Border Breach

by Darlene L. Turner

  Her shoulders slumped. “What a waste.”

  “Agreed.” He sent up a prayer for the family. Thank You, Lord, that Matthew is okay. He had to find whoever was killing these teens. They had to be stopped.

  He nudged her toward the interrogation room and opened the door. “After you.”

  He sat at the metal table across from the florist.

  A five o’clock shadow had formed on Lyle Oliver’s normally clean-shaven face. His shoulders drooped as he scrunched his body forward. Clearly, he knew he was in trouble. How much would he share willingly? They wanted Valentino, so maybe they could reach a deal.

  Hudson threw the florist’s journal on the table. “You’re more involved than you let on.”

  The man grimaced. “No comment.”

  Hudson pulled out a recording device and turned it on, stating the time and date along with the names of those present. “You have the right to an attorney. Do you want to make a call?”

  “Don’t need one. I’m innocent.”

  Kaylin harumphed. “We’ve got you on arson. You set your own shop on fire, so you might as well come clean on everything. We’ve stopped the flow of goods from coming across the border. It’s over.”

  He sat upright, eyes narrowing. “I did not set the fire.” His lip quivered. “I would never put my wife in danger.”

  Hudson opened the journal. “I looked closer at your entries earlier this morning and checked your financials. You said they paid you two hundred thousand per shipment, so why does your bank account show five hundred thousand per entry in the past few months? Can you explain that?”

  Kaylin gripped the sides of the table and leaned into the florist, getting into his personal space. “And what have you done with my father?”

  His eyes bulged behind his round-rimmed glasses. “What are you talking about? I don’t know your father.”

  “The police chief. You kidnapped him.”

  “And when do you think I would have done that? I was just released from the hospital last night and then arrested.”

  Good point, Hudson thought. He had them there.

  “Why the increase in funds?” he asked, going back to his original question. Maybe they could follow the money trail.

  Lyle slouched in his chair, releasing a long breath. “It was getting harder and harder to get the flowers across the border. We were putting our business on the line, so we asked for more money.”

  “And they just gave it to you?” Hudson asked.

  “My wife could be very convincing.”

  “Why not grow the poppies here?” Kaylin sat and made a note.

  “We tried, but the bigwig said the soil wasn’t quite right.”

  “I find that hard to believe,” Hudson said.

  “A dealer in Michigan said they already had a crop growing and for a good price, he’d sell it. The boss agreed.”

  “Give us the names of your person inside the Department of Agriculture and the individual growing the poppy.” Kaylin shoved her notebook and pen across to him. “And stop lying to us. You had to know in order for your driver to get the shipments across the border.”

  He wrote names down and handed it back to her.

  Hudson closed the journal. “After you received the shipments, where did you refine the poppy into doda?”

  “At a warehouse here in Windsor. We shipped it throughout all of Canada after we were done.”

  So the man did know more than he’d told them. “Give us the location.”

  He named the address and Hudson wrote it down. They needed to check on it and perhaps catch them in the act. An idea formed and he held up the key Chief Harrison had found in the remains of the florist fire. “Will this give us access to the warehouse?”

  Lyle nodded.

  “Tell us who Valentino is,” Kaylin told him.

  Lyle pounded his hand against his leg. “I already said. I don’t know.”

  Kaylin leaned forward. “So, you worked for the man but never met him? How did you conduct business?”

  “How many times do I have to explain? Through Blaine Ridley.”

  Hudson bolted upright, chair scraping on the floor. “Do you know where he’s hiding?”

  “No idea.”

  “Can you help us set up a sting with Valentino?” Hudson hoped this was their chance to get the man. “We need to stop his organization.”

  “Only Ridley knows how to get in touch with him.”

  “How can we contact Ridley?”

  “He’s gone dark. I tried a couple of days ago.”

  Hudson stood and picked up the journal. “We’re done here. Call your lawyer. You’re going to need him. Someone will be by to book you.”

  Hudson strode out of the room with Kaylin close behind.

  Kaylin tugged at her tousled hair. “We don’t know where my dad is.”

  “We need to find Ridley. He’s the key.”

  She pulled out her phone. “I’ll call my boss to get US Homeland Security involved with the arrest of the accomplices in Michigan.”

  “Sounds good. I’ll check with Bianca to see if they found anything on your cell phone.”

  She nodded and walked away.

  Hudson punched in Bianca’s number. “You find anything on Kaylin’s cell phone that will help us find her father?”

  “Dead end, I’m afraid. We’ve put a BOLO out on him. The entire police force is combing the city.”

  He walked toward his desk. Not good. Kaylin was already worried enough. How could he help? “Anything more on the autopsies?”

  “I should know in about an hour. I’ll call when I find out. You get any leads from Oliver?”

  “The name and address of a warehouse where they do the refining. Heading there as soon as we get a warrant.” He reeled off the information.

  “One more thing, and I hate to bring this up,” Bianca said.

  Hudson bristled. “What?”

  “We checked Lyle Oliver’s cell phone records and one number kept popping up.”

  “Whose?”

  A pause. She sighed. “Miller’s.”

