The Protectors: Vigilante Justice (Vigilante Cops Book 1)

by Bernard Lee DeLeo

  “In a nutshell but I expected a lot more… I don’t know… worry in your voice.”

  “Morton acted real strange at our crime scene day before yesterday when we busted an illegal alien paper processing depot. From the looks Ellie and I were getting when we reported in yesterday, I had a feeling some people were mentioned on the computers we weren’t supposed to find.”

  “Looks from what people?” Julie leaned forward nervously.

  “I’m getting the feeling you may be in over your head, Doc,” Connor remarked, hearing a plaintive tone in Dr. Morrison’s voice. Is this a setup? “Why not stick to the truth, whether it eight-ball’s Ellie and I or not. I know you have doubts about us.”

  Julie blushed, intuitively knowing what Connor was hinting at.

  “Don’t get me wrong, Doc. I know Morton must have worded an approach like that real careful. I bet you were wondering what the hell he was talking about for the first few minutes.”

  * * *

  If I’m in over my head, it’s with you, Julie thought, watching the understanding look Connor gave her with interest. “Am I missing something, Connor? You’re right. He couched his language as if he were running for office. It was a spin job worthy of an upper deck politician. Who’d believe me anyway? I didn’t record it.”

  * * *

  “I believe you. Here’s the thing, Doc, if you aren’t setting me up right now, Morton’s setting you up,” Connor stated, watching the outrage form at his first words, followed quickly by dawning realization, and then fear. “Yeah, I see you’re getting it.”

  “Morton’s watching me?”

  “He doesn’t have to. He knows where El and I live. Morton will have both places covered. He lays the bombshell on you - then kicks back to watch the fireworks, and films your arrival at my apartment, along with the time you spend here.”

  “Connor,” Julie murmured in horror, staring down at her coffee cup. “I’ve screwed all of us.”

  “Not at all.” Connor chuckled. He stood up and walking over to the wall phone. “I have backup.”

  Connor dialed a number. He waited with a slight smile forming on his face. “El, I know you’re in there. Pick up. I need you.”

  A split second later, Ellie’s half asleep voice came on the line. “You better be in a burning building, Opie, because you don’t walk away from this.”

  Connor quickly blurted out the facts, repeating himself as he could feel Ellie straighten up on the other end of the line.

  “Stay right where you are, Opie. I’ll be over in fifteen minutes. It’ll take no more than thirty seconds to spot the bastard. I’ll bring my own camera along so I can get his face when I’m filming his ass staking out your apartment.”

  Connor laughed. “Oh yeah!”

  “Okay, tell the truth, Opie. You ain’t porkin’ the Doc over there, are you?” Ellie grinned into the phone as fifteen seconds of silence went by.

  “Good one, El,” Connor said finally, hearing Ellie cackling in the background.

  “See you soon, Opie,” Ellie ended the call, victoriously pumping her right fist as she leaped out of bed.

  Connor hung up, his annoyance factor slowly bubbling down to a manageable level. Ellie had nailed him. Julie saw the rueful look on Connor’s face, mistaking it for trouble. She stood up and walked over to him, unconsciously smoothing her skirt. Connor watched with some uneasiness, noticing the way her short sleeved pink sweater top clung in all the right places. Connor hung up the receiver with Julie putting a questioning hand on his arm.

  “You called Ellie?”

  “She’ll spot your tail and turn the table. Morton will think twice about pulling something like this again, especially when Ellie nails him or his minion with a camera. I need to be by the door, Doc, so in case whoever has tailed you gets upset with Ellie.”

  “You’re really protective of her,” Julie observed almost with a wistful tone.

  “Actually, I’m protective of them.” Connor headed to the entryway closet and slipped into his blue windbreaker he pulled off a hanger. “If they do something stupid, Ellie will handle them.”

  “What does that mean?” Julie followed Connor out of his apartment door and over to the staircase.

  “It means she’ll access the situation and meet it with overwhelming force. In other words, she’ll Mace the inside of the car and stun gun everyone who manages to get out.”

  Julie bit off a psychologist’s response, and kept silent.

