“Sir, I am going to have to ask you to leave.”
The two officers heard the automated door to the house behind them shut. Their lead was burnt and they had no choice but to leave with their tails between their legs. Kaufman stared into the eyes of the officer who had confronted them. He was trying to understand if he was only doing what he thought was right, or if he was in the Senator’s palm. He nodded, smiled at Williams and turned to Barski as a signal for them to move.
As Kaufman reached the cars, he turned as if to ask the agent another question. By habit he thought of the agent as on his side, but he quickly stayed his tongue and reached for the car door. He sat in the vehicle, knowing they were beaten for now.
“Our only lead and the Senator knows we’re onto him. We can’t keep this up,” said Barski.
Kaufman slumped onto the steering wheel in deep thought. For all the troubles he had encountered as a detective, he’d never been so frustrated as to have a key witness within sight but out of reach.
“Eric, we keep this up and we’ll be shit-canned before the week is out. That won’t mean going back to our old jobs. You think we’ll ever work in law enforcement again? Will you throw everything away?” asked Max.
Kaufman didn’t answer, but he could feel his friend’s concern growing. He lifted his head and fired up the car, slipping it into gear.
“Let’s get back to the ship and take it from there, see what Denton has.”
“On Malory or Munoz?”
Eric turned to look at him. Max was worried enough to lay down the law with him, despite Kaufman always having been his superior.
“Why did you become a cop, Max?”
“It was the only job I could get.”
“But that wasn’t all, was it?”
“I wanted to help make the city a better place and to catch criminals. But that’s not fair, we’re playing an entirely different game now.”
“So you’d risk your life to chase down a gunman, but not a politician who would have your job?”
“You know it’s not that simple.”
“Really? Malory is responsible for murder, drug trafficking, bribery and probably a whole host of other offences. With the power he holds, he is more dangerous than any serial killer.”
Barski turned to look ahead. He was conflicted by his responsibilities and the wellbeing of their people. It was as long and tedious a journey back to the starport as it had been to get to the Hills. The city traffic never let up. A police vehicle soared overhead in the emergency lanes with its lights flashing. Kaufman looked up at the cruiser and briefly wished that he were back on the LB force.
“I never thought doing the right thing could be so difficult,” said Max.
He couldn’t think of any retort. The two cars rolled into the starport entrance, their occupants miserable and down trodden. As the vehicles ambled slowly around the Intrepid, they were quickly aware of a collective in front of the vessel. Kaufman drew the car to a quick halt, concerned that they were heading for danger. Denton stood with a few of his officers. They were in conversation with several unknown men in suits.
Kaufman scanned around the scene and quickly identified several Secret Service agents on duty. He opened the door to the car. They were indeed walking into danger, but not of the kind that required weapons. As he got out of the cruiser and headed towards the group, he immediately recognised Senator Malory.
The Senator was in his late fifties and noticeably overweight. His pinstripe suit accentuated his broad shoulders and bulbous stomach. He was well tanned and his hair gelled firmly into a parting, so much so that it was like stone. Malory held himself with a cool arrogance, lording his authority over Denton. He turned and gave a smarmy grin at Kaufman, clearly recognising him.
Stopping short of the scene, Kaufman watched on as the two men spoke. There were no raised voices and no heated discussion. He could not hear the conversation, but he could understand what was being said from their body language. He looked past Malory and saw Ray Denver standing guard. He appeared to be an important member of the Senator’s staff.
A minute later, the confident Senator turned to walk back to the lavish limousine parked behind them. Denton turned to face Kaufman. He looked both furious and worried in equal measure. Kaufman turned his attention back to Denver. The former IBI officer was walking towards him.
“Denver, we are meeting all too often in situations that leave a disgusting taste in one’s mouth,” said Kaufman.
The agent stepped up so that he could speak to him. He was close enough that only Barski could hear what he had to say.
“Kaufman, you have to drop this. It is my duty to protect the Senator. If he were ever to be investigated in any way, it would be done internally. You should leave Earth and stay away until this has cooled off.”
“Is that your job, to protect such a man and disrupt an investigation? None of us are above the law, Denver. I know you have always thought so.”
“Take my advice, Sir. Leave this planet and leave the Senator alone. Good luck to you both.”
“I know you’re better than this. You will see it before this is over.”
Denver nodded. Kaufman could sense that the former Sergeant was not wholly comfortable in his work for the Senator, but he was also ferociously loyal. He turned and continued on after the Senator. They had lost the battle, but seeing the sleazy politician’s face, Kaufman was only more determined to bring him to justice.
Chapter 5
The Intrepid burst through the Earth’s atmosphere as the crew lay about with grim faces. Many did not yet know the circumstances of their departure, but they were aware they’d been sent packing. Kaufman watched from the bridge and as they broke out into space he retired to his cabin. Denton’s coat lay on the chair in front of his desk. The Commander had not returned aboard after the Senator’s visit. Instead he returned to The Spire where his duties lay.
