of time,’ Levy said.
Archer’s phone buzzed and he took the call. After thirty seconds, he closed his eyes and took a deep cleansing breath. A minute later he ended the call.
‘What? Something about Detroit?’ Levy said.
‘Two bangers, they’re pretty sure they are from Warhead Solja, in a warehouse garage in Treme. Blown away, literally. Multiple gunshot wounds. But there are several twists.’
‘What twists?’
‘First of all,’ Archer said, ‘there’s a packet of Columbian powder sliced open next to the bodies. Two sets of tire tracks in the blood. A tour bus from South America with the luggage doors open and …’ He paused.
‘And what? That’s enough to keep us going for a week.’
‘When Warhead Solja makes a hit, they tend to leave a can of, I’m sure you will remember, Chill.’ He frowned.
‘I’m well aware, Archer.’
‘These are Solja soldiers. Dead Solja soldiers. Someone left the identical calling card with their remains.’
‘Damn, it just gets stranger and stranger. Fifteen minutes tops from here. Let’s drive over.’
Archer dropped the cash and a tip and they walked out the door.
&n
bsp; THIRTY-NINE
‘I paid you half up front. So don’t give me this shit about how two of you couldn’t take this guy. And you aren’t even in jail. Your dumbass partner is. Christ, I expected two of you to be able to pull this off. You were recommended, man. Somebody thought you were the ideal team. I mean, we average a murder almost every other day in this town. And you can’t pull off one?’
‘Look, fucker.’ The voice on the other end was strained. ‘I don’t care what you offered Jazeel. I just want another thousand to keep it quiet.’
‘Other than a phone number, you’ve got no ties to me. You don’t even know my name. So go fuck yourself. You’re lucky you got away with your life, you fucking bottom feeder. Don’t call here again or I swear to you I will track you down and carve my name in your forehead.’ He’d never dream of it, but he knew people who would. He knew people who could. He knew people who had.
Sitting at his desk he pulled out the flask and took a long swallow. He speed dialed Delroy Houston.
‘What you want, Blount?’
‘Those two boys I hired … your recommendation? They screwed it up big time. One is in jail on assault and the other one had the nerve to call and threaten me. Listen, I want him out of my hair and—’
‘I haven’t got time for this shit.’
‘Oh? We’re trying to get rid of an obstacle and you don’t have time to deal with that? You tell me what else is so damned important and—’
‘Apparently your ear isn’t to the ground, Case. We’ve got some serious shit going on, in case you haven’t heard.’
‘What’s that?’
‘A little turf war. Nasta Mafia just wasted two of our boys and stole about five hundred thousand in Columbian powder. Apparently your little pep talk didn’t have traction, my man. There’s some serious shit coming down, Blount. We’re going after those mothahfuckahs and it’s going to be a bloodbath. Believe that, my friend. You might think about relocating and starting over.’
They pulled into the garage, two spots down from the bus and the blood.
‘That’s some nasty shit, Q.’
‘One or two shots should have done the trick. These guys were obviously sending a message.’
The crime lab staff was dusting the luggage area on the bus and scouring the concrete floor for any clues.
‘What’s the deal with the bus?’
‘Tour bus,’ one of the uniforms said. ‘Company called America Travel.’ He handed Archer a plastic bag with the Chill can inside. ‘Thought you’d appreciate that. It was on top of body number two.’
‘They’re messing with us, Q.’
‘They’ve been messing with us since the beginning. What do we know about America Travel?’
‘Not on the radar. I’ll do a quick search,’ Levy said.
Archer walked the perimeter. The two bloodied bodies, the inhumanity in the killings. They hadn’t wanted him to see Denise after the accident. Her body had been destroyed, crushed and he was OK with their decision. He wanted to remember the sweet smile, the soft shoulders and trim waist. He thought fondly of the sweet smell when he nuzzled her neck, the swell of her hips and her breasts. To see all of that after she’d been run over, it would have been devastating. Tom Lyons had actually been the one to identify the body.
Archer steeled himself for the sight of dead bodies. It was part of his job. Especially when they had met gruesome endings. These guys, laid out on the cold concrete floor, had been seriously wasted.
The one banger’s body was destroyed beyond recognition. Multiple shots entering and exiting. Four or five shots to the face had made identification impossible. The other looked like maybe six or seven bullets had done the job. An ambulance was on the property as the attendants looked for his approval to put the corpses in body bags. The wallets with IDs had been secured so he nodded. They were pretty sure who these guys were. No recognizable scars on the faces, although it would have been hard to tell. But according to identification it wasn’t Dushane White and Delroy Houston. Those two were apparently safe. For now.
‘Detective,’ Levy walked over, showing him his iPhone screen. ‘I think you’re going to find this interesting.’
The image opened with the headline, America Travel. The screen showed a panoramic view of some romantic highway scene, all blue sky and sunshine. Under the banner the script painted a picturesque adventure with landscapes, quaint towns and cities where restaurants, cafés, shops and historic landmarks dotted the map. The dream trip of a lifetime.
