The Case

by Lee Cunningham

  Kate’s look became serious. “Grandfather started me on lessons about 6 months after my dad was…murdered. I understand better now why. He said it was a good way to blow off steam and develop both a skill and self-control. But then there were the trap and skeet lessons, archery lessons, marksmanship classes, hunting, fishing and survival classes. I see the big picture much more clearly now. It all seemed so fun at the time, but it was also part of a long-term survival plan.”

  Shane sat back in amazement. He said playfully to lighten the mood, “Damned if you just aren’t the perfect woman! We could live on a desert island, and I could drink Pina Coladas all day, while you hunted, fished, gathered and cooked. I would build the fire for you, not that I’d have to, you know.” He smiled, but realized the attempt to cheer her had failed. Kate’s look was focused and determined.

  Kate stared ahead, without reacting. They ate in silence for a while before she said, “Shane, we have both been protected all our lives as we were being prepared for the worst, and I feel that the worst is coming. Maybe today the worst will come, or maybe not, but it will come. It’s just part of who we are, all because of other people’s greed. It’s not right and it’s not fair, but it is our lives and we do need to win…to survive, for each other and our family.”

  As she looked at Shane, Kate answered his previous question as clearly as she could. “I will never use violence for anything, other than to protect those I love, to protect my family and friends, or someone innocent. But I am a second degree black belt, and a trained marksman. I have been trained with fighting knives and archery, and I can hunt, fish and survive in the wild. That’s who I am…and it is also part of what I do best.”

  “What I can’t do is stand idly by and let anyone I love be hurt, by anything or anyone. What I’m not, is someone who will wait patiently at home, and worry that I should be doing something to make sure my loved ones come home safely. I’m sorry, but I’m going with you today!”

  Shane immediately began to object, but Kate was ahead of him. Her phone was out, and she dialed 911 1300. She stood up and gave Shane the look which, he had already come to realize, meant any argument would be futile.

  She took him by the hand, saying, “Come on, I have a last minute modification to add to the plan. No one will even know I’m there. This is the way it’s going to be. And by the way, just so you know, I’m a much better shot than Tom Bradshaw, at least out past 400 yards.”

  All Shane could do right now was follow her back to their room. As his mind raced for ways to dissuade her, he couldn’t help but think about his sweet Kate shooting a target at more than 400 yards. She may really be the perfect woman after all, he thought.

  8

  “How ridiculous and how strange to be surprised at anything which happens in life”

  (Marcus Aurelius, Meditations)

  When they arrived at their room, Kate and Shane found Walter and Pete waiting nervously. As she walked in, Kate flashed them both the look that seemed to possess a power of communication beyond speech, and yet, at the same time, transcend all understanding. Shane watched the event and thought this was a unique force of nature that most women, but no man, seemed to possess. The look commanded silence from the others in the room, while it also conveyed a demand for no interference, as clearly as a flashing neon sign.

  Walter was most experienced with Kate’s force. And while Shane watched, Walter sat down on a chair, appearing already defeated before he was even sure of what was to come. He cradled his forehead in his hands, and muttered, “Oh, boy, I know that look.”

  Pete sat silently beside him. Having been married to a woman for decades, who had also possessed this strange magical power, Pete was much too intelligent and experienced to enter the unwinnable fight that brewed.

  Unfortunately, Shane, who had the least experience in these matters, began to say something flippant, but Kate shot up a hand, as she tossed another look quickly his way. She reinforced the message defiantly with, “Wait until everyone else is here. My mind is made up, and I will not be dismissed like a child!”

  Kate paced slowly back and forth from the bay window to the bed as the others filed into the room. Shane sat on the bed and finally, lay back on a stack of pillows, putting his hands over his eyes, as if afraid to watch. He began to understand the way this meeting would go, and how little power he would have to impact the outcome. Everyone coming into the room could feel the tension and somehow clairvoyantly respected the silence.