  * * *

  Morton watched Connor’s building with relish. He knew Morrison would head right for Connor’s place. He’d noticed the way she looked at him when she thought no one was watching. She’d already been in with Connor for over twenty minutes. Morton had it time framed for posterity. What she may not have been willing to do before, she’d do without question now. Morton recorded again with time stamp so he would be able to show the time passed before Morrison exited the building. He jumped, nearly dropping the camcorder as knuckles rapped on his driver’s side window. Morton, reaching for his Sig 9mm, looked up in shock at Ellie’s smiling face. She held her small Nikon digital camera, recording him inside his car while waving with her other hand. Morton’s face went from stunned shock to belligerent outrage in the space of seconds. He turned on his car’s ignition and rolled down the window.

  “What the fuck do you think you’re doing, James?!”

  “Letting you know we know what you’re trying to do, Detective.” Ellie unconsciously gauged the time she’d need to step back after Morton’s hand went for the driver’s door handle, and still be able to bring into play what response she thought necessary.

  “I’m going to…” Morton began to threaten through clenched teeth as he reached for the door handle.

  “Stay in the car, Detective.” Connor’s hand suddenly clamped on Morton’s door. “It won’t do anyone any good if you get out in the mood I see you’re in.”

  “Let him out, Opie!” Ellie dropped back slightly. “C’mon, Luke, let’s dance, baby.”

  Recognizing a losing situation as Julie Morrison ran up next to Connor, Morton held up his hands in deprecating fashion. “This is a legitimate follow-up check. We feared you and Dr. Morrison were compromising on going investigations. The department-”

  “Shut up!” Connor moved closer to the door, all heady precautions fading at Morton’s attitude. “We know what the hell you’re doing here, Morton. Don’t play official bullshit card or I swear to God I’ll rip your ass out right through your damn window!”

  Ellie heard danger in Connor’s voice. She grabbed the arm holding Morton’s door closed. It felt like grabbing onto a cement pillar.

  “Connor, we got him. I shouldn’t have been mouthing off. Don’t-”

  Connor’s head swiveled toward Ellie, fury obscuring the ability to recognize his partner for a moment. Reluctantly, Connor backed away from Morton’s car, gesturing at Ellie in a falsely calming manner.

  “No, I’m okay, El. C’mon, Morton! You want a piece? Think you’re man enough to take one? Step the hell out of that car!” Connor waved passively with his hand as if negating Morton’s courage to even leave his vehicle. “Otherwise, start the car and get the hell out of here.”

  “You think you’re bad, huh Bradwick?” Morton opened his door, seeing a slight opening in this catastrophe. “You throw hands on me and I’ll really own your ass.”

  “What makes you think I care?” Connor murmured under his breath. Ellie looked worriedly at Julie.

  “Jules… jump Connor if Morton steps out,” Ellie hissed, not taking her eyes off of Connor. “Opie… you scoped this whole thing. Don’t go dumb on me now.”

  “That depends on Detective Morton,” Connor said with a dead calm that raised the hair on the back of Ellie’s head.

  Morton saw Connor’s face. His hand pulled free of the handle. “You and James are in my sights, Bradwick.”

  Ellie ran forward, bumping Morton’s door closed again. “Yeah, Detective, we’re cringing every secon
d. Want to have a get together with Sergeant Donaldson at the station… you know… to compare videos?”

  Chapter 9

  Dreams and Stakeouts

  Morton bit down on his lip, turning away from Ellie and starting his car. He accelerated out from where he had parked without a backward glance. Connor walked by Ellie and a stunned Dr. Morrison without a backward glance. Ellie ran up and put a hand on his arm, pulling back gently.

  “Connor?”

  “I’m here El.” Connor sighed, stopping while resisting the urge to simply pull free. “I’m just not happy. I have to keep kicking myself so I’ll remember Morton’s on someone’s string. Remind me where we are again.”

  “Nearly twenty hours away from another double, Opie.” Ellie giggled. “Want to go have some breakfast.”

  “I don’t know, El, I-”

  “I’ll buy,” Julie said suddenly. “Hanging around you two is like being around the Sopranos.”

