Get Out Of My Dreams (Joe the Magic Man Series Book 1)
Page 12
“Yes, I remember.” Alice was too afraid of what he was going to say. “I don’t know if I want to hear this.” Suddenly she felt sick.
“If I don’t tell you, I’ll feel guiltier than I do now. You remember when I asked you to undress and put on the stockings?” Joe could feel Alice blushing. “You thought I was sitting behind you, admiring your ass. Well, I saw what you could see. You looked into that full-length mirror and you admired your nakedness. I could see what you were admiring.” Joe left it at that.
Alice tried to keep her cool. “I kind of thought you might be able to do something like that when you were in my dreams, but I didn’t think you could when I was wide awake.” She had a dozen more questions to ask him, but Joe went on.
“I know, it’s crazy, but I had to be honest with you before we went any further with this. Now, if we are going to work with the Feds, then we better get our act together. Okay partner?” Joe could feel her panic subsiding, so he didn’t wait for her response. He had said what he thought he had to, and he went on with his plan. “The first rule is to never let on that we are telepathic. If we do, they’ll use you to catch me. You can stop whispering, too, you don’t have to speak the words, just think them. If the Feds think I’m visiting or calling you, then you can bet they’ll have your phone tapped, and every room bugged. They could be listening to you now, so from now on just think what you want to say to me. If John was next to you, or someone was listening, we could talk without anyone being the wiser.”
Alice realized that she and Joe might be the only people in the world that could communicate like this. “So, you are not talking out loud, you just think what to say. Otherwise, your wife would want to know who you are talking to.” The more she and Joe talked, the less freakish it became as Joe helped her to relax and accept it. For the next hour they went over what they thought the FBI would ask of them, and what role Alice would play.
Chapter15
Special Agent Jones had phoned Alice earlier to see if it was all right to come by, so when the doorbell rang, she answered it nervously.
“Mrs. Timberlake?” He held up his badge, “I’m Special Agent Mike Jones.”
Mike Jones had been in the police force since he was 22 years old. He had made his way up the ranks and became a detective in the L.A.P.D. He had spent 18 months in the narcotics division before his promotion to Homicide. Two years ago, the FBI’s Organized Crime Unit asked him to join them and he had jumped at the opportunity. Now he was the leading agent in Narcotics, helping the DEA bust a drug ring in L.A.
“Come on in.” It surprised Alice to see he was alone. “Please, call me Alice.” She held her hand out. He grasped her hand and shook it firmly.
“Is your husband here?”
“He’s at work.” She gave him a little smile. “He’s a prison officer.” Alice noticed Agent Jones’ eyes taking in the house, and he seemed rather uncomfortable. “Would you like coffee?” she asked.
“Sure, that would be nice, thank you.”
Alice led him into the kitchen. “Are you married, Agent Jones?” She didn’t know why she asked him that, other than trying to make friendly conversation.
“Yeah, and I’ve got two boys.” Agent Jones hadn’t wanted this assignment, and it showed in his manner and tone of voice. “How does your husband feel about you working with this Magic Man?” he asked abruptly.
“I’m not too sure.” Alice felt she couldn’t say John was all for it, or the extra money that would be coming in excited him, but she didn’t want to give Agent Jones the wrong impression, either.
“Well, Mrs. Timberlake, I’ve got to tell you that I’m not too keen on the idea at all.” Agent Jones pulled a chair out from the kitchen table, dumped the folder he had been carrying onto the table, and sat down. “But I’ve got no choice.” He rolled his eyes. “When the ones above say I’ve got to work with the invisible man, and a journalist,” he shrugged, “then so be it.”
“I’d like to set things straight, here,” Alice went on the defense for Joe and her. “When your boss, Agent Burrows, asked for Joe’s help, she…”
“Wait right there,” Agent Jones held his hand up to stop her. “Agent Burrows isn’t my boss, and the orders come from a lot higher up than her.”
