Extreme Heat Warning: A Shallow End Gals Trilogy, Book Two
Page 13
William Patterson finished reading to the kids at the library story hour and walked over to Mabel Cummings, the Head Librarian. She quickly looked up and smiled. More than once Mr. Jacobs had saved her from an embarrassing announcement that Reading Hour had to be cancelled. William smiled and handed her a glossy brochure with pictures of Disney on the cover. She glanced at the brochure and gave him a questioning look. William smiled and said, “A non-profit group I support, funds trips like this for under-privileged children a few times a year. As a supporter, I am able to recommend children to the selection committee. I would like the library’s support by allowing me to host another art competition, with the prize being this trip.”
Mabel was beside herself, “What a lovely idea! You just bring in whatever promotional materials you want to, and I will present it to the Board.” William thanked her and left smiling. The president of the Library Board was one of his club members. He would get the posters ready tomorrow. By his count they still needed at least four more boys and a couple of girls.
Tourey walked up the wide marble staircase to the Loyola Law Library only to hear John as he walked through the doorway, “Let’s take a walk instead.” Tourey turned his head and saw his old friend leaning against the end cap of a long row of books.
Tourey shook his hand and said, “Retirement becomes you John.” They both turned and made small talk until they were well into the common park area. John pointed to a secluded bench, and they both sat down.
John asked, “What are you working on right now?”
Tourey kind of shrugged and answered, “A world of loose ends.”
“The Company gave me permission to borrow you.”
Tourey looked at him, “For gardening?”
John laughed, “I see you checked out my cover. I’m OSI now.”
Tourey just stared at him. Then Tourey started shaking his head, “I remember the last time you borrowed me, I got shot. Twice. And run over by a friggin’ truck!” They both started laughing.
John said, “You set me up with a diseased hooker and told me twenty minutes too late!”
Tourey sat up straight, “I didn’t know!” They both started laughing again.
John looked away, “Too bad we can’t call them the good ol’ days, can we?”
Tourey looked serious, “No we can’t.” Tourey looked at John, “Isn’t OSI mostly Homeland? I never leave New Orleans, part of my deal with the Company.”
John answered in a hushed voice, “I can’t tell you everything, or I would. Office of Special Investigations is exactly that. Who do you think investigates the Company and the Bureau now?”
Tourey shrugged and asked, “Aren’t I part of the problem then?”
John laughed, “You have been so deep, so long, half of your own guys don’t know you exist. I’m not worried you are part of this problem. I trust you, and I’m sure I need you. What are you working on if I can ask?”
Tourey answered, “Officially, we have a primeval soup of international nasty that seems to swirl around Nawlens these days. There isn’t any effective law enforcement. I can’t keep up. We are even drawing international criminals because of it. Assassins, gun runners, drugs, human trafficking, you name it. Who would have thought there would be a place in the States to do all of this and not get caught? It works out great for the bad guys, not so much for me these last three years. Unofficially, I just started checking on a pedophile for a friend, and I have been looking to find out something about the building across from Mickey’s in the Quarter.”
John spent twenty minutes bringing Tourey up to date on his involvement. How it started with a request from Ashley to find Devon. That led to him finding out from the FBI that Devon and Patterson, a pedophile, were in the French Quarter, and their escape had been masterminded by Mathew Core. That led to the FBI discovering a Virginia computer lab that both the FBI and the CIA had seized this morning. So you know there were some serious security breaches both domestic and foreign. Then they had a bombing of that location three hours later, with two CIA operatives killed and an FBI Agent wounded. Then they had the bugging of the survivor’s hospital room, the escape of the sniper Mark Mills, and the killing of two FBI transport agents.
Tourey listened with the facial expressions of a kid being told a horror story. Tourey exclaimed, “Jesus Christ! That has all happened today?”
John nodded, then he said, “We may have had an encounter here at the Crab Shack at dinner tonight. Watch out for orange utility trucks.” John chuckled and slipped Tourey his card, “Put me on speed dial, and I think you should introduce yourself to Roger Dance. You don’t want him thinking you are on the wrong side of any of this.”