Kaufman wanted to wallow in his own misery, get out a bottle of scotch and forget the day had ever happened, but his responsibility to his crew stopped him. The buzzer rang and he activated the door. He expected Barski to enter but was met by the pretty face of Kaminski. He lifted his shoulders and relaxed, not wanting to show his concern.
“Sir, can I sit down?”
“Sure, what can I do for you?”
“Sir, we aren’t going to let that bastard walk free, are we?”
Kaufman went silent. He wanted nothing more than to see the Senator behind bars, but he knew the price that would likely have to be paid for achieving it. He thought back to Nowak and the collateral damage, and the lives that were destroyed.
“At what price is it worth it? Chasing a man like Malory will cost us more than we are willing to pay. I lost Nowak to a criminal far less capable than the Senator. Is it worth our lives?” asked Kaufman.
Cheryl got to her feet with a sigh. She understood his position completely, but her hatred of the Senator was overpowering.
“What would my uncle say, Sir?”
Kaufman looked into her eyes and saw the same raw determination that he had in the old sergeant.
“Why do you hate Malory so much? You are not even from Earth?”
“Sir, bastards are the same the world over. I have seen his kind many times before. If such men are in power and untouchable, what precedent does that set?”
She turned and left the room. Kaufman did not like being lectured to but he hated Malory’s bullying tactics far more. He reached forward and opened a channel to the whole ship.
“All officers to the briefing room in five!”
* * *
As he looked around the room, Kaufman could see only the bitterness of defeat in his officers. He knew exactly how they felt. Months of working an unsolved serial killer, while the press and the city looked to you for answers, felt much the same way. As the leader of the taskforce, the pressure was on him more than ever.
“As most of you have now guessed, we are off the Malory case. It should, however, be
noted that we were never officially investigating the Senator. That policy will remain unchanged!”
Many of them looked around at each other in surprise.
“Sir, the Senator made it quite clear that he’d have our asses if we didn’t drop this,” said Davis.
“Indeed, it is what all bullies threaten when everything they know is at risk of falling apart. The Senator is no less a criminal than the gangsters we have hunted since this force began, perhaps more so. For now, we take a breather and let the heat die down. As before, any files on the Malory case will remain on the ship’s private data stores only. Meanwhile, I want all efforts focused on Money Munoz.”
“You think the Senator will buy it, that we have let him be?” asked Chan.
“We aren’t faking anything. Munoz is one of the most wanted men in the System. I want him dead or alive. All efforts are to be directed to that case for the foreseeable future.”
“We can’t go back to Earth anytime soon, so how do you propose we continue the case?” asked Laine.
Kaufman looked at the board of data and then to his crew. He was thinking on his feet.
“I can’t tell you where Munoz might be, but he has assets all over the System. We pursue every asset, every crook and every business which may have had any association with him in the last five years.”
“That’s not going to be easy, Sir. From our initial research, Munoz is every bit the ghost he’s rumoured to be,” said Morel.
“If our job was easy, then any old bastard could do it. Any other questions?”
The room was silent as they digested their leader’s hardened stance.
“Sir, we’re still down a team, we could really do with the manpower right now,” said Morrison.
“Damn right. I am going to resolve that matter. The rest of you get to work. We need something to go on by the end of the day, at least some lead to follow up. Get to it!”
Kaufman stormed out of the room as the crew slowly began to pick up from where they were on the Munoz case. He didn’t break stride until he reached his office and jumped into his chair. Gone was the weariness and misery of defeat, replaced by a newfound determination and anger at the villains they faced. Within seconds, he had contacted the Ganymede base and was on hold waiting for Sergeant Lin. It didn’t take her long to respond. Her long black hair was tied back and sweat dripped from her brow onto her sports top. She had been pushing the recruits hard and leading by example. Good, he thought.
“Sir, how can I be of assistance?”
“How are the new teams, Sergeant?” he asked sternly.
“Good to go, Sir.”
“Glad to hear it. I want them lifting off and on course to rendezvous with us within the hour. You and your team are to travel with them to rejoin our crew.”
“Yes, Sir.”
Kaufman could hear the concern in her voice.
“Sergeant, we had seven days before we went operational. They have had it better than we ever did. I have uploaded our co-ordinates to you. The Victory can track this ship at all times, so be sure that your journey is adjusted regularly as our position will likely change.”
“Yes, Sir. We’ll have another day or two aboard the ship, anything we can get working on?”
“Just get the crew familiarised with the vessel. They need to be fully operational by the time you reach us.”
“Yes, Sir, will that be all?”
“We need manpower, Sergeant, and time is never on our side.”
“I understand, Sir.”
“That’ll be all, Kaufman out.”
He leapt to his feet and continued on immediately to the briefing room. His crew’s morale was low. After the high of another success just days before, their jobs were being threatened and they were being asked to handle the two most difficult cases of their lives. There were no words of encouragement that would assist them, so the only thing left to do was get to work.
The day had come to a close with little more than a few notes on their board. They sat around the briefing table rubbing their eyes and sipping coffee. That was at least a pick me up which had long become a mainstay of police work. He looked around at the tired faces and knew it was time to stop. He tapped his intercom.
