Backwater

by Carolina Mac

  “No, I’m good waiting in the truck. I’ve got a lot of writing to do.” Mary worked on her laptop wherever she went.

  “Sheriff in?” asked Farrell at the front desk. A large deputy in a snug uniform glanced up at him and said, “You’re Donovan, ain’t ya?”

  “Uh huh, did I meet you out on the highway?” asked Farrell. “Sorry, I forgot your name if you told me.”

  “Samuels, but yeah, things were hairy out there. Righteous shooting on the prick who gunned down your brother.” He reached out and shook Farrell’s hand.

  Farrell preferred not to think about it. “Did you search for the two guys we were chasing?”

  “Yeah, me and my partner searched that tract of hardwood bush and beat it down good. The fuckers weren’t hiding in there, that’s for damn sure. We saw a splotch of blood here and there, but they was long gone.”

  “Could they have come out on the other side of the woods and hitched a ride?” asked Farrell.

  “Yep,” said the deputy. “That’s the only thing that could have happened. They came out the other side on the county road and somebody picked them up. I’m agreeing with y’all on that. No other explanation.” He shook his head. “You still on them?”

  “Yep, back on it. Spent the last couple of days at the hospital with my brother.”

  “How is Ranger Blackmore? He gonna be okay?”

  “Yeah, but it won’t be tomorrow,” said Farrell. He left with printed copies of their paperwork and was no further ahead.

  On the way north, he called Jesse, told him what was happening and what he needed. Jesse said everything would be ready when he got to the Agency.

  Austin.

  AT THE AGENCY, JESSE sat at Blacky’s kitchen table with Carm and Casey waiting for the boys to arrive for work. His Spanish was no good at all, but Casey’s was a little better and the kid did his best to interpret. Jesse explained what Brian had found out in an effort to stop Carmelita from crying. After several aborted efforts, Jesse said, “Blaine will be home soon. Declan is coming to look after him.”

  “Declan, si,” said Carmelita. She loved Declan.

  “When’s Farrell coming home?” asked Casey.

  “He’ll be along later today,” said Jesse, “then he’s going back to the Gulf to look for the fugitives. That’s why I brought the dogs.”

  “I love your dogs,” said Casey. “I was playing with them out back.”

  “They’re trackers,” said Jesse. “Never let me down. Not once.”

  Travis was first to arrive with Luke, then Carlos and Fletcher came through the door close behind. When they all had a mug of coffee in front of them, Jesse began.

  “We’ve got a lot to cover and new things have come up this morning. I know we’re getting a bit of a late start, but better than no start—at least for some of you. I know y’all don’t like sitting around on your asses.”

  “True,” said Carlos.

  “Sue sent me an email with a list of names she got from Royce’s personal computer—the one in his penthouse. As in any normal murder investigation we have to question all of those people, plus everybody else who would have a reason to kill him. In Royce’s case he pissed off half the state and the suspect pool is Olympic size.”

  “Are the guys on the email, more guys with illegal weapons and cases of grenades and like that?” asked Fletcher. “So far, most of Royce’s shady friends have been carrying two or three concealed weapons.”

  “Using extreme caution, that’s what we have to find out. All the people in his group have been cocky and quick to draw a weapon when challenged. Shake out the shady ones and whether they killed Royce or not—don’t care—all the lawbreakers have to be charged with their own crimes. That’s the way it is. One of them might have killed Royce, but I doubt it.”

  Travis rolled his eyes.

  “So, without our Lil here, my computer smarts are limited,” said Jesse. “Next best thing, I sent Sue’s list to Jamie and she’s getting addresses to go with the names. We’ll meet at headquarters and Jamie and I will be one team and Luke and Fletch will be the other team. We’ll divide the list in half and go question these guys. Anybody that gives y’all a vibe, bring them in for formal questioning.”

  “Couldn’t you use more help with that, boss?” asked Carlos.

  “Could do, and I may round up a unit at headquarters, but you guys are doing something else.”

  “Yeah?” said Travis. “What are we doing?”