John told Tourey he was sure Mathew Core was in New Orleans. The FBI team that had just arrived was going to turn the town into the Wild West if they had to.
Tourey didn’t like the sound of any of it. He whispered, “I’ve heard Dance and Casey border on spooky. They figure things out in hours that should take months.”
John was nodding, “That’s not a rumor. That’s true. They have not asked for my help, and may not. Roger is a very cautious man. Did you know the Director of the FBI designated him National Lead on the Devon- Patterson case?”
Tourey whistled. “Another Dillinger? I guess I have to study up on this case. I didn’t realize it was so God damn important. I knew the FBI was moving into that building, I didn’t know why.” Tourey rolled his neck, “I met one of them.”
“It’s really not just Devon and Patterson. It’s who they know and how they pulled this off. We end up back at Mathew Core, and I doubt if Mathew bombed his own computer lab. Who do you know that could have pulled that off in hours?”
Tourey shook his head, “Nobody.”
John nodded, “Which leads me to believe this is going to end up OSI anyway. You in?”
Tourey said, “Ah shit. You know, a psychic told me this afternoon a dark spirit was looking for me. Is it you?”
John smiled, “It’s probably Mathew Core.”
Thor had Pablo call his sister Jeanne to meet them at the N.O. FBI field office to work with an artist. Pablo waited by the main door for her arrival, and Thor introduced himself to the agents there. Pablo was going to describe the man at the Crab Shack who may have been lip reading. Roger suspected it might have been Core or one of his men. Jeanne was going to describe Devon and Patterson. It was always a light crew in the evenings, but the field office Senior SSA Frank Mass had stayed to meet them. Thor kept remembering Roger said there was a problem in this office. In spite of his questionable personality, he was trying very hard to appear cordial and make a good impression. He didn’t want to contribute to Roger’s stress. He couldn’t stop thinking about everything that had happened in just one day! He felt like he was in a movie.
Just this morning at breakfast he had told his favorite waitress in Indy he might be close to being able to take a long deserved vacation. Was that only this morning? It seemed a week ago! Then that damn trial! His thoughts were interrupted by squeals of joy from the lobby. He looked over, and Pablo was hugging the most beautiful woman he had ever seen.
HOLY»» The closer she got, the harder it was to breathe. Damn. She could be a weapon!
Jeanne reached her hand out to Thor and said, “SSA Thor, I think I can provide the artist enough information on both Devon and Patterson to help catch these bastards, sir.” Her demeanor was that of a trained warrior. When she stared at Thor, her piercing blue eyes almost made him want to turn away. Holy crap, you didn’t want this chick mad at you! He couldn’t imagine how Devon had overpowered her. As if she read his mind she said, “He kept me heavily drugged.”
Thor partially composed himself and pointed her to where the artist was waiting. When she left, Thor looked at Pablo. Pablo said, “We’re twins.”
Thor threw his head back and laughed, “You might be pretty, but you got the short stick!” Pablo laughed. He knew for Thor that was actually a high compliment. Roger had asked Thor to ge
t some more information on Pablo. Thor pointed towards a small office where he and Pablo could talk while they waited his turn with the artist.
Special Agent Nelson and SSA Frost had gone to the local New Orleans Police Department to let them know they were in town and to offer their services. FBI seldom gets involved in local policing unless asked, and can only participate if it doesn’t jeopardize a case they are working on. When they walked in, they asked the desk sergeant if they could speak to the officer in charge. He told them to make themselves comfortable, and he would page him.
Nelson and Frost walked around the reception lobby and ended at the Wall of Fame. They looked at the picture of Bernard Jacobs giving the Police Commissioner a one hundred thousand dollar check and whistled. Todd kept looking at Bernard’s face and said, “This damn case has me suspecting everybody. That guy right there looks like a skinny Patterson with a beard.”