Alice took a deep breath and calmed down a little. She poured the coffee. “Listen––let’s start again. If we are going to be working together, we should get off on the right foot. I’d rather you call my partner Joe, and, as I said, you can call me Alice. And, I’m not a journalist—yet. I do work for a newspaper as the assistant to the Agony Aunt columnist, and I also do research for it. Joe, I would like to think, is just an ordinary guy who’s gifted in a way the likes of me and you can’t understand.”
“Okay … Alice,” he held his hand out again, “call me Mike. I’m glad you cleared the air.”
Alice shook his hand. “Do you take milk and sugar?”
“No, black’s fine.” There was a smirk on his face. “So you’re not a real journalist? Just an assistant to the Agony Aunt?”
“You think that’s funny?” Alice scrunched her face up at him.
“No––I just thought you’d be one of those reporters that had to shove her nose into everything. My file just read: Alice Timberlake, married; occupation, freelance journalist.”
Mike took a sip of coffee and opened the folder in front of him. The case he was working centered on Jimmy Murphy, finding out who his dealer was, and how the drugs were coming into the country. Mike had been on the case for months, but had no proof yet on how the drugs got to Jimmy. He knew most of Jimmy’s foot soldiers and how he ran his trade; he knew how he distributed the drugs, but not enough to go to court. Plus, he didn’t know the main moneyman. Not once in the time that they had Jimmy under surveillance did they witness drug money exchanging hands.
He took out a picture of a teenage boy and slid it over to Alice. “This is your first assignment. He’s a small-time drug dealer, but as far as we know, he’s not a user. He’s one of the kids selling drugs for Jim Murphy, who’s our actual target. We know a lot about Murphy, but we would like to know a lot more. We also want to know more about higher up the food chain, if you know what I mean?”
“You want Joe to find out who the moneymen are, and how they get the stuff into the country?” Alice asked.
“Hey, not so fast … let Joe prove he can do it.” Mike frowned. “They say this Joe can get into someone’s mind and hypnotize them, and get them to spill the beans?”
“He’s done it before…” Alice said with confidence, “the Saunders’ case––did you hear about that?”
“Yeah, I did––it was in my brief on Joe.”
Mike moved on, pointing to the photo. “They call the kid Speedo. It’s a nickname for what he sells, more than his speed. We’d appreciate it if––” he stopped himself from calling Joe the invisible man––“if Joe could get into the kid’s mind, hypnotize him, and find out what he knows.”
Alice was getting carried away with the excitement, and the danger of the mission. “You want Joe to find out when and where they are making the next drop?”
“Hold on there. The kid is just a minnow, a small-fry. I doubt he would know that kind of information.”
“I see. Then this is just another test for Joe?”
“You could say that.” Mike was caught––it was a test and he hoped Joe would fall flat on his face. “We don’t really know this Joe, and these drug dealers don’t play around.” He left it at that. “Just tell him to find out what he can about the kid, see what he knows.” Mike could see the hurt on Alice’s face. “Let’s start slow and easy so you and Joe can get a feeling for this work.” He dug in his pocket and pulled out his card. “There’s my number at the office, and that’s my cell phone. Call me anytime.” Alice nodded.
“I suggest Joe check the kid out after eight at night. Most nights, he hangs around outside the Black Diamond Club in San Fernando, and the café down the street from there.”
“That’s something Joe can find out.” Mike stared back at her unsmiling. “If Joe should get into trouble, and the police are involved, tell him to phone me on that number.” Mike shook his head. “I don’t know how Joe is going to go about it, and without meeting him, I don’t know how I can help him.” He shrugged. “Tell him it’s not like the TV crime shows, so don’t try to be a hero.” With that, Mike got up and left.
Joe had been with Alice and Agent Mike all through their meeting. First in Alice’s mind, and then he had jumped into Mike’s mind, and experienced the meeting from his side. When Mike said he was married, Joe’s first thought was to pay him a visit that night to see what his wife looked like—maybe have a little fun. He shook the thought out of his head. Behave yourself, you’ve got a chance to use your gift to do some good and get paid for it. He’s going to be your new boss, so start thinking as part of his team. He smiled to himself. There were plenty of other women to fantasize with; he didn’t need to be mixing pleasure with business.