  “Blacky told Farrell to go back to the backwater area because the fugitives would head for home.”

  “He woke up and said stuff?” asked Carlos. “That must mean he’s okay. At least a bit okay.”

  “I wasn’t there,” said Jesse, “but I believe Farrell. And I know this for a fact. Farrell would never leave Blacky lying in a hospital bed unless Blacky told him to go.”

  “That’s true,” said Travis.

  “Okay, let’s do it.” Jesse stood up and carried his mug to the sink. “Travis, you and Carlos get some shit together in case y’all are gone over night, then come back here and wait for Farrell. He wants the dogs and they’re in the back yard ready to go. Their kit is in the front hall.”

  “Doing it, boss,” said Travis. “Happy to be working with the team again.”

  San Antonio.

  “HUNGRY, MISS MARY?” asked Farrell as all the fast food joints began appearing on the interchanges for San Antonio.

  “I could eat something,” said Mary, “but I know you’re in a hurry.”

  “We’ll drive through and be back on the highway in seconds. Pick your fav junk food.”

  Mary giggled and looked out the window. “There’s a Chick-fil-A. I like that.”

  Farrell flicked on his blinker and took the ramp. While they waited at the window for their order he called Lily to see how Misty was.

  “She’s not great, Farrell, and I’m worried. I’m following the ambulance right now on the way back to Austin. Doctor Kaplan is meeting us at the hospital.”

  “I should be home in an hour,” said Farrell, “and I’ll be at the Agency for a few minutes before I take off again if you need me. I have to go back to the Gulf.”

  “I should be okay,” said Lil. “I don’t know how long Misty will be at the hospital, but Annie is sending Declan for Misty and he’ll be taking care of the boss when he gets home.”

  “Dec will be with us for a while, then.”

  Laredo.

  ANNIE sat with Blaine in intensive care, holding his hand and talking to him for longer than her allotted five minutes. She stretched it to six or seven. Blaine dozed off and Annie left to let him sleep.

  On her way out of the ICU she noticed a young girl—thin, dark hair—near the door of the private lounge area where the Governor and Gene were waiting with Tyler.

  Annie increased her pace, hurrying along the corridor trying not to be obvious. The girl turned her head, saw Annie coming and ran into the stairwell.

  Annie had no reason to chase her and let her go.

  Was she going into the private room? Why?

  Annie crossed the room and sat in the corner out of earshot of the Governor and told Gene Wyman about the girl. “Might be nothing, but I felt it,” said Annie. “She was as jumpy as a cat and she was up to something.”

  “Thanks,” Gene said in his quiet way. “I’ll have Agent Roderick watch for her when she exits on the main level.” He pulled out his cell and left the room.

  CATHERINE sat down beside Blaine and touched his hand. He opened his eyes and managed a half smile. “You still here?”

  “I have to go back in the morning. I’m going to work in my hotel room until then. I’ll come see you as soon as you get home.”

  “Did they follow you here?”

  “Who?”

  “The media.”

  “Uh huh. They’re out there.”

  “Shit.”

  Catherine smiled at him. “It is shit, sweetie. But the good part is, I got to see that you’re okay. I
talked to your doctor this morning and he thinks you’ll be fine… after you rest for a while.”

  “Did he say how long?”

  Catherine shook her head. “It won’t take you as long as other people. You don’t have the patience.”

  “True.”

  Austin.

  JESSE AND JAMIE started on their half of the list and went to the first address listed. “I’m so excited that we’re working together again, Jesse. That’s what I missed most when I was at the other office.”

  “I felt bad for the Chief,” said Jesse. “You were his right hand, and when you took a transfer because of me, he was lost without you. He probably felt like kicking me in the nuts.”

  Jamie giggled. “I’m sure he didn’t.”

  “Who’s our first guy?”

  Jamie read the name off the print-out. “Roy Frost. He’s an accountant, but his office said he called in sick this morning.”

  “If he’s sick, then he should be at home,” said Jesse. “And what was the content of the email? Good idea you had to print out what each of them talked about with Royce. Gives us a starting point.”