Frost laughed, “I know what you mean, and I have only been on this case one day!”
Todd looked at him, “That’s right, you and Manigat just started this…hang on!”
A moment later a fortyish officer came around the corner and greeted them. “Do you guys mind if we talk in here?” he was pointing to a small conference room off the lobby.
Frost said, “No problem.” The officer’s badge read Demiere. Frost said, “Officer Demiere, we are FBI, and we have a few other agents with us. We are in the city because a very nasty case of ours has led us here. We want you aware we have agents staying at the Marriott on Canal and in a building across from Mickey’s Bar in the Quarter.”
Officer Demiere had been taking notes and said, “What are you guys looking for specifically?”
Frost answered, “My senior agent has not given us permission to talk about the case yet. I may be back here tomorrow. We just wanted to make a courtesy call and offer our services if you want them.” Both Frost and Nelson passed him their cards.
Officer Demiere asked, “I’m sure you both are aware of the struggle this department has had with both crime and corruption. Are you looking at us?”
Frost chuckled, “I think you are the only ones we aren’t looking at!” Officer Demiere laughed.
Nelson said, “We have a couple of maps and just want to get a quick feel for the city tonight. Any places in particular you think we should stay away from?”
Just then the door burst open and the desk sergeant said, “We have an officer down and two more pinned over on Desiree. I have one unit responding. It sounds like quite a shootout.”
Officer Demiere quickly rose and said, “Sorry, I have to go to that. We’re short tonight, and we have a nasty gang trying to horn into that hood.”
Frost and Nelson looked at each other, “You want company?”
Agent Frost drove, and they followed Officer Demiere through what they thought were some very bad neighborhoods. Both of their cars screeched to a stop in what could only be called Hell. They saw an officer pinned behind a dumpster taking fire and one on a porch taking fire. A patrol car was parked on the lawn, one officer was on the ground leaning against the car and another shooting from behind the passenger door. Two cars circled them with shooters, and three shooters were running on foot. Officer Demiere parked next to the wounded officer’s car and was taking fire trying to reach him.
Todd looked at Frost, “Remind you of a training exercise?”
Frost said, “Yep. I’ll drop you in thirty feet.” Todd prepared to exit the rapidly accelerating car. He threw his door open, rolled to a clump of trees, and began shooting. Frost took the corner on two wheels and jumped out seconds before hitting one of the cars head on. He rolled about five feet, leaped behind a dog house, and started shooting. He hit two tires on the second car and the passenger shooter in the center of the forehead. The back seat shooter’s head exploded in red from a round from the other direction. The passengers of the vehicle Frost rammed were shot as they ran from the wreckage. Frost counted. All ground shooters were down, and one of the second auto’s passengers had his hands up. It was over. Three more police units pulled up sirens blaring. Frost went looking for Nelson.
Agent Nelson was helping Officer Demiere prepare the injured patrolman for the ambulance. Todd had blood streaming down his white shirt sleeve. Simon asked, “You okay?”
Nelson answered, “Just nicked me.” The other officers came over to introduce themselves. Frost and Nelson knew the local officers were underpaid, certainly not appreciated and often under-trained. New Orleans had a long way to go, and it was getting worse.
One young officer was shaking his head and said, “We have four shooters in each car and three on foot. All dead but one guy in the last car there. I have only seen that kind of shit in the movies! Jesus! You guys can shoot! And move! Hell that guy rolls faster than I can run!” He was pointing at Nelson. Frost saw the ambulance pull around the corner and motioned for everyone to get out of the way.
A minute later the coroner’s wagon showed up. The driver got out and asked, “How many?”
Nelson answered, “Ten.”
The driver got on his radio, “Need another wagon or two.”
Officer Demiere offered to give them a lift to the hospital to have Nelson’s wound dressed. They gladly accepted. Thor wasn’t going to be happy. They had totaled a rental car less than an hour after pick up. In the car on the way to the hospital Officer Demiere said, “Back at the station you asked me which neighborhoods to stay out of?” They all started laughing.