  Once the team was present, minus Howard, Kate said, “There is an addition to the team…and for good reason. We need to buy some time, and we need more bodies. We have been focusing only on Undersheriff Grant, who we now know is dirty, and the Magadinnos. The more serious problem is that we have three additional variables: one, being whoever the Undersheriff is working for or with; two, being our friendly informant; and three, being the informant’s plant inside the Magadinno syndicate. We are sending Shane out with very few people to support him, outnumbered by the relevant threats from five different sources. It’s a recipe for disaster.”

  “We have one sniper team. We need a minimum of two teams to cover both sides of any perceived threat at the meet location. And before anyone offers an alternative, I have hiked that trail to the waterfall, and I know that one team can’t cover the area.”

  Shane shot Kate a questioning look, but she responded, “I know this to be true. I’ve also studied the topo map. Teams will have to be set up at both the north and south sides of the canyon, and west of the parking lot, where the trail leads from the parking lot up the canyon. There are houses down toward the road heading to town, and Grant won’t likely try anything too close to them or the road. It’s likely he will want to leave the parking lot and travel up the canyon trail for privacy. And that’s a likely place for a sniper to be lying in wait. That’s the only thing that makes sense.”

  Kate was on a roll and accelerated the pace of her presentation. “Our sniper teams will have to be far enough off and above the trail to ensure cover and concealment. If it comes to one of our team taking out a threat to Shane, the shot could be 500 to 750 yards from either side. I know that Tom and Mike can make that shot from one side. Who else is here that can make that shot from the other side?”

  Walter moaned, and Pete looked down at the floor. Both knew what was coming. Silence filled the room.

  Shane broke the silence, saying, “You all know I can, or, at least, if you know as much about me as I think you do, then you know I can.”

  But even as the powerless words landed on the dead air in the room, Shane knew the statement made no sense. He couldn’t be his own sniper team. He instantly regretted trying to change the subject, and a third glance from Kate conveyed her displeasure at the attempt. He figured that was probably his allotment of “looks,” and he laid back on the pillows again, and listened as she continued.

  Kate continued, undaunted, “You all know I am the only other person in the room, and at the estate, who can make that shot. Let’s not beat around the bush. I need to be part of the second sniper team, and I need to leave soon, if not now.”

  Walter and Pete leapt to their feet, in unison. Walter shouted, “You can’t go by yourself,” as Lee said, “You don’t even have an observer.”

  Pete added, somewhat feebly, “It’s out of the question!”

  But Jesse chimed in, “She has an excellent point. If the first team sets up on the wrong side of the trail, they could never effectively take out a target on the other side of the trail head, due to the elevation problems with the meet location. But it’s a moot point. We don’t have another body to act as Kate’s observer.” Lee and Walter sat down as Jesse spoke.

  Kate spun around from the window, where she had been patiently waiting for the objections to stop. “Yes, we do,” she said calmly. “Lisa Martin got back from California 20 minutes ago. She texted me from the espresso café and asked me to meet her there as soon as I could.”

  Lee was on his feet again. �
�When was anyone going to tell me, Lisa was back!?”

  Jesse offered, “Should I program another pair of radios?” As a practical man, he believed the decision had just been made, as required by necessity and common sense.

  Pete and Walter looked at each other and smiled, as Shane asked, “Who the hell is Lisa Martin?”

  Lee and Jesse began making plans for another surveillance and sniper unit, as Walter and Pete explained to Shane that Lisa Martin was Mike Panos’ girlfriend, and a longtime member of Lee and Tom’s PI Company.

  Walter added, “In fact, Lisa is a certified firearms instructor and range master, who served two tours in Afghanistan as part of a special operations sniper team, before it was publicized that women were serving in covert special forces. And, by the way, we had a company picnic last summer. And, at our rifle competition, Kate won, competing against Tom, Mike, Pete and Lisa. Lisa came in second past 500 yards.”

  Shane groaned a submissive, “Of course she did.” But, as Kate smiled a victorious smile from where she stood by the window, Shane lodged his final objection. “It’s too late to get everything together for them to be a second sniper team. We just don’t have the time, and Lisa hasn’t even been briefed. Grant should be calling any second.”