  Hudson stopped. No. It couldn’t be. “Are you sure?”

  “Yes. Watch your back.” She hung up.

  What could Miller be involved in? Perhaps it was only a coincidence, but Hudson didn’t believe in those. His boss was holding out on them.

  Hudson spent the next few minutes on the phone with the judge, explaining the situation regarding the warehouse. Thankfully, the judge agreed to draw up a warrant within the hour. Fastest he’d ever seen one issued. Of course the police chief’s abduction helped expedite it.

  Kaylin returned, shoving her phone in her pocket. “Done. My boss is on it. Actually seemed pleased about the find.”

  “Maybe you’re in someone’s good books now.”

  “Hopefully.” She pointed to the door. “Time to check the warehouse. They may have Dad there.”

  He pulled her back. “First I need to tell you something.” He explained the information Bianca had shared.

  “Do you think Sergeant Miller is dirty?”

  “I’d call him a lot of things, but not sure I’d ever suspect him as a dirty cop.”

  She rubbed the back of her neck. “What do we do?”

  “Be on guard. For now, we’ll pick up the warrant on the way and I’ll contact Miller to get a team assembled to check it out. Pray there’s a reasonable explanation for all this.” He fished his keys from his pocket. “This is a good lead. Maybe we can finally shut this ring down.”

  “We still don’t know who Valentino is.”

  “We will.”

  An hour later, after picking up the warrant and calling his boss, Hudson pulled into the parking lot at the warehouse with a team behind him. They inched their way to the entrance, weapons drawn.

/>   “Everyone, keep your heads up. This place could be crawling with people not wanting to be caught. Expect anything.” Hudson pulled out the key and inserted it into the lock. The door opened, squeaking in annoyance.

  His eyes adjusted to the dim lighting. Tables lined the large storage area. Dried poppy straw hung from the rafters. Equipment to crush the poppy into powder lay on every table. Bags of the drug were piled in boxes.

  This was definitely their operation.

  But where were the workers?

  Cigarette butts smoldered in ashtrays, leading him to believe they’d left in a hurry.

  Had someone tipped them off? How had they known they were coming?

  Hudson removed his hat and wiped his forehead. The only answer he could come up with was that someone within the police department was working against them. Miller?

  He straightened. No, he refused to believe it. “Span out, everyone. Check the back offices for people. Looks like everyone abandoned this place, but there could be some hiding. Be careful.” He bent to look in the boxes, when a flashing red light under the table caught his eye.

  He exploded upright. “Bomb! Everyone out!”

  He grabbed Kaylin’s arm and ran. Others followed.

  Lord, protect us. Get everyone to safety in time.

  They rushed out into the parking lot, trying to get as far back as they could, when an explosion rocked the building and sent them sprawling.

  Hudson slammed into the pavement with Kaylin beside him, as debris rained down upon them.

  He scrambled on top of Kaylin.

  He had to protect the woman he loved.

  SIXTEEN

  Buzzing assaulted Kaylin’s ears as Hudson’s weight smothered her. She struggled to catch a breath in the dusty debris and wheezed. “Hudson, move. Can’t breathe.”

  He rolled off her and sat up. “Are you hurt?”

  She eased into a seated position, holding her stomach. Did they really just get bombed again? Who did this and how did they know they’d be there?

  “Kaylin, talk to me.”

  Dust permeated the area, coating everyone’s clothing and skin. Wreckage from the bomb detonation littered the parking lot. Pieces of the building lay in chunks around them. How had they escaped unharmed? Only one answer she could think of. God.

  She rubbed her scraped arms. Blood oozed out of the cuts. Her knees throbbed from the impact with the pavement. In. Out. In. Out. Her breathing finally regulated. “Just got the wind knocked out of me. You okay?”

  “I’m good other than scrapes and bruises.”

  She massaged her neck. “God protected us. If you hadn’t bent down to check those boxes, we would’ve gone up with the building.”

  Hudson stood and wiped the dust from his arms, leaving a smudged mess. “Everyone okay?” His voice boomed across the parking lot.

  The other officers waved to show they were fine.

  He called 911 to ask for EMS and firefighters.

  Not that there was anything left to salvage. The building lay in rubbles. No way they’d be collecting evidence now. Someone had succeeded in destroying it.

  “Hudson, how did they know we were coming?”

  He scratched his head, his lips tightening. “Someone on the force tipped them off.”

  “How can we trust anyone?” She rubbed her eyes and squeezed the bridge of her nose.

  He brushed off his pants. “We can’t. Everyone is a suspect now.”

  They needed to solve this together, without the help of others.

  His cell phone rang. “Hey, Bianca. What do you have for me?” He kicked at stones around him. “I see. Okay, thanks.”

  Hudson’s face hardened, his eyes narrowing.

  She grabbed his arm. “What is it?”

  “The tox report on the two teenagers who OD’d came back. There was a high dosage of fentanyl in both victims’ systems along with the doda. Plus some in Matthew’s system.”

  Kaylin whistled. “You mean they’re lacing the doda with fentanyl?”