  “Heyyyyy…” Ellie protested, giving a laughing Morrison a shove. “We’re upstanding officers of the law, Jules. Don’t be comparin’ us to Hollywood gangsters. I thought you didn’t watch TV. C’mon, Opie, let’s hit the ‘Chicken and Biscuits’. I’m starving. It’s within walking distance. I might faint if I don’t get sustenance soon.”

  “Fine, but don’t be going into a fit of depression when you get up tomorrow with an extra five pounds.” Connor immediately assumed a defensive posture, hands and feet in place for a deadly attack.

  “Oh… thank you, Connor. You’ve spoiled the one highlight of the day now,” Ellie whined with award winning fervor, ignoring Connor’s fight to the death stance.

  “We’ll be able to work it off from this early in the day,” Dr. Morrison said, amused at how hesitant she was to take a chance on whether the two police officers were kidding each other.

  “Jules, you look like one of those third world kids from Africa with the flies and gnats buzzing around them. Eat a sandwich now and then for God’s sake,” Ellie admonished with flair. “You could eat out the inventory of ‘Chicken and Biscuits’ without breaking a sweat. If I inhale outside the door of their place I gain two pounds.”

  Connor and Julie were both laughing at Ellie’s diatribe when Ellie grabbed Connor’s left earlobe, pulling him along.

  “Enough entertainment, let’s eat.”

  Inside the ‘Chicken and Biscuits’ restaurant after making their orders, the three companions sipped their coffee quietly - even Ellie, much to Connor’s surprise.

  “Connor,” Julie spoke up, “what did you say when I came over about a nightmare you sweated through your clothes over.”

  Connor’s features deteriorated into the look of the hunted in seconds as Ellie stared at him with anticipation.

  “Why yes, Connor, please tell us of this nasty dream you had,” Ellie urged with false concern in sickly sweet tone.

  “I’d rather not.”

  “You ain’t leavin’ this place until you spill, Opie.”

  Connor shrugged. “It wasn’t any big deal. I dreamed we were being chased through the desert by a huge vampire bat.”

  “You and me?” Ellie asked, a belly laugh beginning to form on the horizon.

  “Well… yeah, but the Doc knocked on the door. I woke up before the thing ate me.”

  “Dreams of vampire attacks have significant meaning,” Julie inserted with zest. “They can actually be subconscious harbingers of real life fears.”

  “You heard her, Opie. Call Buffy the Vampire Slayer.” Ellie laughed. “We need to get the Buffster on the job before we get sucked dry.”

  “Dr. Morrison.” Connor looked at Julie with a somber attitude. “Perhaps you’d like to hear something about what scares the crap out of Officer James. It might be quite titillating for you.”

  “Don’t go there!” Ellie ordered, all levity fleeing in an instant. “You don’t walk away after outing me on that, Opie.”

  “What was it you said about my dream again, El?” Connor tilted his head up with a hand on his chin as if in deep thought.

  “Vampires, Smampires, who cares,” Ellie stated, shaking off any thought of further ridicule concerning Connor’s dream with obvious reluctance while Julie muffled laughter at Ellie’s sudden change in tone.

  “You have chosen… wisely,” Connor agreed.

  * * *

  “Very interesting soap opera you three have going on,” Donaldson remarked after watching Ellie’s video of Morton’s reaction to her arrival on his setup scene. “I can keep this copy, Ellie?”

  “I already have it on my computer, Boss.”

  Donaldson nodded thoughtfully, looking over at Dr. Morrison.

  “Another interesting factor in this is Morton instinctually knowing you would head over to Connor’s place to warn him, Dr. Morrison. Perhaps I’ve missed something around here he hasn’t?”

  Julie blushed. Her mouth tightened in annoyance at Donaldson’s perception. “I assure you nothing untoward has been happening you are unaware of. As it turned out, Connor knew intuitively what Morton planned. It seems I went to the right person.”

  “In the future, you might want to stop in at my office,” Donaldson suggested wryly. “It did give Morton an attitude adjustment he won’t forget. I’ve kept Connor and Ellie out of the investigation loop concerning the bogus paper bust. The rumor mill makes me suspicious there’s a leak at the DA’s office. Luis, Jas, Connor, and Ellie have been getting looks like they’re all headed to the chopping block. I smell a rat. The leak, I suspect, was meant to plump up what Morton tried to do and get the whole thing kicked to the curb.”