  “Frost asks how long he has to keep Royce’s stuff stored in his hunting cabin. With all the other raids by the ATF and the Violent Crime Squad, he wants the stuff moved.”

  “Okay,” said Jesse, “the guy is nervous of the ATF—that’s a giveaway. Let’s ring the bell and see if he’s happy to see us.”

  A short woman with bobbed brown hair answered the door and Jesse held up his credentials. “Police, ma’am. We’d like to speak to Roy Frost.”

  “Roy wasn’t feeling well this morning and he called in sick to work. I don’t know if he’s up to seeing anybody.”

  “This won’t take long, ma’am,” said Jesse. “Just a couple of questions.”

  She opened the door a little wider and Jesse gently encouraged Jamie into the foyer ahead of him. After a minute wait, a bedraggled Roy Frost appeared wearing a baggy sweat suit and looking severely hung over.

  He pointed left at the living area and led the way. He crossed the room and plopped down in a leather chair.

  Jamie and Jesse took up positions on either side of him. “Mr. Frost, we’re investigating the murder of Senator Royce and we’d like you to answer a few questions for us.”

  “Should I have an attorney present?”

  “That is your right, sir.”

  “Ask your questions and I’ll decide whether I need to call my lawyer.”

  “In one of your emails to Senator Royce you refer to storing stuff in your hunting cabin. You mention the ATF and you say you’d like Royce to remove the goods,” said Jesse. “From past experience with the senator and his band of supporters, we’re guessing that you’re holding a stash of illegal weapons for the senator.”

  “I better call my lawyer.”

  “You can call him from DPS, sir. We’d like you to come with us to headquarters for formal questioning.”

  “I refuse to go.”

  “Then you’re obstructing our investigation,” said Jesse. “You’re under arrest.”

  Jamie jumped up and snapped cuffs on Frost.

  “Let’s go, sir,” said Jesse. “You can call your attorney as soon as you’re booked.”

  “You mean I’ll have a criminal record?”

  “That’s what it means.”

  His wife came running into the room. “Where are y’all taking Roy? He hasn’t done anything. This is police brutality.”

  “No brutality yet, ma’am,” said Jesse. “But stay tuned.”

  LUKE AND FLETCHER headed to the office of the second name on the list, an attorney named Barry Sheridan. “We gonna like walk into his office and embarrass the hell out of him?” asked Fletcher.

  “Not our fault he broke the law,” drawled Luke.

  “Tell me again what his email said?” asked Fletch. “I want to sound like I know what I’m talking about.”

  Luke grinned at his partner and read it to him. “Hey, Royce, when’s that deposit going to hit my OS account? I could use that extra money you’re throwing around.”

  “Okay, Royce owed him money,” said Fletcher. “That ain’t illegal.”

  “No, it’s not, but then Royce says, ‘meet me at the storage units you rented. I’m not paying you until I see the inventory.”

  “Okay, let’s give it a shot.”

  Sheridan and Turner, Attorneys at Law, had a suite of offices on the tenth floor of a building on West Sixth. Luke opened the door and stood in front of a pretty blonde receptionist who was eyeing an open pack of twinkies on her desk.

  “Help y’all?” she said without looking up.

  “We’d like to speak to Mr. Sheridan for a couple of minutes,” said Luke. He placed his creds in front of her and she stared at them.

  “I’ll see if he’s busy.”

  She ran down the hall and was back a moment later. “I’ll show you where his office is,” she said with a smile.

  Sheridan was standing behind his desk when they entered the office. A big roomy space with thick blue carpet underfoot. “Come in and have a seat. Always a pleasure to speak to the police. What’s this about?”

  “We’re investigating Senator Royce’s death,” said Luke, “and your name came up on one of his emails, sir.”

  “Uh huh, and you want me to explain it. That makes sense.”

  “In light of the senator’s illegal activities, we’d like you to tell us what exactly was in the storage units you wanted to be paid for.”

  “And if I’m not truthful, y’all will get a search warrant.”