  Pete and Lee said, simultaneously, “We’ll have the equipment ready.”

  Kate added, “I have a plan to delay the meet for the time we need to get Lisa on board and up-to-speed.”

  Shane realized he was outnumbered and looked to Walter and Pete for support. When they both shrugged in resignation, he realized it was a lost cause. Kate gave a final explanation that she would text Lisa a location to meet her, outside the compound, and would leave to meet with her, as soon as her vehicle, rifle, spotting scope and radios were ready. She asked Walter to retrieve her Bergara Custom Heavy tactical .308 caliber rifle, outfitted with a Burris Eliminator scope, along with the Vortex Razor HD spotting scope they used for the summer competition and general shooting practice.

  Walter hurried out, as if on a mission, leaving Shane without his last hope of support for talking Kate out of the idea. Pete slapped Shane on the shoulder and said, “This is the wisest decision, you know.”

  He then followed Walter out, while Shane wondered how he had become the lone objector. He turned to Kate to plead his case but found only the look to greet him and immediately conceded defeat. He was learning, although it seemed very slowly to Kate.

  Shane had only two questions left for Kate as her plan unfolded, and everyone left to equip the final surveillance vehicle. He asked, “So, what is your plan to give you enough time to get there and delay the meet, and how do you and Lisa hook up, to avoid taking up more time?”

  “I already texted Lisa to meet me at a parking lot at South Carson and Stewart Streets. She may be waiting there for me already. When Undersheriff Grant calls, you are going to say that you are being delayed, getting last minute intel from your surveillance. Tell him to give you another hour, and that you’ll have something extremely important for him that’s just coming together.”

  Shane was intrigued. “And what do I tell him when we meet, and I have no information that just came together?” he asked.

  Kate said firmly, “But you will have information. One of our surveillance technicians downstairs, Sam, texted me an update that an unusually large meth shipment is arriving at Lake Tahoe tonight, and that Vick and Bobby are going with Hector to pick it up. Per agreement with the seller, they will be carrying more than two million dollars in cash and gold coins as payment.”

  Kate continued, obviously now in charge of the last-minute plans. “And, before you get all upset that you weren’t in the loop, know that I told Sam to text me with any update because you were busy. I’m sure Sam can be trusted and the information has only gone to me, and now it has gone to you. So, if there are no more objections or concerns, I need to leave to pick up Lisa, and you need to give me a kiss goodbye…and then another kiss for luck!”

  With that, Kate walked over to Shane, and he gave her kisses as instructed. She wished him the best of luck and started to walk out the door.

  She spun around, and added, “You might want to think about how we can use the information about two million in cash and gold to prod Undersheriff Grant into doing something stupid. We need to get total control over that clown. And I know you know this, but don’t give him any details as to who is involved, or where the deal is to take place.”

  Kate gave Shane a last confident smile and walked out, leaving Shane wondering what exactly he had control over anymore. He was alone in the room, feeling totally outmaneuvered, but totally and comfortably supported.

  Shane walked to his duty bag, removed a few items he wouldn’t need, and added a good wide- field-of-vision set of 12 X 50 binoculars. He threw in his old Remington Wingmaster Model 870, 12-gauge pistol-grip pump shotgun, loaded with 00 buckshot, that sported an extended tube holding a total of 8 rounds, with one in the chamber.

  Shane knew he had plenty of long distance fire support. If he were to be involved in a fire fight, his responsibility would be to handle close-up threats. He knew he needed the additional firepower. He took a black jacket and set of ultra-thin leather gloves to wear. His duty bag contained a warm camo jacket, camo hat and set of thin camo gloves, just in case he needed to hit the brush on foot for an escape route, while he evaded a sniper.