  “It won’t be, will it?” Ellie asked.

  “After what Morton tried to pull? Not on your life,” Donaldson stated, his lips tightening into a grim smile. “By now everyone in the department knows that Morton tried to screw you three. We’ll let it simmer in the broiler for now. I just received word the FBI and Homeland Security have assumed control of your illegal alien processing factory. It seems some of the names forensics pulled off the computer matched some on their terror want list. Anything Morton hoped would happen was DOA anyhow. Luis told me the prick warned someone right after getting told he wouldn’t be allowed to stomp all over your crime scene. Any idea who was on the other end of the line?”

  “The same guesses you’re probably making, Sarg,” Connor replied. “No way do I believe anyone out of this department or the city council would be knowledgeable about the terrorist angle though.”

  “Only because they’re playin’ hear no evil, speak no evil, and see no evil,” Ellie added. “I wonder why everyone thinks whoever’s coming over the border illegally is just looking to steal construction jobs.”

  “I’m mainly concerned with the safety of all involved in the bust,” Donaldson said. “You can bet word’s out on who busted the place. Pressure from the bad guys who’ve already paid for papers they won’t be getting is going to get intense. Stay vigilant out there you two. Maybe it would be better to put everyone involved on desk duty until further notice.”

  “I’d rather get shot,” Ellie interjected with attitude. “C’mon, boss, we’ll be careful.”

  Donaldson grinned and nodded his head in acquiescence. “Have it your way, Ellie. Now then, Dr. Morrison, since you’ve been unwittingly involved in this, I’ll step up patrols around your house. You’ll also have to use some common sense precautions too. I’m figuring any retribution for the bust will come down on my two instigators here - but I don’t take your safety for granted, and neither should you.”

  “I won’t, Sergeant Donaldson,” Dr. Morrison assured him, impressed she’d been allowed in on a discussion of FBI and Homeland Security involvement.

  “I’ve already talked to Luis and Jason concerning the bust earlier this morning.” Donaldson stood up dismissively. “If there’s nothing further to haunt me with go enjoy what little time you have left off duty. I’ll go have a meet with the DA and give him this new disc so he stays up to date before I see the Chief o
f Detectives. DA Gravitts should have some legal insights as to what would be prudent. This shit’s going to stop right now. We start eating our own and we all might as well find a new line of work. Thanks for bringing me this so quick.”

  “This simple hit and run bust took off like a rocket,” Ellie observed when the three were outside Donaldson’s office. “I wish you weren’t involved, Jules.”

  “It’s not your fault,” Julie replied with a shrug. “I know it’s stupid for me to think this way, but being somehow in the mix with FBI and Homeland Security involvement is rather exciting.”

  “They don’t share, Julie,” Connor said, he and Ellie nodding at acquaintances as they moved through the building. “We might field a few questions from them, but believe me, they won’t have Ellie and I in for consultations. Counterterrorism’s not my thing. I’m happy we were able to give them a lead to work with. I wouldn’t be happy with the responsibility of a terrorist slipping past some task force I’m part of.”

  “We’re the ground troops,” Ellie added. “The fact we were in the right place at the right time is a real turn on and means we’re doing our jobs on patrol. The woman customs agent who nailed that Millennium bomber… what was his name… Ressam, I think, at Port Angeles, Washington with a hundred pounds of explosives in his trunk saved a lot of lives.”

  “Ellie spotting the car is the exciting part on this front,” Connor remarked. “Her noticing car type and a couple license plate numbers on our drive-by may mean a big intelligence break with waves well beyond Oakland crime prevention.”

  “I’d have thought you two hotdogs would want to be in the thick of this.” Julie used all her will power to focus on maintaining a straight face. It paid off as both Connor and Ellie stopped dead in their tracks, turning to Dr. Morrison in surprise. Morrison gave them a little wave and smile while walking away. “Back to work now, bye.”

  Connor watched Julie walk away with a slight smile playing at the corners of his mouth. Ellie’s punch to Connor’s right shoulder jerked him out of his reverie.

  “Hey, what the hell was that for now?”