“Fletcher, we’re calling it a day. Please have dinner made up ASAP.”
Nobody said it, but Kaufman could sense their relief. He looked to Barski, dismayed at the lack of progress they had made.
“It’s day one into a case nobody has ever managed to make any headway on. We’ll get there,” Barski said.
Kaufman nodded, he was confident that his team could solve the case eventually, but he was unsure how much time they had left to do it. It was a solemn evening, and the card games were slow and utterly lacking in enthusiasm. Fletcher was a fine cook who made better food than they were used to getting on a daily basis. Not even that soothed their minds.
In their months of operation, the Intrepid had rarely been left idle in space. The crew had often complained about the constant work and travelling, but now they wished to get on with some serious work. The meal was as solemn and quiet as the briefing room had been. Kaufman’s only relief was when he and Barski could retire to his office for a few drinks until they were finally tired enough to sleep.
* * *
Kaufman’s eyes opened, but not by the alarm, his intercom was bleeping. He reached to the side of the bed and hit the accept button. Anders, the pilot on duty at the time, was on the line.
“Sir, I have Commander Denton awaiting you.”
“I’ll take it at my station here.”
He staggered to his feet and looked at his watch; it was another thirty minutes until the alarm would go off. It had taken him long enough to get to sleep and he would have greatly appreciated those few extra minutes, but he knew Denton would have something important. He slumped down at the desk, not even putting the lights on. The transmission screen appeared. Denton looked tired but was doing a fairly decent job of hiding it.
“Put on LBC News, Captain.”
Kaufman rubbed his eyes as he tapped the screen to project a second screen next to Denton’s channel. The Commander went silent and watched as Kaufman took in what he was seeing. A scene of a vicious car accident was displayed and the news anchor reeling off the little information she had.
“At this stage, the police have confirmed that the occupants of the vehicle were a Mr and Mrs Harris from Ruby Hills. Initial reports suggest a delivery driver struck the vehicle. He was intoxicated with extreme levels of both Cosaline and alcohol. Neither the couple or intoxicated driver have survived this tragic accident...”
Kaufman turned off the channel and returned to the Commander’s stern face. They both knew the reason behind the crash, but neither said it.
“Will it end here, do you think?” asked Kaufman.
“I honestly wouldn’t like to hazard a guess at that one, Captain. I have no answers for you, but it is important that you are aware of the situation.”
Kaufman let out an exasperated sigh. He’d expected to come to blows with the Senator one day; but had rather hoped that there would be some time for the whole situation to cool off.
“Do you have anything new for us, Sir?”
“Sorry, Captain, that’s it. We are continuing to work on leads at this end. I’ll leave you to begin your day. We’ve had a rough few days, but do not let that rule the next ones. We have a job to do and a reputation to uphold, so let’s get on it.”
“Yes, Sir.”
“Denton out.”
Kaufman had heard the same inspirational words from bosses before. But at least with Denton he knew the man was willing to both knuckle down and share the risks. Despite the danger surrounding them, Kaufman felt relieved to wake up to the safety and familiarity of the Intrepid. The ship had become more of a home to him than anywhere he’d known since his father’s death.
Within minutes, he was washed, dressed and ready to get going. The warm water had thankfully woken him fully. He stepped
out into the corridor and saw Fletcher rush into an elevator up ahead. He was carrying plates of food stacked in his arms. Kaufman speeded up to leap in after the cook.
“Good morning, Sir!” shouted Fletcher.
“Where you heading with all that?”
“Briefing room, Sir. Everyone went right back at it this morning, got to keep body and soul together.”
“You’re a good man, Fletcher.”
“Ought to be, Sir, for what you pay me.”
The doors opened and they stepped out and straight into the investigation. Everyone greeted Fletcher with a mixture of excitement and relief at seeing breakfast. Kaufman went to the head of the table with a quick glimpse at the board. They had been working for maybe an hour already. He turned back to see that he had their full attention, even as Fletcher was piling the table with food.
“Good to see you all up and at it. The Commander reminded me this morning that we have a job to do, no matter what. We have had such a string of successes these past few months, and so the sting of defeat feels all the worse. Let’s move forward and make some real headway, but first, take five and dig in!”
The room erupted into activity as they gleefully grabbed at the piles of food. Kaufman picked up a bagel and looked around. The sullen and tired state of the previous day had been washed away. He sensed they were relieved to be off the Malory case, even if the Munoz situation would be far from easy.
An hour later, they were well back to work and investigating information that was decades old. It seemed that most agencies had given up on any chance of bringing Munoz to justice. Kaufman understood the frustration of making little progress on a case, but his bitter stubbornness wouldn’t allow him to stop.
The teams had their heads down as Kaufman delved into his father’s death and its connection to the gangster. He read the file over and over. It suggested nothing other than a case of bad luck. The recovered log from the cruiser said that his father had pulled the vehicle over due to faulty lights.
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