  “No wonder it killed those kids. They didn’t have a chance. Obviously, there wasn’t enough in Matthew’s body to kill him. Praise the Lord.” He pointed to the rubble. “And now we can’t find the drugs. They’re buried.”

  “Maybe we can salvage something.”

  Hudson shook his head. “Doubtful.”

  “So what do we do?”

  “We take down the kingpin and then the business will crumble.”

  She threw her hands in the air. “But how? We don’t know who he is.”

  “We need to find Blaine and your dad.”

  Kaylin’s phone rang. It was her boss. “Hey, Superintendent Thompkins. What’s up?”

  “I got in touch with Homeland Security and they’ve detained two men at their border you need to talk to.”

  “Who?”

  “One from the Department of Agriculture and the other a poppy grower. Can you and Constable Steeves head over to the Detroit border?”

  Firefighters arrived and entered the building while EMS workers checked on the police officers. “Will do. We just have to wait to have this situation contained here.”

  “What happened?”

  She updated her boss on the bombing and her father’s abduction.

  “You okay?”

  “Yes, sir. Will keep you updated.”

  “Stay safe. We’ll find him.”

  Her boss actually sounded like he cared. He seemed to have turned a corner when it came to her. She hoped it was true.

  A text sailed into her cell phone.

  I’m watching you. Did u really think you’d catch me?

  A video popped up on her screen.

  Her father bound and gagged. A masked man behind him with a knife to his throat.

  Her breath hitched. No! “Hudson!” She shoved her phone in his face and pressed Play.

  “Your father will pay for threatening our drug family,” a distorted voice hissed through her phone. “This is your final warning or you will also die.”

  Marshall Poirier struggled in the chair, his voice muffled behind his gag. The video ended.

  “No!” Kaylin dropped to her knees as her pulse thundered in her head. A rush of tears sluiced down her cheeks.

  Hudson knelt and pulled her into his arms. “Lord, protect the chief. Lead us to where they have him.”

  Would God hear Hudson’s prayer or let her father die? Before she had a chance to tell him she forgave him?

  Should she quit the investigation? Let it go? A past conversation between her and her father bubbled to the surface of her mind.

  “You see every case to the end, you hear me? No matter what.” Her father’s determined voice rang through her ears. It was something he’d told her when she’d started at the CBSA.

  He wouldn’t want her to stop now. Even if it meant his life.

  She backed away from Hudson’s embrace and stood. “I have to find him and that means finding Blaine. My boss just called with a lead, but we have to go to Detroit and see Homeland Security.”

  His blue eyes softened as he stood. He took her hand. “We’ll find him. Let me call Miller and let him know.”

  “Are you sure we can trust him?”

  “No, but I don’t have a choice.”

  Two hours later, after they finished with the bombing scene and the EMS bandaged a cut on her arm, they crossed the Ambassador Bridge. The busiest border crossing in North America saw thousands of trucks and cars cross from the US and Canada each day. They pulled up to the booth and explained the situation. The security officer waved them through and they parked in front of the building.

  The darkened skies threatened to explode at any minute, but they couldn’t let it impede their investigation. The forecast hadn’t mentioned a thunderstorm. However, in these pa
rts the weather could turn in a flash. The low-lying clouds promised a doozy at any moment. Kaylin trembled and pulled her collar up closer to her neck. She hated storms and liked to hide under the bed like her cat, Sassme. She shook off her fears and opened the car door.

  A balding man in his early forties waited by the entrance and stuck out his hand. “Officer Poirier, I assume. I’m Officer Roger McCosh of Homeland Security.”

  Kaylin shook his hand. “This is Constable Hudson Steeves. We’re working on this case together.”

  “Welcome. We have the gentlemen quarantined in separate rooms waiting for you.” He opened the door and guided them in. “The officers who arrested them said they put up a battle.”

  Hudson frowned. “I’m not surprised. They’re facing serious charges.”

  “We’re happy to help in any way we can,” Roger said. “We heard this ring has invaded the Detroit area.”

  “Yes, we’re trying to bring it down.” Kaylin said. “Once we do, we’ll know how far it reaches.”

  He grabbed a file from his desk and gestured toward a closed door. “Let’s start with Cabe Collins. Thirty-three years old. Works at the Department of Agriculture.”

  Roger opened the door and they stepped inside.

  A brawny African American man sat tall in his chair.

  Kaylin refrained herself from staring. He obviously pumped iron to be so huge. No way would she want to meet him in a dark alley.

  Roger introduced them as they sat. “They’re here to ask you questions about this doda ring.”

  The man placed his hands behind his head, leaning back. “Don’t know anything.”

  Roger handed Kaylin the file. “We’ll be the judge of that.”

  Kaylin opened it and stared at the man’s dossier. His record included armed robbery and drug trafficking. “How did you get a job at the Department of Agriculture with a record like this?”

  “Let’s just say I was good at faking IDs. They never suspected a thing.”

  They were fortunate Lyle had given them his real name or he probably would have gotten away with it. She shoved the file toward Hudson.

  He opened it. “Tell us what you did to help get the poppy straw across the border.”

  “I ain’t saying anything without a lawyer present.”