Joe had looked at the photo of the boy and listened to Mike and Alice trying to get along. He agreed with Alice; it was another test for him, but he didn’t think it was a trap where the FBI would be waiting to jump out and apprehend anyone who approached the boy. He began to put a plan together. He waited for a bit after the agent had left, then he whispered, “Alice, are you there?”
Alice jumped, but she didn’t swear this time. “Yeah, I’m here.”
“Are you alone?”
“Agent Jones just left.” Alice breathed excitedly and went on to tell Joe what had happened. She showed him the photo and asked, “Can you see it all right?” It still spooked her that he was in her head, using her eyes to study the photo.
“Yes, I can see it fine.”
Joe let her finish her story, and Alice gave her thoughts on Mike and the case. Then he told her his plan, stating it was the only way they could work it. Joe told her it was going to be hard for her, and then he asked if she would be brave enough to do it.
“Well, I guess I’m going to have to lie to my husband again, but there’s no other way, is there?”
“They are only little lies and if we are going to work together as a team, we are going to need John’s help. I can’t be with you physically, so I need John looking out for you.”
“Okay, let’s see if I’ve got it right. I can’t tell John that we’ve just spoken, and you’ve told me your plan, because he’ll want to know how we spoke, but I can tell him what Agent Jones has told me. Then, I’m to tell John that I’m going to fill you in tonight, in my dreams, on what Agent Jones said.” She gave a puzzled frown. “In the morning, I can tell John what you’ve just told me, and that you want us to help you.”
She gave a confused sigh. “And, you want me to tell John that you think this boy, Speedo, might be a trap set by the FBI to find you, and by me and John going there together to look for this boy, they might spring the trap, thinking John is the Magic Man. Then, you’ll know it was a set up, and the Feds do want to capture you. Or, the Feds will think you sent us there, instead of going yourself, to put them off your track.” Alice scratched her head. “Is that right?”
“Something like that––John will know what we mean. Only you and I will know the main reason of this plan is for me to jump from your mind to the boy’s mind, and as long as you look the boy in the eyes, I’ll get in there. We leave the Feds to think you are checking the boy out for me.”
Alice didn’t like lying to John, and now she had to ask him to be bait in what sounded like a dangerous idea.
Chapter16
The following night John and Alice were driving past the Black Diamond Club. It was 8:30 p.m., and still light. John was as excited as Alice was nervous. John didn’t
mind being bait; it was just like the movies, and he was taking the part of being bodyguard and private eye. He had the collar of his jacket pulled up, and his chin tucked into his chest as he checked out the area.
“I can’t see any Feds,” John spoke softly through the corner of his mouth, “but that don’t mean they’re not watching our every move.”
Alice paid little attention to him; she had the photo of the boy in her hand. “That looks like him sitting on the wall over there.”
Outside the Black Diamond Club, flowerbeds were built up about two feet high, and a teenage boy was sitting on the wall of the flowerbeds, watching everything that went on. “We should go around the block again,” Alice waved John on, “and then pull up by him. I’ll ask him where the nearest drugstore is, or something.”
“I don’t think asking him about a drugstore is a good idea, him being a pusher. I don’t like you getting out of the car, either.” John drove slowly on. “It’s better if I get out and talk to him; I’ll ask him if there’s a burger place nearby.” John nodded, thinking his plan was better. “The Feds will be looking for a guy to approach the kid, and if it is a trap for Joe, then the Feds are going to have a shock.”
Alice couldn’t tell John that was not part of Joe’s plan, so she argued with him until she had her way. They drove around the block and John pulled up opposite the boy. Alice had to look into the boy’s eyes for Joe to enter his mind. Joe had been with Alice since they had left the house. He said little to her, other than to tell her he was with her, and for her not to be scared. Alice got out of the car and walked up to the boy. She could see he was ready to bolt. She smiled. “Excuse me––is there a burger bar around here somewhere?” Alice kept smiling.