  On the way to his SUV, Shane stopped and met with Sam in the tech room. Wesley was nowhere in sight. Sam gave Shane additional information gleaned from the surveillance videos. As a unique twist to the Tahoe dope deal, a regional outlaw motorcycle gang was going to be making the delivery at the Tahoe meet. Sam advised Shane there had been a lot of chatter in the Magadinno compound about the Mexican cartels being cut out of this deal, due to the new clandestine alliance with a biker gang that could deliver cheaper meth.

  Shane laughed, as he thought it funny that there was no honor among criminals. Franky and Hector were playing a dangerous game, trying to force a price war amongst the cartels, using a biker gang. Someone was likely going to get hurt, and probably very soon. Shane knew that the uneasy peace among the cartels wouldn’t last, with a biker gang moving into their already crowded market.

  But something else was obviously wrong, Shane thought. No one does a two-million-dollar dope deal on the first exchange. Deals of that size are built on trust resulting from dozens of deals, starting with small amounts that increase in size slowly, over time. And in the months he had been conducting surveillance on the Magadinnos, he had never heard anyone in the compound mention a biker gang, even though they were obviously already doing business with them. This was a new twist, and maybe a clue to some of the unknown players in this game.

  Shane threw his bag in the SUV, as Howard gave him a nod. The teams were ready to go. Kate was already gone, and he pictured her meeting with Lisa and briefing her on the plans. A smile came to his lips. Shane would be the last to leave.

  He made a final check of his equipment and radios. Everything was ready. He already had dry mouth and heartburn, side effects of the stress. He grabbed two bottles of water from the back seat and threw down three of the antacids he kept in the center console.

  Shane’s phone sounded, and he saw “Grant” on the screen. He delayed until four rings had played, and answered like he had hurried to the phone from some distance. “This is Dan.” Shane always used his undercover name, in case someone on the other end of the line had been compromised, or their phone had been stolen...and, after all, Grant didn’t know his true identity.

  The voice at the other end sounded rushed and irritated. “It’s Grant. We need to meet now. There’s an old bar in the town of Genoa about 25 minutes south of Carson City. Take US Hwy 395 south to the turnoff to Genoa…that’s State Route 206, to the right. When you get to Main Street in Genoa, turn left. As you pass the Genoa Bar and Saloon, start watching for a dirt road that turns off, up toward Tahoe. It’s about a half-mile south of the bar.”

  G
rant continued, “Go up the dirt road for a quarter mile or so, winding past a couple of homes, and you’ll see a dirt parking lot on a bluff, with a hiking trail that runs up a canyon. Park on the far side of the parking lot, to the south. Here are the GPS coordinates, 38°59’44.61”N, and 119°50’52.27” W. I’ll be there in 25 minutes. Any problems or questions?”

  Shane replied quickly, “Hold on a sec…just finishing writing the coordinates.” After a couple of seconds, he continued, “Perfect timing. Something really big has come up I need to inform your boss about. It’s a special, unforeseen deal involving much more money and product than we’ve ever talked about. I’m just finishing up gathering the details from my equipment. But I need to review the audio at real time speed. It looks like I’ll probably need another hour to get there.”

  Grant sounded even more irritated. “Give me a god-damned good reason we need to postpone for an hour!” he demanded, angrily.

  But Shane continued, undaunted, in a half-code speech, in case the phone call was scanned. “I could give you more than two million good reasons. But, if we follow the golden rule, then you’ll be even more than interested in who’s coming to dinner tonight. If I leave too soon and don’t get all the info for you, you’ll be upset, because I won’t have time to come all the way back and figure it out in time for us to travel to dinner…that is, if you or I, or your boss want to attend the party.”

  Grant was intrigued by the reference to an amount of money and the mention of gold. He pressed for more information. “So, the dinner party is out of town…how far?”

  Shane knew to keep the details vague, for security and control sake, and said only, “Yes, at least an hour away. More like two, if we want to arrive early to get a good seat at the table.”

  In the end, Grant conceded, motivated by the thought of that much money. He quickly consented to the delay. He said, “Fine, but this better be good info. Call me as soon as you leave, so I’ll know you’re on your way!”