  “The search warrants are already being issued, sir. The ATF is extremely interested in the contents.”

  “Okay, then I have nothing to say.”

  “Ranger Quantrall wants to speak with you at headquarters,” said Luke. “You’ll have to come with us.”

  Sheridan smiled. “With Blackmore out of commission, you boys will be floundering. Hilarious.”

  “We know Royce’s men shot the boss,” growled Fletcher. “Y’all have a lot to answer for.”

  Sheridan crossed his arms over his chest and leaned back in his leather chair. “I’m not going anywhere with you clowns.”

  Luke stood up and said in his quiet Louisiana drawl, “Cuff Mr. Sheridan, Deputy Bowden. He will be coming with us.”

  “Like hell I am,” hollered Sheridan. He pulled a Glock out of his waist holster and before he could aim at Luke, Fletcher punched him in the side of the head and knocked him down. Sheridan jumped up and flung his desk chair at Fletcher.

  The door opened, and the blonde secretary came in carrying a coffee tray. With his weapon drawn, Luke rounded the desk from the opposite direction to intercept Sheridan who was on the move. Sheridan fired two rapid shots at Luke, missed him with both and took out blondie with the coffee tray.

  She crashed face first to the carpet. Luke fired once, and the firm of Sheridan and Turner was one lawyer short.

  “Calling it in,” said Fletch. He called 911 and then he called Jesse’s cell.

  Luke ran to the girl, dropped to his knees and turned her over trying to see where she’d been hit. There was so much blood he couldn’t tell and there was no way to stop it.

  First response took ten minutes to arrive and the girl had already bled out.

  JESSE took the call from Fletch on the way back to headquarters with Roy Frost secured in the back of the Range Rover. Jamie was driving as she so often did when Jesse was tired.

  “Slow down and say again, Fletcher.” Fletcher tried to explain but he was too upset. “Okay, take it easy. Jamie will process our guy and the Chief and I will come to y’all’s scene. Don’t let anybody in the room except police personnel.”

  “Right, boss.”

  “What happened?” asked Jamie.

  “Another one of Royce’s crazies. He refused to come in for questioning and pulled a gun. He tried to shoot Luke and shot his secretary by mistake.”

  “Oh, God. That’s terribl
e.”

  “Luke killed him.”

  Seadrift.

  FARRELL checked the boys into the Best Western and took them to the seafood place that had been so good on their last visit. After a couple of drafts, and a great meal, they went back to their room, fed the dogs and sacked out.

  The next day would be a killer for heat, bugs and running their asses off.

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  Saturday, June 27th.

  Seadrift.

  FARRELL and the boys were up at the crack of dawn, walking the dogs and looking for breakfast. “I saw a diner on the way into town that might serve up a breakfast special,” said Travis.

  “Too bad our motel don’t have a free breakfast room,” said Farrell, “but this is a small town.”

  “I like those free breakfasts,” said Carlos, “but I can never get the waffle thing to work.”

  They settled on the diner and after bacon, eggs, home fries and biscuits for six bucks, they each took coffee to go and headed into the backwater.

  “Can’t believe Blacky said those dopes would go back home,” said Farrell. “How stupid would they have to be?”

  “Never saw them on the first round,” said Travis, “so you’re the only one who knows what we’re up against.”

  “I’d say Whitey was a little crafty and had a few smarts, but Big Dave Warren is a windbag and a bully. He ain’t too bright.”

  “He the one with the gator bite?” asked Carlos.

  “Yeah, Big Dave has a big chunk missing from his leg,” said Farrell.

  “He won’t be moving too fast,” said Travis. “Bluebelle will smell the blood and catch him in no time.”

  Laredo.

  ANNIE was putting the finishing touches on her makeup in the ensuite and Tyler was on the phone with Paul catching up with day to day happenings at Quantrall when the Governor called.

  “Mrs. Powell, I thought we might have breakfast together this morning before I left for Austin.”

  Annie ambled out of the bathroom and sat on the end of the bed. “Thank you, that would be lovely, and you can call me Annie if you like. Where should we meet you?”