The boy bent down to look at John in the car, as though he didn’t trust Alice. He answered nervously and pointed back up the street. “You just passed a café, they sell just about anything.”
“Thanks.” Alice tried to talk to Joe through her thoughts, but got no answer. She got back in the car. “Well, I think that went well.”
“You do?” John asked as he drove off. “Well, at least no Feds have jumped us yet.” John was looking at all the parked cars and vans, half expecting the Feds to pile out of a van and shout freeze! “So, what’s next?”
“Home.” Joe wasn’t in her head, so she guessed he must be in the kid’s head. “Mission accomplished.” Her face showed obvious relief.
“We didn’t do anything, just asked the kid about a burger place?”
“That’s all Joe wanted us to do, he’ll do the rest.” She couldn’t stop grinning. “It wasn’t a trap, so Joe will act accordingly.”
“You mean Joe’s out there somewhere watching us, and because the Feds haven’t picked us up, he now thinks it’s safe for him to approach the kid?” John shook his head. “The Feds aren’t that stupid; they’ve got a tail on that kid around the clock. They’ll have zoom-in cameras on him, and on anyone who approaches him. They are more than likely taping us right now.” He tapped his fingers on the steering wheel. “I don’t think we’ve made a good impression with the Feds.”
Alice wasn’t sure it was a good plan, either. “Let’s hope Joe knows what he’s doing.”
~
Alice had done well and Joe had no problem jumping into the boy’s mind. Joe stayed with the boy and quietly watched him deal. He hoped he would pick up some information for Agent Jones, but the kid barely spoke to his customers. He’d just say, ‘Hi man,’ shake their hand and give them a hug while passing them what they wanted, and then pocket the money. He moved from one corner to another and strolled down to the café. By the time the boy went to bed, Joe was bored stiff. However, as soon as the boy had gone to sleep, Joe went to work. He watched and listened to his mixed up thoughts until he was fast asleep. He was dreaming about the car he would like to have when Joe popped into his dream. “Are you old enough to drive, son?” It didn’t take Joe long to hypnotize the boy. He asked the questions he wanted to, and the boy had to answer honestly. Joe gleaned all the information the boy knew, and while
he had the boy under hypnosis, Joe thought he might as well ask him about his sex life. Joe spent time reliving it with him, as Speedo told Joe his secrets. Well, this is my hobby, Joe told himself, and what harm is there in finding out what the kid’s girlfriend is like? No one would ever know––he would erase it from the boy’s dream.
~
Alice was trying to concentrate on her morning mail while she waited patiently for Joe to contact her. When he finally did speak to her, he said he was sorry he had taken so long, he had had a late night, but he was pleased with what he had found out about Speedo. Joe told her to get a pen and write everything he told her down for Agent Jones.
An hour later, Alice was on the phone to Agent Mike Jones, feeling proud of Joe’s adventures last night. Alice knew that Joe was still in her head, listening in as she made her first report to Mike.
Mike was in his office catching up on some paperwork. When his desk phone rang, he snatched it up and spoke gruffly: “Yeah?”
“Mike … Alice, here.”
“Hi Alice, reporting in, or do you want my help with something?” Mike had had the kid watched, and had read the report where Alice got out of the car and spoke to him. All the other contacts the boy made were more or less his regulars.
“You got a pen and paper handy?”
“I’m in the office,” Mike shoved the papers in front of him out of the way and grabbed a pen and pad. “Fire away.”
“Joe made contact with the boy. His name is Jake Donovan. He’s just turned 17 years old. He lives in an apartment with his mother, father, and younger sister. He’s been working for Jimmy Murphy for the last three years, but he’s only seen Jimmy twice in that time. Jake deals with one of Jimmy’s hoods called Ryan Taylor.” Alice stopped to take a breath.