‘OK, so it’s a tour bus,’ Archer said. ‘Maybe a little too idyllic, because it’s not all roses and rainbows, but—’
‘Yeah. Tourists from South America, Central America and Mexico travel to the United States, and it’s pretty pricy. Here’s a trip to LA, one to New York, Miami, just about anywhere on a first-class bus.’
‘And I see New Orleans is on the list. But what’s this bus doing in Treme? My guess is Treme isn’t one of those garden spots in the brochure. I sincerely doubt that tourists are staying on this side of the Quarter.’
‘I suppose,’ Levy said, ‘they brought a busload of tourists to New Orleans. They put them up in some fancy hotel, and they sit here for four or five days until it’s time to pick them up. And you’ve got to park somewhere. The rent here in Treme is probably cheap. But the idea that a drug deal may have gone down here, and the luggage doors of the bus are open …’
‘What are you suggesting?’
‘Obviously that will come out when the lab reports their findings. But what a novel way to transport drugs to the States. Think about it, Q. What if you’ve got a bunch of high-rolling foreigners who stow their tony Louis Vuitton and Fendi luggage right next to a shipment of pure cocaine? And they have no idea. Maybe border patrol and customs goes through a couple of suitcases and just gives them a pass and—’
‘Louis who?’
‘Vuitton. Louis Vuitton. You don’t know these guys?’
‘Levy, I’ve got one banged up Samsonite from fifteen years ago.’
‘They’re luggage designers, Archer. My ex was obsessed with designer fashions. It’s still costing me an arm and a leg every paycheck.’
‘And we’ve got to wait. Wait until the lab decides if there’s any drug residue on the bus. Damn, damn, damn.’
Waiting. It was the bane of his existence.
‘Look here.’ Levy scrolled down the screen. ‘This next line will definitely interest you.’
And there it was. At the very bottom of the page. An Adrien LeJeune Enterprise.
‘You don’t think …’
‘I do think,’ Levy said.
‘Damn. If that’s any relation to the senator …’
‘I ran a search on that as well. It’s her husband.’
‘Girls are coming in tonight, right?’ Blount asked.
‘They are.’
‘Any chance we can delay that transaction?’
‘Money’s already been paid, Blount. People are expecting the merchandise. This is a fucking business, understood?’
‘We’ve got a little escalation in the gang war, Manny.’
‘Tamp it down.’
‘One group just took the Columbian dust, killed a couple of …’
‘I don’t care. You’re paid to deal with it.’
‘Well, we talked about shutting down soon anyway. Maybe now is a good time before it gets out of control.’
‘The exit strategy hasn’t been put in place yet, Case. Sure, we can move it to another city. God, we can go anywhere and set this up, but it’s not ready. There needs to be certain precautions. And as you know, there are some people who are at greater risk than others.’
‘Manny, am I safe here?’
‘Keep a lid on this thing, Blount. You’re integral, but it’s up to you to stop this problem before it gets any bigger.’
‘They stole the powder, they killed two gang members. What the hell do you expect me to do?’
‘Give them more money, equal billing, whate
ver you’ve got to do. We’re depending on you.’
The line went dead.
Blount put his head on the wooden desk and gently banged it, five times. Two violent gangs, a South American cartel, a well-connected hierarchy. And one employment counselor. Who was expendable? He was afraid of the answer.
Manuel made the call to the States.
‘We may have to pull the plug a lot sooner than we thought.’
‘The senator is setting up the takedown. She’s got the FBI involved and local law enforcement. When and if they hit, it will take everyone by surprise. She is going to destroy a lot of businesses, expose a lot of corruption and get accolades that should keep her in office for years.’
‘Well, that all depends.’
‘I’m telling you she’s on a roll.’
‘And I’m telling you that all depends.’
‘On what?’
‘The next forty-eight hours.’
‘And what exactly is going to happen in forty-eight hours?’
‘One gang stole half a million in dust from a bus. Two guys died execution style during that exchange. The other gang is bringing in new girls tonight. There’s a question how that’s going to go over.’
‘Shit.’
‘I thought Blount had it handled but that didn’t pan out. How fast can someone muster the militia?’
‘I’ll get back to you, but not by tonight, that’s for damned sure.’
‘I’m safe,’ Manny said confidently. ‘No one is coming to Ecuador any time soon to have it out with me. You, you’re questionable, and I hope you have a solid backup on this drug problem. This thing with Case Blount and the two gangs, they are toast. So I’ll leave it up to you.’
‘Employment agencies and gangs are a dime a dozen. Within a week we pull up stakes and move the operation.’
‘A week may be too long, my friend,’ Manuel said. ‘You’d better make some decisions and make them damned fast.’
FORTY
A chilly breeze ruffled the feathers on a Big Bird costume. The man wearing the yellow outfit flapped his wings as he weaved down Bourbon.