While Frost was waiting for Nelson to finish with the nurses, they all thought he looked like Brad Pitt, he called Thor and told him what had happened. Thor told him when they were done to get back to the Star Ship and try not to destroy anything or kill anyone on the way.
Spicey and Jerome had walked back to Spicey’s place and were sitting at the small dinette table in Spicey’s kitchen. Colorful beads covered the one small window instead of curtains, and the small counter was lined with colorful jars of spices and bowls of ripe fruit. Spicy had watched Jerome devour a poor boy sandwich and two bowls of cereal. He had said grace and thanked Spicey when he finished. He had been raised by a momma that wanted him to do good. Spicey looked at him, “I need you to tell me nothing but the truth here if you want me to help you find your Momma. You got that?” Jerome nodded. “Tell me about her.”
Jerome took a deep breath and wiped a tear. He told Spicey about his momma raisin’ him alone, how she had a tailor shop in the Quarter with an apartment like Spicey’s. He came home from school two weeks ago, and his momma was gone. His voice broke when he said she hadn’t come home since. Spicey’s heart was breaking for him. Adele sure didn’t sound like the type of woman to do that to her kid. Spicey asked, “What did the police tell you?”
Jerome stood up, “The police? I didn’t go to no police! Momma told me you can’t trust the police in Nawlens!”
Spicey motioned for him to sit down. She looked at him and said, “For the most part what your momma told you about the police is true. There are a lot of good people trying to change that. A lot of those good people are police. They work for very little money and risk their lives every day. Why you think the good ones do that?” Jerome just shrugged. Spicey continued, “They have hope they can make a difference, and eventually Nawlens will be back to the city we all loved. What do you suppose happens if the good citizens decide not to go to the police anymore?” Jerome shrugged. Spicey yelled at him, “I want to hear an answer! Think it out! What happens if there is no police anymore?”
Jerome said, “I guess there would be nothing to stop the bad people, and the good people move away.”
Spicey nodded and smiled, “That was the right answer! They aren’t perfect, but they’re what we got! We have to go to them when we need them to give them a chance to prove they can do it! You and me are going together in the mornin’ to the police station. Then you are going to go to school, and I am going to call in some very special favors owed me in this town. We are gonna find your momma!”
“I’ve had ‘nuff Church to do me ‘til next year! I finally told Wilma the Spirits needed a nap! Lordy.” Then Sasha saw Jerome and said, “Hi,” real quiet. She looked at Spicey with one eyebrow up.
Spicey said, “This is Jerome. His momma is missin’, and we are going to find her startin’ tomorrow morning.”
Sasha ran over to Jerome, “How long your momma been gone, hun?”
Jerome said, “Couple of weeks.”
Sasha was shaking her head making tsk, tsk sounds. Then she said, “Your momma a friend of Spicey?”
Jerome said, “No.”
Sasha said, “You a friend of Spicey?”
Jerome said, “No. She robbed me. And shot at me.” Jerome looked towards Spicey with a little grin on his face.
Sasha looked shocked and turned to Spicey who was waving a dish rag at Jerome, “You tell her who robbed who first!”
Dusty had finished the sketches and had been told by Jeanne and Pablo that they looked just like the people they were describing. Dusty asked about the sketch of Mathew Core, “Just what did this guy do?”
Thor asked, “Why? You know that guy?” Dusty wasn’t sure. Hate to get someone in trouble for nothin’.
He answered, “Just looks kind of familiar is all.”
Thor answered, “If you think of something, you call me. That guy is bad news if he is who we think he is.” He gave Dusty his card. Dusty slipped the card into his shirt pocket. Shit, shit, shit. That was the guy he’d been tryin’ to find for Tourey.
Thor looked at Pablo and Jeanne. He cleared his throat, “I know it’s late, but do you mind going to the Star Ship? I’ll catch up with you shortly. We can get these interviews done tonight. Tomorrow may be as much fun as today.”